I-Bo walked up to the door of Lina's room and knocked softly before stepping in.
Lina had just finished tidying up her room. As always, it was spotless—simple, almost empty, yet carefully arranged with a faint, pleasant scent filling the air. Despite having sold most of her belongings, she never failed to keep the space clean and welcoming.
She looked up as he entered.
"Welcome," she said gently.
She quickly spread a mat for him, not expecting he would return so soon after what he had said the day before.
I-Bo sat down with a small smile and greeted her. She responded calmly and sat back on her mat. Even then, the weight of her worries was still visible—she was only holding herself together.
"I'll get you some water," she said, rising again.
She returned with a stainless cup and placed it in front of him before sitting down.
"Thank you, Aunty," he said.
She only gave a faint smile.
Outside in the compound, Zubei's Mama and Antu's Mama sat quietly, straining their ears, hoping to catch every word being said inside.
A-Bo stepped into the compound at that moment. Both women turned sharply to look at him. He glanced at them once, indifferent, then walked straight toward Lina's room.
Today, the compound was dry—no water scattered everywhere like before, since there had been no cooking.
Meilin stood by the doorway, holding the items they had just finished washing with her twin sister. Meiqin, on the other hand, was sweeping the area clean.
As A-Bo approached, Meiqin greeted him politely, still holding the broom. He acknowledged her, then shifted his gaze to Meilin.
For a second, he paused—Meilin resembled Zhan much more in his eyes. The same lips, the same quiet expression.
Without thinking, he gently pulled her nose.
She smiled shyly.
"How are you?" he asked.
She lowered her gaze, saying nothing—just like Zhan would.
A-Bo shook his head slightly and stepped inside.
I-Bo looked up in mild surprise when he saw him enter—he hadn't expected A-Bo to come in.
Lina responded to his greeting warmly, though her strength was clearly forced. A-Bo sat beside I-Bo and exchanged greetings with her.
After a few seconds of silence, I-Bo spoke carefully.
"Aunty, we're looking for some court documents—the agreement that confirmed the debt was forgiven. Do you know where they might be?"
Lina paused, thinking.
"I'm not sure," she admitted quietly. "But maybe… we can check his room. They might still be there."
I-Bo nodded.
"Alright, please check. Hopefully we'll find them."
She stood up immediately and left the room.
Zubei's Mama and Antu's Mama followed her with their eyes as she walked into Xiao Aiyin's room.
After about eight minutes, Lina returned, holding a bundle of documents. She wasn't sure what any of them were, but she handed them over anyway.
She passed between the two women in the compound, who stared at her suspiciously, then went back into her room and handed the papers to I-Bo before sitting down again.
I-Bo began sorting through them one by one.
There were all kinds of documents—even Xiao Aiyin's academic records. He had a degree in Agriculture, and before that, a diploma.
He kept flipping through until finally—he found it.
The court agreement.
The official documentation confirming that the debt owed to Yiming's father had been forgiven.
He handed it to A-Bo, who examined it carefully as well.
I-Bo looked at Lina with a small nod.
"I think this is what we've been looking for."
She exhaled softly.
"That's good."
"We'll take our leave now," I-Bo continued. "We'll come back again soon."
Lina nodded, but then hesitated before speaking.
"There's something else…" she said quietly. "A woman who lives with us—she was taken by the police two days ago. She did nothing wrong, but until now, we don't even know where they took her."
A-Bo looked at her.
"Nainai Gaxi?"
"Yes," Lina replied firmly. "She's completely innocent."
A-Bo fell silent, clearly displeased. The situation was becoming more absurd by the minute.
After a moment, he said,
"We'll find out where she is and arrange her release."
Lina wiped the tears that had gathered in her eyes, unable to speak.
"Please don't worry," I-Bo added softly. "Everything will be resolved soon."
She nodded faintly.
"I hope so…"
I-Bo glanced at A-Bo, then back at her. For a moment, he hesitated—but seeing her state, he made a decision.
"Aunty… there's something I need to tell you," he said quietly. "But please, you must not tell anyone—not until everything is settled."
A-Bo turned sharply to look at him. He already knew what was coming.
Lina wiped her face again.
"I understand."
I-Bo lowered his voice.
"Sean is in Shanghai… but please, this must stay between us. He's staying with your sister. We asked them not to tell you yet—for safety reasons."
Lina froze.
"Shanghai? With my sister?" she repeated softly.
He nodded.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then slowly… relief washed over her.
It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off her chest—at least half of her pain was gone instantly.
"I won't tell anyone," she said firmly. "May you be rewarded for everything you're doing for us…"
Her voice broke as tears streamed down her face.
Not long after, I-Bo and A-Bo stepped out of the room, heading back to their lawyer's office with the documents—hoping this would be enough for the court.
As soon as they stepped outside, A-Bo pulled out his handkerchief, wiping the sweat from his face. The heat inside had been unbearable for him.
His eyes landed on Meilin, who was now sitting by the doorway with a schoolbook in her hands, studying quietly. A little distance away, Meiqin was blowing air into a small charcoal stove.
Without a word, A-Bo reached into his pocket and pulled out some cash—he didn't even check the amount.
He handed it to Meilin.
"Share it with your sister," he said.
Meilin hesitated, refusing to take it.
A-Bo frowned.
"Come on, take it."
I-Bo smiled softly from behind.
"Go on, take it."
Meilin glanced at Meiqin, still unsure.
A-Bo raised his brow slightly.
"I said take it."
Slowly, she reached out and accepted the money.
Without another word, A-Bo and I-Bo walked out of the compound.
Lina's co-wives couldn't take their eyes off the thick bundle of cash Meilin was holding. Their eyes were practically popping out—neither of them even blinked properly.
Meilin quietly stood up and went into Lina's room, the money still in her hand.
Zubei's Mama signaled to Antu's Mama, and the two of them slipped into Antu's room, pulling the curtain shut behind them.
Zubei's Mama held her chin, her voice low but tense.
"Shatu… don't you think we should find a way to let Yiming know what's happening in this house? I refuse to believe those boys don't know where Zhan is. Just look at them—rich, polished, everything about them screams money. Their clothes, their cars… even their skin. If we're not careful, we'll just sit here and watch everything slip away from us."
Antu's Mama scoffed lightly.
"You're always in a hurry. Did you forget what that man told us? We only just paid him. Let's give it time and see results first."
Zubei's Mama shook her head.
"Even so, we shouldn't rely on him alone. We need to act behind the scenes too. We have to alert Yiming early about what's going on here. Honestly, those boys make me uneasy. Did you see how much money they gave Meilin? And the amount of food they brought yesterday? Rice, noodles, oil, spices… everything in bulk. Then today, they even sent more—like we're beggars. And Lina… who knows how much they've given her privately? She won't tell us. Even Nenne was handed a stack of cash right in front of us. Shatu, I don't like this. Something is not right."
She paused, then added bitterly,
"What exactly is their connection to Zhan to go this far for him? Meanwhile, our own daughters are struggling, selling things just to survive. Honestly, I'd rather humiliate myself than sit here watching Lina and her children enjoy all this."
Antu's Mama leaned closer, her voice turning cunning.
"We'll get Gwaska to take us to Yiming's house. He said he knows where his father lives. Once we tell him everything, I'm sure he'll deal with those boys—and maybe even reward us well for exposing them."
Zubei's Mama nodded eagerly.
"Yes, we have to tell him early. Waiting around is not for us. But it'll have to be the day after tomorrow. Gwaska traveled earlier—his mother said he went to deliver something."
"The day after tomorrow is close enough," Antu's Mama replied. "Tomorrow we'll finish cooking early, then go to that place the man described to us."
***
The next day, around 5:30 in the evening, Shawa called out from the doorway of Lina's room, where Lina was fixing the twins' hair.
The house was unusually quiet—none of the women had returned from their daily hustle yet, and the younger children were out roaming.
Even before stepping inside, Shawa said hurriedly,
"Aunty, Ladingo just told me—Gaxi has been released! She said people have been going in and out of her house all day, visiting her."
Lina immediately dropped what she was doing and stood up.
"Are you serious, Shawa?"
"I swear," Shawa replied. "Ladingo wouldn't lie to me. She said Gaxi is back home, and the whole neighborhood has been coming to see her."
Lina quickly grabbed her scarf.
"Let me go and see for myself. I hope it's true."
Shawa sighed.
"If I had transport money, I would go with you. She's been locked up for almost five days. Good thing her younger sister was around to take care of the children—since their mother is abroad working, and their father abandoned them. Otherwise, what would have happened to those kids?"
But Lina was already dressing, barely listening. She wrapped her scarf properly, picked up her purse, and headed out.
Meilin and Meiqin immediately begged to follow her. After a moment's hesitation, she agreed, telling them to cover up properly.
Soon, the three of them stepped out together.
For days now, Lina had been visiting Gaxi's house repeatedly—sometimes twice a day—hoping she had returned. But each time, she only found Gaxi's younger sister, who would lash out at her, blaming her for everything.
This time, as Lina stepped out with the girls, Zubei's Mama and Antu's Mama were just entering the compound, looking completely exhausted. Their clothes were damp with sweat, their faces drained, like they had just returned from heavy labor.
Lina only greeted them briefly and continued on her way with the girls.
When she arrived at Gaxi's house, it was true—Gaxi had been released.
But the moment Gaxi saw Lina, she acted like she had never seen her before in her life.
She greeted her the same way she greeted everyone else—cold, distant, like a stranger.
Lina sat quietly, stunned, unsure of what to say. Meilin and Meiqin sat close beside her.
Gaxi didn't even glance in their direction again.
Instead, she continued narrating her story to every new visitor that walked in.
"That woman betrayed me," she said angrily. "She told the police she had never seen me before—not even once! Imagine that! After everything between us, she denied knowing me."
Each time she finished explaining, she would burst into tears.
"I never thought Sadi would do this to me," she cried. "After everything I've done for her… she left me alone to suffer for something I got dragged into because of her!"
Lina sat there, silent, listening to everything.
Her heart felt heavy.
Because deep down… she understood exactly what Gaxi was doing.
And it scared her.
It was already evening when Lina left the house of Nainai Gaxi with her two children. Even as she left, Gaxi had not shown any sign of recognizing her, responding to her just as casually as she did to everyone else who came to sympathize with her.
Lina walked home quietly, her heart heavy. As she approached the house, she saw a crowd gathered at the entrance, everyone talking at once. A chill ran through her—she couldn't even tell what had happened.
She turned to a neighbor.
Munni, what's going on?"
Munni sighed. "I just came out too. But they're saying some unknown men came in a big vehicle and stormed your house… they caused serious damage."
Lina couldn't respond. Slowly, she stepped forward, holding her daughters—Meilin and Meiqin—as her heart pounded.
Inside, she saw Antu Mama and Zubei Mama standing in the courtyard with their children, surrounded by neighbors, all talking loudly.
"What happened here?" Lina finally asked.
Zubei Mama scoffed. "How would we know? We were just sitting when about ten armed men barged in, asking for Aiyin room. They didn't stop there—they searched every single room in this house."
Only then did Lina notice the destruction. Papers were scattered everywhere at the entrance of Xiao Aiyin's room—the same ones she had carefully arranged earlier. His belongings had been thrown outside—his thin mattress, storage box, even personal items.
Her breath caught when she turned and saw that her own room had been ransacked too.
She walked slowly to Aiyin's room and peered inside—nothing was left untouched.
Turning to the co-wives, she found herself speechless.
Antu Mama sneered. "What annoys me is they kept asking about documents Aiyin supposedly gave us. As if we—who never went to school—would be keeping important papers. If anything, he'd give them to his son who went abroad… the same son who betrayed the man who sponsored him."
Lina said nothing. She knelt down and began gathering the scattered papers. Meilin and Meiqin quickly joined her, helping silently.
Zubei Mama and Antu Mama only watched her with cold eyes.
Then Antu Mama added bitterly, "Whatever they were looking for must be connected to your child. Ever since you came into this house, it's been one disaster after another…"
Still, Lina remained silent.
Suddenly,Shawa spoke up from the crowd. "That's enough. Just because Lina doesn't argue doesn't mean you should insult her like this."
Antu Mama snapped back angrily, and within seconds, a heated argument broke out. Insults flew back and forth until other women rushed in to separate them before it turned into a full fight.
Eventually, Shawa was dragged out of the house, still shouting accusations.
Lina, exhausted, walked toward her room. Inside, her daughters were already trying to put things back in place under the dim light.
"Ayi… the food stuff's is gone," Meiqin said quietly.
Lina froze.
The spot where the food supplies had been kept—everything I-Bo had brought—was completely empty.
Before she could react, the sharp voice of Nenne rang out angrily from the courtyard, scolding the gathered neighbors and chasing them away.
Moments later, Nenne stormed into Lina's room with a flashlight and a container of oil.
"What did they take from Aiyin?" she demanded.
"I just got back," Lina replied softly. "I was at Gaxi place earlier."
Nenne glanced around at the disarray. "They even entered your room? But Moi said they only searched Aiyin's room… so who scattered your things?"
Antu Mama quickly interjected, "Those men searched every room. Even took things from ours too."
Nenne's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing—yet.
Then, when Lina mentioned the missing food, Nenne froze.
"All of it?" she asked sharply.
"Yes… everything."
Without another word, Nenne turned and marched out, calling for Moi.
One by one, she began searching the other rooms.
Under Zubei Mama's bed—two cartons of noodles.
Behind a door—groundnut oil.
In Antu Mama's room—bags of rice, cartons of seasoning, cooking oil.
Every stolen item.
"Carry everything back to Lina's room," Nenne ordered firmly.
The courtyard fell silent.
Zubei Mama and Antu Mama stood frozen, unable to meet her eyes.
"Shame on you," Nenne spat. "Petty thieves. You saw new supplies and couldn't resist, right?"
No one dared respond.
⏭ ⏭
Meanwhile, far away…
Zhan stood by the outdoor tap in Aunt Fin's compound, washing dishes. The house was quiet—everyone else had gone out.
The gate creaked open.
He turned.
A familiar figure stepped in with a soft smile—it was I-Bo.
"Good morning," I-Bo said gently.
Zhan lowered his gaze slightly. "Welcome."
He quickly opened the door for him. "Aunt Fin went to the market… she left her phone behind."
I-Bo nodded and glanced at the chair on the veranda. "I'll sit here. I just came to check on you."
Zhan sat across from him, hands folded.
"You've lost weight," I-Bo said after a moment. "Are you eating at all?"
"A little," Zhan replied softly.
Silence settled between them.
Then I-Bo exhaled. "Everything will be alright soon."
Zhan's eyes filled with tears. "I'm worried about my mother… I don't know how she is."
I-Bo's voice softened. "She knows you're safe. We went to your house. Everything is under control—don't worry."
He paused before adding, "Right now, we're focusing on clearing your father's case. Soon, he'll be free."
Tears slipped down Zhan's face. "But… I'm scared of Yiming. He'll hurt me… he'll take revenge."
I-Bo shook his head firmly. "That won't happen. We won't allow it."
Zhan wiped his tears, staying quiet.
After a moment, he asked, "Where's...your clingy brother?"
"He's in Chongqing," I-Bo replied smiling. "He doesn't even know I came. I took an early flight—I'll head back by noon."
Zhan looked at him, surprised. "Thank you… I really appreciate it."
I-Bo checked his watch. "I should head to the airport now before I miss my flight."
Zhan stood quickly. "At least take some water… or tea? You might not have even had breakfast."
I-Bo smiled lightly. "I'm okay."
His phone began to ring. I-Bo took it out, glanced at the screen, and smiled before tilting it slightly so Zhan could see—it was A-Bo calling.
"My clingy brother didn't see me around when he woke up."
He slipped the phone back into his pocket without answering, then pulled out a bundle of cash and handed it to him.
"In case you need anything, Zhan."
Zhan shook his head quickly. "No… thank you, I don't need anything."
Without arguing, I-Bo stood, placed the money gently beside him, and stepped away from the balcony.
"Take care of yourself, Housemate," he said softly. "If I get the chance—even in a few days—I'll come back. Send my regards to Aunt Fin."
Zhan rose to his feet, watching him, but no words came out. Fresh tears filled his eyes.
I-Bo only lifted his hand in a small wave and walked toward the gate—he didn't want to see him cry again.
Zhan stood there, watching until the gate closed behind him.
Slowly, he went back inside, sank onto a chair in the living room, covered his face—and broke down completely.
***
After weeks of constant movement around Chongqing and several court appearances, their lawyer finally succeeded in securing bail for Xiao Aiyin.
Now, they were hopeful that the court would dismiss Mr. Wu's claim, given the documented debt forgiveness, and even impose penalties for abuse of process.
Throughout those weeks, I-Bo and A-Bo remained extremely cautious. Every move they made in Chongqing was calculated—they stayed alert at all times, knowing Yiming likely had informants in the neighborhood. They gave him no opportunity to catch them off guard.
The day they brought Mr. Xiao home after his release, joy filled the house. Family members and neighbors poured in, celebrating his return.
No one was happier than Lina.
Zhan's father, overwhelmed, bowed repeatedly in gratitude before I-Bo and A-Bo.
A-Bo, however, quietly stepped aside and leaned against his car, arms folded, his escort vehicle parked just behind.
I-Bo tried several times to stop the older man.
"Please, sir… you don't have to thank us," he said gently. "We only did what was right."
But Xiao Aiyin kept nodding, his voice trembling. "Thank you… thank you… I'm truly grateful."
Antu's Mama quickly spread a mat. "Come and sit, you need to rest—you still look shaken."
Just then, Nenne rushed into the compound. She had been informed by one of Aiyin's students and came in a hurry, barely arranging her clothes.
She didn't even notice A-Bo standing outside as she hurried in.
Meanwhile, A-Bo pulled out his vibrating phone and checked the screen.
It was Aunt Fin calling.
He froze.
For a moment, he just stared at it.
Something didn't feel right.
She hadn't called him all this time—and if anything came up, he was usually the one calling her.
A strange unease settled in his chest.
He looked up at I-Bo, who had just stepped out of Zhan's house...
Yet still, A-Bo didn't answer the call.