Zhan found Aunt Anu in the sitting room, just about to have lunch. He joined her, and they ate together while he told her about the child patient he had seen earlier.
As they neared the end of their meal, Aunt Anu said, "You know what I've been thinking lately?"
Zhan shook his head and looked at her.
"We might finally head to China before the year ends. It's been so long since we last visited, longer than usual. And Papa wants us to stop by Shenyang. We haven't seen the folks in Shenyang in ages either."
Zhan only gave a short, non-committal response.
"We'll see."
He didn't enjoy visiting China country. As far as he was concerned, it felt like he'd erased it from his world completely. Aside from his siblings, he didn't feel any attachment to the place or anyone in it.
Aunt Anu picked up on his disinterest and smiled gently.
"You're still not ready to see China people, huh?"
He forced a smile and nodded.
"I understand. But don't worry. Nothing's going to happen. Even if the Tianjin royal family claimed the kids were theirs, I don't see anyone brave enough to come and take them from us. They're your children...truly yours. Just as they've been ours from the moment they came into this world."
The bite Zhan was about to eat suddenly felt heavy in his mouth. He forced it down with effort and set his utensils aside. Just like that, he felt full.
There was nothing in this life that reminded him of those ruthless people without also bringing back the flood of pain they caused. He had thrown them....and everything they represented...out of his life for good.
That day, Zhan returned to his room feeling drained, his whole body heavy with a strange unease. He took out his phone and called Que, who by now had grown into a young woman. Because she hadn't started school early, she was still in university, focused and driven to achieve her academic goals. That same drive had started rubbing off on their other siblings, who were now determined to follow in her footsteps.
After the call connected and they exchanged greetings, Que asked to speak with the kids. Once the kids were done being playful and chatty, he got back on the line.
"I tried calling Baba, but his number didn't go through. How's his health?"
"He's okay, Gege. Or… well, as okay as one can say," Que replied with a sigh.
"What do you mean? What about that hospital we talked about last week? Did he go?"
"He did, Gege. But strangely, they couldn't find a clear diagnosis. The doctors ran all the tests, but everything came back inconclusive. They gave him some medications and told him to report back how he feels."
Zhan exhaled deeply. Xiao Yun's illness had become something of a mystery. One day it was leg pain, the next day back aches, then joint issues… Every day it seemed to morph into something new. They had visited nearly every major hospital. No matter what treatments he took, the result was always the same: just "manageable."
"There's a hospital in Shanghai I've heard good things about. I think I'll arrange for him to go there. Hand him the phone, let me speak to him."
"Alright," Que responded.
Zhan's voice softened when Xiao Yun came on the line. He greeted him warmly.
"Zhan… You see how life's treated me, don't you? Today I'm fine, tomorrow I'm not. They still can't pinpoint the cause… Maybe it's karma for everything I've done. Or maybe my time is just nearing. Who knows anymore."
A wave of pity washed over Zhan as he listened to his father's frail voice.
"An illness isn't a death sentence, Baba. You'll get better. I'll make sure they take you to a good hospital. We'll figure it out, alright?"
He spoke gently, offering what comfort he could. But by the end of the call, Zhan could hear a tremble in his father's voice... as if he were about to cry. That shook him more than he expected.
***
In a rush, Zhan began gathering his things off the table to head home. He had just finished examining the last patient on his schedule. He kept glancing at his wristwatch...he had made a promise to take the kids out today to celebrate their recent test results. Jianghu had taken first place, with Jiangji close behind in second.
As he slung his bag over his shoulder, there was a knock at his office door. He considered ignoring it but eventually gave permission to enter.
One of the senior staff responsible for client relations and hospital administration stepped in, speaking in English...his Mandarin wasn't fluent, only passable.
"Doctor… there's still one patient left. There was a flight delay, but they're on the way now."
Zhan looked at him, his tone calm but firm.
"If they arrive and it's serious, they can be given a room. If not, they'll have to wait until tomorrow."
"Doctor, they're… high-profile individuals. From a royal family. Their visit is very important, and honestly, you're the only one here with the specialization needed for the girl's condition," he said, handing Zhan a document.
It seemed like he wasn't going to respond at first, hearing the mention of royalty, but then he changed his mind. He reached out, took the file, and began scanning through it. It contained detailed information about the girl's illness and the hospital she had been transferred from.
He understood the case well enough even before hearing it from them directly. Still, he felt absolutely no interest in handling it. The emblem of the Tianjin Palace stamped on the file only deepened his disinterest. Zhan had always despised anything to do with the royal household.
He handed the file back, saying,
"I won't be waiting around for them. If they're in a hurry, do exactly as I said."
"Doctor," the man responded, "Having someone from that family seek treatment here is a great achievement for our hospital. It's an opportunity for prestige...recognition on an international level. For you too, Doctor, this could be a defining career milestone. We'd all be proud."
Zhan gave him a long look, puzzled at the mentality. So this was what those royals were like? Their presence alone was supposed to be some kind of privilege? That just having a doctor see them was a gift, while the doctor's service...his time, his skill...was supposed to be an honor for him? Just because they carried a title? This was exactly why Zhan detested anything tied to the royal class. Nothing but pride and entitlement.
"Whatever it is, if they truly need my attention, they'll follow my terms. I've got other things to do now," he said firmly and turned to leave.
The man had no choice but to follow behind him as Zhan exited the building and headed toward his car, checking the time again.
In the yard at home, he found them playing...Jiangji and Aunt Anu's younger children. Jianghu was off to the side, quietly watching, his usual aloofness clearly showing.
Zhan smiled slightly at the boy's cool demeanor. As soon as he stepped out of the car, they all noticed and rushed over to greet him. He pulled them into a group hug. Jianghu stood back for a moment before Zhan raised a hand to him, prompting the boy to step forward and take his bag.
"Welcome back," Jianghu said respectfully. Zhan nodded, and together, they all headed inside.
In just a few minutes, everyone was dressed and ready. Zhan drove them into the city. Their only stop was the children's fun center. They stayed a long while, enjoying the place thoroughly...eating, laughing, trying different games. Zhan spent generously on them, proud and filled with a kind of warmth he hadn't expected. Looking at them, he realized how much he cared. In the past, if someone had told him he'd grow so fond of his kids, he would've denied it. Yet here he was, loving them more deeply than he could've imagined.
When it was finally time to leave, Jiangji was nowhere to be found. Zhan's heart leapt. He hurried off to search. Eventually, he spotted him standing with someone...an unfamiliar man holding Jiangji's hand. From the man's complexion, Zhan guessed he might be Chinese, though he hadn't seen his face clearly yet. He picked up his pace, urgency rising in his chest.
"Hey, Jiangji! What are you doing over here?" he called out sharply as he approached, hoping to startle them a bit so they'd realize he was there.
As he got closer, he heard Jiangji chatting away excitedly with the man, who was smiling and responding warmly. Clearly, someone who liked kids.
They both turned around at the same time. The man's heart skipped a beat when he saw Zhan's face...one he hadn't expected. He stared at Zhan, searching his features, as if trying to confirm what his eyes were telling him.
Zhan, meanwhile, didn't even register the man's gaze. His attention was focused entirely on Jiangji.
"Zhan," the man said quietly.
Zhan looked up, surprised to hear his name. He frowned slightly. The man looked somewhat familiar, but his mind couldn't place him.
"You don't remember me," the man said with a small smile. "I'm not surprised. Life seems to have taken us far from where we began. But let me explain, maybe it'll come back to you. Do you remember Nanjue, your old admirer? The one you said goodbye to the day your father told me he was marrying you off? Giving you away to someone else?"
Before he could finish, Zhan remembered.
The features came rushing back, the memory sliding into place.
He smiled...an unexpected warmth filling his face. He remembered now. This was the second person, aside from his siblings, whose face had carried genuine worry when the subject of his arranged marriage came up. Someone who had once shown concern and care for his life. Even the smallest act of kindness had a lasting place in Zhan's heart, and though the details of Nanjue's appearance had faded over time, the feeling remained.
"Yes… I remember. It's you?" Zhan said in disbelief, still taking in the man's face.
Nanjue looked just as surprised, maybe more. But he didn't want to linger on the past. Given what Zhan's father had told him long ago, he assumed Zhan must already be someone else's husband by now. So he kept it short.
"Yeah, it's me. So, how's life been after everything? Seems like things worked out, right? Is this your kid?" he asked, glancing toward Jiangji. "I think I see a bit of resemblance."
Nanjue's question made Zhan chuckle. He looked down at Jiangji too. No one had ever told him they looked alike...people were usually more puzzled than convinced...but something in his chest tightened with the idea. Blood ties don't lie, and maybe in some small detail, there was a resemblance. Not just in the face, but something deeper.
Zhan didn't get the chance to respond to Nanjue's first question before he continued,
"Sorry if I'm jumping to conclusions, but… are you with their Mom/Dad?"
Zhan didn't even realize he had shaken his head until after it happened. Then it hit him...why had he done that?
Nanjue allowed himself a faint smile, something warm spreading inside him. He hoped his hunch was right. If so, he might just be lucky this time.
"Alright, I get it... So you're single now? Even with that ring on your finger?"
Zhan let out a small smile and reached for Jiangji's hand.
"I didn't say that," he replied simply.
Nanjue's smile deepened, broader and more charming than before.
"Then what's the story?"
Zhan stepped back slightly, clearly ready to leave.
Nanjue understood. Zhan was never the type to be easily read. Even back in the day, he hadn't been an open book like others. And now...dressed sharp, every bit of him refined and distant...he looked even harder to reach. Nanjue knew it wouldn't be easy to get through to him. But in that split second, he made himself a promise: this time, he wouldn't back down. He wouldn't stand on the sidelines and watch everything slip away like before.
So he moved quickly, catching up to Zhan and blocking his path.
"You're really going to leave without even saying goodbye? I'm new here...I don't know anyone. Just got in yesterday."
Zhan glanced at him briefly before looking away again, his expression calm.
"Sorry. I left the kids, and my mind's on them. Thank you, Nanjue. Maybe another time."
The answer stung a little. Nanjue stepped in closer, looking him straight in the eye.
"So we're just going to pretend we don't know each other now? That's the kind of goodbye we're doing? Even a rope ties something together before it breaks. At least let me ask...how are Que and the others doing?"
Zhan wasn't surprised he knew about Que. Back then, they'd all started to get familiar with each other. Still, he didn't want to linger here. Every moment he stood around, he risked the kids spotting him. And Zhan knew just how sharp and curious their little eyes were. The last thing he needed was for them to start asking questions about their father.
He shifted his stance, checked his watch again.
"I told you, I left the kids. If they go looking and I'm not there…"
Nanjue nodded.
"You're right. Okay, at least give me your number, and maybe an address later? I mean, I'm just a visitor here. Would be nice to have somewhere to stop by, maybe talk to some of my people. From the look of things, you and Jiangji didn't just arrive yesterday. I even heard him speaking a few local dialects."
What he was asking for wasn't small. Zhan couldn't exactly give away his home address. And he wasn't the kind to sit around answering calls unless it was family. Still, Zhan didn't want to seem rude...Nanjue had been nothing but decent to him.
So Zhan lowered his head a little and said simply, "Here's my number. I'm in a hurry... I'll send you the address later."
"Even that, I appreciate," Nanjue said quickly, pulling his phone from his pocket.
Zhan recited the digits; Nanjue typed them in and called right away. Seconds later, Zhan's phone buzzed from the slim handbag in his hand.
"Zhan, just make sure I'm saved properly. Don't lose me in a crowd of admirers missed calls," he joked.
That made Zhan laugh, despite himself. He smiled, nodded once, and said goodbye before walking off. Nanjue stood watching until they disappeared from view.
"Thank goodness," Nanjue muttered to himself, a strange sense of relief washing over him.
Maybe...just maybe...the unexpected reunion with Zhan had only delayed the conversation of his marriage. He smiled again, softly this time, and slowly turned to leave.
Seeing Nanjue again today brought back a rush of memories...scenes from a life once lived, full of struggles, ups and downs, and hard-earned survival. As he reflected on it all, Zhan let out a long, heavy sigh. He knew from experience that countless children were still out there, living through the same pain he had once endured. Some, like him, had made it out. Others were still deep in it.
✨✨✨
The sleek 2021 Aston Martin Lagonda continued to draw attention from the moment it appeared outside the palace to when it entered the royal grounds. All eyes followed it, eager to catch a glimpse of who might be inside.
While everyone knew only one person in the entire city had such a collection of rare and luxurious cars, there had been no prior news of his arrival... unlike previous years when word always reached them days ahead. This time, nothing. Just silence.
The car didn't stop anywhere until it pulled up in front of the grand quarters belonging to the most powerful woman in the Palace...Queen Zhaiye. The vehicle idled for a few moments, then the rear door slowly opened.
First, a polished pair of shoes stepped out. Then, the man himself emerged.
It was Prince Mo Wang Yibo.
He appeared more refined than ever, commanding attention with a charisma far beyond what he once possessed. His presence radiated elegance, strength, and undeniable authority. Just a glance at him told you everything: money, time, and maturity had shaped him into something rare. Time had turned youthful uncertainty into purpose, and in just eight years, he had evolved into a figure of sophistication, power, and influence.
That was the Prince Yibo standing here now.
He had become a striking young man in his prime...brilliant, educated, rich, royal. And beyond the external transformation, there were deep changes in his character too. Anyone who knew him back then could see it. He wasn't the same. He had grown...shaped by his journey and the world around him.
From her place on her private balcony, Queen Zhaiye watched him with pride, joy, and immense satisfaction. Her son had become the very man she had always dreamed of raising. There was no doubt...Yibo wasn't just one in a million; he was one of a kind. The kind of son people searched their whole lives for and still never found. That's why she blessed him constantly and supported every ambition he chased.
Yet despite all this, one thing continued to dim her happiness.
Yibo had changed in another way. He had become distant. Quick to anger. Cold. He rarely smiled anymore. There were days, even months, where you could be around him and never once see the warmth of a smile cross his face.
Queen Zhaiye suspected she knew the reason...it had to do with that event from the past. And though she wasn't certain, her instincts told her she was right.
Still, she believed that now that he had achieved so much, eventually, the pain would fade. The memory would soften. The past would become just that...something left behind.
But she often wondered:
Why couldn't he forget that boy?
Why had that one boy taken so much of his happiness, locked it away, and left him in this cold state?
She knew that Yibo had secretly ordered Xeilin to search all over China for any trace of the boy. But it didn't worry her.
Because she had done the same.
She'd sent her own detectives to find him...not to reunite them, but to ensure the boy stayed far away from her son and the royal family. She wanted him warned, made fully aware that any approach toward Yibo or the palace was forbidden.
But her detective came back with nothing. No trail. No name. No trace.
So she let it go.
If she couldn't find him, she was confident Prince Yibo couldn't either. And as long as her son remained focused on fulfilling the destiny she had envisioned for him, she had no more cause for concern.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛