Yu-Bin, who had also been staring at him awkwardly, stammered,
"Good... good evening, sir."
Without looking at Yu-Bin, A-Bo replied while still eating his apple.
Sanxing watched him for a moment and then spoke calmly.
"A-Bo, they came to check on I-Bo."
A-Bo placed the apple down and lifted his phone to his ear, clearly signaling that he had no interest in the conversation.
Seeing that, Sanxing turned to Zhan and Yu-Bin.
"I'll go upstairs and inform him. You can sit here and wait for me. Please, have a seat."
He headed toward the stairs. He had barely reached upstairs when Zhan suddenly widened his eyes and exclaimed quietly,
"Oh God!"
He quickly stepped behind Yu-Bin as a huge dog came charging toward them, barking loudly.
Yu-Bin, startled, waved his backbag at the dog in an attempt to scare it away while stepping back in fear.
Hearing the barking, Sanxing hurried back into the living room. Before the dog could get too close, A-Bo stood up and walked toward it.
"Come here, Legend," he called calmly.
The dog immediately turned and ran toward A-Bo, who gently patted its head.
Sanxing returned to them with a small smile.
"Let's just go upstairs since you're afraid of dogs. It won't hurt you...it was only reacting to unfamiliar faces."
Zhan, still trembling slightly, quickly followed Sanxing. Yu-Bin walked behind him as Sanxing led them upstairs to I-Bo's bedroom.
He knocked on the door and waited.
Zhan kept glancing nervously down the hallway, half-expecting the dog to follow them upstairs.
After a moment, I-Bo responded from inside.
Sanxing turned to them.
"Let me tell him he has visitors."
He opened the door, stepped inside, and closed it behind him.
Yu-Bin held his chin thoughtfully and leaned toward Zhan, lowering his voice.
"Who was that arrogant man downstairs? We greeted him politely and he treated us like that."
Zhan did not respond. He was still distracted, occasionally glancing around as if worried the dog might appear again.
Soon, Sanxing stepped out of the room.
"You can go in," he said. "I'll step out for a moment and be back soon."
"Alright, thank you," Zhan replied softly.
He slowly opened the door, his heart still beating fast, and stepped into the large room. Yu-Bin followed behind him, his eyes widening as he looked around.
A pleasant fragrance filled the air, mixed with the cool breeze from the air conditioner. The spacious room felt elegant and calm.
Zhan housemate, I-Bo, was sitting on his large bed, looking like Sanxing had just woken him up. The room itself was beautifully designed and meticulously arranged.
Zhan avoided looking directly at him. His heart pounded as he quietly sat down on the soft carpet.
I-Bo spoke gently.
"Come on, Sean. You can sit by the bed... or use the chair."
Without lifting his head, Zhan replied,
"I'm comfortable here."
I-Bo noticed that he seemed nervous. He then looked at Yu-Bin, who had also sat down nearby.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Hello."
His voice still sounded weak, making it clear he was recovering.
Yu-Bin greeted him warmly and asked about his health.
"I'm much better now," I-Bo replied. "How are your studies going?"
"Very well," Yu-Bin said.
I-Bo then looked at Zhan.
"How have you been these past two days, housemate? I hope you're doing well."
Only then did Zhan lift his head slightly.
"How are you feeling now?" he asked quietly.
I-Bo smiled.
"I'm better now."
Zhan spoke softly.
"I'm glad to hear that. I hope your recovery continues smoothly."
"Thank you," I-Bo replied.
Yu-Bin placed the bag he was holding beside the bed.
"He brought these for you," he said.
Zhan glanced at him in surprise.
I-Bo thanked both of them sincerely. Then he began to get down from the bed.
"Let me get you something to drink."
He sat briefly at the edge of the bed, looking as if standing might still be difficult.
Zhan quickly said,
"No, thank you. We're fine."
I-Bo looked at him calmly.
"I wasn't offering only to you, housemate."
After a few seconds, he stood up and opened a small refrigerator in the room. He brought out bottled water and some expensive soft drinks and placed them nearby before slowly walking out of the room.
He was dressed almost exactly like A-Bo downstairs.
Yu-Bin turned toward Zhan immediately after he left, holding his chin again.
"Zhan... do you realize how wealthy his family must be? And this is just their house in America. Imagine what their home in China must be like."
Zhan frowned.
"Please stop, Yu-Bin."
Yu-Bin quickly covered his mouth, then whispered even more quietly,
"You're right. There might be cameras in the room. Let's not embarrass ourselves."
Zhan shot him a look.
"Then behave yourself. We've already greeted him-let's just leave."
Yu-Bin lowered his voice again.
"Honestly, your housemate is incredibly kind and calm. I'm really impressed. Look how warmly he welcomed us even though he's still sick."
Zhan glanced at him but said nothing.
Meanwhile, Yu-Bin continued scanning the massive room with fascination.
"If I had a room like this, I'd probably forget why I even came to this country," he whispered. "Are you sure your housemate is really a student?"
Zhan sighed.
"Let's go, Yu-Bin. We've already checked on him."
"But we should at least wait until he returns so we can say goodbye properly," Yu-Bin replied. "Sometimes you rush things too much, as if someone is chasing us out of the house."
Just then, the door opened and both of them fell silent.
I-Bo walked back in, greeting them softly before sitting down on a chair and leaning his head back against it.
A moment later, one of the house chefs entered the room carrying a plate of expensive cookies. He placed them on the table beside them and quietly left.
I-Bo looked at Zhan.
"I noticed you like cookies a lot, housemate. These are for you and your friend."
Zhan kept his eyes lowered, fiddling with his sleeve.
"I'm fine. We were actually about to leave."
I-Bo spoke gently.
"So soon? At least have some cookies before you go."
Zhan glanced at him briefly, and for the first time since entering the room their eyes met. His heart skipped, and he quickly lowered his gaze again.
I-Bo then looked at Yu-Bin.
"If he won't have any, you should go ahead," he said calmly. "But I don't know your name, my housemate's friend."
Yu-Bin smiled as he opened the box of cookies and took one.
"My name is Poul Yu-Bin."
I-Bo nodded lightly.
"Nice to meet you, Yu-Bin. I'm Wang Yibo... but you can call me I-Bo."
"Nice to meet you too, I-Bo," Yu-Bin replied.
Meanwhile, Zhan remained quiet, absentmindedly playing with the edge of his top while keeping his head lowered.
Just then Yu-Bin's phone began to ring. He opened his handbag and checked the screen.
"It's my cousin," he said, standing up. "Let me take this call, please."
"Alright, Yu-Bin," I-Bo replied.
Yu-Bin walked to the door, stepped outside, and quietly closed it behind him.
I-Bo looked at the bag they had brought. Opening it slightly, he said,
"So you brought all this for me, Sean?"
Zhan glanced at him briefly.
"Mm."
"Thank you very much," I-Bo said sincerely. "I really appreciate it."
Zhan looked at him carefully.
"How are you feeling now?"
"I'm getting better gradually," he replied. "Actually... I suddenly started craving the food you cooked a few days ago."
Zhan blinked.
"The vegetable soup?"
"No," he said, thinking. "The one I couldn't eat that day... the dark soup. I can't remember the name."
Zhan couldn't help smiling faintly.
"The tofu soup?"
"Yes, that one," he said. "I've been wanting to eat it."
After a brief pause Zhan asked quietly,
"Will you be going back home soon?"
"When I'm fully recovered," I-Bo answered softly.
Zhan continued looking at him, while I-Bo's gaze drifted somewhere else in thought.
At that moment the door opened.
A-Bo walked straight into the room and approached I-Bo, handing him his phone while looking at him silently.
Zhan immediately lowered his head again, avoiding even a glance in A-Bo's direction.
I-Bo took the phone and looked at the screen. Seeing who was calling, he quickly placed his feet down from the chair and answered politely.
"Hello, Dad... I'm feeling much better, thank you. My phone was on silent."
He lifted his head slightly and glanced at A-Bo as he listened.
"No, that's not true, Dad," he said gently. "I do eat... just not much."
Then he fell silent, listening.
After about a minute he said,
"Alright, Dad. Take care."
He waited until the call ended before tossing the phone lightly onto the bed and looking at A-Bo.
A-Bo gave him a sideways glance, then simply turned around, picked up his phone from the bed, and left the room without another word.
Meanwhile Zhan finished sending Yu-Bin a message asking him to order a ride so they could return home.
He then lifted his head and looked at I-Bo. His mood seemed different now.
"You're not eating properly, are you?" Zhan asked quietly.
"Don't mind A-Bo," I-Bo replied with a faint smile. "I had cereal this morning right in front of him. If he doesn't find a reason to scold me, he won't feel satisfied."
Zhan stayed silent for a moment, then said softly,
"But cereal isn't really a meal. You should still try to eat something... even if it's just a little."
I-Bo only smiled and said nothing.
After a moment Zhan stood up.
"Alright, we should leave now. I hope you recover quickly."
"Won't you wait for Sanxing to come back so he can drive you?" I-Bo asked.
Zhan shook his head.
"No. Yu-Bin's brother was calling him earlier. He hasn't gone home yet since we finished our lectures."
"Then I'll drop you off," I-Bo said.
Zhan widened his eyes.
"No, you're still sick. We'll order a ride. Please don't worry about us."
He stood up. Seeing that, I-Bo also tried to stand, but he had to hold onto the chair for a moment as dizziness hit him.
"Please don't push yourself," Zhan said gently. "You should lie down and rest."
I-Bo lifted his head.
"No. Let me at least walk you downstairs."
Zhan turned toward the door and he followed behind her.
To Zhan's surprise, Yu-Bin was sitting comfortably in the upstairs lounge, watching television while eating cookies with a drink beside him.
Zhan stared at him in disbelief.
Yu-Bin brightened immediately when he saw him.
"So, shall we go?"
Then he noticed I-Bo behind Zhan and quickly fell silent.
Zhan walked toward him and the two of them began heading downstairs together. Zhan's heart was pounding again, worried they might run into the dog.
Because of that, he deliberately let Yu-Bin walk ahead of him.
I-Bo followed behind them.
As soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs, the dog spotted them and came running over, barking loudly.
Startled, Zhan immediately turned to run back upstairs-and collided with I-Bo behind him.
He caught Zhan quickly.
"Come on," he said softly. "Are you really afraid of dogs, Sean?"
Zhan instinctively moved behind him, his heart racing.
Meanwhile Yu-Bin waved his handbag again, trying to scare the dog away.
A-Bo was still sitting in the living room watching football. He glanced at them once and then returned his attention to the television.
I-Bo eventually drove the dog away. The dog ran back toward A-Bo and jumped onto the couch beside him.
I-Bo turned to Zhan, who was still looking uneasy.
"It won't hurt you," he said with a faint smile. "It just doesn't recognize you yet."
Zhan said nothing.
I-Bo then looked at A-Bo.
"A-Bo, where are my car keys?"
"What do you need the car keys for?" A-Bo asked.
Zhan had already started walking toward the door, clearly wanting to leave as quickly as possible without facing A-Bo again.
Yu-Bin lingered for a moment and looked at A-Bo.
"Thank you very much for your hospitality," he said politely.
"Take care," A-Bo replied calmly.
Yu-Bin then said goodbye to I-Bo as well before hurrying after Zhan.
Knowing A-Bo wouldn't give him the keys, I-Bo slipped a few dollars from A-Bo's pocket and followed Yu-Bin outside.
He tried to hand the money to him, but Yu-Bin refused to accept it.
By then Zhan had already stepped outside the house, so Yu-Bin quickly followed him.
Inside the ride, as the car began moving, Yu-Bin looked at Zhan thoughtfully and held his chin.
"You know... that guy we misunderstood earlier when we first arrived-he's actually very kind," Yu-Bin said. "When I was sitting alone in that upstairs lounge, he passed by and noticed me. He stopped, turned on the television for me, even switched on the lights and showed me the refrigerator so I could take a drink."
He shook his head in surprise.
"Honestly, I never expected that kind of gesture from him, especially after the way he responded to our greeting earlier. It seems we misjudged him."
Zhan acted as though he hadn't heard a word Yu-Bin said.
☀☀☀
Around eight in the evening, Zhan was sitting in the living room reviewing some study materials when his phone began to vibrate.
He picked it up and saw Sanxing's number on the screen. For a moment he simply stared at it. After a few seconds, he answered the call, switched to hands-free, and listened quietly.
A voice spoke from the other end-it was his housemate.
Zhan greeted him politely.
"How did you get home, Sean?" I-Bo asked.
"I got home safely," Zhan replied.
"And Yu-Bin?"
"He went back to his family's place."
"Good," I-Bo said. "Thank you very much for coming to visit."
"I hope your health continues to improve," Zhan said softly.
"Amen, housemate."
With that, he said goodbye and ended the call.
Before Zhan could even set the phone down, another call came in. This time it was Yiming.
Only then did he remember the worry that had been weighing on him for days. His mood shifted immediately.
He answered the call, switched it to hands-free, and placed the phone beside him while continuing to glance at his reading material.
After greeting him, Yiming asked,
"Didn't you see the money I sent you?"
Zhan shook his head slightly.
"I didn't notice."
"Check it," Yiming said.
Then he ended the call.
Zhan leaned his head back against the chair, countless thoughts running through his mind.
The next afternoon, Zhan sat quietly dialing Sanxing's number. As soon as it began to ring, Sanxing answered.
After greeting him, Zhan said,
"I wanted to cook something for my housemate. He once said he liked it. I was wondering if you might be available around five o'clock to take it to him... if you don't mind."
Sanxing replied,
"Oh, I actually traveled to Pennsylvania this morning. But you can bring it to the house yourself. He's at home."
Zhan hesitated.
"Alright."
"Yes, just bring it over," Sanxing added.
"Thank you."
They ended the call.
Fortunately, Zhan had not started cooking yet. Deep down he knew there was nothing that could make him return to that house again. The first visit had already felt like enough.
Later that day, Zhan and Yu-Bin were sitting together after finishing their lectures.
Yu-Bin asked,
"Have you checked on your housemate lately? Even if it's just by phone?"
Zhan looked at him.
"I don't have his number."
Yu-Bin stared at him in disbelief.
"I really don't understand you. Why don't you just ask Sanxing for it? It's been almost ten days since we visited him. If he still hasn't come back to your apartment, maybe he isn't fully recovered."
Zhan sighed.
"There was a time Sanxing said he would send me his number, but he never did. After that I didn't bring it up again. I assumed maybe he didn't want to share it."
He paused before adding,
"And honestly... I think that arrogant man in their house might be stopping him from coming back. They seem related somehow."
Yu-Bin clicked his tongue.
"Then should I go with you so we can visit him again?"
Zhan immediately replied,
"I'm not going anywhere."
Then he added,
"If you want to go, I'll cook something and you can take it to him. That day he mentioned he liked my cooking. But as for me, nothing will make me return to that house."
Yu-Bin looked at him for a moment before speaking again.
"Your heart can be as hard as stone sometimes, Zhan. He told you he wanted to eat your cooking, yet you still refuse to make it for him because of some excuse. Honestly, that's not very kind."
Zhan stood up.
"You can call me whatever you want, but I will not return to that house as long as that overbearing man is there. I'm not going back just so he can insult me again. If you want to go, I'll cook the food and you can deliver it-after all, you said that arrogant man was nice to you."
Yu-Bin didn't reply. He simply began scrolling through his phone.
They eventually went their separate ways without even saying a proper goodbye.
During the ride home, Zhan barely noticed when they arrived.
In truth, I-Bo had been on his mind every single day. Not a day passed without him thinking about him.
It wasn't that he didn't want to visit him again. The real reason was that he didn't want to encounter that man again... and he was also afraid of the large dog in the house.
What if the dog was let loose and chased him?
Even so, his housemate remained constantly on his mind, and he still wanted to know how he was doing.
When the car stopped, Zhan stepped out slowly and walked toward his apartment. He opened the door and entered.
He suddenly froze.
I-Bo was lying across the three-seater couch in the living room, asleep.
Before Zhan could react, I-Bo shifted slightly and spoke without opening his eyes.
"Good evening, Sean."
Zhan lowered his gaze and slowly walked further into the living room, stopping beside a single chair while still looking at him.
A moment later I-Bo opened his eyes and looked around the room as if orienting himself.
When their eyes met, Zhan said quietly,
"Good evening."
I-Bo sat up, rubbing his face as he tried to shake off his sleep.
"How are you?"
"I'm well," Zhan replied. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm much better."
Zhan fell silent for a moment as if considering what to say.
Then he spoke gently while holding the edge of his sleeve.
"I noticed you didn't come back... I thought maybe you were still unwell."
I-Bo shook his head without looking at him.
"My father asked me to come to China. We spent six days there. We returned yesterday."
When he looked up, he noticed Zhan watching him.
Zhan quickly looked away and nodded.
"Oh... I see."
Without saying anything more, he turned and quietly went to his room.
I-Bo lay back down again.
About an hour later, Zhan returned to the living room.
I-Bo was now awake and sitting with his laptop, typing something.
Zhan approached slowly, glancing at him. When their eyes met, he asked somewhat awkwardly,
"I wanted to ask... if I cook something now, will you eat?"
I-Bo shook his head lightly.
"You just came back from school. Don't worry about it. Maybe next time."
"Alright," Zhan replied.
He went to the kitchen and prepared a light dinner.
When he finished and returned to the living room, I-Bo was still sitting there.
"You'd like some?" Zhan asked.
I-Bo looked toward the kitchen.
"I'll serve myself."
He set aside his laptop and walked into the kitchen.
Zhan watched him quietly.
A few minutes later, I-Bo returned with a bowl of pasta containing only a very small portion, along with another plate.
Zhan kept watching him.
I-Bo handed him the plate. Zhan lowered his gaze and accepted it.
I-Bo sat down with his bowl.
"Is that really enough for you?" Zhan asked softly.
"Yes."
Zhan turned to leave.
"You're going to eat in your bedroom?" I-Bo asked.
Zhan nodded and walked toward his room.
Around nine that evening, Zhan heard a knock on his door. He opened it.
I-Bo stood there.
"Good night, Sean," he said. "I'm heading home."
Zhan was silent at first.
Then he asked quietly,
"Why do you have two homes?"
I-Bo opened his eyes slightly and smiled.
"One is a home," he said. "The other... is a comfort zone."
Zhan tilted his head slightly.
"You just said the same thing twice," he replied. "A home is also a comfort zone."
He laughed softly.
"Not in my case, Sean. To me, they are two different things."
Zhan remained silent for a moment before asking,
"So... which one is the home, and which one is the comfort zone?"
I-Bo smiled.
"You're asking questions like a reporter. How is your friend?"
"He's fine," Zhan replied.
"And your bossy boyfriend?" I-Bo added lightly. "I hope he has stopped making you cry."
Zhan shot him a look and was about to close the door quickly when he said,
"Wait, it's just a harmless question, Sean."
Zhan replied calmly,
"When did I ever say he makes me cry?"
"Oh, alright," I-Bo said with a faint smile. "Then hopefully I won't have to come and apologize to you someday after he does."
He paused before adding,
"And before I forget-why don't you eat the cookies in the kitchen?"
Zhan frowned slightly.
"How many of them am I supposed to eat?"
I-Bo was quiet for a moment before answering,
"From now on, if you see anything I buy and you need it, just take it. I don't buy things only for myself. Whether it's a man or a woman living here, when I buy something I buy it in surplus, not just for myself. Do you understand?"
Zhan kept his eyes lowered and said nothing.
"Even the bottled water," he continued. "I buy it for both of us, not only for me. After all, there's always something good in sharing."
Zhan still didn't reply.
"Good night," I-Bo said before turning and walking back toward the living room.
Zhan watched him leave, then quietly closed the door to his room.
***
The next morning, Saturday, Zhan finished doing laundry in the kitchen and tidied the entire apartment. After taking a shower, he walked into the living room thinking about what to cook before starting his studies. It was almost noon.
His housemate had returned home around ten and gone straight to his bedroom. Zhan assumed he was sleeping again. He often wondered how someone could sleep so much.
Just then someone knocked on the apartment door.
Zhan expected it to be Yu-Bin, although he hadn't thought he would arrive so early.
He walked to the door and opened it, slightly relieved to have someone who might help him cook.
However, his expression quickly turned to surprise.
He stepped aside as the visitor walked past him without hesitation and entered the living room as if he owned the place.
Zhan watched in shock as the man walked straight to I-Bo's room, opened the door, and went inside.
Zhan stood there speechless.
He could hear the man angrily scolding I-Bo inside the room, although he couldn't hear I-Bo's voice clearly.
A moment later I-Bo came out of the room, looking as though he had just been woken from sleep.
He picked up the laptop he had left on the couch earlier. A-Bo followed him out and handed him the laptop.
A-Bo looked furious.
"What exactly am I supposed to do with this now that the deadline has passed? Do you even realize the consequences of what you've done?"
For the first time, I-Bo responded calmly.
"My phone was on silent. I didn't know you had important work saved on it. If I had known, I wouldn't have taken it."
A-Bo stared at him as if he might explode.
I-Bo sat down on the couch, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes briefly.
Meanwhile Zhan stood in the living room watching them.
After a moment I-Bo stood up again.
"Alright, I'll walk you out. I need to take a shower anyway."
Just then Zhan spoke sharply,
"And please, housemate, warn him not to barge into someone else's apartment like that again. This is not a shopping mall where people can walk in whenever they want."
Both men turned and looked at him.
A-Bo faced him calmly.
"Were you talking to me?"
Zhan looked away with a firm expression.
"If you don't want people speaking to you like that, then don't enter someone's home without permission. We are not sharing this apartment with you. If you came to see your friend, you should have waited outside. You can't force your way into people's homes like it's a public building."
A-Bo was momentarily speechless. He turned to I-Bo.
I-Bo rubbed his head slightly.
"Why didn't you knock and wait outside? He's right."
Zhan added firmly,
"If he ever walks into my apartment like that again, I will call the police."
A-Bo pulled out his phone and handed it to him.
"Go ahead. Call them now."
Zhan shot him a sharp glance and walked toward her room.
As she left, A-Bo said coldly,
"I will definitely deal with you."
Zhan had already locked herself inside her room.
I-Bo looked at him and sighed.
"Why did you enter the apartment like that?"
A-Bo replied angrily,
"You will explain what you are doing living under the same roof with him here in America. I swear I'll report this when we return home. And him-I will teach him a lesson he'll never forget."
He snatched the laptop from I-Bo's hands.
I-Bo only smiled.
"There's nothing you can do to him for telling you the truth. Who are you that people cannot speak honestly to you?"
A-Bo stormed out of the living room.
I-Bo sat down on the couch and laughed, holding his head. The whole incident seemed strangely amusing to him.
He glanced toward Zhan's bedroom door, wondering how someone who could speak so boldly like that could still claim his boyfriend made him cry.
After a moment, he stood and walked to Zhan's door and knocked.
"Sean."
He called three times before the door opened slightly. Zhan peeked out cautiously.
I-Bo laughed.
"Do you even know who that man was that you just insulted?"
Zhan frowned.
"Why should I care who he is? Why did he walk into my apartment like a thief? That makes no sense. If he comes here again, I will call the police."
I-Bo simply listened.
After a moment he smiled.
"So you can speak boldly like that... yet you cry because of your boyfriend?"
Zhan glared at him.
"I don't like that kind of joke."
"Alright," I-Bo said, still smiling. "Sorry."
Keeping a straight face, Zhan asked,
"Did he leave?"
I-Bo turned to walk away.
"Yes, he left."
Zhan quickly added,
"Please talk to him so he doesn't come here again. If he needs something, he can call you and meet you at your other house instead."
I-Bo simply smiled.
"Alright."
Zhan watched him walk back to the living room before returning to his bedroom and sitting on the edge of the bed.
His heart was still pounding. Even he didn't understand where he had found the courage to say those things to A-Bo.
Maybe it was because he already disliked him.
He didn't leave her room until two in the afternoon. When he finally stepped into the living room, he moved cautiously, half-expecting A-Bo to return at any moment.
If he did, he was truly prepared to call the police.
I-Bo was sitting on the couch scrolling through his phone.
Standing behind the chair, Zhan asked quietly,
"Did you warn him not to come back?"
I-Bo replied casually,
"You already warned him yourself. He won't come back."
Zhan looked worried.
"He might still come back. What if he comes when you're not here?"
I-Bo chuckled.
"How would I know what you would do? Who asked you to speak to him like that? You could have stayed quiet while I handled it."
He added,
"I only brought his laptop home because he was asleep. I didn't know he had urgent work on it that needed to be emailed. He kept calling my phone, but I was asleep and had my phone on silent. That's why he came here."
Zhan sat down.
"That still doesn't give him the right to walk into someone's home like that. He didn't even speak to me when I opened the door-he almost pushed me aside and walked straight in. Does he think I'm a joke?"
I-Bo laughed and shook his head.
"I wish you had that same energy when dealing with your boyfriend."
Zhan glared at him.
I-Bo continued smiling.
"You seem worried about what you said to him. Should I call him so you can apologize?"
Zhan immediately stood up.
"Absolutely not."
Then he walked into the kitchen.
I-Bo continued smiling to himself.
He was certain that A-Bo had probably struggled to sleep that night because of what Zhan had said to him.
After finishing cooking, Zhan walked into the living room again and saw that I-Bo was dressed and putting on his wristwatch.
Without looking at him, he said,
"I think I'll come back tomorrow."
Zhan looked slightly disappointed but said nothing.
Deep inside he was already uneasy about staying alone in the apartment.
I-Bo glanced at him.
"Is there a problem?"
Zhan replied calmly,
"Then give me your key. When you return tomorrow, just knock and I'll open the door for you."
I-Bo looked surprised.
"Why?"
"So you don't leave the key somewhere carelessly where that man might find it."
I-Bo laughed.
"And if he finds it, what would he do with it?"
Zhan walked closer.
"Give it to me."
He handed over the key without argument.
Zhan accepted it and then asked quietly,
"What about your food?"
"Food?" he asked. "What kind?"
Zhan didn't answer and walked back into the kitchen.
A few minutes later he returned with a plate of rice and stew.
I-Bo widened his eyes.
"Who is supposed to eat all this?"
"You."
He sat down as he handed him the plate.
"This is a lot," he said, shaking his head.
"Should I get you water?" Zhan asked.
"I would appreciate that."
Zhan went back to the kitchen and returned with bottled water and a canned drink.
"Thank you, Sean," I-Bo said.
Zhan went straight to his room.
A little while later he knocked on his door again.
When he opened it, he said,
"Come open the door for me. I'm leaving."
Zhan took the key and went to the door.
"Thank you," he said. "See you tomorrow."
Zhan said nothing as he walked out toward the garage.
He locked the door behind him and then went to the window, pulling the curtain slightly aside to watch him drive away.
After a few minutes the car left the garage.
Zhan closed the curtain and slowly walked back to the kitchen.
When he opened the food container, he noticed he had barely eaten anything-perhaps four spoonfuls, and only one piece of meat.
He covered the food again and returned to the living room.
Just then there was another knock on the door.
Zhan stood up quickly, staring at the door nervously.
"Who is it?" he asked cautiously.
Yu-Bin's voice answered.
Zhan sighed with relief and opened the door.
"Did you finish the laundry already?" Yu-Bin asked.
"Yes."
"So your housemate left?" Yu-Bin asked.
"Yes."
Yu-Bin smiled.
"When you told me last night that he came back home, I was really happy. He seems like a very kind person."
Zhan didn't respond.
Yu-Bin walked inside and said,
"I don't see your laptop. Let me use yours-I'm too tired to bring mine. Did you cook anything? I'm starving."
Zhan laughed softly and walked to the kitchen.
He served food for Yu-Bin, while taking the portion I-Bo had barely eaten for himself.
Then he brought bottled water and a can of soda for both of them.
💚💙❤🖤