Zhan's laying down on the carpet in Hailong's room. The room was warm because the room heater was on, but that didn't stop him from feeling cold because of the bath he had taken. Yu-Bin had done everything to get him to sleep on the bed, but Zhan refused, saying the carpet was enough for him.
Yu-Bin's phone began to ring. He stood up, took his bag, and pulled out the phone. He looked at Zhan and said, "It's your housemate calling."
Zhan remained silent and didn't say anything. Yu-Bin sat on the edge of the bed, answered the call, and greeted him.
On the other end, I-Bo said, "How are you? I see you didn't reply to the message I sent you yesterday."
Yu-Bin said, "I just didn't want to stress you....probably you would say you'd come to pick us up at the airport."
He said, "Where are you now?"
Yu-Bin said, "We're at my brother's house. Your housemate is here....let me give him the phone..."
Calmly, he said, "OK."
Yu-Bin stood up, went to where Zhan was lying, and handed him the phone. Zhan couldn't take the phone. Only when Yu-Bin put it to his ear did he hear on the other end: "Sean..."
Zhan couldn't say anything to him. At that moment, he felt hot tears begin to fall from his eyes. Quietly, the voice said, "Can you hear me, Sean?"
Zhan voice trembling, with difficulty he said, "Uhm." He fell silent.
After a few seconds, I-Bo said, "I will come over later."
Zhan nodded at him as if he could see him. I-Bo hung up. Zhan put the phone down, and more tears fell.
Yu-Bin didn't say anything to him.
:
:
At eight in the morning, Yu-Bin left Hailong's room to go to the kitchen and see what was available to cook for himself and Zhan. To his surprise, he saw the key to his room placed on the living room center table. He laughed at it. He went and took the key, then quickly returned to Hailong's room and locked the door. He kept laughing uncontrollably as Zhan watched him.
He showed Zhan the key in his hand and said, "You see, that bastard man put my key on the center table because he saw that I had taken over his husband's room. So he is just a small bastard man...I didn't know? I will hide it and pretend I didn't see it, because I've seen a room to stay in..."
While saying this, Yu-Bin opened the zipper of his trunk and stuffed the key inside. Zhan, who had been watching him, shook his head and said, "Please, since he has put the key out for you, forgive him and let's go back to your room, Bin."
Yu-Bin said, "I won't go back for now. Next time, if he wants to hide a key from me, he won't hide it. Isn't he the one who said he's a bastard? I will show him that I am a more fierce bastard. I am staying in this room until I see what will push the madness further."
Zhan just smiled and didn't say anything.
Yu-Bin burst out laughing and said, "Well, I forget that you're a shy man."
Zhan said, "No, I'm from Han Chinese ethnic. My father is from there."
Yu-Bin said, "Well, what about your mother?"
Zhan just smiled and didn't say anything to him. Yu-Bin found a place to sit and said, "Listen, the sheer shamelessness....he put my key on the center table. What was his intention in hiding the key? Should I go live in the garage or what?"
There was a knock on the door. Yu-Bin stood up and opened it.
Hailong was standing there, ready to go to work. He said, "Will you come out and make breakfast for yourselves?"
Yu-Bin said, "Even now, my whole body is hurting me, Brother."
Hailong said, "Well, let me place an order for you."
Out of the corner of his eye, Yu-Bin was watching Peng, who had come out to the living room from his room, his eyes on the center table...he was checking for the key he had placed there.
Peng looked at Hailong, squinting his eyes, and said, "Hailon, after A-Yue woke up, I asked him about the key. He had taken one of his toys and pushed it inside. I got it out with difficulty, then I came out and put it on the center table for him 30 minutes ago. But look....now the key is not on the center table, and he hasn't come out of your room. What does that mean?"
Hailong looked at the center table, then looked at Yu-Bin, who had frowned and was holding his waist. He said, "Yu-Bin, did you take the key?"
Yu-Bin gave him a look and said, "I don't understand taking a key, Brother."
Raising his voice, Peng said, "If you don't come out of my husband's room with your wretched friend, everything I done for you, you will blame yourselves for it in this house."
Yu-Bin laughed, clapping his hands, and said, "Well, it's my brother's room. And Zhan is in his....friend's brother's room. You see, you're not able to tell us to come out....we don't have any other room to go to if we come out."
Hailong crossed his arms, looking at them, unable to say anything. Peng rushed toward Yu-Bin angrily, but Hailong blocked him and said, "You...don't you have any sense?"
Yu-Bin houled and insults and said, "Just let him come and touch me....I'll show him the new difference I brought back from China. I will pull all the hair off his head. Let him come and touch mem....he'll see the power of Heaven."
Zhan just held his chin, his whole body weak, listening to them. Peng burst into tears and said, "Hailong, I will leave this house for you and Yu-Bin to live in, because I will not continue to live with that wretched man in the same house. You have to choose...me or him in this house."
Yu-Bin said, "You, worthless man...how many minutes brother will take to changed you. But he will never change me, because I am his brother. As for you, it's easy....he can divorce you and marry someone else."
Peng start crying like a hyena, about to pounce on Yu-Bin. Hailong quickly grabbed him and pulled him to his room, shouting as if he would lose his voice. Yu-Bin returned to the room, laughing uncontrollably, holding his stomach. Zhan just watched him, unable to say anything.
After a while, Hailong knocked on the door again. Yu-Bin came out with a sour face, waiting to hear what he would say.
He began pleading with him, saying, "Please, Yu-Bin, if you know you took the key, have mercy and let it be, and go back to your room. Do it for me, not for Peng. You see, I'm almost late for work. Please, if you took the key, forgive him and go back to your room."
Yu-Bin didn't say anything, just stomping one foot. Hailong kept pleading with him until finally he looked at him and said, "I hear you. But honestly, you need to really yell at him so he learns to stay out of my way in this house. If not, we will have a huge fight with him. I will show him all kinds of foolishness."
Hailong said, "I hear you. I will talk to him."
Yu-Bin turned and went back into the room. He went back to the living room and stood there waiting to see Yu-Bin come out.
Zhan felt relieved after they moved back into Yu-Bin's room. Only then did he fall asleep....he hadn't slept at all in Hailong's room.
⏭ ⏭
Around three-thirty in the afternoon, Yu-Bin took his phone, which was ringing, then looked at Zhan and said, "It's your housemate. Maybe he has come. Earlier, he told me to send him the location via WhatsApp."
Saying that, he answered the call, put it to his ear, and greeted him. After a few seconds, he said, "OK, then." Then he hung up and looked at Zhan, saying, "He's outside."
Zhan couldn't lift his head-his heart had sunk so deeply.
Yu-Bin finished putting on his jacket and neck warmer, then looked at Zhan, who couldn't get up from where he was sitting. He said, "Come on, Zhan, he's outside waiting, and the weather is very cold outside. Please get up so we can go."
With difficulty, Zhan stood up, feeling his heart pounding intensely. He slowly put on the scarf over his body jacket. His whole body was weak because he didn't know how he would even look I-Bo in the eye.
Yu-Bin looked at him and said, "Aren't you going to put on your cold-weather coat?" Zhan just shook his head at him. Yu-Bin said, "It's because of the room heater that you feel like it's not very cold in the city, but the cold outside is terrible once you step out."
Zhan didn't say anything because he didn't even know what Yu-Bin was saying...all his thoughts were about what kind of eyes he would look at his housemate with. Yu-Bin clicked his tongue, seeing that Zhan wouldn't respond to him, as if he didn't even know what he was saying. Yu-Bin headed to the door, and Zhan followed behind him, walking slowly like a sick person.
They came out to the living room. Yu-Bin didn't even look at Peng, who was sitting in the living room feeding his child....he headed straight for the exit door. Zhan followed behind him, walking slowly, his face full of worry.
Peng watched them with a fierce look until they left the living room.
Zhan look at his housemate, who was leaning against his car with his arms crossed. He felt like crying out of nowhere. But he held it in, bowing his head and following Yu-Bin until they reached where I-Bo was standing. I-Bo looked at Zhan once, then lifted his eyes and turned them to Yu-Bin, who was greeting him.
He responded to him greeting with a smile on his face and said, "How was the journey?"
Yu-Bin said, "The journey was good."
Zhan had moved to the side and stood there, still unable to look I-Bo in the eye, playing with his....scarf. He was holding himself back from bursting into the cry that was consuming him. After they finished greeting, I-Bo turned and looked at Zhan for the second time. Calmly, he said, "Housemate."
Zhan felt like he was waiting to burst into intense tears. I-Bo lowered his eyes and remained silent. After a few seconds, he walked slowly to where Zhan was standing, lowered his voice, looked at him, and said, "Where is your jacket?"
Zhan couldn't say anything, crying quietly and shaking his head at him. I-Bo took off the thick cold-weather coat on his body, looking at Zhan, and went around behind him, saying, "Wear this. The weather is cold."
Zhan just nodded at him as more tears fell from his eyes. He took the jacket and put it on. At that moment, the scent of I-Bo's cologne, which he hadn't smelled in a long time, filled his surroundings, along with the warmth of his body from the jacket. He felt like all the worries piled up in his heart had been peeled away.
Yu-Bin stood there watching them. Deep in his heart, he felt pity for Zhan because he felt like his own blood brother.
I-Bo removed the neck warmer from his neck and put it around Zhan over the jacket. Zhan still couldn't let their eyes meet. He felt the familiar scent of I-Bo's cologne giving him a kind of calm and relief.
I-Bo turned and looked at Yu-Bin, saying, "Are we going together to his apartment now?"
Yu-Bin released a sigh and said, "OK, let me get his luggage." Then he turned and went back inside the house. I-Bo opened the front passenger door for Zhan, looking at him. Zhan still couldn't meet his eyes; tears were gathering in his eyes as he got into the car. I-Bo closed the door gently. After a few minutes, Yu-Bin came out with two of Zhan's trunks. I-Bo opened the booth and put them inside.
Yu-Bin said, "Let me get the rest." He turned, went back into the house, and brought out the remaining items. He took them and put them in the booth as well. Yu-Bin got into the back seat, then I-Bo went around, opened the driver's seat, and got in.
The ride was so silent, with snow starting to fall. After almost 20 minutes, they arrived at the new apartment that I-Bo had rented for Zhan. He parked in the apartment's garage and fell silent. Then he leaned his head back against the driver's seat and closed his eyes, remembering that the apartment keys were back at his house...he had left them there.
After a few seconds, he touched his head a little and said, "Sorry... I think I forgot the apartment keys at our house."
He started reversing, and after leaving the garage, he took the road toward his house. Yu-Bin just smiled and didn't say anything. Just then, his phone began to vibrate. He checked it and saw that Hailong was calling him. He frowned, silenced the call, and placed the phone face down on his lap....meaning Hailong had returned and found him not at home, so he was starting to blow up his phone.
I-Bo arrived at his house, parked outside, turned, and looked at Zhan, who was lost in thought. He said, "Let me get the keys, housemate."
Without letting their eyes meet, Zhan just nodded at him. I-Bo opened the door to get out. Zhan looked at the snow falling, then looked at I-Bo. He quickly started removing I-Bo's jacket from his body and said, "Should I give you the jacket? I see it's cold."
I-Bo turned and looked at him. Only then did their eyes meet...all this while. Zhan felt like the ground had opened up for him to fall through. He quickly lowered his eyes. I-Bo smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, I will get another one when I go inside now."
Then he got out of the car and went into his house. After nearly ten minutes, he came out of the house wearing a different cold-weather coat. Zhan just watched him. He saw I-Bo stop at their gate, looking in a different direction, so Zhan looked in the direction he was looking.
He bowed his head after spotting A-Bo approaching with his large dog, Legend, holding the dog's leash.
Yu-Bin said in a low voice, "That is A-Bo, and you really should greet him, Zhan."
Zhan glanced at Yu-Bin and quietly said, "You won't understand, Bin.... I feel ashamed."
Yu-Bin said, "Well, what are you going to do? You have to put your shame aside and get down to greet him. I know he never would have let I-Bo do all this favor for you alone, since they're connected. I know I-Bo would consult him before anything, and they would do everything together..."
Zhan couldn't say anything, but deep in his heart, he was so ashamed to speak to him. Even today, the words that Yiming made him say to A-Bo on the phone were still swirling in his head.
Yu-Bin frowned, seeing that A-Bo was now close to where I-Bo was standing, and said, "Please, buck up and do what's right, Zhan. I hate this village-like behavior you're displaying, honestly. What's wrong with just greeting him? You're just going to greet him. Besides, the effort he also made for you....you should greet him for the sake of that. What happened has already happened, so forget that and do the needful."
Weakly, Zhan reached out to open the car door. But A-Bo didn't even look in their direction; he passed I-Bo, who was standing waiting for him, and went inside the house. I-Bo followed behind him.
Quietly, Zhan stopped trying to open the door, turned, and looked at Yu-Bin.
Yu-Bin released a sigh and said, "He is still angry at what you did to them. I know he will definitely calm down."
Zhan remained silent and didn't say anything. After a few minutes, I-Bo came out of the house, opened the driver's seat, got in, and said, "Sorry for keeping you waiting. The apartment keys were in the pocket of my jacket, and A-Bo wore the jacket out for a walk."
Yu-Bin smiled and said, "It's fine."
Zhan remained silent and didn't say anything.
Around five-thirty, they arrived at the new apartment. I-Bo turned off the car, looked at Zhan calmly, and said, "This is your new apartment, housemate. I hope you will love it."
Then he opened the door and got out. Yu-Bin also got out, looking at the apartment and smiling...it was upstairs and downstairs. Zhan wiped the tears clinging to his eyes, then got out of the car. I-Bo opened the apartment door for them, waited for them to start going in, then he also entered. He turned on the living room lights and the heater.
Yu-Bin smiled, looking around the living room, seeing that it was bigger than the old apartment. He said, "Wow, this is so beautiful."
I-Bo sat on a chair, checking his phone, which was vibrating with a call.
Yu-Bin opened a door he saw in the living room and found it was the kitchen. Zhan stood behind a chair, looking at I-Bo, unable to say anything. Yu-Bin came out of the kitchen and went upstairs to check the rooms in the house. After a few seconds, I-Bo finished sending the message he was typing on his phone, turned, and made eye contact with Zhan.
Zhan lowered his eyes, playing with the edge of his head warmer. Calmly, I-Bo said, "Housemate."
Barely, Zhan said, "Um."
I-Bo stood up, came in front of him, and stopped, looking at him. Quietly, he said, "You like the new apartment?"
Zhan nodded at him, trying not to burst into tears. I-Bo didn't say anything else because he was looking at Zhan's face and knew he was about to cry.
Yu-Bin came back downstairs and said, "Wow, honestly, the house is very beautiful. May Heaven bless it. May Heaven reward you with good and give you even more. My friend is really grateful he doesn't even have a mouth to thank you, which is why I'm speaking on his behalf. We are very grateful. May Heaven protect you from the evil of envious people. Thank you so much, housemate. We are really grateful."
I-Bo smiled slightly but didn't say anything to him. Zhan wiped the tears he felt sliding from his eyes. Yu-Bin said, "Well, I'll go now. My brother keeps calling me, he has called me more than ten times and I haven't answered."
I-Bo said, "OK, let me give you a ride."
Quickly, Yu-Bin said, "No, don't worry about that, i've already ordered a cap, and here it is."
I-Bo said, "OK then. My regards to everyone back home, Yu-Bin."
Yu-Bin smiled and then he looked at Zhan and said, "Well, come on....walk me out, my friend."
He took Zhan's hand, and they left the living room. As they left the apartment, Yu-Bin looked at him and said, "If you don't stop this crying, and open your mouth to thank him properly, That's why I told you to walk me out, because I know your habit: if you start crying, you won't necessarily thank him. When someone cries once, that's it...they have to embrace their destiny and do what needs to be done to move on. But you keep crying like something is wrong. I understand you are lost for words, but compose yourself and appreciate him, please. Honestly, I have never seen a person with such a kind heart as I-Bo. And his connection with Heaven is not for nothing."
Zhan start tearing again, his voice trembling as he said, "I don't know where to begin, Yu-Bin. I don't know where to start thanking him. I am just confused."
Yu-Bin embraced him, gently patting his back, and said, "I understand, Zhan. I understand you. I know you are confused. But just start from anywhere. Tell him anything that means appreciation....he will understand you."
Zhan nodded at him as hot tears fell from his eyes. Just then, Yu-Bin's cap arrived. Zhan grabbed his hand with difficulty and said, "Thank you for everything, Yu-Bin. Thank you for always being by my side through thick and thin. Thank you for being supportive. Thank you....may Heaven reward you with good."
As he spoke, tears streamed from his eyes. Yu-Bin frowned and said, "Come on, Zhan. Don't thank me again. I have taken you as the brother I never had. I care so much about you."
Yu-Bin slipped his hand out, opened the back door of the car, got in, locked the door, then waved at Zhan. Zhan just nodded at him, wiping the tears that had stopped on his face, then turned and walked slowly back to the apartment. As he opened the living room door, I-Bo turned and looked at him, then continued pressing on his phone.
Walking slowly, Zhan went to where he was sitting, knelt on the floor, and looked at him. Before he could say anything, I-Bo stopped him without looking at him, speaking softly: "I don't want your thanks, Zhan. I don't need it. I didn't do everything I did so you would thank me. I did it for Heaven. I did it because you are deserving of me doing it for you. So I don't need your thanks, please. Instead, thank Heaven."
Zhan couldn't say anything. His head was down, tears falling from his eyes, just holding himself back from bursting into tears. I-Bo stood up and said, "Let me show you around the house before I leave."
Zhan wiped his face, stood up, and began to follow him, walking slowly. He started with the kitchen. Zhan stood at the doorway, looking around the kitchen. I-Bo had even bought him food supplies. The kitchen fridge was fully stocked. There were various kinds of cookies in the kitchen because he knew Zhan liked cookies.
Zhan couldn't hold back anymore...he didn't know when he throw himself in I-Bo's chest, his voice trembling as he said, "I don't know where to start thanking you..."
I-Bo's eyes widened a little because he never saw that coming. Immediately, he quickly pulled his body away from Zhan's. Smiling forcefully and stepping back without letting their eyes meet, he said, "I told you I don't need your thanks. Let me show you the other places."
Then he left the kitchen. Zhan leaned against the kitchen door after he left, crying quietly. Only after he had cried as much as he needed did he come out of the kitchen, dragging his feet with difficulty. He saw I-Bo standing by the staircase, pressing on his phone, indicating he was waiting for him. Seeing Zhan come out of the kitchen, I-Bo put his phone back in his pocket without looking at him and said, "The rooms are upstairs."
Only when Zhan reached where he was did I-Bo begin to climb the stairs, with Zhan following behind him. He showed Zhan two spare rooms, then opened the door to his own room.
Calmly, he said, "Your room."
Zhan stood at the doorway, looking at the room without blinking. There was nothing missing in that room in terms of comfort. He saw four large duvets, all new, with their cases in the room. The room looked so beautiful, almost sparkling. Quietly, Zhan turned and looked at I-Bo. I-Bo lowered his eyes and didn't say anything to him. Then he turned and left the doorway of the room, going back downstairs.
Zhan followed him with his gaze, then leaned against the door frame for almost five minutes, looking into the room. Quietly, he turned and left the doorway, starting to go back downstairs without energy. He saw I-Bo standing by the exit door in the living room.
Seeing Zhan come down, I-Bo said, "I will take my leave now, Sean. But you will start school the day after tomorrow because I see you look stressed."
Zhan nodded at him slowly. I-Bo said, "OK, here are the apartment keys."
Zhan walked over and took the bunch of keys I-Bo was handing him. Then he looked at him and said, "Didn't you remove the spare key?"
I-Bo said, "No, just keep them all with you."
Zhan just nodded at him and didn't say anything. I-Bo opened the living room door without looking at him and said, "Text me your skin care products set via WhatsApp."
Saying that, he left the living room and said, "Good night, Sean."
Zhan watched as he locked the living room door from outside. After a few minutes, he heard the sound of his car driving away.
💚💙❤🖤