My mute love story (Yizhan version)

Chapter 5

Xiao Zhan's POV

I placed my head against the cold car window as I listened to Yibo's fingers ticking on the steering wheel and humming with the music.

"This street, bunny?" Turning around, I looked out of the front window with a nod as Yibo's car came to a stop.

"Should I walk you to your house?" I shook my head, pouting as I saw Yibo's eyes inspecting me.

I took my pen and notebook and wrote something, 'I will be fine, Yibo! I am not weak!'

He laughed, "of course, my bunny isn't weak." Once again. he touched my nose as I rolled my eyes.

I stepped out of the car and walked down the street that got enlightened by Yibo's bright headlights.

Increasing my pace, I quickly reached my house, and I turned around to see Yibo's car and inside a shadow, who I knew was watching me and would continue to watch me until I would walk safely into the house.

I couldn't help but smile at the thought; it warmed my heart.

Opening the doorknob, I walked inside the house; the light got turned off as I once again glanced down at my watch, 7 pm.

"G-Granny?" My voice echoed hollowly through the house as I walked into the living room, noticing the light was on inside the kitchen.

"Granny?" I peeked with my head inside the kitchen, where my granny was humming a song under her breath, her back facing me.

"Ahh, you're back, my A-Zhan." A-Zhan?

Ahh, she was having one of her better days, and I smiled, walking towards her as I saw she had cooked some rice and a side dish.

Usually, granny would even forget I lived here.

I shook the thought away as we both sat down at the table, "how was your first day at university, A-Zhan? Met any nice boys or girls?" She grinned at me like a child, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Mmm, I made two new friends, Wang Yibo and Shi Lin; they're cousins." My grandma hummed, a frown appearing on her forehead.

"Wang Yibo, you say?" I nodded.

"Aiyaa, that name sounds so familiar, but I can't seem to remember it anymore. Your grandma is getting old, A-Zhan." I shook my head.

"No matter how old granny will get, you always look ten years younger." She huffed at my statement, placing a little piece of meat on my rice.

"Are you interacting much with your classmates, A-Zhan? I remember how you isolated yourself after your mom's death and refused to talk. You acted mute around everyone except when you got home. The first time your teachers told me, I was shocked." Granny smiled at the memory as I forced a smile on my face.

If you only knew, granny. If you only knew.

"Well, jokes and memories aside, who is this Wang Yibo guy, huh? I swear I saw hearts appearing in your eyes when you mentioned him~".

My eyes widened, and before I realized what happened, the words left my mouth, "NO!"

My grandma threw her head backwards, a loud laugh escaping her mouth as I stared down at the table, feeling the heat rush towards my head.

"A-Zhan, I was teasing you, but now seeing your response, I am getting the feeling this Yibo must be someone who infiltrated your heart, didn't he?"

"Granny~" I whined with a huge pout.

"Quickly bring me a son-in-law; I'll be prepared, A-Zhan!" I huffed, leaning back in my chair, my arms crossed.

"He's really just a friend, granny, I swear!"

"Ahh, okay, okay, good kid. Just eat your meal. You must have worked hard, didn't you?" I picked up my bowl and slowly started eating in silence.

It was so uncommon for grandma to have these good days, but I missed her like this.

"I can never guess what you are thinking in that head of yours, A-Zhan. Your mom had the same, sometimes she would also stare off into nothingness, and your mom being your mom, would be detached totally from the world. You are a lot like her, not only in features." I put my empty bowl down as I pushed the little bit of dish my granny had made towards her with a soft smile.

"I will head upstairs first, granny; I have to catch up on some work." I walked towards her, pressing a kiss against her cheek before walking towards her room, stopping halfways.

I heard my granny murmur under her breath, "this kid, always eating little while working too hard, and thinking I wouldn't notice it. Your dad was just like that; you sometimes look a lot more like him than you realize yourself, my little Zhan." At the mentioning of my father, I felt my hands turn into fists.

Without any more thoughts, I quietly walked into the room, turning on the lights; I placed my bag against the wall, sitting down on the mattress that lay on the ground.

Opening my book, I closed my eyes, softly rubbing them.

I heard my granny moving through the house as I opened my eyes, grabbing my glasses as I opened my English book.

That was when I noticed something written in the corner; it was a tiny word, almost like a doodle, "Yizhan." I blushed to realize what it read, burying my head into my hands, cursing Yibo.

Now I lost my concentration!

I groaned, closing my English book and grabbing my notebook, the one I had dropped today and took a blank page and a pencil.

Today Yibo had spent the whole day at the coffee shop, refusing to leave with Shi Lin, who got annoyed with Yibo and left him behind eventually; I grinned at the memory, remembering how Yibo had watched me like a lost puppy.

He had waited the whole day to bring me home, and Jiyang had even threatened Yibo that if he dared to hurt me, Jiyang would find him and break every bone in his body.

I laughed, knowing Jiyang wouldn't even hurt a fly, and yet, the way he threatened Yibo still made shiver get sent down my spine; I never knew my boss had such a face.

Slowly my hand moved on its own as my mind got a clear picture, an image of a person, someone who I couldn't get out of my head no matter what, so I drew him.

My hands moved gracefully, making clear constructing lines as the shape of his face became visible.

I first drew his eyes, then his nose, next his mouth, his hair and added all the small features that made him stand out from the crowd, always attracting unwanted attention.

When I finally finished, I looked down at the painting, knowing something was off, and soon enough, I realized it; holding my pencil tightly, I made a tiny dot under his eye with a satisfied smile.

I stared at the painting in my hands when the door opened, and my granny came inside.

I didn't think I was ever this fast with hiding something when my drawing of him was burning into my vision.

Wang Yibo.

Word count: 1201 words