"Please, I have a visitor. I need you to pretend you're not staying here. Just act like you came to drop off some books for your female friend who lives here… please."
Zhan looked like he was about to cry as he finished speaking, his eyes fixed on him. At first, the other man remained silent, watching him carefully before asking,
"As in how, Sean?"
Zhan pleaded softly, "Just pretend you don't live here. Please… cover for me. You know my former housemate is a girl....act like you're her friend. Act like you came to see her. Please, I'm begging you."
Without waiting for a reply, he stood abruptly and hurried out of the room before Yiming could follow him.
I-Bo watched him with visible surprise, barely blinking. After a moment, he simply smiled, sat back down, and continued working on his laptop.
In the living room, Zhan nearly collided with Yiming, who was heading toward the corridor.
"What did you go in there to do? You didn't even get me something to drink," Yiming said.
Zhan forced a small, gentle smile. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming? Why didn't you let me know?"
"Do I need to announce myself before I come? Or are you the one paying for my flight ticket?" Yiming replied dryly.
Zhan shook his head. "That's not what I meant. How are you? How was the trip?"
Yiming looked him up and down. "What's wrong with you? Why were you sick?"
Zhan slowly lowered his gaze. "I don't know either… but I'm much better now. I feel better."
"Is that why you stopped calling me all this time?"
"You don't know how I was feeling back then," Zhan said softly. "Let me get you some water."
He quickly slipped past him and entered the kitchen. Yiming's eyes followed him until he disappeared inside.
Zhan leaned against the kitchen cabinet, clutching his chest as it rose and fell too quickly. After a few seconds, he steadied himself, placed water, lemon juice, and a glass cup on a tray, and returned to the living room.
Yiming was sitting there, scrolling through his phone. Zhan walked over and placed the tray in front of him without meeting his eyes. Since he stepped out of the kitchen, Yiming hadn't stopped watching him.
Zhan sat down on the carpet, stretching his legs slightly, still avoiding eye contact. "How are your Mum and Dad?" he asked quietly.
When Yiming didn't respond, Zhan glanced up and found him staring at him. He quickly lowered his gaze again.
"In just two days, you've changed, baby," Yiming said. "You don't look critically ill enough to ignore my calls. Why did you stop answering? You don't even reply to me on WeChat anymore."
Zhan couldn't bring himself to look at him. He fidgeted with the edge of his shirt. "Lately, you've been scolding me on the phone without considering my feelings. And our coursework has been really tough....you know that."
He didn't even understand why tears began filling his eyes.
Yiming sighed deeply but kept watching him. Then he gently pulled Zhan up and made him sit beside him.
That was what Zhan feared most in his life....Yiming coming to America to see him. Even though Yiming usually came with his parents, Zhan still panicked around him because of certain things Yiming keep doing to him. Every time Yiming planned a visit, Zhan would intentionally fall sick, sometimes make it badly enough to end up in the hospital. If he had known Yiming would find a way to come, he will warned Yu-Bin not to tell him he wasn't well.
Yiming caressed Zhan's fingers and lowered his voice. "But you know I love you, Zhan. I only get upset because I want to protect you."
Zhan said nothing. The tears that had gathered in his eyes finally rolled down his cheeks.
Yiming reached out and wiped them gently. "You know I love you so much, right?"
Zhan nodded silently.
"Your housemate… is she around?" Yiming asked.
Zhan's heart dropped. Avoiding eye contact, he replied, "I'm not sure. I saw she had a visitor earlier. Probably her friend."
"Friend? A guy?" Yiming's voice sharpened.
Zhan nodded.
Immediately, Yiming frowned. "Since when did she start bringing men into the house?"
Gathering his courage, Zhan answered, "She brings them occasionally… not frequently. Sometimes they come with reading materials, or if she's not feeling well, they check on her."
"And do these men sleep over?"
Zhan swallowed hard. "Honestly, I don't know. I'm always in my room with the door locked."
Trying to cut the conversation short, Zhan said quickly, "I made noodles. Let me bring them before they get cold."
His heart was pounding as he stood.
Just then, his housemate stepped out of his room.
Zhan felt his heart nearly jump out of his chest from nervousness. He quickly averted his gaze and hurried toward the kitchen.
Yiming turned at the sound of the bedroom door opening. His eyes locked with I-Bo, who entered the living room slowly, phone pressed to his ear even though he wasn't speaking. A textbook rested in his hand.
Calmly, I-Bo raised his hand. "Hello."
Yiming stared at him without blinking and didn't respond.
I-Bo simply walked past him and left the living room without another word.
By then, Zhan was already in the kitchen, clutching his chest. "I'm in trouble…" he muttered under his breath.
He plated the noodles and returned to the living room, forcing himself to stay calm.
"Who is he, baby?" Yiming asked, watching him closely.
Zhan blinked slightly. "I've never seen him before today. Maybe Nancy asked him to bring her a book."
Yiming stood abruptly. "How can you live under the same roof with some random guy? Since when did Nancy start bringing men here? Has he been staying here all along?"
"I told you, I've never seen him before," Zhan insisted quietly. "Only today."
He set the plate down and added, "Should I make you some black tea?"
Yiming sat back down without answering. Anyone could see he was boiling with anger.
Zhan turned and walked back toward the kitchen like someone walking to his sentence.
A moment later, Yiming followed him.
"How can some random guy just walk in and stare at what's mine however he wants, Zhan?" he demanded.
Zhan replied softly, "Yiming-ge, don't forget we're living communally here. This is America. It's not my apartment alone. I can't control who comes in and out."
Yiming's voice rose. "And so what? Did I ever say I can't afford to rent a place for you alone? If you weren't scared of living by yourself, do you think you'd still be sharing an apartment? Do you think I can't afford a full apartment just for you?"
Zhan's whole body began to tremble at the way Yiming was speaking to him so fiercely. He was breathing heavily, and his eyes had darkened in a way that always terrified Zhan. Tears started rolling down his cheeks as his voice shook.
"You're starting again… aren't you?" he whispered.
Yiming grabbed his hand, his face tight with anger, and dragged him out of the kitchen. Zhan broke into quiet sobs as they returned to the living room.
"How can I not start?" Yiming snapped. "I come here and see some random guy living under the same roof with you! Why didn't you tell me your housemate brings men into this house so I could find another arrangement for you? Why don't you ever think ahead? Do you even use your head?"
Zhan sank onto the couch, crying harder, curling into himself. Yiming sat down too, still breathing hard. The only sound in the room was Zhan's broken sobbing.
After a few minutes, Yiming moved closer and pulled him up, drawing him into his chest. The scent of his cologne filled Zhan's nose, and he swallowed his sobs, eyes wide and glassy.
Gently, Yiming began stroking his arm. His voice dropped.
"I'm sorry, baby… but if you had told me, I would've gotten you another apartment."
Zhan tried to pull away, struggling to free himself from Yiming's grip, but Yiming tightened his hold, anger flashing across his face.
"Why do you always act so primitive, Zhan? When will you grow out of that small-town mindset? What's the meaning of this nonsense? Aren't we engaged? Didn't we already sign the marriage papers? Just because we haven't taken them to court yet doesn't mean they're not real."
He shot Zhan a sharp glare and continued,
"You were the one who begged me to wait until you finished university so we could have a proper ceremony before registering everything legally. Whether you like it or not, we are practically married. I'm your husband, and you're mine. Stop deceiving yourself by telling people we're just engaged."
Zhan refused to meet his eyes. His voice was barely audible.
"But… you promised. And yet you keep...."
"So fucking what if I break a promise?" Yiming barked. "Do you think I'm scared of you? Or is there someone else who thinks he can have you?"
"I'll go make your black tea," Zhan said quickly, almost pleading, trying to step away.
Yiming stood abruptly and yanked him back so hard he nearly stumbled. He tore off his long coat and tossed it aside.
"I'm beginning to think you take me for granted just because I tolerate you."
Zhan shrank into himself, tears pooling again in his eyes. He was wearing only a small pair of shorts and a vest, which was why he had kept the jacket on earlier. Yiming gripped him tightly again.
Zhan's voice trembled as he began crying openly. "Please… stop. This isn't what we agreed on. You're not keeping your promise."
Yiming stared at him, provoked by his resistance. He hadn't intended to go beyond comforting him, but anger clouded his judgment. He leaned in, trying to kiss him.
Zhan resisted, struggling and crying as he tried to push him away.
At that exact moment, his housemate walked into the living room.
I-Bo took in the scene in a second....Zhan struggling, Yiming gripping him. Without hesitation, he strode over and grabbed Yiming, pulling him back.
"Hey! This is America, man. What kind of behavior is this?" he demanded sharply.
Yiming stood up slowly, staring at him in disbelief. Without warning, he punched I-Bo twice in the chest and grabbed him by the collar.
"Are you insane? How dare you interfere?"
Zhan's eyes widened in shock. He rushed forward and grabbed Yiming's arm.
I-Bo stood still, staring at Yiming without blinking, not even attempting to fight back.
Through trembling lips, Zhan said, "He's my boyfriend. I don't think you have any problem with that. Who are you to interfere? You have no right!"
I-Bo lowered his gaze briefly, as if reconsidering.
"My mistake. I'm sorry," he said calmly. "I thought you were in danger. I was only here to drop off some books. I apologize."
Zhan looked at him sharply. "Do I know you from anywhere that gives you the right to intrude?"
I-Bo shook his head. "Not at all. I'm sorry."
He glanced at Yiming and bowed his head slightly. "Sorry, man."
He placed the book on the table and walked out of the living room.
Only then did Zhan realize he had been half-dressed the entire time.
He collapsed to the floor, leaning his head against the couch, crying softly as a sharp ache pounded in his head.
Yiming gave him one last heated look, still breathing hard. Without another word, he grabbed his phone and stormed out of the apartment.
Zhan watched him leave, tears streaming down his face. He rushed to the window and looked outside. His housemate's car was already gone. Down the street, he could see Yiming walking away quickly.
Zhan returned to the living room, wiping his tears. He grabbed his jacket and hurried into his room, closing the door behind him.
:
:
By around nine that night, Zhan still hadn't moved from the spot on the carpet where he sat. A dull headache throbbed behind his eyes.
He slowly reached for his phone. He had wanted to call Yiming for hours, but fear kept stopping him. Finally, he gathered the courage and dialed his number. The call rang… then ended.
No answer.
He tried again. Still nothing.
He already knew Yiming might not pick up.
Zhan placed the phone down and lay beside his bed, fresh tears sliding down his face.
****
The next morning, despite feeling unwell and lightheaded, Zhan forced himself to get ready for school. He put on his face mask and left the apartment.
He had been at school for almost an hour before Yu-Bin arrived. Yu-Bin sat beside him and looked around.
"Why are you sitting here alone? Is the lecturer not around?"
Zhan lowered his eyes without answering.
Yu-Bin gently pulled down his mask...and immediately noticed his swollen eyes.
"What's wrong, Zhan? Have you been crying? Is something wrong at home?"
Zhan shook his head, but tears gathered again in his eyes.
"Please, tell me what happened. Is everything okay?" Yu-Bin asked, worry rising in his voice.
"Yiming came," Zhan whispered.
Yu-Bin's eyes widened. "Yiming? When? What did he do?"
"He came yesterday evening."
"What did he come for? What happened?" Yu-Bin asked quickly. A troubling thought crossed his mind. He grabbed Zhan's hand anxiously. "He didn't hurt you, did he? Did he sleep at your place?"
Zhan shook his head. "No."
Yu-Bin released a breath of relief. "Then why are you crying? Did he insult you again?"
Zhan sniffed quietly. "He met my housemate."
Yu-Bin's mouth fell open. "Inside the apartment? You couldn't just tell him he was a guest? He doesn't even know Nancy moved out. What did you say?"
"I told him he was Nancy's friend… that I had never seen him before. But you know how Yiming is. He even fought with him."
"Fought? Over what?"
Zhan hesitated. "He tried to kiss me. I refused. Then my housemate walked in and saw what was happening. He stepped in… and that's how they started arguing. Yiming hit him. Hard."
"Oh no…Did your housemate fight back?"
Zhan shook his head. "No. He just apologized."
Yu-Bin frowned. "Honestly, sometimes Yiming behaves like he's not thinking clearly. He meets someone and immediately becomes aggressive. And if he was coming, why couldn't he at least inform you instead of just showing up like that?"
"I told you to tell him I wasn't feeling well," Zhan said quietly. "That's why he came. If I had known, I wouldn't have said that."
Yu-Bin went silent for a moment, realizing they shouldn't have encouraged Yiming to come at all.
"What about your housemate? He wasn't seriously hurt, right?"
Zhan wiped his eyes again. "You know what's really bothering me?"
Yu-Bin shook his head.
"The things I said to him… He was only trying to protect me because it looked like Yiming was forcing himself on me. But I pushed him away and said those harsh things because I didn't want Yiming to suspect that we knew each other. I had already told him he was Nancy's friend and that I'd never seen him before."
Yu-Bin stared at him. "What exactly did you say to him?"
Slowly, Zhan repeated the hurtful words he had used. Yu-Bin looked at him with frustration.
"And after all that, did Yiming at least show you any understanding?"
Zhan shook his head. "He walked out. I called him twice last night. He didn't answer. He hasn't called back either."
Yu-Bin clicked his tongue in annoyance. "If he does call, don't even pick up. And your housemate...have you seen him since yesterday?"
Zhan's voice grew softer. "He hasn't come back home since he left."
"Then call him. That man deserves better than how he was treated."
Zhan's eyes filled with tears again. "I don't have his number."
"You don't have his number?"
"No. Even when I was traveling to China, he only connected me to someone else and gave me that person's contact. He never gave me his."
Yu-Bin sighed deeply. "Just go home. Maybe he'll be back, and you can apologize. And don't you dare call Yiming again."
Despite everything, Zhan managed a faint smile at Yu-Bin's seriousness.
He left school shortly after, while Yu-Bin stayed behind but told him to call if anything happened...especially if Yiming returned.
Throughout the day, Zhan waited, but his housemate didn't come home. By eight in the evening, there was still no sign of him.
Zhan couldn't relax. His thoughts refused to settle. Strangely, he wasn't even thinking about Yiming anymore. Since Yu-Bin told him not to call, he had tried to let it go.
But he was deeply unsettled about his housemate's absence.
He wished he had his number.
Around ten o'clock, his phone vibrated. He picked it up slowly and saw Yu-Bin's name on the screen. Yu-Bin had called him six times since morning.
"Is he back?" Yu-Bin asked immediately.
Zhan shook his head, though Yu-Bin couldn't see him. "No. He hasn't returned."
Yu-Bin sighed. "Maybe he'll come tomorrow. Please try to calm down."
Zhan stayed silent.
"Don't stress yourself too much, okay? Did you eat?"
"Yes," Zhan replied quietly.
"Good. Try to get some rest. Good night."
"Good night."
They hung up.
Zhan placed his phone beside him and closed his eyes, even though he knew sleep wouldn't come.
⏭ ⏭ ⏭
Early the next morning, Zhan called Yu-Bin and told him he wouldn't be coming to school because he wanted to sleep. Yu-Bin already knew Zhan probably hadn't slept well the night before. He was even surprised at how deeply Zhan could let things weigh on his mind.
"Alright," Yu-Bin said. "After our classes, I'll come by. Maybe in the evening."
"Okay… thank you," Zhan replied.
They ended the call, and Zhan placed his phone aside before lying back down.
Around four in the afternoon, Zhan finally woke up. He went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and took a shower. When he came out, he realized he hadn't eaten anything since morning. In fact, it had been almost three days since he'd had a proper meal...ever since the incident a few days ago.
After changing into light clothes, he walked into the living room and then to the kitchen. He made a simple cup of tea and returned to his room.
He pulled his laptop closer and turned it on, thinking maybe watching a movie would calm his mind. But after a moment, he changed his mind and picked up his study papers instead.
Even then, nothing made sense. The words blurred together.
With a sigh, he closed the papers and leaned his head against the side of the bed, closing his eyes while countless thoughts ran through his mind. It wasn't even that Yiming hadn't answered his calls or called him back. The truth was… he didn't even know what exactly was bothering him anymore.
After a long while, he exhaled deeply and opened his eyes. He picked up his phone and opened WeChat.
Yiming had updated his status a few hours earlier.
Zhan opened the photo. It showed Yiming back in China, standing on a soccer field with several friends, all wearing jerseys. Zhan wasn't surprised at all. Someone like Yiming could easily leave without saying a word. When he hadn't heard from him for three days, Zhan had already suspected he'd gone back.
Just then, he heard a door open...the room directly opposite his.
His heart dropped.
His housemate had finally returned.
He glanced at the time on his phone. It was already past five. Zhan set the phone down and sat there, staring ahead. Fifteen minutes passed after his housemate had entered his room.
Finally, Zhan stood up, though his body felt weak. Slowly, he walked toward his door and stepped into the corridor.
He stood there staring at his housemate's door, his heart pounding. He didn't have the courage to walk all the way to it. After standing there for a few minutes, he closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again and forced himself to move.
Step by step, he approached the door.
When he reached it, he hesitated before gently knocking...almost as if he were afraid of the door itself. Then he stepped slightly aside, waiting for a response.
Silence.
He knocked again, just as softly.
Another minute passed, and still no answer. The only thought that crossed his mind was that maybe his housemate was asleep. But sleeping this early in the evening?
Without thinking too much, Zhan slowly reached for the door handle and opened it carefully, his heart beating hard.
Inside the room, he saw him.
I-Bo was sitting on the edge of his bed, working on his laptop. It looked like he was finishing the same task he had been working on the day he left the apartment.
I-Bo lifted his head and looked at Zhan for a moment before calmly returning to his work.
Zhan felt terrible.
So he had heard the knocking all along.
If he had known, he would never have opened the door.
I-Bo stood up slowly and said, "Good evening, Sean."
Zhan didn't answer. He couldn't even bring himself to look at him.
"You heard me knocking… and you didn't answer?" Zhan said quietly.
I-Bo raised his eyebrows slightly. "Why should I? I thoughts it was your boyfriend again, Sean?"
Zhan's eyes filled with tears instantly. He turned and walked away from the doorway, closing I-Bo's door behind him before returning to his own room.
I-Bo simply sat back down and continued working on his laptop.
Meanwhile, the moment Zhan entered his room, he began crying again....without even understanding why. He felt deeply hurt and regretted going to I-Bo's room in the first place.
He stayed there for a long time, until nearly six o'clock, when he heard a gentle knock on his door.
He lifted his head and looked at the door, his expression tightening.
A moment later, the door opened slightly, and I-Bo stood at the entrance.
"I was finishing a PowerPoint presentation," he said calmly. "How are you doing, housemate?"
Zhan lowered his gaze. "I'm fine."
"You didn't go to school today?"
Zhan nodded faintly, looking away.
"Why?"
"Nothing," Zhan replied quietly.
"Alright," I-Bo said. "I hope everything is okay."
Only then did Zhan glance up at him before quickly looking away again, afraid the tears building in his eyes might spill over.
After about ten seconds of silence, I-Bo spoke again.
"Was that the same guy you were arguing with on the phone before?"
Zhan couldn't answer at first. Finally, with a trembling voice, he said, "I'm sorry about what happened."
I-Bo blinked in surprise. "It's fine, Sean. Nothing really happened. But… where did you meet him?"
Zhan remained silent, wiping the tears from his eyes.
"Am I intruding?" I-Bo asked.
Zhan shook his head.
"Alright," I-Bo said gently. "If you're comfortable… maybe we can talk."
Zhan stayed quiet for a moment, thinking.
"…Okay," he finally said softly.
"Then meet me in the living room."
I-Bo turned and walked away.
When Zhan came out to the living room, I-Bo wasn't there yet. Zhan sat down on the couch, lost in thought. In the past three days, he had grown noticeably thinner.
A few minutes later, I-Bo walked in from the kitchen holding a cup of coffee.
He sat down across from Zhan and studied him carefully.
"You look pale, housemate," he said. "Are you okay? Did he do something to you?"
Zhan lifted his head and looked at him, then slowly shook it.
"He left right after you did."
"Oh really?" I-Bo said. "That's strange."
Zhan remained silent. I-Bo gave a faint smile and set the cup of coffee in his hand down on the table.
"But you haven't been eating," he said.
Zhan still didn't respond, only watching him quietly.
"It looks like it's been a while since you cooked anything in the kitchen," I-Bo continued. "So what exactly have you been eating at home?"
Zhan lowered his eyes. I-Bo could clearly see how troubled he looked.
"So… he hasn't come back since the day he left?"
"Mm," Zhan murmured.
I-Bo glanced at his wristwatch.
"Do you mind if I take you out for dinner?"
Zhan stared at him without blinking, saying nothing.
I-Bo stood up. "Get ready. Let me get my car keys."
With that, he walked toward his room. Zhan watched him leave.
For more than three minutes, Zhan remained seated in the living room, contemplating whether he should go out with him or not.
What if Yiming never actually left the country… what if he only uploaded an old picture to his status?
The thought alone sent a shiver through him.
While he was still lost in that thought, I-Bo returned from his room. The moment he stepped into the living room, Zhan stood up and walked past him without letting their eyes meet, heading straight into his own room.
He changed his clothes and then sat on the edge of his bed, lost in different thoughts.
After about fifteen minutes, I-Bo knocked on his door.
"Are you not ready yet, Housemate?" he called.
Slowly, Zhan stood up, picked up his phone, walked to the door, opened it, and stepped out.
I-Bo was already back in the living room waiting for him.
As soon as Zhan entered, I-Bo looked at him.
"Were you contemplating inside the room?"
Zhan didn't realize when a faint smile slipped onto his face, but he still didn't say anything.
"Let's go," I-Bo said. "It's already past six."
I-Bo walked toward the door first, and Zhan followed behind him.
I-Bo stood by the door after stepping outside and waited until Zhan came out of the living room. Then he locked the door and looked at him.
"Why so much deodorant, Housemate?"
Zhan shot him a look. "Did I tell you I used any?"
I-Bo didn't answer. Instead, he headed toward the garage while Zhan followed slowly behind.
Zhan actually hadn't applied any perfume recently...only the scent from earlier when he took his bath. If I-Bo smelled anything, it must have been from his clothes.
I-Bo opened the car door for him before he even reached the car, then walked around and got into the driver's seat to wait for him.
Once Zhan got in, they left the garage.
I-Bo drove him to a large, well-known restaurant in Baltimore. After parking the car, Zhan looked up and saw the name written boldly outside:
The Capital Grille.
I-Bo stepped out first, and Zhan followed.
They walked inside together.
I-Bo offered him a seat at the table. After Zhan sat down, he sat opposite him and picked up the food menu on the table, pointing to the one near Zhan.
"Take a look and see what you'd like to eat."
Zhan didn't pick up the menu.
"I'm talking to you, Housemate," I-Bo said.
Without looking at him, Zhan replied quietly, "Anything is fine."
"Alright."
While Zhan tapped on his phone, I-Bo ordered their food.
Zhan couldn't hide his surprise when he saw the amount of different dishes I-Bo ordered. It was almost like a small feast.
The meals were expensive too. Many of the dishes placed in front of them were things he had never even seen before, even though they were Western foods.
I-Bo also ordered nearly four different kinds of drinks.
Zhan finally looked at him and asked,
"Who is going to eat all of this?"
I-Bo picked up his Orange Crush and drank from it without answering.
After a while, he noticed Zhan hadn't started eating yet, while he himself had already begun eating calmly. He looked up at him.
"Is there nothing here that you like?"
Slowly, Zhan picked up a single taco.
I-Bo continued eating his food.
From the corner of his eye, Zhan watched him quietly. He noticed that just like he never joked about sleep, he also never joked about food.
He didn't even seem aware that someone was sitting in front of him...he was simply focused on eating.
Seeing that he wasn't watching him, Zhan relaxed a little and started eating as well, though not much. He ate only what he could manage and slowly sipped his drink.
Only then did I-Bo look up at him, after nearly finishing his meal.
"Should I ask them to pack your food so you can eat it at home?" he asked. "It looks like you're shy about eating in front of people… or should I give you some privacy?"
Zhan looked at him calmly.
"Privacy in an open restaurant? And who said I'm shy about eating?"
I-Bo raised his brows slightly.
"I noticed you only ate the taco, even though there's a lot of food in front of you."
Zhan lowered his eyes.
"I just like that one more."
I-Bo wiped his lips with a tissue, clearly full.
"Alright… so can I talk to you now?"
Zhan stayed silent for a few seconds before finally nodding slightly.
"Okay."
I-Bo finished the rest of his drink and then asked,
"Did you meet your boyfriend here in America… or in China?"
Zhan remained quiet for a moment before answering softly,
"In China."
"I see," I-Bo said. "But what do you think causes the problems between you two?"
Zhan shook his head.
"I don't know either."
"Did he come here from China because of you, or does he have business here?"
Zhan nodded slightly.
"He came because of me."
I-Bo adjusted his posture.
"Then he must really care about you. A lot, actually. He left everything he was doing and came all the way here just to see you."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"If I understand correctly… he doesn't like the idea of you sharing an apartment with another man in this country, right?"
Zhan didn't say anything. He simply played with the edge of the table.
I-Bo continued, "Honestly… he has a point. Even I wouldn't allow my partner to live in a shared apartment like that."
Zhan raised his head and looked at him.
"For now, try to make peace with him," I-Bo said calmly. "As for me, I'll think of another arrangement so things can stay peaceful between you and your boyfriend."
He paused before continuing.
"And here's my advice...before you two get married, try your best to make it clear what you won't tolerate in a relationship. There should be mutual understanding between both of you. He seems like a decent guy, though he clearly has a hot temper. I also noticed that insecurity might be one of the problems between you two. But you can gradually help him change, Sean."
He leaned back slightly.
"Anyway, the rest isn't really my business. I just wanted to remind you about some basic do's and don'ts in a relationship."
Zhan listened quietly without looking at him, trying to understand what he meant by his last statement.
When he suddenly went silent, Zhan lifted his large eyes to look at him. At the same time, he noticed the direction he was staring.
Three men had just entered the restaurant. All of them were Asian, though only one of them looked Chinese, his housemate look alike. The two non-Chinese men raised their hands respectfully toward his housemate, and he returned the greeting with a smile.
Zhan watched as the his housemate look alike began walking toward their table.
When he arrived, he looked at I-Bo and asked, "Finished with the PowerPoint?"
His perfume filled the air immediately.
I-Bo looked up at him. "So now you're here to eat too?"
The man shook his head. "Not really. I'm just picking up a steak for Legend. But I didn't expect to see you here."
I-Bo nodded. "Yeah, I came with a friend for dinner."
Zhan kept tapping on his phone. The man acted as if Zhan didn't exist, and Zhan also avoided looking in his direction.
I-Bo pointed toward their bill. "Go get that cleared."
The man turned and walked away with an air of confidence.
Zhan followed him with a quick sideways glance. He was wearing joggers and a white polo shirt.
Zhan returned his attention to his phone.
His housemate voice broke the silence.
"That's my close one, a cousin brother, Sean. We actually share the same name and even look alike."
Zhan lifted his head without interest. "Oh."
"Sorry about his attitude," he added. "He's not very friendly, but I promise he's a good person."
Zhan replied calmly, "Same with me."
I-Bo smiled slightly, then excused himself and walked over to where his brother and his friends was standing.
From where Zhan sat, he could clearly hear the man speaking.
"Where did you find that guy sitting there like a statue? He doesn't even greet people. The way he stares at others is just rude. Just like the other night when you brought him home at three in the morning...he sat in the car looking at everyone like a statue."
He clearly said it loud enough for Zhan to hear.
His housemate looked at him and replied calmly, "What do you mean he doesn't greet people? You met him there, didn't you? Did you talk to him and he ignored you?"
Instead of answering, the man said, "I took Legend to the veterinary clinic earlier."
I-Bo replied, "I hope he's doing better now."
The man said, "Let me clear the bill so we can head over to Mike's place."
His housemate shook his head. "No, go ahead. I'll drop my friend home first."
Zhan heard the man say sharply, "Seriously? Everyone becomes your 'friend.' Why are you lowering yourself so much, I-Bo?"
His housemate sighed. "Come on, A-Bo. That's a bit harsh."
A-Bo turned and walked away, leaving him standing there.
He returned to the table.
By then, Zhan had already stood up and was adjusting his shirt.
"Thanks for dinner," Zhan said without looking at him. "My friend just called me. I need to go home."
He frowned slightly. "You came here with me. How are you planning to get back alone?"
Zhan still avoided his gaze. "It looks like your responsible friends are here. So I'll just leave."
"Sean," he called.
Zhan looked up at him.
"Wait until I settle the bill and I'll drive you home."
Just then, one of the restaurant staff approached politely and informed them that their bill had already been paid.
I-Bo looked toward the restaurant entrance where A-Bo had disappeared. The two men who came with him followed shortly after.
Zhan didn't meet his housemate eyes again until they reached the parking area.
He got into the car first. Zhan entered afterward, quietly tapping on his phone.
He didn't start the car. Instead, he looked at him.
"Sean… I hope you're not offended."
Without looking up, Zhan replied, "Offended by what?"
He hesitated. "I'm not really sure."
Zhan clicked his tongue softly.
"I don't look like someone irresponsible enough to get offended by random comments from a stranger who doesn't even have basic manners. If anything, he's the irresponsible one. If he had said that directly to my face, he would have heard my response."
I-Bo stared at him in shock, completely speechless.
He hadn't realized Zhan had heard what A-Bo said. Nor did he expect Zhan to respond so bluntly.
After a few seconds, he spoke quietly.
"I'm really sorry about that, Sean. I didn't want you to feel upset. I brought you out to dinner because you seemed troubled, and I hoped it would help you feel better...not make things worse. Please ignore A-Bo's attitude. Sometimes he just has his moments, and i think today is one of days."
Zhan didn't say anything else, but he was trying hard not to cry.
His housemate started the car, and they left the restaurant.
He kept apologizing the whole way home as if he were the one who had insulted him.
When they arrived, Zhan went straight to his room.
About forty minutes later, Zhan stepped out of the shower and was choosing a sleeping outfit when he heard a knock on his door.
He quickly put on a bathrobe and opened the door.
His housemate was standing there.
"Good night, Sean," he said softly. "Try to relax and get some rest. Don't forget to go to school tomorrow."
Zhan lowered his eyes and said nothing.
"Take care," he added before turning to leave.
Only after he had walked a few steps away did Zhan raise his head and call out softly.
"Thank you… for…"
He paused.
His housemate turned back. "For what?"
Zhan lowered his head slightly. "For dinner."
He smiled faintly.
"My pleasure, Sean."
Zhan hesitated before speaking again.
"But… I don't… know your name."
He raised his brows.
"Really? I introduced myself the first day I moved in. Maybe you forgot. My name is Wang Yibo. My friends and family call me I-Bo."
Zhan stared at him without blinking.
He asked lightly, "Is that okay?"
Zhan lowered his gaze again.
"Alright. I really appreciate it."
He gave him a warm smile.
"See you tomorrow."
With that, he left.
Zhan watched him until he completely exited the house. Only then did he slowly return to his room and close the door behind him.
💚💙❤🖤