"Where did you go!? Why didn't you answer my call?"
Li Yue asked. Her voice was high-pitched as an opera singer. Her eyes were round as if they were about to pop out of their sockets.
"A friend's house."
Zhang Yiran replied. Trying to be calm.
"A friend's house!?"
Li Yue stared at Zhang Yiran with a fiery gaze.
"How many times did I have to tell you? Tell me if you wanna stay overnight. Whose house? Where? How long? With.."
"Mom!"
Zhang Yiran shouting his anger out. Stopping his mother's rage. Li Yue went silent. Cold sweat began to soak her entire body.
"Yiran. I am..."
Li Yue tried to persuade. She still needed her child. Losing Zhang Yiran meant losing her husband. Her husband's mistress and illegitimate child were still alive. So she can't lost Zhang Yiran.
Zhang Yiran just stiffened. The scar on his stomach hurt again like the pain in his heart at that time. His own mother disowned him as her own son. And his father... he knew that his father didn't even expect his presence.
Zhang Yiran turned and walked away, leaving his mother who was still begging for his forgiveness. He knew that it was just an act. His mother didn't want him to go crazy like before. Because if it happened again, his father would leave his mother for real.
Zhang Yiran entered his room. He locked the door tightly. He pull out his wallet and take out his treasure. His eyes stared at the old picture. When his face was still round like a watermelon. His lips curled into a smile.
"Yaya..."
He said while stroking the picture of him that was still round like a watermelon with Lulu that was still tan.
"Why is the world so cruel to us?"
He complained with his eyes filled with tears. "I will finish all this by any means. Even if I have to sacrifice my own life." Zhang Yiran clench his fists tightly.
He quickly put his treasure back in his wallet. Wiping away the tears that had already rolled down his cheeks.
***
"Madam. You should tell him about who is his real mother."
Hearing that, Zhang Yiran who a out to sneaked out from the back door quickly hid. Pinning his ears and waiting patiently behind the cabinet by the stairs.
"Are you crazy? Even now, he already considers me an enemy. If he knew that he was not really my son, what do you think he would do?"
Li Yue snapped. "I'm not her son? Is this true...?" Zhang Yiran bit his lip. Holding back the pain that tore his chest cruelly. Now he knew why his mother treated him like a tool.
"I already told you before. Don't take him as your son."
A male voice. Who? Zhang Yiran failed to spot the owner of the voice.
"Just kill him."
Zhang Yiran's blood rush over his head when he heard that. He quickly ran out from the back door.
Zhang Yiran ran as fast as he could and hid behind the trash can about five kilometres away from his house There he called his father.
"Papa. Where is you?"
He asked with a trembling voice.
"I'm is in the office. What wrong?"
The voice from the other end of the line. It sounded anxious. He could feel that something had happened to his son.
"Please take me away Dad. I'm scared."
He pleaded while shedding tears. He wasn't as scared as when he stabbed himself in the stomach to stop his mother's madness before. However, to be killed, he couldn't bear it.
"Okay. I'm coming. Where are you?"
Zhang Zhiqi asked anxiously. He quickly took the car keys and ran out of his office.
"Bo Ya!"
Zhang Zhiqi threw the car keys to the tall young man called Bo Ya.
With a dazed, Bo Ya accepted the keys. Also ran to follow Zhang Zhiqi's every step.
"Where are we going?"
He ask.
"Yiran is in danger. Drive quickly!"
Hearing that, Bo Ya quickly got into the car and drove according to Zhang Zhiqi's instructions. Both of their hearts were beating fast like its gonna burst out at any moment.
"Did Li Yue already knows everything?"
Bo Ya asked. Zhang Zhiqi shook his head. His son only told him that he was in danger. However, he didn't tell him why. Maybe Li Yue already knew their secret. Or maybe it was because of something else. Whatever the reason is, Zhang Zhiqi didn't want anything to happen to his son.
Arriving at the intended place, Zhang Zhiqi and Bo Ya quickly went out and looked for Zhang Yiran behind the garbage can that smelled bad and fishy.
"Yiran! Yiran!"
Zhang Zhiqi and Bo Ya called. Silence. No answer. Zhang Zhiqi and Bo Ya picked up each plastic bags that smelled bad and fishy one by one anxiously. In their hearts, they prayed that Zhang Yiran was still safe.
"Papa."
Called from behind. His voice was trembling and weak.
Zhang Zhiqi and Bo Ya turned around. They saw Zhang Yiran standing there limply with dirty clothes without any shoes. They quickly ran towards Zhang Yiran hugged him tightly. The bad and fishy smell from the garbage was nothing. The important thing was that Zhang Yiran was safe.
"Thank God..."
***
After showering, Zhang Zhiqi dried Zhang Yiran's hair and Bo Ya treat Zhang Yiran's feet that were already scratched after he ran five kilometers from his house without any shoes.
"Papa..."
"Hmm."
"Who am I?"
Boom!
Zhang Zhiqi and Bo Ya's hands stopped. Zhang Yiran's question was like a lightning bolt that struck their head. They look at each other.
"Why...why do you ask that? Of course you're my son."
Zhang Zhiqi replied and continued blowing Zhang Yiran hair.
"Papa, you don't have to lie to me."
The voice sounded tearful. Zhang Zhiqi turned off the hair dryer switch. He placed it on the table.
"I'm noy lying. You're truly my son."
Zhang Zhiqi hugged his son from behind. He didn't want his son to see his tears that had spilled. Bo Ya went silent. His heart also cried.
"Papa...please don't lie to me."
Zhang Yiran pleaded. His tears slowly flowed down his cheeks.
"I didn't lie to you. You will always be my son."
Zhang Zhiqi said as he hugged his son tightly.
"Papa."
"Hmm."
"Who is mother?"
Boom!!!
Once again, Zhang Yiran's question was like a lightning strike. This time more violent. Bo Ya pursed his lips. He looked up at Zhang Zhiqi's face. His heart ached. His boss had been suffering for a long time because of Li Yue. Bo Ya rubbed Zhang Zhiqi's back. Trying to calm down his boss.
"Your mama is a good person and she loves you so much."
Zhang Zhiqi kissed his son's head.
"Why do you still want to lie to me!"
Zhang Yiran snap as he pushed away his father's embrace. He stood up straight facing Zhang Zhiqi and Bo Ya who were in shock.
"I already knows everything papa!"
Zhang Yiran's tears flowed again. Zhang Zhiqi and Bo Ya were defeat. How much did Zhang Yiran know? What did Li Yue tell Zhang Yiran?
"I'm not mom's biological child! I'm not your child!"
Zhang Yiran screamed, releasing the pain that was increasingly ensnaring him.
Zhang Zhiqi quickly walked over to Zhang Yiran. Trying to calm his son who had lost his senses.
"Yiran. Please listen to me first, Yiran..."
Zhang Zhiqi's voice was soft as he held both of Zhang Yiran's cheeks that were wet with tears.
"I don't want to!"
Zhang Yiran screamed as he slapped his dad's hand. His heart already broken. He felt too guilty towards Lulu and his aunt Li Da. He shouldn't even exist in this world.
"Yiran.."
Zhang Zhiqi didn't give up. He didn't know what Li Yue had told his son, but he knew that day, he had to tell the truth.
"No!"
Zhang Yiran pushed Zhang Zhiqi away from him. He didn't want to stains anyone more than what he already did.
Zhang Zhiqi who already felt weak almost fell to the floor but Bo Ya manage to grab him before he fall. His only loyal and trusted guard.
"Yiran."
Call Bo Ya. Softly. Zhang Yiran looked at Bo Ya's face.
"You is really your papa's son."
He said while he help Zhang Zhiqi sitting on the couch. Zhang Yiran shook his head. Still can't believe it.
"But, I'm not Li Yue son. I'm not your wife son. Do you understand?"
Zhang Yiran snapping. His tears flowed non-stop.
"We know."
Bo Ya answer calmly.
"Your real mom..."
Bo Ya stepped closer to Zhang Yiran.
"Really love you."
Bo Ya hugged his boss' son.
"But..."
"But what dear?"
"I...I'm is a sinner..."
Zhang Yiran said as he returned Bo Ya's hug. Those words made Zhang Zhiqi broke down. Began to regret his actions. He began to feel unworthy of being a father to Zhang Yiran and Lulu.
"No. You are innocent. You is a good child."
Bo Ya persuaded while gently stroking Zhang Yiran hair. Bo Ya gaze at Zhang Zhiqi who was sitting down while covering his face with both hands on the sofa. His heart broken whenever he see his boss's suffering. "I will always be by your side even if I have to die because of you." Bo Ya promised while tightly hugging Zhang Yiran who was still crying in his arms.