Bab 60: Chapter 60
Zhan was sitting in Ru's room, fiddling with his new phone that YiBo had bought him. He'd even called his mom and Zhuo on it. Ru entered the room holding the twins' hands. As soon as the twins saw Zhan, they let go of Ru's hands and ran towards him, shouting, "Bun-Bun!"
Zhan didn't even realize when he tossed his phone aside. He knelt down to their level, and the twins threw themselves into his arms. He hugged them tightly, tears streaming down his face. He lifted both of them, covering their faces in kisses, and they giggled, trying to return his kisses. He hugged them again, laughing and crying all at once.
Ru stood watching, smiling with tears in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and said, "I'll leave you three alone. I know how precious your time together is."
Without looking up, Zhan said, "Mn, thank you, sis." He stood up, still holding both children, and walked to his room with them. They babbled endlessly, and even though he couldn't understand all of their words, he didn't care. His heart was full, just seeing his babies again. Yes, his babies-because even if they weren't biologically his, he loved them all the same. And now that they were his husband's children, they were his, too.
He was determined to spend as much time with them as he could, not knowing when he might see them again. In his room, he kept kissing their chubby cheeks and they laughed, returning the kisses with their little, wet mouths.
Meanwhile, YiBo was sitting in his mother's first living room with Aunty Bella, while Lily was in her other living room with a guest. Aunty Bella lowered her voice, looking at YiBo and saying, "Whatever she tells you, just go along with it. But to be clear, she's not letting you take Zhan home just yet."
YiBo stayed silent, wondering why his mom was making things more complicated.
Aunty Bella continued, "You know when your mom insists on something, it's best to follow her wishes." Then, with a sigh, she added, "Anyway, make sure you take me to the airport by 4. Don't go too far."
YiBo nodded. "If you leave, Aunty, when will you be back?"
Aunty Bella replied, "I don't know; maybe I'll just show up, or maybe when the kids are back in school."
***
In the living room, Lily was seated with Aunty Bella, who was packing up her trolley since it was almost four. Fang entered with a bright smile and, after greeting them, said, "Where's our new family member? I haven't seen him since they arrived yesterday, so I thought I'd stop by."
Lily said, "Oh dear, I told Ru to bring him by to greet you and Yu earlier. I didn't know she hadn't."
Fang replied, "Well, Yu just got back a while ago anyway."
Hearing this, Aunty Bella looked up, realizing Yu had only returned from Beijing that day. Fang smiled, saying, "I thought I'd just stop in to see the groom." She then left the living room. Aunty Bella smirked and continued what she was doing, shaking her head, "Their schemes will catch up with them someday, you know. I wouldn't be surprised if we hear a scandal one day."
Lily sighed, picking up her phone to call Ru. When Ru picked up, Lily said, "Didn't I ask you to bring him over to greet Fang and Yu?"
Ru's eyes widened. "Oh! When I went to his room earlier, he was asleep with the twins. I'll check on him now, Mom."
Lily ended the call, and Aunty Bella said, "I Bo promised he wouldn't take long, yet here I am waiting with time running out..."
Lily replied, "Isn't the driver here? He can take you. Ai Bo doesn't have to."
Aunty Bella said nothing in response.
Ru returned to Zhan's room to find him lying down, though he wasn't asleep. The twins were sound asleep next to him, while he was just watching them. Ru said, "Come on, let's go greet my Aunties."
Zhan sat up, and Ru watched him as he stood. She left the room, and he followed her. Fang's living room was smaller than Lily's but just as elegantly furnished. As they entered, Fang kept her gaze on Zhan, as she hadn't really seen him during his time there.
Zhan sat on the floor to greet her respectfully. She returned the greeting with a warm smile, quietly welcoming him. He kept his head lowered, and after a few minutes, Ru asked, "Aunty, has Aunty Yu returned?"
Fang replied, "She hasn't been gone long. You'll find her in her room."
Ru stood up, saying, "Alright, let's go see her."
Fang replied warmly, "Very well."
As soon as they were out, Fang quickly dialed Yu's number to let her know Ru and Zhan were on their way.
When Ru arrived, she slowly opened the door to Yu's living room. It was smaller but just as beautifully arranged, though not as large as Lily's. Zhan's heart skipped a beat when he saw Leo sitting in the living room, wearing a polo shirt and three-quarter pants, sitting close to the entrance. The moment their eyes met, Zhan quickly looked down.
Seeing Leo, Ru greeted him with a "Hi" before walking into the living room and knocking on Yu's bedroom door.
Yu called out, "Who is it?"
Ru replied, "It's us, Aunty. We've come to greet you."
Aunty Yu called out, "I'm coming," as she returned to the living room, eyeing Zhan, who was huddled in a corner, visibly tense. Occasionally, Leo, who was busy with his phone, glanced sideways at him. Soon, Aunty Yu came back, looked at Ru, and said, "Why are you following him around like he's about to be devoured?"
Ru replied, "Oh, he just doesn't know his way around yet."
Aunty Yu sighed. "Well, he knows it now, doesn't he?"
Ru said nothing and eventually stood up, which made Zhan's anxiety peak. He watched her until she walked out of the room.
Aunty Yu then turned to Zhan with a kind smile and said, "Alright, I'll get you some water." She left the living room, and as Zhan's heart raced, he looked over at Leo, only to find Leo still staring at him with a strange intensity. Just as Zhan stood, planning to leave, Leo quickly locked the door and approached him.
"You liar, deceiver, betrayer..." Leo's voice was full of contempt. "All this time, you were fooling me? And in the end, you went and married my enemy?"
Zhan, his heart pounding, replied, "Don't call me a liar when you're the one pretending your dad is someone he's not. I never hid anything about my family, and I even took you to my house...."
Before he could finish, Leo slapped him, the shock immobilizing Zhan, who simply stood there, stunned.
"You'll regret ever knowing me," Leo sneered. "I'll make up for all the time I wasted on you in ways you'd never expect...I promise."
At that moment, the door opened, and Aunty Yu entered with a tray holding a juice and a glass cup. She took one look at Leo and quickly set down the tray, exclaiming, "What's going on here?"
Without answering, Zhan made his way to the door, tears in his eyes. Aunty Yu looked stunned as she called after him, but he had already gone. She turned back to Leo, clearly frustrated, and scolded him, "You reckless fool, Leo! Didn't I tell you to take things slowly? Why did you have to confront him now? And how am I supposed to give him this drink?"
Leo replied, "That's on you, Mum." And with that, he stormed out of the living room, leaving her flustered and immediately calling an old friend, Mei, whom she had recently reconnected with since gone to Beijing.
Meanwhile, Zhan returned to Ru's room, not wanting to disturb the twins, sitting at the edge of the bed, tears streaming down his face. Finally, he broke into deep sobs. Barely five minutes had passed when YiBo walked in, surprised to see Zhan crying. Concerned, he approached him quickly and asked, "What happened?"
Zhan, still shaken, managed to say, "Leo slapped me."
YiBo's face hardened, and he repeated slowly, "Leo slapped you?"
Zhan nodded, his voice trembling as he explained, "Ru took me to greet the Aunties, and we ran into him in the living room."
Before Zhan could finish, YiBo stormed out of the room with determination, his expression fierce. He picked up a vase along the way and, without encountering anyone else, reached Leo's room. Just as Leo exited his room, YiBo smashed the vase against the wall and jabbed a sharp fragment into Leo's leg. Leo let out a cry of pain, clutching the wall for support, his eyes wide with shock as blood began to flow.
But YiBo didn't stop there. Holding Leo against the wall, he jabbed the shard into his arm, hissing, "Stay away from my husband. If you don't, I'll be your end...I promise."
With that, YiBo released him, pushing him back forcefully before walking away like a soldier on a mission.
***
Ru took Aunty Bella's trolley to the car and, on her way back, ran into YiBo. She said, "Gege, Aunty Bella's been looking for you." Without a word, he left the living room. Ru went back to tell Aunty Bella that he was in the parking area waiting for her.
After dropping Aunty Bella off at the airport, YiBo returned but didn't go into the house. He parked outside and dialed Ru's number. When she answered, he asked, "Are you with me?"
"Yes, I'm listening," she replied.
"I want you to come outside with Zhan, but don't tell Mom. We're going to the Shooping Mall."
Ru responded, "Alright." She ended the call, and soon enough, she emerged with Zhan. YiBo watched them approach and, as they got closer, he said to Ru, "Thank you."
Looking troubled, Ru replied, "Brother, they just rushed Leo to the hospital. I think maybe a bottle broke and cut his leg and hand...I don't know, but he's bleeding a lot."
"Oh, really?" YiBo replied, feigning surprise. Without waiting for her to say more, he opened the passenger door and looked at Zhan. "Get in. We're going to get something."
Zhan got into the car, and YiBo looked back at Ru. "We'll be back soon, but don't say anything to Mom."
"Okay," Ru replied.
As they pulled away, Zhan glanced at YiBo, concern evident on his face.
"Why did you injure him like that?"
YiBo ignored the question and instead asked, "Are the twins still sleeping, or did they go back to the nanny?"
Zhan repeated his question, and this time YiBo responded, "Because he layed his hands on you."
Zhan fell silent, studying him. YiBo shook his head slightly and added, "I've been targeting him for a while, and this was just a chance that came once."
With a worried look, Zhan said, "Ru told me he's bleeding heavily."
YiBo scoffed. "Serves him right. Or are you worried about him?" YiBo raise a brow.
Zhan shook his head. "No, I'm not worried about him...but I am worried about you. What if something serious happens to him? And what about your father... your arm isn't even fully healed yet."
YiBo replied, "I don't care."
As they pulled into YiBo's house, Zhan's unease faded a little. He didn't enjoy staying at the palace and felt at home here. YiBo got out, opened the gate, drove in, and parked. Then, he got out and opened Zhan's door, helping him step out of the car, holding his hand as they walked inside together.
Upstairs, YiBo looked at Zhan and asked, "Which room would you prefer?"
Zhan looked around but said nothing. YiBo hugged him gently from behind and whispered, "Should I choose for us?" Zhan remained silent, feeling YiBo's presence behind him. Slowly, he tried to pull away, but YiBo held him closer, murmuring softly, "I'll choose this one for us."
Zhan looked at the room YiBo had picked, noticing it was near the one where he'd spent the night last time. YiBo gently rubbed his flat stomach and asked, "Do you like it?"
Zhan simply nodded, allowing YiBo to take the lead. YiBo continued his gentle touches, and though Zhan didn't resist, his legs finally gave in as his heart pounded. Sensing his vulnerability, YiBo led him into their bedroom, the night unfolding in shared closeness.
-----
YiBo gently kissed Zhan's forehead and whispered, "Wake up, it's almost 7." Zhan opened his eyes as YiBo helped him sit up, gazing at him softly before saying, "We're going back home now." Zhan's heart sank hearing this, and he couldn't find any words to respond.
As they made their way downstairs, Zhan felt as if he might burst into tears. YiBo picked up his phone, left in the living room earlier, and saw three missed calls from the General and nearly ten from his mother. He had forgotten everything else that happened, but the calls brought it all rushing back. He pocketed his phone, took Zhan's hand, and they left the house together.
Once they reached home, YiBo parked on the compound, glancing at Zhan. Holding his hand gently, he gathered his courage and drove slowly into the parking space. Zhan didn't wait a second after the car stopped, opening the door and heading straight inside, hoping his babies are still there.
YiBo sighed, leaning his head back against the car seat.
When YiBo entered the house, he took out his phone, which was ringing. Seeing it was his dad, he answered. After the General finished speaking, YiBo headed to Aunty Yu's area, as directed. Upon entering the living room, he saw the General standing there, with Leo sitting on the floor, his leg and arm wrapped in thick, blood-stained bandages, clearly in pain and sweating from the agony. Aunty Yu was seated, glaring at Leo's injured leg with fury, while Fang stood silently, visibly upset, and Lily looked distressed, saying nothing.
The General turned to YiBo, his voice raised as he demanded, "I need an explanation for this, Bo." YiBo remained silent. The General shouted, "I'm talking to you!" YiBo steadied himself at the door and replied, "It was an accident, it wasn't intentional." The General gave him a sharp look. "An accident? What are you on to now, drugs? calling that an accident? Were you out of your mind?" YiBo murmured, "I'm sorry."
The General paced around the living room, his face stern. Finally, he turned to YiBo and said, "Tomorrow, you'll leave for Germany to meet my business partners there." Aunty Yu looked up in shock, staring at the General with an open mouth. Leo also looked at him in surprise. YiBo replied, "Okay," and then left the room.
Lily couldn't bring herself to lift her head, stunned by the General's words. Aunty Yu, unable to hold back her anger, snapped, "Do you even realize the extent of the damage he did to my son's leg? His bone is shattered!" The General replied, "Take him abroad if necessary and have his leg re-examined."
Aunty Yu, breathing heavily, said, "Is that all you have to say about the injury your son caused mine? I'm shocked...beyond shocked...that this is all you'd do after such a severe injury. My son was injured, yet all you're focused on is business in Germany, not even a hint of justice here."
The General just stared at her in silence. She shook her head in disbelief, saying, "Well, I'm not accepting this quietly. If I agree to let this go, may my parents disown me. I'm contacting the whole family and sending everyone a video of Leo's leg."
"YiBo crippled my son, but you're still sending him to Germany? I won't allow it, not without a fight for what he did to my child." The General replied sternly, "Are you challenging me, Yu?"
"I am," she said furiously. "My son is no less than yours. Fifteen years ago, YiBo hurt Leo's back, and even then, you did nothing but take him to the hospital. Since then, you've let your son grow into a menace. Stealing, bullying...you've let him do whatever he wants. Just because they're half-cousin's brothers doesn't mean you can favor your son over mine."
The General said, "Meet me in my wing, Yu." He left the living room, and she began to vent her anger, ranting and cursing. She said everything she could to Lily, who stood silently listening. Finally, she stormed out of the room, following the General, her frustration boiling over. She was used to causing chaos and yet somehow managed to live peacefully in the house; even the General was powerless against her. What frustrated her now was that Leo wouldn't go to Germany, but YiBo would-that was her greatest grievance.
When she arrived at the General's office, she refused to sit down, saying, "I'm listening."
He ignored her, pacing around the room. After a few moments, he looked at her and said, "Pack up your things and leave my house tonight, not tomorrow, Yu." She stared at him in disbelief, not blinking. After a while, she finally spoke, "You want me to leave?"
"Yes, tonight, not tomorrow. Considering all the terrible things you've done in the past, especially turning my mother against me until her death, I should never have let you step foot near me, let alone live under my roof for twenty years."
Yu continued to stare at him without blinking, and he added, "YiBo wouldn't have injured Leo for no reason. There has to be something behind it."
She retorted angrily, "Well, aren't there security cameras here? Let's check the footage then, since you're so keen on backing your son."
The General replied, "Which cameras? The ones you turn off whenever it suits you? Yu, tonight, not tomorrow, leave my house. If you don't, I'll have the soldiers escort you out. I'm only considering family ties. Otherwise, after all the tricks you played on me, I wouldn't let you near this place."
She gave a bitter smile and said, "Fine." With that, she left his office and headed straight to Fang's quarters. Fang stood up, asking, "What's happening now?"
Yu replied, "Transfer the rest of the money to me immediately."
Fang looked at her in confusion. "Money? I don't have a penny left," she said. "It's all gone."
Throwing Fang a fierce look, Yu said, "What do you mean it's all gone? I'm talking about the remaining $15 million."
"I'm telling you, I don't have any of it left. And you know I gave $3 million to your friend recently. The rest is all used up. What, can't you keep track?"
~~~
Lily had returned to her room to pack her things when Tin burst into the living room, visibly distressed. "Mom, Aunty Yu and Aunty Fang have been arguing nonstop," she said urgently.
Lily stood up, looking at her daughter in surprise. "An argument?" she asked.
"And they're actually fighting!" Tin added.
Lily's eyes widened. "A fight?"
"Yes, they're at Aunty Fang's place and it's serious," Tin replied.
Lily rushed out, with Tin following. Even from the main living room, she could hear the sound of their raised voices. As she approached Fang's quarters, she saw the General standing by the door, watching, without any sign of stopping them. Housekeepers were trying to restrain Aunty Yu, who kept trying to lunge at Fang with her hair disheveled, clearly pulled loose in the scuffle. Fang, still panting from the effort, pushed back a housekeeper and snapped, "Let her come! I'll deal with her...you think you're invincible, you miserable woman?"
Aunty Yu pushed against the staff restraining her. "Let me go! I need to teach this lowlife a lesson. Who are you calling miserable? Me?! You'll regret those words!" she shouted.
Fang, undeterred, replied coolly, "Yes, I called you miserable. And isn't it the truth?"
In a louder voice, Aunty Yu screamed, "Your end is near in this house! You don't even deserve to step inside here, much less stay as a guest. Who here doesn't know about your history of indiscretion? They used to book flights to London just to do business with you! Do you think you'd ever have met the General if it weren't for me?"
Fang laughed scornfully. "Oh, please, Yu. We both had our share of indiscretions back in the day. But at least my mother didn't pass away bitter from my shameful behavior. Yours, on the other hand, couldn't handle the disgrace you brought on your family. And let's not forget the husband you left twenty years ago, dragging his children back to the village while you carried on here, living off others and continuing your ways without a care. Who doesn't know that Xia was born out of your street antics?"
Aunty Yu, enraged, shoved off the housekeeper holding her back and grabbed Fang by the shoulders, pulling her into another scuffle. Their fight intensified as the General signaled to Fen and the other staff to leave the room, while Lily, deeply troubled, started to step in, only for the General to stop her with a firm expression.
They fought so ferociously that they nearly tore each other's clothes, with blood staining their lips from injuries sustained in the brawl. Eventually, exhausted, they retreated, still cursing each other. Aunty Yu, bleeding from her nose and panting heavily, turned to the General and said, "She's the one who took the $800 million! Question her, it was her. And before she did it, she disabled all the CCTV cameras to make sure no one would see."
Fang laughed sarcastically, brushing herself off. "We both took that money, Yu. And if you and your son hadn't been eavesdropping, how would I have even known about the money being brought into the house? You're the real thief, and the money's still with you," she accused, turning to the General.
Pointing at Aunty Yu, she continued, "She ordered me to take the money and give it to her. I swear on my life I'm telling the truth! She never gave me a penny of the $5 million. Do you know how many houses and cars Yu has bought with that money? It's the same reason your business hasn't been succeeding; she goes to spiritualists and witches to ruin your efforts and ensure her son takes over. It's been this way for two years now! Not just with Leo-she even plotted to have you throw YiBo out entirely, just to secure her son's place."
"Yu doesn't care about you; she's only here for the benefits. And, believe me, she's amassed plenty. If you'd known what she's been plotting against you all these years, you'd have cut ties with her long ago! She even dismissed the soldiers guarding the main entrance under the pretense they were ogling the women here, just so she could carry out her schemes. And who else but her keeps shutting off the CCTV cameras whenever she's about to commit some misdeed?"
Fang continued, her voice growing angrier. "General, if you had known Yu's true nature, you would have kept your distance from her! She's the one who manipulated your mother's opinion of you. Do you remember how she accused you of setting her up with an old friend of yours to justify her affair? The same man who rejected her advances years ago! Have you forgotten, General?"
Aunty Yu rushed into her room, frantically looking for something to throw at Fang.
Meanwhile, the General move and locked the door to her room from the outside. Fang was still fuming, but seeing Lily standing there stunned, he said to her, "Leave; let's go." She nodded, stepping out of the living room. He locked it behind her and went to his quarters to call for a military escort with female soldiers.
Within minutes, the soldiers arrived. The General directed the female soldiers to bring out Aunty Yu and Fang, cuffing both of them. Looking at the General, Aunty Yu said, "Are you seriously having me handcuffed? Me? Mother wouldn't be proud of what you're doing to me right now." She hadn't even finished her sentence when he slapped her twice, hard enough to make her see stars, then instructed the soldiers to whip them if they showed resistance.
Fang said nothing, but inside she was thrilled that she had finally exposed Yu. For over 17 years, Yu had controlled her household, but now the tables had turned. Yu was about to respond to the General, but a soldier slapped her and pushed her outside.
The General stayed awake all night, unable to sleep after what had transpired. Lily, who was equally shaken, couldn't help but recall Aunty Bella's warning from yesterday before she left for the airport. Unable to reach Aunty Bella on the phone, Lily got up and went to the General's quarters, finding him deep in thought on the couch. She had never seen him like this before; it was clear he was profoundly disturbed by what had happened. Speaking softly, she said, "Please don't let this weigh you down, honey. For the sake of family, forgive Yu. You may find peace in unexpected ways..."
The General looked at her, clearly upset, and said, "Do you have no sense, Lily?" She went quiet as he continued, "If you have nothing sensible to say, leave and stop upsetting me further." Lily sighed and chose not to respond.
Just then, YiBo walked into the living room, completely unaware of last night's events. He had left Aunty Yu's quarters for Nia's house and didn't return until almost 10:30 p.m. Greeting the General and Lily, YiBo could feel his father's guilt over his past actions toward him. After brief greetings, the General asked, "When are you leaving?"
YiBo replied, "Later in the day." The General asked, "Will you be traveling with your husband?" YiBo paused, unhappy that he couldn't bring him along, but replied, "He doesn't have a visa yet." The General nodded, saying, "Make sure he gets one; it's important." YiBo nodded and left.
At 8 a.m., the General, along with his escort, went to the barracks where Aunty Yu and Fang were being held. The soldiers had already been disciplining them since 4 a.m. Both women were exhausted, weakened from the mosquitoes and heat in their cell, and the calisthenics they were forced to do the night before. Their legs were sore, and they looked as though they hadn't eaten in days.
The General pointed to Aunty Yu and told the soldiers, "Do whatever it takes to make her reveal where she keeps the house and cars documents." They nodded in affirmation as he left the guardroom.
Later that morning, YiBo felt disappointed that he couldn't see Zhan before he left around 11:30 a.m. Lily had mentioned that Zhan and Ru went to get their hair done. He wanted to call and ask where exactly, but Zhan's phone was off, and Ru wasn't answering. He left for the airport in a gloomy mood.
In the afternoon, soldiers brought Aunty Yu back to the house. She was limping and clearly in pain, showing signs of the harsh treatment she had endured. The soldiers called ahead to inform the General of their arrival. As they escorted her to her quarters, she struggled to open a large trunk. A soldier finally helped her, unlocking it, and revealed stacks of documents and jewelry worth millions. Seeing the wealth laid out, she protested, "But you asked for property documents, and here they are!"
Ignoring her, the soldier took the papers to the General. After confirming that they were indeed property deeds, the General told her, "You have one hour to pack and leave my house with your children." Aunty Yu broke down, kneeling, and pleaded, "Brother, have you forgotten our bond? I'm your sister! Would our mother approve of this?"
Ignoring her, he instructed the soldiers, "You will give her one hour to gather her things, then escort her and her children out. Inform the neighborhood guards that she is no longer allowed on this property." With that, he left, leaving Aunty Yu sobbing as she packed, realizing she was truly being cast out.
Within 40 minutes, she had packed all she could and loaded Xia's belongings. The soldiers led them out of the neighborhood, abandoning them by the roadside with their bags....
Zhanxianyibo💚♥️💛
Status Power Mingguan
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Power 
-- Power
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