In Between Us || Zhanyi

|| 40 ||

While Kuan's perspective sheds light on Yibo's struggles, it also carries assumptions and biases. It was often said that relationships thrived on communication, yet here Yibo was a master at concealing his struggles. Over the years, he had perfected the art of silence, shielding his pain and insecurities behind a carefully crafted facade. He bore his burdens quietly, as if convinced that his needs were secondary, his voice undeserving of being heard. The feeling of being worthless is so deep rooted that it had left no zeal in Yibo step up.

It wasn't that Zhan didn't care—he had always given Yibo the freedom to make his own choices, access to his wealth and life, and the respect for his personal space that he himself valued deeply. But how could Zhan have seen what Yibo worked so tirelessly to hide?

Zhan wasn't a man prone to intrusion. To him, their marriage was built on mutual respect and trust—trust that his partner would speak up, make his wishes known, and reach out when needed. It never occurred to him that Yibo might not feel entitled to any of it. For Zhan, granting autonomy and sharing his life without restriction was his way of ensuring a harmonious coexistence, one where Yibo could feel empowered. But in Yibo's world, shaped by years of silent endurance and self-doubt, autonomy often felt like abandonment, and freedom felt like isolation.

Perhaps Zhan could have been more persistent, more prying, more insistent on uncovering the layers of Yibo's quiet composure. Yet it was equally true that Yibo's silence wasn't Zhan's fault. No one could be expected to discern what was so painstakingly hidden, especially when every outward sign suggested contentment. Respect, after all, wasn't about crossing boundaries—it was about honoring them. And in this case, Yibo's reluctance to share and Zhan's respect for his independence had unwittingly widened the gap between them.

It wasn't about assigning blame. It was about understanding that sometimes, mutual respect alone wasn't enough to bridge the unspoken. When one partner was so accustomed to invisibility, it wasn't a lack of effort on the other's part but the absence of shared vulnerability that left the cracks unnoticed.

Like any other arrange marriage, the foundation here was mutual respect, mutual trust and shared responsibility and loyalty, but not Love, so initially the code of marriage obligation felt right and aligned, but now that Zhan's expectation and feeling towards the marriage and his husband changed over time, the things away from his eye started intriguing him to be get discovered.

As Ziyi stated, "What future you both hold together, that is your part to decide"

[A/N: The story is far more than just misunderstanding, it more on the essence of compatibility, overlapping of human perspectives and individual's personality.]

Zhan got himself on his desk, there were tasks lying which required his attention and he needed distraction. His heart was heavy with mixed emotions...anger, guilt, confusion, disappointment........but his mind was elsewhere. He leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling as the echoes of Kuan's words ricocheted in his mind. His hand unconsciously reached for the edge of the desk, gripping it tightly, as if grounding himself could silence the storm within......

Pleasure toy.

A deal.

Needs & Thirst

The phrases drilled into him, each one sharper than the last. Zhan had always prided himself on his control, his ability to compartmentalize emotions and focus on logic, but now he felt untethered. Zhan isn't the type to deflect blame but here he couldn't stop the torrent of thoughts, the questions clawing at him.