When Yibo and Zhan came downstairs, Hwa Lin was being brought by two men. Wang Yong followed them behind. When she saw Zhan who standing behind Yibo on the staircase, she screamed.
"Zhan! Zhan! You came back!" and she ran toward Zhan.
But Yibo spontaneously blocked her, worried if she gonna hurt his bae. Zhan could only stunned.
"Don't touch him!" shouted Yibo.
"Zhan Zhan... I'm sorry...! I didn't mean it...! I'm sorry.... My baby...!" Hwa Lin started to cry.
The two men grabbed her hands and pulled her away. Wang Yong glanced at the couple and asked the men who looked like the hospital staff to go to bring his wife out.
"Where are they gonna bring her, Mr. Wang?" asked Zhan.
Wang Yong turned to Zhan.
"A therapy home," replied Wang Yong, cold.
"But why?" asked Zah again.
This time Wang Yong didn't answer.
"Which hospital does she admitted?" asked Yibo.
Wang Yong glared at YIbo.
"Why do you even care? Are you gonna to sprutter other venomous words at her?" hissed Wang Yong.
"I just asking. If she is so important to you until I become an outsider to you, then I have no problem with it....!" said Yibo, challenging his father.
"Don't you remember how you diss her?" snarled Wang Yong.
"That because she dared to take her own decision only based on conclusion without discuss it with me first! He chased z\Zhan out of the house!" Yibo shouted.
"She's been with you, take care of you for 7 years. Almost 8! Do you t think she doesn't deserve a little respect?" Wang Yong fired back.
"I did respect her! But she just too stupid! She..."
"Stop calling her stupid! She's not like you say!"
"Then what is she? She always been an easy target to be brainwashed by a cunning woman named Heung San San!"
"Yibo! She's your teacher!"
"Well, I don't consider her as one! Not anymore! If only any of you willing to listen to me! But no! You never listen to me! You're all have been brainwashed by her! You saw her as a sweet and kind woman, while I only a bad boy who loves to fool around with random chics! Do you think I will flirt and seduce someone whom merely my teacher?/ It's unfair!!"
Yibo shed the tears. His body was shaking. Zhan holds his hand and stroked his back.
"You deserve it! You never be able to resist when you saw beauty! You just want to have them to yourself before you dump them as you please! ANdI don't know what will happen next to the boy beside you, too!"
"Shut Up!! Until now also you never listen to me!! I love him with all my life! And i never ever want to lost him! Never again!" Yibo screamed and holds Zhan tightly. he burst out into cry.
"Do you know who is helping your stepmother now? Heung San san! She voluntary helping to recover her at her therapy class!"
"Heh! Heung San San, huh? Helping? Then, good luck! If something terrible happens to your beloved wife, don't call me!" hissed Yibo. He walked down, holding Zhan's hand.
"Where are you going do you think?" asked Wang YOng.
Yibo stopped and gazed at his father.
"Don't worry, Dad! I'm not leaving now. I still need time to pack to leave...! Now, let me enjoy my time with my lover!" said Yibo with a sarcastic tone. He glared at his father, then he walked away.
Zhan bowed at Wang Yong. Yibo dragged him.
"Dave!!!" Yibo shouted, once he reached the porch.
Dave ran from the back of the house.
"Boss!" Dave grinned.
"Get the car ready!" said Yibo.
"Yes, Boss!" replied Dave. Before he left, he glanced at Zhan and grinned,
Zhan returned it with the smile. Yibo glanced at him and pinched Zhan's hand. Zhan turned to him and scowled.
A black Honda Accord came and stopped in front of the porch. Yibo didn't look happy when he saw the car. He rolled his eyes in irritation.
Hao Xuan came out of the car. He smiled brightly when he saw Zhan.
"Zhan! You came back!" cried Hao Xuan. He jumped at Zhan and hugged him tightly.
"Yeah... He found me after we played hide and seek for a few days...!" replied Zhan, glancing at YIbo who had a scowled face on.
"I'm glad you are alright!" said Hao Xuan, released the hug and looked at Zhan from the top to the bottom.
Zhan smiled sheepishly.
"Your father misses you. He wants to see you...!" said Hao Xuan.
"Really? Did you talk to him?" cried Zhan excitedly.
"Yeah! Go and see him. He takes his leave for a few days. I suggest him because he is unable to focus on driving while thinking of you who missing....~!" said Hao Xuan.
"He knows?" Zhan screamed.
Hao Xuan nodded.
"Who did he get the information from?" asked Yibo.
"Aliya," replied Hao Xuan.
"Haish! That troublemaker..." Yibo sighed.
Zhan looked at Yibo. Yibo raised one of his brows, questioning Zhan what does he want.
"Shall we?" asked Zhan.
"Shall we what?" Yibo asked Zhan back with a scowling face.
"Visit my father....!" answered Zhan.
Yibo scowled and pouted, looked at his bae.
"Please?" begged Zhan with a puppy eyes, making his face as cute as he could.
Yibo sighed. He admitted defeat facing Zhan's cuteness. Hao Xuan giggled.
"Just go and try your luck, Bo!" said Hao Xuan, giving his brother an encouragement.
Yibo turned to Hao xuan.
"Where have you been?" asked Yibo.
"I bought an apartment. I live there now...!" said Hao Xuan.
"Why?" asked Yibo.
Hao Xuan only shrugged his shoulders.
"You're unable tolerate her craziness?" Yibo smirked.
Hao Xuan sighed. He crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"Mother is too naive. A very easy target to be manipulated...." Hao Xuan mumbled.
"And now she has been sent to the person who has brainwashed her...!" Stupid old man...! Instead of sending her to fhe psychiatrist or mental hospital,he sends her to the brainwash sect leader...!" saidYibo.
"What happened between you and Ms. Heung, Bo?" asked Hao Xuan who caught the hatred in Yibo toward his former teacher that seems never put off.
"No one listened to me. No one cares. I'm a bad boy. She's a polite girl with a sweet mouth. Now... Who cares?" Yibo scoffed. He pulled Zhan to the car, where Dave had wait for them.
Zhan bowed at Hao Xuan while tripping following Yibo.
"Where are we going, Boss?" asked Dave after Yibo and Zhan settled at the backseat.
Yibo opened his mouth. But Zhan talked faster before him.
"Baba's house!"
Yibo sighed and closed his mouth. Then he glanced at Zhan with an unhappy face. Zhan smiled sweetly at him. Yibo glanced at the rearview mirror, and he saw Dave was looking at him. Yibo nodded his head as an approval to Zhan's wish.
They reached the bottom of Zhan's rented houseboarding half an hour later.
"Let's go!" Zhan said after he unbuckled his seatbelt. He opened the door and was about to climb out of the car.
Yibo holds his hand. Zhan turned to him with a questioning expression.
"I guess I will wait here with Dave," said YIbo.
ZHan frowned. He heard Dave chuckled. Yibo gglared at Dave.
"Baba must want to see you, too...!" said Zhan.
"Yeah to throw the knife at..." Yibo muttered.
Dave giggled. Yibo flicked his head. Dave rubbed his head.
"Baba is not that bad. Stop picturizing him as a villain..!" said Zhan, convincing his boyfriend.
"Are you scared of your father-in-law-to be, Boss?" asked Dave, testing his Boss.
"I'm not scared. I just better be prepare for the worse thing....!"
"It's alright if you are scared to get an approval from your in law, Boss...! That's normal. I also felt the same as you when I went to my girlfriend's house when I was at high school...! Said Dave.
"I went to their houses, i felt nothing..." mumbled Yibo.
"Did you consider them as your girlfriend, Boss?" asked Dave.
Yibo shook his head.
"That's why!" cried Dave.
"And her father approved?" Zhan asked Dave.
"Nope! He chased me away because I couldn't stop smoking to get rid of my nervousness...!" replied Dave.
"Serve you right...! Smoker!" Yibo scoffed.
"I have stopped smoking for a long time, Boss!" cried Dave.
"You better do! I don't want my car smells like smoke!" Yibo said.
"Come! Let's go!" Zhan pulled Yibo's hand, ended their bickering.
YIbo frowned. Zhan smiled. He kissed YIbo on the mouth. And a gasp presence.
"I'm innocent! Don't do this adult stuff in front of me!" cried Dave. He covered his face with his hands but his eyes visible through his fingers' gapping.
Yibo smiled when Zhan breaks the kiss, unbothered with Dave's silly rant.
"Ai, ai, Boss...! It's so easy to melt you! Next time I'll do the same method as Zhan to melt you away...!" said Dave, didn't get enough teasing his Boss.
"Not with you, Satan!!" shouted Yibo that taken by Dave with a loud laugh.
Zhan got out of the car. Yibo unbuckled his seatbelt and climbs out of the car, then they walked hand in hand to the boilding.
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Xiao Meng opened an old wooden box. He took out the content and placed them on the dinning table. In the background, the voice of Ronghao Li sang a song which was Zhan's favorite song.
Then Xiao Meng spread the things he has taken out of the wooden box, They were the old photographs and the other stuff like yoyo, small teddy bear, hairpin and earings. The photos were young Zhan's and his mother. There were some of Xiao Meng photos too. Xiao Meng smiled at the pictures of them . Looked very happy.
"The cute and chubby Zhan was hugged by his Mom. The crying Zhan, the excited Zhan...
His memory recalling got interrupted when by the doorbell's sound. He turned to the door and started at it for a few seconds. Then he got up. The doorbell rang again. Xiao Meng walked to the door and unlatched the latch and opened the door.
He gasped in disbelief when he saw Zhan in front of the door grill.
Zhan was smiled as bright as usual at him. AT that time, Xiao Meng was wanted to burst out and hugged his only son. He missed him so much, and he was worried when he heard that he was missing.
Xiao Meng opened the grill door and immediately hugged Zhan. He let out the sob on Zhan's shoulder. Yibo watched them. It reminds him as how his mother will love him.
"where were you, Son?" asked Xiao Meng.
"I never go anywhere, Baba...!" replied Zhan.
"I know you were running away from his house...!" said Xiao Meng and glared at Yibo.
Yibo smiled awkwardly. Suddenly a pair of hands chocked his throat.
"Baba!" Zhan screamed/
"I let him go for you, I thought you will take care of him and look after him! But see what have you done??" yelled Xiao Meng.
"Baba! It's not Yibo's fault! He's the one who looked for me and found me and brought me home!" Zhan began to panic. He pulled his father's hand from his boyfriend's throat.
"Mr. Xiao... Mis-ter Xi..." Yibo released himself from Xiao Meng's grip.
Xiao Meng pulled his hand back. He still glaring at YIbo.
"Let's go... Let's go in..." Zhan spoke in still shaking voice.
They went into the house.
"Son... I'm sorry for being selfish....!" said Xiao Meng, starts the conversation after they sat down.
Zhan smiled. He took his father' s hand and held them in his.
"Baba... Don't say sorry. You are my father. My parents. It's your right to get angry when your son doesn't take the way you want to me to be. I never keep the grudge on you. But I'm all grown up now. I also have the right to decide what life I want to live in. As long as it's not a crime, I wish you not to get worried. I'll be fine...!" said Zhan.
Xiao Meng stared at his son and smiled, too. He caressed Zhan's hands with his thumbs.
"I'm happy that you are mature, Son... Now I can rest asured, that you know what you're doing. As long as it makes you happy, I'm ok with it...!" Xiao Meng spoke with the trembling voice.
"Loving someone and be in a relationship is not a crime, Baba... No one will catch me and put me into jail just because I'm gay.... Maybe there would be the discrimination. But... Who cares? I'm the one who live this life....!" replied Zhan.
"You are always be my son no matter what you are... I'm sure you had decided it with the good thinking..." Xiao Mang patted ZHan's shoulder.
Father and son hugged again. Xiao Meng closed his eyes. A single tear dropped from his eyes. Deep inside his heart, he still wished that his only son would live the normal life which will married a girl and having children of their own, build a family and raise their children. But... ZHan had his own life. And his own choice. If he didn't want to lose his only son, he can't to be selfish.
"I'll be fine, Baba... Don't cry..." said Zhan, wiped his father's tear.
Xiao Meng smiled and nodded. Zhan reached Yibo's hand and squeezed it.
"Yibo loves me so much. He has been taken care of me with all his heart and very nicely. He knows what he has to do. Baba don't need to worry. I'm in the right hand...!" said Zhan.
Zhan glanced at Yibo and smiled. YIbo returned his smile. Yibo turned to Xiao Meng and grabbed his hand.
"Baba..." he called Xiao Meng awkwardly. He wasn't used to call anyone with the name.
"I accept my son to be what he is, doesn't mean i accept you as my son-in -law..." Xiao Meng hissed.
Zhan glanced at his father, then to Yibo. Yibo pursed his lips and bobbed his head. He was hurt. But he was fine as long as Xiao Meng let Zhan to be with him, blessing Zhan, even though he still doesn't approve him as Zhan's boyfriend.
Zhan smiled. He was happy enough that his father didn't hate Yibo. Maybe lesser than he was. He didn't approve him as his boyfriend, though. But at least, he let Zhan to be whoever he wants to spend life with.
"Are you gonna stay here again" asked Xiao Meng.
"I..." Zhan opened his mouth.
"No. He will live with me. I'm going to buy a house for us to stay. I'm sorry, Uncle. Zhan is taken now...!" said Yibo, earned a sharp glare from Xiao Meng.
"I will visit you here often, Baba...!" said Zhan quickly before the situation got heated up.
Xiao Meng nodded. If his son decided to live with this asshole, he can do nothing.
They talk for some times, until they excused themselves to go somewhere else. Xiao Meng wasn't ready to let his son go, but now he realized that his son was happy beside the man. Shedding the tears, he let his son go,
Xiao Meng closed the door. He leaned again the door and slid down on it and sat on the floor. He recalled the conversation between him and Zhan a few months ago,
"Don't you realize that you are so handsome, Zhan?"
"I think that was a man who stalked me, Baba!"
"Maybe that man has his eyes on you."
"Eww... Ba! I don't like men, ma?"
"Try to date a girl, A Zhan...!"
"Baba...! Dating a girl needs money!"
"Aish! Baba...! I'm a grown up man. I believe I'll be able to handle that spoilt brat!"
"You have to learn to leave me, too. One day you'll leave me for sure... When you get married and have your own family...!"
"If it so, then I don't want to get married!"
Xiao Meng smiled between his sob. Then he cried. Zhan indeed left him even when he wasn't married, yet. His heart has engaged to the man he couldn't approve just yet to be his son's life partner. Thinking of that, Xiao Meng cried harder.