Cutting The Chase (BJYX) - Completed

23: Immeasurable Happiness

With both of their feelings out in the open, Zhan couldn't ask for more but to wish to spend his everyday with Yibo in it.

He interlaced their fingers as he drove around the village he had left decades ago. Between the silence, he tried to remember how it was before. And for the first time again, he stared at those sceneries passing outside his car. Flashes of memories came crashing on him. His parents...his childhood...the Lan family.

There's still some tightness in his chest knowing what he'd lost. But this time, those heartaches felt lighter, and the memories, lovelier than he could remember.

"I've got a surprise for you." Zhan excitedly announced to Yibo as he halted at a familiar two-storey house in the outskirt of the village.

Zhan can't suppress his smile seeing that unaltered wooden porch where once upon a time, a 4 years old fair-skinned child always awaits for him and his mother to come. His stuttering voice, calling him 'Zhan-ge' as he run towards his direction and greet him with a warm hug with his short arms. His chubby cheeks which feels so soft to his touch. His precious Yibo who used to tell him, 'Gege, Didi ai ni~ah.'

'How these years changed him so much.' He thought watching Yibo get off the car and pulling away from his grasp. "But I love him still." He chuckled following Yibo behind.

He had brought Yibo back to the Lan family home. And he's about to give him the best surprise he knew Yibo will love to receive.

As soon as Yibo opened the entrance door, the sight of a familiar young man greeted him.

"Yibo." the man calmly called with his signature kind smile.

Yibo almost leapt just to be by his side instantly. With an energy higher than normal he called out back to him. "Xi Chen-xiong!"

"I'm back. For good." Lan Xi-Chen told Yibo and Yibo can't suppress the happiness in his eyes, "Really?! You're not leaving again brother?"

Xi-Chen nodded patting Yibo's head.

He was like a puppy waggling his tail at his older brother. Zhan had never saw Yibo's face as clear and as excited. He knows Yibo and Xi-Chen are brothers, but he can't help the rising jealousy within him.

Yibo's character of not saying too much and showing too little reactions are still engraved in him despite letting Zhan romantically display his physical affection. 'But with his brother, he can show that face?' Zhan can't hide the bitterness boiling in him.

The frown on his face didn't escape Xi-Chen's sight, and the older one sheepishly smiled. He is too sharp with such details. "Yibo, thank our Vice President, Mr. Wei. He's the reason why I am back here in our village."

The gullible Yibo snapped his head towards Zhan, then back to his brother. "Were you demoted?" Yibo innocently asked which made Zhan face-palmed himself and Xi-Chen softly let out a laugh.

It was a good long laugh for Xi-Chen. After he was finished laughing at his brother's silliness, he explained, "No, Yibo. I was actually promoted to be a supervisor in the financial department of the branch in here. He did not demote me."

Yibo's mouth, made an O-shape, then he looked at his feet for a moment cursing his foolishness, before eyeing Zhan and giving him a thank-you bow. "Thank you, Mr. Wei."

"Huh?!" Zhan disappointingly exclaimed making Yibo stare at him confused.

"Mr.Wei?" Zhan cried strongly. "You still call me, Mr. Wei, even after saying you will marry me?"

Yibo's nape instantly turn crimson and his eyes bug out at Zhan. But Zhan isn't finished making a fuss. "Bo-di, that is so unfair! You even let me kiss you, and we've even shared the same be~~~mmffph!" Yibo had now ran back to his side and shut Zhan's audacious mouth with his palm. Yibo's eyes then stiffly turned to his brother, but Xi-Chen remained calm. "Don't worry. I know." Xi-Chen stated suppressing another laugh. "How was his vegetable soup?" He even had the heart to tease Yibo.

Yibo's eyes widen in shock realizing his brother had connived with Zhan. "Brother!" he complained.

"He's your favorite Gege. Why don't you call him like before? Zhan-ge. Better isn't it?" Xi-Chen's words smashing Yibo's pride even more.

"I don't want to!" He glared at his brother.

"And why not?" His Uncle Lan Qi Ren suddenly appeared from the kitchen, hearing the disturbing noise among the three men. He gave Zhan a dirty look of displeasure then press his lips together seeing Yibo's hand on Zhan's mouth. "What do you think you're doing?" He reprimanded Yibo which made him retract his hand.

He doesn't like Zhan a bit, as he take him responsible for Yibo's kidnapping whose real culprit was his grandmother, Jiang Sangren. He knew about the forced wedding as well, and he feels bad for his perfect nephew. If only he can find a way to break them apart, he definitely would! But that night, when they were about to leave and hide from the Jiangs, Yibo made the choice to come back to Zhan. His beloved nephew seems to has fallen victim to the Jiangs' trap. And this Zhan Wei is the one to blame.

He rubbed his beard, squinting his eyes on Zhan. But he doesn't want to be the bad guy in his nephews' eyes. So, he soothed his rage, backing away, "Yibo, since you're here, help me with the meal preparations." He commanded before disappearing again.

"Looking forward to the meal!" Zhan whispered on Yibo's ear making him flinch in suprise. He gave Zhan a death glare before stomping off to go after his grumpy Uncle.

"Ah. Zhan! Would you help me look at some documents?" Yibo heard his brother say before he lost sense of them both.

He had a long face as he was chopping the vegetables, envious of his brother who can easily mention Zhan's name without overthinking. He was also a bit jealous that they have something in common to talk about, business matters or whatever, whilst, he doesn't have anything to talk about with him.

"Yibo, just say if you want to escape. I will do everything I can to protect you." His Uncle suddenly was now on his side, his light brown eyes, like his father's, piercing through him with sincerity.

"We owe their family a lot of money, but we didn't beg for them to help us. They've offered it willingly. Therefore, they shouldn't held you responsible, asking you to repay them with your freedom."

Yibo's same light brown eyes gazed at his aging Uncle, who he treats as his own father, wanting to ease his worry. "It's not like that, Uncle." He stated, smiling at him reassuringly. "It's not against my will."

It was very rare for Yibo to smile, and when he does, his closest family members automatically understand it is a good sign of his immeasurable happiness.

But before Old Qi Ren dropped the topic, he handed an envelope to Yibo. "Just in case you change your mind."

Yibo accepted the envelop nevertheless, thankful of his Uncle's concern.

Little did he know, what it contains will help him greatly in the future ahead.

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Author's note:

I kept asking myself where did it went wrong this time. And I'm back in the situation again wherein I feel I made a mistake somewhere along the plot and wanted to stop, rethink, and redo 🤣

I've just realized recently, that in every story I started, I stop somewhere in the middle and search for my purpose and goals back again.

Please tell me which chapter do you think I should remove? Redo?

30-Mar-2020