Zhan felt a wave of relief wash over him after MD left the room. He stood up, climbed back onto the bed, and started scrolling through his phone. After a moment, he dialed Hai Kuan's number. The call rang twice before it connected.
"Hey, Gege, how's your day?" Zhan asked softly.
"I'm fine, baby. How about you?" Hai Kuan replied warmly.
"I'm okay," Zhan murmured, then paused before asking, "Did you get home safely, Gege?"
Hai Kuan chuckled. "Oh, so now you remember to ask if I got home safely?"
Zhan blinked, realizing he had forgotten to call since the previous day. He lowered his head slightly, voice quiet and apologetic. "I forgot."
"It's alright," Hai Kuan said. "I didn't even travel yesterday. I stayed back to finish something. I only left for Guangzhou this evening."
Zhan went silent for a moment, processing what he'd just heard. Then he asked, "What about Yibo Gege?"
"I'm not sure," Hai Kuan replied. "I can't reach him."
Surprised, Zhan asked, "Didn't you ask Mama about him?"
Hai Kuan teased, "Why don't you call her yourself?"
Zhan didn't answer, only muttering softly, "Talk to you later, Gege."
"Alright, baby," Hai Kuan replied gently before the call ended.
Zhan set his phone aside and lay down. Within minutes, he drifted off to sleep. But less than an hour later, he woke up suddenly, like someone had startled him awake. Sitting up, he grabbed his phone and checked the time...just past ten.
He hesitated for a moment, then dialed Lan Yi's number. She picked up quickly, her tone soft. "You're still awake, my son?"
Zhan lowered his gaze and greeted her quietly.
"I'm fine, dear. How's everything at home?" she asked.
"All good," Zhan replied automatically.
Lan Yi smiled through the phone. "How's your grandmother?"
"She's fine," Zhan answered. Then after a pause, he asked, "Mama, did Gege come home?"
"Yes, he came back earlier," Lan Yi said.
Zhan froze, realizing she was talking about Hai Kuan, not who he meant. Gathering himself, he asked carefully, "What about Yibo Gege?"
"Oh, he returned yesterday," she replied. "Do you want to speak to him?"
Zhan's eyes widened. He quickly shook his head even though she couldn't see him. "No, it's fine...I just forgot to ask earlier."
"Alright," she said kindly. "They're both back now, dear."
"Okay, goodnight, Mama," Zhan replied quickly.
"Goodnight, love. Don't forget to say your night prayers before sleeping," she added.
Zhan only hummed softly before ending the call and lying back down.
About fifteen minutes later, the door opened and Teng walked in. Zhan immediately shut his eyes and pretended to be asleep, wondering if this was even her room he'd been placed in by mistake.
Teng placed her phone on the bedside table, picked out her sleepwear, and went into the bathroom. Zhan didn't move an inch, pretending to be lost in sleep.
As soon as Teng entered the bathroom, her phone began to ring. Zhan turned his head slightly toward it and saw the name K. Gege flashing on the screen. His eyes lingered on the digits...it was Dr. Kexing's number, the one Kexing had blocked him from....
Zhan turned away again, his chest tightening slightly.
A few minutes later, Teng came out of the bathroom, ready for bed. She noticed the missed call but didn't call back. Just as she lay down, the phone began ringing again...this time, she answered.
They stayed on the phone with Dr. Kexing until almost midnight. Zhan, who had been listening to their entire conversation, finally sat up...his head ached from the constant chatter, and all he wanted was to sleep.
He climbed off the bed, walked toward the door, and quietly left the room. Teng followed him with her eyes, thinking he had fallen asleep already.
Zhan walked into the living room, dimly lit by a faint glow from the hallway. He sat down on the three-seater couch, staring blankly in the direction of the light.
Moments later, MD entered, placing his textbook on the table before turning on the light. He looked at Zhan, who quickly lowered his head.
"You're not sleeping?" MD asked.
Zhan didn't answer.
MD smiled faintly. "Let me guess...Teng kept you up with her phone calls?"
Zhan just nodded slightly.
"Come on," MD said kindly. "Let's find you another room, I don't know why she take you to her room in the first place, even though you're..." He didn't finish his words.
Zhan stood up and followed him quietly. MD led him down the hallway, opened another room door, and turned on the light. "Good night," he said gently.
"Thank you," Zhan replied softly before entering.
MD closed the door and walked away.
Zhan looked around the room...it was clearly MD's. He adjusted the air conditioner, switched off the lights, and lay down. Within minutes, sleep took him completely.
***
By morning, after finishing breakfast, Zhan kept glancing around the house, hoping MD would take him back home. He had already packed.
He even didn't know that last night, when MD returned to his grandfather's house, Granny Ryu had given him a small bag of Zhan's belongings to bring over. Early that morning, Wu had delivered the bag straight to Zhan's room.
Zhan couldn't wait to leave the house...he didn't want to run into Dr. Kexing again. Since morning, he hadn't seen him, and he silently prayed it would stay that way.
What still stung him most was remembering how Kexing had blocked his number...not without reason, but still painful. Even in Tianjin, when they'd both arrived at the grandparents' house, Kexing had gone out of his way to avoid him, refusing to speak or even look his way.
Unable to hold it in, Zhan stood up and walked to Wu's room.
Wu looked up as he entered. "Have you had breakfast, Zhan?"
"Yes, I have," he replied politely.
She nodded, watching him as he sat down. "So, Grand Aunt, will Uncle be taking me to the main house this morning?" he asked carefully.
Wu blinked, slightly amused. "Tired of staying here already, Zhan?"
Zhan immediately felt embarrassed. Maybe he shouldn't have asked that. He quickly shook his head, forcing a smile. "No, Grand Aunt. I just thought Uncle would take me to visit a friend's place."
"A friend?" Wu raised a brow. "Which Uncle are we talking about...Shen Yi, perhaps?"
Zhan nodded quickly, trying to sound casual.
Wu smiled knowingly. "Well, Zhan, remember....you're married now. Even if you two haven't started living together yet, you can't just go out anytime you want. Your friend can come here instead."
At that moment, MD walked into the living room.
Wu looked at him. "So you're finally up, Daddy?"
MD grinned. "I've been up. I was studying."
Wu gave him a look. "Studying or not, did you tell me you're taking Zhan to his friend's house? Or have you lost your mind?"
MD turned to Zhan, eyes narrowing.
Zhan shook his head quickly. "No, Aunt....he actually said my friend should come here instead."
MD was about to respond when Dr. Kexing entered the living room. Wu turned to him. "Good morning, son. What's wrong?"
Kexing, visibly irritated, said, "Mom, My expensive white duvet... the one I just started using two nights ago...Daddy here decided to throw it in the washing machine."
Wu frowned and looked at MD. "Why did you go into his room, Shen Yi?"
MD shrugged, expression calm. "I don't reuse duvets. And I wanted to sleep there, so I washed it. He should really learn better hygiene....who uses the same duvet for two days straight?"
Without another word, MD left the room, leaving the others in stunned silence.
Wu sighed deeply. So that's why he'd come into her room at 2 a.m. to take a spare duvet. She couldn't help but pity the woman who'd one day marry Shen Yi.
- - - -
By around two in the afternoon, MD and Zhan finally left the house....MD was driving him back to his grandparents'.
Zhan was more than relieved to be leaving. He hadn't seen Dr. Kexing again since morning, and that was a blessing. He'd even spoken with Ma-Liyana on the phone earlier, who told him she'd be around in the evening. But staying that long risked running into Kexing again... something he wanted to avoid at all costs.
After a while on the road, Zhan turned to MD. "Can't we just stop by my friend's place? Just for five minutes? She said she'd come later, but I'm leaving now."
MD glanced at him. "Then we can go back to the house, later in the evening, and you can wait for her."
Zhan quickly shook his head. "No, please."
MD kept driving silently. After a moment, Zhan mumbled, "But you took her number yesterday and promised to call her. You told me you'd call her...so you didn't?"
"Oh, I forgot," MD said with a small smile. "Why don't you just give her my number instead? Let her call me. I tend to forget things easily."
Zhan's mouth fell open slightly, staring at him in disbelief.
MD said nothing more, focusing on the road until they reached their destination.
Zhan never realized that MD had only taken Ma-Liyana's number yesterday to calm him down...not because he actually intended to call her.
***
Lan Yi was sitting quietly in the living room, staring at Qiren after he finished speaking. When she didn't respond, he looked up and asked, "You're not happy about it, Madam?"
She sighed softly and shook her head. "Not at all…"
Qiren leaned back. "Zhan is their only child and the only grandchild in the family. It's fine that the wedding is taking place there, dear....they'll bring him to us in Guangzhou afterward."
Lan Yi lowered her gaze. "What about the body care preparations? I've been waiting for him to return so we can start."
Qiren frowned slightly. "So, you think they won't take good care of him over there? Listen to yourself." Then he smiled lightly and added, "We can't just take over both grooms, my dear. Let them celebrate theirs over there, and we'll have ours here. After the ceremony, they'll bring Zhan to us. Even if his family want to take him first, that's fine....they also have their rights."
Lan Yi asked, "And when exactly did you sit down to plan all this without me?"
Qiren replied, "Mr. Xiao Rong went to Beijing for a meeting earlier today. We met there, and he asked how the wedding plans were going. I told him everything would be in Guangzhou, but then I realized it wouldn't be fair. So, I explained this new arrangement... to let both families have their share...and he was very happy about it."
Lan Yi frowned. "But you didn't even discuss it with me first. Do you know how long I've dreamt of Zhan's wedding? And now you're saying they'll just bring him here afterward?"
Qiren nodded calmly. "Yes, because that's the fair thing to do. They'll hold their celebration there and then bring him to us. We'll have our event here too."
Lan Yi said nothing more. Her heart ached as she remembered how much she had longed for her son's wedding....ever since before his engagement with Dr. Kexing. Now it felt as if all her dreams had slipped away.
Qiren broke her silence. "So, what has Yibo said about his own arrangements? Any events planned? Or haven't you two talked yet?"
Lan Yi sighed. "He said he doesn't want anything....I've tried to convince him, but he refused. Maybe you should talk to him. Since the main ceremony will be in Tianjin, people here will expect us to host a dinner or at least some kind of gathering."
Qiren shook his head. "If he says no, just let him be. The celebration itself isn't what matters...it's the blessing of the union that counts. I support his decision."
Lan Yi looked at him quietly. "But during his first marriage, we didn't do anything either because everything happened in such chaos. Now again, we'll do nothing?"
Qiren stood up. "You can still host your own small gathering with relatives and friends. It doesn't have to include him. They'll hold their events there anyway, even if he doesn't attend. As long as he's present for the ring exchange, that's enough."
Lan Yi didn't reply. She left the living room and went to the guest room where Granny Fang Yu, Yisue, and Granny Ai were staying. Tomorrow, Zhan's wedding gifts were to be sent to Tianjin. Lan Yi sat with them and quietly explained everything Qiren had said.
Granny Ai's mouth fell open. "Well, that's just great. So all this running around we did to come here...for what? Why didn't anyone tell me earlier? I could have stayed in Tianjin to receive the gifts there! I'm going back; there's no point staying in Guangzhou when the wedding's over there. Qiren should just give us transport money, and we'll head back. What are we even doing here?"
Yisue frowned. "But we're from the Yibo's side. They'll bring Zhan here and hand him over to us. If we all go to Tianjin, who'll be here to receive him when they bring him home?"
Granny Ai stood up and began packing her suitcase. "Then you can welcome him when we return."
Granny Fang Yu watched her in frustration. Yisue muttered, "You just don't like doing the right thing. Go ahead, travel to Tianjin and be their servant."
Granny Ai turned sharply. "Watch your mouth, Yisue, or I'll say something you won't like. When have you ever seen a wedding held at the bride's house without a single member of the groom's family present? If they insist on having it there, at least two of us should go!"
Granny Fang Yu finally said, "Marquis hasn't arrived yet, so she'll stay in Tianjin."
Granny Ai scoffed. "Oh, please. When everyone else.... you, your daughter, and your grandchildren...turned your backs on Zhan and left him to face everything alone, who stayed by him through all that pain? It was only Qiren and me. Zhan isn't a fool; he saw everything and remembers. You should be thankful Zhan still love Lan Yi...she nearly lost him because of all this nonsense. And now you want to lecture me about how to act?"
Lan Yi stood up quietly and left the room. Granny Fang Yu said nothing more.
The next morning, Dr. Jing's mother-in-law, one of her friends, two of Lan Yi's close companions, the wife of one of Qiren's business partners, and his cousin's wife from Beijing.... along with Yisue...all traveled to Tianjin to deliver Zhan's wedding gifts, where Aunty Marquis would meet them before heading to Xiao Rong's residence.
The wedding gifts were breathtaking..... elegant, lavish, and beautifully arranged. The items from Dr. Yibo's side completely far better than the ones Dr Kexing sent. It turned out they hadn't sent much earlier, but this time, the golds watches alone were worth millions.
Granny Ai was among those receiving the gifts in the large living room, smiling from ear to ear, chatting and laughing with Granny Ryu's relatives as if she were one of them. Aunty Jin and her sisters, who had earlier boasted about collecting items from Qiren's house for Dr. Kexing's, could barely lift their heads in embarrassment. Even the Wu family and their relatives seemed at a loss for how to receive Aunty Marquis and her entourage properly. Eventually, the group who came to deliver the gifts left, delighted with the warm reception and the expensive presents they were given in return.
Preparations for Zhan's wedding began immediately at his grandparents' home. He kept telling himself it wasn't real....that it was just some strange dream he'd soon wake up from. But every day, the reality became clearer: this was really happening, and Yibo was truly going to be his husband.
Yibo Gege, the same person he had grown up with, the same person who had always treated him like a little brother...now to be called his spouse. The thought alone made Zhan's chest tighten painfully.
He found it hard to eat or sleep as the days passed. He became thinner, withdrawn, and constantly lost in thought. Not a single day went by without memories of their childhood together....sharing a home, laughing, quarreling, and calling each other "Gege" and "Lil bro." How could things have changed so completely?
Eventually, Zhan turned off his phone altogether. Every day, Lan Yi would try to call him; even Hai Kuan reached out several times, but Zhan no longer wanted to talk to anyone. His grandmother, Granny Ryu, assumed he was just overwhelmed by the stress that came with weddings....not realizing that this was far deeper than ordinary anxiety. She constantly tried to comfort and reassure him, thinking time would ease his worries.
Zhan wished they had taken him to stay with his mother instead...maybe he would have felt better there. But even when Aaria visited Granny Ryu's house, she didn't step into the bedroom to see him; she only came and left quickly each time.
The mansion was now filled with relatives and friends, buzzing with activity as the wedding day drew near. The preparations were grand...Zhan's wedding would be held alongside Dr. Kexing's own ceremony in Chengdu, where he was set to marry Teng.
All their events were scheduled to take place there. The men from the family would attend the Chengdu ceremony, while Aunty Jin and several women from Xiao Rong's side would represent them. The Wu family, however, would remain in Tianjin....they were the ones who would later escort Zhan to Guangzhou.
Even though Qiren had told everyone that Yibo wasn't interested in hosting any additional celebrations, the Tianjin side still planned their own full schedule of events for the wedding day.
Three days before the ceremony, the entire family moved into Xiao Rong's house, which was filled with guests and relatives. Granny Ai was in her element....chatting, laughing, and bustling about proudly. Around Zhan were nearly ten of his cousins, both male and female, keeping him company as if they all known him since.
And finally, the long-awaited wedding day arrived.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛