Dance with Me! [YiZhan Mystery FF]✔️

-60- New ways

-60- New ways

POV Wang Yibo

Unlike usual, Yibo's way this morning did not lead directly to work, but first to a meeting with Zhan's parents. Already a few days ago Yibo had asked them for a talk.

When Yibo arrived at Zhan's parents' office, they greeted each other warmly as usual, before they went to the family consultation room and sat down at the big round table. And Yibo didn't let much time pass until he explained to Zhan's parents why he came to them.

"Mom, Dad, thanks for taking time for me today. The thing is, Lian and I spent several hours yesterday talking about the future of our office. We calculated back and forth, looking for solutions, but we finally realized that there is no way around a closure."

"So now you're ready to accept help from Mom and me?" Zhan's father asked. For more than 9 months Yibo had been calling them Mom and Dad after they offered him this.

"Mm. You offered me the chance to work for you. We are closing the office in a month and I would like to keep working. I don't want to let my protégés down either, and I'd be happy if we could work it out together."

"Dad and I have already thought about it and we also had a long talk and came to a decision that you might like more than working for your future in-laws."

"And what did you have in mind? What idea did you get? And, hey, I'd love to work with you two. You know I love you." Yibo replied smiling.

"And we love you Yibo. And we want you to finally fulfill your dream and propose to Zhan like you planned. But that' just in passing. Dad and I, as you know, have sold Granny's house and the money is safely in a savings account. We wanted to split it equally between our children, but Yanli and Cheng both refused. Yanli because she will inherit our house one day and Cheng has other plans with your brother. And so we spoke to Zhan and Zhan's suggestion was to invest the money in your office. But under certain conditions."

"What? Are you serious? I can't accept that!"

"It was Zhan's idea and we think it's a good one. And you should listen to the conditions first." Zhan's mother replied.

"All right. I'm listening."

"So like Mom said, we want to support you. However, Zhan suggested that there should be some changes. For example, you should find an experienced family psychologist to work alongside with you guys. And hire another experienced professional who can support you since you still lack of experience. No longer will you only support socially deprived families, but you will also support solvent families, because to secure your incomes, this is necessary. In addition, you should apply for financial support for the children and young people at the social welfare office and the youth welfare office, so that you can continue to care for and support them. In the future an accountant should take care of the bookkeeping. You will have to change your office hours and also work a lot at schools, where you are really needed. For example, you could change your office hours to Tuesday and Thursday. On the other days you will be at schools and youth clubs, visiting families at home and taking part in training seminars.". Zhan's father explained.

"And this was Zhan's suggestion?" Asked Yibo confused.

"Mmm, mostly. He said he wants you to continue working with Lian and keep your office. But that you still need to gain experience, and therefore it would be important if you could do it outside of your office. In order to relieve you of the financial burden, he suggested that you hand this over to an accountant who will take care of everything and then just always give you the documents to sign. This way you don't have to spend hours every week doing the accounts or worry about whether you have already paid the rent for the office. And if you hire a family psychologist and a specialist, you will of course need larger spaces. And we would like to give you our office for that. As you know, Mom and I are both older and have been wanting to stop going to work every day for a long time. We would continue to be volunteers for you. And our office would be free. And even though it's bigger than your current office and more centrally located, it's even more affordable." Said Zhan's father.

"It all sounds great. But unfortunately, I can't decide that alone. If it were up to me, I'd be involved right now. Even if I'm uncomfortable about needing ZhanZhan's money again."

"Your ZhanZhan loves you and wants to support you. He's not thinking about the money, but about you being well and not having to give up your dream." Said Zhan's mother.

"Still I feel uncomfortable. I am happy, but still I would have liked it better not to need help in the first place. But I guess Zhan was right when he told me it might have been too soon to open my own business. Lian and I definitely lack experience in our work and also in business matters."

"But that's not why you should let your head down and give up now. And if Lian doesn't agree, you just find an experienced professional who wants to work with you. We're all behind you, we'll help you. Especially mom, because she wishes that you can propose to Zhan soon, and get married."

"Mmm, I wanted to do it on our anniversary. But if there's not enough money in the bank to buy a cheap hamburger from Mac Donald's, then there' no way I can afford a ring."

"Don't worry about it. Zhan isn't expecting a proposal, and he won't run away, if it just takes longer. Focus on one thing right now, then move on to the next." Zhan's mother said.

Yibo is more than grateful to be a part of this family and to be supported by them so much. For him, Zhan and his family are more than just an important part of his life. And a life without the Xiao family, Yibo can't imagine anymore. Just like back then, they are there for him again, without any ifs and buts. Just like a family should be.

And Yibo knows that as soon as he earns money again, he will buy rings, take Zhan out for a nice dinner and then propose to him at the lake in the park where they love to spend time. More than half a year ago he had already gotten the approval of Zhan's parents for this and always wanted to propose to Zhan on their anniversary. Unfortunately, it didn't work out on the anniversary, but maybe on the anniversary when he woke up from his coma and not only could he remember Zhan, but he could finally be together with him for real.

Or maybe he would do it spontaneously and on a day when Zhan would certainly never expect it. After all, the day of the proposal didn't matter as long as he could do it.

Just when Yibo wanted to drink from his freshly brewed tea, he had to put the cup down again. It happened again! Like almost every day for the past two weeks, he suddenly and without warning had this unbearable feeling of missing Zhan again and again. It wandered from his stomach, across his chest and heart, and finally to his throat, so that it felt to him as if he would just start crying at any moment.

"What's wrong, Yibo?" Zhan's mother asked in horror as she looked at Yibo.

Tears welled up from Yibo's eyes and only with difficulty he explained: "I don't know why, but for the last two weeks I've been having these kind of fits or something. All of a sudden I miss Zhan so much that this feeling becomes unbearable. Even if I only leave the apartment, I start to miss him already. I don't understand why it's like this lately."

Zhan's father left the family consultation room to get a wet washcloth for Yibo and Zhan's mother said: "Maybe that's what your mother kept trying to explain to you. What she saw in her visions back then."

"You mean this being connected by destiny? That strong bond that binds Zhan and me?"

"Yes, exactly. Your mother kept talking about this, and I seem to remember her saying that you and Zhan will physically feel when the strong bond between you awakens. But I don't remember the exact words. I mean, you must have her diaries. Have you looked in them?"

"No, I haven't looked there yet. To be honest, I never wanted anything to do with the supernatural. Not if it can be avoided. All that supernatural stuff brought me so many years of grief and pain that I just didn't want to know about it anymore. But if what you say is true and my mother said, Zhan and I will feel it physically, when our connection, this bond between us awakens, then maybe I should really read the diaries."

"You should. Maybe not everything she said or exaggerated here and there is true. But I think there's something about this whole destiny thing."

Yibo agreed with that. He can't know if his mother wasn't exaggerating about everything. Maybe now is the time for Yibo to face it and find out if his mother was right and if Zhan is not only his soul mate but also determines or influences his destiny. This very evening he will go to the basement, pick out the box with the diaries and start reading his mother's notes. It is time for New Ways!