Yichen came closer to Nainai, but Nainai didn't look up. She simply frowned and continued with what she was doing.
"Hello, mother," Yichen said.
"Hello to you too," Nainai replied curtly.
Yichen leaned in slightly and asked, "How are you, mother?"
"I'm fine," she answered with frown.
"How's the house? And your work?" Yichen asked again.
"All fine," Nainai replied flatly.
"Alright then, take care. You're doing a lot of work like I can see it," Yichen said.
Nainai responded, "Well, the door's open, go on in…"
Yichen glanced toward the sitting room door and walked in. She took a seat inside. Nainai, meanwhile, spent about fifteen more minutes at the tap before standing up and muttering to herself under her breath, "What's she doing here again? I'm just minding my business. Let me just…"
She then headed over to Yibo's section of the house and found Yuting sitting in the sitting room. After locking the door behind her, she said, "Do you hear me, Yuting?"
Yuting stood up and replied, "Yes, mother. And welcome."
"Is Yibo asleep?" Nainai asked.
"Yes, he just lay down," Yuting said.
Nainai leaned in seriously. "Now listen to me very carefully.... If that woman, Yichen, come here, do not, under any circumstances, let her see Yibo. I'm warning you....if you allow her to lay eyes on my grandchild and something happens to him after she leaves, I swear I'll take action. Don't think I'll let it go just because you're married to my son. Everyone knows Yichen brings bad luck. Why else would she show up here? What reason does she have to visit? I'm telling you, keep the door to my grandson's room locked. If she shows up, talk with her out here in the sitting room and don't let her go any further. If she asks about Yibo, tell her he's been with me since morning. And I'm telling you, if anything happens to that child....or the one he's carrying.....even Quentin will get dragged into this. Not just you. Honestly, I'd rather something happened to Yibo than to the baby inside him. You hear me?"
With that, Nainai left the sitting room.
Yuting just shook her head and returned to her seat.
When Nainai got back to her own section, she entered her sitting room and saw Yichen sitting there, watching TV. She said, "Earlier, one of the boys who used to work for me back when I lived with my husband came by. I gave him my last bottle of water from the fridge. And they haven't brought me any food for dinner yet too, so I have nothing to offer for you."
Yichen replied, "Oh no, it's fine mother. I actually came by to check on Yibo's health…"
Quickly, Nainai cut in. "Yibo? He's just fine. He's asleep in my room and doesn't like to be disturbed. He recovered a while ago..... it was just pregnancy nausea. Nothing serious. It's not necessary to waste your transport fare coming here, but truly, he's doing better. He's inside sleeping peacefully."
Yichen said, "Alright then. I'll head back. May his recovery continue."
Nainai replied, "Thank you. Blessings to you too."
Yichen stood up and said, "Thank you…"
"You're leaving already?" Nainai asked.
"Yes, I should get going," Yichen responded.
"Are you going to your sister who sells rice at the station market? Or back to your mother's place in Shanghai?" Nainai asked.
"No, I live in Tianjin," Yichen said.
"Oh, really? So you have family over there?"
"Yes, I do."
"Well, that's good then. But try to get married soon. That's what gives you dignity and security....especially since you didn't want to stay in our house. I wish you'll meet someone decent," Nainai said.
Yichen smiled. "Thank you."
Nainai added, "I think I might have some change....let me give you something for transport."
Yichen protested, "No, please don't worry, mother. Thank you though."
But Nainai opened her bag, pulled out a 100 note, and handed it to her. "Here, take this for your fare. May you be protected on your way."
Yichen accepted it and said, "Thank you. For your blessings."
"Ahh it's nothing," Nainai replied.
Yichen also handed her a plastic bag containing six bottles of malt. "Here, it's not much mother."
Nainai raised her brows. "You're struggling yourself, yet you still bought malt for me? May you be blessed."
"Amen," Yichen said.
"Yibo is inside sleeping. I'd say you could go in and see him, but he's resting."
"No worries," Yichen replied. "Please greet him for me when he wakes up."
"He'll hear," Nainai said, and with that, Yichen left the sitting room.
Nainai smacked her lips as she brought out bottles of malt one by one.
Yichen arrived at Yibo's side of the house and knock from the doorway. Yuting, who was in the sitting room, responded and invited her in. Yichen entered and sat down while Yuting welcomed her warmly. They exchanged greetings. Then Yuting went into the kitchen, brought out a tray with water and a soft drink, and placed it beside Yichen before sitting and asking how her household was doing.
Yichen replied, "We're doing well. How's Quentin?"
"He's in Shanghai," Yuting answered.
"Oh, I see. Hope he's doing well. And how's Yibo feeling?" Yichen asked.
"He's fine, thank goodness. He's even inside resting," Yuting said, then stood up and went to Yibo's room.
She found Yibo eating while watching TV in his room. She opened the food warmer and asked, "Now what food are you eating again, Yibo?"
Yibo looked up sheepishly. "I couldn't sleep, and I got hungry."
Yuting shook her head. "Then go to the kitchen yourself later and make something. I can't keep up with your constant eating. Also, come out and greet Yichen."
Yibo's eyes widened. "She came, Mu Qin?"
Yuting didn't answer. She turned and walked out.
Yibo quickly put down his plate, after already eating an hour ago. He covered the food, stepped down from the bed, pulled out a long jacket from the wardrobe to hide his growing belly, and came out to the sitting room. He bowed deeply, avoiding eye contact with Yichen.
"Good afternoon, Shengjie," he said softly.
"Hello, Yibo. How's your strength?" Yichen asked kindly.
"I'm feeling better," Yibo replied.
"That's good. Wishing you continued recovery," she said.
"Thank you. And how's the household?" he asked.
"All fine," Yichen replied.
She turned to Yuting and said, "I've been over at Nainai's place since I arrived."
"Ah, bless your heart. Let me get you some food," Yuting offered.
But Yichen stood up. "No need, thank you. I'll just check in with Zihan before heading out. I told myself I had to come today, just to see how Yibo was doing." She set a bag beside Yibo and said "You should stop addressing me with Shengjie now and call me mother don't you think Yibo?.
Yibo nodded surprise.
"Thank you so much," Yuting said.
"Good night. I hope no more nausea," Yichen said.
Yibo thanked her again, and Yuting saw her off. Yibo then got up and returned to his room.
:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*
Life went on. Yibo started feeling much better. He didn't have a job or set responsibilities....his only real activity was eating. Everything he saw, he ate. Even things he hadn't liked before, he now craved. His self-indulgence only grew stronger. He refused to exert himself for anything, not even a bath....he'd call on Yuting to scrub his back for him.
Anytime Nainai heard footsteps approaching, she'd peek quickly. If it was Yibo, she'd immediately hide any food she was eating under the bed, then hurry back to sit in the in the living room with a hard expression.
There was nothing Zhan wouldn't get for Yibo....snacks, cravings, treats.....whatever he wanted, no matter the hour. Zhan would rush out and buy it for him. He usually stayed overnight at the house, though sometimes he returned to his own place.
Because Zhan felt shy around Yuting and didn't want to intrude on her space, Yibo often waited until Zhan was almost home from work before heading over to Nainai's. Yuting noticed everything but never said a word.
Zhan, on the other hand, was starting to wonder. No one ever asked him to take his husband home. Did they expect him to stay here until Yibo gave birth? He couldn't figure it out.
One day, Nainai stood in the sitting room, loudly complaining. "I'm done with this nonsense. People keep coming here, taking over my space, making me uncomfortable. And you...you can't even sit quietly. You walk into my sitting room that I worked hard to clean, cracking peanuts and leaving shells everywhere so the place stinks! Was it Yuting who sent you here to torture me, or was it Zhan? Because I know Quentin would never send you here to disrespect me."
Yibo kept on cracking peanuts and leaving the shells.
"This suffering is too much," Nainai went on. "You're the one pregnant, and I'm the one enduring all the discomfort. Every day I'm stressed, and my sitting room is constantly being messed up. I'm tired. I don't share any connection with you....let alone with your husband. It's Zhan who got you pregnant....go to his room and eat your peanuts there! If you had any shame, you wouldn't…"
At that moment, Zhan appeared in the doorway, just getting home and taking off his shoes, smiling as he entered the sitting room.
Nainai glared at him and stormed off into her room.
Yibo just watched her go while chewing his peanuts, shaking his head.
Zhan sat down beside him and asked, "Who bought you these peanuts?"
Yibo looked at him. "Do you want some?"
"No, they're for you....and our babies," Zhan replied with a grin.
Yibo pouted. "I won't eat them again unless you do too…"
Zhan scooted closer, pulled him near and said, "Then chew one and feed it to me."
Yibo giggled, broke a peanut open, and raised it to Zhan's mouth.
Zhan leaned in but said, "Chew it first."
Yibo replied, "Nope, you do it."
Zhan closed his eyes and leaned in, kissing Yibo just as Nainai came out of her room…
Yibo quickly turned his face away, while Nainai pretended not to see them, brushing off her seat without glancing their way. She said sharply, "I want both of you out of my sitting room. I'm not shameless, I'm not indecent. This world is just full of nonsense these days. What kind of person sits here kissing like there's no shame or decency? Since the day my mother gave birth to me, I've never seen such behavior. What kind of man snuggles up to a boy like that, acting as if he's about to melt into him? Honestly, I don't know what your intentions are. And this boy.....he's clearly out of control…"
"Oh heavens, I've had enough," she added, clearly distressed.
Zhan stood up, trying hard not to laugh. "You really can't stop watching people in this house, can you?"
Nainai quickly turned to him. "Out of my sitting room, now! I don't want to see your faces in here again. Just wait till Zong gets back! Since I was born, I've never witnessed this kind of shamelessness. The other day, you were in the bedroom, messing around on top of my bed. Then another day, you both went into the bathroom...who knows what you were doing in there? And even the kitchen! Always following him around and locking doors. What kind of nonsense is this? Don't you have any shame?"
Still laughing, Zhan replied, "If you insist on watching me and my husband, then be prepared, because there's more to see. We didn't stop at just kissing in your sitting room... even this baby we're expecting happened right here in your section of the house."
He pulled Yibo up and they both walked out while Nainai watched them with her mouth open. It took a moment for Zhan's words to truly sink in, and when they did, she burst into tears, wailing that they had desecrated her sitting room. She vowed not to forgive them unless their parents came to cleanse and refurnish the entire place.
That evening, Zong came to greet Nainai, but she didn't even respond. "Zong, are you hearing me?"
"I'm all ears, AYi," he replied.
"Well, you need to talk to your son Zhan and tell him to take his husband and leave this house. Either that, or if they must stay here, they should never step foot in my part of the house again. I'm not indecent. The things I've witnessed are just too much. I've kept quiet, but now it's enough. Since Yibo's recovery, instead of peace, he's brought disgrace. He eats and leaves trash everywhere in my sitting room, and the smell! And Zhan.....I've excused Zhan long enough... he's always been disrespectful. He even told me my eyes would go blind, and now he says they conceived the baby in my part of the house. What kind of curse is that, Zong? Is that what your son has to say to me?"
"I have nothing to do with Yibo or that Zhan," she continued, "and if not for you and Quentin, I would've driven them out myself."
Zong said nothing, his head lowered in embarrassment.
That night, Zong called Zhan into his sitting room and calmly told him to prepare to move out with Yibo the next day, since he and Yibo disrespected their mother all along. Zhan was deeply grateful, though he kept his head down. Zong added, "Make sure to continue looking after him. That's what he needs now. If possible, arrange for a housekeeper right away to help with chores. Let me know if you need anything."
🔸▫️▪️🔹
The next morning was Sunday. Zhan went to Nainai's section, knowing Yibo might be there. He found him in the sitting room, sipping tea and eating a big milk bread. Nainai was sweeping near the entrance. "I left you some porridge last night, but you never came back," she said.
"Well, since you chased me and my husband out, what would I want with your porridge?" Zhan replied as he entered the room, catching Yibo trying to hide his bread.
Zhan chuckled, "I caught you."
Yibo looked like he was about to cry. "I wasn't going to eat the whole thing! Some of it's Nainai's."
"He's lying," Nainai snapped. "He brought that from his mother's. And he will finish it all. I don't care...just don't let him mess up my sitting room with his constant eating. I don't think he's even healthy, and I am afraid he will lead you to bankruptcy."
"And how is that any of your business if he lead me to that?" Zhan asked. "He's my husband."
Nainai paused at the doorway, staring at him.
Around 11:45 AM, Yibo was in his casual clothes when Yuting walked into the room. Watching him, she said, "You're not taking anything with you?"
"No, My Qin," he replied.
She sat by the bed. "You really need to cut back on all these snacks. And stop lying around like you're made of water.... do a little work, even if there's a housekeeper. Also, stop using cold water for your showers."
Yibo smiled. "Alright, My Qin. I've already stopped."
"Safe travels," she said.
"Thanks. But in two days, please start making those grilled chicken wings I love again."
Yuting rolled her eyes and walked out. Yibo followed behind.
Outside, Zhan was waiting by the car. Before leaving, Yibo stopped by Zihan's section to say goodbye, covering his belly with his jacket like he always did around her. Including Zihan, Seth and Zong, he didn't want them to see his pregnancy.... Yibo had initially been shy around his mom and wore loose clothes, but eventually got comfortable. With Nainai, though, he'd been unbothered from day one.
Zihan smiled and said, "Wishing you good health, dear. Safe journey."
She gave him a generous amount of her newly gifted perfume and walked them to the sitting room. Yibo thanked her and left.
On the highway, Zhan took his hand. "Don't you want me to get you something sweet?"
Yibo tilted his head and said, "I want ice cream, please, Gege. Mu Qin didn't let me have the one you bought two days ago."
Zhan replied, "Alright, but just a small one. The weather's cold, and I don't want you falling sick."
"Okay," Yibo said. "But you have to get me pizza too."
Zhan rubbed his lap and winked. "Alright, mum of twins."
Yibo pouted. "I don't like that. I'm not a girl."
Zhan just smiled and said nothing until they reached the ice cream place. He parked and got out. Yibo followed slowly, just as another car pulled in beside theirs.
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛