Bin opened the door with a wide grin and looked at Zhan.
"Honestly, I thought you were joking when you said you were already on the way. Come in."
Zhan smiled faintly and stepped into the apartment.
Bin immediately pulled him toward his bedroom.
"I'm the only one home," he said. "Where everyone disappeared to, I have no idea. I think Peng might actually be pregnant. And if that's true, I need to stop following him around this house before he gives birth to someone as handsome as me."
Zhan removed the scarf draped around his neck and said quietly, "I want to use a bathroom first."
Bin looked at him.
"Did you eat anything over there?"
"Eat what?" Zhan replied.
Bin clicked his tongue.
"No matter whose house you go to, they're still men. Sit down-I'll make noodles for you."
Zhan stood and headed toward the bathroom while Bin walked out toward the kitchen.
After Zhan finished, Bin returned carrying a bowl of noodles with eggs and placed it in front of him.
"Thank you," Zhan said softly.
Bin sat nearby and narrowed his eyes at him.
"You've become awfully quiet. Did A-Bo chase you out?"
Zhan laughed lightly.
"He almost did."
Bin scoffed.
"That troublesome man. So what happened afterward? Did you see your housemate there?"
"Yes," Zhan answered.
Then he reached for his handbag, opened it, and brought out the money His Majesty had given him.
Bin's eyes widened.
"Who gave you that?"
"I think it was their uncle," Zhan replied. "He came while we were there. He's the one who gave it to me before I left."
Bin stared at the money for a moment.
"Or maybe their father?"
Zhan shook his head immediately.
"Their father is a king. No, it couldn't have been him."
Bin took the money and began counting it carefully.
"Oh... then maybe it really was their uncle. Because honestly, when would a king have time to stop and chat with you while handing you money? If it were truly a king, you'd see guards surrounding him everywhere. Even his aides wouldn't allow ordinary conversations."
Then he looked at Zhan dramatically.
"You do realize how much this is in Chinese currency?"
Zhan only smiled quietly and continued eating.
Bin shook his head in disbelief.
"This is serious money. You could probably buy a small house in your neighborhood with this."
Then he leaned forward curiously.
"So what happened after you told A-Bo everything?"
"We didn't finish talking," Zhan replied. "Their Uncle arrived before we could continue. But after I left, A-Bo called me and told me not to return to my apartment. My housemate also called."
Bin frowned immediately.
"Didn't I tell you not to drag your housemate into this matter? Yiming is the type of person that only someone like A-Bo can deal with. Your housemate hates drama."
"Maybe A-Bo told him," Zhan said quietly.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Bin stood up immediately.
"Maybe they're back from wherever they went."
Zhan remained silent.
A few moments later, Bin returned looking confused.
"There's nobody there. Or maybe my ears imagined the bell."
Zhan slowly lowered the fork in his hand.
"Did you open the door?"
Bin looked offended.
"What do you take me for? I checked through the peephole first."
Quietly, Zhan said, "I don't know why, but my heart feels uneasy, Bin. Yiming can be very cunning. What if he followed you here without you noticing?"
Bin burst into laughter.
"Because he drinks codeine, you think he'll follow me home? He knows I'm not someone to play with. I'll genuinely lose my mind on him if he tries anything."
Then he added confidently, "Why would he even follow me?"
Zhan said nothing.
His appetite had already disappeared.
Bin pointed toward the food.
"If you still want to eat, then eat. Once Hailong-ge gets back, I'll have him check the surveillance camera and see which idiot rang the bell."
After a while, Zhan quietly pushed the bowl away.
He had eaten enough.
And suddenly, exhaustion began pulling heavily at him.
Bin remained busy chatting on his phone while Zhan quietly picked up the money His Majesty had given him. He removed two thousand dollars from the stack and placed it beside Bin.
Bin frowned immediately.
"What is this?"
Without looking at him, Zhan replied softly, "I'm giving it to you."
Bin scoffed.
"What would I even do with it? No, honestly, keep your money. It'll be useful to you."
Zhan didn't argue.
Instead, he stood, moved to the side of the bed, lay down, and closed his eyes.
Quietly, Bin pulled Zhan's backbag closer, slipped the money back inside, and placed the bag aside.
:
:
Around six-thirty in the evening, Bin nudged Zhan awake when his phone began vibrating repeatedly.
"Someone's calling you," Bin said.
Zhan slowly sat up, reached for his phone, and checked the screen.
It was I-Bo.
He answered immediately and raised the phone to his ear.
On the other end, I-Bo said softly, "I'm outside, Sean."
"Okay," Zhan replied quietly.
He reached for his jacket while Bin walked with him toward the front door.
Just before Bin opened it, Zhan quickly grabbed his arm.
"Check outside first."
Bin rolled his eyes dramatically.
"You're honestly becoming a coward. Besides, Yiming isn't the type to walk up openly like this. Didn't you see how he sneaked into your apartment like a thief the other night?"
He opened the door anyway.
Zhan remained half-hidden behind him, his heart pounding anxiously.
The moment he spotted I-Bo's car outside, relief washed over him instantly.
Bin grinned broadly.
"So Heaven finally decided we should meet today."
Zhan smiled faintly as they both walked toward the car together.
The moment I-Bo saw Bin approaching alongside Zhan, he stepped out of the car.
Crossing his arms lightly, he looked at Bin and said, "Good evening, my housemate's friend."
Bin burst into laughter.
"Welcome, housemate. So Heaven finally allowed us to meet after your return."
I-Bo smiled faintly.
"But I told your friend to greet you."
Bin laughed again.
"Honestly, he never told me."
I-Bo glanced toward Zhan, who was already looking at him.
The instant their eyes met, Zhan quickly lowered his gaze again.
Smiling quietly, I-Bo said, "Honestly, I never told him to greet you. It's not his fault."
Bin pointed accusingly at Zhan.
"Are you defending him? I know your housemate better than you do."
I-Bo laughed softly.
"How are things at home?"
"Everyone's fine," Bin replied. "He just told me your Uncle gave him a lot of money. Please thank him for us. And the other day, he showed me the diamond ring you bought him."
Then he grinned mischievously.
"May Heaven reward you with goodness, housemate. May Heaven keep you together."
Zhan's eyes widened immediately in shock.
I-Bo only smiled calmly.
"Our Dad, His Majesty" he corrected gently. "Not uncle, Bin."
Both Bin and Zhan stared at him at once.
Bin's eyes widened dramatically.
"You mean His Majesty himself?"
He shook his head in disbelief.
"That's surprising. May Heaven increase his honor."
"Thank you," I-Bo replied with a smile.
Meanwhile, Zhan remained silent, still remembering how naturally His Majesty had spoken to him earlier. No one would ever guess he was a king from the way he carried himself.
"Well, I'll head back inside now," Bin said.
"Alright, Bin," I-Bo replied politely. "Thank you very much."
Still smiling, Bin turned and returned to the apartment.
I-Bo looked toward Zhan before quietly opening the front passenger door for him.
Without protest, Zhan got into the car, carefully avoiding eye contact.
I-Bo walked around and settled into the driver's seat.
Looking at him quietly, he asked, "Did you eat?"
Zhan nodded silently.
After several moments of silence, Zhan slowly lifted his eyes toward him.
That was when he realized I-Bo had been staring fixedly at the ring on his finger.
Embarrassed immediately, Zhan quickly hid his hand behind his back.
I-Bo smiled softly.
"When did you suddenly start feeling shy around me, housemate?"
His eyes remained on him.
"I'm only admiring the ring. It looks beautiful on your finger."
Zhan lowered his head again, unable to explain the strange new shyness he kept feeling around him lately.
I-Bo leaned back against the seat, studying him quietly without blinking.
The silence alone made Zhan aware that he was still being watched, and it only made him more nervous.
Then, in a low voice, I-Bo finally asked,
"Why didn't you tell me your ex came to your school today? Why did I have to hear it from A-Bo?"
Zhan fell silent immediately.
After a moment, he glanced cautiously toward him.
Still speaking slowly, I-Bo asked again,
"Why?"
Zhan lowered his eyes.
"Well... even if I called you, you probably wouldn't answer."
I-Bo grew quiet at that.
After several seconds, he lowered his gaze thoughtfully before finally saying,
"When have you called me and I ignored you?"
Zhan quietly replied, "Anytime I call, you don't answer."
I-Bo looked down briefly.
Then, in a low voice, he said,
"I promise I won't do that again."
He paused before continuing softly,
"From now on, your calls will be a priority to me-the same way I prioritize calls from my mother and His Majesty."
Zhan slowly lifted his head.
The moment their eyes met, he quickly looked away again.
I-Bo continued quietly,
"What did he say to you when he approached you at school?"
"Bin was the one who confronted him," Zhan replied softly. "They exchanged words."
Calmly, I-Bo said, "Do not worry, Sean. I will put an end to your fear of your ex-husband very soon, if Heaven wills. I promise you this. You will have peace of mind beyond what you can imagine."
Zhan looked at him and said in a low voice, "But I don't want you to confront him, please. He can be very cunning."
A faint smile appeared on I-Bo's face. "I am not confronting him, Sean. I will simply do whatever is necessary to cut off whatever intention brought him back into your life. I will stop it completely. There is no way he can continue this. Whether for Heaven's sake or not, he will stop."
Zhan fell silent, staring at him quietly.
After a few seconds, he said, "But for now, I think it would be better if I ask Bin's brother to let me stay at their house until my exams are over. I cannot stay alone in my apartment anymore. Honestly, I am very afraid."
I-Bo shook his head slightly. "Don't inconvenience them, housemate. And I don't want you becoming a burden to them, especially with how expensive living in this state already is. Just stay in your apartment. I will be there too. I will protect you."
Zhan looked at him carefully before asking in a low voice, "Will you come as often as you used to when I lived in my former apartment?"
I-Bo smiled while looking directly into his eyes. "Sure. Anything for you, Sean."
Immediately, Zhan felt some of the fear in his chest ease. Quietly, he said, "Okay. Thank you."
I-Bo glanced at the time before saying, "Can we go home now?"
Zhan nodded slightly. "Let me go get my bag."
I-Bo nodded back at him.
Zhan opened the car door and stepped out. I-Bo watched him until he disappeared into the apartment building. A few minutes later, he came back out carrying his backbag and phone. He got into the car, closed the door, and turned toward I-Bo-only to realize I-Bo had been watching him the entire time.
✳️✳️✳️
Around eight-thirty that night, Zhan sat in his bedroom on a WeChat call with Aunt Fin. His body felt weak, and his heart kept sinking deeper with every word she said.
He had been explaining everything that had happened-how Yiming had followed him to his new apartment and even to school. It was then Aunt Fin told him something that made his blood run cold.
Yiming had already gone to his home weeks ago.
She simply had not told him because she did not want to disturb his peace of mind.
In a low voice, Zhan said, "But Aunt... how did he even know I was in America?"
Aunt Fin sighed. "If you ask me, who should I ask, Zhan? Maybe he investigated around the neighborhood and somebody told him. You know people will do anything for money. And there is gossip everywhere. Besides, maybe he saw your picture online with that man who posted you on Instagram."
Zhan felt tears sting his eyes. "But what does he want from me, Aunt? Why is he following me around?"
Aunt Fin scoffed angrily. "He has been going around saying he wants to take his marriage back. Heaven willed that Nenne was around the day he came. She nearly gathered the whole neighborhood against him. She reminded him that your marriage with him ended over a year ago. If he suddenly woke up from sleep today after divorcing you, let him go and check the calendar himself."
Despite himself, Zhan gave a weak laugh through his tears.
Aunt Fin continued, "That is why my heart was not too troubled. If they had not completed your court registered, that would have been another issue entirely. But now you are free of him. Heaven has already confused his mind until after you moved on."
Zhan lowered his eyes quietly.
"If he comes near you again," Aunt Fin continued, "call the authorities there immediately. Don't tolerate him."
Zhan could not respond.
Aunt Fin's voice became harsher. "Honestly, the only thing that will finally make him stop is seeing you marry somebody else. I have never seen someone as shameless as that man. No fear of Heaven. No shame. He even came begging your father to give you back to him."
Zhan's chest tightened painfully.
"He came to your house more than ten times," Aunt Fin said bitterly. "Heaven forgive us-even if your marriage had not finished, we would have taken the matter to court before allowing you to return to that house. That family is shameless."
Tears streamed down Zhan's face.
Quietly, he said, "Aunt... I am afraid he might still try to take me back. You know how he is."
"In America?" Aunt Fin said sharply. "Does he lost all sense completely?"
Zhan fell silent, but his body turned cold.
Because no matter what anyone said, he still remembered the way he had once been taken and handed over to Yiming against his will.
That memory alone was enough to make fear consume him again.
Aunt Fin's voice softened slightly. "Calm your heart, Zhan. Your exams are close. A-Bo and I-Bo will not allow him to hurt you, if Heaven wills. Keep praying for protection from his evils. Heaven will protect you."
Quietly, Zhan said, "Okay, Aunt."
They exchanged goodbyes before ending the call.
Zhan wiped the tears from his face just as another call came in from Bin.
He answered immediately.
"Zhan," Bin said dramatically, "do you know who rang the bell earlier?"
The moment he asked that question, Zhan's heart dropped.
Bin burst into laughter. "It was indeed Yiming. Nobody else. We checked the camera and saw him clearly. Imagine if I had opened the door-what exactly did he think he would do to me?"
Zhan closed his eyes tightly.
Bin continued ranting, "I have never seen a more jobless bastard in my life. He even tracked my house down because of his uselessness. But what can he do to me.?"
In a trembling voice, Zhan said, "Now you understand why I am afraid. Not everyone can stand up to him the way you do."
"Please," Bin scoffed. "There is nothing he can do to me with Heaven's permission. And when Hailong-ge settles the issue he is dealing with, he said he will help me report this matter to the authorities. Then Yiming will explain exactly why he came lurking around our apartment like a criminal."
With that, he ended the call.
Not long after, Zhan heard a knock on his bedroom door.
Immediately, his heart started pounding.
He stood up slowly, and walked toward the door.
The moment he opened it and saw I-Bo standing there, he lowered his eyes.
I-Bo frowned slightly the instant he noticed the tears in his eyes.
"Sean," he said softly, "are you crying? What happened?"
As though those words had broken the final restraint holding him together, Zhan leaned weakly against the bedroom door and burst into tears.
For the past two days, he had held everything in.
Now, all at once, he completely fell apart.
💚💙❤️🖤