Unexpected Refuge.

Chapter 20

"Tell me why your wife got angry." Zhan asked, and Yibo looked at him, and he didn't want to answer him, but Zhan asked him again, "I asked you something, baby cheeks."

Yibo sighed as he looked away, and before he said, "Because she wanted to meet you and wanted me to ask you to do business with her, but I said that you were busy."

Zhan looked at Yibo and then sat up on the bed. Yibo sat as well, and he saw that Zhan was smiling or was trying not to smile, "You didn't mention anything like that to me. Why?"

Yibo looked away, but Zhan pinched his chin with his thumb and index finger as he made Yibo look at him. "Why didn't you mention that, baby cheeks."

Yibo finally said, "I don't want you to meet her."

"Why? You don't want me to help her?"

Yibo spoke, "I don't want you to ignore me after meeting her and think of me as a fool, people who meet her are always harsh to me, and I don't want you to start hating me as well. And start liking her more than me, my mother likes Tina more than me."

Zhan pinched his cheeks and said, "That will never happen; she is not my type. I love you and only you."

Yibo became shy again as he looked down, "Why do you love me?"

"Why not? You are adorable and pull on my heartstrings, you are so smart, you saved my life and you take care of me now. Why can't I love you?"

Yibo smiled, and before anyone could say anything, Mary came to Zhan's room, which made Yibo sit up and pull away from Zhan. When she saw that Zhan was awake, she came to check up on him and said, "It's good that you are well now. You made us all so worried!" she said as she gave him a light tap on the head.

"Idiot." She mumbled, "You even made Yibo worry so much."

Zhan sighed, "Sorry, mommy."

"This better not happen next time." She said, then looked at Yibo, "Dear, did you get some sleep?"

Yibo shook his head, and Mary sighed, "You sleep too."

Zhan spoke, "I will take care of that mom, and I am fine now. You don't have to worry about that." His fever had gone down, and he still felt a little weak, but it was okay.

Mary nodded before she walked out of the room and once she was gone, Zhan made Yibo lay down beside him and hugged him, "Go to sleep now."

"It's four in the morning, I won't be able to get up early."

"Then don't." Zhan said as he snuggled against Yibo, "Go to sleep."

Yibo hugged Zhan as well, Yibo was a cuddler, and he loved to cuddle, so he did not complain and he fell asleep very soon.

While Zhan was still awake, he was thinking about so many things. Yibo slept peacefully in his arms, but Zhan was worried and tense. It was clear that Yibo was being manipulated by his family; his father could not do much. And with how naïve Yibo is, it is so easy to shut him up and make him obey.

Zhan had noticed many things, like how Yibo flinches when someone raises their hand near him or when they scream, or when he hears a loud noise. He also thinks that he is a burden, it is fed into his mind. He is very conscious of how others feel, and sometimes it feels like he walks on eggshells around others as he is constantly worried that others might get angry at him and yell at him.

He is scared of others hating him, he is scared of being alone, and he is socially awkward as he thinks that others might not like to talk to him. All this is because of constant abuse and constant verbal abuse, and it might take a lot of time to undo the damage.

But Zhan has seen how bright Yibo's smile is, and how beautiful his eyes are when they sparkle with curiosity and joy, Yibo's cheerful and confident voice is music to his ears. Zhan has also seen Yibo's work, and he knows that Yibo can do so much better and become successful on his own if he gets the right motivation and support, and Zhan was willing to provide him with that because it was worth it.

Zhan looked at Yibo and thought that seeing Yibo recognize his worth and reach his full potential was worth it.

And the best way was to change all the people that were around Yibo. It was time for Yibo to be around people who cared for him, and who realized his worth.

It was ten in the morning when Yibo was sleeping. Zhan slowly got out of bed unwillingly. He wanted to stay beside Yibo a little longer, but there were many things he needed to do. He went to the washroom, took a bath, got fresh before he went downstairs, and saw his family.

"Good morning." He said that, and everyone greeted him back. He looked at them and said, "There is something I want to talk about with all of you."

"What is it?" William asked.

Zhan said, "I need help, from all of you."