Around nine at night, I-Bo was sitting in his room holding a mug of coffee that he had been stirring for almost five minutes now, unable to drink it. He looked up when he heard the door open. A-Bo came in and headed toward where his laptop was. I-Bo just followed him with his eyes as A-Bo turned on the laptop, sit down, and started looking through it.
After almost two minutes without looking at I-Bo, A-Bo said, "Resend me those files you sent yesterday via email."
I-Bo didn't say anything to him, which made A-Bo turn and look at him. A-Bo stood up and walked over to him. He removed the head warmer from I-Bo's head and put it on his own head, saying, "Hey, is everything okay? Why didn't you come out and eat?"
I-Bo stood up, grabbed his head warmer back, then returned and sat down, saying, "You haven't eaten either. Take off my jacket, A-Bo. I can't remember giving you the jacket..."
A-Bo adjusted the jacket on his body and went back to what he was doing on I-Bo's laptop. After a while, I-Bo put down the mug in his hand. Speaking slowly, he said, "I spoke to Yu-Bin not long ago."
A-Bo looked at him and said, "Who is that?"
I-Bo said, "My housemate's friend."
A-Bo ignored him and continued looking at what he was doing on the laptop.
Calmly, I-Bo said, "And he..."
A-Bo stopped him, sounding annoyed, and said, "Please, I-Bo, I'm not interested. Don't provoke me tonight. Apart from the file I'm looking for on your laptop, you won't see me in your room this night."
I-Bo stood up and said, "Whether you are interested or not, Yu-Bin told me that Yiming has divorced Sean."
A-Bo turned and looked at I-Bo without blinking. After a few seconds, he returned his eyes to the laptop in front of him, but he didn't continue operating the laptop. I-Bo went close to the window in his room, opened the drape, crossed his arms, and watched the tiny snow falling to the ground.
A-Bo said, "What did you expect? Were you expecting less? He's satiated his craving, and that is all that he is after. He satisfied his lust."
With that, he just closed the laptop and headed to the door, leaving the room. I-Bo just followed him with his eyes, then released a sigh and went to close the door that A-Bo had left open.
***
Zhan was sitting in front of a coal pot around two in the afternoon, fanning the coals he had blown on to prepare the afternoon meal, while at the same time picking over the rice in the plate that were spoiling his appetite. His Aunt was supposed to cook, but she had gone to the market, so he had taken over the cooking, saying he would do it. Rice, chilly oil, and vegetables were what they would eat that afternoon.
No one was home except him and Lina because Zubei Mama and Antu Mama had gone to a celebration and hadn't done their cooking for sale that day. Lina was also going to Nenne's house, planning to take her the dry scooper she had asked for on Friday.
Zhan lifted his head when he heard Yu-Bin greeting in their compound. He just stared at him without blinking because he hadn't told him he was coming back today. Yu-Bin smiled and walked to where he was. Then he took a small stool he saw in the courtyard, sat down, and looked at Zhan, saying, "Greetings to your cooking."
Zhan opened his eyes a little, smiling, and said, "You didn't tell me you were coming today, Yu-Bin."
Yu-Bin said, "Yes, I didn't think I would come today either. I told you I would come back on Monday or Tuesday."
Lina came out of her room. Yu-Bin greeted her politely. Lina responded happily and said, "How is your mother?"
Yu-Bin said, "She said to greet you, Aunty."
Lina said, "May Heaven bless her. Tell her I said thank you. Let me go to Nenne's house and come back shortly."
Yu-Bin said, "Okay, Aunty."
Then Lina left the house. Zhan put the cooking water on the fire, set aside the rice he had picked, and then went with Yu-Bin into Lina's room.
Yu-Bin looked at him and said, "Please force yourself to eat, Zhan. You see how thin you've become, like you're not even yourself."
Zhan just smiled and said, "Well, I was already chubby, Bin?"
Yu-Bin released a sigh and said, "Even though, now the thinness is too much, honestly. Listen, it's just eyes and a long nose remained on your face."
Zhan just laughed and didn't say anything to him.
Yu-Bin looked at him and said, "I won't stay long today, Zhan. I was sent here for your sake."
With surprise, Zhan kept looking at him, then said, "For my sake? Who sent you?"
Quietly, Yu-Bin said, "Your housemate."
Zhan's heart sank deeply, and he kept staring at Yu-Bin without blinking, his heart pounding.
Yu-Bin released a sigh, took his hand, and said, "Please forgive me. I told him what happened. And..." Then Yu-Bin fell silent. Zhan just looked at him because he couldn't say anything, feeling tears gradually gathering in his eyes. Quietly, Yu-Bin said, "He sent me money for your flight ticket back to America and your tuition fee for this semester. He said he will provide you with an apartment for the one year that remains for us..."
The tears that had been clinging to Zhan's eyes spilled over. He couldn't say anything to Yu-Bin. He didn't even know when he burst into intense crying. Yu-Bin just stayed silent, watching him, because he wasn't expecting less.
Only after Zhan had cried as much as he needed did he shake his head, his voice trembling, and say, "I don't think they will let me go back and continue my studies, Bin."
Yu-Bin said, "I don't understand. Why won't they let you?"
Zhan wiped his eyes with difficulty and said, "Because even Yiming was forced them to let me go to study, or there was no way that would have happened. They had no choice then. That's why my mother had high blood pressure. Now, you see, there's no reason for anyone to let someone else continue sponsoring me in another country."
Yu-Bin said, "I don't understand you, Zhan. What do you mean now? So you're going to lose the years you spent in school?"
Tears were streaming from Zhan's eyes as he shook his head at him and said, "No, Bin, my parents will be afraid to let anyone else take responsibility for me again. Try to understand me."
Yu-Bin said, "I will wait until your mother returns from Nenne's house and talk to her. I don't have any more words for you because you'll just keep angering me if I continue listening to you. Besides, how can an opportunity come and you're trying to misuse it? Do you even know what you're saying? Only one year is left for you, Zhan. Do you want to become a dropout or what? That's not something a person bargains for themselves. You never bargained for all this, Zhan.
It's just a situation. Do you think there will ever come a day when your housemate will open his mouth and say he take responsibility for you in school? Do you think he looks like someone who would give you a hard time? Honestly, from him to his cousin brother, they are above that....they are too classy for that. Do you think everyone is crazy and unreasonable like Yiming? Please, you've really upset me. I never thought you would try to turn down his offer. He is only helping because he is in a position to do so. Considering you are close to finishing, and he knows everything that has happened to you.
But because of your kind of thinking, you want to refuse him. I thought your time with Yiming would make you change some of your meaningless thoughts....or should I say childish thoughts."
Zhan just cried intensely and couldn't say anything to Yu-Bin. He knew that no matter what explanation he gave him, he would never understand him.
Yu-Bin took out his phone and started pressing it, not saying anything more to Zhan because he had truly upset him.
After a while, Zhan stood up to go and wash the rice and put them in the pot on the fire. After he finished washing the rice, he put them in, covered the pot, and sat in front of the coal pot with his chin in his hands. Then Lina entered the house and found him like that.
Zhan lowered his hands from his chin and looked at Lina, who was approaching him.
He said, "Ayi, you're back."
Lina said, "I'm back. Where is Yu-Bin?"
Zhan said, "He's inside."
Lina said, "So you left him alone."
Zhan said, "I came out to put the rice in."
Aunt Fin entered the house with the things she had bought at the market. Lina welcomed her, then went to the room and entered. Yu-Bin responded and greeted her back.
Lina removed her face covering and jacket, folded them, and said, "Didn't he give you any water?"
Yu-Bin smiled and said, "Aunty, I was waiting for you to arrive before leaving."
Lina sat down, looking at him, and said, "Well, Yu-Bin, is everything okay?"
Yu-Bin said, "Fine, Aunty." Before Yu-Bin could say anything, Aunt Fin entered the room. Yu-Bin greeted her, smiling. Aunt Fin put down the items in her hand, responding to Yu-Bin's greeting happily. Lina just looked at Yu-Bin, waiting to hear what he had to say. Without wasting time, Yu-Bin began to explain to Lina everything that had happened with Zhan's housemate.
Aunt Fin stood there as well, listening to Yu-Bin's explanation.
Lina smiled slightly after Yu-Bin fell silent and said, "May Heaven bless him. We are very grateful for his care. But please return his money to him, Yu-Bin, because even his father, I don't think he will agree. Even when Yiming sent him to study, we had no way to stop it, Yu-Bin. May Heaven bless what he has already gotten."
Yu-Bin was speechless. Aunt Fin kept looking at Lina upon hearing what she said. Then she said, "I don't understand may Heaven bless what has been gotten, sister? Zhan will lost his entire education if he doesn't finish. It's like you started building a building and it collapsed to the ground, leaving only the foundation. How could you say 'May Heaven bless what has been gotten.'"
Lina looked at Aunt Fin and said, "Fin, you know better than anyone that I never supported sending Zhan abroad to study from the beginning. From me to his father, there was no way we could stop it. Therefore, Zhan will not return to America to finish his studies. Have we not learned the lesson from what happened with Yiming?"
Aunt Fin didn't say anything more to Lina; she busied herself taking out the things she had bought at the market. Yu-Bin also fell silent because he didn't even know what to say.
Lina looked at Yu-Bin and said, "Just thank him and return his money to him, Yu-Bin. May Heaven look upon his good intentions and reward him. Not just me...even his father will not agree, Yu-Bin. The hurt we caused Zhan the first time....if we had any other option, it wouldn't have happened. Even if we weren't a wealthy parents, we can't agree to a second time."
Aunt Fin stood up and said, "Well, do you think Yibo has some ulterior motive that he want pay for Zhan studies? Everything Yiming did, he had a purpose in doing it....we all know that. It's not like he just took him and sent him to study casually..."
Lina stopped her and said, "I didn't say that this person have some purpose, but Zhan will not return to America, Fin."
Aunt Fin didn't respond further to Lina; she took out the onions she had bought to go and lay them by the doorway.
Yu-Bin released a hidden sigh and quietly said, "Well then, Aunty, I'll go home. That's actually what brought me here."
Lina said, "Okay, greet your parents for me, Yu-Bin. We are very grateful. And also greet Zhan's housemate and thank him, please."
Yu-Bin said, "Okay, Aunty."
With a heavy heart, he stood up and left the room. Aunt Fin took her jacket, which was hanging on the line, and signaled Yu-Bin to step outside. Zhan stayed where he was and didn't get up because he had heard the entire conversation between Yu-Bin and his mother, and he's with her.
Aunt Fin went outside the gate with Yu-Bin and said, "Yu-Bin, don't you dare tell Yibo what sister Lina said. Let his father come home this evening....I will see him and talk to him."
Yu-Bin released a sigh and said quietly, "Okay, Aunt. Please convince him too. It will be very sad if Zhan doesn't finish his studies. Only one year is left for us."
Aunt Fin said, "If all goes well, I will do my best. And Zhan will continue his studies."
Yu-Bin said, "Okay, Aunt. Tomorrow morning I will call you to hear how things went with the father."
Aunt Fin said, "Alright, no problem. Greet your family for me."
Then they parted, and Aunt Fin turned and went back inside the house.
Zhan finished the cooking he was doing, put out the coals, and went into Lina's room. He lay down. All his worries came back fresh because of the matter of his housemate that Yu-Bin had brought to him.
Lina looked at him and said, "Aren't you going to eat now?"
Zhan shook his head at her and said, "Later."
Aunt Fin was folding Meilin and Meiqin's clothes because since Yu-Bin left, she hadn't said anything to Lina about what Yu-Bin had brought, knowing Lina would never understand.
In the evening, Aunt Fin found Xiao Aiyin sitting at his door. After they greeted, he said, "But didn't you come to tell me you were going back to Shanghai, Fin?"
Aunt Fin just smiled because if there was anything he hated about her...was staying in Shanghai, he had fought until he was tired.
She deflected his question and said, "I came to talk to you about Zhan."
He fell silent as if he wouldn't say anything, then said, "Well, I'm listening."
Calmly, Aunt Fin informed him about the matter that Yu-Bin had come with earlier that day. Xiao Aiyin shook his head and said, "Haven't we learned our lesson, Fin? I thought we had all learned from what happened, in which I am the most guilty..."
Aunt Fin lowered her voice and said, "Yes, but that issue is different from this one. Yiming, with his arrogance, forced him to study in America, and there was no way we could stop it, so we all surrendered to him for our peace and yours. Yiming had his purpose for sending him to study. But this person has no purpose in his heart. For the sake of Heaven, let him finish his studies so he doesn't lose the years he has spent. Only one year is left for him. You know the importance of education, so don't forbid him from returning to America to finish. If anyone should challenge this, it is you. Please consider this matter. Moreover, this person who said he would take responsibility for the final year is the same one who hired a lawyer for you until you were acquitted in court and the matter of your debt with Yiming's father was dropped..."
Xiao Aiyin smiled and said, "I appreciated that and what they did for me, and every day I put them in my prayers. But there is no talk of Zhan returning to America to study, Fin. Forgive me, but leave this matter entirely. We shouldn't be bad parents for a second time because of love for worldly things. Let Zhan be patient. If Heaven provides for me, I will pay for him to go to University here. How old is he anyway? Time hasn't run out for him to study, Fin. Even if I have to take a loan, I will pay for him, if all goes well. Therefore, I don't want the topic of continuing his studies in America to be raised again."
Aunt Fin fell silent and didn't say anything else. After a while, she said, "Well then, may Heaven make this the best thing." He said, "So be it." She stood up and left, her heart unhappy.
***
The next morning around nine, Aunt Fin had finished getting ready. Lina, who was watching her, said, "Where are you going?"
Aunt Fin was placing her face covering over and said, "Didn't I tell you the other day that I was going to Abida's house?"
Lina said, "So you're going to visit her?"
Aunt Fin said, "Yesterday she told me she wasn't feeling well. And I want to come back early and wash my hair."
Lina clicked her tongue and said, "Okay, may you return well."
Zhan was slowly turning the spoon in his hand, drinking the porridge that was also in front of him. He could barely drink the spoonful, and the solid food he couldn't eat at all. He hadn't eaten any solid food the night before either. Aunt Fin said goodbye to Lina and left the room.
⏭ ⏭
Nenne was adjusting her head wrap and said in a low voice, "Well, apart from what you said, Lina is ignorant, Fin. A woman who to this day has no enlightenment...her head is like a calabash, like a village woman. You know the importance of education, yet you see her pouring more. Look how her co-wives have turned her into a nobody? Just listen to me, Fin. Lina, for now, from food to marriage duties, she only puts duties first.
She has no concern for any worldly progress or the beauty of the world. She has already accepted to end her life like this, as long as she can eat and perform her wife duties. That's why you will always see her holding prayer beads in the corner of her room with no ceiling of fortune. I don't even think Lina prays for Heaven to return Aiyin's fortune to him, because if she did that, she would feel like she was opposing Heaven. All her thinking is that Heaven wants to see them in the depth of poverty. She would feel that if she prayed for Heaven to relieve their poverty, it would be like opposing Heaven and not being grateful for what Heaven has given, since she can get food to eat.
That's the kind of thinking your elder sister has, Fin. If not, why would you keep being sad for your own child to finish his studies and help you in life, to remove you from the edge of poverty? And so, because you are ignorant, you have lost sight of what is right? She even has a veil over her ignorance and lack of enlightenment. Just leave them to me....I will deal with them, from Aiyin to Lina. Why did they let him be taken to America in the first place if they feared Heaven in their matter?
So they become good, Heaven-fearing parents only now? I will deal with all of them. If studying is what it takes for Zhan to go to America and finish while I am still breathing, may Heaven allow us to see tomorrow. Aiyin will come back from his useless loitering at the market. I will go to his house and see him...whether I trample on his education because of my poverty or not, if I agree that Zhan should go, then no worthless person should disagree."
With that, Nenne stood up, pulled her door shut, and locked it with a padlock. Then she took her new shawl hanging on the line and draped it over herself. She took her handbag, put the door key inside, put on her shoes, and headed for the exit of the house, walking proudly because of the new velvet fabric on her body.
Aunt Fin followed her with a surprised look and said, "Are you going out, Nenne?"
Without turning around, Nenne said, "Yes, what will you do to me? I'm going to three neighborhoods today, as you see me. I won't sit around doing nothing while you waste my time. If it's not gossip, I don't see you in my house. When you're done visiting, come out and lock my gate for me so the apprentice boys don't come in and steal from me."
Then Nenne left the house.
Aunt Fin smiled, stood up, rolled up Nenne's mat and put it aside, then tied her face covering. She quickly followed behind Nenne to tell her not to say that she came and told her the matter, because she knew her sister Lina would get annoyed.
NB
I will update three men, one choice later
💚💙❤🖤