Around ten in the morning, Zhan was lying on his bed with his eyes closed. He wasn't sleeping, though.
After a moment, he heard someone knocking on the door.
At first he felt too weak to get up, but eventually he forced himself out of bed. Moving slowly, he walked to the living room and looked through the window. It was his housemate.
He opened the door.
"I'm sorry if I woke you," I-Bo said. "I forgot my key at home."
Zhan avoided looking directly at him and said quietly, "Good morning."
"Good morning. How are you feeling now?" I-Bo asked.
Zhan turned and walked back toward the living room. "I'm fine."
I-Bo watched him for a moment before stepping inside.
Just as Zhan was about to return to his room, I-Bo called out, "Sean."
Zhan stopped.
After a few seconds he turned slightly, though he still avoided eye contact.
I-Bo looked at him carefully and walked closer.
"What happened?" he asked.
Zhan simply shook his head.
At the same moment, tears began slipping down his face.
I-Bo looked away for a few seconds before turning back again. Then he pointed at a chair.
"Sit."
Zhan walked over and sat down.
I-Bo sat opposite him, studying his face.
"Tell me what's wrong."
Zhan lowered his head.
"Are you sick?" I-Bo asked.
Zhan shook his head again.
"Is it that boyfriend of yours?"
Zhan couldn't answer. More tears fell from his eyes, and suddenly he broke down crying.
I-Bo stood up in frustration.
"Who even introduced you to that man? Why did you let him know your weak point? Why are you always crying because of him? Is he happy making you miserable like this?"
Zhan kept crying quietly.
For nearly two minutes I-Bo said nothing, though it was clear he was irritated.
Finally he spoke again.
"If you want to focus on your studies, then do it properly. Give that so-called boyfriend some space. Your exams are around the corner."
Only then did Zhan look up at him. His eyes were red.
I-Bo's tone softened.
"I'm sorry, housemate. I'll keep you in my prayers. I hope you find a solution to whatever this is. I can't interfere because I don't know how long you've known him or what connects the two of you had. But I promise I'll remember you in my prayers, Sean."
Zhan nodded faintly.
Then he stood up and said softly,
"Thank you."
He turned and went back to his room.
I-Bo returned to the couch and sat down, still thinking about what he had seen. He couldn't understand how deeply Zhan seemed to love that man, to the point that he kept enduring the way Yiming treated him. All Zhan ever did was cry because of him.
If Zhan had been his younger brother, he would have beaten both him and that boyfriend and separated them forever.
He felt genuine pity for Zhan. Whatever kind of love this was, it was strong enough for Zhan to tolerate so much pain. And it was obvious that Yiming was taking advantage of that.
After a while, I-Bo stood up and walked into the kitchen.
Just as he suspected, Zhan hadn't eaten breakfast. The kitchen looked untouched.
He opened the refrigerator and saw the food Yu-Bin had brought the night before. He warmed it in the microwave, prepared a cup of tea, and carried everything to Zhan's room.
He knocked before entering.
Zhan looked at him as he walked in and placed the food on the table.
"Thank you," Zhan said quietly.
I-Bo simply nodded.
Zhan watched him leave the room.
A little before noon, Zhan's phone began vibrating.
He picked it up and saw that Yiming was calling.
Zhan lowered his eyes before answering. He placed the phone to his ear but didn't say anything.
"Zhan…" Yiming said from the other end.
Zhan couldn't respond. Tears began forming again.
"Can you hear me?" Yiming asked.
"Mm," Zhan replied softly.
"How was your night?"
Zhan wiped his tears. "It was fine."
From that day on, Zhan began avoiding anything that could lead to arguments with Yiming.
For the sake of his own peace of mind, he simply went along with whatever Yiming wanted. Even if Yiming scolded him over the phone, Zhan would remain silent until he finished speaking, then apologize.
If Yiming didn't call him, Zhan would call first.
Surprisingly, doing this gave him some peace and allowed him to concentrate on his studies.
But whenever he thought about how attentive his housemate was....always checking if he was alright...he couldn't help feeling that he deserved better treatment than what Yiming gave him.
Days passed like this, and their exams were only a few days away.
:
:
One Wednesday morning, Zhan was in the kitchen when he heard someone knocking at the door.
Since he was expecting Yu-Bin, he walked over and opened it.
Yu-Bin stepped inside.
"I thought I'd find you still asleep," he said.
Zhan replied softly, "No, I'm in the kitchen."
Yu-Bin frowned slightly.
"Why are you whispering?"
"My housemate is sleeping," Zhan whispered.
Yu-Bin stared at him in surprise, then held his chin thoughtfully.
"Seriously? Are you guarding his sleep or something?"
Zhan frowned.
"I'm not guarding him. He only came home recently. He usually sleeps during the day because he says he stays awake at night."
Yu-Bin couldn't stop smiling.
Zhan shot him an annoyed look and went back into the kitchen.
Yu-Bin followed and sat on a chair, still smiling.
After a moment Zhan returned and whispered again,
"Maybe we should go outside so you can fix my hair. The hair dryer will be too loud if we use it here."
Yu-Bin widened his eyes.
"Outside? Is there even a socket there?"
"I'll plug an extension cord into the kitchen outlet and pass it through the window," Zhan said. "There's also a tap in the garden, so we can wash my hair there."
Yu-Bin only smiled and said nothing.
Zhan did exactly as he said, determined not to wake I-Bo with the noise.
What he didn't realize was that I-Bo wasn't sleeping at all...he was working on his laptop.
When Zhan and Yu-Bin moved to the small garden behind the kitchen, Zhan placed his shampoo and conditioner down and loosened his hair.
Yu-Bin stared at it in disbelief.
"Wow… I hope the shampoo and conditioner will even be enough for this."
Zhan frowned.
"What does that mean? Are you washing a blanket?"
Yu-Bin laughed.
"What's the difference between this and a blanket? The only difference is that it's attached to your head. Honestly, it even looks longer than before."
"It didn't," Zhan replied. "It's always been like this."
Yu-Bin began washing his hair.
They spent a long time doing it. Afterward Yu-Bin used the dryer to dry it.
Meanwhile, I-Bo walked into the kitchen to make coffee. Through the kitchen window he could see them in the garden.
He stared in confusion.
Was that really Zhan's hair?
It was long, thick, and completely black.
For a moment he couldn't believe it.
He shook his head and returned to making his coffee.
Zhan suddenly heard movement in the kitchen. When he glanced through the window and saw I-Bo inside, he quickly grabbed his cap and covered his head.
Yu-Bin watched him curiously.
Zhan stepped closer to the window.
"You woke up early today," he said.
I-Bo turned toward him.
"It's almost noon."
Zhan's eyes widened. He hadn't realized how much time had passed.
"What are you doing out here?" I-Bo asked.
"I'm with my friend Yu-Bin."
"Alright. Send him my regards," I-Bo replied, returning to what he was doing.
Zhan went back to Yu-Bin.
After drying and stretching his hair, Yu-Bin finally finished.
"You know what, Zhan," he said, "come to our place later. Your hair is too long....I should trim it."
Then he suddenly frowned.
"I think my period is coming. I should go home."
"Really?" Zhan asked.
"Yes," Yu-Bin replied. "I'd better leave before it starts."
"Alright," Zhan said. "But at least let me cook some noodles before you go."
"No, I can't eat right now," Yu-Bin said. "I feel uncomfortable."
"Okay," Zhan said softly.
Yu-Bin added,
"And please remember...I already told Hailong-ge that you'll come to the house on Sunday. Since exams start Monday, you can stay there for a couple of days before his husband starts showing his temper again."
He looked at Zhan seriously.
"You heard him yourself....he asked you to come stay there. Even if it's just for two days, please come."
Zhan sighed softly.
"I swear it's not that I don't want to go, or that I ignored what he said, Yu-Bin. I just don't want any issues with his husband. I don't want any problems."
Yu-Bin nodded.
"I know. That's why I said you should just come for two days. At least then he can't say you ignored him. On Sunday, just pack a few of your things and come over. Maybe in the end I'll move back there too so we can study together. Honestly, I doubt you'll even stay the full two days before his husband starts creating trouble. So relax...you're not really moving in. Same for me."
Zhan fell silent, thinking.
Hailong had personally messaged him twice on WhatsApp asking him to come back to the house, and each time Zhan had only replied that he would come before the exams. Yu-Bin had also reminded him several times.
In the end, Zhan thought perhaps he should just go for those two days...at least it wouldn't seem like he was ignoring them.
After Yu-Bin ordered an Uber, Zhan walked him outside.
When Zhan returned to the living room, he saw his housemate I-Bo dressed and ready to leave.
I-Bo looked at him curiously.
"So that was really all your hair? Or were you wearing extensions, Sean?"
Zhan looked up at him, realizing he must have seen them earlier.
"Extensions?" he repeated quietly.
"So it's really yours?" I-Bo said. "It just didn't look real to me. Sorry."
Zhan gave a small smile but didn't answer.
After a moment, I-Bo added, still looking serious,
"Doesn't it bother you though? I mean, isn't it uncomfortable? That much hair?"
"How?" Zhan asked.
"Maybe you should cut it...at least half of it," I-Bo said. "You'd feel lighter. That much hair is a burden, Sean. It's too much. Your friend even had to help you wash it because you couldn't do it alone. All this time I thought the it was the cap you wearing.... I never imagined it was actually that long."
Zhan smiled faintly without realizing it.
"But I'm not complaining," he said calmly. "And it doesn't feel heavy to me."
(The truths was...ever since he meet Yiming, he asked him not to cut his hair again, he told him he like long hair. So Zhan comes to terms with it after much struggling and feeling uncomfortable.)
I-Bo widened his eyes slightly.
"Oh… my mistake then."
He paused before continuing,
"Anyway, I hope you're studying well for your exams. They start in a few days, right? Monday, I think?"
Zhan nodded.
"Then I wish you the very best of luck, Sean."
"Thank you," Zhan said softly.
"See you later."
Zhan nodded again as I-Bo walked toward the door and left the apartment.
⏭ ⏭
That afternoon, after Yu-Bin called several times reminding him about the haircut, Zhan finally got ready.
He picked up his handbag and house keys. The Uber he ordered arrived, and he locked the apartment before leaving.
While he was on the way, Yu-Bin called again.
"I'm already on my way," Zhan said.
"If you don't come today, your hair will stay like that," Yu-Bin warned. "I won't have time to cut it once exams start."
Zhan only smiled. He knew Yu-Bin simply wanted him to come over.
Around four o'clock, he arrived and got out of the car.
He walked slowly toward the apartment and rang the doorbell.
The door opened almost immediately.
Zhan's heart sank when he saw Peng standing there.
He lowered his eyes politely.
"Good afternoon."
Peng replied coldly, "Who are you looking for?"
"I came to see Yu-Bin," Zhan answered.
"He's not here," Peng said bluntly. "You can turn around and leave."
Zhan simply stared at him without blinking.
Just then Yu-Bin rushed out of a room, breathing heavily.
"So you came to see him and you're just standing there listening to him? Why didn't you push past him and come inside?" he snapped.
Zhan stared at Yu-Bin in disbelief. Push the owner of the house aside?
Peng turned angrily toward Yu-Bin.
"If the house belongs to your father or his, then let's see you bring him here."
Yu-Bin threw his phone onto the couch.
"I only kept quiet earlier because of my cousin. But now he's not here...I'll deal with you properly."
Zhan was shocked, watching the scene unfold.
Peng stepped closer to Yu-Bin and began insulting him loudly, just like he had done earlier that day in front of his husband.
At that time Hailong had only apologized to Yu-Bin without taking any action.
Yu-Bin had been holding his anger since then.
Zhan suddenly saw Yu-Bin grab Peng by the collar in a burst of rage.
Before anyone could react, they began fighting.
"Damn it… what are you doing?"
Zhan cried as he rushed toward them. "Please stop!"
Peng's young son sitting nearby started screaming.
Zhan tried to separate them but was shoved aside so hard that he nearly fell.
Realizing he couldn't stop them, he quickly pulled out his phone and searched for Hailong's number.
Just as he was about to call, he saw Peng grabbing a flower vase, ready to smash it over Yu-Bin's head.
Zhan rushed forward and snatched the vase away.
But Yu-Bin took advantage of the moment, grabbed the vase from Zhan's hands, and smashed it against Peng's forehead.
Blood appeared immediately.
Even that didn't stop the fight.
When Zhan finally managed to call Hailong, he was already on his way home.
Within minutes, he arrived and rushed inside.
He pulled them apart after they had already scratched and bruised each other badly.
Peng burst into tears and lunged toward Zhan.
"You gave him the vase to hit me!" he shouted. "I'll deal with you too!"
Hailong slapped Peng immediately.
"Have you lost your mind?" he shouted. "What are you trying to turn me into in this country?"
Zhan stood there frozen in shock.
Yu-Bin, still breathing heavily, muttered angrily, "Shameless idiot…"
Before he could finish the sentence, Hailong raised his hand to slap him too.
Yu-Bin quickly stepped aside, glaring back.
Peng grabbed his child and shouted through tears,
"You have to choose today...either me or Yu-Bin in this house! If not, I'll leave and you can stay here with him!"

Hailong
Yu-Bin let out a deep breath. At least he had managed to hit Peng back.
Hailong sat down on the couch, holding his head in frustration.
Meanwhile, Zhan quietly turned and walked out of the living room.
He wished he had never come.
If he had known something like this would happen, he would never have left his apartment.
Yu-Bin tried to follow him, but Hailong shouted,
"Don't you dare step out of this house!"
Yu-Bin burst into tears.
"I'm tired, Hailong-ge! I'm really tired of this. Earlier today your husband insulted me and you told me to ignore it. Now my friend comes to visit me and he starts insulting us again and even fights me?"
"Go to your room," Hailong said firmly.
But Zhan had already left the house.
That same day around five-thirty, Yu-Bin came to Zhan's apartment.
After they sat down in the living room, Zhan looked at him and sighed.
"I feel bad about what happened today, Bin. Honestly, I wish I hadn't gone there."
Yu-Bin shook his head.
"I was already angry earlier....that's why I kept calling you to come over. After I finished fixing your hair and went home, that man started insulting me in front of his husband just because I threw away some leftover soup from the kitchen."
He scoffed.
"And it wasn't even real soup...just a sour spoonful left in the pot. I washed the pot and cooked noodles for myself before coming to your place. Hailong-ge told me to ignore it and go to my room."
Yu-Bin continued angrily,
"And later when you came, he started again, insulting us like we were nothing. Honestly, I wanted to knock out a couple of his teeth. But I'll endure for now. Before I finish studying in this country, I'll definitely deal with him."
He sighed.
"Ever since the day Hailong-ge and I brought you food about three weeks ago, he's hated me even more. He still thinks something is going on between you and Hailong-ge. We barely even talk to in that house now."
Zhan gently held his hand.
"Please just be patient, Bin. One day all this will just be a story. If I were you, I wouldn't even respond to him."
Yu-Bin snorted.
"Not everyone has a heart as soft as yours."
Then he added angrily,
"If he tells me something, I'll answer him right back. Who does he think he is trying to come between me and Hailong-ge? Hailong is my cousin. Our families are closely related. Maybe nobody has ever explained that properly to him."
He shook his head.
"Honestly, if I reported the way that man treats me at home, something would have been done long ago. But I'll just wait until I finish here and go back to China."
Zhan sighed.
"To be honest, you also have your own part in this, Yu-Bin. When you live in someone's house, you should help with small things like cleaning or washing dishes. If someone came to your house and did nothing but eat the food you cooked, you wouldn't feel happy either."
He continued gently,
"Sometimes anger brings out the worst in people. Maybe some of his behavior is triggered by frustration."
Yu-Bin suddenly interrupted him.
"Oh, so you're defending him now, Zhan?"
His voice became sharp.
"You're saying everything he did is right?"
He stood up angrily.
"You've never supported anyone when they're struggling. Whenever someone tells you their problems, you just make them feel worse. I've always supported you no matter what...even with Yiming, whom you complain about every day. Haven't you ever thought that you also have flaws?"
He grabbed his bag.
"Coming here was a mistake. I should have gone straight to Sandra's place instead of letting you ruin my mood."
He stormed toward the door.
"Yu-Bin..." Zhan called after him.
But Yu-Bin ignored him, slammed the door, and left.
Zhan stood there quietly for a moment before sitting down again.
He sighed softly.
"Well… that's that."
✴✴✴
On Saturday morning around eleven, Zhan finished the laundry he had been doing in the bathroom and stepped out.
In the living room's reading book, he found his housemate I-Bo sitting with several textbooks, going through them carefully.
After a few seconds, I-Bo picked up the one he needed and walked back into the living room. Looking at Zhan, he asked,
"So you've finished already?"
Zhan simply nodded and began tidying the living room.
It was the first time he had seen I-Bo dressed in traditional Chinese clothing...pure white garments that made him look unusually calm and elegant.
After a moment, I-Bo spoke again.
"Hope you're studying well, Sean."
Zhan nodded again.
"Alright. See you later," I-Bo said.
Before he could leave, Zhan looked at him and asked,
"Are you Chinese?"
I-Bo blinked in surprise.
"Why do you ask?"
"I just thought you might be from Thailand… or Japan… maybe the Philippines."
I-Bo laughed lightly.
"So now that you've teased me back, everything is fine?"
Zhan didn't respond. He simply turned and walked toward his room.
I-Bo picked up his car keys and headed toward the door.
Only after he had left did Zhan return to the living room. He walked to the window and slightly opened the drapes to look at the garage.
Seeing that I-Bo had already driven away, he went back to finishing his chores.
:
:
Around five in the evening, Zhan was in the kitchen cooking while talking on the phone with Yiming.
Yiming had called nearly forty minutes earlier, and they were still talking.
Recently their conversations had been calmer. Yiming had even started treating him a little more gently. These days they talked two or sometimes three times a day, which still surprised Zhan...it felt unlike the man he used to know.
Even now, it was Yiming who had encouraged him to cook dinner, because Zhan hadn't planned on cooking at all.
For the past few weeks, I-Bo had been bringing takeaway meals for dinner...and sometimes even lunch.
Because of that, Zhan had grown lazy about going into the kitchen.
Breakfast was usually just tea and cookies, or bread if I-Bo bought some. Occasionally he ate fries with eggs or ketchup.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the living room door.
Zhan widened his eyes.
He knew it had to be I-Bo. Maybe he had forgotten his keys again...or misplaced them, which happened often.
He glanced at his phone on the kitchen cabinet. Yiming was still on the line, and the phone was on speaker.
Nervously, he said,
"Can you excuse me for a moment? I'll call you back in two minutes."
"Why?" Yiming asked sharply.
"What are you doing? Is my call preventing you from doing something?"
"No!" Zhan replied quickly, not wanting to upset him.
Then more quietly he added,
"I just want to finish cooking. I'm almost done."
"But my call isn't stopping you from doing that," Yiming said. "The phone is just there. Continue your work."
Another knock came.
Zhan was certain it was I-Bo...the rhythm of the knocking was familiar.
He looked at his phone.
"Alright then," he said.
Yiming continued talking.
Carefully, Zhan picked up the phone and stepped out of the kitchen, almost tiptoeing as if afraid the sound of his footsteps would be heard.
He walked to the door and opened it while raising a finger to his lips, signaling the person outside to stay quiet.
But the moment the door opened...His entire body froze.
Slowly, the finger slid away from his lips as his eyes widened.
Standing there… was Yiming.
Zhan stared at him without blinking, his heart pounding violently.
He slowly removed the phone from his ear, looking shocked and speechless.
Calmly, Yiming said,
"Should I leave then?"
Zhan shook his head quickly.
"No...no, not at all! I… I was just surprised. Welcome."
He stepped aside quickly, his heart still racing.
Yiming ended the call on his phone and walked into the living room.
Zhan followed him with his eyes, still unable to believe what he was seeing. It felt almost like a dream.
He blinked several times to make sure.
But Yiming was still there.
After Yiming sat down, Zhan walked over slowly and crouched beside him.
"So… you've been in this city all this time?" he asked softly. "I'm really confused."
"Well, you can see me here," Yiming replied calmly. "If you don't believe it, you can touch me to be sure."
Zhan forced a small smile.
"I'm seriously surprised. This is the last thing I expected today."
Suddenly he stood up.
"Let me get you some water."
He hurried into the kitchen, his heart pounding wildly.
Leaning against the cabinet, he held his chest and whispered,
"Oh no… I'm in serious trouble."
His biggest fear was that I-Bo might come home at any moment...it was already evening.
Quickly he opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water and a drink, along with a glass.
Forcing a smile, he returned to the living room and knelt in front of Yiming to place them on the table.
"When did you arrive in the city?" he asked.
Yiming picked up the bottle and examined it.
"You're buying expensive water now?" he said with a faint smirk. "Impressive."
Zhan laughed nervously.
"The food is almost ready too. I'll serve you dinner soon. Is that why you told me to cook earlier?"
Yiming only smiled without answering.
Zhan quickly returned to the kitchen, his mind spinning with panic.
Then he suddenly remembered...His phone was still on the couch in the living room.
He stepped out again and saw Yiming answering a call on his own phone.
Quietly and cleverly, Zhan picked up his phone and slipped into his room.
He closed the bathroom door behind him and whispered in distress,
"I'm in serious trouble."
He realized he didn't even have I-Bo's phone number.
What was he supposed to do now?
Quickly, he dialed Sanxing's number.
The moment it started ringing, Sanxing answered.
Zhan spoke quickly before he could even finish greeting him.
"Please...how can I contact my housemate? I need to speak with him urgently."
"Oh," Sanxing replied. "We're actually together right now. Here he is."
A moment later, I-Bo's voice came through the phone.
"Hello, Sean. Is everything alright?"
Zhan shook his head quickly even though he couldn't see him.
"Please… I'm really sorry, but don't come home today. My fiancé is here. He arrived without telling me."
I-Bo paused briefly.
"Oh… I see."
Zhan pouted slightly, as if he could see him.
I-Bo chuckled softly.
"Alright, Sean. Just stay calm. When he leaves, let me know."
"Thank you," Zhan said quietly.
"No problem."
I-Bo ended the call.
Zhan stared at the screen for a moment before letting out a long sigh of relief.
He left the phone in his room and hurried back to the living room.
Yiming was still on his call...apparently a business conversation.
Slowly, Zhan walked into the kitchen to serve the food he had cooked.
His mind was still unsettled.
His biggest worry now was the fact that the two of them were alone in the house.
Four years ago, he would never have been afraid of being alone with Yiming.
But not anymore.
In just one year, Yiming had changed completely.
With that thought lingering in his mind, Zhan carried the food out of the kitchen and placed it in front of him.
Yiming looked up at him.
"Where's your housemate? Not home?"
Zhan forced a small smile.
"Yes… she's not here."
He moved to the edge of the couch and sat down like a polite guest in his own home.
Gentle he asked,
"How are your Mom and Aunt?"
"They're fine," Yiming replied.
Zhan didn't say anything else.
Yiming glanced at the food and said,
"I'm full. Cover it for later."
"Okay… are you taking it with you when you leave?" Zhan asked carefully.
Yiming looked at him.
"Taking it where?"
Zhan forced another smile.
"No where. Just asking."
"I already checked out of my hotel," Yiming said calmly. "I was staying in Maryland since this morning."
Zhan was speechless.
He didn't understand what Yiming meant by saying he had already checked out of the hotel. If he had left the hotel, then where would he stay? Or was he planning to find another one? Besides, if he had checked out, where was his luggage?
Forcing a small smile, Zhan asked carefully,
"Then… where is your suitcase?"
"It's in the car," Yiming replied.
Zhan swallowed nervously.
"Whose car?"
"I don't know," Yiming said briefly.
Zhan lowered his head and said nothing more.
"Do you have any plans today?" Yiming asked. "You looked genuinely surprised to see me."
Zhan widened his eyes.
"Not at all. You know I don't go anywhere besides school. I was just surprised because we've been talking on the phone all day, and it turns out you were already in the city."
Yiming stood up.
"Then stop being surprised. It's not like you bought my ticket."
Zhan lowered his head again in silence.
Yiming walked toward his room.
"Let me take a shower."
Zhan simply nodded and watched him go.
He was a very tall, masculine man...just like his housemate I-Bo. Both of them were handsome in their own different ways.
Yet somehow, Zhan still thought his housemate was more attractive.
To be honest, any woman/man who loved money and wanted a strikingly handsome man with a strong masculine physique would probably endure anything from Yiming just to keep him. A man like him was considered a rare prize...if personality was ignored.
But for Zhan, those qualities had never once made him feel proud or lucky.
Because of Yiming, even his step-sisters treated him terribly. Their jealousy was obvious...not just from them, but from their parents as well. Some of his former friends in the neighborhood had also distanced themselves from him because of Yiming.
None of them knew the silent pain he carried every day.
Sometimes he wished Yiming would marry one of his step-sisters instead so he could finally have some peace.
Zhan leaned his head against the couch, his anxiety growing.
Did this mean Yiming wouldn't be leaving anytime soon?
What if he planned to stay the night?
The thought alone made his heart pound violently.
After a while, he stood up slowly and carried the untouched food back into the kitchen, covering it carefully.
Night fell, yet Yiming still hadn't come out of the room.
Zhan remained sitting in the living room like a guest in his own home. Eventually he glanced toward his bedroom door and stood up.
Walking slowly, he approached it and knocked softly.
"May I come in?"
Yiming answered, and Zhan opened the door.
He found him sitting on the carpet, scrolling through his phone. The room was filled with the scent of his strong perfume.
Zhan forced a polite smile.
Yiming stood up and moved to the edge of the bed, still focused on his phone.
Zhan silently prayed that something would touch his heart and make him leave the house.
Instead, Yiming suddenly said,
"Make me a cup of hot chocolate."
Zhan nodded.
"Okay."
He went to the kitchen, prepared it exactly as requested, and returned with the mug.
Placing it on the bedside drawer, he asked softly,
"Should I bring you dinner?"
"No," Yiming replied. "I'm not eating."
Then he asked,
"Have you eaten?"
Even though he hadn't, Zhan nodded. His appetite had disappeared completely.
He walked over to his reading corner, opened his laptop, and pretended to study.
Yiming finished whatever he was doing on his phone, picked up the hot chocolate, and began drinking it.
Meanwhile, Zhan couldn't even understand what he was looking at on the laptop screen.
Nearly an hour passed like that.
Finally, Zhan stood up.
Suddenly, Yiming grabbed his hand and pulled him closer.
"Why are you acting so uncomfortable?" he asked, staring at him. "As if you're in the house with a stranger."
Zhan forced a laugh.
"A stranger? Of course not. You stayed here many times when I first arrived in this country. You slept in the living room while I stayed in the bedroom."
"Do you know why I did that?" Yiming asked.
Zhan lowered his head when he saw the intense way Yiming was looking at him. His heart began pounding hard.
He felt as if his legs might give out.
Yiming pulled him closer until Zhan could hear his breathing.
Calmly he asked,
"Do you know why I slept in the living room back then?"
Zhan shook his head without looking at him.
Yiming lowered his voice.
"Because you were still a baby."
Zhan slowly raised his eyes but couldn't say anything.
"But you're not a child anymore," Yiming continued. "How old are you now?"
Zhan didn't answer.
"I'm asking you," Yiming said firmly.
Zhan swallowed.
"I'm twenty."
"Exactly," Yiming said. "Back then I kept my distance because I was still raising you properly."
Zhan turned his face away as he felt Yiming moving even closer.
Yiming gently turned his head back.
"What's wrong?"
Zhan's voice trembled.
"This goes against the values of our culture, Yiming."
"Oh really?" Yiming said calmly. "Is someone else going to live you instead of me?"
Zhan couldn't answer. Tears filled his eyes.
Whenever Yiming saw him cry, he usually calmed down.
He pulled Zhan into his arms and said softly,
"Do you think you're like those people I use and discard? You're different from them. You're the one I intend to live with."
Zhan remained silent as tears rolled down his face.
Deep down, he knew Yiming truly intended to live with him.
For years, the most Yiming had ever done was hold his hand.
But about two years ago, things began to change. Zhan no longer liked him coming to visit, because Yiming's behavior started making him uncomfortable.
Whenever Yiming left, Zhan often cried and spent days feeling emotionally unsettled.
Yet even then, Yiming had never crossed certain boundaries...
Yiming's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
"I've tried, Zhan," he said quietly. "All these years I restrained myself because I wanted you to focus on your education. I wanted to proudly introduce you everywhere as my partner after you finished studying."
He paused.
"But every day I feel this pull toward you. I've tried many times to ignore it. Now you only have about a year left until graduation. Our marriage could even be registered today if we wanted."
His voice grew softer.
"I came all the way from China because these feelings are driving me crazy. So trust me… just relax."
Zhan's heart filled with panic.
He understood exactly where the conversation was heading.
At the same time Yiming spoke, he had already started removing Zhan's outer shirt.
Zhan's body trembled.
He grabbed Yiming's hand.
"But there isn't much time left anyway," he said desperately. "Why not just wait a little longer?"
Yiming looked at him with firm, unyielding eyes.
"I can't wait anymore."
His tone alone frightened Zhan into silence.
His heart felt like it might burst from his chest.
Before things went any further, Zhan quickly said,
"Please… let me take a shower first. You already had yours."
Yiming stared at him, his eyes slightly red from awakening desire.
Zhan lowered his head, struggling to control his emotions.
"I won't take long."
After a moment, Yiming released him and sat back on the bed.
Zhan walked toward the bathroom with trembling steps. As he passed the dressing mirror, he glanced at his phone.
Yiming was still watching him.
"I'm just taking my shower gel," Zhan said quickly.
He walked to the mirror, and just as Yiming began removing his shirt, Zhan quickly grabbed his phone and a bottle of lotion...pretending it was shower gel.
He rushed into the bathroom and locked the door.
Turning on the water, he began trembling as tears streamed down his face.
Quickly he dialed Sanxing's number.
The moment Sanxing answered, Zhan said urgently,
"Please… I need to speak to my housemate."
"Oops, we're not together right now," Sanxing replied.
"Please," Zhan begged, "send me his number right now."
"Alright. I'll send it."
As soon as the call ended, Zhan stared anxiously at his screen, waiting.
His body was shaking uncontrollably.
Within seconds the number arrived.
He called immediately.
It rang… but no answer.
He called again.
Still nothing.
Three times he called, but the phone was never picked up.
Zhan collapsed to his knees on the bathroom floor, crying.
"I'm in serious trouble…"
Desperately he called Sanxing again.
"Please, he's not answering. Could you..."
Before he finished speaking, Sanxing said,
"I'll send you A-Bo's number. Sometimes I-Bo doesn't answer calls, but A-Bo is probably with him right now. Ask him to pass the phone."
"Yes… thank you," Zhan said quickly.
Soon another number appeared on his screen.
His hands shaking, he dialed it.
The call rang for a few seconds before someone answered.
"Please… I need to speak to my housemate," Zhan said weakly.
There was a moment of silence, as if the person on the other end was trying to recognize the voice.
Then he asked shortly,
"Who is this?"
Zhan began sobbing.
"Please forgive me… just help me call him. I need to speak with him."
"What happened?" the voice asked.
"I need his help," Zhan cried.
The call suddenly ended.
Panic flooded through him.
He was completely desperate now.
Maybe he should call Yu-Bin.
Quickly he dialed Yu-Bin's number...but it rang until the call ended without being answered.
At that moment Zhan thought he heard someone touching the bathroom door.
In panic, he shoved his phone into the water that had begun filling the bathtub.
A second later he realized it had only been his imagination.
No one was actually at the door.
He pulled the phone out again.
The screen had gone black.
Frantically he tried to shake the water out and turn it back on.
But it wouldn't respond.
Zhan leaned his head against the bathtub, hot tears streaming down his face.
💚💙❤🖤