My mute love story (Yizhan version)

Chapter 6

Xiao Zhan's POV

I kept pacing back and forth, sometimes glancing down at my old watch before sighing and pushing my glasses a bit higher up the bridge of my nose.

Unlike myself, Haikuan tended to be late or would arrive at the last second.

"Xiao Zhan! Good morning, what a surprise to see you here!" Haikuan quickly walked towards me, thrusting his coffee into my hands that felt long gone cold.

Haikuan fiddled with his keys before finding the right one to open the door as I took a deep breath.

I entered the room first, sitting down on the chair opposite of Haikuan's as I placed his coffee on the desk and Haikuan himself took his usual seat, placing away some messy paper that got placed around.

"So, what can I help you with, Xiao Zhan?" Once again, I took a deep breath, finding all my courage before taking the letter out of my pocket, passing it to Haikuan, who raises an eyebrow but takes it without any question.

I looked at my hand that was placed in my lap, staring at the cut I had gotten this early morning while listening to my own steady breathing.

Although the wound wasn't deep, it had bled quite much, and it reminded me of Yibo, who wanted to cover a small cut for me while that one would be nothing compared to this one.

"So your grandma's condition is only getting backwards? The medicine doesn't help much more, do they?" I shook my head, blinking as I averted Haikuan's burning gaze.

I pushed with my finger my glasses up again.

Even though I hated the letter, I had to admit a part of the truth to hold on to the facade I had built for my grandma and me to live behind peacefully, even if that means she won't remember who I am.

"How was she this morning?" Worse than usual.

I bit back the thought as I shook my head, still staring at the old bookcase in the corner of the room; questioned if Haikuan has even read one book or touched one book in that bookcase because it looked dusty and old.

"You accept the offer?" I returned my gaze to Haikuan, trying to mask all my emotions as I nodded my head.

I unconsciously pushed my glasses a little higher as they had almost fallen in front of my eyes again.

Haikuan looked a little too happy about it - about the part of me accepting the offer, of course, which also made me suspicious-, and it made a shiver run down my spine as I questioned what I had myself gotten into and if I would survive this.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Haikuan pulled out a stack of a few documents with a pen from behind him, asking me to sign my name on the paper.

I frowned, starting to read the paper, but Haikuan took it away from me when he realized I started reading it - like any human with a pair of decent brains would do, of course!-, giving me a cheeky smile that reminded me of someone, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"No need to read the terms; I promise it's nothing important, only boring stuff, as usual, all you have to do is sign here, here, here and if you don't mind also put your signature here and here, and done. That's how simple it is." I frowned, snatching the documents with my hand that wasn't hurt from Haikuan, starting to read.

First of all, why wasn't I allowed to read the terms; was he going to make me a slave or what! Second of all, why did he need so many of my signatures!?

And third of all . . .

*Error*

I pushed my glasses up to the bridge of my nose.

I was more than ready to devour all the words in the document one by one, including the tiny letters that mattered the most.

After all, I won't be as stupid as those girls in movies!

Half an hour flew by for me, but probably not for Haikuan, who had kept sighing annoyingly and tried to convince me several more times to just sign, but after several more attempts, he finally gave up.

I finished signing and reading the last document, passing it back to Haikuan, who looked like he could use one more or perhaps, even two more cups of coffee. Maybe he was even able to take an overdose on coffee thanks to me, at least, that's how he looked like, and I hid a grin behind my hand.

"Xiao Zhan, I don't know if someone has ever said this to you before, but you're quite stubborn. I told you there was no catch, and you spend longer than half an hour reading and signing papers that could have finished within five minutes." I pouted, taking my notebook and pen to write something down.

Who knows what got written in the small letters; you could even be selling my organs if I hadn't read it carefully! Who knows!

"You're adorable, Xiao Zhan. I am sure the kids and maybe even my younger brother will like you." I raised an eyebrow, penning words down again.

Younger brother? I was only informed about babysitting some of your relatives!

That pig of a Haikuan still had the audacity to laugh at me!

I was about to stretch forward and slap him into the fist - I swear I can slap hard! -

But he placed his hands in defence, continuing to laugh while trying to explain it to me.

"Well, those relatives are actually my three younger sisters; they're triplets, each of them has a unique character, but be sure not to get deceived by their sweet facade. If you only would know my family, you sure would have nog signed that contract; instead, you would be running to pack your bags and leave the country as soon as possible." My eyes widened as Haikuan continued to laugh.

My pout unconsciously widened as I slammed my tiny hand on the desk, Haikuan just continuing to laugh uncontrollably.

"Kay kay, I would stop teasing you, but the girls are ten years old, and my brother is around your age, one or two years younger approximately, and he is a cold ice shard, but believe me, he is good at his core. He might test you in the first few days, but if you prove to be a good babysitter for the girls, I am sure he will slowly warm up around you. Jiayou, Xiao Zhan! I am sure you can do it!" I saw how Haikuan tried to suppress his smirk, which he failed badly at, as I huffed, rolling my eyes at him, knowing he had tricked me again.

I just knew there was a catch!

I quickly picked up my pen to write once again, who's this mysterious brother of yours?"

Haikuan only raised an eyebrow, a secretive smile playing around his lips, and I badly wanted to smack it off his face, "won't tell you, but you'll know soon enough~."

"And I am more than sure you will be fine, Zhan. That's the reason I chose you; if I did not trust you, do you think I would have chosen you to babysit my sisters?" Instead of writing my answer, I started aggressively nodding, making Haikuan laugh again.

"You'll be fine, Zhan. The address is this," Haikuan pushed a paper across the table towards me, a tiny white snippet with an address on it, "is it possible for you to go by this afternoon, after school?" I shook my head, even before Haikuan got finished, and he smiled softly, "I have already informed Jiyang beforehand that you might not make it to your shift." I wobbled my legs, closing my eyes as Haikuan placed the paper in front of me.

He had turned into his serious businessman - the principal of my school too.

"I trust you, Xiao Zhan." He looked me deep into the eyes, and I looked back.

BuT i DoN't EvEn TrUsT mYsElF, hOw ArE yOu In ThE nAmE oF HoLy MoThERr Of CoWs AbLe To TrUsT mE wItH tHe LiFe Of YoUr SiBlInGs!? ArE yOu OuT oF yOuR mInD, lIu HaIkUaN!? A tiny voice in the back of my mind whispered.

Word count: 1406 words