The next morning, as Zhan was concluding his preparing, a call from Yu-Bin came into his phone. He answered and put it to his ear.
Quietly, he said, "Good morning, Yu-Bin."
Yu-Bin said, "How was your night?"
Zhan said, "All good."
Yu-Bin said, "I woke up just now and saw that your housemate sent me the receipt for the 10 million he transferred into the account you sent me yesterday. He sent the receipt via my WeChat. Haven't you activated your WeChat? I would have sent it to you to forward to Yiming's mother, so they would know they are the wretched ones."
Zhan couldn't say anything; tears began to fall from his eyes.
Yu-Bin said, "Or let me just send the receipt to Aunt Fin since she is on WeChat."
Zhan nodded at him with difficulty and said, "Thank you."
Yu-Bin said, "Are you crying? You have work to do. I'll see you later. Make sure you leave the house early....you know our flight to Beijing is at one o'clock."
Then Yu-Bin hung up.
Lina looked at Zhan and said, "What happened?"
Zhan wiped the tears that had stopped on his face and said, "He said my housemate sent them the money. He will send the receipt to Aunt Fin."
Lina fell silent, not knowing what to say. Anyone looking at her could see her body had gone very cold.
Aunt Fin, sitting on a low stool, said, "May Heaven reward him with good and protect him from the evil of evildoers. May Heaven return to him thousands of times what he spent on you. The way he covered your secret, may Heaven cover his."
Quietly, Lina said, "So be it."
Zhan stood up....he had finished what he was doing...and lay down on Lina's bed. Still, tears didn't stop falling from his eyes.
In the morning around nine, Aunt Fin opened her WeChat and saw the receipt that Yu-Bin had sent her. She looked at Zhan and said, "Now, how will they be shown this receipt, Zhan?"
Lina said, "Don't you have Yiming's number? Just send it to him via WeChat."
Zhan, who was eating the rice cake that Lina had bought for him, lifted his head and looked at Lina, then slowly shook his head and said, "No, Ayi, don't send it to him. Didn't they say they would come in the morning? When they come, we'll show them the receipt."
Lina said, "Why? Isn't it his money? And didn't he send them to collect it for him?"
Aunt Fin looked at Lina and said, "They came on their own, sister. As for Yiming, the way he feels about himself, he wouldn't tell them to come and collect ten millions for him. They knew about the money, and maybe they also knew he wouldn't say to collect it, which is why they came to collect it themselves."
Zhan said, "That's why I said don't send him the receipt, because I know he didn't tell them to come."
Lina said, "Well, even so, it's his money. I don't want them to come back here again and cause us trouble with the neighbors, that's why I said just send it to him. If he wants, he can talk to his mother, since he'll see that the money was sent to her account. Haven't we had enough exposure of secrets that we would let them come back to this house again?"
Quietly, Zhan said, "Ayi, I don't want anything that will make me have to talk to him again, let alone him coming back with another issue."
Aunt Fin said, "Come back with another issue? Because he has no sense, he will come back with another issue? Now we have nothing more to do with him beyond this money of his. He sent you legal divorces papers....let alone him coming back with another issue."
Zhan lowered his eyes as if he wouldn't say anything, then quietly said, "Aunt, he didn't registered that divorce paper. It's not his doing. He only make me signed them."
From Aunt Fin to Lina, they both stared at him. Quietly, he said, "That's why I don't want the receipt sent to him...so his attention doesn't come back to us..."
Aunt Fin released a sigh after nearly a minute and said, "Well, may Heaven bless us. So they registered the paper themselves and sent it? Well, they know what they did. May Heaven make this the best for us and for you. If they come back again, we'll show them the receipt."
Lina didn't say anything because she didn't even know what to say.
✴✴✴
Mei-Mei was sleeping when Momy entered her room around ten in the morning, woke her up, and handed her her phone. Mei-Mei took the phone, looked at the screen, then looked at Momy and said, "Did they send the money?"
Momy clicked her tongue and said, "There, you see it. I just saw the alert....it was sent last night."
Mei-Mei said, "Whose father's house did he find someone to send it from, after saying he doesn't do transfers and doesn't have an ATM card?"
Momy said, "Don't you see the name of who sent the money? He didn't send it."
Mei-Mei looked at the phone more closely and saw the man's name. She clicked her tongue and said, "Well, Momy, haven't I been telling you about his arrogance with men in America? Did you think I was joking? It's not surprising....you see, he found someone to send ten million. His only business in America is acting arrogantly with rich people's children. And it's a lie....there is no ten million in his account. Well, there you go....one of his boyfriends sent that money."
Momy said, "Oh, well, whoever sent the money, they can squeeze themselves over there. I am taking my son's money. If I didn't do this, even if the world stood still, Yiming wouldn't speak about this money. You see, it's done or....they'll cheated him. As for me who gave birth to him, I am not someone who would let him leave that much money behind."
Mei-Mei said, "Honestly, Momy, I wanted us to say they should pay back the sponsorship money that Yiming spent on that child. Do you know how much Yiming spent on that boy? If I start listing it for you, your mouth will hang open in surprise. It's not child's play money. All his assets have been dissipating as if they have charmed him. When was the last time you heard of Yiming buying an asset for himself? Since he met that cursed child, he stopped doing anything for himself....only for him.
The other day, in front of me, he bought two expensive clothes, each one worth million. I spoke to him, and he embarrassed me in public. That wretched child's backbag....Yiming bought it for nearly a hundred thousands or more. Everything he bought for him was designer. Clothes? He bought him endlessly. And the monthly allowance he sent him in America....if you heard it, your mind would blow. Let alone school fees and house rent."
Momy squinted her eyes in frustration and said, "Please, leave this topic....my heart is hurting, Mei-Mei. Just let them go....Heaven is enough. Even me, his mother, he finds it convenient to buy me things. So now, where will they see the money to pay, Mei-Mei? Even the house they live in....if they said they would sell it, honestly, even for five hundred thousand....I wouldn't buy that ruined house. It's better to just drop the topic. Didn't you hear how my heart is hurting? I will just leave them alone over the money Yiming spent on that child....not because I don't have the money to take them to court..."
Mei-Mei said, "Or we could all go and take the things he kept buying for him....the expensive bags."
Momy said, "What will I do with them? You're the one with 38 years and I don't know when you'll grow sense, Mei-Mei. Are we a low life ?. There's nothing we will gain from his belongings. Since we got the ten million, we should just thank Heaven."
Mei-Mei clicked her tongue and lay back down, saying, "And you know something else, Momy? If Yiming were still in this country, he would be able to look back when the charm is broke. Because honestly, he is madly in love with that wretched child....haven't you noticed? Before he left the country, the way he wouldn't even talk to people in this house....every day you'd see him restless."
Momy frowned and said, "And as for me, I will keep squinting until the secret is exposed? I deliberately made his father take him on that business trip. The second thing, I forced his father to go with him because I saw his suffocation. There's a new idiocy I noticed he would start for us. And even if nothing else, you see, they'll stay there for a long time before returning. And before then, I will have made sure he forgets about some wretched child called Zhan in this world. Then I will prepare for him a wife from a respectable family. When he returns, it will just be a celebration."
Mei-Mei said, "That would be much better, if he returns and gets married. Find him a girl of his own class, not some commoner he insists on. I didn't think the poverty of that child's parents was that extreme. Even when we returned home, I couldn't remove the view of that house from my eyes. If even our dog were kept in that house, it would fall sick and leave us to spend a fortune at the vet....let alone a human being. So now, if Yiming hadn't separated from him, would you have been able to take your friends and business associates to that child's house for condolences? For example, if his father or mother died, would people go to offer condolences at that house?"
Momy said, "Yiming wanted to bring me an embarrassment that would never be erased. He wanted to expose my secret in front of the whole world, but Heaven covered my secret and limited the matter. With the kind of disrespect Yiming would have brought me, it would be between him and Heaven. Well, as for me, since I have achieved that they are separated, let them follow another rich kid."
Mei-Mei laughed and said, "And if he hadn't divorced him, he could have changed their house for them....he has no sense. Since he is fixated on serving that wretched child, let Heaven deal with him."
Momy gave her a fierce look, then turned and left the room.
***
Zhan knelt in front of Lina, who was reciting blessings for his safe journey and success in his studies. Zhan's body was completely weak, his whole body cold.
Quietly, Lina said, "Take care of yourself, please. Even though I am letting you go, my child, be extra careful. Don't forget the upbringing we gave you. Keep up your prayers and recitations. May Heaven protect you and guard you wherever you go..."
Nenne pulled open the room curtain angrily and said, "Today I see a trial in you, Lina. What happened? Did the car's heart drive it to pass by or what? All last night and this morning, you didn't prepare him for anything you wanted to say, and now the car that will take him to the airport has arrived? Oh, Lina, is this how you are? Or do you want to take him back inside your womb? For heaven sake, Zhan is not going to war."
Aunt Fin gave Nenne a look and said, "Well, will he take him to the airport for free that won't wait for him. I see he'll be paid, Nenne."
Nenne said, "It's not his father's car that he will dry out in the sun waiting for payment. And he is not his bodyguard that he will stand waiting for him in the sun like a useless person. Is this your thinking, people? Because you will give someone money, you have to humiliate him and deny his dignity?"
Aunt Fin didn't respond to Nenne. Lina looked at Zhan and said, "Get up and go, my child. May Heaven protect you and bring you safely."
Quietly, Zhan said, "Thank you, Ayi."
Then he stood up and took his handbag, since his trunks had already been taken out to the gate.
Nenne looked at Lina and said, "Have all the things I brought for him been put in his box?"
Quickly, Aunt Fin said, "Everything has been put in."
Nenne said, "The beans, onions, corn flour, and wheat flour?"
Aunt Fin said, "Even those have been put in."
Nenne said, "Well, let's go."
Zhan followed behind Nenne, and they left the room. Aunt Fin pushed the yams and sweet potatoes that Nenne had brought, along with the wheat and corn flour, to the back of the corner, hiding them so Nenne wouldn't see them even if she returned to the room. Then she followed behind them.
Lina couldn't hold back....she stood up and also went out.
Zubei Mama and Antu Mama were standing in the courtyard, all watching Zhan. Looking at their faces, you could see there was no happiness in Zhan returning to America.
Zubei Mama's son ran to Zhan, handing him some money, and said, "Our mother and Antu Mama say you should drink water on the journey."
Nenne took the money from the child's hand, counted it...it was two thousand...pushed it into the pocket of her pants, and said, "Thank you." Then she looked at Zhan and said, "Let's go."
Zhan greeted his mother's co-wives and followed behind Nenne as they left the house, with Aunt Fin following behind them. At the gate, Zhan greeted his father again....he hadn't gone to the market that day; he was waiting for his departure. Zhan didn't meet his eyes as his father blessed him with good wishes.
Nenne opened the back door of the car for him and said, "Just get in, please. Since yesterday, they haven't shower you with there prayers, and now today when you're rushing....the plane will leave and left you behind."
Zhan got into the car. Nenne locked it. Just like that, Zhan felt tears fill his eyes. He raised his hand in a small wave, and the driver pulled the car away from the gate.
By the time Zhan arrived at the airport, he found Yu-Bin waiting for him...he had arrived at the airport earlier. Zhan received his boarding pass, and they headed to the departure lounge. After twenty minutes, their flight took off for Beijing, where they would board the plane that would take them to America.
✴✴✴
Ever since they landed in America around four in the morning, Zhan's restlessness disappeared completely. He became so silent, like a sick person. Without any energy, he did everything until they finished with customs and immigration.
Yu-Bin looked at him and said, "Is it the cold that made you like this? I see your mood changed all of a sudden. Are you okay?"
Zhan smiled forcefully and just shook his head at hom while adjusting the jacket on his body...ever since the country where they had their transit, they had all put on their jackets because of the cold.
Yu-Bin looked at his phone, seeing Hailong's call for the fourth time, and said, "As for this one, since we landed....or even before the plane landed....he started blowing up my phone with calls, as if he's waiting. Maybe it's the fight he has with his husband every day...he doesn't know I came fully ready for his husband. Because this time around, I won't tolerate nonsense from him."
Zhan just smiled and didn't say anything to him until they exited the arrivals area.
Yu-Bin said, "I don't want to stress your housemate. I saw his message when we were still in Beijing, asking what time we would take off and where we would have our transit. If I had told him, he probably would have estimated the time we would arrive and come to pick us up from the airport in this terrible cold. That's why I just didn't reply to him...I didn't want to inconvenience him."
Zhan was the one who first spotted Hailong standing by his car before Yu-Bin even saw him.
Yu-Bin said in a low voice, "Just see how he tormented my father....said we were coming back to school. You'd think I was enjoying life in his house with that wretched husband of his."
Zhan was the first to greet Hailong after he reached where they were standing. He responded happily and said, "How was the journey, Zhan?"
Zhan said, "All good."
Yu-Bin also greeted him, he responded, and then they all headed to his car. He took their trolley and put it in the car's booth, saying, "You feel the cold of America, don't you? Though today there's no snow."
Zhan just smiled. Yu-Bin opened the back door for him, looking at him. Zhan got in, then Yu-Bin went around, opened the front door, and got in as well.
Hailong started the car, and after they left the airport, he looked at Yu-Bin and said, "But Zhan won't be going to his apartment now. It would be better if we go to my house. If he rests, then he can go back to his apartment anytime he is ready."
Yu-Bin said, "Actually, we thought you would take us to your house anyway. In this cold, where would he go to start fixing up his apartment given the travel fatigue?"
Yu-Bin didn't dare tell Hailong the story of what happened to Zhan. Zhan remained silent in the back of the car, thinking about another new life that he was going to begin in America with his burden on other people's shoulders. So now, from this person taking responsibility for him to that person taking responsibility....this thought was killing his sanity even more.
And life in America isn't cheap at all. He just knew that his housemate would be constrained by his burden. And so they arrived at Hailong's house with all kinds of thoughts in his heart. He kept looking at the neighborhood....he didn't know it.
Two weeks before their last semester exams started, Yu-Bin had told him that Hailong had gotten a bigger apartment than the one they were in, and they would move from the house they were in. Zhan hadn't even known the house they moved to before they left America.
After Hailong parked, they got out of the car. Yu-Bin left him to bring their things in, took Zhan's hand, and led him into the house. Zhan just followed her. Because of how much he hated anything that would bring him into contact with Hailong's house due to his husband, here he was today....because of a lack of options and choice he had agreed to come to his house without any refusal.
They sat down and found his husband in the living room, wearing a thick sweater and a head wrap tied in a way that showed how much tension he had with his forehead.
Zhan's body went very cold. He leaned against the chair, looked at him, and greeted him. But Peng kept watching TV, eating popcorn as if he hadn't heard Zhan. Yu-Bin didn't even look at him; he headed toward the direction of his room and tried the door....it was locked, and there was no key in the door. He stood there, his face expressionless, waiting for Hailong to enter the house.
After a few seconds, he came into the living room with two trunks. Yu-Bin said, "Brother, where is the key to my room?"
Hailong went and tried the door....it was locked. He returned to the living room, looking at Peng, and said, "Peng, where is the key to this room?"
Only then did Peng turn and look at him, still eating the popcorn in his hand, and said, "Key to a room? I don't understand 'key to a room.' Was I given custody of keys that I should be asked?"
Yu-Bin, who had been watching Hailong and breathing heavily, said, "Brother, did you call Dad to say we were coming back to school only for me to return and find myself under this rooftop? You intended to keep me here, now look....the room key has been taken and hidden? This is arrogance and disrespect. A person travels a long distance and returns only to find the key to his room has been taken?"
Hailong quickly walked close to Peng and said, "You, Peng....did A-Yue play with it and remove the room key from the door?"
Peng didn't even look at him.
Yu-Bin curled her face and said, "Is A-Yue tall enough to reach and remove a key from a door? Only his mother would do that. And thank Heaven I didn't leave anything to be stolen in the room except papers....since theft has been done to me before."
Peng stood up, gave him a vicious look, and said, "You! If you're worthless, just say so and be quiet. Honestly, watch your mouth because I am not your mate....don't try me. If you play games, you'll see my surprise right now."
Yu-Bin laughed, clapping his hands, and said, "Oh, ancient of days, so you're not my mate? It's only today you're telling me what I wanted to hear. And if you're not going to surprise me....your name isn't Peng? A bastard like you worth nothing to me."
Hailong started intervening, saying, "What is this? Are you both crazy? What kind of arrogance is this? In my presence, you're displaying this kind of senselessness?"
He was talking while also looking around the living room for the key to Yu-Bin's room. Zhan leaned against the chair, feeling his head beginning to ache terribly. Apart from having no choice, what will brought him to this house in the first place? The thought made tears fill his eyes.
Yu-Bin was stomping his foot, glaring at Peng, who had gone back to sitting down, eating his popcorn and adjusting the tied head wrap on his head, puffing his chest out even more.
Hailong went to where A-Yue was lying asleep in the living room and started waking him up, asking him for the key to Yu-Bin's room.
The child wasn't even two years old. Angrily, Peng said, "Don't wake my child, Hailong. Does he know any key that you need to wake him from sleep?"
Hailong turned and looked at him and said, "Peng, you took that key....bring it out. I don't want this disrespect."
Peng glared at him and said, "Don't upset me this early morning. If I took a key, what would I do with it? Please, do not provoke me, Hailong."
With that, he stood up, picked up his sleeping child, and headed toward his room with him. Hailong couldn't say anything; he watched him go, holding his waist. Then he turned and looked at Yu-Bin, who was glaring at him as if he would devour him. He walked close to him and said, "Look, Yu-Bin..."
He cut him off angrily and said, "There's nothing you're going to tell me, Brother. Don't tell me anything. It's because of your husband's disrespect to me that you insisted I return and come back to school. Honestly, I will call Dad to get me a house to live in so I can finish my final year in peace, because I cannot live with this devil husband of yours in the same house."
He finished speaking as if he was about to cry. Hailong couldn't say anything to him. He just headed toward his room....there were three rooms in the house. He entered the room, took everything he would need, brought it out to the living room, put it down, looked at Yu-Bin, and said, "There's my bedroom...go in there."
Yu-Bin, hearing that, grabbed Zhan's hand and went into his room. Quickly, Peng came out of his room....he hadn't locked his door because he kept listening to what was being said in the living room. He looked at Hailong with a kind of surprise and said, "I don't understand 'There's my bedroom, go in there,' Hailong. Do you mean you brother will go in there or what?"
Yu-Bin burst into laughter, giggling, and pulled Zhan into the room, then banged the door shut and locked it.
Peng was about to speak when Hailong raised his hand to him, his face twisted to show he didn't want to hear anything, then he left the living room to bring in the rest of Yu-Bin's trunks.
Zhan's entire body went cold as he looked at Yu-Bin and said, "Oh, Bin, this isn't proper, you know. Why don't we sit in the living room until the key to your room is found? This is their bedroom!"
Yu-Bin gave him a look and said, "Not everyone is like you, Zhan. And honestly, I will not leave this room until the day he brings out my room key..."
Zhan couldn't say anything because he was truly shocked. Then Hailong knocked on the door and left their hand luggage outside, saying, "What will you eat now?"
Yu-Bin was sitting on the edge of his bed, his face unhappy like someone who had been wronged, and said, "Just tea and cookies before dawn."
He said, "OK." He turned and left the room, locking them in.
Peng was still standing where he was in the living room, unable to move in any good way. He followed Hailong with his gaze until he entered the kitchen to prepare their tea. He didn't know when he burst into tears, covering his mouth, and quickly went to his room.
Hailong returned to his room with two cups of tea and cookies, placed them for them, and left.
💚💙❤🖤