Unexpected Refuge.

Chapter 19.

Zhan's fever got worse, and he became even more sick half the way home. He still held Yibo's hand as he kept his head over Yibo's shoulder, and the latter was worried as well.

He gently patted Zhan's face and kept on calling out his name. and was getting extremely worried while Simon drove as fast as he could. Once they reached Zhan's house, Simon helped him get down, while his mother, father, and Marius were already there.

Simon had already told them that Zhan's fever had increased and was getting worse, so his father William had already called the doctor, while his mother Mary, was worried and sick as well.

Zhan still tried to stand and walk on his own before he went to his room and finally collapsed on his bed. The doctor was already there, and he got to work as well and gave him an infusion and some medicine, while the others looked at Zhan worriedly.

And all this time, Yibo stood at the corner, worriedly looking at Zhan. He felt so scared right now that he felt like his heart would stop, and he felt absolutely terrible because he felt that it was because of him that Zhan got so sick. He just silently prayed to God for Zhan to get better.

The doctor did his work and said some things to the family, and after he was done talking to the family, everyone seemed relaxed. Suddenly,  Yibo saw that Zhan's mother was walking towards him, and he stood straight, He stared at Mary, who might scold him or blame him for Zhan's condition; she might even slap him.

And he was extremely sorry.

However, she came near him and raised her hand, which made him close his eyes as he waited for the impact of the slap, followed by profanities, but she gently touched his head and said, "You are injured, let the doctor see this too."

He opened his eyes and blinked before he looked at Mary, and she just gave him a very gentle smile and then called the doctor to check up on him as well. She made him sit down on the sofa as the doctor checked up on him.

Her husband William came there as well and sighed as he looked at Yibo, "Make yourself comfortable, son. I will ask the chef to make something for you."

Yibo looked at him and then spoke in a slow voice, "I am sorry because of me, Zhan got sick."

William rolled his eyes and said, "It's not your fault; it's my son's fault for being so careless with his health. Stop blaming yourself. The best you can do to help us is take a rest and get fresh so that when my son wakes up, he is no longer worried about you."

Yibo nodded, and Mary patted his head, "My son ran out when he was ridden with a high fever just because he heard you sobbing, Yibo. No doubt you are too precious for him, and naturally, you are special to us as well. Get rest."

Marius and Simon came there as well, and they talked for a while, and the doctor cleaned the wound over Yibo's head, It was a small cut and not very deep, but thankfully it did not require any stitches.

Once everything was sorted, Yibo was left alone in Zhan's room, so he walked towards Zhan's bed and sat down on the edge of his bed. He then looked at Zhan, who was sleeping peacefully, and then he looked at his hand. He stared at Zhan's hand for some time before he gently held Zhan's hand and squeezed it.

He didn't know how long he sat there, but he felt comfortable. This was a new place, and he had never been here before. Normally, he should be scared or nervous, as it takes him some time to adapt to a new place, but he didn't feel any of that.

He felt relaxed and relieved that he was no longer in contact with Tina, getting screamed at or being looked at with disdain.

But most of all, he was happy that he was with Zhan. He looked at Zhan and then looked at the towel and the tub of water that was kept on the bedside table, so Yibo took the wet towel and gently wiped Zhan's face and his hands and neck.

He wanted to change the water, and so when he let go of Zhan's hand to get up, his hand was suddenly grabbed once again, and he was pulled towards Zhan. He wrapped his arms around Yibo tightly and refused to let him leave, "Stay."

"I have to change the water." Yibo said before he said, "You are awake, how do you feel?" Zhan took a deep breath, inhaling Yibo's scent, before he smiled and said, "Awesome."

Zhan opened his eyes and looked at Yibo. His eyes fell on the wound over Yibo's wound on his forehead, it was now covered with a bandage. He touched the wound and sighed, "You got hurt."

"It's okay." Yibo said, "I just made her mad."

"That does not give her the right to abuse you," Zhan said as gently as he could, even though he wanted to kill Tina.

Yibo said, "I am not being abused, women don't abuse men."

Zhan was silent for some time before he said, "Who told that to you?"

"My mom said." Yibo said, "When I told her that Tina was rude to me and she beat me, my mom said that it must be my mistake for making her mad and that I should just be quiet."

"What else did she say?"

"She said that it's okay, and I should be a man and not cry and whine like a child and be a burden. Domestic violence happens to women only."

Zhan was quiet for some time, and Yibo looked at him. When Zhan saw that Yibo was looking at him, he quickly smiled, hiding his angry look, and asked, "Did you tell your father?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't want him to get angry and fight with my mom and others. I don't want to cause trouble."

Zhan gently caressed Yibo's hair as he lay there while hugging Yibo tightly. Oh,  how he wishes he could hide this man in his arms and protect him at all costs.

"Thank you, Zhan," Yibo said.

"Why are you thanking me?"

"For coming to get me. Whenever Tina gets mad like that, all I can do is just hide in my room and wish for her to calm down, this was the first time someone came to me and took me out of there." Yibo paused.

Zhan heard Yibo carefully and then thought about what happened at Nolani. On that island, Yibo had forgiven them so easily and even said that he was glad that there were people like Zhan who helped abused women. Now Zhan wondered if Yibo wished that someone had come to his rescue as well. It was obvious that this man needed to learn a lot of things.

"Yibo."

"Hm..."

"Your mother is wrong."

Yibo looked at Zhan, who smiled and said, "Your mother is wrong, and your wife is an abuser."