In the upstairs living room, I-Bo pulled A-Bo aside.
"Okay, now… let me explain, bro."
A-Bo shook his head immediately. "I'm not interested, please. I don't even want you talking to me in this house. I don't want anyone thinking we brought him here together."
"I understand," I-Bo said calmly. "After this, I won't bother you again. I just realized that in this entire house, your room is the only place no one easily enters…"
A-Bo's expression darkened instantly. "I don't understand. Why are you using my room as an example? What exactly are you implying?"
I-Bo rubbed the back of his head. "My point is… I moved my housemate into your room for now. It's the only place Aunt won't check. Your room is off-limits to everyone."
A-Bo's jaw dropped. He just stared at I-Bo, completely stunned, unable to even blink.
I-Bo was about to say more when Aunt Lyu's voice came from behind them.
"I-Bo, your Dad is calling you in the living room."
"I'm coming, Aunt," he replied.
She glanced briefly at A-Bo before walking away.
I-Bo let out a breath and looked at A-Bo, who still hadn't moved, still processing what he had just heard.
He patted his shoulder lightly. "I know you've got my back, bro. You wouldn't want our Dad getting angry with me."
Without waiting for a response, he followed after her.
About fifteen minutes later, I-Bo returned upstairs.
A-Bo was still there, sitting in the same spot, resting his chin on both hands, his leg shaking restlessly.
I-Bo almost laughed but held it in.
The moment A-Bo saw him, he stood up and stormed toward him to grabbed him.
"What did I ever do to you, Yibo?" he demanded angrily. "Why my room? Why would you take him into my private space...my own comfort zone? What kind of nonsense is this? My room? What does he have to do with me that you'd put him in my bedroom?"
He was furious, his eyes sharp with anger.
I-Bo said calmly, "Dad is calling you. Go downstairs first...then we can continue."
A-Bo just stared at him, breathing heavily. Then he shoved past him and walked out like a storm.
I-Bo watched him go, slightly amused, rubbing his head. He knew A-Bo wouldn't go beyond this...for now.
Truthfully, their Dad hadn't even called him. I-Bo just didn't want to escalate things further.
He went to Zhan's room, picked up his suitcase and essentials, and moved them into A-Bo's room.
Zhan stood up quickly when he saw him.
"But… I'm not comfortable in this room," he said softly.
I-Bo raised an eyebrow. "Why? What's wrong with it, Sean?"
Zhan didn't answer.
"Come on," I-Bo said gently. "This is even better than your previous room."
He smiled as he spoke, but Zhan remained silent.
I-Bo set his belongings down and handed him his phone. "If you need anything, call me."
Zhan nodded.
I-Bo pointed toward the bathroom inside the room. "You can use that."
Again, Zhan just nodded.
I-Bo left, closing the door behind him.
Zhan sat quietly for a while. He felt tired and wanted to lie down, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to use the bed.
He didn't even understand why.
Eventually, he slowly lay down on the soft carpet instead....and almost immediately fell asleep.
He stayed in the room alone all day. I-Bo brought him lunch earlier, but by 7 p.m., he still hadn't returned. Later, the house cook brought him dinner.
Zhan was sitting on the carpet when the door opened.
He looked up...and his heart dropped.
It was A-Bo.
Zhan quickly lowered his gaze.
A-Bo didn't even look at him. His face was cold as he walked in, picked up a second phone and his laptop, opened his wardrobe, took out his pajamas, and left.
Only then did Zhan look up, watching him go in confusion. He didn't even realize yet that it was A-Bo's room.
Later, just as Zhan was about to fall asleep again, I-Bo entered.
Zhan quickly sat up from where he was lying on the floor.
I-Bo looked at him in surprise. "Why are you sleeping on the floor, Sean?"
Zhan simply shook his head.
"Come on, don't do that," I-Bo said. "There's a bed right there."
Zhan glanced at it. "I'll use it."
"Good. Do you need anything?"
"No."
"Alright then. Good night."
"Thank you," Zhan said softly.
I-Bo smiled. "Should I turn off the lights or leave them dim?"
"Dim light."
He adjusted the lighting and left the room.
But after he left, Zhan went back to lying on the floor.
To him, the room felt like a master bedroom...like it belonged to someone important. Maybe that was why he felt so uneasy.
By around 1 a.m., the room had grown very cold, but he still refused to take the duvet from the bed. Instead, he wrapped himself in his jacket.
He shivered, unable to sleep, turning restlessly.
Then the door opened again.
Slowly, he lowered his jacket slightly to see who had entered.
It was A-Bo.
Zhan's eyes widened slightly.
Could it be… this was actually his room?
A-Bo glanced at him once, then went about taking something before leaving again.
This time, Zhan heard the door lock after he stepped out.
He sat up slowly, looking around the room again in shock.
Then, gradually, the room began to warm.
That was when he realized....A-Bo had turned on the room heater for him.
Zhan lay back down quietly. As the warmth spread through the room, sleep finally took over.
:
:
The next morning, I-Bo sat in the main living room with their Dad and Aunt. Mr Wang was speaking calmly, but I-Bo's attention was elsewhere....completely upstairs, on Sean. Since morning, he hadn't gone to check on him; only the house cook had taken his breakfast.
A-Bo walked in from the reading nook and headed toward the dining area for breakfast. Mr. Wang followed him with his eyes, then asked after a moment,
"You haven't had breakfast yet?"
I-Bo glanced briefly at A-Bo. Aunt was also watching him.
Without turning back, A-Bo replied, "No."
"But I saw the cook take your breakfast upstairs earlier," Aunt said.
A-Bo ignored her and sat down at the dining table.
Mr. Wang turned to I-Bo and asked calmly, "Is he alright?"
I-Bo rubbed his head slightly and replied in a low voice, "I think his supervisor hasn't approved the article he submitted for publication yet."
Aunt nodded. "That's not a big issue. He just needs to put in more effort."
I-Bo said nothing, and neither did Mr. Wang.
After a while, I-Bo stood up and went upstairs. He headed straight to A-Bo's room, knocked once, and pushed the door open before stepping in.
***
By around 3:30 p.m., A-Bo was sitting in the upstairs living room, looking visibly moody. The previous night, he had slept right there out of sheer frustration.
Up until now, he still hadn't spoken a word to I-Bo. And I-Bo, on his part, acted completely unbothered....he didn't even look in his direction too.
They were the only ones in the house. Their Dad had gone out with Aunt and her last born daughter to visit an important friend in town. They were scheduled to return to China the next morning.
A-Bo adjusted his position, watching I-Bo closely, trying to see what he was holding. He followed his movement with a stunned expression as I-Bo headed toward his room where Zhan hijacked.
Resting his chin on his hand, his leg shaking, A-Bo finally spoke for the first time since the previous day when I-Bo came back out.
"I swear, I will never forgive you for this, Yibo. I mean it."
I-Bo held back a laugh, completely ignoring him as he walked past without responding.
Later that night, Zhan was going through his laptop when I-Bo entered the room.
Zhan looked up at him.
"Hope you're feeling better now?" I-Bo asked.
Zhan nodded.
"Good. Make sure you take your medicine so you can get proper rest."
"I will."
"Alright. Good night, Sean. I'm really sleepy."
Zhan glanced at the clock...it was already 10 p.m....and gave a small smile. "You're not exactly early."
I-Bo smiled. "Just make sure you sleep on the bed tonight."
"I will," Zhan said softly.
"Good."
With that, I-Bo left the room.
Even I-Bo knew he hadn't been sleeping properly since Zhan came into the house. It wasn't that he wasn't tired...he just forced himself to stay awake. Lately, he had even started having headaches from lack of rest.
Zhan closed his laptop, took the medicine I-Bo had brought earlier, and slowly climbed onto the bed.
But even then, he lay stiffly, uneasy.
When I-Bo got to the upstairs living room, he saw A-Bo lying on the couch, scrolling through his phone.
"Do you mind sharing my room with me tonight?" I-Bo asked.
A-Bo ignored him completely.
I-Bo shrugged and went to his room.
About an hour later, A-Bo suddenly sat up when he heard his Dad's voice.
Mr. Wang looked at him. "Is everything alright, Yibo? Why are you sleeping on the couch?"
A-Bo scratched his head. "I'm fine, Dad. I must have dozed off. I'll go to my room now."
He stood up, picked up his phone, and headed toward his room.
Inside, Zhan turned slightly when he heard the door open. He wasn't asleep.
A-Bo walked in, locked the door behind him, and stood there for a moment.
Zhan pulled the duvet over himself, even covering his head.
A-Bo walked to the mirror, staring at his reflection, his mind heavy. I-Bo had never crossed him like this before...this one had truly gotten to him.
Zhan lay still, listening, expecting him to leave.
But when the silence stretched on, he slowly lowered the duvet.
Their eyes met.
A-Bo shot him a sharp look. "Why are you staring at me?"
Zhan glared at him briefly, then turned his back without saying a word.
After about five minutes, A-Bo opened the door and walked out again.
He didn't trust the condition of the other rooms in the house enough to sleep in them...so he chose to go back and lie down in the living room instead.
At dawn, I-Bo stepped out of his room, heading downstairs to join their Dad for their usual morning exercise. Ever since Mr. Wang arrived, they had been doing it together...except for A-Bo, who never came down and preferred to exercise alone upstairs.
As I-Bo moved, he ran into Mr. Wang coming up the stairs.
Mr. Wang looked at him and said, "This shows you two are not living together properly in this house, Yibo."
Quickly, I-Bo replied, "We are, Dad…"
Mr. Wang didn't respond. Instead, he headed straight toward A-Bo's room.
I-Bo's eyes widened. He hurried after him. "I'll call him for you, Dad..."
He cut him off. "Yesterday, when I asked you to call him, did he come down?"
I-Bo had no answer.
I-Bo assumed they would find A-Bo lying in the upstairs living room...but he wasn't there.
At that moment, I-Bo's heart skipped. He froze briefly, wishing A-Bo hadn't changed the passcode to his room.
Before Mr. Wang could open the door...
A-Bo suddenly stepped out of the bathroom in the living room they had just passed.
Both he and I-Bo stared at their Dad in shock.
A-Bo turned, and their eyes met with I-Bo...silent, tense.
Mr. Wang pushed the door open.
The room light came on.
He stood at the doorway for a full minute, looking at Zhan, who was fast asleep on the bed.
Then, without a word, he turned and gently closed the door.
Both A-Bo and I-Bo lowered their heads at the same time.
The silence that followed was heavy.
Mr. Wang looked at A-Bo, then at I-Bo.
After about thirty seconds, he spoke calmly, his gaze fixed on I-Bo.
"So this is what's happening in this house, Yibo… and you told me nothing about it?"
I-Bo couldn't speak. He couldn't even bring himself to meet his father's eyes.
"I'm talking to you," Mr. Wang said quietly.
With effort, I-Bo shook his head. "I know nothing about it, Dad."
A-Bo turned sharply to look at him, disbelief written all over his face.
Mr. Wang nodded slowly. "Alright then. Let's go. Time is moving."
Without another word, he walked away.
I-Bo quickly followed behind him.
A-Bo remained standing there, watching them, still stunned.
Once Mr. Wang had gone downstairs, I-Bo paused in the living room. Then suddenly, he remembered the mess A-Bo had created for him with Tian just a few days ago.
A laugh escaped him before he could stop it.
At that moment, A-Bo walked in, his expression cold but shaken.
I-Bo quickly suppressed the laughter, straightened his face, and hurried downstairs.
A-Bo watched him go, then slowly sat down, covering his mouth with his hand.
What had just happened felt unreal.
He had never been this shocked in his life.
Later that morning, Mr. Wang behaved as if nothing had happened. He didn't bring it up again, and it didn't seem like he had even told Aunt. I-Bo knew he wouldn't.
Their flight back to China was scheduled for 11 a.m., so they got ready to leave for the airport.
Before leaving, Mr. Wang looked at I-Bo and asked, "Has Yibo had breakfast, or was it taken to him upstairs?"
"I'm not sure," I-Bo replied.
Mr. Wang took his phone and called A-Bo.
Not long after, A-Bo came downstairs. He couldn't even look his father in the eye.
"Have you had breakfast?" he asked.
"Yes," A-Bo replied quietly.
"Alright. We're heading to the airport now. Get ready."
"Okay."
A-Bo turned and went back upstairs.
He sat in the upstairs living room for almost five minutes, completely drained.
He hated his father's silence.
It wasn't a good sign.
He would have preferred anger...anything but this quiet, controlled reaction. Whatever came next wouldn't be easy.
I-Bo had truly crossed a line this time.
A-Bo never expected this from him.
And even if he tried to deny knowing Zhan, how would his Dad believe him? The boy had been found in his room...not I-Bo's.
Realizing time was running out, A-Bo stood up and went to his room to get dressed.
As he entered, Zhan was just stepping out of the bathroom, wearing a bathrobe.
A-Bo's eyes swept over him from head to toe, his expression tight.
Zhan immediately looked away, refusing to meet his gaze, standing awkwardly near the bathroom door.
A-Bo said nothing. He picked up what he needed, walked to the mirror, took his expensive cologne, and left.
Zhan exhaled softly and stepped further into the room.
At the airport, Mr. Wang still didn't mention anything about what he had seen that morning. He spoke casually about other matters, as if nothing had happened.
They parted normally.
But A-Bo didn't wait for I-Bo.
He got into his car and drove off immediately.
I-Bo had no choice but to take a taxi home.
When I-Bo arrived, he found A-Bo sitting in the compound with a glass of non-alcoholic wine in front of him.
He looked like he was trying to calm himself down...while at the same time thinking deeply, trying to figure out what decision his Dad might take about everything that had just unfolded.
✴✴✴
Zhan felt a wave of relief the moment he left A-Bo's room. He followed I-Bo back to his own room.
Without looking at him, I-Bo placed the laptop he had been holding on the table and asked, "Did you hear when the door opened early this morning?"
Zhan shook his head. "I'm not sure. I might have been asleep. I didn't sleep early."
"Okay."
Zhan looked at him. "Why are you asking?"
I-Bo turned slightly and gave a small smile. "Nothing."
Zhan added, "But your brother comes in sometimes to take his things."
"Okay."
He turned to leave, then paused and came back. "You said you didn't sleep early…is your headache still bothering you?"
Zhan shook his head. "No, I just couldn't fall asleep."
"Alright."
Zhan watched him leave, then slowly sat on the edge of the bed. Deep down, he wished Tuesday would come faster. He was exhausted. More than anything, he wanted to go home… to his mother. He needed her comfort.
After leaving, I-Bo instructed the house staff to thoroughly clean A-Bo's room. Even though nothing was out of place, he made sure every corner...both the room and the bathroom....was spotless until everything gleamed.
Despite that, A-Bo still didn't sleep in the room that night. He stayed in the living room, lying on the couch.
***
The next day...Monday...A-Bo sat in his usual spot in the compound, a can of Coke in front of him. He still hadn't spoken to I-Bo...or anyone else in the house. His expression remained cold and unreadable.
I-Bo walked over and stood in front of him.
Without looking up, A-Bo continued scrolling through his phone.
"I-Bo said, "Dad wants to speak to you." Then he added, "Here, he's on the line Dad," placing the phone in front of him.
Calmly, their Dad's voice came through. "How are you, Yibo?"
A-Bo lowered his gaze and greeted him.
"You didn't call to check if we arrived safely," Mr. Wang said.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine. When are you returning for the break?"
"Thursday, by God's will."
"What about the other Yibo?"
"I don't know."
"Give him the phone."
I-Bo picked up the phone and sat nearby. "Yes, Dad."
"When are you coming back Yibo?"
I-Bo hesitated slightly. "Probably next week."
"Alright. Earlier you said you had something to tell me, but I had guests. What is it son?"
I-Bo ran a hand through his hair, thinking. Then he said, "It's about the boy you saw yesterday."
There was a pause.
"Go on."
"I brought him into the house...not A-Bo. He's also a student at Johns Hopkins. He's having issues with rent and is currently writing exams. I just let him stay until he finishes."
Mr. Wang interrupted sharply. "Did you give birth to me, or did I give birth to you two?"
I-Bo shook his head quickly. "Dad, I'm not lying. You know I don't lie to you. I only put him in A-Bo's room without telling him because Aunt would have noticed him anywhere else. That part of the house is the only place she doesn't enter. Because of that… A-Bo has been sleeping in the living room. There's nothing between us...just helping him. You can even ask him to confirm."
Mr. Wang replied, "If he has rent issues, why didn't you give him money? Or tell me so I could help? Why bring him into your home to live with you? Is that how you were raised? Does your belief allow that?"
I-Bo sighed softly. "Please forgive us Your Majesty. He'll finish his exams on Tuesday and leave."
Mr. Wang paused, then said, "If I didn't know you don't lie to me, I wouldn't believe you. If it were A-Bo explaining this, I wouldn't accept it. My plan was to arrange a wife for him and send her to him there. But since I believe you… I'll give both of you five weeks to present the women you intend to marry."
There was a brief silence.
"I'll also send you money so he can settle his rent."
A-Bo slowly lifted his head, staring at I-Bo.
Then A-Bo stood up abruptly and leave.
I-Bo was completely speechless.
Five weeks?
That was the last thing he expected.
He sat there for over ten minutes before finally standing up and walking back into the house.
The next day, Zhan finished his final exam. He should have been happy...and he was...but certain thoughts kept pulling his mood down.
He sat with Yu-Bin at school, quiet.
Yu-Bin noticed immediately. "Why are you like this, Zhan?"
Zhan looked up at him. "I don't have the means to return to China, Bin. The burden I'm placing on I-Bo is too much. He didn't bring me here… he barely even knows me. Why should I keep relying on him like this?"
Yu-Bin shrugged. "What can you do? You didn't ask him...he chose to help. Just pray for him. He's like a blessing sent to you. With or without Yiming, you've completed your exams safely."
Zhan lowered his gaze, tears gathering.
Yu-Bin frowned. "Now why are you crying again?"
"I don't want him to spend more money sending me back. I feel guilty."
Yu-Bin looked at him for a moment, then said bluntly, "So you want to stay here? Do you even have another way back? Or will you work and save money first? Unless you plan to use Yiming's money in your account."
He suddenly laughed. "Wait...did he empty the account?"
Zhan shook his head. "No… it's still there."
"How much?"
"Almost 9.5 million Yuan."
Yu-Bin burst out laughing. "Then just buy your ticket and go. He knows you don't have anyone else to support you here. He brought you here in the first place. If it were me, I'd even go shopping before leaving. He wouldn't even notice."
Zhan said nothing.
Yu-Bin continued teasing, "Don't tell me you won't touch it? I can take you shopping right now and we'll finish it."
"It's not mine to spend."
Yu-Bin laughed again. "Then stay here forever. You only said all this because you expect I-Bo to pay for your ticket."
Zhan remained silent, but deep down, his feelings were far more complicated than that.
Yu-Bin added, "Or I could ask Hailong-ge. An economy ticket isn't too much for him."
Quickly, Zhan said, "No. I'll use the money in my account."
He only said that because he didn't want Yu-Bin going to speak to his brother.
I-Bo arrived at the school as usual to pick them up. He dropped Yu-Bin off first, then headed home with Zhan.
Earlier, Mr. Wang had sent him ten thousand dollars for Zhan's rent. When he told A-Bo, A-Bo simply said he should transfer five thousand to him and keep the remaining five thousand himself...after all, neither of them had brought Zhan into the country.
I-Bo didn't argue or said anything to him after glaring at him.
As he drove, he glanced at Zhan. The silence had stretched too long. He could tell Zhan was lost in thought. That was when he noticed his red eyes.
"Sean," he called gently.
Zhan turned to him, trying to look normal. He forced a small smile.
"Yes?"
"Are you okay?"
"I'm just tired," he replied quickly.
I-Bo said nothing more, but he knew that wasn't the truth. In the past few months, he had come to understand Zhan well...he could tell when he was happy, sad, bored, disturbed, or even just tired. This time, it was clear: something was weighing heavily on him.
They drove the rest of the way in silence.
When they got home, I-Bo parked and turned to him again.
"What's wrong, Sean?"
Zhan tried to hold it in, but the moment he opened his mouth, tears came instead.
I-Bo leaned his head back against the seat and said nothing.
For the past two days, Zhan had been calmer...mostly because Yu-Bin had been keeping him in check...but now the tears returned.
He let him cry.
After a while, he said softly, "Let's go inside."
Zhan nodded, wiped his eyes, and stepped out of the car. I-Bo followed, and together they went into the house.
That evening, Zhan was lying down, scrolling through I-Bo's phone when a call came in.
He sat up slowly and answered, placing it to his ear.
"Are you awake?" I-Bo's voice came through.
"Mm."
"Have you eating?"
"Yes."
"Would you mind going out to the park with me?"
Zhan hesitated, then said softly, "Okay… thank you."
"I'll be waiting downstairs."
About fifteen minutes later, Zhan came downstairs, dressed neatly. The clothes suited him well, though he had grown noticeably thinner.
I-Bo was the only one in the living room, waiting.
The moment their eyes met, Zhan lowered his gaze.
I-Bo stood up and waited until he reached him. Together, they walked out to the parking area. He opened the car door for him.
Zhan glanced at him and smiled faintly. "Thank you."
"No thanks," I-Bo replied.
He took him to one of the best parks in the state.
Zhan loved it instantly.
The scenery was breathtaking, calming, and refreshing. For a moment, it felt like all his worries had disappeared.
I-Bo bought them wraps and fresh lemonade.
This time, Zhan didn't feel shy eating in front of him.
Occasionally, I-Bo would glance at him, while Zhan kept watching the wild horses in the distance.
After a while, Zhan asked, "Can people ride them?"
I-Bo smiled and shook his head.
"No."
"And no one controls them?"
"Not really. They're mostly on their own. Do you want me to take you somewhere you can ride one?"
Zhan laughed lightly and shook his head.
He noticed I-Bo hadn't finished his food.
"You're not eating?"
"Do you want it?"
Zhan smiled. "No, I'm full. I just noticed you didn't eat much."
"I already ate earlier."
Zhan looked at his lemonade.
"Can I take it?"
"Should I get you another?"
He shook his head quickly. "No, I just don't want it to go to waste."
I-Bo pushed his cup toward him, and Zhan quietly sipped from it.
I-Bo's phone rang. It was A-Bo.
He answered briefly.
"I'll probably come next week. Don't book for me."
After the call ended, he turned to Zhan.
"Will you wait until next week so we can travel together to China, or will you leave earlier?"
Zhan lowered his gaze. "As you say."
Smiling, I-Bo said, "Or you can go with A-Bo. He's leaving soon...he's already booking his ticket."
Zhan looked at him. "The one who dislikes me? You want me to go with him?"
I-Bo laughed. "Why do you think he dislikes you? If he did, would he have gone all the way to your apartment to rescue you? You just don't understand him yet. A-Bo is actually kind...he just has pride and doesn't tolerate disrespect. Which, honestly, I understand. It's how we were raised. And you don't even greet him."
Zhan played with his straw. "Even if I greet him, he won't respond. I've tried before."
"If you keep greeting him, he will."
Zhan shook his head. "Your friend doesn't like me at all. He prefers Yu-Bin."
I-Bo chuckled. "Who told you he's my friend? A-Bo is my cousin."
Zhan looked surprised. "Really?"
"Don't we look alike?"
"I haven't really looked at his face properly," Zhan lie.
I-Bo laughed. "Our fathers are brothers."
Zhan nodded slowly. "But you're older, right?"
"Hmm...yes. With just three months apart. We'll both be 29 next year."
Zhan frowned slightly. "Then why did he say he could be my father's mate?"
I-Bo burst out laughing. "He was teasing you. How old are you?"
Zhan hesitated. "I'm 20."
I-Bo widened his eyes. "You're still a baby, Sean."
Zhan gave him a look.
Still smiling, I-Bo added, "If A-Bo had married early, he really could have had someone your age."
Zhan said nothing, still playing with the straw.
"Are you upset?" I-Bo asked gently.
Zhan shook his head, smiling faintly.
"You misunderstood him," I-Bo continued. "He's kind, and he has a good heart. He just doesn't tolerate nonsense. Yes, he's proud....but that doesn't make him a bad person."
Zhan didn't respond.
After a while, I-Bo checked his watch. "Let's go horseback riding before it gets late."
Zhan's eyes widened. "No, I won't ride a horse."
"Come on."
He stood up, and Zhan followed reluctantly.
As they walked, I-Bo took out his phone. "Let's take some pictures."
"Okay."
They stood side by side, and he snapped a photo.
Looking at it, I-Bo frowned playfully. "Why does your nose look longer than mine? And why do you look better than me?"
Zhan smiled. "Is that supposed to be a joke?"
"I'm serious."
A passerby helped them take more pictures. She smiled warmly at Zhan. "You're so beautiful."
Zhan lowered his gaze. "Thank you."
They later moved to another park where horseback riding was allowed.
No matter how much I-Bo tried, Zhan refused.
Finally, Zhan said softly, "Just give me your phone. I'll record you instead."
I-Bo smiled and handed it over.
Zhan watched in awe as he rode. It was clear I-Bo was experienced...confident, skilled, natural.
Zhan couldn't stop smiling.
Even others around them noticed.
Zhan's eyes stayed on I-Bo the entire time.
They left around 7 p.m.
As they walked back to the car,
Zhan asked, "Where did you learn to ride like that?"
"Back home."
"Have you been here before?"
"Many times. Mostly with A-Bo."
Zhan fell silent.
On the way back, I-Bo stopped at an Chinese restaurant and bought Zhan food.
"This is for you," he said, handing him a bag.
"And you?"
"I'll just have tea and bread tonight."
"Okay… thank you."
When they got home, Zhan turned to him.
"Thank you so much. I really appreciate it."
I-Bo didn't look at him. "I told you to stop thanking me."
Zhan fell silent.
They got out of the car and went inside.
A-Bo was in the living room, eating fruit salad and watching TV.
He looked up, surprised to see Zhan.
Their eyes met.
Zhan remembered what I-Bo had said earlier.
Lowering his head, he said softly, "Good evening."
A-Bo adjusted his posture and looked at him. "So now you've started greeting me?"
Zhan glanced briefly at I-Bo.
I-Bo said, "Good night, Sean. Call me if you need anything."
"Thank you," Zhan replied, then went upstairs.
I-Bo turned to A-Bo.
"If I hadn't told him, do you think he would greet you? I made him do it...so what if you don't respond?"
A-Bo replied calmly, "Did I bring him to this house to stay. Why should he greet me?."
I-Bo didn't respond.
💚💙❤🖤