Until Next Time - Yizhan

Chapter Twenty Nine

The next day Zhan met the couple Quiren and Carmen. They had breakfast together, and he found out that Yibo and Ziyi had left the house early to go for a walk.

Zhan found Mrs. Lan very pretty regardless of her age. She was probably around the same age as his mom, and he found himself comparing the two. But when it came to looks, it was tough to make a fair comparison. But Zhan couldn't take his eyes off Lan Quiren.

It's not just that Zhan finds the old man charm's hasn't faded despite his age. But because he was Lan Xie Yun's son. Yibo definitely got his looks from both his father and grandfather. The only thing he didn't get from the two were his striking black eyes, which he got from Mrs. Lan. Zhan would trade everything just to have those exotic eyes.

He couldn't help but think about how those two would respond if he shared that he met Lan Xie Yun, and not just met him, but Lan Xie Yun hugged and kissed him.

All of a sudden, he found himself curious about the man her mom married and then divorced. He couldn't help but wonder why that was. It's not like he regretted having Fengmian as his dad—definitely not. No one could ever take his dad's place in his heart. He loved his father deeply.

Quiren cleared his throat at the boy's obvious stare at him while Carmen smiled quietly to herself.

"So, you and Ziyi are cousins?" Quiren asked, grabbing his coffee cup and taking a sip.

"Yes, Sir. Her dad is my dad's distant cousin. And oh, I'm Ziyuan's son—your ex-wife." Just as he finished, Quiren coughed while sipping, and accidentally knocked the cup back onto the saucer. Carmen quickly handed her husband a cloth napkin because the coffee spilled on his polo shirt.

"Sorry if I took you both by surprise," Zhan apologized in a low voice. He was sorry he blurted it out like that, but he just thought it was important for them to know who they were letting into their home.

"Surprise is an understatement, young man," said Quiren, barely recovering from the shock. He dabbed at the coffee stain on his shirt with a napkin and turned his gaze to the boy in front of him. There was a certain resemblance to Ziyuan, he was like Ziyuan in some ways, very beautiful and straightforward. His eyes then shifted to his wife. "That explains why he seemed so familiar..."

Carmen nodded, her surprise evident on her face. "Such a small world," she said gently with a hint of irony in her voice. Yet, her smile was warm and genuine... "Looking at you now takes me back to when I saw your mom ages ago." Carmen would never forget the day Ziyuan said goodbye and told her that she and Quiren were free. For her, that was the turning point of their lives.

"You got your look from your mom. I didn't realize it right away when I saw you yesterday morning. Quiren was still in disbelief that after all this time, he would have a connection with Ziyuan again. Life really was full of surprises. He really should have known better.

Zhan grinned and poked the melon on the plate with his fork. "That's what everyone says and a bit unfair to my dad. I've got some of his physical traits as well."

"Well, I couldn't agree with that," Quiren replied, smiling. He called over the maid for another cup of coffee. "Fengmian and I never had the chance to meet properly. How are your parents?"

"They're fine, Sir. Thank you for asking. They knew I would soon be meeting you because of Ziyi." Zhan glanced at Carmen. "Have you met my Mom?"

"Yes, of course," replied Carmen, feeling a bit uncomfortable. The boy's question had an underlying meaning.

"And just as I thought that nothing in this life would surprise me anymore," said Quiren and chuckled lightly. He then cleverly redirected the conversation to a safer topic. About Ziyi for one, how she and Zhan became cousins.

Once they finished their meal Zhan got bid his farewell. "I really appreciate you having me here, Ma'am... Sir," he said with a gentle smile. "But I should head back to the hotel. My friend might be worried about me," he added.

"There's no need for you to go back to the hotel, son. We have a few guest rooms in this house, and we'd love for you to stay..." Quiren glanced at Carmen, who nodded in agreement.

"My husband's right, Zhan," Carment said standing up. Quiren and Zhan followed suit. "The distance from the hotel to the villa is pretty far for you and Ziyi."

Zhan glanced at the couple anxiously. "If... if it's all right with you—"

"You're more than welcome to stay," Carmen replied, giving Zhan's shoulder a reassuring touch. "Besides, we're having a party here in two days for our anniversary. You are invited."

Oh!" Zhan softly exclaimed. "It's really just a little gathering, Zhan. Just a few close friends and family members. Just the ones who are nearby and can show up on short notice," Quiren explained, casting a glance at his wife.

"Our three children in the US will be sulking if they find out. My husband and I just decided last night to have a little party. We haven't told Yibo about it yet. We're also planning to take this opportunity to announce Yibo's engagement with Ziyi. We're just waiting for our son to give us the green light." Said Carmen.

As soon as Carmen said that, Zhan felt a wave of worry for Zhoucheng.

Quiren said as he moved closer to his wife and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I need to change my shirt quickly, sweetheart. The pilot and the chopper are already waiting outside. I've got a meeting at LWC at eleven. Can you take care of the catering, or should I get my secretary to--?"

"I've got it covered, no need to stress," Carmen replied, walking with Quiren toward the stairs. "So, I'll be here for our anniversary party tonight. My schedule is pretty packed, love." He wrapped his arms around her.