章 55: Chapter 55
Ignore any grammatic or spelling mistakes and be happy the chapter is here. Because the Author is not feeling well. 😃
As Lily exited General's quarters, Aunty Yu watched her leave, noticing the tears streaming down her face. She glanced at Leo, who also looked after Lily as she walked away, and asked quietly, "Is everything alright? I saw her crying."
Leo shrugged. "I don't know..."
Aunty Yu was silent for a moment before she hurried to her brother's part, finding him reviewing some documents. Sitting down with a concerned expression, she asked, "Is everything alright? I saw Lily leaving in tears."
The General glanced up at her. "Why didn't you just ask her directly? Or did she send you to question me?"
Aunty Yu gave a forced smile. "No, she didn't even stop to talk to me. I was just worried seeing her like that. I'll go check on her."
She stood and headed for the door, then paused. "By the way, how is YiBo doing?"
Instead of answering, he picked up his phone, which was ringing... it was a call from a senior officer. Aunty Yu left, confused and slightly worried. She wondered what could have made Lily so distraught, like she had just lost a family member. Could he have divorced her? The idea brought a strange sense of satisfaction to Aunty Yu; had she not already spoken to Lily earlier, she would have gone to her directly, but now, she didn't want to overstep. Shrugging to herself, she thought, "If it's a mess, let it be," and returned to her own part as Leo had left the room as well.
Ru sat beside Lily, visibly distressed by her mother's tears. "Whatever it is, please stop crying, Mom, for the sake of your health."
But Lily couldn't hold back. She was still in shock over everything YiBo had told her. He, of all people, had deceived her. He had brought a young man into their home for nearly two months, only now revealing him as his 'husband.' How could that even be possible? This wasn't a movie; it was real life. She was determined to show him that she was his mother, not the other way around.
She picked up her phone for the fourth time, trying to reach Aunty Bella, but the call wouldn't go through. She thought about going to Nia's house but paused... what could she even tell her? What words could convey what YiBo had done? No, she felt too ashamed to admit it.
Ru began to cry. "Mom, I'm asking you what's wrong, but you won't tell me. Please calm down."
Lily's sobs intensified, wishing all this was just a nightmare...
After his parents left, YiBo couldn't return to bed. His mind was racing, deeply unsettled. While he could handle his father's anger, he couldn't bear his mother's. He detested anything that upset her and had never anticipated she would take this matter so harshly. He had expected his father to nearly lose his temper, but even he didn't take it as personally as his mother did. YiBo had been sure she would support him unconditionally, even if others didn't. Slowly, he removed the drip from his arm, despite his aching body, and left the room.
The General looked up as YiBo entered. YiBo glanced at his father briefly before heading for the door.
"Hey, Mr. Man, go back and get those drips and medication you left in my room," the General ordered. "And you're not leaving the Palace yet; we're not finished here."
YiBo returned to the room to retrieve the medical supplies and came back. His father eyed him sternly. "Where is this boy you were talking about?"
YiBo froze but then quietly replied, "He's at my place."
The General asked, "Is he inside when the house locked?"
YiBo stayed silent. The General began dialing a senior officer's number, prompting YiBo to quickly add, "Mom just returned from there."
The General shot him a look. "Who authorized her visit? And who opened the door for her?"
YiBo had no answer and turned to leave the room.
***
Fang knocked on Lily's bedroom door. Ru hurried to the door, since the bedroom door was open. "Good afternoon, Aunty," she greeted.
Fang tried to peer inside. "Where's your mother?"
Lily pretended to be asleep, but Fang stepped into the room anyway. "Lily, I just heard some sad news and thought I'd tell you."
Lily reluctantly opened her eyes and sat up. "Who passed away?" she asked.
"A neighbor of my sister's, a woman I was close with. She passed away during childbirth."
"May her gentle soul rest in peace," Lily replied softly.
"Are you alright?" Fang asked with concern, noticing her red, puffy eyes. "You look like someone who's been crying. What's wrong?"
Lily forced a smile. "I just haven't been feeling well."
Fang looked even more worried. "Your eyes look swollen, like you've been crying. You're sure you're alright?"
"It's probably just from lack of sleep," Lily replied.
Fang glanced around. "How's YiBo? I checked the General's quarters, but I didn't see him there."
Lily quickly looked up. "He's not there?"
"No, he left. I don't think his drip was even finished," Fang answered.
Lily didn't respond. Fang sat down, trying every trick she knew to get Lily to reveal what was happening, but Lily avoided every attempt. Eventually, Fang gave up and stood. "Alright, rest well. I'll let you be."
"Thank you," Lily replied.
Once Fang left, Lily picked up her phone again, dialing Tin's number. It rang unanswered. Finally, Tin called her back, and Lily answered, "Did YiBo come to the house?"
"No, but we're on our way back, Mom. The soldiers said Dad ordered them to take us home."
Lily was silent, at a loss for words, and eventually ended the call. She tried dialing Aunty Bella's number again, hoping it would go through this time, but still, there was no answer. Where could she be?
When Zhan saw the neighborhood they entered, his heart sank. Nowhere else made him feel as miserable as the house they were approaching. He tried hard to hold back his tears, but he couldn't. Tin sat beside him, busy on her phone, and they arrived around seven o'clock.
Tin opened her door and got out, watching Zhan as he kept his head down, struggling not to cry. Slowly, he opened his door and got out as well, still limping a little. Tin walked ahead to the entrance, and Zhan followed her, wiping his eyes. Even now, every step he took hurt. Tin waited for him until he entered the living room, where General had told her they should go directly to his quarters.
The moment Zhan spotted Leo by the door to the main living room, he panicked, realizing there was nowhere to turn back to. Just as Tin was about to say something, she paused as if remembering something and glanced at Zhan. "Excuse me, just one minute. I'll be right back," she said, and before Zhan could respond, she turned and headed to her mother's quarters.
YiBo had just left his room when he spotted Aunty Yu descending one of the staircases. Since leaving his father's quarters, he hadn't left his room until now, and all he'd had was the tea Ru brought him.
He kept his gaze down, avoiding looking in her direction, but eventually, he couldn't help watching her head toward the General's quarters, which was also his destination. YiBo stopped briefly, considering returning to his room, when the main living room door opened and in walked Aunty Bella with a small trolley bag. YiBo's eyes widened in surprise, and he stared without blinking.
Aunty Bella let out a sigh of relief upon seeing him; she had been worried, especially after her sister called her in tears. She approached him and asked quickly, "Where's my sister?"
YiBo was too shaken to respond immediately, surprised by her arrival. She moved closer, studying his face. Mustering a smile, he said, "Aunty, when did you arrive? Or... were you already in the country?"
She shot him a stern look. "Yes, I've been here. If Lily doesn't raise the alarm, she doesn't feel well. Here I am, safe and sound, now where is she? And did the General see fit to pull you out of the guardroom?"
YiBo started sweating, trying to maintain his smile but unable to respond. Most of what she said went over his head. She gave him another sharp look and said, "I'm asking you a question, and all I get is a smile. Where's my sister?"
Swallowing hard, he finally said, "Upstairs..."
Just then, Tin reappeared from the main living room, eyes widening when she saw Aunty Bella. She ran to hug her. "Aunty! Where did you come from?"
"From the UK," Aunty Bella replied. "Ever since that call with you, I couldn't relax. I spoke to Emily's dad, and he let me come. What's going on with your mom? Now that YiBo's right here, it's got me all worked up. Just look at her, already making herself sick. She never takes things calmly."
Tin took her bag, smiling as she said, "Come on, Aunty, let's go upstairs. Thank you for coming." Then she looked at YiBo and added quickly, "Oh, and Dad's been waiting for you for a while..."
YiBo said nothing and quietly headed toward the living room. Aunty Bella watched him go, then turned to Tin. "When did they let him out?"
"This morning. Dad asked for his release as soon as he got back, but he's still under treatment," Tin replied.
Aunty Bella shook her head, thinking about the harshness of the General, as if YiBo weren't his own son. She went upstairs, Tin following her with her small suitcase. Just as they reached the entrance to the living room, they met Lily. Aunty Bella's heart dropped when she saw her sister's swollen eyes and frail appearance. She rushed forward. "Sister, what happened? Are you okay?"
Lily couldn't speak, and seeing her sister only made her burst into fresh tears, shaking her head. Aunty Bella hugged her tightly, alarmed. "Sister, what's going on? Please, tell me what happened."
With great effort, Lily replied, "The General called. He's waiting in his living room. Let's go there..."
Aunty Bella's heart sank. Tin also felt the tension, standing off to the side and watching her mother. Holding Lily's hand and feeling tense herself, Aunty Bella said firmly, "Then let's go to his living room." Today, she resolved to confront the General directly if he was the reason her sister was so distressed. Holding her sister's hand and feeling her own heart race, she repeated, "Let's go to his living room."
Instantly, Zhan started hiding his face with his mask, lowering his head as if feigning innocence. He was completely flustered, especially as he noticed YiBo approaching. Neither YiBo nor Leo Zhan wanted to acknowledge their presence.
YiBo, on the other hand, barely gave Leo a glance before looking away, walking with an air of confidence. Leo found himself observing Zhan, captivated by his reaction. Initially, Leo hadn't even paid attention to who was around, but Zhan's anxious behavior caught his eye.
YiBo opened the living room door, not noticing Zhan inside, while Leo removed his earpiece, slipping it into his pocket, his gaze fixed on Zhan as if he had recognized something familiar. Zhan's scent, his walk, even his eyes....it all started to stir a memory for Leo. Zhan, however, refused to look up, keeping his face hidden with the mask, though his heart raced, and he nervously crossed his legs in agitation.
As he reached the door, where YiBo stood waiting like he anticipated something, Zhan suddenly lifted his eyes, locking gazes with Leo. Zhan quickly looked down, attempting to turn and leave the living room to escape to the house's compound. But Leo acted quickly, grabbing Zhan and pulling the mask from his face. Leo's eyes widened as he stepped back, exclaiming, "Zhan?!"
Before he could say more, someone shoved him backward with such force he almost stumbled. YiBo's intense stare and husky voice commanded, "Do not ever try that again." Leo stood there, wide-eyed with confusion, watching Zhan as he hurried outside, visibly shaken and almost stumbling as he went.
Ignoring YiBo, Leo quickly followed Zhan to the compound, finding him in the middle, looking distressed and unsure of what to do. Leo pulled him close, staring at him in astonishment.
Just as Leo began to speak, he was shoved aside again forcefully. "I told you not to touch him," YiBo said, grabbing Leo and glaring at him. "How dare you? How do you even know him to be warning me?" Leo ducked to avoid a massive punch from YiBo, but YiBo swung again, this time connecting with Leo's face, splitting his lip.
Aunty Yu, who had just stepped out from the General's quarters, saw the commotion and shouted a piercing scream that echoed through the palace, drawing everyone in the house to the compound in alarm.
"What's going on here?" Aunty Yu demanded, rushing over to stand between YiBo and Leo as she saw YiBo readying to punch Leo again. YiBo stepped back, fuming, still glaring from Leo to Aunty Yu.
Looking at Leo with wide eyes, she scolded him, "What business do you have wasting time with that troublemaker? Engaging in a brawl? You? Someone responsible like you, set to leave for Germany tomorrow, yet here you are with some useless brat who won't be trusted with anything valuable?"
Wide-eyed, Leo stammered, "Mom, Mom, it's my boyfriend. I saw him here! It's him, Zhan, what's he doing here?" Aunty Yu looked at him, stunned, and replied, "Boyfriend? Where's your boyfriend?" Leo pointed to Zhan, whose back was turned, his body visibly tense.
"Mom, that's him, Zhan," Leo insisted, but Aunty Yu just stared at him, then said, "Wait, that young man over there? Are you serious?" Leo nodded hastily, asking, "Who did he come to see here?"
Aunty Yu replied, "No way, Leo. He's just here because YiBo is staying at their house in Beijing..."
Before anyone could react further, the entire household gathered around the compound, even the General, all watching.
Feeling his mother was wasting his time, Leo turned back to Zhan, grabbing his shoulder again, noticing how Zhan was trembling. YiBo advanced once more, still fuming, as the General ordered two soldiers nearby to restrain him.
YiBo let out a scream, and suddenly, the soldiers were scattered on the ground. The General, alarmed, ordered three men to restrain him. A Hulk soldier, who usually accompanied the General everywhere, grabbed YiBo tightly. In a panic, YiBo struggled, trying to free himself, and all he could see were Leo's hands on Zhan's body.
The two soldiers who had fallen earlier stood up, and together with the Hulk soldier, they moved to take him down. YiBo was barely able to catch his breath; they weren't playing around, and he continued to fight back. His eyes widened in sheer terror.
The General spoke in a serious tone, "If you let him escape again you're all fired" he turned to face Leo and Zhan, who at that moment were not clearly visible to him because he was looking at them from the side.
Aunty Bella, YiBo's mother, along with Tin and Ru, were on edge seeing YiBo on the ground as three soldiers pinned him down, making an effort to break free. But their fear of the General prevented them from moving decisively.
Leo turned to Zhan, visibly shaken, asking him what he was doing in this town and this house. YiBo, feeling a sudden surge of strength, roared and thrust his head back forcefully, hitting the Hulk soldier holding him from behind. The soldier was taken by surprise and released YiBo, causing blood to pour from his nose.
The General rolled his eyes, then pulled his pistol from behind him. He fired a shot into the air and aimed it at Zhan, warning YiBo with a glare, "If you move again, I will shoot."
At that moment, YiBo froze, glaring at Leo, while Lily and Aunty Bella held onto each other, their hearts racing. Leo continued shaking Zhan, demanding to know what was happening in the house. Zhan looked at him, seemingly not understanding anything; he felt a strange dizziness as the entire house began to spin around him. The sound of the gunshot brought him back, and he stared at Leo, his body trembling.
Realizing who was in front of him made YiBo attempt to break free again. Leo tightened his grip on Zhan's shoulders, repeating the same question from earlier, leaning in closer to Zhan.
YiBo suddenly burst out, shouting, "Stop touching my baby husband, you idiot! I swear if you touch him again, I will kill you!"
It seemed Leo didn't hear YiBo's warning, as his hands remained on Zhan's face. YiBo tried to break free again, and the General said to him, "Do you think I'm playing around? Do you think I won't shoot him? If you don't know me, you should try me."
YiBo stopped moving and gasped for air. The General shifted his gaze back to Leo, saying, "That's enough, Leo. As you can see, I can't hold that lion for too long." Without looking at the General, Leo replied, "I don't care, Uncle. I'm not scared of him; I just want to know why Zhan is here!"
The General rolled his eyes again, "Didn't you hear him yelling for his baby husband? And I really care if he kills you. If he does, you'll die, and he'll end up in jail. If he doesn't kill you, he will definitely break every bone in your body, and you'll still end up in the hospital for treatment, while he goes to jail." The General pouted and put his hand in his heart dramatically saying. "If that happens, who will take care of my business?"
Everyone in the compound, including the security and soldiers, turned to stare at the General, their mouths agape...
Aunty Bella was fuming, feeling as if she might actually strangle the General. How could he order the soldiers to pin down YiBo, knowing he wasn't in full health? Lily, on the other hand, felt as if her entire world was spinning as she watched her beloved son handled however his father pleased. What kind of disaster had befallen their family?
Meanwhile, Tin and Ru could only cry, while Aunty Yu hurried to where Leo and Zhan were standing. She was certain that if YiBo managed to break free from the soldiers, Leo would be in serious danger... he was no match for YiBo, who was far stronger than him. Leo was built more like Zhan... no visible muscles or signs of strength.
Everyone present knew YiBo would do anything to protect that slender young man he called his "baby husband." Today, it was clear that YiBo wasn't scared of his father or the gun he held; the only thing he could see was Zhan.
Aunty Yu had no intention of losing her only son, so she gripped Leo's arm, urging, "Let him go, Leo. He's someone's husband now.... he will never be yours. If you want to keep your life or remain in one piece, let him go." Yet Leo was defiant, not listening or seeing reason, only Zhan standing in front of him like a statue.
Leo yanked his arm free from Aunty Yu's grip, cupping Zhan's face and pressing their lips together in a fierce kiss.
Everyone gasped, their eyes wide as they watched what was happening, including the General and the soldiers. No one noticed the moment YiBo broke free from his restraints, grabbing a gun from one of the soldiers and aiming it directly at Leo.
The General was the first to hear the gun's click, quickly turning with wide eyes as he saw what his son was about to do. Without a second thought, he raised his own Pistol...
Three things happened at once: the sound of two gunshots and the piercing screams of the women in the compound...
My beautiful dear friends, I somehow managed to write this short chapter with difficulties, like I said yesterday I too feels feverish like Zhan and Yibo 😃my whole bones ache. Long story short, I will find a painkiller and take, if I...feel good later I will write the evening chapter but not promising.
I need a sweet sleep and dark chocolate 😏
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛
週次パワーステータス
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