The next morning, after taking a bath, Zhan sat quietly in the guest room he had been given, unable to step into the living room. Since Dr. Jing had told him this was his wife's family home, he had felt unsettled all night and barely found rest until dawn.
Koi came into the room. Zhan greeted her politely, and she responded with a smile.
"Madam is calling you to the living room," she said.
Zhan stood and followed her. He greeted Cang respectfully.
Cang replied, "Aren't you going to work? It's already past eight, and you haven't stepped out."
Zhan lowered his head slightly. "I'll go."
"Then get yourself ready and have breakfast," she continued. "The driver will be back soon after dropping the children at school. He can take you to the hospital."
"Thank you," Zhan murmured, then returned to his room.
By half-past eight, he reappeared in the living room, properly dressed. Only Koi was there, busy with chores. She pointed towards the dining area.
"Your breakfast is there."
Zhan thanked her and sat down. He poured himself tea, picked up some toast and eggs, and ate quietly. When he was done, he lingered in the living room until the driver arrived, speaking from the doorway.
Koi looked up. "The driver's here. Madam has gone inside to rest...she asked me to tell you to take care."
Zhan rose. "Thank you." He returned briefly to his room to pick up his backpack, phone, and a small bag with his scrubs, then came out again, bade Koi farewell, and left.
At the hospital gate, the driver dropped him off. "Thanks," Zhan said.
"You're welcome, sir," the driver replied.
Inside, Zhan barely had time to settle before a senior doctor, Dr. Balogun, summoned him to the operating theatre. Just like the day before, Zhan spent the entire morning assisting...handing over instruments promptly, calling them by their proper names, never once making a mistake. Sometimes he passed an item even before being asked, earning approving glances from the other staff. Two senior nurses and two doctors were also in the theatre. They didn't come out until after 2 p.m.
Dr. Balogun glanced at Zhan. "Where's your alma mater, Mr.?"
Zhan's heart skipped. Before he could answer, another doctor came to speak with Dr. Balogun. Taking advantage of the moment, Zhan slipped out quickly, heading for reception. He was still uneasy when Nurse Hannah spotted him.
"Finally, you're here," she said. "Welcome back."
Just then, another nurse set a phone down on the desk and asked, "Who is Nurse Sean?"
Hannah pointed to Zhan. The nurse turned to him. "Dr. Jing is asking for you in his office."
Since arriving at the hospital, Zhan had not crossed paths with Dr. Jing, and wasn't even sure whether he had come in that day. Zhan waited about ten minutes to steady himself, then went upstairs.
In the office, he knocked, entered, and quietly locked the door. Approaching the desk, he greeted Dr. Jing, who closed his laptop and gestured for him to sit.
"You look worn out, Sean," Dr. Jing said. "Since Dr. Balogun noticed your skill, you'll have to endure his demands. He always keeps close to nurses who are competent and calm under pressure. Once he sees that in you, he'll want you around whenever he's on duty."
Zhan said nothing, only smiled faintly.
"I know you haven't eaten," Dr. Jing added. Without waiting for a response, he handed him a takeaway pack. When Zhan hesitated, he urged, "Go on, take it."
Zhan bowed his head. "I don't want to trouble you. I should be able to get my own food, not depend on you."
Dr. Jing smiled lightly. "Ask Nurse Hannah. If I don't buy her lunch, it probably means I'm not on duty that day. I do this for many of the nurses. It's nothing to me."
Reluctantly, Zhan accepted. "Thank you," he said softly.
Dr. Jing studied him a moment, then asked, "How did you leave things with your family?"
Zhan looked at him sharply, lowering his voice. "But why did you take me to your in-law's house?"
"Because she's not just my in-law," Dr. Jing answered quietly. "She's my mother too...the only real one I ever had in this world…"
Zhan simply stared, unsure what to say.
Dr. Jing leaned back. "My own mother passed when I was five, leaving me with a stepmother who never treated me kindly. My father always did whatever she said. My mother's relatives wanted to take me in, but she made sure my father refused.
It was mother Cang, our neighbor at the time, who finally rescued me. She threatened my stepmother with court action...she was a lawyer...until she relented. Mother Cang raised me alongside her own children. Even my father, whose house stood just across the street, never dared oppose her. Years later, when he too passed away, mother Cang and her husband were the reason I became who I am.
In time, they gave me their daughter's hand in marriage. Though her father is gone now too...he passed two years into our marriage…"
Zhan spoke softly, "May he rest in peace, and the same for your parents."
Dr. Jing sighed and said, "That's why I felt sympathy when you told me your parents had passed away."
Tears welled up instantly in Zhan's eyes. Dr. Jing continued, "So… what arrangements have you made with your aunt about where you'll stay for work?"
Slowly, Zhan replied, "She actually told me to ask if you could recommend an area where I might find a place to stay here, since we don't know Guangzhou well. You've been here longer, so you'd know better."
Dr. Jing looked at him carefully. "Oh, so you already have the money set aside for renting a place, then?"
Zhan nodded. "What's your budget?" Dr. Jing asked.
Zhan hesitated, then admitted, "Honestly, I'm not sure how much rent usually costs here."
"I understand. But tell me...how much do you actually have saved? That way I'll know the kind of place we should look for you."
"Maybe… 300,000 yuan? Would that be enough?" Zhan asked cautiously.
Dr. Jing adjusted in his chair, studying him closely. "You actually have 300,000 yuan available right now?"
Zhan nodded again, lowering his head when Dr. Jing's piercing gaze didn't waver.
Then Dr. Jing turned to Zhan. "You mean to tell me you have 300,000 yuan just sitting there, yet you didn't pay for your admission registration when you said you had already been accepted?"
Zhan frowned slightly. "I told you, I only managed to come after the money was raised. But by the time I got here, the registration portal had already closed and they were about to start exams. So of course my admission was cancelled."
"What school was it? And where's the admission letter?" Dr. Jing pressed.
Zhan felt sweat bead at his temples, but he forced his face into composure. Just then, a knock came at the office door. Grateful for the interruption, Zhan sprang up and said quickly, "That must be the patient…"
Dr. Jing allowed the patient in, and a woman with an appointment walked inside. Zhan slipped out immediately. After that, Zhan found it difficult to concentrate at the hospital for the rest of the day.
By four o'clock, when Dr Jing came back in, Zhan deliberately avoided meeting his eyes at reception, busied instead with checking files on a shelf. Dr. Jing went upstairs. Zhan returned to his seat and waited quietly for six o'clock, when the evening staff would take over. He planned to leave for Foshan that night.
At exactly six, Dr. Jing came downstairs just as Zhan emerged from the changing room with his bag. Zhan stiffened, refusing to meet his gaze again.
Dr. Jing, however, kept his eyes on him. Handing Zhan the keys to his office, he said, "Get my laptop and bring it to the parking lot, Nurse Sean."
Zhan accepted the keys. When he brought the laptop out, Dr. Jing asked casually, "Where are you heading now?"
"Home," Zhan answered shortly.
"It's already late, and you said you were planning to head for Foshan. So… why not come to my mother's house again?"
Quickly, Zhan shook his head. "No. I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"Because that's your wife's family's house."
Dr. Jing dismissed it with a wave. "It's nothing. That house is also my family's house. My wife knows who I am. In fact, when I spoke with my mother earlier, she asked about you. I told her you might come later tonight, because I know you don't have anywhere to stay in Guangzhou. What's the harm if I bring a male friend over to stay for a few days?"
It took more than ten minutes of convincing before Zhan reluctantly agreed. Still uneasy, he followed Dr. Jing into the house like someone walking on eggshells. Once they entered, Dr. Jing dropped him off and left.
Inside, Chang was sitting in the living room with her sister, Ruyue, who had also visited that day.
Zhan sat down respectfully and greeted Chang. She smiled warmly. "How's work going?"
"It's going well," Zhan replied.
Chang nodded. "I heard you still haven't found a place to stay yet, is that right?"
Zhan lowered his gaze and nodded.
"Then don't worry. You can stay here for now. Maybe just go home on weekends if you want. Honestly, when I first heard you were looking for an apartment, I didn't think it was suitable. The way you are, living alone doesn't sit right with me. Dr. Jing told me a little about your situation. If it were a hostel near the school, maybe that would work. But living in a place by yourself? No."
Zhan kept his head bowed silently.
"So just explain it to your guardians. If they agree, you can stay here with no problem. You'll go to work during the weekdays, then on weekends you can visit them. From what I see, auxiliary nurses don't usually work weekends, right?" Chang added kindly.
Zhan lifted his head and said, "Thank you very much."
Chang replied, "Go into the kitchen and serve yourself some food."
Zhan nodded. "Alright, thanks." He stood up and headed toward the room he'd been given.
Ruyue, who had been watching him, asked, "Chang Jie, who is that?"
Chang answered, "He's a guest." Then she stood up. "I'll be going, my rest time is here."
- - - -
Zhan spent about fifteen minutes reflecting on his stay in this house as Chang had suggested. He wondered if he could really manage it here. The woman seemed very kind, but still, something about it unsettled him. As for Dr. Jing, Zhan wasn't too worried...they wouldn't suspect anything improper or think Zhan was his boyfriend. He brushed the thought aside, and eventually got up and went into the bathroom.
That night, while Zhan was in his room, Chang came in. "Sean, come take a look at these medicines Jing sent earlier. He didn't leave the prescription."
Zhan stood. "Alright." He followed her out into another room.
An elderly woman sat there, clearly unwell. Zhan greeted her politely, "Good evening, Granny."
She didn't answer, so Chang said, "This is my mother-in-law, Sean. She's not well, please check the medicine."
With some effort, the old woman finally spoke, her voice thin. "Don't ever tell people I'm sick, Chang. I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with me."
Chang glanced at Zhan. "Sean, once you open the medicine, give it to her." Then she left the room.
The old woman turned to Zhan, her voice trembling. "Do you see the trick they're playing? She and her children poisoned me. It's been three weeks I've been suffering, but anyone who comes by, she tells them I'm sick. Then she mocks me." Her eyes filled with tears and she began to cry.
Zhan just watched, unable to find words. He opened the medicine and handed it to her. With shaking hands, she took it, along with a cup of water.
"I hope you feel some relief," Zhan said gently.
"There's no relief," the old woman muttered. "My whole body aches. If not for that good boy Jing, I'd have died alone in this room. And meanwhile that shameless girl they call Mimi keeps spying on me, dancing and parading around. The two boys too...knocking balls against the window so I can't sleep. What they do to me here, even a dog wouldn't endure." She wiped her tears.
"Bring that flask over there," she said. "Go to the kitchen and make me hot water. I don't trust what's in the flask they left earlier. I've been waiting for Jing to boil fresh water, but he hasn't shown up. I'm so hungry I could faint. Even the maid here, I can't trust her anymore...they're all the same."
Zhan nodded. "Alright, Granny, I'll make it for you." He left the room.
As soon as he stepped into the living room, he found Chang and Koi talking.
Koi laughed. "Well, it seems you've already won Granny trust, if she asked you to prepare her hot water."
Chang smiled faintly. "Go ahead then, please make it for her."
***
Later that night, around 8 p.m., Granny Fang Yu was stretched out in the sitting room, watching Shu who lay beside her. A plate of food sat nearby, already finished, left where Granny had placed it.
Granny Fang Yu said, "Shu, I've been talking for a while now and you still haven't moved from that chair. Go take a bath, then come back to your phone."
Shu sighed. "Oh, Granny, I told you I don't feel like it right now. Please stop bothering me. I know what I'm doing... just let me finish what I'm doing on my phone first."
Granny Fang Yu shook her head. "Don't you remember the scolding you got the other day? It wasn't pleasant to hear. But I don't care what they say. I know they're not the ones who decide marriage. That one woman Ai is just a clingy nuisance, always attaching herself where there's comfort. If she dares show her face here, I'll throw her out myself. She knows I don't have much money, why would she come over to my place. That's why she cling to Qiren household..."
Granny Fang Yu hadn't even closed her mouth when the living room door was pushed open. Everyone looked up. Four men entered. Granny Fang Yu sat up in fright and exclaimed, "What's this I'm seeing? Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
Shu, equally startled, stood up. But there was no escape; the men had already surrounded the living room. One of them brought out an ID card, showed it to them, and said, "We're the police. We tracked a phone, and it led us to this house."
Shu, trembling, quickly held out her phone and said, "It's mine, this is the only phone here, you can check!"
One of the officers barked at her, "Don't play games with us! Apart from your phone, there's another device in this house."
Shu's eyes widened. "Another phone? Only my grandmother's small one."
Granny Fang Yu was so shaken she couldn't sit or stand properly, her body trembling all over. Another officer shouted so harshly at Shu that she nearly wet herself. "If we go inside and find it ourselves, you won't like the outcome."
They described the missing phone in detail....its model and even its color. Shu swallowed hard. Seeing the seriousness on their faces, and one officer raising his hand as if to slap her, she quickly said, "It's in the bedroom. I'll get it for you."
They followed her inside. She brought out the phone, worth nearly thirty thousand yuan, and handed it over. Without further words, they dragged Shu, crying loudly, back into the living room. Granny Fang Yu kept pacing, wailing, but no one paid her any attention. The officers shoved Shu in front of them and left the house.
Meanwhile, Qiren was sitting in the living room with Granny Ai. She was saying, "Qiren, I myself am tired of all the constant crying Lan Yi did about that boy, Zhan. You can ask Yibo...there's nothing I haven't told her just to calm her down, but it's useless. At this point, it's as if Zhan has died, and Lan Yi has carved it into her heart. She won't let go. And meanwhile, that careless boy lives freely, minding only his own business, leaving us drowning in this endless grief.
If not for fear of being misunderstood, I would have said it outright: Zhan has truly shown us that he doesn't see us as family. He rushed into the world head-on, forgetting the good care and kindness we gave him for twenty-three years. He has forgotten it all. Well, as far as I'm concerned, he'll get what's coming to him. Lan Yi's pain won't leave him untouched."
Granny Ai leaned closer and lowered her voice. "That's why I wanted to advise you, Qiren. Maybe you should take Lan Yi abroad, even to America, just for a few days. Perhaps the change of air will bring her peace of mind. I fear for her health...she already suffers from high blood pressure, and we all know it. If we ignore this, it may trigger her heart. I was actually waiting for the right moment to tell you, and now I see you're troubled by the same thing."
Qiren sighed deeply. "You're right, Aunt Ai. Your advice is sound. In a week's time, we'll leave for America."
Granny Ai smiled in relief. "Good. And while you're away, we'll keep that reckless boy in our prayers, hoping he finally comes to his senses and returns home. His arrogance has gone far enough. But before you travel, don't forget...the freezer is almost empty, and the beer drink I've been serving Lan Yi has finished too. You know, it's not good to leave the house without enough supplies."
Just then, the living room door opened again. Granny Fang Yu entered, sobbing.
"What is it again?" Granny Ai shot up. "Don't tell me Shu is dead!"
Still in tears, Granny Fang Yu cried out, "The police came and took her away right in front of me. She hadn't even stepped beyond the gate for days...she's innocent!"
Qiren also rose to his feet, shocked.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛