"I thought we agreed that I will pay." Xiao Zhan took out his credit card and headed to the counter. He didn't fight back and simply followed him, after all they did agree on it before.
"Do you want me to take you home?" The said man asked.
"Nah, I'm good." Xiao Zhan said. His eyes were still red around the corner because of unshed tears and the tip of his nose was pink. Even though his skin was pale with visible eye bags, the other person couldn't help but find him cute. It's been so long.
"See you next weekend!" Xiao Zhan waved his hand and turned to side only to be stopped abruptly by the man.
"Zhan!"
The sudden drop in informality made Xiao Zhan chuckle in awkwardness. As if the said man, read his expression he changed his tone again.
"Mr.Zhan, I will be asking you about your visit to your family."
Xiao Zhan had spent the last hour explaining his uneventful life to the Doctor, he kept going until he was unable to anymore and the Doctor didn't push him further. Telling him that it was enough for day. Along those lines he slipped up that his brother was coming back to Jiang Villa and how he ended lying to his sister about having to overwork.
No matter how much you don't want to, You have to!
Xiao Zhan nodded weakly; He did agree to try at least. The two parted ways, surprisingly the one with the heavy heart wasn't Xiao Zhan.
. . .
Xiao Zhan found himself staring into the number for too long before calling. He took a deep breath and collected himself. He was still in the middle of organizing his thoughts when the other person picked the call.
"A-Zhan!"
He could feel the happiness in the voice on other side.
Xiao Zhan's lip turned up, slightly quivering and the tears from before finally escaped his eyes.
"A-Zhan, is everything alright?"
When Xiao Zhan didn't say anything for some time, the other person grew worried but heard only mild sobs in response.
"A-Zha-"
"Uncle!" He chocked out, in between his sobs.
"W-wait for me Uncle...I will surely come back..." These tears felt new, different from the ones he had shed before.
"I've always been waiting, A-Zhan." His tender voice was soothing. This time, he promised himself to get better. To go back home.
Xiao Zhan put the phone to his pocket and held his suitcase. He departed to a new start.
. . .
Xuan Lu was busy preparing the feast for the night, she hadn't felt the excitement in cooking for a while. It was always chefs that prepared their meals but Xuan Lu wanted to cook at least one dish. The lotus beet pork soup.
"A-Lu, how many times have I told you to not work? Why did we hire these maids then?" The woman was in her early-fifties but her appearance was clearly of mid-twenties.
"Mother! You're back early today." Xuan Lu wiped her hands and went to hug her mother.
"Of course, My son is coming back after a while, I decided to leave early. Your father is also on his way back home." Zhang Jing tong hugged her back and afterwards sat on the chair on the dinning table.
"But Father said, he couldn't make it in time."
"You know how your father is, he loves to surprise."
It was same when they were kids. Whenever it was birthday of any of the siblings, Lu Jian Min would always apologize in advance for having packed schedule. He never lied though, He would overwork few days prior to keep the whole day free and would love to see the surprised faces of his children when they least expected him.
"Then you just ruined his surprise, Mother." Xuan Lu chuckled.
"Like you believed him."
The two laughed lightly and after sometime, Zhang Jing Tong excused herself to take a bath before her son arrives.
The soup was ready, now she had to wait for her brother and her husband, who went to pick his brother up from the airport. She chuckled remembering how his father came back with hair disheveled and clearly panicking asking "Is he back yet?"
Xuan Lu smiled at him and pushed him to take a bath before her brother arrives.
"A-Lu, A-Zhan can't really come?"
Lu Jian Min came out of the bath with his dripping hair. He was making a mess on the floor.
Xuan Lu shook her head in negation, the two slumped in melancholy with a sigh.
"Oh God! How many times I told you to wipe yourself properly before coming out." Zhang Jing Tong placed the towel over her husband's head and ruffled his hair. Xuan Lu smiled at the couple adorably.
How wonderful, they have spent so many years of their lives together and still are madly in love.
Now she couldn't wait even more for them to come and cuddle with her husband.
"Mom!"
Oddly her own son woke her up from his father's thoughts.
"What is it, A-Xin?"
Qi Pei Xin appeared from behind the pillar leading upstairs. He was holding a pair of socks each with different design.
"Mom, where is my lucky Socks?" Although the boy was a sensible teenager, but there were times when he threw tantrum like little girls.
"I wouldn't know A-Xin. You never let me touch your Lucky Socks." Xuan Lu teased and Qi Pei Xin pouted even more.
"But I have to find them before Uncle Zhan comes." Qi Pei Xin whined staring at the socks. His lucky socks are way better.
"A-Xin, I told you he's not coming." Xuan Lu got up from her seat and took the socks out his hand.
"He'll come! I know it." Qi Pei xin, clenched his now empty fists.
"How do you know it?" Xuan Lu made him un-clench his hand.
How would he know? He had always hoped for his Uncle Zhan to come but he never did. Even on his birthday, he blew the candles and wished for his uncle to come but he didn't. Despite that, Qi Peixin had always believed in him. He knew he must have a reason. But how many times he has given himself that excuse?
Even he himself was no longer sure. At least, he's keeping his part of the promise what about him?
"H-he'll come..." regardless of his urge to cry, Qi Pei Xin managed to mutter.
Xuan Lu covered him in a warm embrace, caressing his back to comfort him. The two were interrupted with a tall figure on the door.
"Who will come?"
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Sorry for Errors and thank you for reading.