As usual, this ff too has a lot of family drama like it's name, be sure you have patience to go through it, but I promise a happy ending. I will skip 1-1 day to update, anything you don't understand please ask.
Enjoy yourself. ❤️💚💛
The compound was vast and enchanting, adorned with lush greenery and tall, captivating trees. The courtyard was expansive and meticulously designed, with three separate wings painted in uniform colors. Each wing was situated a significant distance from the others, ensuring privacy and space. The first wing, the most prominent, greeted visitors as they entered through the grand gate. It was an imposing duplex with a dedicated parking area to its side, a testament to the grandeur of the estate.
Crouched near the tap in the first wing was a young, fair-skinned man who appeared no older than Eighteen. Despite his crouched position, it was evident he was tall (That's our baby lion, Wang Yibo). Water gushed steadily from the tap as the bucket he had placed underneath overflowed. He meticulously washed his socks, treating them as though they were precious artifacts. His task included a vest, a few caps, and three pairs of socks, and he had been at it for nearly an hour.
The sound of the entrance door opening startled him, making him freeze in place. His heart raced as he looked toward the sound. As far as he knew, no one was supposed to be in this wing; the occupants had left earlier for a wedding. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't dare to step into their territory to do his laundry, but desperation had driven him here after their washing machine broke down-a poorly timed misfortune, as far as he was concerned.
Slowly, he turned to see who had come in. A tall figure stood by the entrance, dressed in a milk-colored long-sleeved shirt. It was none other than his older cousin, Xiao Zhan.
Yibo averted his gaze, focusing on his task as if he hadn't noticed Zhan's presence. Xiao Zhan crossed his arms calmly and called out, "You."
Yibo looked up reluctantly, his expression almost tearful, as he responded hesitantly, "Zhan-ge..."
"What are you doing here, washing?" Zhan's voice was sharp.
"Our washing machine broke down," Yibo explained, his voice faltering. "And our tap stopped working yesterday, so I-"
"Pack your things and leave," Zhan interrupted firmly.
"But I'm almost done, Zhan-ge," Yibo protested, his tone bordering on pleading.
Zhan raised his voice slightly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Take your clothes and leave now. Don't let me catch you here again."
Reluctantly, Yibo complied. He poured out the bucket of water, hastily gathered the items he had washed, and left without another word. As he walked away, he murmured under his breath, "Apart from being tall and thin, what else does Zhan-ge have? Just a frown and endless scolding."
He carried his buckets to the second wing, a sprawling, luxurious bungalow with its own parking space for three vehicles. Staring at the pile of unwashed clothes, he looked as though he might cry. He knew that if his mother, Yuting, saw he hadn't finished, she would scold him for wasting time. He glanced toward the last wing of the compound and sighed, knowing the occupant there would likely not allow him to use the tap either.
Finally, he decided to try his luck. This last wing was another bungalow, though smaller and differently styled compared to the others. Quietly, he placed his buckets near the tap outside, opposite the entrance to the living room. With practiced stealth, he opened the tap just enough to avoid making noise and began washing his clothes again. His heart raced at every sound, fearing he might be caught.
The sound of approaching footsteps made him freeze. Thinking it was the wing owner, but seeing it was Xiao Zhan, he kept his head down, pretending to focus on his work. Zhan didn't glance his way, heading straight toward the entrance of the living room.
Before either could move further, their grandmother, Nainai, called out from inside, "Is someone messing with my tap out there?"
Yibo hurriedly turned off the tap, ready to grab his belongings and escape, but just then, Nainai came out. She stood with her mouth agape, staring at him before asking, "Who is this now, and what are you doing near my tap?"
Yibo pouted and replied, "Well, Nainai, ours is broken..."
Nainai interrupted sharply, "And is it me who broke it for you?"
Yibo stammered, "But didn't you ask me earlier to fetch water for you and take it to the bathroom? That's why I'm here, filling it for you."
Nainai gave him a pointed look and said, "You? The same you I know will take water to my bathroom? Liar! And let me tell you something, my name is not Yuting. (Yuting is Yibo's mother.) Don't think you can fool me in this house. My water isn't free for the taking! Don't you ever come here again. You've already spoiled yours, and now you want to ruin mine because of your mischief. So, who's supposed to fetch me water when the tank runs out? Your mother, perhaps?
"Now, look at me, left with this dirty tap, surrounded by germs. I'll end up sick, suffering, and what will you do? This nonsense of yours is all thanks to Quentin, (Yibo's father). You're just a troublemaker. You cause more damage than you can handle, like some reckless rat!"
Yibo simply stood there, looking at her as though he was about to cry. Nainai widened her eyes and barked, "Hurry up, take that water into my bathroom and get out of my sight! Let me tell you, in this house, anyone who takes my water owes me, and I don't forgive! While others had their taps installed out of necessity, you all, out of spite, come here with your filthy buckets and steal my water. Rude children!"
This time, Yibo straightened his face, still staring at her. Furious, Nainai snapped, "What? Won't you take it to the bathroom? Should I call your father Quentin to come here right now?"
Yibo grabbed the bucket and stormed inside. Meanwhile, Nainai went to the living room, picked up a small lock, and secured the tap. She muttered to herself as she headed back to the living room, "Better to shut it off than be robbed dry."
Once inside, she spotted Xiao Zhan seated on the couch, engrossed in his phone. She frowned, grabbed a cleaning cloth, and began dusting near the TV. Glaring at Xiao Zhan, she said, "So, you're back to finish the rudeness you didn't complete yesterday? What you did wasn't enough, huh? Well, leave my living room now. Today, I'm minding my own business. Go bother your mother."
Xiao Zhan didn't respond, continuing to scroll on his phone. After some time, he stood up and said, "A Die asked me to come and apologize to you." With that, he walked toward the door, his face impassive.
Nainai raised her voice, "Yibo! Since this man walked in, have you heard him say anything to me? If he didn't apologize, I don't accept it. And if you're not careful, I'll march straight to Zong's office right now."(Xiao Zong is Xiao Zhan's father).
Yibo that is busy in Nainai bedroom, tightened the lid on a large container he had retrieved from beneath Nainai's bed. As he attempted to seal the fried meat he had packed into a bag, he heard her call him again. He sighed and said, "I'm coming." Opening the window carefully, he tossed the bag outside. Then, he quickly washed his hands, walked into the living room, and said with a straight face, "What do you want?"
Pointing at Xiao Zhan, Nainai asked, "Since you entered, have you heard this man speak?"
Yibo shrugged, "Who?"
"Zhan!" she replied.
Yibo snorted, "How would I know? I've been in the room all this time." With that, he brushed past Xiao Zhan and left the living room. He hurried to gather the rest of his laundry, slipped outside to retrieve the bag of fried meat, and rushed to his mother side of the house.
Carefully, he opened the door, peered inside, and seeing that Yuting wasn't around, darted into his bedroom. He locked the door, placed the water buckets in the bathroom, and finally sighed in relief.
:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*
It was late in the evening when Yuting entered Yibo's room and found him still sleeping. She called, "Yibo." He slowly opened his eyes, and she said, "Get up from that bed. It's already evening. Go and fetch your socks from the dryer."
Rubbing his eyes, he replied, "I'll get them."
Yuting continued, "Your uniforms are also dry on your Aunty's clothesline. Go and fetch them too. Just because everyone is out of the house that's why you skipped school, right?"
Yibo didn't reply as Yuting turned and left. Startled, Yibo quickly sat up, rushed to the bathroom, and wrung out the socks, cap, and innerwear he had washed earlier. He placed them in the washing machine's dryer, that recently repaired, and turned it on before heading outside to retrieve his uniforms.
As he was gathering his clothes from the line, the gate opened. A sleek car drove into the driveway of the main house, followed by another car parking behind it. From the first car, Xiao Zhan stepped out, casually dressed, while a young girl about Yibo's age got out of the front seat, and a woman in her fifties exited from the back with another young woman, likely in her twenties. It was evident they were family.
Yibo turned away, focusing on what he was doing, as the second car door opened. Out came someone who bore a striking resemblance to Xiao Zhan but was noticeably lighter-skinned. This was Seth, younger by two years but still tall. The mother followed him out, along with his four younger sisters.
Their mother noticed Yibo and smiled. "Ah, doing laundry, Yibo?"
Yibo smiled shyly, lowering his head. "Welcome back, Yimei."(Yimei, her name is Zihan She's Zong and Quentin younger sister and mother of Seth and his four sisters, so she's Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo Aunty. Since her husband died, she never remarried again and now she was living with her brothers and mother together with her five children).
Yimei replied, "Thank you, Yibo. How is your mother?"
"She's fine," Yibo answered.
Seth glanced at him and said, "Good afternoon, Yibo."
"Good afternoon Gege," Yibo replied.
Seth smiled. "I bet you didn't do all that laundry yourself."
Yibo widened his eyes and protested, "I did!"
Zihan chuckled. "Well, if he didn't, who would? Stop teasing him and let him be."
Meanwhile, Xiao Zhan headed toward their mother's duplex, and that was the first and the bigger among the three of them, because Zihan and her children are also living there, sneaking glances at Yibo, Zhan's mother also trailed behind him, Yibo avoided looking her way. Seth and the rest of the family followed inside.
Seth turned back to Yibo as they walked. "Don't you think it's been a while since you visited Nainai? Maybe she'll scold you for ignoring her."
Yibo laughed nervously. "I've stopped going to her wing altogether." He lied.
With that, he returned to his mother's wing too. (The second duplex).
***
Later that night, Yibo was getting ready for bed when Yuting entered his room. Watching him, she said, "Go to your Shushu. He's asking for you."
Yibo froze. "Shushu? At this hour?"
Yuting didn't answer, leaving the room instead. Yibo reluctantly put on his shirt and left, wondering what Shushu could want so late.
He approached the wing quietly, slipping off his shoes at the living room door. Xiao Zong sat on a three-seater couch, Xiao Zhan seated on the soft carpet nearby. Zhan's mother was on a one-seater couch, as was Zihan.
Yibo sat cross-legged on the floor near Zihan, lowering his gaze as he greeted Zong.
Zong acknowledged the greeting and asked, "How's school?"
"Good," Yibo replied softly.
Zong frowned. "Is that how you show respect? By not greeting your elders properly?"
Yibo looked up nervously.
Zong, his Shushu, added sternly, "Are you telling me that you don't greet your elders in this house? Specifically, your Aunty?"
Yibo stayed silent, his head bowed.
Zong's voice grew louder. "I'm talking to you, Yibo! Stop staring at me like that."
Tearing up, Yibo began fidgeting with his fingers. Suddenly, fake tears start rolling down on his cheeks.
Zong scolded sharply, "Stop that nonsense! You think those fake tears will save you now?"
Yibo's crying grew louder, and Xiao Zhan stood abruptly, yelling, "Enough of that, Yibo!"
Startled, Yibo jumped to his feet and ran out of the room. Xiao Zhan moved to follow him, but Zong stopped him. "Let him go, Zhan."
Zhan's mother scoffed. "Children these days are impossible to handle, especially ones like him."
Zihan sighed and left the room without a word.
Yibo ran straight to Nainai's part, collapsing onto the couch in her living room, crying loudly. Nainai rushed out of her room in alarm, and Seth, who had been lying on the larger couch, sat up in surprise.
"What happened, is Yuting passed away Yibo?" Nainai asked, her voice trembling.
Seth added, "What's wrong, Yibo?"
Through his sobs, Yibo managed to say, "It's not Mu Qin..."
Nainai calmed slightly, but her voice remained stern. "Then why did you scare me like this? I thought something happened to her!"
He shook his head and cried harder.
"Was it Zhan's mother?" Nainai asked, crossing her arms.
Yibo nodded.
Nainai sighed deeply, shaking her head. "She's causing trouble again? What did she do this time?"
"She told Shushu I don't greet her, but I always do, and she never answers!" Yibo sobbed.
Nainai's face darkened as she muttered, "That woman thinks she's clever, stirring up nonsense. What happened next?"
Yibo sniffled. "Shushu scolded me..." His voice broke, and he burst into tears again.
Nainai smirked coldly and said, "She's playing games, but she'll see today. Stay here."
She stormed out of the living room, leaving Yibo sniffling as Seth stared at him in silence.
After a moment, Yibo got up, pouting, and left.
Nainai walked straight into Zong's living room without hesitation, where Zong sat with Zhan's mother and Xiao Zhan. All eyes turned to her as she stood in the middle of the room, staring directly at Zong.
"Are you seriously going to sit idly by while your wife bully Quentin's son? Even while Quentin is still alive? All this over your wife? You would rather humiliate Yibo, a boy who has done nothing but be grateful despite his challenges? Zong, with all the love your brother has for you, you're willing to turn a blind eye and allow such bullying to his only son?"
Zong remained silent initially, but then he muttered, "Please, A Yi, let's handle this matter calmly."
"Calmly?" she snapped, glaring at him. "Oh, you want calm? Let me tell you something, Zong: for Yibo, I am willing to go against anyone in this house. And no, he won't greet your wife if she can't even be bothered to greet others. Is she too important to show basic respect?"
Xiao Zhan stood abruptly and made his way toward the door as if to storm out. Nainai gave him a sharp glare and clicked her tongue in irritation. Turning her focus back to Zong, she demanded, "When was the last time your wife visited my wing to greet me? Or does she think she's too good for that? You want me to sit here and accept this kind of treatment? Never! And let me warn you, no one should bring up my grandson in their complaints again. If they do, Quentin will move back to his own house. If his son is going to be made to suffer here, it's better they leave. Just look at Zhan... he's so upset he almost knocked me over simply because I mentioned his mother. What? Is his mother superior to me? Why don't you show me the same respect, Zong? You've spoiled your wife so much she doesn't even respect me anymore. Let me be clear: Yibo won't greet her, and she better not dare bring up my grandson again!"
Zong said nothing, his head bowed. Zhan's mother, sat quietly, folding her arms and staring off into the distance. Finally, Zong raised his head and said, "Please, A Yi, I'm sorry. Let's not escalate this."
She gave him a scornful look and replied, "Save your apologies for your wife since I've scolded her so much." With that, she stormed out of the room.
:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*
Yibo, meanwhile, had almost reached their wing when he noticed his Agricultural Science assignment-a young sprouting plant he had grown in a large container-uprooted and lying on the ground. His eyes widened in shock, and he rushed to it, tears welling up as he whispered, "I know it's Mengxi who did this to my plant." Tears of frustration streamed down his face as he knelt by the ruined assignment. He didn't notice Xiao Zhan approaching until he looked up, tear-streaked, to see him standing there, his face stern. Yibo broke into fresh sobs.
Xiao Zhan frowned and asked, "What happened?"
Through trembling lips, Yibo replied, "Gege, look what Mengxi did to my assignment. This was worth ten marks! We're submitting it on Friday, and mine was the best out of everyone's! Now she's gone and ruined it." When Xiao Zhan simply glared at him in silence, Yibo turned and glared back then ran off, still crying. Xiao Zhan followed, catching up just as Yibo reached his family's living room and slammed the door, locking it behind him.
Yuting, who had been sitting there watching TV, stood and asked, "What's going on, Yibo?"
Trying to cover up, Yibo laughed nervously and said, "I was just in a rush to get to bed, Mu Qin!" He darted to his bedroom and locked the door behind him.
Later that night, around 10 p.m., Yuting opened Yibo's door. He sat up quickly, startled, as she entered with a stern expression. "What did you take from your Grandmother's room?" she demanded.
"What? Take something? Did she say that?" Yibo stammered, confused.
"She says you took something, and I don't want to hear another word about you causing trouble with her. Go return whatever you took immediately!"
Reluctantly, Yibo got out of bed and followed Yuting. They found Nainai standing at the doorway, her face set in a disapproving frown. Yibo pout and said, "What could I possibly have taken from you that you'd come chasing after me in the middle of the night?"
Nainai replied sharply, "Out of all my grandchildren, you're the only one who dares to touch my things without permission. Hand over the fried meat you stole, the one I left underneath my bed. Do you think I wouldn't notice? I'm not losing my mind, Yibo!"
Yibo pouted and protested, "When would I even have taken it? I don't even eat that much, and if I had taken it, wouldn't it be in my hands when I come out from your room earlier?"
Yuting snapped, "Go get it, or I'll slap you!"
Glaring at Nainai, Yibo went to the kitchen and came back with a bag of meat. Nainai snatched it from him, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Unbelievable, Yibo. Just because Yuting fried this for me, you thought it was yours to take? Let me warn you: don't set foot in my part again. Your behavior is weird-rummaging under someone's bed to steal their meat! Do you think your father's position will save you if I report you to the authorities? You're lucky I tolerate you in this house. All you do is laze around on my furniture and ruin them."
She turned and left in a huff. Yibo avoided meeting Yuting's eyes as he returned to his room, slamming the door and throwing himself onto the bed with a sulky expression.
Zhanxianyibo❤️💚💛