"The Forced Bond" (Yizhan) Mpreg.

2

Zhan walked into the room before Bei even had a chance to enter. He turned back toward the bathroom, knowing that every time they video-called, Bei would inevitably bring up Yibo and insist they exchange greetings. But neither Zhan nor Yibo had any interest in such courtesies. Yibo had never greeted him even for ones considering he was the younger, and Zhan had no intention of initiating it either—not that it mattered, and that's why he dislike Yibo.

His billionaire status only added to his aloof demeanor, making him feel above pleasantries with certain people. Still, he always greeted Bei and Granny, their grandmother. Zhan, on the other hand, had no desire to involve himself in anyone’s life, especially Yibo’s, whose life seemed distant and detached, as though it existed in another world. Most of what they knew about him came from the news. Granny and Bei often lamented his infrequent visits, though he had recently started showing up two or three times a year.

When Zhan finally emerged from the bathroom, Bei was still on her video call, half of the talking was in English. It seemed to flow more naturally than their native Chinese. It was no surprise, given how much Yibo now resembled Wang Han, their father who lived abroad. Yibo’s life revolved around his adopted Chinese-American identity, and unless he was speaking with Bei or Granny, Chinese was barely part of his vocabulary. Their father had been living in the US for years, ever since work took him there after their mother’s death. He’d married an American woman who hadn’t spoken a word of Chinese until she met him and began learning after their marriage.

As a result, even when their father called, their conversations were mostly in English. The family had grown accustomed to speaking multiple languages, rarely reverting to Chinese unless speaking with Bei or Granny.

Zhan moved to the water dispenser in his room, pouring himself a cup of warm water before returning to his seat. He sipped slowly, his eyes scanning the email Sarah had sent him. Just as he was getting into his work, his phone lit up and vibrated. He glanced at the screen, his expression indifferent, showing he wasn’t in the mood for calls. However, upon seeing Dr. Kuo’s name, he let out a quiet sigh, knowing he couldn’t ignore him out of respect for his kindness and professionalism.

He glanced at Bei, still engrossed in her call, then picked up the phone, answering in his soft, composed tone.

“Hello, Dr. Kuo.”

A small smile tugged at Dr. Kuo lips on the other end, knowing that this was the extent of his greeting—always formal and straight to the point. Zhan wasn’t one for unnecessary chatter, which he appreciated. His own tone softened as he replied, “Have you left the office, or should I swing by to drop you home?”

Zhan placed his now-empty cup on the table, his gaze still fixed on his laptop screen. “I came home early before my shift ended. I had a slight headache. Thank you for asking.”

Dr. Kuo exhaled softly, though he could sense the concern in his voice. “I see. Please take it easy. I’ll stop by to check on you when I finish up.”

Before he could finish his sentence, Zhan interrupted gently, his tone calm but firm. “No need to trouble yourself. It was just stress from a meeting, but I’m fine now.”

Dr. Kuo didn’t need him to say it outright; he already knew the root of his tension—Sen’s antics. He had been avoiding him since their encounter the night before, during which he had nearly lost his patience. Sen, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to his disdain, viewing Zhan as his future partner regardless of his feelings. His jealousy was as intense as it was irrational, fueled by ignorance rather than sense.

Despite his eccentricities, Dr. Kuo’s confidence remained unshaken. He considered himself the perfect match for someone like Zhan, failing to comprehend how someone of his stature and elegance could even consider marrying him. His determination only fueled his delusion, as he envisioned making Zhan the king of his world once they were married.