"Though I am enjoying this place, Zhan, it is still important for me to meet with Ziyi. I'm honestly surprised you made it to the villa without telling me..." Zhoucheng from the other line, sounding upset.
"Look Cheng, I didn't mean to end up here, I got lost," Zhan explained. "And you really need to be patient. Aunt Linran has been calling Ziyi all the time, and she knows that you followed her here in China. She was really furious, and Ziyi got scared again. And Ziyi's determined to follow her mother's wishes now more than ever because her dad pleaded with her too."
Zhoucheng sighed heavily. "Let me talk to her. I'll put some sense into her head..." Zhoucheng was on the verge of freaking out. "And Zhan, aside from being incredibly wealthy, I've heard this Lan Wang Yibo is super good-looking that I think Ziyi might have-"
"Nonsense!" Zhan cut in on Zhoucheng's words... "Ziyi loves you. I know that for sure. And you are a good-looking man, too. I'll talk to her. Give me time." He comforted Zhoucheng before ending the call.
As he made his way back to the guest room, he noticed Yibo standing at the door. The sunlight behind him created a silhouette, so he couldn't quite make out his features. But he couldn't understand why he started to get nervous.
"Are you talking to your boyfriend at the hotel?" That voice, so familiar, resonated through the hallway. It was deep and smooth, sending shivers down his spine.
"X-Xie Yun?"
Yibo walked into the house, his eyebrows furrowed, leaving muddy bootprints on the marble tiles.
"I know I look a lot like my grandfather. Many times in my life, the elders on this island never fail to tell me that. I really wish I could have met him. I heard so many tales about him. Unfortunately, he passed away before I even came into the world."
But for the life of me, I couldn't understand why every time you see me, you whisper his name," Yibo said, clearly annoyed.
Zhan groaned secretly. He couldn't be this foolish every time he met the grandson. He forced himself to meet Yibo's piercing gaze. "S-so, where's Ziyi?"
"Forget her!" Yibo said sharply. "I need answers. Why do you always call me Xie Yun? What are you doing in the family mausoleum?"
Zhan's eyes narrowed. "I'm a hotel guest. I rode a horse and I got lost and don't snap at me!"
"Lost, huh?" Yibo he countered. "Haikuan has already spoken to the groom who gave you that horse. Before he was even asked, the guy spilled the beans. You bribed the poor kid, and honestly, that puzzles me."
Zhan's expression changed in an instant, and with worried eyes, he looked up at Yibo.
"P-please... he didn't want to help me. I forced him. Please don't fire him..."
"If he did that to you, he's likely to do it to other guests who are willing to pay. And this place will lose privacy for people like you."
Zhan felt disheartened. He felt responsible for the groom losing his job, and that weighed heavily on him.
"W-what do you want me to do so he doesn't get fired?"
"Try honesty." Yibo's tone softened. And with concealed amusement, he can't help but observe Zhan's features. A face that launched a thousand ships. He could be Helen of Troy incarnate. And those eyes? For sure many have gotten lost in their depths and struggling to find their way out. He still hadn't caught a glimpse of Zhan's smile. Would it be just as beautiful?
You wouldn't believe me if I told you the truth, Zhan thought. "Is... is curiosity sufficient enough?" Zhan said.
"Try harder. The curator said you were interested in a painting by Lan Xie Yun. You asked if that place was still there and how to get there. You even lied about being a journalist."
Zhan's eyes popped open in shock. Can't believe he was investigated so soon. "Who are you people? CIA...?"
"We have strict rules for our guests, Mr. Xiao. And we value the privacy and security of this island so much."
Zhan inhaled deeply. "Just plain curiosity, Mr. Lan. That's all there is to it. Nothing more, nothing less. If you don't believe me, then that is your problem."
Yibo fixed his gaze on Zhan again, catching a glimpse of his eyes narrowing briefly before showing signs of weariness.
"When I came last night, Mom told me who you are. Whose daughter you are, were you curious why your mother annulled the marriage? Or are you sorry because your mother left this kind of luxury?"
"What do you mean by that—!" Zhan's words were cut off as he caught sight of Carmen descending the stairs out of the corner of his eye. Feeling a rush of emotions, he hurried over to the guest room.
"What are you talking about, Yibo," Carmen scolded her son as she reached the bottom step.
Yibo shrugged his shoulders. He sat on the sofa and took off his muddy boots.
"What's going on with you, Yibo? Didn't we already discuss that you don't need to ask Zhan anymore why he's on private premises? He is Ziyi's cousin. And Ziyuan's son. Not a stranger for that matter."
Yibo didn't say a word; he just leaned back and stared at the ceiling. He also couldn't understand himself why he felt the urge to irritate Zhan. No matter how much he wanted to forget, Zhan's face had been haunting him ever since he found him at the mausoleum three days ago.
This morning, he was hanging out with Ziyi, but his thoughts kept drifting over to Zhan.
"Where is Ziyi?" asked Carmen.
"At Haikuan's, Yifei invited her for lunch."
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