Yo! Did ya miss me?😎

Sorry for the late update, potatoes. But I did tell you, didn't I? Hope all of you guys are doing all right.😘 The night before the last I ate two big bowls of ice cream at 3am👀 and yesterday woke up with sore throat, runny nose and a throbbing head which are still there.👀 What? I love ice creams. They make my mood happy.😖

I apologize for not replying to the comments as I had been sick most of the week and still under the weather. But I read all of them and ugly sob in happiness. I'm such a sap.😭

Thank you for all your votes, darlings. They are the lil touches of love. Also, the story is nearing 50k read counts! Yay!😘💕

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Chapter-29

"A lesbian? She's a lesbian?" Talu exclaimed disbelievingly. "What's this, some kind of gay alternate universe where I'm the only one straight?" He threw his hands up in frustration.

"What a horror to be straight and a minority, yeah?" Zhan rolled his eyes as he scrolled through the news of Yiling's showcase last night. Talu had raided his house early in the morning, half asleep, grumbling and then proceeded to grill Zhan of everything that had happened since then.

"Well, duh! Straight privilege," he remarked while chomping on a cucumber. "But boy oh boy, your baby daddy pulled some real stunts there. Never thought that brat had a single subtle bone in him. Nice. I mean do you remember the way he used to woo you back in the days?" He cackled at the memory and a smile bloomed across Zhan's face as well.

YiBo was so obvious in his attempts back then, wearing his heart in sleeves. Anyone that looked at him would have known what he was trying to do. His friend was right, YiBo and subtlety did not belong together.

Or it used to be that way.

"But scared the daylights outta me when he showed up like some pissed off ex! The hell was he thinking? The fu-"

Zhan whirled at Talu so fast that his head spun. But Talu had already realized and rolled his tongue to reverse the mistake.

"...fuuhh-loof'! What the floof!"

Xing, who was sitting on the floor like a very small house pet, raised his head like a baby bird. "Phoof!"

"XingXing," Zhan sounded like every bit of a tired parent while Talu said, "Damn! That li'l professional eavesdropper." Then he looked at Zhan, "You sure he's not employed by that dad of his to snoop on me?"

Rubbing the bridge of his nose Zhan went back to his articles again. He was not efficient enough to handle both Xing and Talu at the same time.

Meanwhile, Xing toddled to where Talu was sitting. "Lulu. Lulu? Up up up, Lulu!" He extended his arms to his uncle.

"What?" Talu pretended to frown at him, "What does your demanding bumbum wants from me now?"

When he saw his order was not met immediately, Xing started to wave his tiny limbs frantically till he was picked up. "Dagon," he declared as soon as he was settled cosily on Talu's lap.

"Do I look like a dragon breeder or something?" He asked at a very determined looking toddler, who nodded decisively, "Dagon."

Completely tuning out the playful blabbering, Zhan now went to an online fashion forum to see how the common people were reacting. Scrolling through a few positive posts, however, he choked to a stop.

"Hey, Talu," he called without taking his eyes off his laptop screen.

"Yeah?" His friend replied absently while tying two ponytails on Xing's head.

"What else happened between you two last night?"

"Who?" Mind still on the squirming child, Talu couldn't connect the dots.

"You and YiBo."

The name finally got the desired attention.

"What? What happened between me and him?"

"That's what I'm asking."

"Nothing happened! Why, what does it say?"

Schooling his face into a sombre one he replied, "It says, and I'm reading word by word, "The way their eyes connected in a burning, passionate stare, the sexual tension was palpable." Finishing, Zhan pinned Talu with a pointed look, "Anything you'd like to share with me?"

Talu sat there with a complete blank face, "Burning pas-" Then he closed his eyes and shook his head before saying, "What? Burning passion?!! Bruh! That was effing killing intent!!! Not a burning passion!" He scrunched his nose in disgust. "And putting mine and his name in the same sentence with sexual tension is simply a crime. God....no! Just...ffff- no! Oh man! Now those weird BLs would start pouring in."

Zhan burst out laughing. He could not believe it. It had been ages since he had felt this light and relaxed, especially right after a show! What had changed?

Well, he knew what had.

Still laughing, Zhan went back to read more whacky comments and soon the smile slid off his face.

A fan-war was raging on in the comments section of that post. But that wasn't the reason, though. The reason was...It was a photo of YiBo and Vanessa together, taken from an event. Someone posted it, stating YiBo was not gay and was already a taken man.

It was the way they stood side by side; it was the way YiBo put a casual hand in the small of her back; it was the way they looked so good together...

It was the way the middle of Zhan's chest began to feel a slow and shallow burn.

It was not a common feeling but was a familiar one.

Jealousy.

He shut the laptop lid down and got up. The abrupt change in mood must have been stark as Talu sounded confused, "What? What's wrong? Where're you going?"

"Nothing. It's XingXing's snack time. Want a coffee?" He did not wait for the answer, already bee lining for the kitchen.

"Oh, okay, thanks." Talu sounded a bit worried but Zhan's mind was already far away.

Taken man was what the comment said. Taken man. Was that how the world would perceive him if they ever went public? Home wrecker?

Wrecking a home that was never there in the first place? YiBo had a child with him. YiBo's home was with them. YiBo was-

He strangled his thoughts to stop right there. What the hell was he thinking? They had not even started anything yet and here he was, acting like a territorial thirteen year old. How shameful could he be? YiBo was not a property to be possessed and he had no ground to get jealous. He wasn't jealous while attending YiBo's wedding, then why now?

Because now you know that he still loves you, quipped his mind but he shoved it away.

But even throughout chastising himself, that photo, that casual touch kept going on a loop in his mind's eye, making him more and more irritated.

More jealous.

XOXOXOX

With his heart light and an extra ounce to his steps, YiBo got out of the car. He was happy that he would be seeing his boys after a few days, which was pretty long for his impatient nature.

The door was already open, so, he let himself in. However, his steps faltered seeing who was inside.

Talu was sprawled on the sofa with Xing on his chest.

YiBo was so accustomed with seeing no one other than the nanny in Zhan's house that the presence of someone else gave him the first pause. And then there was that not so good feeling of seeing his son being so playful and close with someone else. It had more to do with the fact that he could never forget just how much he had missed out of Xing's life; how he should have been the one his son felt most comfortable with.

And it was....Talu.

The man was the first one to notice him. "Look what the cat has dragged in!" He chirped cheerily, putting a sour frown on YiBo's face instantly.

"Daddy!!!" Xing tried to take a flight from Talu's chest to YiBo and tumbled down on the floor in the process.

Three adults in the house froze as Xing sat on the floor dumbfounded. Then his lower lip began to quiver as he looked from his Papa to his Daddy to his Lulu, tears rapidly forming.

"Nothing happened, you're all right. Get up now," Zhan assured, sounding quite desperate to stop any impending water work.

Taking lesson, YiBo hurriedly joined in, "What's up, buddy, come here, come to Daddy."

"Booboo," Xing mewled, mouth turning down more.

"Where? Where do you hurt?"

Xing put a hesitant finger on his head, looking very pathetic, then shook his head and pointed at his eye instead.

Suppressing a chuckle, YiBo ushered him, "Come on, let me make it right."

"Kay," Xing got up and skipped to his Daddy, imaginary wounds all forgotten.

YiBo picked him up, kissed his head and eyelids and gave him the gift bag he brought with him.

"Huh! That was worthy of an Oscar. What a great drama queen! Takes after his Dada, I see," Talu remarked with a huge grin.

"Me? Noooo," YiBo denied with the utmost humility, "all his acting skills are contributed to his uncle, the superior actor."

"So, you do admit that I'm superior?" Talu asked turning his eyebrows up.

"In acting, yes, definitely. You're a very convincing actor," YiBo replied, leaving no room for doubt that he wasn't really talking about their profession.

Talu was going to say something more but another voice took both of their attention away.

"XingXing, let Daddy sit first. Don't annoy him," Zhan said, abrupt and a bit too loud.

And YiBo noticed him then. Standing near the dining area, Zhan looked stiff as a plank and quite pale. He instinctively wanted to go to him and asked if everything was all right but Xing was already speaking to him and his attention was driven away, "What is it, Peanut?"

"Sit, Daddy. Sit sit," sitting on one of Talu's thighs, he patted the other one for his Daddy to sit on.

Talu looked like a cat that had gotten the canaries, "Yes, YiBo, come sit," he patted his own leg.

Rolling his eyes massively, YiBo flopped down on the sofa beside the two. He felt exhausted already. But his mind son returned to Zhan's rigid back, tinkering in the kitchen. Something seemed off.

"Why is he so quiet today?" He wondered aloud.

"You must have fuhh-"

"Phoof!" Xing butted in.

"If my son learns one single bad word due to your gutter mouth I will bury you alive," YiBo said through clenched teeth, glaring holes at him.

Blinking innocently at him, Talu turned towards where Zhan was and yelled out, "ZhanZhan, your baby daddy's threatening to yeet me outta existence! I'm shaking in my boots. Help me, ZhanZhan!"

The urge to knock those teeth in only increased within YiBo.

But thankfully Zhan replied before YiBo could.

"Go away, Talu," he said without turning towards them.

"Go away?" Talu leaned forward placing one hand dramatically over his heart, "You wound me deeply. Just because you have your old flame back and blazing again-"

Zhan whirled around, pointing a kitchen knife at his friend and said, "Talu? Out."

"Ooooh, Daddy Zhan!"

"Out."

And that bastard cackled. In glee! YiBo really wanted to punch him.

"Yeah yeah, I'm outta your hair. Let's go, champ, go annoy Uncle Xuan now."

"Where are you taking him? YiBo asked, standing up with them. "I came here to spend time with my son."

"No, you didn't, you liar! You came here to ogle at him," he pointed at Zhan.

Spluttering, YiBo vehemently protested, "No, I did not. And Xing is staying right here."

"Is that so? Let's ask the man in question. Oi chipmunk, do you wanna go and meet Dragon or do you wanna stay with Daddy?"

YiBo looked down hopefully to see one of Xing's index fingers had gone inside his mouth, face contemplative in this life altering situation. He looked at YiBo, then looked at Talu, then looked back at YiBo again, "Bye bye, Daddy." And hopped on Talu's arms, waving at YiBo.

That little traitor.

"Ciao, lover boy," Talu gave him a two finger salute while going out of the door, calling him with the name he used to in their drama school days.

Talu's smug face was something YiBo wanted to wipe the floor with.

But deep down he also could not deny the sudden excitement he felt to be able to spend some alone time with Zhan.

But the way Zhan was acting distant today, an unknown fear slithered into YiBo's mind. He went to stand beside Zhan at the counter. What even was he doing all this time?

Apparently cutting all the veggies he had in the house. YiBo raised both of his eyebrows at the sheer amount of cabbage alone.

"Uh...Zhan Ge?"

"Mm?" Zhan answered, chopping a carrot frantically.

"Will there be guests? I mean, that's a lot of vegetables."

At that Zhan paused and looked as though he had realised it only then.

"Oh."

That pretty much confirmed what YiBo was guessing all along. "Is something wrong?"

"Wrong? No, nothing's wrong."

YiBo stared at his side profile, brows pulled together, face taut in tension, expression subdued, and movements jittery. Why was he lying? Something was definitely wrong.

"Are you mad because I attended last night's show?"

Zhan gave him a brief glance, "Of course not. Why would I be mad? We send unofficial invitations to most of our celebrity clients."

Ouch. That hurt. It hurt being piled up with the other clients. Swallowing the stabbing sadness he felt, he asked again, "Then, are you angry because I showed up here unannounced today?"

"I'm not angry at all! Why do you keep insisting on it?!" He snapped and put the strainer down with a loud clutter.

This reaction was so unexpected and over the top that YiBo went speechless momentarily. And honestly, it only added to his previous hurt. From his leaning posture against the counter he straightened up. "I should go now. Clearly I chose a bad time. I'm sorry if I've bothered you." He did not know what he did wrong but the hurt was getting to him.

He was already heading towards the door when Zhan's voice stopped him.

"Wait!"

YiBo turned to see Zhan was standing with his hands balled into fists by his side, visibly tense.

"Are you....are you going to suspect me again?" Zhan asked and YiBo was at a complete loss. Suspect what? What was he talking about?

The confusion must have shown on his face because Zhan elaborated.

"Talu was here, alone with me in the house."

Understanding dawned upon him and along came the shock.

"Zhan ge....!" The name spilled from him without even meaning to. "Is that why you looked so agitated since I came here?"

Zhan did not answer. His stiff posture, pained face along with the fact that he thought YiBo would start doubting him again stirred something deep within YiBo. With few strides he was in front of Zhan.

"Is that why you were avoiding me?"

"Are you going to-"

"No, never. No. Ge...." YiBo did not know how to assuage him. "I am not doubting you, I won't do that ever again. I'm sorry that my past behaviour had pushed you into fearing me but I swear, I am not doubting you."

Zhan looked like he was about to cry, "But you don't like him."

"No, I don't but I like you and that's what important here." YiBo paused to compose himself. He wished he could hold Zhan's hand while doing this. "I trust you."

Eyes flickering between YiBo's own for a stretch of a heartbeat, Zhan covered his eyes with one hand and turned away.

This was a monumental step forward for their relationship. This trust was what broke them apart. Throughout the ordeal of getting Zhan back, if YiBo had realized anything it was that the same trust would be able to bring them together. And the words he had just said were not for appeasing. YiBo meant them wholeheartedly. He did not have to approve of Talu's existence or anyone else's to trust Zhan. After knowing the truth, he had questioned himself time and again and each time the answer was the same, he did trust.

And it pained him to see Zhan so scared of him. This was all his own doing and he would have to be the one to fix it.

He leaned with his butt against the stone slab of the kitchen top, arms crossed over his chest, eyes on Zhan's back. Those hunched over shoulders, protruding shoulder blades invoking an intense protectiveness within him.

"I don't like him," he started, "I don't think I ever will but that had nothing to do with your friendship. I guess...I guess it stems out from jealousy."

Zhan turned his head sideways, not really looking at him.

YiBo knew why. Because jealousy was where it all started. "Jealousy because where I failed miserably, he succeeded." Hearing that Zhan fully turned towards him and YiBo went on. "Jealousy because he got to protect you when I couldn't...didn't." He looked away from Zhan, "Which is also why I will forever be indebted to him. For protecting you and Xing. I'm glad that he was there when you needed someone to lean on to. I don't like him because now he is the constant reminder of my failure, of the worst time of my life. I also hate that he got to witness the things I missed and will never experience again. I don't like him because I know Talu is a better companion to you than I will ever be." He looked at Zhan again, maintaining eye contact, "I know after everything I put you through it's hard for you to believe me but I'm really thankful that you were not alone when I abandoned you."

Zhan took a step forward, looking like he was about to touch YiBo but in the end he didn't. Staring at each other for several seconds, Zhan gave a sigh and stood beside him in the same manner.

"Will we ever get past our pain?" Zhan asked, looking absently ahead.

YiBo looked at his side profile, "We don't have to. We can go forward with it."

When Zhan looked at him questioningly, he added, "Take a sad song and make it better. Have you heard it?"

Zhan was looking at him as if he was trying to peer into his soul; YiBo suddenly felt shy in front of that gaze but did not look away. In these tiny, wispy moments something was changing between them, shifting permanently and he did not want to miss even a fraction of it.

"No," Zhan answered, "But maybe that's the song I need in my life right now."

Afraid that he might do something that he would regret, YiBo looked down and smiled at the floor, "Maybe."

Zhan cleared his throat after the silence went on for a while and not to make things awkward, YiBo spoke the first thing that came into his mind.

"What's with the cutting spree?"

"Nerves. Anxiety," Zhan shrugged and smiled ruefully.

YiBo really, really, really wanted to wrap him into his arms. "Xing chose a husky over me," he said instead.

"I doubt any of us can stand a chance against his Dragon."

"That's true."

After that they went out in the garden and sat side by side, a bit closer, a bit easier, talking about happier things, mundane things, things about the future, both subconsciously confirming that they would be in each other lives from now on.

Oblivious to the storm that was approaching them fast.

XOXOXOX

A couple of days later the Beijing Daily entertainment section published a full frontal cover story that read:

From A Botched Wedding To A Sordid Affair! What Else Is Hidden Behind That Charming Persona?

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🎶Dun dun dun dun dun🎶 *climbs up the tree quickly*

So, any thoughts?🙃

See ya next week, lovelies!😘 The next chapter will need a lot of planning.😉