As his Mom stepped into the living room, Yang-Yang....who had been standing by the window in his bedroom....quietly pulled the curtain shut.
He leaned against the window for a moment, arms folded, deep in thought… then turned and walked to his study area, pulling out a chair and sitting down.
What was Mom telling the driver?
For nearly thirty minutes, he sat there, waiting....hoping to hear Mui drive out of the house. That alone would clear the suspicion building in his mind.
But even as evening approached… there was silence.
Mui hadn't left.
Yang-Yang closed his eyes slowly, a strange heaviness settling over him.
"Zizi…"
He knew, without a doubt, that he had once loved Zizi deeply.
But now?
He didn't even understand what had changed.
Nothing had happened between them...no fight, no betrayal. Yet somehow… she had simply faded from his heart.
Was it because of pressure? Was that why the thought of marriage now felt suffocating?
He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair.
And then....
Zhan.
And the babies.
If he was forced into this marriage now… what would happen to them?
His eyes snapped open as an idea formed.
An apartment…
Maybe he could rent a place for Zhan and the babies.
He rubbed his forehead, thinking it through, then suddenly stood up, grabbed his car keys, and walked out.
"I'll be back," he told his Mom as he passed through the living room.
Without even looking at him, she replied,
"Be careful."
He got into his car and drove out of the compound.
Just as he reached the road, he spotted Mui in his rearview mirror....quickly getting into another car and driving out after him.
Yang-Yang's lips curved into a faint smile.
So… his suspicion had been right.
He slowed his car deliberately.
Behind him, Mui slowed down too.
Then Yang-Yang sped up slightly....
And Mui followed.
He drove straight to Dr Yun's house, with Mui trailing him the entire way.
After parking, Yang-Yang stepped out, pretending not to notice Mui parked some distance away.
He went inside.
Dr Yun wasn't home...but that hadn't been his real reason for coming anyway.
He exchanged a few words with Dr Yun's mother, greeted her politely, then left shortly after.
Back home, he parked outside and stepped out.
He spotted Mui sitting with the security guard.
"Meet me outside," he said calmly.
Then he walked toward the gate.
Mui followed him...clearly nervous.
Yang-Yang turned, fixing him with a steady gaze.
"Did my Mother send you to follow me?"
Mui hesitated.
Yang-Yang's expression hardened.
"Answer me."
Mui nodded quickly.
"I'm sorry, sir… it was Ma'am's instruction."
Yang-Yang let out a quiet breath.
"Fine. This will be your first...and last time."
His voice turned cold.
"If you ever follow me again… I won't take it lightly."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked back inside, leaving Mui standing there.
Inside his room, Yang-Yang picked up his phone and dialed Zizi.
She answered after a few rings.
They exchanged greetings before he spoke softly,
"Can you hear me, Zizi?"
"Yes… how's your Mom?"
"She's fine."
He paused.
"I need to talk to you… are you alone?"
"Yes. What's wrong?"
He exhaled slowly.
"Zizi… please, I need a favor."
She didn't respond, so he continued gently,
"I'm not settled yet. There are still many things I need to fix. And you… you haven't even finished your studies. Why don't we both take time? You finish school, I sort things out… then we think about everything else. Why the rush?"
He finished speaking.
Silence.
Then she gave a small, knowing laugh.
"So… what exactly are you saying?"
He closed his eyes briefly before answering,
"Let's postpone the wedding…"
There was a pause.
Then her tone changed.
"Oh… Yang."
Her voice was calm...but firm.
"It's not like I don't have other options. I chose you because I loved you… the same way you once loved me."
She continued,
"And if you remember, you were the one who pushed for this wedding in the first place."
Another pause.
"So now that there's someone else… you think it's okay to keep dragging me along?"
His chest tightened.
"It's fine," she added.
"You can send someone to collect your weeding things. I'm done."
His body went cold...but he forced himself to respond.
"Is that what you really want?"
"Yes."
"Alright."
The call ended.
He fell back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Did I just make the right decision?
A moment later, he sat up again and called her back.
Just as the call was about to drop, she answered.
"Then… please tell your mom to inform mine," he said quietly.
"I can't say it myself. She'll think I'm the one who ended things."
"Okay."
She hung up.
Yang-Yang let out a long breath and lay back down again.
Then....
Zhan came to mind.
He picked up his phone and called him.
Zhan answered almost immediately, his voice soft.
"Hello…"
Yang-Yang frowned slightly.
"Are the babies crying?"
Zhan glanced at them, pouting faintly.
"Yes… Mama Suwei is in the kitchen. I don't know what she's doing."
Yang-Yang sat up.
"Where are the babies?"
"On the bed… lying there."
Silence.
He didn't even know what to say.
Then he hung up.
Zhan stared at the phone in confusion.
His chest tightened.
Quickly, he called back...
But Yang-Yang didn't answer.
Tears welled up in Zhan's eyes as he looked at the crying babies.
Suddenly, he broke down.
"Is it my fault they're crying? What did I do to them?"
He moved to the far end of the bed, glaring at them helplessly.
In the kitchen, Mama Suwei heard the crying....but didn't come out immediately.
She was tired.
Deeply tired of Zhan's behavior.
But when the crying grew louder, she finally rushed in.
The moment she saw the scene, her expression hardened.
"Honestly, you have no conscience at all."
Zhan froze.
"I've talked to you gently. I've advised you in every way I can...as someone who cares about you, as someone older than you… but you ignore everything."
Her voice trembled with frustration.
"What did these babies ever do to you?"
Zhan said nothing...tears falling silently.
"You carried them. You brought them into this world. Did you think you could deny them and walk away from that responsibility?"
She shook her head.
"They're not even forty days old… and you've already refused to feed them properly."
Her tone grew sharper.
"If this is what motherhood looks like to you, then it would've been better if you never had them."
Zhan broke down completely, crying into his knees.
"I've never seen anything like this," Mama Suwei continued.
"And I won't stay here watching this anymore."
She picked up both babies.
"When your husband comes back, I'll leave this house. I can't continue witnessing this kind of neglect."
With that, she walked out of the room.
In the living room, she picked up their feeders and began feeding both babies at once.
Her heart ached for them.
She kept waiting....hoping Zhan would come out and take them.
But he never did.
So she held them close…
Feeding them gently, with all the care they hadn't received.
Yang-Yang stepped into the living room.
Before he could even speak, Suwei Mama said sharply,
"I've been waiting for you."
He sat down calmly.
"I'm here, Mama."
She shook her head, clearly upset.
"I think I should leave this job. Find someone else. I can't keep staying in this house watching what that young man is doing to those babies."
Her voice rose with emotion.
"I've spoken to him in every way possible....as someone under his authority, as a mother figure… I've said everything! But he refuses to change."
She sighed deeply.
"He doesn't love those children at all. It's like they were forced on him. What did those babies ever do to him? Tell me, have you ever seen a parent like this? Even if those children weren't his, they still don't deserve this treatment."
She stood up, frustrated.
"I can't do it anymore. I'm leaving. Maybe when he sees there's no one left to care for them, he'll finally do what he's supposed to."
Yang-Yang closed his eyes briefly, then stood and walked straight into Zhan's room.
Zhan slowly lifted his head from his knees as he entered.
Yang-Yang stared at him for a long moment before speaking coldly,
"Get up. Go take your children. And if you plan to harm them, then do it with your own hands."
Zhan didn't move.
Yang-Yang's voice suddenly rose....sharp and commanding.
"Stand up!"
Zhan flinched in fear.
He had never seen Yang-Yang like this before.
Quickly, he stood and hurried out of the room.
He went to Suwei Mama and took one of the babies, tears already falling down his face.
He stood there awkwardly, holding the child.
Suwei Mama said firmly,
"Go and lay him down, then come back for the other one. I'm leaving soon....I can't stay with someone like you."
Silently, Zhan returned to the room and placed the baby on the bed.
He avoided looking at Yang-Yang, then went back to carry the second one.
When he returned, he placed him beside his brother, still crying.
Yang-Yang watched him quietly, then said,
"Tomorrow, I'll give you transport money. Take them to an orphanage and leave them there."
Zhan looked up sharply.
"Really?"
"Yes."
A small smile appeared on Zhan's face.
"Thank you."
Yang-Yang just stared at him in disbelief.
"You're truly heartless, Meixuan."
His voice softened, but the pain in it was clear.
"I took you into my home without even knowing you. I didn't know anything about you....I just saw someone helpless and chose to help."
He gestured toward the babies.
"But these children stayed inside you for nine months. You gave birth to them… and yet you treat them like enemies."
His jaw tightened.
"Look at them. They're completely innocent. What did they ever do to you? Why are you punishing them for their father's mistakes?"
Zhan sat on the edge of the bed, silent, tears falling.
Yang-Yang shook his head.
"I know how to deal with you."
Then he walked out....leaving the house entirely.
Zhan pouted slightly and lay down far away from the babies.
So now I'm supposed to raise them?
He frowned.
They cry like someone is hurting them… they never stop.
:
:
That night, just like always, the babies started crying loudly.
Zhan kept sleeping, mouth slightly open, completely ignoring them.
As usual, Suwei Mama came in, picked them up, and took them to her room, shaking her head.
The next morning, Yang-Yang returned.
He handed Suwei Mama some thousands and said gently,
"You can leave."
Even though she had been the one asking to go, her heart suddenly felt heavy.
She looked at the babies with pity.
Yang-Yang reassured her,
"Don't worry. Once he sees there's no one else, he'll start taking responsibility."
She sighed.
"I hope so."
Then she added softly,
"Please don't let me leave while he's upset with me. Let me at least say goodbye properly."
Yang-Yang smiled.
"Go ahead."
Inside the room, she woke Zhan and told him she was leaving.
Zhan stared at her in shock.
"Where are you going, Mama?"
"Back to my village."
His eyes widened.
"What about the babies?"
Suwei Mama paused, studying him.
He's really not okay…
Out loud, she said lightly,
"I'll be back later."
Then she walked out.
After saying goodbye, she left....feeling a deep ache in her chest for both Zhan and the twins.
Yang-Yang carried the babies into Zhan's room.
Zhan was still sitting there.
As soon as he saw him, he asked anxiously,
"Who will take care of them now?"
Yang-Yang looked straight at him.
"Their father."
Then his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen....it was his Mom.
He hesitated before answering.
"Come home now," she said immediately, then hung up.
Yang-Yang turned back to Zhan.
"I have to go."
Zhan's voice trembled.
"What if they start crying? What should I do?"
Yang-Yang replied bluntly,
"Then cry with them."
And he left.
Zhan broke down immediately, staring at the babies.
By the time Yang-Yang got home, the house was full.
Suitcases were arranged neatly in the living room.
His Mom, his father, and all his siblings were there.
He didn't sit.
Instead, he knelt slightly and said,
"I'm here, Mom."
She gestured toward the boxes.
"These are the things returned from Juda's house. Since you said they should be brought back, tell us now....where should they go?"
Yang-Yang lowered his gaze, silent.
Then his father spoke.
"I've lived my whole life peacefully. I won't start having problems because of you."
His voice was firm.
"Don't bring up marriage again. Not now, not anytime soon."
He scoffed.
"You're barely 27 or 28. That's not an age to be responsible."
He waved his hand dismissively.
"Leave."
Yang-Yang exhaled softly and walked away.
Later, in his room, he was smiling to himself when Aunty Mary entered.
"So, are you satisfied now?"
He grinned.
"Very."
⏭ ⏭
Back at the house…
Zhan sat far away, watching the babies nervously.
His only fear...
What will I do when they start crying?
As if on cue, one of them began to cry.
He quickly grabbed his phone and called Yang-Yang.
Yang-Yang had just stepped out of the shower.
He rejected the call, then called back.
Zhan answered immediately, panicking.
"They're about to start again!"
"Start what?"
"Crying!"
Yang-Yang smiled slightly as he dried his hair.
"Then feed them."
Zhan's eyes widened.
"I don't do that! Aunty always feeds them milk!"
"Then give them milk."
Tears filled Zhan's eyes.
"When will Aunty come back?"
"She's not coming back."
Zhan froze.
Yang-Yang smiled faintly and ended the call.
Zhan struggled helplessly as the babies cried.
He tried feeding them...but they refused.
The milk had gone cold.
From outside the door, Yang-Yang could already hear their cries.
He rushed in.
Zhan ran to him, crying.
"Please take them! Don't leave them with me again!"
Yang-Yang ignored him, grabbed the feeder, and frowned.
"Meixuan."
Zhan sniffed.
"Yes?"
Yang-Yang stared at him.
"Have you ever drunk cold tea before?"
Zhan blinked.
"Then why would you give babies cold milk?"
Zhan just stared at him.
Yang-Yang clicked his tongue, went to the kitchen, poured out the milk, and prepared a fresh warm one.
When he returned, he handed one bottle to Zhan.
"Carry one. Feed him."
Reluctantly, Zhan obeyed.
Almost immediately....
The babies went quiet.
After a while, Yang-Yang turned and caught Zhan staring at him.
Zhan quickly looked away.
Yang-Yang took the feeder from him.
"You're about to pour milk into his nose."
Zhan frowned.
"But you were looking at me too."
Yang-Yang paused… then smiled faintly.
He laid one baby down gently, already asleep, then took the other from Zhan.
"We'll call him Roulan, the other one Rouxue."
Zhan kept staring at him.
Then suddenly....
He pouted and hid his face in the bed.
Yang-Yang chuckled softly as he continued feeding the baby.
By the time he finished and laid him down....
Zhan still hadn't looked up.
Yang-Yang's eyes lingered on his long hair.
Just then....
Zhan suddenly lifted his head.
Yang-Yang quickly looked away.
Zhan smirked slightly.
"Caught you."
✴✴✴
From that day on, Zhan forced himself to start learning how to take care of his babies after Suwei Mama left. It wasn't something he did willingly...he only did it because of Yang-Yang. Even then, he still refused to breastfeed them and relied entirely on formula.
Yang-Yang knew it wouldn't be easy for him....he was young, and caring for two infants at once was overwhelming. Still, he chose to leave Zhan to handle them, hoping that spending more time with the babies would soften his heart and make him grow attached to them. But instead, it only seemed to make things worse.
Zhan complained about everything.
Sometimes he even cried out of frustration. What annoyed him the most was how the babies kept him awake at night.
During the day, though, Yang-Yang practically handled everything....he dedicated nearly all his time to the twins like someone with nothing else to do.
One day, when his Mom questioned him again about where he kept going....why he would leave early and return close to midnight...he answered without thinking.
"Mom, honestly, most of the time I'm at my own place."
His Mom stared at him quietly.
"You're at your place? Then I'll come visit one day."
Silence fell.
A chill ran through Yang-Yang's body. His heart dropped.
That night, he couldn't sleep. He regretted telling such a lie, knowing full well his mother was capable of showing up unannounced. By morning, he had made a decision....he had to leave.
Keeping Zhan and the babies there was no longer safe.
Around 9 a.m., he packed everything he needed into a travel bag and went into his Mother's room, his heart uneasy.
"Mom… I have a case in Shanghai today. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier....I have to leave now."
She studied his face before asking,
"When will you be back?"
Scratching the back of his neck, he replied,
"I might go from there to Guangzhou. There's a lot to handle. But I'll be back soon… just pray for me."
She nodded.
"Take care."
"Thank you… Mom."
He left the house, said goodbye to his siblings, and drove off. But his mind was heavy. The guilt of lying to his mother sat deeply with him.
When he got to his home, he wasn't himself.
Zhan was in the kitchen, while the three-month-old twins....who looked bigger than their age....were lying carelessly on the couch in the living room. One of them, Roulan, was dangerously close to falling.
Yang-Yang rushed forward and picked him up, anger flashing in his eyes.
"I've warned you so many times....stop leaving them on the couch like this!"
Zhan frowned.
"They were crying, and I was busy. They never let me rest....they just want attention all the time. Besides, I didn't put him at the edge, he moved there himself. This baby doesn't listen."
Yang-Yang ignored him, focusing instead on the baby in his arms, who was trying to smile at him. He closed his eyes briefly and kissed the child's cheeks gently.
Zhan scoffed and went back to the kitchen.
Yang-Yang placed the baby beside his twin, who was unusually calm and hardly moved.
Smiling, he said softly,
"You're so quiet… you really are a lazy one."
The baby smiled back as if he understood.
Zhan returned with a plate of food and set it down.
"Have you eaten?"
"No," Yang-Yang replied. "We're traveling."
"To where?"
"Somewhere."
Zhan stared at him, confused.
"Finish eating. Pack your things and the babies' things. We leave by ten."
He asked if the babies had been bathed, and Zhan nodded....since Dr Yun had taught him how, he had improved.
By ten, everything was packed. He loaded the car, threw out anything that might spoil, locked up the house, and they left.
"We're going to Shanghai," he said calmly.
Zhan didn't respond.
Hours passed. The babies woke up crying, and Zhan struggled to hold them both.
"How am I supposed to prepare their milk like this?"
He said, nearly in tears.
Yang-Yang pulled over, climbed into the back seat, and prepared their bottles himself before handing one to him and feeding the other.
He kept stopping along the way to help Zhan.
After almost 20hrs hey arrived in Shanghai all tired and drove into a luxurious house....one that clearly cost a fortune.
He carried the sleeping babies inside, spread a sheet on the bed, and laid them down.
Looking at Zhan, who looked completely exhausted, he said,
"Go shower. Rest. I'll be back."
After he left, Zhan bathed and changed.
The moment he lay down, the babies woke up.
He almost screamed in frustration.
Fighting back tears, he prepared their milk and started feeding them when Yang-Yang returned. He watched him quietly....amused and sympathetic at the same time.
"Go eat and rest," he said, taking over.
Zhan didn't hesitate....he got up immediately.
When Yang-Yang finished feeding them, he asked,
"Aren't they going to bathe?"
"I don't know." Zhan replied
"But you just bathed."
"We're not the same."
Without another word, he went to prepare warm water and bathed both babies himself.
Zhan watched, trying hard not to laugh.
After dressing them neatly, he carried them to another room.
The moment he left, Zhan quickly shut the door, fixed the bed, and collapsed into sleep.
****
That was how their life in Shanghai began.
But even then, Yang-Yang wasn't comfortable living under the same roof with Zhan. He couldn't explain why....something about it made him uneasy.
Zhan, on the other hand, had become completely relaxed around him....perhaps because of the babies.
Every day, Yang-Yang left the house by 10 a.m. and returned in the evening.
Zhan grew thinner from the stress of taking care of the twins. Even without breastfeeding them, they were exhausting. If one started crying, the other would follow....leaving him completely overwhelmed.
Three weeks into their stay in Shanghai, Yang-Yang hired a nanny for them. It was out of concern...he couldn't ignore how much weight Zhan had lost. But as he had feared, the moment the nanny arrived, Zhan completely withdrew from caring for the babies. The nanny handled everything, while Zhan limited himself to cooking and sleeping. It was exactly what Yang-Yang had anticipated from the beginning, but he had let it slide out of sympathy.
Five days after the nanny started, Yang-Yang traveled to Chongqing to visit his Mom....he missed her deeply. He spent two days there before returning to Shanghai, informing his Mom that most of his work was now based there. She wished him well and gave him her blessings.
Around 3 PM, Yang-Yang arrived at his Shanghai house. Exhausted, he parked outside and stepped in. The living room was empty, the air conditioner humming softly, a faint fragrance lingering in the air. He went upstairs and quietly opened the door to where the nanny and the twins were.
They were seated in their baby chairs, laughing as the nanny played with the toys attached to them. It was obvious she adored them...the children had that irresistible charm. She looked to be around thirty-five. The moment she saw him, she stood up respectfully.
"Welcome back, sir."
"Thank you," he replied, stepping closer.
He watched the babies with a soft gaze.
They were stunning....bright, wide eyes and fair, almost glowing skin. Anyone who saw them would look twice. And yet, he still couldn't understand why Zhan couldn't bring himself to love them.
He carried them one after the other, kissing their cheeks as they giggled, then gently placed them back before leaving the room.
Next, he opened Zhan's door. Zhan was asleep, wearing only a light, long shirt.
Yang-Yang stood there for nearly two minutes, quietly observing him before closing the door and heading to his own room.
He showered, changed, and then lay down to rest.
Later, the nanny checked on Zhan, noticing he still hadn't come out.
Assuming Yang-Yang was his husband, she gently woke him.
"Sorry to wake you, sir. He's back."
Zhan immediately sat up. "When?"
"A while ago."
"Okay."
After she left, Zhan washed his face, threw on a long covering outfit, and walked to Yang-Yang's room. He pushed the door open slowly and found him sleeping on his stomach.
He moved closer and knelt beside the bed, studying his face quietly.
Yang-Yang slowly opened his eyes.
Startled, Zhan quickly pulled back, fumbling awkwardly. Yang-Yang closed his eyes again for a moment, then sat up.
Zhan smiled faintly. "Welcome back… You didn't say you'd return today when you called earlier."
"I thought I'd come tomorrow."
"How was the trip? How's your Mom?"
"They're fine. How are the twins? Though I doubt you've even checked on them today."
Zhan lowered his gaze. After a brief silence, he looked back up.
"What would you like to eat?"
"Anything."
"I'll make something," he said, getting up and leaving.
Months passed like this, quietly slipping by. Before long, the children turned seven months old. The twins were crawling everywhere, inseparable from Yang-Yang.
His love for them was overwhelming....he could barely get enough of them.
Whenever they were playing in the living room and saw Zhan, they would crawl away immediately, heading straight for the nanny instead. Zhan would only click his tongue or look away.
They resembled him and Yibo so much....their eyes, their noses....that it only deepened Zhan's detachment.
The house was filled with toys; Yang-Yang bought anything he came across, even if it was beyond their age. Their room looked like a toy store.
One Sunday, Yang-Yang sat alone in the garden, files spread before him. Anyone could tell he was working. After a while, he closed the files and leaned back, eyes shut.
How long could he keep Zhan and the twins hidden here?
He knew deep down....he couldn't let them go.
But the day his Mother found out… that wouldn't end well.
So what was the solution? How could he keep Zhan and the children with him...openly, with his family's acceptance?
He opened his eyes slowly and murmured to himself,
"I should marry him."
He shook his head with a faint smile, remembering something Dr. Yun had told him a year ago.
Meanwhile, Zhan sat alone in his room, waiting....though he didn't even understand why he wanted Yang-Yang to come in. Knowing he was in the garden, he finally stood and went outside.
He stayed behind a flowerbed where Yang-Yang wouldn't notice him, watching him quietly.
Yang-Yang was dressed casually....three-quarter pants and an unbuttoned shirt. He stared at a pen on the table, lost in thought.
As if sensing something, he looked up.
Their eyes met.
Zhan quickly looked away, then turned to leave. Yang-Yang followed him with his gaze, smiling faintly. Zhan's habit of secretly watching him always amused him....he'd caught him many times. And honestly, he watched him too… just with more swag.
After gathering his files, Yang-Yang went inside. He peeked into the twins' room and saw them surrounded by toys, playing happily with the nanny.
The moment they saw him, they began crawling toward him.
But he turned and left quickly....he wanted to sleep.
Immediately, they burst into tears.
He paused, listening as they cried their way into the corridor searching for him. Smiling, he knelt and picked both of them up....with some effort, as they were getting heavier....and carried them to his room.
He laid them on the bed and lay down.
They climbed all over him.
Closing his eyes, he sighed, "So you won't let me sleep now?"
As if they understood, they start laughter, clinging to him.
Realizing sleep was impossible, he picked up his phone and called Zhan.
"Please come take the twins. They won't let me sleep."
Zhan didn't reply....he had already hung up.
Moments later, he entered the room. The instant the twins saw him, they clung tightly to Yang-Yang.
Yang-Yang chuckled. "What's the use of a parent your own children are scared of?"
Zhan didn't respond. He reached out to carry one of them, but the baby burst into tears, the other joining in as they held onto Yang-Yang tightly.
Yang-Yang just watched, amused.
Zhan forcefully pulled Roulan, who cried loudly in fear, still refusing to let go.
Yang-Yang grabbed Zhan suddenly, pulling him down onto the bed beside him.
"You'll hurt him."
Zhan tried to get up, but he didn't let go. For a moment, it was just the four of them...him and his children....staring at Zhan.
Zhan smiled faintly and slipped away, sitting on the floor.
"They don't want you to touch them," Yang-Yang said softly.
As if agreeing, the twins clung even tighter to him.
Zhan stood and walked out.
Yang-Yang watched him leave before slowly closing his eyes.
☀☀☀
On the day the twins turned ten months, Yang-Yang asked the nanny to dress them up as usual for their Sunday outing.
Now Roulan was already walking confidently, while Rouxue still struggled to stand.
They wore matching outfits.
Yang-Yang knocked on Zhan's door.
Zhan was sitting in front of the mirror, writing something on a sheet of paper. At the knock, he quickly folded it, trying to hide it....but Yang-Yang had already entered.
"What's that?"
Zhan shook his head quickly. "Nothing."
"Are you sure?"
He didn't respond.
"Get ready. I'm taking the twins out....you're coming with us."
"I'm not going."
"Why?"
Zhan looked at him briefly, then lowered his head again.
Yang-Yang smiled faintly and left.
After a moment, Zhan unfolded the paper, looked at what he had written, then folded it again and hid it before getting dressed and following them.
When he reached the living room, Yang-Yang looked at him.
"You won't even try to look nice?"
"It's fine."
He clicked his tongue and walked out with the twins. Zhan followed.
He drove while Zhan sat in the backseat with the children, and Yang-Yang occasionally glanced at them through the mirror.
Suddenly, a horn sounded.
He turned....and froze.
A woman stepped out of a nearby car.
Surprised, he parked and got out. She approached him.
"Yang-Yang? You're in Shanghai?"
He forced a smile. "Yes…Aunty, how are you?"
"I'm fine." Her eyes drifted to the backseat. "Don't tell me you got married without telling anyone… I see a man and children in your car."
His heart skipped.
"No… he's a friend's partner, and those are his kids."
"Oh? They're staying with you?"
"Just temporarily."
Even he knew how unconvincing he sounded.
She nodded slowly. "Alright… take care."
He smiled stiffly and returned to his car, his chest tight.
But she didn't stop watching his car as he drove away.
Instead, she turned and walked toward his house.
After knocking for a while, the nanny finally opened the gate.
"Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon," the woman replied.
"Are the owners home?"
"No, they just stepped out."
"The man and his partner?"
"Yes, with the twins."
"I see…"
She left quickly, deep in thought.
As soon as she got into her car, she picked up her phone....
....and called Yang-Yang Mother.
💚💙❤️🖤