Yibo remained silent, saying nothing as he listened to his aunt scolding him.
Angrily she said, "Are you ignoring me now, Yibo? Why are you so quiet?"
He slowly lifted his head and looked at her. The argument was making his headache worse.
"I'm listening, Aunt," he said softly. "I hear you."
"Then tell me," she demanded, "why did you leave the house this morning without eating the breakfast I prepared?"
"I'm sorry, Aunt," he replied quietly. "I didn't realize I would be gone for so long."
"Well, don't expect dinner from me tonight," she snapped.
Yibo forced a weak smile as she turned and left the room.
He lay back down again, his head still throbbing painfully.
Since morning he had eaten nothing except the water he had been drinking. He had wandered through several streets across the city, hoping he might see that person again...but there had been no sign of him anywhere.
By now he wasn't even sure whether the person he had seen yesterday was really who he thought it was.
Sitting up anxiously, he muttered to himself, "Oh heavens…"
By the time the clock struck six in the evening, he was still sitting alone in his room.
The door opened.
His cousin stepped in.
"Yibo-ge, are you sick?" she asked.
"No, I'm not, Mary."
She sat down on the edge of the bed.
"You've been acting strange since yesterday. You didn't even eat breakfast before leaving, and I'm sure you didn't eat lunch either."
"I had to go out when someone called me," he said briefly.
She remained quiet.
"What about school?" he asked. "Didn't you go today?"
"I went earlier and came back."
"Alright. Where are Baby and Fandi?"
"They're in their room doing their assignments."
"When Aunt finishes cooking lunch, bring me a little."
"Okay."
She stood up and left.
Not long after, she returned with food and a glass of water and set them beside him.
:
:
For the three days that Zhan stayed home without going to school, Yunxi took very good care of him. In fact, Yunxi himself had insisted that Zhan stay home until he felt completely better.
Fortunately, Zhan recovered quickly and no longer felt any physical pain.
However, he still couldn't forget the incident at the mall.
Hardly ten minutes would pass without Yibo appearing in his thoughts.
Yunxi clearly disliked seeing Zhan troubled. He was far kinder than Zhan had ever expected, even though sometimes he pretended otherwise.
It almost seemed as if Yunxi knew Zhan was worried about something. Zhan wasn't surprised that he noticed...after all, Yunxi was a doctor.
Every morning before leaving for work, Yunxi made sure Zhan had eaten breakfast and taken his medicine.
In the evenings when he returned, he would bring either fruit or food for him. He even brought interesting English books so Zhan could read and keep himself entertained.
Those books helped a lot. They distracted him whenever he read them.
Whenever he grew tired of reading, he would look through photographs of Rouxue and Roulan, from when they were babies until they grew older. Most of the pictures showed them together or with 'Rouxue', smiling and clinging to him.
Looking at those photos never made him tired.
He hadn't even told mommy that he had been sick.
That afternoon, as usual, Zhan was lying in the living room after seeing Vanessa off. She had come earlier in the day to visit him.
The doorbell rang.
Zhan immediately stood up, assuming it was Yunxi.
He opened the door and greeted him.
Yunxi returned the greeting and handed him a shopping bag while asking how he was feeling.
"I'm much better," Zhan replied.
"Good," Yunxi said with a small smile. "That's good to hear."
He was about to turn away when Zhan suddenly asked,
"Are you sick?"
Yunxi turned back and looked at him.
"Just a stomachache," he said. "But I already took some medicine. I feel much better now."
Zhan looked worried. "I hope you recover quickly."
"Amen," Yunxi replied.
Then he closed the door and returned to his apartment.
Zhan placed the bag on the table and saw it was filled with fruit.
He remained in the living room until almost six before finally getting up and going into the kitchen.
He began thinking about what to cook because he was starting to feel hungry.
Eventually he prepared a simple dish of garnished couscous. Even though it wasn't much, he decided to set aside a portion for Yunxi.
He placed it inside a small food warmer and carried it to Yunxi's apartment.
After ringing the bell twice, Yunxi finally opened the door.
He was wearing a sleeveless shirt and long pants.
Zhan stared at him for a moment before Yunxi turned and walked back toward the couch.
Zhan followed inside and closed the door behind him.
He set the food down and knelt beside Yunxi, looking at him with concern.
"Does your stomach still hurt?"
Yunxi nodded slowly.
"But I'll be fine," he said, trying to sound strong.
Zhan remained silent, watching him with growing sympathy.
Yunxi slowly slid down from the couch and knelt on the floor.
Zhan's voice trembled. "Should we go to the hospital?"
Yunxi simply shook his head.
Then he lay down on the floor beside the couch.
Anyone could see he was struggling to endure the pain.
Tears filled Zhan's eyes.
Yunxi forced himself to sit up again and whispered weakly,
"Please… get me some water."
Zhan quickly rushed to the refrigerator, but all the water there was cold.
So he hurried into the kitchen, filled a glass with tap water, and brought it back.
He knelt beside Yunxi and handed it to him.
Yunxi drank slowly.
Zhan kept staring at him, his face filled with worry as if he were the one in pain.
Suddenly Yunxi set the glass down and rushed to the bathroom in the living room.
Zhan stood up.
From inside, he could hear Yunxi vomiting heavily.
Zhan couldn't move from where he stood.
After a moment, he sank to his knees and burst into tears.
When Yunxi came back out, he leaned his head weakly against the couch.
Zhan quickly walked over to him, his voice shaking.
"Please… let's go to the hospital."
Yunxi lifted his eyes.
They had turned red.
Zhan instinctively stepped back in fear.
Yunxi seemed unable to speak and simply shook his head.
Just as he was about to lower his head again, Zhan suddenly grabbed him.
"Doctor, please let me drive us to the hospital," he said urgently. "Where are your car keys?"
Yunxi spoke weakly, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I'll be alright, Zhan. Go to my room… you'll find the first-aid box there."
Zhan didn't wait for him to finish. He hurried into the bedroom and quickly found the box. When he returned, he set it down beside him. Yunxi slowly lifted his head, his eyes half-closed, and opened the box.
After a few seconds, he opened his eyes again, took out a syringe and a small vial, and handed them to Zhan.
Zhan's eyes widened in surprise, but he accepted them. Yunxi lowered his head again, clearly in too much pain to explain.
For a moment Zhan didn't know what to say. Then he opened the vial, drew the medicine into the syringe, and forced himself to speak.
"It's ready."
He stepped back immediately, staring at Yunxi when he realized Yunxi meant for him to give the injection. Zhan actually knew how to do it, but at first he had wanted to pretend he didn't.
However, the sight of Yunxi's suffering...and the way Yunxi had cared for him when he was sick...softened his heart. His hands trembled as he gave Yunxi the injection.
Yunxi kept his eyes closed the entire time.
When Zhan finished, he stepped back and watched him silently. A few minutes later Yunxi struggled to sit up and then leaned back on the couch.
Less than ten minutes passed before the medicine took effect and he fell asleep.
Zhan returned to his side and looked at him with sympathy. The injection was clearly a sleeping medicine Yunxi had given himself.
He stood up, took the glass cup and the food he had brought earlier, and carried them to the kitchen. Then he returned the first-aid box to Yunxi's room and carefully disposed of the syringe before coming back to sit beside him again.
He studied Yunxi's face quietly.
Even his eyebrows alone were striking before one even noticed the long lashes framing his eyes. Zhan's gaze slowly moved down to Yunxi's straight nose, perfectly shaped, and then to his lips.
Anyone could tell, just by looking at him, that he must have connections to another country.
Zhan quickly looked away and began playing with his fingers.
While he sat there, Yunxi's phone started ringing.
Zhan didn't move at first, and the call eventually stopped. Yunxi didn't stir either. When the phone rang again, Zhan slowly stood up, walked closer to him, and knelt beside the couch. Carefully, he reached into Yunxi's pocket and pulled out the phone.
The caller ID read Tieh.
The call ended again while Zhan was staring at the screen. After a moment, he quietly placed the phone back and rested his chin on his knees, watching Yunxi.
Yunxi was sleeping deeply.
Zhan thought about leaving and returning to his own apartment, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to do it.
After nearly twenty minutes, he leaned against the couch beside Yunxi. Not long after that, sleep overtook him too.
Yunxi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze wandering across the living room.
Then his eyes landed on Zhan.
He sat up quickly, staring at him in surprise. When he checked the time, it was already 2 a.m.
He leaned closer to Zhan's face.
Still half asleep, Zhan felt a hand touch his forehead. His eyes flew open instantly.
Before he could react, Yunxi gently pressed his lips against Zhan's cheek.
Startled, Zhan jerked backward and tried to stand up, but Yunxi quickly grabbed his arm.
Zhan's face darkened with anger. He slapped Yunxi's hand away.
"What was that supposed to mean?"
Yunxi slid down from the couch and said calmly,
"What are you doing here?"
Zhan stared at him in disbelief. Then he pushed Yunxi away and tried to leave, but Yunxi still held him.
Tears welled up in Zhan's eyes, mostly from the frustration of caring for him.
Yunxi pulled him slightly closer and smiled faintly.
"Thank you for taking care of me, Zhan. I never knew you were this sweet."
Zhan's expression hardened even more.
"Let me go."
Yunxi released him without protest.
Zhan immediately walked toward the door.
"Uh… it's already past two," Yunxi said casually.
Zhan glanced at the clock and froze. Realization hit him at once.
"Oh no… I didn't realize it was this late," he said anxiously.
"Wait," Yunxi added suddenly. "Didn't you bring food earlier? Where is it?"
"In the kitchen," Zhan replied.
"I'm actually hungry."
Zhan went to the kitchen and brought the food to him. Only then did he realize he hadn't eaten any of it himself.
Yunxi stood up and went to the bathroom in his room. He rinsed his mouth and took a quick shower before returning, dressed in fresh clothes while drying his hair with a small towel.
Zhan had already grown tired of waiting for him to finish so Yunxi could escort him home.
Finally, Yunxi sat down and opened the food container. Taking a spoon, he began to eat.
Zhan watched him quietly for a moment before standing up to open the refrigerator and bring him some water.
When Yunxi had almost finished eating and drank the water, he suddenly looked at Zhan.
"Wait… earlier, didn't you give me tap water?"
"Yes," Zhan answered.
Yunxi's eyes widened slightly.
"Oh! My… but I don't usually drink...."
He stopped himself mid-sentence.
Zhan said nothing, only glaring at him.
Yunxi leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes briefly. After a moment he stood up again, went to the living room bathroom, and returned.
Softly, Zhan said,
"Please walk me to my apartment. It's very late."
Yunxi looked at him for a moment before replying,
"Alright. As you wish. Otherwise you'll probably spend the whole night here."
He walked toward the door, and Zhan followed closely behind.
When Yunxi opened the door, Zhan instinctively moved closer to him. Yunxi stepped out first, and Zhan followed as they entered Zhan's apartment. Yunxi closed the door behind them.
Zhan let out a quiet sigh of relief while looking around the living room.
"You should go to bed," Yunxi said.
Zhan headed toward his room, but Yunxi quickly stopped him.
"Wait… come lock the door first."
Zhan returned and looked at him. Yunxi opened his eyes and said quietly,
"Good night. And… thank you for taking care of me."
Zhan said nothing.
Just as Yunxi was about to leave, Zhan suddenly spoke.
"You have… a call."
Yunxi turned back to look at him.
"Did you answer it?"
"No!" Zhan said quickly. "I just remembered now. I didn't check it. I only heard the phone ringing."
Even Zhan knew he sounded awkward and unconvincing.
Yunxi simply smiled, running a hand through his soft hair.
****
Early in the morning, Zhan was already in the kitchen. After finishing some cleaning, he began preparing breakfast. Just as he was about to start, he heard Yunxi's voice from outside.
"Morning."
Zhan quickly glanced toward the window, but he couldn't see him. Curious, he leaned slightly to look outside and noticed Yunxi exercising in the gym area.
He immediately stepped away from the window and continued preparing the ingredients. He planned to fry some eggs and make toasted bread since he didn't like using raw eggs.
After a few minutes, Zhan called out,
"How are you feeling now?"
There was no response.
That made him turn back toward the window again. At that exact moment Yunxi walked closer to it, and their eyes met. Yunxi lowered his gaze slightly and looked him up and down.
Embarrassed, Zhan quickly turned away. He was still wearing his sleepwear.
Yunxi spoke again.
"Hmm… you look cute in that."
Zhan froze in surprise and couldn't even bring himself to turn around.
Then Yunxi added casually,
"You've stayed home long enough. You should go to school today."
With that, he walked away.
Even if Yunxi hadn't said anything, Zhan had already planned to return to school that day.
By nine o'clock, Zhan came out dressed and ready for school.
Yunxi stepped out of his apartment and leaned against his doorway, watching him.
"You're heading to school now?" Yunxi asked.
"Yeah," Zhan replied without looking at him.
"Alright. Wait for me."
Yunxi went back inside. Zhan stood there awkwardly until he returned holding his car keys.
As usual, Yunxi was dressed casually in light clothing. Zhan glanced briefly at his pants before quickly looking away, silently telling himself to mind his own business.
"Let's go," Yunxi said.
He walked toward the parking area, and Zhan followed behind him. Zhan waited until Yunxi started the car and let it warm up before opening the door and getting in.
For some reason, Zhan's heart kept pounding. He couldn't explain why.
While driving, Yunxi kept his eyes on the road and suddenly asked,
"Do you have a problem with anyone here?"
Zhan looked at him quickly. Yunxi glanced at him briefly before returning his attention to the road.
Shaking his head slightly, Zhan replied,
"I don't think that's any of your concern."
Yunxi stayed silent for a moment before saying,
"Alright then."
After that, he said nothing else until they arrived at the school.
Zhan avoided making eye contact. He opened the car door, stepped out, and said quietly,
"Thanks."
Then he walked away.
Later, Zhan was walking with some of his course mates after their ten o'clock lecture ended. They were heading to the cafeteria, but Zhan told them he wanted to go to the library to study.
After separating from them, however, he didn't go to the library.
The truth was, he just wanted to be alone.
He found a quiet place outside and sat down, staring absentmindedly at a nearby flower.
Nearly thirty minutes passed.
Then, as if someone had called him, he lifted his head.
His eyes met Yunxi's.
Yunxi was sitting some distance away beside a white girl who was reading.
The moment Yunxi noticed him, he stood up.
Looking at the girl beside him, he said,
"Stephanie, see you later."
But Zhan had already gotten up and walked away before Yunxi could reach him.
☀☀☀
The next morning, around eight o'clock, Zhan stepped out of his apartment.
Today he was running very late.
At the parking area, he saw Yunxi standing there with a phone pressed to his ear.
The moment their eyes met, Yunxi looked away.
Zhan didn't look at him again as he left the building.
Inside his mind, he muttered irritably,
"Good. Stay far away."
Later that day, after lectures ended, Zhan sat alone in the cafeteria.
Vanessa had already left with her boyfriend shortly after they finished eating.
Zhan didn't understand why he was still sitting there when he had planned to leave.
He was chatting on WhatsApp with his friend Salima, who was in Nigeria, his head lowered as he typed.
Then, as if something prompted him, he lifted his head.
The moment he saw who had just entered the cafeteria, he froze.
Slowly, his phone slipped from his hand and fell onto his lap.
His heart started pounding heavily, and he quickly looked away.
Yibo had just entered the cafeteria with a foreign man.
They took a table close to Zhan's.
In his calm voice, he said,
"I didn't intend to come here, Frank. Let's make this quick."
The man replied,
"Yeah, they'll be here soon."
A waitress standing beside them handed over a menu list.
Then he spoke again, his foreign-accented English clearly reaching Zhan's ears.
"Number six for my friend. Just table water for me."
It was as if the words were being forced out of him.
Zhan slowly stood up, feeling as though something inside him had been violently torn apart. Hiding the side of his face, he quietly made his way toward the exit, his steps unsteady.
He stole a glance at Yibo.
Their eyes met.
Yibo was watching him too.
The moment that happened, Yibo stood up abruptly, staring at him with wide eyes.
Seeing that, Zhan suddenly broke into a run.
Yibo rushed after him.
"Meilin! Meilin, please wait! Meilin!"
Zhan's mind was already in chaos, but when he realized Yibo was chasing him and was getting closer, panic overwhelmed him.
He threw away the shoes on his feet and dropped his bag as tears burst from his eyes.
He ran as if his life depended on it.
Over and over he looked back in fear while running.
Then he noticed a group of men...who looked African....holding Yibo back and questioning him about why he was chasing him.
That only made Zhan run faster.
Soon he spotted a taxi and hurried inside, his voice trembling.
"Bridge Street."
The driver immediately started the car.
Zhan closed his eyes tightly as painful tears streamed down his face. He wanted to break down and cry loudly....it might make him feel better...but he forced himself to stay quiet, remembering where he was.
When they reached his apartment building, he gave the driver the exact house number.
After the car stopped, he stepped out....then suddenly realized he had no money with him.
Looking embarrassed, he told the driver he would go inside to get the fare.
He slowly walked through the compound, wiping away the tears still falling from his eyes.
Just then, Yunxi stepped out of his own apartment, holding his car keys and some documents.
Yunxi stopped and looked at him from head to toe, surprise evident on his face.
Zhan frowned deeply, pouting slightly as he looked away and refused to move.
Within a few steps Yunxi was standing right in front of him.
Zhan immediately tried to walk away.
Yunxi grabbed him.
Zhan finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably...the tears he had been holding back since earlier.
"What's wrong with you?" Yunxi asked in confusion.
"What happened? Where are you coming from?"
Zhan said nothing. He only cried harder.
Yunxi's face filled with worry.
"Please talk to me. What happened to you?"
Struggling to swallow his tears, Zhan wiped his eyes and spoke in a trembling voice.
"I didn't pay the taxi driver."
Yunxi glanced toward the gate. Without another word, he released Zhan and walked outside.
Zhan collapsed to his knees, crying painfully as his chest ached.
A moment later Yunxi returned and found him like that.
His expression darkened.
"I'm asking you a question," Yunxi said firmly.
"Where are you coming from?"
Zhan slowly stood up, wiping his tears, though he still hadn't stopped crying. He tried to leave, but Yunxi grabbed his arm.
Looking at him sternly, Yunxi repeated,
"I asked you....where are you coming from?"
When Zhan refused to answer, Yunxi pulled him along into his apartment.
He made him sit on the couch in the living room and crouched down in front of him.
"Now tell me what happened," Yunxi said calmly.
Zhan forced himself to answer.
"Nothing."
Yunxi stared at him silently.
After a moment he stood up, crossed his arms behind the couch, and continued watching him.
Zhan eventually cried himself out and leaned his head against the couch.
More than fifteen minutes passed like that. His mind wandered through countless thoughts until exhaustion finally pulled him into sleep.
Yunxi remained standing behind the couch the entire time, watching him with disbelief at how stubborn he was.
When he realized Zhan had fallen asleep, he walked around and crouched in front of him.
Truthfully, Yunxi felt nothing but deep sympathy for him. Even though he didn't know Zhan very well, he could clearly see that he was in pain.
Zhan looked like someone whose heart had been broken.
Yunxi closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again as he studied Zhan's face.
Zhan was the very definition of calm beauty.
Tall.
Fair-skinned.
Slim with a perfect figure.
Most striking of all were his incredibly beautiful eyes and lips… and his elegant nose.
Yunxi quickly shook the thought away.
Not as beautiful as Tieh, he told himself firmly.
He gently tapped Zhan with a pillow, trying to wake him.
Startled awake, Zhan suddenly cried out,
"Yibooo!"
Yunxi stepped back, staring at him.
With difficulty, Zhan forced his heavy eyes open and slowly sat up.
Yunxi stood with his arms folded, silently repeating the name Zhan had called.
Zhan stood up, closed his eyes briefly, and turned to leave the living room.
"Mister," Yunxi said quietly.
Zhan stopped and turned back.
"Where are you coming from?" Yunxi asked again.
Zhan couldn't meet his gaze.
"School," he replied softly.
"What happened there?"
"I'm not feeling well."
Yunxi said nothing more.
Zhan walked toward the door, and Yunxi watched him leave.
Later, Zhan took his medicine and quickly fell asleep again.
He didn't wake up until dawn...and only because hunger forced him awake.
He went into the kitchen looking for something to eat.
He heard movement outside and carefully peeked through the window.
Yunxi was exercising in the gym area, wearing only three-quarter shorts.
Their eyes met.
Zhan immediately stepped away from the window.
He went to the living room, grabbed a shirt, put it on, and returned to the kitchen. This time he didn't look outside again.
After finishing his noodles, he sat in the living room.
Ever since he showered, his heart had been pounding nervously about going to school...especially since he had a test that day.
Tears slowly rolled down his face. His heart felt fragile and exhausted.
Living in this country had become too much for him now.
He wanted to go home.
But what about his studies?
He had less than two years left.
Suddenly the doorbell rang.
Startled, Zhan stood up. Lately he had been frightened by almost everything.
He opened the door cautiously.
"Yes?"
Yunxi stood there.
"How are you?" he asked.
Zhan opened the door wider and greeted him.
"Aren't you going to school today?" Yunxi asked.
Zhan looked like he might cry again.
"I don't know."
Yunxi simply stared at him for a moment.
Then he said,
"Get ready. I'll wait for you."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Yunxi later dropped Zhan off at his department.
Anyone who saw Zhan could tell he looked nervous.
"When will you finish your lectures?" Yunxi asked.
"I only have a quiz," Zhan replied.
"Just that?"
Zhan nodded.
"Alright," Yunxi said. "I'll be around. I'll call later to check if you're done."
Zhan suddenly remembered something.
"My bag… I dropped it yesterday."
Yunxi looked at him for a moment.
Then he pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to him.
"I'll call you."
Zhan accepted it, nodding quietly.
He stepped out of the car.
Yunxi got out as well.
"I think I'll leave the car here," he said.
Zhan watched him walk away before quickly leaving the area himself.
💚💙❤🖤