At the Xiao family, Zhan got out of the car with Fei, who was already asleep, and walked upstairs.
He put Fei on the bed and tucked her up before he went downstairs to see his grandmother.
His grandmother had just fallen asleep. She was not well recently and she needed to some more rest.
Zhan sat by the bed and looked at his grandmother’s wrinkled face in the yellow light, “Grandma,” he said, “what do you think I should do?”
It was as if he were talking to his grandmother, but also as if he was talking to himself.
But what answered him was the wind whistling through the window…
Zhan stayed for a long time before he came out of the room and happened to meet Jianmin, who had just come back from a party, and he yelled.
“Zhan, stand there!”
Jianmin had probably had drunken a lot and his face was a little red.
“Dad, grandma has gone to bed, and it’s late now. Let’s talk tomorrow.” Zhan didn’t want to talk too much to someone who had been drunk.
“You’ve got the guts, right? Using grandma to force me to buy you a car? Just think about the dirty things you’ve done. Do you think you deserve to be my son?” Jianmin was having a bad day. He didn’t feel good at home and he was having a tough time outside, so he lost temper in front of Zhan.
“You don’t deserve it! You don’t even deserve to enter this house! If you are smart, go away with your bastard! I don’t want to see you, nor does my family want to see you!”
“Who the hell are you? When you came back, my business goes to the wall. Do you know what I’ve been through today? It is because of you that our family became so unlucky. We shouldn’t have given birth to you!”
Jianmin pulled off his tie, saying the harsh words.
No matter what he said, Zhan just stood there, silent.
“You’re not my son. You’re just a jinx…”
“Is that enough?” Zhan said coldly.
“Zhan, you’re not my son, go away. Go away now! Ahh!”
Grandma slapped Jianmin in the face and sent him on the sofa.
“Jianmin, don’t you dare say such things!” Grandma clenched her fist and trembled with anger.
“Mom, I’ve born these words in my heart for years. Why don’t you let me say it?!”
Jianmin tried to get up from the sofa, but fell back down weakly. “Mom, I have to speak out the truth even you want to beat me to death! Tell him, he isn’t my son. He has no relationship with the Xiao family!”
Tingyu took a deep breath and shouted, “Elena, Luke, hurry up and help Jianmin to bed upstairs.”
After Elena and Luke heard Tingyu’s order, they hurried forward to help Jianmin. Jianmin pushed them away. At the same time, he fell backward onto the sofa because his feet felt weak. He was indolent like a sloth.
“Get out, get out of my house…jinx…” Jianmin pointed in Zhan’s direction.
“Hurry up and get him out of here. He’s acting rashly because he’s drunk. How embarrassing. Tingyu felt annoyed seeing Jianmin.
Elena and Luke went to help Jianmin again. It was much easier than the last time. He was even drunker and his body became weak that he didn’t have the strength to push them away anymore.
They helped Jianmin to go up the stairs. He was weak and mumbled words that no one could hear clearly.
Grandma watched Jianmin, who passed out, disappeared at the corner of the stairs and shook her head with anger.
“Zhan, go to rest and ignore your dad.” Grandma felt bad for the family.
“Grandma, is what dad said true? I’m not his son and I’m not from the Xiao family?” Zhan’s eyes were exceptionally calm, and he looked at ease.
That was why they treated him so badly. That was why they gave up on him and chose Lingjiao?
He was unwanted by the family. No, he didn’t belong to this family at all.
Then his coming back and wanting to regain everything that belonged to him would only be a joke because nothing truly belonged to him so how could he get anything back!
“It’s not like that. Don’t believe what your dad said. He drank alcohol and acted rashly. Can you believe his words?” Tingyu explained, wanting to heal his wounded heart.
“Grandma, don’t lie to me.” Zhan endured the burning sensation.
“How could grandma lie to you? If you were not a child of the Xiao family, would I love you as much? Why don’t I care for my biological granddaughter Lingjiao? Grandma isn’t crazy,” Tingyu smiled and made comparisons for him.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with your parents. They’ve crossed the line more and more these years. They don’t think before they speak. But you need to know that they were just venting their anger and what they said aren’t true. Zhan, you need to believe what grandma said…grandma won’t lie to you…”
Tingyu clenched a fist over her chest as her face turned pale and her chest ached.
When Zhan saw this, his expression changed drastically. he stepped forward and helped his grandma to sit on the sofa. “Grandma, what’s the matter?”
“Pill… my pills… on the bedside table…” Tingyu’s breathing became rapid.
Zhan hurried to Tingyu’s room, grabbed a pill from the bedside table, and gave it to Tingyu. He then poured a cup of water and gave it to Tingyu to take the pill.
Tingyu ate the pill and sat there to relax. Zhan looked at her with distress and soothed her chest.
“Grandma, are you okay? Don’t scare me…” Zhan’s eyes were dyed red from anxiety and worry, “You are my and Fei’ closest relative… and only relative. You have to be healthy!”
“As long as you trust grandma, grandma will be fine.” While trembling, Tingyu held Zhan’s hand hard, hoping to make Zhan believe her this way.
“Grandma, I believe you.” Zhan bit his lips tightly, enduring all the pain and tears.
He had no choice but to trust his grandma.
“That’s right.” Tingyu smiled with relief.
Zhan knelt beside Tingyu, put his head lightly on Tingyu’s knees, and silently closed his eyes. He could no longer hold in the bitterness and sadness he felt that tears streamed down his face.
Tingyu leaned on the sofa and caressed Zhan’s head gently, like she did when Zhan was a child.
Tingyu and Zhan sat there for quite a long time until Zhan helped Tingyu to bed and went to sleep herself.
But he didn’t feel sleepy at all, so he sat on the sofa in his bedroom, leaving only a floor lamp on. Although light from the lamp was soft, it brought light to the dark room.
He was nestled on the sofa and curled up in the shadows. He bent his knees, wrapped his arms tightly around himself, and buried his head in his arms.
He had a dream in a daze. The dream was confusing….
***
It was dawn by the time Zhan woke up. He slept on the sofa like this and in this posture for the entire night.
He felt stiff all over. He slowly stretched out his arms and lifted his legs before moving slowly, allowing himself to adapt to the process of going from staying still to moving.
Zhan was in a hurry and avoided meeting Jianmin. After breakfast, he sent Fei to kindergarten. Like yesterday, he ran into Lixian today and sat in his car.
“Sorry about what happened yesterday.” Lixian said after driving for a while.
Yesterday he didn’t send Zhan and Fei home because he was in a bad mood. Instead, he listened to them and dropped them off on the side of the road.
Afterward, he felt that he wasn’t being a gentleman, so he came early today and waited for Zhan to drop Fei off and apologize to him.
“What happened yesterday? I forgot already. I have a bad memory. I can forget everything after sleeping,” Zhan said, playing things down.
Lixian felt grateful that Zhan respected him and didn’t make things awkward.
When they arrived at work, they parted ways like before.
Zhan took advantage of the lunch break to go to a Ferrari dealership nearby and choose a model that was the same as Lingjiao’s.
Afterward, he called Jianmin, “Dad, I’ve already picked a model. Transfer me the full amount so we can save on instalment interest.”
Jianmin trembled with anger after receiving such a call, “You are very considerate trying to save me money!”
“Of course, I’m your son after all,” Zhan sneered as his eyes turned cold.
He remembered everything Jianmin said last night while he was drunk. He did not dare forget a single word, nor would he forget.
Even though he was his son, Jianmin never thought of him as a son, so he shouldn’t blame Zhan for being ruthless.
“You are truly my good son”, Jianmin sneered.
“Dad, then make the transfer. Otherwise, if grandma knows, I can’t guarantee what she would do,” Zhan threatened.
“I can give you the car, but I need you to show some sincerity about marrying Hepeng, otherwise, just you wait!” Jianmin snorted coldly.
Jianmin had no choice but to threaten Zhan this way.
“Okay, as long as he dares marry me.” Zhan was straightforward.
“These are your words.” Jianmin thought that Zhan compromised because he had no right to challenge him.
“Yes, that’s what I said,” Zhan said calmly.
“Well, if you dare play any tricks, I will punish you,” Jianmin said viciously
“I’ll send you the dealership’s account. Please transfer the money over now, father,” Zhan urged Jianmin to fulfill his promise.
Jianmin paused for a moment. “What are you in a hurry for? It takes some time to make transfers.”
“Dad, you can’t go back on your words, You can drag it for a while, but you can’t drag it for a lifetime. Five minutes is my limit.” Zhan no longer let himself get bullied. The things Zhan did and the way he talked were different from before.
His boldness made Jianmin see him in a new light.
Jianmin gritted his teeth with hatred but could not find any reason to reject him.
“Dad, you have to hurry up, the salespeople are urging me,” Zhan continued to push Jianmin even more.
Jianmin hung up the phone in a hurry and sat in his leather swivel chair, so angry that the veins on his forehead pound and hist fist hit his desk.
But regardless of how angry he was, he still had to transfer the money.
Zhan sat in the VIP customer hall of the dealership, tasting tea as his lips curled into a smile.
A salesperson came over with the documents and respectfully said, “Mr Xiao, we’ve received the money. After you sign and go through the formalities, the car will be yours,”
“Thank you.” Zhan was in a good mood. He put down the teacup, took the documents, and signed. “You finish up the formalities. I will get the car this afternoon.”
Zhan then left the dealership. He glanced at the red Ferrari sports car and smiled. This was just his first step.
***
Zhan returned to the office on time and continued to work. Before leaving work, he received a call from Hepeng, “Mr Xiao, are you off work? How about we grab dinner together?”
“Mr. Feng, I’m sorry, I have to work overtime today. How about some other time?” Zhan refused lightly.
“Isn’t Mr Xiao a little too busy? But no matter how busy you are, you have to eat.” Hepeng smiled evilly. “How about I accompany you for dinner? You’ll only have the energy to work after you eat…”
Zhan felt that even when Hepeng spoke seriously, he still sounded perverted, especially his laughter. It made Zhan uncomfortable and want to throw up.
“Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Feng. I really don’t have time today. I’ll invite you and apologize another day. What do you think?” Zhan said softly, not wanting to anger Hepeng.
“That’s really a pity. Although work is important, Mr Xiao, you should still pay attention to your body,” Hepeng said with concern.
“Thank you, Mr. Feng, for your concern.” Zhan dealt with him and praised him, “Mr. Feng is so considerate. Your future wife must be very fortunate to have a husband like you.”
“So what do you think, Mr Xiao?” Hearing Zhan’s praise, Hepeng smiled happily. “Since Mr Xiao thinks I’m a good person, why don’t you consider me?”
“Mr. Feng will be the master of the Feng family in the future. I’m just an ordinary man. How could I think that way. Mr. Feng deserves a better man?” Zhan belittled himself and tactfully refused.
Zhan’s words made Hepeng lose sight of himself. He laughed loudly, “Mr Xiao is humble. You are gorgeous, so I’m sure you have many suitors.”
“Mr. Feng must be joking.” Zhan smiled.
“I’m not joking. If you want, you marry me and become the young mistress of the Feng Family. You won’t need to work as hard in the future. I can give you whatever you want,” Hepeng finally got to the point. He even addressed him differently, “Zhan, what do you think?”
Zhan endured the discomfort in his heart and continued to deal with him, “It is an honour to marry Mr. Feng. It’s just that marriage isn’t anything trivial. We need to ask our parents for permission.”
“Last time both of our parents met and dined together. They naturally didn’t object.” Hepeng had difficulty controlling himself as soon as he thought of Zhan’s delicate face.
Lingjiao, who once looked down on him, already became a part of his romantic affair. Now if he could deceive Zhan, then this pair of siblings would both be served him. How impressive that he would seem!
“Although our parents didn’t object, we have only met once and don’t know each other very well. I wonder if we should take some time to further develop our feelings for each other and consider carefully before we proceed with our marriage,” Zhan said.
“I really want to get to know you Zhan but you don’t give me the opportunity to. You wouldn’t even join me for a meal!…” Hepeng circled back to the initial topic.
“I will invite you and apologize another day.”
After finishing the call in this way, Zhan sighed with relief that he finally didn’t have to be pretentious and deal with this man.
Zhan continued to work until he got off work.
***
After getting off work, Zhan hurried to drive the Ferrari sports car. He then picked up Fei and went back to the Xiaos’.
After dinner, Jianmin asked Zhan to go to his study.
“Why didn’t you accept Hepeng’s invitation to dinner tonight?” Jianmin frowned, suppressing his anger. “I bought the car for you, and in a blink of an eye, you forgot your words?”
“Dad, I have my reasons for not going,” Zhan replied with confidence.
“Reasons? Tell me what your reasons are!” Jianmin stared at Zhan’s calm face with angry eyes.
“What kind of person is Hepeng? Dad knows better than me. I can’t win with the way he plays with women, but I know the easier it is to get something, the less it will be cherished. If I agreed as soon as he asked me, then to him, I would be too easy to get. After he’s done having fun with me, he wouldn’t marry me anymore. So dad, I am making concessions in order to gain advantages. Only by becoming my prey will he be obedient,” Zhan explained his reasons, hoping to make Jianmin believe him.
“What I want is not the process, but the result. Apologize to him tomorrow.” Jianmin didn’t want to listen to Zhan reasons.
Zhan took a deep breath and suppressed the grievances and anger he held inside.
“Dad, more haste, less speed. Hepeng is not a fool. He’s not going to marry me just because you want him to,” Zhan analyzed the situation, “If he is the type to be shackled by marriage, he wouldn’t be single at the age of 35 with no one daring to marry him.”
“It’s because those are not worthy of him! If you weren’t from the Xiao family, he wouldn’t want to dine with you. It’s your luck to marry him. How could you be so picky?” Jianmin sneered. “I’m telling you, from now on, you better handle this marriage with care. Or you’ll be taking responsibility for the consequences.”
Zhan didn’t stay any longer and turned to leave.
…
The days just passed away like this. Since Yibo called that day, he didn’t contact Zhan anymore – no call or text.
Zhan hadn’t heard his voice for a long time and suddenly was a little not used to it.
A week later, Jingtong and Lingjiao returned from Shanghai.
Zhan picked up Fei from school and ran into them.
When Lingjiao saw Zhan and Fei getting off the Ferrari sports car, she was anxious and angry, and immediately rushed up and raised her hand to slap Zhan.
But Zhan was getting out of the car with Fei at the time, and he was not fully prepared. When he collected himself, it was too late to avoid Lingjiao’s hand completely. Lingjiao’s fingertips swept across his face, leaving a red mark.
“You bad woman. Why did you slap my mom?” Seeing that Zhan was slapped, Fei blamed Lingjiao.
Lingjiao looked at Fei, who stood in front of Zhan, protecting him. Fei was glaring at her with a pair of big eyes, and her sharp gaze made her afraid.
This child addressed Zhan as mom, Could she be the child that Zhan gave birth to five years ago?
Lingjiao looked at the little child and remembered things from five years ago, remembered things she didn’t want to remember.
Her heart felt hurt as if it was being tightly gripped. She was so uncomfortable that she could hardly breathe.
“Not only did I slap her, but I’m also going to slap you!” Fear accumulated inside Lingjiao. She raised her hand to slap the child.
Zhan grabbed her hand. He squinted at Lingjiao with a piercing gaze. “Lingjiao, I don’t mind you bullying me, yet you want to do the same to my daughter! I’m telling you, if you dare touch her, I won’t let you off!”
“Your daughter? You don’t even know who is father of her, you little-ah-” Before Lingjiao could say the word, “brat”, Zhan slapped her in return.
The sound of Lingjiao being slapped was loud and crisp. Zhan slapped Lingjiao so hard that her face turned to the side, and half of her face became red and swollen.
Zhan knew that there was going to be a fierce battle today. He didn’t want to affect Fei, so he put Fei on the car and covered her ears. “Sweetie, you can listen to nursery rhymes or watch cartoons. Don’t come out for a while no matter what happens outside.”
“Mom, they are bad guys. They will bully you.” Fei looked at her mother worriedly.
“Mom will not be bullied easily. And I will protect myself.” Zhan stroked Fei’ face. “Don’t worry. Believe in mom.”
“I believe in mom,” Fei said supportively. “Go mom.”
Zhan was very pleased. His daughter was the source of his strength, and there was nothing he couldn’t do.
He closed the door and saw Jingtong step forward to support Lingjiao.
Zhan said concerned, “Lingjiao, are you okay?”
“Mom…” Lingjiao touched her injured face with the palm of her hand. Tears appeared in her aggrieved eyes. “He drove my car when I wasn’t home! That is my car!”
“Zhan, how could you slap Lingjiao? When did you become so bold and audacious?” Jingtong scolded Zhan. “Why do you drive Lingjiao’s car! Someone like you isn’t worthy at all! Don’t assume that you have the right to control everything here just because you returned to the Xiao family! I’m telling you, nothing in the Xiao family has to do with you!”
“And this daughter, don’t even think about it!”
Jingtong glanced coldly at Fei, who was still glaring at them. She also felt upset as soon as she saw this child.
“It’s not up to you to decide whether things in the Xiao family have to do with me.”
“That’s not up to you! Give the car back to Lingjiao.”
“Look at it clearly, it’s my car.” Zhan was not in a hurry to argue with them. He just stated the facts lightly.
“Your car?” Jingtong and Lingjiao looked at the car with doubt.
Zhan stepped back a bit so that they could see more clearly.
Sure enough, the license plate was not the same as Lingjiao’s.
“Why do you have the same car as me?” Lingjiao asked
“Why can’t I have a car when you have one?” Zhan curled his lips slightly and smiled.
“It’s a new car I bought,” Zhan explained.
“How do you have money for a new car?” Jingtong asked suspiciously.
“Zhan, did you trick some idiot who has no taste for men?” Lingjiao mocked Zhan by pointing out that he relied on men.
“Sister, I’m learned from you. I got the car the same way you got yours,” Zhan countered decisively.
Lingjiao and Jingtong glanced at each other. Their expressions changed from doubtful to confident, and they still couldn’t believe it.
“Zhan, don’t try to lie to us. Dad bought me that car for my birthday.” Lingjiao’s eyes were filled with arrogance, showing that she was more important than Zhan in the eyes of their parents. “How could dad buy you a car? Even a Ferrari of the same model as mine. Who do you think you are?”
“You are dad’s child, and so am I. You can buy it, and I can naturally buy it too!” Zhan said the reason.
“Impossible!” Jingtong and Lingjiao denied it in unison.
“What’s impossible? You can check. It’s dad who made the transfer. Otherwise, where would I get this much money?” Zhan’s expression was lively.
“How is it possible? Dad won’t buy it for you!” Lingjiao couldn’t accept it.
Jingtong picked up her phone and was about to call Jianmin.
At this. moment, his Mercedes-Benz car drew into the yard.
While in the car, Jianmin noticed that the atmosphere between these women and Zhan wasn’t right. He somewhat regretted coming in and wished he could reverse the car.
As soon as Jingtong saw the car, she rushed forward and pulled the door. “Jianmin, explain to me clearly. Did you buy that car for this brat?”
Jianmin sat inside and pulled the door, not daring to get off. He just replied weakly, “Jingtong, calm down and listen to me.”
“I’m asking you whether you bought that car. You just need to answer yes or no. I don’t want to listen to anything else.” Jingtong’s strength was no match for Jianmin, so she could only open the door a little bit.
“I bought it.” Jianmin could only bite the bullet and admit.
When Jingtong heard this, her expression changed drastically. She yelled at him with anger, “Are you crazy? How could you buy him a car?”
Lingjiao was also stunned but had to believe Zhan. “Dad, why did you buy him a car? You even had to pick the same model as mine? You are trying to disgust me, huh?”
Lingjiao looked sick and was very upset. She further accused Zhan.
“Disgust you? Sister, what you did was more disgusting than what I did.” Although Zhan smiled, his eyes were cold. “Do you still remember that Darren and I were engaged back then? He was my fiancé, yet you didn’t mind and you liked him so much that you even married him, We can like the same person, but we can’t drive the same car?”
“So in the end, are you the disgusting one or am I the disgusting one?”
Zhan countered so beautifully that Lingjiao looked as if she had swallowed a fly. But there was nothing she could do about it, unable to refute a single word.
Lingjiao could only stare at Zhan while anger made her chest heave violently.
“You were the one who did disgusting things. You even had a brat behind Darren’s back. What right do you have to have Darren for yourself?” Lingjiao stood facts on their heads and framed Zhan. “It is Darren who saw your true nature and knew that I am the one who truly loves him, so he chose me.”
“Lingjiao, it’s been five years. Is it fun deceiving yourself and others? Don’t you know whether Darren truly loves you or that you deceived his feelings? Do you need me to clarify for you?” There was no way Zhan could explain himself in that difficult situation back then.
But now that five years passed, and everyone has calmed down, especially Darren. It wasn’t that he didn’t have the opportunity to explain everything clearly – it depended on whether Darren would believe him.
Lingjiao’s body began to tremble as she panicked. “Of course, Darren loves me. As you who betrayed him, you are not worthy of his love!”
“Really?” Zhan smiled lightly. “Why don’t you ask him now?”
Lingjiao frowned in confusion, Zhan saw her panic and said again, “He is there. Turn around and look.”
Lingjiao turned her head abruptly, and as expected, Darren was standing there. He probably came to pick her up.
Before getting on the plane today, she called him and to tell him she was coming back today and that she would be going to the Xiaos before going home. She also told him not to pick her up.
Because she didn’t want Darren and Zhan to come in contact with each other or meet at all.
Unexpectedly, Darren came to pick her up and didn’t notify her. It seemed that he wanted to surprise her.
☆~~~~◇~~~❌~~~◇~~~~☆
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I am obsessed with WangXian and YiZhan so much… currently love to read and write stories about them…
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I hope the author will finish this story. It’s almost two years yet no update