In Between Us || Zhanyi

Untitled Part 23

Yibo kept staring at the chain in his hands, completely blank how to react? Should he accept? How should he show his gratitude for this overwhelmed gesture?

"This," she had said, "was Zhan's idea. From design to material to finishing —everything had been done by Zhan. He wanted to give you something meaningful as your wedding gift, but, as usual, thought it best to show rather than say. He may have asked me to hand it to you, but I want you to know it was all his choice, his efforts for you"

"Dear, my son isn't one to talk much," she had said to Yibo as she held Yibo's free hand between her hands, "but he cares deeply. He's not the most vocal about his feelings, but he's someone who shows them in other ways. He does and all he always thought of is best for his family — and you are now his family....our family"........She'd shared a knowing smile.

The words left a warm impression on Yibo, and he'd felt deeply touched by the gesture. The locket felt heavy, precious, but more than that, it symbolized something deeper—a welcome, a silent vow, a token of acceptance from Zhan. Looking at the chain, Yibo felt a swell of gratitude and admiration. For Yibo, though, that admiration soon had turned into a sense of obligation. As he carefully examined the fine details of the chain, he was flooded with a need to reciprocate. True to his nature, Yibo felt compelled to give something back, to offer a token in return. He'd wanted to show Zhan that he, too, was invested in their marriage.

His own family's contribution to the wedding had been modest, and the ceremony itself was a simple affair, a very modest one by anyone's standards. He was too grateful that not a single person from Zhan's family or even a guest uttered a single word or gossip. Later he heard, it was Zhan who declared the arrangement as his demand, so no one got the chance to critic. But from that moment, Yibo felt a profound sense of obligation toward Zhan. 

Soon, Yibo managed to slip out alone to a market nearby, determined to find something just right. But when he finally reached, he had no clue what he should buy for Zhan, he had no idea about Zhan's likes and preferences. Among the stalls, he tried guessing but felt uncertain each time he pulled out something, his brow furrowing with each attempt. Until, he finally found himself stopped in a clothing shop.

Moving through the racks, he picked one shirt after another, trying to picture it on Zhan, but the uncertainty grew with each choice. His brow furrowed, his fingers skimming over fabrics, finally his search stopped at a shirt — a pink shirt. Yibo didn't know why but he felt an urge to see Zhan wearing this bright color unlike the dark color in which Yibo was to see Zhan, his prof....prof Xiao.

But his anxiety increased when the shopkeeper asked for the size, Yibo realized he had no idea about Zhan's size. Yibo fumbled in thoughts trying to guess until suddenly, last night's memory flooded back with a heat that stole his breath. Yibo's cheeks warmed as a flash from last night lit up his mind.

Last night...Zhan had been right there in his arms, his form close and vivid in Yibo's memory. He remembered how Zhan's shoulders had felt under his hands, it was almost as if Zhan was still there. Yibo felt again the solid weight of Zhan's chest against his own, the defined strength in his shoulders, the way his hand had settled along the line of Zhan's back, memorizing him in touches and whispers—so close, so intimate, so unmistakably clear.

His pulse quickened at the thought, his fingers brushing instinctively over a shirt's shoulder length as if he was tracing Zhan's shoulder length. Heart racing slightly, he reached for a size he'd come to know with a kind of closeness he could hardly describe.

Yibo blushed deeply as he handed over the chosen shirt, hoping the shopkeeper hadn't noticed the flicker of his own thoughts. He was quite confident, he chose the right size.

It was simple but had cost him much of the small savings he'd brought. He chose it carefully, hoping Zhan might see it as a gesture from the heart rather than for its price. Hours later, when he returned home in the evening, the package carefully tucked under his arm, Yibo found himself hovering near Zhan's door, heart pounding with anticipation.

But as he stepped closer, his feet came to a halt. Inside, he could hear Zhan's voice, and what he overheard froze him in his tracks.

...To Be Continued