Hoa Xuan took part in all the village's efforts to search for Xiao Zhan to remove himself from suspicion. After over a week of searching, the villagers began to lose hope that Xiao Zhan would be found as their search had not yielded anything positive. And since Hoa Xuan always took part in the search, no one suspected him of having anything to do with the kidnap and that was how he was able to vindicate himself.
"Just one week more and I'll leave this village to go and live with my Zhan. I told you guys I'm the game and I know how to play it well enough to not be caught." Hoa Xuan sniggered. He was sitting under his usual spot, under the tree inside his compound, enjoying the sweet food Jiyang came with. He was having that sinister smirk playing on his lips while looking at Jiyang washing his clothes while he relaxed and was enjoying the food he came with while thinking of his way forward and how to leave this village without Jiyang finding him out.
"How am I going to get him convinced so I'll be able to leave without him? How am I going to escape from him? He's always with me, clinging around me and not giving me breathing space." Hoa Xuan suddenly lost his appetite and dropped the spoon he was using to eat.
And with how he dropped his soon, Jiyang, who was washing his clothes without minding he was the son of a billionaire and prominent man, someone who own boutique at the city and abroad, someone that different men worship his feet just to have him speak to them, and here he is, becoming a slave to a nobody all in the name of love and yet, he is happy with whatever he's doing for Hoa Xuan and will gladly do more as long as it will make Hoa Xuan love and accept him, Jiyang don't think he minds at all. All that matters to him is having Hoa Xuan by his side and loving him is what matters to Jiyang. He had left his parent's house to come live with Hoa Xuan and also learned how to cook, wash, including learning all the house chores just to have Hoa Xuan love him.
Even with his condition, Jiyang uses it to clean, cook and wash and still serve Hoa Xuan and he doesn't seem to mind about it. In his house, he has maids, servants and bodyguards that tend to his needs whenever he calls for them but here he is, serving a man like a common beggar, and still satisfying his sexual urges all in the name of love he has for him.
Jiyang struggled to get up and went to Hoa Xuan who stopped eating and asked, "Is the food not to your taste? I tried my best in preparing this food but if you don't want to eat it, I'll go back inside and prepare something else for you." Jiyang said, his heart beating and was thinking Hoa Xuan will get angry with him since he doesn't know how to cook but just forcing himself just to please him.
"You don't have to worry yourself, I just remembered something and suddenly lost my appetite. The food is delicious." Hoa Xuan answered, and Jiyang pulled a chair and sat down beside him.
"And what could that be? What could make you stop eating the food I struggle to cook for you even when I'm not feeling too well? What could that be, baby? Tell me, do you need money?" Jiyang asked and Hoa Xuan smirked internally on hearing that money mentioned.
"Yes. But that's not my problem now. I'm just worried about Zhan. We've been looking for him for one week now and no one has heard about him or provided useful detail to help get him back from those hoodlums that kidnap him. What if something happens to him? Your brother will be sad and devastated ." Hoa Xuan said, his face showing complete care and concern when within his heart he was smirking devilishly with his facade of pretense.
"Is that what bothers you, baby? I believe Xiao Zhan will be found one day. My concern is they not harming him. I don't want anything bad to happen to him. But who could've kidnapped him on his wedding day and was still keeping him, hostage, for over one week now? What are the person's plans? The person is not just wicked but heartless as well. It's unfair." Jiyang shook his head while remembering how his brother had been dwelling in misery while looking for his wife-to-be. He could remember how he came home every night after their day's search to cry in his room, longing for his missing bride.
Hoa Xuan feels guilty about seeing how Jiyang's face has become and doesn't know why he's suddenly regretting his actions. "I shouldn't be feeling this way! Seeing him in pain hurts me but I can't tell them to release Zhan. I love Zhan, or did I truly love him?"
Hoa Xuan sighed in dejection and pulled Hoa Xuan to sit on his laps, trying to avert what he's feeling right now and to also change the conversation before he ended up blurting out the truth. "Baby, you shouldn't be thinking about this. Wherever Zhan is right now, I believe he's fine and we'll be taken care of."
Jiyang gave him a suspicious look and said, "You talk as if you're sure the ones that took him are taking care of him."
Hoa Xuan chuckled nervously to cover up, "I wish I knew, I would've gone there and saved him but too bad, I knew nothing about it." Hoa Xuan nuzzled his nose on Jiyang's neck and nibbled on the soft skin, leaving a few bite marks on it. "We should drop this conversation and talk about ourselves. When are we leaving for the city? I thought you said you wanted us to leave as soon as possible?" Hoa Xuan asked.
"Yes, but what happened made me postpone it. I can't leave when my brother is looking for his wife, it will look like I don't care, even staying here with you is not right but I just don't want to live apart from you. I want to start now to learn how to take care of you and our baby when he arrives and I'm glad I've learned a lot. But I'll go and talk to my parents and brother to get their approval to leave for the city first."
"Good. So when will you be going there?" Hoa Xuan asked, finally seeing a way to escape.
"Tomorrow."
"No, do it next week. Maybe Zhan could be found by then and if they don't, then we can leave." Hoa Xuan said, to make sure the search is extended to two weeks so that when he'll leave no one will suspect him and maybe by then, everyone will have already given up in searching for Zhan, including Wang Yibo himself.
"Whatever you say. Now eat your food and yes, you said you need money?" Jiyang asked.
"Yes, I'll be needing it by next week to pay off another person I'm owing and we can leave after that."
"Okay. Tell me the amount on time so I can get the money ready for you. I don't want hindrances when we want to leave." Jiyang said and was about to get up to continue with his washing, but Hoa Xuan stopped him.
"Go inside and rest, baby. I'll take care of the washing once I'm done eating. I'll join you later after that."
"Are you sure, baby? I don't want you to think I'm lazy and can't do anything. I can do anything for you, baby. I will manage and get the clothes done."
"No, baby. You've worked enough for today. Just go inside, have your bath and wait for me. I'm coming to eat you."
Jiyang blushed and shyly nodded before getting up and leaving. Hoa Xuan was smiling while looking at his retreating back and once he was out of sight, he scratched his nape in frustration. "Jiyang is such a sweet guy who loves me so much. Why can't I just forget about Zhan and be with him? If he finds out I'm the one that has Zhan kidnapped, I won't just lose Zhan, I'll lose him as well. Xuan thinks! Think fast before you lose them both!" He murmured under his breath, feeling guilty and dejected over what he did. His heart tells him to have Zhan released and be with a boy who loves and is pregnant for him but his mind keeps telling him not to release him that Zhan belongs to him.
"What should I do? I think I'm falling in love with Jiyang and I don't want to lose him. Fuck! What should I do?" He pushed the food away, inclined himself on the chair he was sitting on, his head buried in his palms while thinking of what to do next. Is it to release Zhan and embrace the new feeling he's building for Jiyang or to hold on to Zhan just to punish Zhan for leaving him.
-----
"Why did I accept to be a part of this mission? Who lured me into this? What have I done? How do I get myself into this mess? How am I going to come out of it? I can't sleep, I can't even close my eyes for a second without seeing Xiao Zhan's face, either chasing me, killing me or trying to strangle me to death. Who made me do this? God, please, have mercy on me. Please, save my marriage and don't let Dylan chase me away when he finds out I have a hand in Xiao Zhan's kidnap, please, Lord, please...." Chen cried out, feeling guilty of what he had done to Xiao Zhan, for allowing his jealousy and anger to get the best of him and making him jeopardize an innocent boy's marriage.
It's been two weeks since they got Xiao Zhan kidnapped and since that two weeks, all he had been having is a series of nightmares where Xiao Zhan had been attacking and crying to him for being an accomplice to his kidnap and pain. He no longer rests, and can't even stay alone without imagining Xiao Zhan around him the trauma is becoming too much for him and he doesn't think he could hide it anymore. He has to confess before he loses his sanity.
Chen could remember the last dream he had, the dream that made him lose his baby. How he encountered Xiao Zhan who came running to him and was asking him for his help. "Chen! Chen, please... Please... Save me, don't let them take me away! Chen, save my baby, please... Chen, they're coming after me, help me! Help! Chen, help!" Xiao Zhan ran to where he was sitting and was crying for his help but instead, he pushed him away and mocked him.
"Let them take you and you can die for all I care! I have been longing for this for a long time, to watch you wallow in pain and rejoice over your downfall. I hated you for so long, for always taking what I always wanted and wished to be mine! For always thinking the whole world revolves around you, but guess what, it does not! Go and die and leave me alone!" Chen pushed Xiao Zhan away and got up to leave but the pleading Xiao Zhan attacked him and barked.
"What have I ever done to you? Why do you let them take me away? You are my best friend and we are always together, we eat together and do things together. Why have you decided to accompany them to kidnap me and now, I'm suffering from my baby because of you! I will kill you! I will kill you! You shall know no peace! I will kill you for doing this to me!"
All of a sudden, Xiao Zhan dig his hand inside his stomach and bring out his baby, blood dripping out as Xiao Zhan smirked devilishly and show him his baby he just dugout and watched as Chen shrieked in pain, blood dripping out of his mouth and his intestines along with his baby all fell out of his open stomach.
"My baby...." Chen screamed and woke up that awful night, sweating and panicking. He immediately checked his stomach and sighed in relief that it was just a dream.
"Baby, what happened? Why were you screaming? Did something happen to our baby?" Dylan, who jolted upon hearing his screams, switched on the light and asked while scrutinizing his wife. He trailed his hand on his stomach to know if something happened to his wife but unfortunately, he touched something wet and looking at his hand, he found out his husband was bleeding.
"Oh, my goodness! Chen, you're bleeding..."
"Ahhh! He killed my baby! He killed my baby!" Chen screamed and fainted and only woke up in the hospital to discover he lost his pregnancy.
He cried uncontrollably and had secretly visited Hoa Xuan and told him he doesn't think he can keep silent anymore and threatened to expose them, but Hoa Xuan pleaded with him not to do it and because of the love Chen harbours for him for so long, he accepted to keep mute and continued suffering Xiao Zhan's constant visitation in his dreams.
But Chen doesn't think he can hold on anymore. He has lost his husband's child because of this and no longer has peace of mind without panicking and he's fed up with it. "I have to tell them the truth. I'm sorry, Zhan... I'm sorry, please forgive me..." Chen laid on the bed and cried his eyes out thinking of what to do.
He doesn't want to lose his husband who recently completed their marriage rite and now has him as his official husband. He can't lose him, doesn't think he can survive without Dylan since he had found out he truly loves Dylan and him alone, but he has messed up big time and doesn't know how to fix this before it ruined his marriage.
Dylan walked inside and found his husband lying on the bed and was looking at the ceiling while silently crying his eyes out and he wondered why he always met him crying. "Crying again? Why can't he forget our lost baby and stop killing himself over it?" Dylan murmured to himself while looking at his wife wetting their bed with tears.
It has been a routine, coming home to find his husband crying and he doesn't think he can pretend he doesn't anymore. He went closer and sat down at the edge of the bed, placed a hand on his husband's stomach and smiled when Chen looked at him. "My love, my darling, my sweet Chen, you're crying again. Have I not told you your tears are killing me? Our baby is gone and there's belief another one will come. I'm happy you didn't lose your womb so calm down and another will come. I believe that one is not our own. God will give us our own, okay. Stop crying, you're making me feel horrible."
Chen immediately embraced him and cried loudly. "I'm sorry! I am sorry, baby. Baby, will you ever forgive me? Promise me you'll forgive me."
Dylan rubbed his back and chuckled at his words. "Forgive you? What's there to forgive, baby? It's not your fault. You didn't kill our unborn baby, so stop apologizing over what's not your fault."
"Baby, you won't understand. I don't know how to say it." Chen cried bitterly and looked at Dylan who looked at him to make him understand what he meant by that. Chen clutched to his heart and wailed before he looked back at Dylan who was waiting for him to say something. "Baby, please... Promise me you won't get angry with me. Promise me you won't chase me away. Baby, my heart is breaking, I don't know how to say this, it's so heavy in my mouth."
"Did you kill our child?" Dylan blurted out the question.
Chen held his hands and shook his head vigorously while letting down those burning tears. "I did not kill our baby, I wouldn't have but I did something else that has been haunting me. Baby, just promise me you won't despise me. I did what I did out of anger and jealousy but now I realize that it's you I need in my life to complete my life and no one else. Please, Dylan, don't leave me because of my mistakes, please, baby, promise me you won't leave me."
Dylan now held his hands and kissed them warmly, "You are scaring me, Chen. You haven't said anything, just tell me, what did you do that requires my forgiveness? Okay, I promise, it won't stop me from loving and being with you. I love you and there's nothing you'll do that will make me despise you. So tell me, what is it."
"I'm among those that kidnap Zhan." There, Chen blurted the bomb out, and Dylan who was holding his hands immediately removed his hands from him, the smile on his face dropped and turned into hatred, looking at Chen while trying to process what he just said to him.
Chen immediately reached out his hands and cried out, "Baby, forgive me. I did that out of jealousy and had been looking for a way to harm Zhan for taking Hoa Xuan away from me. When Hoa Xuan came to me and asked for my help to kidnap Zhan on his wedding day, I grabbed the opportunity to pay him back for those days he made me feel invisible. He outshined me and I've been jealous over that, that's why I took part in his kidnapping. I was the one who introduced those bandits that kidnapped Zhan to Hoa Xuan, that's the only place I took part...."
*Slap*
Dylan released a hot slap, cutting his words short. He had been trying to hold it in but he can't control his anger anymore. "You did what? Do you kidnap your best friend because of this? Because you feel I'm not enough but Hoa Xuan? Did you ruin your friend's marriage for your selfish revenge? How could you be so wicked? How dare you do that to that innocent boy? For two weeks Chen, two good weeks you had the mind to leave your friend in the hands of hoodlums and you still have the guts to move about like nothing happened while somewhere, someone is suffering because of you!"
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm paying for it already. I've realized my mistakes..."
"It's already too late! Now tell me, where did they take Zhan to? I mean, where are they now?"
"I don't know. I only made provisions for the people that took him and Hoa Xuan took it from me. I don't know where he takes Zhan to."
"You're wicked! You're very stupid! God! I just want to kill you! I just want to strangle you! To choke you to death! You deserve nothing but death! How could you do this to your best friend? I thought Zhan was supposed to be your best friend. Why?" Dylan got up and pranced around, trying to hold back his anger before he killed his wife.
"I'm sorry..."
"Stop telling me sorry! The person who needs it is the young man that had been searching for his missing bride for two fucking weeks now! How could you be such a devil! Urg God! Hold me back before I kill this despicable inhuman! How did I even end up with you? Get up!" Dylan screamed, looking at the crying Chen with so much disgust.
"Baby, please... Please, forgive me. Remember you made a promise to me.."
"That was before I found out you're a devil incarnate! I can't continue living with a Jezebel. Just get up, pack your things because you're leaving my house this instant!"
Chen went on his knees and cried out, "Dylan, you can't chase me out of my home because of this mistake. I promise to get Zhan back and I never will... Ever... To part in such a thing again. I love you, baby. I realize that I love you more than anything in the world and I will be happy being your wife forever. Please, just let me make up for my mistakes. Just let me prove to you how sorry I am. Please, Dylan... Please." Chen embraced his legs and cried out loud, making Dylan shudder and shake his head in disappointment.
"If anything happens to Zhan, I swear, I will not just hand you to the police but will also be the end of our marriage. And as for Hoa Xuan, I'll make sure he rots in jail for this." Dylan moved away from him and proceeded to take off his clothes while Chen kneeled in the same play, bawling his eyes out.
--------
"You mean to tell me you have no information to give me? It's been two weeks, two good weeks and no news yet about my husband! You mean Hoa Xuan had been among those searching for him?" Wang Yibo barked at the people he paid to monitor Hoa Xuan's every movement.
He and his father had gone to the city and announce the missing bride just to know to see if there will be any next that will look suspicious, but everyone seemed calm and surprised to hear such news, even their father's businesses rival were not found suspicious, so it had to be Hoa Xuan, it just had to be him.
"Sir, he seemed to truly not know anything about the kidnapping. He was always seen in his house with your brother or seen with others searching for your wife. I think he's innocent, Sir." The man relayed his findings to him.
Wang Yibo scratched his nape in frustration, "He can't be innocent! He just can't be innocent! Is he still in his house now?"
"No Sir, he left the village this morning. I overheard him discussing with his uncle that he would be leaving this village to look for a better future or something like that. He also told him to inform him when Zhan is found."
"He did what? Did anyone follow him?" Wang Yibo asked.
"No sir...."
"You guys are a bunch of animals! Where is my brother?" Wang Yibo asked, going upstairs to look for Jiyang.
"I don't think he's at home. We saw him driving out of the compound in a rush when coming here."
Wang Yibo was about to say something when the maids came in with a young man Wang Yibo hadn't seen before. "Hoa Xuan is responsible for your wife's disappearance. I heard him discussing it with someone yesterday and I decided to come and tell you this morning since it was already late yesterday." Dylan, who was the person, said to Wang Yibo.
"Oh! Fuck! The bastard had left this village this morning. He tricked us and made us believe he was innocent."
"Is there nothing we can do about it?" Dylan asked.
"My brother..." Wang Yibo shoved out his phone and dialled Jiyang's number and he sighed in relief when it connected. "Where the hell are you and Hoa Xuan?"
"Brother, I'm on it. Just calm down and wait for me." Jiyang said and ended the call which made Wang Yibo feel more devastated.
"The little witch cut the call and said he's on it."
"Then we should wait. Let's hope he gets to Zhan and saves him from that bastard."
"I hope he did. I don't want anything to happen to him. I'm glad my brother followed him." Wang Yibo and Dylan sat down together and started making a proper introduction with each other as they waited impatiently for news.