๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐'๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ค๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ : "๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ฉ๐ง๐ช๐ก๐ฎ ๐ก๐ค๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐๐ค๐ฃ๐, ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ก๐ค๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐๐๐."
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐, ๐ข๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง...๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐.
๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฌ. ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ, ๐ฆ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ, ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ.
๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐๐๐ญ. ๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ.
๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ...๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ....๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. ๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ .
๐๐ก๐ ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ.
๐๐ก๐ ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฌ.
โดโดโด
"๐ผ ๐๐๐'๐ก ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐ผ ๐๐๐, ๐ฟ๐๐๐. ๐ผ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐'๐ก ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐ผ ๐๐๐."
Malo said quietly as he looked at Yibo, who was sitting in front of him beside the hospital bed.
Yibo adjusted his posture, still watching him, before speaking calmly.
"๐๐๐๐โฆ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐กโ๐๐ ๐โ๐๐๐๐, ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ฆ ๐ค๐๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐ก๐ โ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐ฆ๐๐ข'๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ก. ๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐โ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ผ'๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐....๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐โ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐โ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐."
Malo fell silent, turning Yibo's words over in his mind. Ever since they had discussed everything that happened between them and Peng...and Yibo had told him that all the evidence gathered against Peng had been handed to the authorities...the outcome of the case had become clear. Peng had no way to defend himself against the overwhelming proof.
After celebrating what seemed like a certain victory over Peng, Yibo had shifted the conversation to Malo's life....telling him it was time to step down from his current path and start over. The idea hit Malo hard. He stared at Yibo for a long time before shaking his head. It was a thought that had never crossed his mind, not even once. No one had ever looked at him and suggested something like that.
His mind kept replaying Yibo's words. He wasn't thinking about whether he could do it....his only question was: If he didn't accept this offer, where would he go? What would he do?
No matter how much wealth he had accumulated, if there was no future for it to grow, he would eventually lose it. And deep down, he knew Yibo was right...everything had reached its end. There was nothing left to look back on with pride.
Yibo slowly stood up, watching Malo. He knew what he had said wasn't small; it could completely shake someone's thoughts. He decided to give Malo space, hoping that with time, Malo would understand the depth of what he was offering.
"๐ท๐๐'๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก ๐คโ๐๐ก ๐ผ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฆ. ๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ฆ๐๐ข'๐๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐."
Malo looked up at him.
"๐ผ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐กโ๐๐๐๐ , ๐ฟ๐๐๐โฆ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ๐๐ข๐ก ๐กโ๐๐...๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ ๐ผ'๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐."
"๐๐๐ข'๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐. ๐โ๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐ข'๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐โ๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐ข'๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐คโ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐. ๐โ๐๐ ๐๐ โ๐๐ค ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐. ๐ด๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ผ'๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐ก๐. ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐...๐คโ๐๐โ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐ค๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐? ๐โ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐โ๐ก, ๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐?"
He patted Malo's shoulder in farewell.
"๐ผ'๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ค. ๐ผ'๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ค. ๐ผ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐กโ๐๐๐, ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ...๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐."
Yibo turned toward the door. His hand was almost on the handle when Malo called out.
"๐๐๐๐โฆ"
He turned back.
"๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ ๐ด๐๐๐."
For a moment, Yibo felt something heavy drop in his chest. The name echoed through him, stirring memories he had buried long ago...memories of the first time fate dragged him into Malo's world, the beginning of his second life....
"๐โ๐๐ก'๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐?"
A large man called Basco, their leader, had asked him back then.
"๐๐๐๐," he had answered in a dry voice.
Basco walked up to him and punched him so hard he saw flashes of color. Then, in broken English, he said,
"๐น๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐๐ข๐๐ โ๐๐๐....๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐."
Basco adjusted his jacket and asked again,
"๐โ๐๐ก'๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐?"
"๐๐๐๐."
He repeated it without hesitation. Back then, the fire burning in his chest was still raw, and something inside him told him he would never change his name...the name his mother used to call.
Another punch came, blurring his vision again.
The people around them cheered loudly. Basco laughed as he lifted his head again and asked,
"๐โ๐๐ก'๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐?"
"๐๐๐๐."
This time, when Basco punched him again, he staggered as if he would collapse, blood spilling from his nose.
"๐โ๐๐ก'๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐?"
Basco asked again amid the chaos, Yibo wiped the blood from his face.
Instead of answering this time, Yibo suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Basco by the shoulders before Basco could react, Yibo started punching him wildly in the head.
The place erupted into chaos. People rushed in, separating them with difficulty. Among those who pulled Yibo away was Malo....this was the second time Yibo had seen him since the day Malo tried to steal his bag. That was when Malo truly noticed him.
Holding Yibo by the shoulders, Malo said firmly:
"๐ผ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข'๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฆ โ๐๐๐, ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐ต๐๐ ๐๐'๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ . ๐๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐ ๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐ ๐คโ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐ โ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ . ๐โ๐๐ก'๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ค. ๐ผ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ ๐โ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ....๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ฆ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ. ๐ด๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐โ ๐๐กโ๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ . ๐ธ๐ฃ๐๐."
After releasing Yibo's shoulders, Malo stepped back in the noisy crowd and said, "๐ฟ๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฆ, ๐๐๐๐."
Then Malo walked away, leaving him behind. Even though their relationship never became close during the time he spent there, Yibo remembered that Malo had repeatedly pleaded with Basco and convinced him to let him stay he change the name to Lion, until Basco finally gave up and left him stayed.
So now, hearing Malo tell his real name, Yibo knew the memories had returned to both of them. The weight of Malo's trust...and Yibo's inability to respond...made him simply nod before opening the door and leaving.
He exited the hospital through the back entrance to avoid the crowds who constantly tried to greet him...especially the nurses and security staff.
With every step, he felt the weight pressing on his mind and chest. Along with Malo's confession, there was the heavy burden he had been carrying ever since the events that had completely derailed his life...events that came far sooner than he had planned.
It wasn't time yet.
Not time for him to make that decision about his life.
Not time to confront everything he had endured and buried.
He never imagined that Duan's words would trap him so deeply, or that Peng would return and destroy everything at this moment.
His mind drifted to Zhan. He remembered how he had seen him leaving the hospital that morning, watching him from his car. The feeling in his chest was something he couldn't define, something he didn't want to call fear...but it was fear of the unknown. Fear of what life would look like after everything ended, after he had protected Zhan from Peng and succeeded in getting Peng arrested.
He had always believed he could control everything, plan every outcome. But everything had happened in the blink of an eye...as if someone closed their eyes for a moment and opened them to a completely different reality.
When he thought of Zhan, he remembered how fragile he had looked, even then. Bai had been holding his hand, laughing over something trivial, probably teasing him. Zhan had always been gentle, but he also carried a quiet strength...never letting his softness stop him from doing what was expected of him.
The reality before him struck him with a brutal force...both the reality he had imagined for the future and the reality he was holding onto now.
In the future he had once planned, everything would end quietly. When all of this was over, he would step out of Zhan's life and give him the chance to live fully....like anyone else. He could marry someone else, build a normal family, maybe even have children of his own. Staying with him would shatter all of that.
He couldn't give Zhan that kind of life.
But the present reality was different.
Everything inside him had changed.
Everything had changed since the day he went looking for Zhan in that house and couldn't find him.
Everything had changed the moment he realized their lives were now inseparably intertwined.
Everything had changed when he understood that he could never imagine a future that didn't include Zhan.
During those frantic days searching for him, something inside Yibo had broken...so deeply that he wasn't even sure if he was still breathing. He simply couldn't picture a world without Zhan in it, without him beside him, without those eyes, that smile, that voice.
When they finally found him...when he saw him lying there, lifeless in that room...it wasn't just fear that gripped him. It was the realization that if Zhan had died, his own life would never recover. He had lost everything once before and managed to stand again, but this timeโฆ if he lost Zhan, he knew he would never truly recover, no matter how long he lived.
He went home that day with his mind in chaos, but with one undeniable truth:
He loved Zhan.
And he needed him.
Not to protect him from Peng.
Not to hold his hand.
Not just to understand his feelings.
But because Zhan had unknowingly filled a massive emptiness in his life...an emptiness he hadn't even known existed.
And with that realization came fear. A fear that strangely brought clarity. People said that to move forward, you must return to where you began. If he truly wanted the future he envisioned, he had to go back...back to the place he had sworn never to return to.
Back to the past he had tried so hard to erase.
Back to the shadow of the man who had destroyed him before he even understood himself.
Back to the fate that had haunted his life for years.
Compared to what he felt for Zhan now, even that old pain seemed smaller than he had believed.
Zhan was worth every wound, every apology, every humiliation he might face.
If he truly wanted their life together to be real, peaceful, and legitimate...he had to go back and face what he had buried. He had to tear down the wall he had built behind him. Only then could he truly marry Zhan.
Without fear.
Without deception.
Not for any reason other than choosing him with his whole heart.
He opened the car's dashboard and pulled out a folded white paper. The words on it were ones he had carefully prepared...words that would push his life into an entirely different direction.
He unfolded the paper and reread them countless times.
"๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐. ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โฆ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐ ๐. ๐ฐ'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐."
He closed his eyes, swallowed the lump in his throat, and tossed the paper onto the passenger seat. Then he picked up his phone and dialed a familiar number.
The call was answered after a few rings.
"๐ป๐๐-๐ฎ๐๐๐โฆ" Yubo said, leaning back.
On the other end, Tao stood up from beside his father, ๐๐ซ. ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ณ๐ก๐ข, who was watching CNN in the living room. He walked out of the room and asked the question he had been waiting to ask:
"๐ฏ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐?"
Yibo lifted a hand to the back of his neck before answering, his voice low.
"๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ'๐ ๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ฐ ๐ ๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐ฐ'๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐."
From the other end of the line, Tao replied,
"๐จ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐ฐ'๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐...๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐."
(๐ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ผ'๐ ๐ฒ๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ '๐ ๐ป๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฒ, ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ผ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป.๐)
Yibo nodded.
"๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฐ'๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐."
"๐บ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐'๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฐ'๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐'๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐."
Yibo nodded again.
"๐ถ๐๐๐. ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐."
Tao was about to end the call when Yibo stopped him.
"๐ป๐๐-๐ฎ๐๐๐โฆ"
He swallowed before asking the question that had become routine between them over the years.
"๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐?"
Tao nodded, as if Yibo could see him.
"๐บ๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐ซ๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฑ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐'๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐."
They ended the call. Yibo slowly opened his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. He didn't know why, but he always preferred talking to Danue-Ge....Danue-Ge always seemed to understand him, often answering questions he hadn't even voiced.
He tossed his phone onto the passenger seat. It landed on the white paper he had thrown there earlier. The sound made him glance back at it, and his chest tightened as he remembered the words written on it. He looked away, started the car, and gripped the steering wheel.
His destination was clear.
He was going to pick up Zhan.
Picking up Zhan would be the beginning of everything that awaited him.
โดโดโด
The air in the house welcomed Zhan with a warmth and a faint familiar scent he hadn't realized he had missed. Maybe it was because he had spent too long away, getting used to the sterile smell of the hospital.
He stepped inside slowly, greeting the house softly, as though afraid he might wake up from a dream he hadn't fully understood yet. He reached the living room and stood there, taking in everything as if he were seeing it for the first time. Only three days had passed, yet the house looked larger and more dignified in his eyes.
The sound of the door closing pulled him back. He turned and saw Yibo entering with shopping bags they had picked up on the way.
Yibo wore a white long-sleeve shirt and dark trousers. He looked so different...like a banker or a lawyer rather than the doctor Zhan remembered.
Earlier, As Yibo walked toward Nainai's sitting room, Zhan watched him, his heart tightening with a strange mix of irritation and admiration. He hated how attractive Yibo still looked to him, especially when he could already sense how complicated everything between them was about to become.
"๐ท๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐, ๐โ๐๐. ๐๐'๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ๐กโ๐๐๐....๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก โ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐....๐คโ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ก โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐โ๐ก. ๐น๐๐ ๐๐๐ค, ๐๐๐ก'๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐. ๐ฟ๐๐ก'๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ . ๐ฟ๐๐ก'๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐คโ๐๐ก'๐ ๐โ๐๐๐."
Zhan remembered Yibo's words from earlier on the road. He had turned to look at him in shock. What did he mean they needed to talk about? What exactly was waiting for them? Had Yibo somehow read everything he had planned to confront him with? Or did he know that he had overheard those words he had spoken that day?
His head began to ache, but another part of him insisted that Yibo must be referring to Peng and everything that had happened in those days. If that was the case, Zhan decided he would wait until Yibo finished speaking...then he would say what he needed to say. He couldn't keep carrying the weight of those words in his heart without confronting him.
So he followed Yibo inside. They put everything away, and Zhan sat on one of the living room chairs while Yibo carried the bags into the kitchen. He left a small bag with soap, toothpaste, and new toothbrushes near the stairs before heading into the kitchen.
"๐ด๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ?" Yibo asked when he came back.
Zhan had showered earlier and was wearing a light blue and white cotton outfit, so he didn't really need another bath. But he wanted some time alone, so he nodded and picked up the bag, heading upstairs.
Yibo stopped him at the stairs and held his hand.
"๐โ๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐ค๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ก? ๐ผ'๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐."
Zhan looked at him in surprise.
"๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐?"
Yibo smiled slightly and rubbed his thumb over Zhan's fingers, sending warmth through him.
"๐โ๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐ผ ๐๐๐'๐ก ๐๐๐๐. ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐คโ๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐ค๐๐๐ก."
Zhan paused, still stunned.
"๐ฝ๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ก. ๐ผ'๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐คโ๐๐ ๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐."
"๐๐๐๐ฆ. ๐บ๐ ๐ โ๐๐ค๐๐. ๐ผ'๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก'๐ ๐คโ๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐."
He released Zhan's hand, and Zhan realized he was smiling without meaning to.
Upstairs, everything looked neat and untouched, as if he had never left. He didn't know whether Yibo or Aunty Shui had cleaned up, but the place felt strangely comforting.
He hadn't planned to shower again, but once he entered the bathroom, he changed his mind. He let warm water run over him, from his head to his feet, feeling the heat soak into his body. It felt good...too good...but his heart was still restless.
Afterward, he wore a soft light-brown long shirt and trousers. He picked up a small bottle of perfume Yufei had given him and applied a little, then let his damp hair down, parting it into two sections so it could dry.
As he went downstairs, a delicious aroma filled his senses, spreading through the living room. He hurried toward the kitchen and saw Yibo standing with his back to him, sleeves rolled up, cutting something at the sink. Two covered plates were arranged on the side.
Zhan stood at the doorway, watching him...the movement of his shoulders, the focus in his posture, the faint veins visible on his forearms.
His chest tightened again, the realization settling in that his peaceful illusion was about to shatter very soon.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โค๐