THEIR WORTH...

"What's wrong with this beans? It's been hours, and it's still not cooked?"

Guri muttered as she poked the stubborn pieces of beans boiling in the pot. Zhan turned from slicing vegetables and looked at her.

"Try chopping some onions into it. It'll help it cook faster."

"Really? I've never heard of that before. We've never tried it."

"I saw Ma Jing do it once. She sells rice and beans for a living, so she knows all sorts of tricks to handle stubborn beans. Sometimes, she even puts a metal rod in the pot to speed things up."

Guri gasped, then burst into laughter. "That's ridiculous!"

Zhan chuckled along with her. "If it's Ma Jing's food, no one questions it. People enjoy their meals without knowing what goes on behind the scenes. There was a time she accidentally soaked her son's urine-stained clothes in a bucket, then later used that same water to wash the grains for her millet cakes. She claimed she didn't notice."

Guri laughed even harder, dicing onions into the pot. "Who is this Ma Jing, anyway?"

"She lives in our household. She's my stepfather's wife," Zhan replied, smiling.

"And you just let her do all that without telling the people who buy from her?"

Zhan shook his head. "You don't know Ma Jing. If trouble had a face, it would be hers. Anyone who dares to cross her won't have a moment of peace in that house."

Before Guri could respond, Zhao Min walked into the kitchen after seeing off some neighbors who had come to visit.

"Zhan, I knew you'd end up in the kitchen. Didn't I tell you to rest?"

"Maa, I swear I'm fine. I just needed to keep myself busy. Sitting around was starting to feel suffocating."

Zhao Min pulled a stool from the corner and pushed it toward him. "Then sit down. I don't want you standing for too long, especially since you're still recovering."

Zhan smiled and pulled the stool closer to sit.

"It's already 10:30. Is that beans still not ready?" she asked.

"Sister, I was about to transfer it to a pressure cooker, but Zhan said adding onions would help," Guri responded.

"I hope it works because I don't want noon to catch us still here," Zhao Min said as she glanced at the time.

Before Guri could respond, Ms. Er. Che entered the kitchen from the backyard.

"The meat over there is done, ma'am. Should I start on something else?"

Zhao Min shook her head, grabbing a large bowl from the shelves. "No, I'll take what we need for the main dish. The rest, you can cook down into shredded meat. We'll use it for jollof rice later in the day."

She walked out toward the backyard, where the rest of the meat was being grilled over an open flame, with Ms. Er. Che following closely behind.

The entire morning had been spent preparing meals. The children had already eaten and left for school, and a portion had been sent to Shan Tunan, who was still recovering in the hospital. Now, they were preparing food to take with them when they visited later.

Yesterday had been a terrible day for the entire household and their loved ones.

The sudden and shocking news of a bomb explosion at Shan Tunan's office had thrown everyone into a state of panic. The moment they heard, fear spread through the house like wildfire. Zhan had never seen such distress before...not even when his Baba had fallen ill or passed away.

But yesterday, the way Zhao Min broke down was something he had never witnessed in his life. The sheer terror on her face made his skin crawl, and a deep unease settled in his gut. The children had cried endlessly, especially Fa-Lan, who had refused to go to school this morning, insisting she wanted to see her father instead. But Zhao Min had put her foot down. Since they had already visited him yesterday and his condition was stable, no one was allowed to stay home.

The explosion had occurred in the courtyard of the office building. It had destroyed several cars, but fortunately, only five people sustained injuries. Three of them were passersby. As for Shan Tunan, the blast hadn't directly harmed him, but the chaos and rush to escape had led him to fall from a staircase, breaking his left leg.

By the time they visited him yesterday at the hospital, their fears had eased. But even then, something else nagged at Zhan's mind...he hadn't seen Yibo.

Not since the day before.

He had no idea where he was, nor whom to ask about him.

That morning, Zhan finally mustered the courage to call Yibo, but the call didn't go through. That was when he remembered...Yibo had told him he was getting a new number.

He hadn't thought much of it then. Now, after everything that had happened, he found himself wondering where Yibo was.

Still, he knew that if anything had happened to Yibo, Zhao Min would have told him.

By noon, they had finished all their preparations, packed up, and dressed before heading to the hospital. Before they left, Zhao Min gave Ms. Er. Che a rundown of the remaining tasks for the day.

When they arrived, Zhan looked around once more, still uncertain. They had been here since yesterday, yet he still wasn't convinced this was a hospital.

Everything was too pristine, too organized. The building itself was modern and luxurious, with sleek interiors and carefully arranged decorative plants in every corner.

It was nothing like the hospitals he knew.

They made their way up to the floor where Shan Tunan's room was, Zhan carefully carrying the bag of food they had brought.

Zhao Min stepped forward and opened the door to the room, with the others following closely behind. The first thing Zhan's eyes landed on was Yibo, seated in a chair beside the bed where Shan Tunan was resting. They seemed to be engaged in an important conversation, judging by the serious expressions on their faces.

As soon as they entered, Shan Tunan looked up, his face breaking into a warm smile as he acknowledged Zhao Min's greeting. She walked straight to the other side of the bed, while Zhan remained standing by Guri's side. He wasn't sure if Zhao Min had finished greeting Shan Tunan when Yibo turned to look at him directly.

The first thing Zhan noticed about Yibo was the exhaustion evident on his face, his tired eyes giving it away. His clothes were the same as yesterday's, suggesting he hadn't changed or even gone home. He must have spent the night here. Without saying a word, Zhan followed Guri to the bedside, where they both greeted Shan Tunan.

"I'm feeling better, thank God," Shan Tunan responded, his smile still intact.

"Did they change the dressing?" Zhao Min asked, glancing at his injured leg after exchanging greetings with Yibo.

"They did earlier this morning. They also placed another metal brace on it," Shan Tunan explained before turning to Zhan, who was still standing behind Guri. "I had to praise you Zhan. I feel what you felt when your leg was shoot, Just from yesterday to today, I've been tired of sitting in one place already."

Zhan smiled slightly, fidgeting with his fingers but saying nothing.

"They told you that your hospital stay won't be too long, right?" Zhao Min asked.

"Who knows? It depends on how soon I recover."

"Dear, I'd rather you try traditional medicine instead. I don't trust these metal implants they keep putting in you."

"That won't be a problem. Once I'm discharged, we can consider alternative treatment."

She shook her head. "You don't understand how those traditional healers are. If they find out you've had surgery, they'll refuse to treat you."

"Well, then I suppose they aren't real healers after all," Shan Tunan remarked, making everyone chuckle...except Yibo, who was too focused on his phone.

"Anyway, I wish you recover quickly, no matter the treatment," Zhao Min said. "We brought food. Do you want to eat now?"

Just then, Guri's phone rang, prompting her to step outside to take the call, leaving Zhan alone with Zhao Min and Shan Tunan as she continued serving the food.

A lump formed in Zhan's throat when he dared to glance at Yibo again. Their eyes met instantly...he had finished whatever he was doing on his phone and was now looking straight at him. Without a word, he gestured for Zhan to follow him and then turned to Shan Tunan.

"I'll be right back."

Then he headed for the door.

Zhan turned to Zhao Min, expecting some reaction, but she seemed to deliberately avoid her gaze, keeping herself busy with her husband. Summoning his courage, he followed Yibo downstairs, trailing behind him until they reached a quiet corridor lined with potted plants.

"Good morning."

Without hesitation, Zhan finally greeted him, the weight of Shan Tunan's presence earlier preventing him from doing so.

Yibo stopped walking and looked at him for a moment before responding, "Morning. How are you feeling?"

Zhan found the question ironic. Looking at Yibo, he seemed like the one in need of concern. But he kept his thoughts to himself.

"I'm fine now," he replied.

"I heard about what happened yesterday. May you always be safe."

"Amen. But why are you up and about? I heard you were here yesterday too."

Zhan looked at him, searching for an answer.

"I'm feeling much better. I don't feel any pain anymore."

"Did your doctor visit yesterday?" Yibo asked again.

Why does he care so much? Zhan wondered. Did he not realize how exhausted he looked himself?

He shook his head. "No, he said he'd come by the weekend."

Yibo ran a hand over the bridge of his nose. If Zhan had the courage, he would have told him to go back inside and eat something. He was sure hunger was contributing to the fatigue on his face.

"I wasn't home last night. We were handling the situation from different angles, so I didn't have time to stop by," Yibo said.

Zhan nodded. "I understand. When do you plan to come, then?"

"Where?"

Zhan had no choice but to clarify. "Home. I just thought maybe you should go back and get some rest too."

"I've got too much on my plate right now, Zhan. I don't think I can afford to rest. Even if I tried, my mind wouldn't let me."

Zhan looked up at him again.

"But you should at least eat something."

Not just Yibo...Zhan himself was surprised by the way that question had slipped out so naturally. Before he could say anything more, Yibo's phone rang. He pulled it out, glanced at the caller ID, and then looked at Zhan.

"I'll take this call, then we can go back, and you can serve me some food."

With that, he stepped a little further away, answering the call, while Zhan stood there, his fingers nervously twisting together.

"Yes, sir."

Yibo spoke into the phone as he walked forward. The caller was the officer he had on his payroll, the one who acted as his eyes and ears at the police headquarters, where the case of Peng's death was being handled.

The officer adjusted himself in his car seat and replied, "I have important news, sir, and I bring good tidings-what you were hoping for has been confirmed."

Yibo's heart pounded in his chest at those words.

"I'm listening," he said calmly, straightening his posture.

"Yesterday, one of my colleagues was going through old case files in the archives, and he happened to come across a report on Peng's murder-the very case you've been tracking."

Upon hearing this, Yibo gripped his phone tighter, his voice suddenly sharper.

"Go on. Did you find anything useful?"

"Sir, we found more than just a little. Right now, I have four medical reports in my possession, all confirming that the victim didn't die from the injuries on his body but from cardiac arrest."

:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*

"What...? What did you just say??"

Wu Jing's voice cut sharply through the air, interrupting the guard standing before her. Her wide eyes reflected her shock.

Since yesterday, after confirming that the address where Yibo had answered her call was in this neighborhood, she had been going door to door, showing his picture to the guards of each house, hoping for a lead. But no one had recognized him-not a single one had confirmed seeing him.

Still, she had returned today, determined to try again. She was certain she had the right location. And this time, luck was on her side. One of the gardeners had discreetly pulled her aside and told her that Yibo indeed lived in the neighborhood. He even pointed out the house he had seen him coming from. He also explained that the security guards were trained not to disclose any information about the residents, but if she was willing to offer a little something, he might be able to persuade them.

Wu Jing had handed the gardener ten thousand in cash and thanked him, while the guard, after being tempted with twenty thousand, finally caved and took her aside.

"Ma'am, the reason I didn't speak to you yesterday is because this house is under special security," the guard explained. "Even I was only recently hired-actual uniformed security personnel handle this place. You see, I have to be careful not to lose my job."

"I understand," Wu Jing said with a small, reassuring smile.

"So please, whatever happens, don't mention that you got this information from me."

She nodded. "You have nothing to worry about."

The guard shifted slightly, glancing around before lowering his voice. "The man in the picture you showed me lives here. And he hasn't been here long-he moved in recently with his husband..."

"What...? What did you just say??"

Wu Jing's reaction was instant. Her voice trembled, her eyes widening even more. The guard hesitated, startled by her outburst, then repeated himself.

"I said he hasn't been here long. He moved in recently-with his husband."

"His husband? What do you mean? He's not married."

The guard chuckled. "Oh, but he is, ma'am. If they hadn't stepped out to check on the owner of this house, his husband would be inside the house right now."

Wu Jing shook her head in disbelief, frantically scrolling through her phone for Yibo's picture. "I think you're mistaken. Maybe you're talking about someone else, but Yibo isn't married." She held the phone up to him again, waiting for confirmation.

To her shock, the guard grinned. "That's him, ma'am. And yes, he's married. His husband is a young beautiful and handsome man. In fact, the cook inside-Ms. Er-Che-told me that the young man injured his leg around the time they moved in..."

His words trailed off as Wu Jing suddenly dropped to her knees. Her legs gave out beneath her, her hands trembling as she clutched her phone. Her vision blurred, her mind spinning.

Married? Yibo is married?

How? When? To whom?

Everything she had planned...every scheme, every strategy...was now meaningless.

Not once had she considered the possibility of marriage.

How could this be happening?

▫️🔸🔹

Yibo swallowed hard, his grip tightening around the phone in his hand. "Are you sure about this?"

The officer on the other end responded,

"I'm one hundred percent certain. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have called you. I have all the details right here, and it looks like they were gathered and then discarded. This storage facility is where they dump old, unresolved cases that have been abandoned for years."

Yibo nodded, as if the officer could see him, then asked,

"Where are you now?"

"I'm in my car. I have the file with me."

"And no one else knows you have it?"

"Besides the officer who retrieved it and gave it to me, no one else."

"Good. Here's what I need you to do....take that file home with you. In fact, if possible, go home right now and keep it there. Just make sure it's out of that place. I'll send you some money, and you can pass a cut to the officer who helped...keep him quiet so he doesn't talk to anyone. I'll arrange to pick up the file from you tomorrow."

"Understood. Thank you, sir. I really appreciate it."

"No, I should be the one thanking you for your effort. Please, let's all stick to the plan," Yibo replied.

"Of course."

The officer ended the call.

For nearly five seconds, Yibo held onto his phone before slowly lowering it from his ear and turning around. Zhan was still standing exactly where he had left him. He wasn't looking at Yibo, but the expression on his face made it clear that his mind was somewhere else. A cold sensation ran through Yibo's body... Ever since the incident that had turned their lives upside down, he had never once seen Zhan as the guilty party. Peng's death had been because of him-Yibo had believed that from the start. But he had never seen Zhan as his killer. Every time he looked at him, all he saw was someone caught in a cruel twist of fate, someone who had been trying to protect himself. That was why Yibo had never once made him feel guilty about what happened.

Because if there was anyone who understood how these things worked, it was Yibo.

So when the police started spreading the claim that he was the prime suspect in the case, Yibo had already made up his mind. When he looked at Zhan, all he saw was someone who had no one else to rely on to get back home but him.

"...There are four hospital reports confirming that the deceased died from cardiac arrest, not from the wounds on his body..."

The officer's words kept replaying in his mind. This was it. Everything was about to fall into place. It was all coming to an end. The promise he had made to Zhan-he would keep it, and soon. He would clear his name, restore his life, and ensure that no one could ever accuse him of anything again.

And every time he looked at Zhan, he felt like he had been given another chance. Another chance to rewrite a history that had been weighing on his heart for too long. Even though he knew Zhan wasn't Liu, the resemblance was uncanny. It made him feel as though, in some way, there was still a connection between them.

Taking a deep breath, he reassured himself that everything would be fine. Everything.

Even his impending confrontation with the man who was responsible for the way his life had turned out.

Ping.

Zhan remained standing as Yibo approached him. When Yibo finally met his gaze, there was something different about his expression.

"Where's your phone?"

The way Yibo asked the question made Zhan pause for a moment before realizing where the phone was. He had never really thought of it as his own-it was just something Yibo had given him so they could stay in contact.

"I left it at home. I didn't bring it with me."

"When you get home, you'll see a call from a new number. That's mine-save it. And if anyone else calls you, don't answer unless it's me."

Zhan nodded. "Got it."

"One more thing," Yibo added, his tone firm. "No matter what happens, don't follow them again. Please. It's not safe for you to be wandering around."

Zhan nodded again.

Yibo turned and scanned the hospital grounds, his sharp gaze sweeping every corner. Zhan had noticed him doing this since they stopped there. His eyes landed on the security personnel stationed around the hospital before he turned back to him.

"I have somewhere to be, but you tell me... I should eat before I go right?"

Zhan's breath hitched at the way Yibo asked the question. It sent a strange feeling through him, from his head to his toes.

"I just... I just thought you hadn't eaten anything, that's all."

"And I really appreciate it. Thank you."

Zhan wasn't sure how to respond. There was something in Yibo's voice-almost like a hint of a smile. But he didn't lift his head to look at him.

Zhan had realized that his thoughts never stayed calm when Yibo was standing this close... especially when he was looking at him like that.

"Shall we go back so you can give me some food?"

Zhan barely had time to steady himself before he threw out that question again. At that moment, sweat dampened Zhan's palms, and he unconsciously fiddled with them. He lifted his gaze slightly, eyes wide with surprise, and saw Yibo flash a faint smile-one that only deepened his confusion. Ever since Yibo finished that phone call, something about him had changed. Without another word, Yibo turned and walked away, signaling for Zhan to follow.

Zhan wasn't even aware of how his feet moved, but before he knew it, he was trailing behind him back to the room. When they returned, Zhao Min's gaze followed him as he dished out the food, making him feel even more unsettled. All of this was unfamiliar to him-so foreign that he wasn't sure how to process it. Even if he had heard about something like this happening to someone else, it would still feel surreal, let alone experiencing it firsthand.

Yet, despite the strangeness of it all, the warmth on Zhao Min's face and Yibo's calm demeanor as they conversed with Shan Tunan made him feel somewhat at ease.

Still, when Guri returned from the other room and asked him to accompany her to a friend's house nearby, he immediately agreed. He had been looking for an excuse to leave anyway.

Before they could leave, though, Yibo received another phone call, prompting him to hastily finish his meal and step out. For some reason, Zhan felt a sense of satisfaction watching Yibo eat everything on his plate, even in a hurry. A part of him told him that aside from Baba, who had taken care of him, Zhan had never encountered anyone as kind as Yibo before.

Yibo left the hospital at precisely 3:15 PM. Meanwhile, Zhan and Guri headed out ten minutes later, after Zhao Min insisted they go home since the children would be returning, and she planned to stay at the hospital until nightfall.

As their car pulled out of the hospital driveway, a young man, holding a broom, watched them intently. The moment they were out of sight, he pulled out his phone, pressed it to his ear, and spoke.

"Target is clear. Right now!"

▫️🔸🔹

Inside the hospital, Shada adjusted his seat, his fingers gripping the tablet tightly. On the screen, a looping video played-footage of the explosion from the location where the bomb had detonated. The video replayed for what must have been the tenth time before Shada finally lifted his gaze to look at Yibo, who sat across from him.

Yibo reached out, took the tablet, and placed it beside him before turning back to meet Shada's eyes.

"You still have two choices," he said, his voice calm but firm. "You can either save yourself or lose everything. This video alone is proof that the man you're so loyal to isn't someone who will protect you. In fact, he doesn't care about your life at all. If getting what he wants means sacrificing you, he won't hesitate. If you were truly valuable to him, he wouldn't have placed a bomb somewhere he knew you'd be, not after everything you've done for him."

Shada continued watching him, as if analyzing his words, then simply smiled and shook his head.

"To me, you're just as guilty, otherwise, you wouldn't be here facing these charges. But unlike Ping, if you help us, we can let you walk free without anyone ever coming after you."

This time, the look Shada gave him was different-so intense that Yibo found himself nodding in confirmation.

"I mean it," Yibo said, his voice firm. "Every word I've said. Take it as a promise. No matter what happens, I will protect you, even at the cost of my own life, to keep my word."

Shada smirked, still holding his gaze. "And why do you think I'd believe you?"

Yibo adjusted his posture. "Because I know you. You wouldn't be here talking to me if you hadn't already gathered every piece of information about me. So, I'm sure you already know that I never go back on my word."

Shada studied him in silence before shifting his gaze toward the window. Yibo could almost see the calculations running through his mind. When Shada finally looked back at him, Yibo knew he had won.

"What do you want to know?"

Yibo leaned forward slightly. "I need every piece of information you have on Ping-his movements, his plans. And if possible, I want you to contact him, make it seem like you've escaped from us, so we can monitor his actions through you."

Shada chuckled, shaking his head. "You clearly don't know who Ping is. You have no idea what he's capable of. Do you really think I could spy on him without him realizing it?"

"If that's not an option," Yibo replied, "then tell us everything you know-where he is, where we can find him."

"I'm not one of Ping's inner circle," Shada admitted. "He only gives me assignments from time to time, like he does with dozens of people across the country. Most of the time, I don't even hear from him directly-it's through his men. So, the information I have on him is limited."

Yibo observed him closely, considering his next move. "You'd be wise to talk, Shada. This is your chance at survival. You're helping yourself, not me."

Shada fell silent, lost in thought. Then, he tilted his head slightly, not looking at Yibo as he spoke.

"I don't have solid proof, only speculation. Just like I predicted he'd send a message before the bomb went off, I also suspect your case is more important to him than you realize. If he hasn't come for you himself yet, it's only because his initial plans failed. But now that his warning has been delivered, his next move will be to take something from you...something that will force you to go to him willingly."

At that moment, only one thought crossed Yibo's mind-Zhan.

:-*:-*:-*:-*:-*

Beijing

A car pulled into the hospital around four in the afternoon, driving straight to the designated parking area before coming to a stop.

A moment later, the back door opened, and an elderly woman stepped out, her feet touching the pavement. As always, she was elegantly dressed, a signature style that everyone recognized her by.

She reached into the car, grabbed her handbag, and instructed the driver to wait for her. With her phone in hand, she navigated through her contacts and placed a call.

"Yun, I'm here. Come meet me...I don't want to be answering too many questions."

That was all she said before ending the call. Within two minutes, Yun arrived, greeting her with a warm hug.

"Aunt A-Dan, welcome back! How was your trip?"

A-Dan returned her smile and nodded before getting straight to the point. She inquired about Qian's condition and the reason behind her transfer to a different hospital.

"It's because this hospital has better equipment and care," Yun explained as they walked toward Qian's room. "That's why Daddy decided to move her here."

Inside the room, Mei and Qian younger sister were tending to Qian, gently wiping her down since she had refused assistance from the hospital's nurses.

Everyone greeted A-Dan warmly, welcoming her back. Despite the exhaustion in Qian's eyes as she looked at A-Dan, she patiently waited until she was settled before speaking.

"Qian, may the Almighty grant you a speedy recovery and ease your pain," A-Dan said, watching her closely. But the look Qian gave her made it clear that words of comfort were not what she wanted to hear.

With a knowing smile, A-Dan reached into her bag.

"Don't worry, Qian. My trip to Guangdong was successful. I went to Zhao Min's parent home, just as you described. They recognized me and confirmed that Zhao Min is indeed in Shenzhen now-she's married and has children. And look," she added, handing over a small piece of paper with phone numbers written on it, "I managed to get her contact information for you!"

Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛