After Min and her relatives left the room, Zhan looked up at Lan Yi and asked gently, "Mama, should I make you some tea?"
Aunt Marquis responded, "Yes, bring her some."
Zhan stood up, and Lan Yi followed him with her eyes as he walked out of the sitting room.
Lan Yi's friend looked at her and said, "You've seen Zhan now, thank goodness he's well. Please, try to relax and clear your mind. You need to stay calm for your health to fully recover."
Aunt Marquis added with concern, "Exactly. Let's just put the past behind us and deal with what's in front of us. Everything happens for a reason."
With that, Aunt Marquis stood up, entered Lan Yi's room, and picked up a large duvet to take to the guest room where Min and her companions were staying.
Meanwhile, Zhan was in the kitchen preparing tea for Lan Yi, using ginger and spices with milk...just how she liked it. He was the only one she trusted to make it properly. He moved around absentmindedly, his thoughts racing.
He still couldn't accept the idea that Lan Yi and the others might not actually be his biological family. It just didn't make sense...how could that be, when he knew how deeply Lan Yi loved him? Were they playing some kind of cruel joke?
He heard the kitchen door open. Without even turning around, he knew who had come in. He always recognized his presence. A moment later, he caught a whiff of his cologne.
Zhan turned slightly to see him dishing out food. He turned off the stove and began pouring tea into a cup.
Seeing that he was about to leave, Zhan turned to him and said quietly, "Please, can I use your phone?"
He replied, "It's in the room."
Then he left and locked the door behind him.
Zhan quickly wiped down the counter, washed his hands, and took the tea out to Lan Yi. By now, most guests had left...only those who came from far away were still around.
Everyone watched Zhan silently as he made his way upstairs, which made him feel even more uncomfortable. So this is what it felt like...to be treated like an outsider?
In Lan Yi's sitting room, he knelt by her side, gently placed the tea in front of her, and sat beside her.
In a soft voice, Lan Yi said, "Thank you."
Yibo entered the room, took a seat, and greeted Lan Yi's friend politely.
She smiled warmly and said, "Looking sharp, groom."
Yibo gave a small smile and turned to Lan Yi. "Mama, how are you feeling?"
She picked up the tea Zhan had made and replied, "Much better."
He said, "I'm glad to hear that."
Looking at the tea, he added, "This looks like Zhan's special brew."
Lan Yi's friend laughed. "It is...he just made it in the kitchen. I almost asked for some myself."
Zhan smiled weakly and said, "There's more. I'll bring some for you."
Lan Yi's friend waved a hand. "No, I'll get it myself. You're not fully well yet."
Zhan looked down, nervously playing with the corner of the rug.
Yibo watched him silently. After a few seconds, he asked, "Did you eat?"
Zhan looked up and replied, "Yes, I did."
Yibo nodded. "Alright. I'll be in Hai Kuan's room."
With that, he stood up and walked out. Zhan followed him with his eyes until he disappeared down the hall.
Meanwhile, in the guest room, Min was sitting on the bed while her cousin whispered something in her ear. Suddenly irritated, Min raised her voice and said, "Why are you acting like you don't even know me?"
Her mother's younger sister, who was sitting on the floor among the other relatives and the dishes they had been served, frowned and looked up at Min.
"What's wrong with you?" she said angrily. "Raising your voice like that in your in-laws' house? Didn't I tell you to cover yourself properly? People are still walking in and out. Are you trying to show everyone that you have no sense of decency?"
Min pouted and replied, "Well, Aunty, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to sit here and melt in this heat. And this room? It's like they threw me into a storage space."
Aunty Mama snorted and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking. I assumed once you greeted your in-laws and the grandmother, we'd be taken to your house. But no...they shoved us into a room, laid out food, and left us like beggars. Have you ever seen anything like this? This doesn't feel like a wedding...it feels like a forced arrangement. Honestly, I don't think that boy even wants her. She's just obsessed with him. Clearly, his family's is more important to him than his feelings."
Aunt Antu joined in with a scoff. "Didn't she say she knew what she was getting into? That old hag gave us a piece of her mind earlier, and we listened to her insult us like children. And all this, for what? That girl Min passed up a good man who truly loved her... just because he didn't go to college or meet her 'standards.' But at least he had money, houses, businesses in Beijing. That's more than this doctor can offer. His whole salary couldn't even pay our rent."
Suddenly the door opened, and they all fell silent.
Granny Ai stepped into the room, loudly announcing her arrival.
Min quickly scrambled to pull her scarf over her head, trying to cover her face.
Granny Ai grinned broadly and leaned against the door. "You all look like you're settling in nicely. Do you need anything? More food, perhaps? We cooked plenty for you. Or should we bring in some extra mattresses?"
Min glared at her from beneath the scarf, clearly bristling with dislike.
Aunty Mama forced a polite smile and said, "No, this is just fine. Thank you very much."
Granny Ai nodded. "Alright, I'll open the windows to get some air in here. It's stuffy."
She walked around, flinging open every window and even the nets, leaving the room exposed to the outside. Everyone watched her in disbelief as she left.
One of the aunties held her chin and muttered, "Is that old woman even okay? She just flung the windows wide open. At this rate, the mosquitoes will kill us before dawn. We already had the AC on...why open the windows?"
Aunty Mama hissed and stood up to close the windows herself.
"I swear," she muttered, "if I don't see a clear sign tomorrow morning that we're heading to Min's marital home, I'm packing my things and leaving. I didn't come here to sit around all day like I have nothing better to do."
Granny Ai slowly opened the door to the room where Granny Fang Yu was staying. She peered inside, as she hadn't returned to the room since the earlier commotion. Seeing Granny Fang Yu sitting in silence, deep in thought, she hurried in and said, "What's wrong, Jie? You look so worried. I just came from Lan Yi's room, and she's doing much better. We even chatted for a while. And Zhan...he's been clinging by her side nonstop. Honestly, it's like she wasn't even the same person lying there this morning, barely holding on. I don't think anyone could come between her and Zhan. The way she loves that boy... it's intense. If he was not a young man, I'd say he cast a spell on her."
Granny Fang Yu let out a long sigh. "Didn't I tell you there was a reason Tengshan and his family didn't come for the wedding?"
Granny Ai squinted. "Tengshan? Who's that?"
Granny Fang Yu replied, "Shu's paternal uncle. She lives with him in Yantai."
Granny Ai blinked. "Oh, that short guy with the squashed nose? I know the one."
Granny Fang Yu nodded. "Apparently, Shu went over there and told the paternal side of her family that the wedding was postponed indefinitely."
Granny Ai gasped, slapping her palm against her thigh. "That girl is completely out of control!"
"Don't talk about her like that," Granny Fang Yu snapped gently. "We should be trying to help her. I couldn't keep calm after hearing that, so I had someone call Tengshan to find out why they hadn't come. That's when he told me what Shu said. I was shocked...I didn't hold anything back. I told him everything that's been going on and what people suspect she's done. Now he says he'll bring her here tomorrow morning, along with Gu, his eldest son."
Granny Ai's jaw dropped. "Suspect? Everyone's sure it was her! Why are you calling it a 'suspicion'? I'd swear on anything...Shu's the one who did this! Honestly, better they bring her here and deal with her properly."
Granny Fang Yu frowned. "If you can't speak calmly, then at least keep your mouth shut. Must you always stir up trouble everywhere you go?"
Granny Ai scoffed but found a place to sit down quietly.
Granny Fang Yu continued, "What really worries me is them bringing her here. Everyone knows how Hai Kuan and Yibo feel about her. Things could go badly. And you know Hai Kuan has always had it in for her. If they show up with her, I'm afraid he might brakes some of her bones and we'll all be dragged into the mess..."
Granny Ai shot to her feet. "Do you hear yourself Jie? So you're saying we should just sit back and let her get away with it?"
Granny Fang Yu answered calmly, "I'm saying there's nothing more to do now. What's done is done. All we can do is give her a serious warning and make sure she understands the consequences. She's an orphan, with no one to stand up for her."
Granny Ai shook her head. "Even if she crawled out of the ground, being an orphan doesn't excuse her actions. She still needs to be held accountable."
Just then, the door opened and Aunt Marquis stepped in. Looking at Granny Fang Yu, she said, "I'm here, Mother."
Granny Fang Yu lowered her voice. "Can Lan Yi come here now? I know she has guests, but I need to speak with all of you."
Aunt Marquis replied, "Let me go tell her. I'm sure she can come."
"And bring Yibo and Hai Kuan too," Granny Fang Yu added.
"Is everything alright, Mother?" Aunt Marquis asked.
"Everything's fine. Just bring them all," Granny Fang Yu said.
"Alright, I'll go get them," Aunt Marquis responded and turned to leave.
As she walked out, Granny Fang Yu turned to where Granny Ai had been standing. "You see? It's better this way, right?" But the spot was empty... Granny Ai had already left.
Meanwhile, Granny Ai was now facing Yibo and Hai Kuan. She said sternly, "So just turn off the lights and pretend you're asleep. Don't leave the room, and if possible, lock the door once I step out. Honestly, I'm starting to think Jie might've sent her to carry out this whole mess. I'm telling you, I'm starting to fear Jie now. She's always been one of those types...ever since we were kids."
Hai Kuan and Yibo just stared at her. Yibo finally said, "It's a good thing you came to tell me. I'm not going anywhere."
Granny Ai added, "Exactly. She've always said Hai Kuan was too harsh. Ever since Shu was a baby, he's been rough with her...he nearly killed her once before someone intervened. There's only a four, maybe six-year gap between them, and yet he treats her like she's nothing."
Hai Kuan kept tapping on his phone, saying nothing.
Granny Ai continued, "That's why I came over to tell you myself...handle this on your own. There's no truth at all in what Fang Yu Jie is pushing."
With that, she left the room. As soon as she stepped out, Hai Kuan got up and locked the door. Not long after, Aunt Marquis came knocking, but no one opened the door no matter how long she knocked.
When Granny Ai returned to the other room, Granny Fang Yu asked, "Where did you go, Ai?"
Granny Ai looked at Lan Yi, who was sitting on the floor with her head lowered, and replied, "Just went outside to blow my nose, then stopped to chat with the neighbors a bit...you know how that goes."
Granny Fang Yu turned her attention to Aunt Marquis and Lan Yi when they fell silent after her explanation. After a moment, Aunt Marquis spoke up. "Really, Mother? So we're just going to let Shu get away with everything? No consequences at all?"
Granny Ai smirked and went to sit at the edge of the bed. Lan Yi, meanwhile, was quietly wiping away tears, head still bowed. Granny Fang Yu suddenly broke into sobs.
"So what do you all want us to do?" she cried. "Shu's not a stranger. She's family. Our own blood. There's only so much we can do. You can't cut off your own hand just because it's injured. All we can do is keep guiding her and hope she finds her way back."
Granny Ai narrowed her eyes and said, "But Jie....are you sure you didn't send Shu to do that terrible thing? The way you're trying so hard to shut this whole matter down... it's suspicious. Like you're hiding something too..."
Granny Fang Yu stared at her, then broke into fresh tears. "You've crossed the line, Ai. And first thing tomorrow, I want you out of this house. Take your things and leave. Don't ever come back here again."
Granny Ai stood up and stormed toward the door. "People always say they want the truth, but clearly they don't. Fine...I'll go, like you keep saying. But just so we're clear: I haven't got family on both my mother's and father's sides in that village. I only moved here after my husband passed away twelve years ago. So why should I care about that place anymore? As for Shu...she must face consequences. I swear, she's dangerous enough to kill someone. And you, if you keep defending her, may your her next target. Anyone who can destroy a marriage can do much worse. And let me remind you...only Qiren has the right to throw me out of this house."
With that, she walked out.
Granny Fang Yu kept crying. Trying to stay strong, Lan Yi said gently, "Alright, Mother. Let's end this here. No more talk about it. I'll speak to Yibo myself, and as you asked, I promise Qiren won't hear a word of this. Let's just focus on what we can fix."
Granny Fang Yu wiped her tears. "Thank you, Lan Yi. You've always been a blessing."
Aunt Marquis was too upset and angry to speak. She stood up and walked out.
Granny Fang Yu turned to Lan Yi again. "You should go rest in your room now. Thank you again, and may you regain your strength quickly."
"Thank you," Lan Yi replied as she rose and quietly left the room.
She went downstairs, looking for a quiet space to finally let herself cry and release the tension. She entered the guest room in the living room and found Aunt Marquis sitting silently, deep in thought. Lan Yi joined her and broke into tears.
"It's been almost twenty-two years of this," Lan Yi said, shaking her head. "Most of the time, I try to do what I do just so Mother won't think I'm favoring Zhan, the son I didn't give birth to, over Shu...who is my blood. Mother is my own mother, I know her through and through. So even when it looks like I'm always siding with Shu, it's just so there can be peace in the house. People would accuse me of treating Zhan better than my own niece, even though he's just a child I raised. And now, look at how Mother brushed off the whole issue like it's nothing."
Aunt Marquis, clearly fuming, snapped, "Don't you dare tell Yibo anything. If Shu shows up tomorrow morning, they should start dragging her out from the front gate."
Lan Yi begged, "Please, Marquis...let's not escalate this. Since she asked me to caution them, I'll just warn them to stay out of it. Let's keep our hands clean. Only time will reveal the truth."
***
Around 9:30, Yibo opened the door to Lan Yi's living room and found her sitting with her friend, a plate of food in front of her. She looked a lot better...at least she was eating now. He sat down on the couch.
"How are you feeling, Mama?" he asked.
Lan Yi looked up at him. "I'm okay."
He went quiet. He wanted to ask about Zhan but couldn't bring himself to. Eventually, he stood up and left.
On the stairs, he ran into Aunt Marquis, who was coming up.
"Aunty, where's Baby Brother?" he asked.
"He's in his room," she answered.
"Okay."
"Did you even eat anything, Doctor?" she asked.
"I'll eat," he replied before heading back to Zhan's room.
He walked straight to Zhan's bedroom, opened the door, and went in. Zhan was lying on the bed, eyes closed, already dozing off. Yibo approached and sat on the edge of the bed, watching him. He reached out and placed a hand on Zhan's forehead...it felt warm. His temperature was a bit high.
Zhan opened his eyes suddenly, and they made eye contact. He quickly sat up and scooted away from Yibo, avoiding further eye contact.
Yibo asked gently, "Did you eat?"
He nodded and said, "Your injections and medicine."
Zhan shook his head. "No, I'll just take the medicine."
Yibo replied, "It's only one type of medication, but you still need the injection."
Yibo stood up and left the room. It didn't take long before he returned, holding a small bag containing the syringe and medicine. Zhan watched him as he began preparing the injection. Mustering up his courage, Zhan said, "I'll do the injection myself."
Yibo looked at him, surprised. Zhan avoided his gaze and, after a few seconds, repeated, "Just hand it to me once you're done preparing it."
Yibo said nothing. Ever since he became a doctor, he had always been the one to give Zhan his injections when he was sick. Every month, he would even administer injections for Zhan's cramps. Yibo quietly set the syringe down, capped it, and turned to leave. Zhan watched him go, feeling a wave of guilt. Why had he treated Yibo like this?
Ever since he learned they weren't actually blood brothers, something inside of him had changed. He couldn't explain it...he didn't even fully understand it himself.
As Yibo stepped out into the sitting room, he turned to Lan Yi's friend, who was a nurse, and said, "Aunty, someone's waiting for me outside. Zhan's injection is ready...I've already filled the syringe." Without waiting for a response, he left. Lan Yi watched him quietly.
Lan Yi's friend got up and went into the room. After she administered the injection to Zhan, she came out. It was then that Zhan noticed Yibo had left his phone in the bedside drawer. He picked it up, searched for Dr. Kexing's number, and called...but the phone was off. Zhan slowly set it back down, then lay back in bed, his mind racing with conflicting thoughts.
The next morning, around 9:30, Aunt Marquis entered the guest sitting room and greeted everyone. Her eyes immediately landed on Shu, who sat on the floor with her head down like a scolded child. Aunt Marquis found a spot and sat down, politely greeting Shu's paternal uncles and their younger sister, who were also seated there.
It hadn't been twenty minutes since their arrival at the house. Aunt Marquis had waited until she'd finished seeing off Min and her siblings with breakfast before entering the sitting room herself, just to make sure Granny Fang Yu wouldn't later accuse her of skipping out. If not for that, she wouldn't have shown her face at all.
Granny Fang Yu sat on the carpet, arms crossed. Lan Yi was also in the sitting room, sitting silently, while Yibo sat nearby, barely able to contain his anger. Hai Kuan hadn't bothered to show up at all. As for Granny Ai, Granny Fang Yu had outright said she wouldn't forgive her if she stepped into the room.
One of Shu's uncles suddenly snapped at her, voice sharp with irritation. "You're wasting our time! Are you not going to speak?"
Shu burst into loud sobs, stomping her feet. "Uncle, I've told you...I don't know anything about this! I swear I didn't take any latters to anyone. How would I even know those people? How would I deliver anything to them?"
She continued crying and swearing she had no involvement with any letter or message.
Another uncle asked, "Then how did you even know the wedding was canceled? Who told you?"
Still crying, she replied, "Yibo's wife is my friend. She called me and told me the wedding was canceled. I was in Yantai at the time. Maybe she just didn't want me at her wedding. I believed her and shared the news, but I didn't give anyone any latters. How would I even know where these people live? And if you think I'm lying, take me to their homes. Let them say whether I gave them anything. I'm being blamed just because I'm an orphan and have no one."
At that, she broke down into uncontrollable sobs, dropping her head onto the carpet, her whole body trembling.
Aunt Marquis was so shocked she couldn't even close her mouth as she stared at Shu. Yibo, meanwhile, felt an intense urge to get up and knock some sense into her then and there. Lan Yi kept her head down, avoiding everyone's eyes.
Granny Fang Yu wiped away tears and said quietly, "I've been wondering all along... how could Shu know where these people lived? She barely goes anywhere....just from our house to Yantai and sometimes to her friend's place, Yibo's wife. She doesn't even come to this house often unless I really insist. But somehow, people are claiming she personally delivered letters..."
The whole room went silent.
Yibo regretted ever agreeing to be part of this meeting. He wished he had never come. If it weren't for his concern for Lan Yi, he would've walked out by now.
Aunt Marquis stood up suddenly and said, "Oh! I left something in the kitchen. I'll be right back." With that excuse, she quickly left the sitting room, afraid her anger would get the better of her.
Eventually, the gathering wrapped up, but not before Shu walked into the main sitting room with Granny Fang Yu following behind, pointing her to the room where Min and the others were. Shu's expression was sulky, her face pinched in a pout. She didn't even greet Aunt Marquis as she passed. Instead, she climbed the stairs and disappeared.
Only then did Shu release a long, slow breath and finally smile. She made her way to Min's room and opened the door, a smile playing on her lips...
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛