Before Prince Yibo even got home, he had already called every number he deemed necessary. He'd made his decision: he was going after Zhan. No matter where Zhan went in the world, Yibo would be there too. He would never allow such distance between them again.
He had gathered information about the city Zhan was visiting in Dubai, including the seminar's venue and schedule. The only thing he couldn't find was where Zhan was staying.....but even that wasn't enough to discourage him. It gave him hope, a sense of light at the end of the tunnel. It was enough to make him feel like success was finally within reach.
Without hesitation, he booked a seat on the second....and final.....flight of the day to Dubai. The long wait didn't bother him; he went home, showered, and started preparing.
***
This was Zhan's second time in Dubai, but it still felt like his first. The city fascinated him in a way he couldn't explain.
He had taken a cab from the airport with two of his work colleagues. They weren't strangers, so the drive was filled with light conversation until they reached their hotel. Since the seminar would start the next day, everyone decided to freshen up, relax, and rest after dinner. Then, they each went about their own routines.
Zhan, meanwhile, made a call home. Aunt Anu connected him with all the kids, and they chatted happily before he ended the call and opened WhatsApp.
As if waiting for him, Nanjue was online. They ended up chatting for a long time....long enough that Zhan only logged off reluctantly, smiling as he turned off his data. Nanjue had an easygoing personality, and he was the kind of person who could keep you talking for hours without realizing how much time had passed.
Zhan let out a deep sigh as he slid down from the soft chair he'd been curled up on. He walked slowly to the window of his room, pulled back the curtains, and stared out over the hotel's courtyard, the surrounding buildings, and the roads below. Their rooms was on the third floor, giving him a clear view.
He stood there in silence for a moment, his thoughts drifting to memories from the past....moments he hadn't recalled in a while. Another sigh escaped him as he ran a hand through his long, smooth hair. Life had been good to him, just the way he wanted. But he still didn't know what his future held.
As he rested one hand on the window frame, another memory crept in...of Chao. He still hadn't found her. It was one of those lingering regrets that resurfaced now and then, always leaving him feeling like he needed to return to China, just as Aunt Anu had once suggested. Maybe with more effort, more digging, something would finally come to light.
"What are you thinking about so deeply, Dr. Zhan?" came a voice from behind. It was Fadwa.
He turned around to see her standing nearby, smiling gently. Before he could say anything, she continued with a teasing grin, "Thinking about that senior doctor, maybe? I think he's staying just a floor below us. Should I talk to him for you?"
Her words made him laugh, short and soft.
"Forget that topic," Zhan said, chuckling. "So, what's going on?"
Fadwa listed the places she and a few others wanted to visit after the seminar ended, asking if he'd be interested in joining. Zhan, always curious and fond of sightseeing, agreed....but asked that they keep the trip within three days.
"Of course," she replied, smiling. "We'll make sure it's just a short trip."
-----
Since arriving in Dubai, Prince Yibo hadn't been able to sit still. At his hotel, he was pacing constantly, imagining how the second meeting with Zhan might go. He knew....without a doubt....that Zhan would resist him. He was prepared for that. But what he hadn't expected was how hard the rejection would hit.
He never imagined Zhan would deny ever knowing him at all.
That kind of reaction had shaken him. He wasn't sure if he had the strength...or emotional stamina....to handle another confrontation like that. If Zhan truly meant to erase their past and act like it never happened, then anything was possible. And none of it felt survivable....not for Yibo, and certainly not for his heart.
-----
They stepped out of the conference room calmly, their day's session finally over. One look at Zhan's face and it was obvious the event had gone well for him....he looked genuinely pleased. He had a few papers tucked under one arm and a small bag slung over the other.
Prince Yibo's eyes were fixed on Zhan's face, and he felt an overwhelming pull toward him....like gravity itself was guiding him. Images from their past flashed across his mind....back when it had been just the two of them and the world around them didn't matter.
Zhan hadn't even noticed his presence. His attention was solely on Fadwa, clearly deep in conversation. Before Zhan could fully prepare himself, Yibo was suddenly right there in front of him....face to face. Their eyes met.
In just a few seconds of eye contact, something unspoken passed between them. And just like that, every bit of joy on Zhan's face disappeared. It was as if he'd never smiled a day in his life. He immediately grabbed Fadwa's hand, clearly intending to walk away.
But Yibo wasn't going to let that happen so easily. He stepped forward and blocked Zhan's path again, then spoke in Chinese...aware that Zhan's companions likely didn't understand.
"Please... I'm begging you. Just give me a moment....no matter how small....to talk. Face-to-face. Just once."
His voice was soft, his hands pressed together in a pleading gesture.
Zhan's response was sharp, full of the pain building inside him.
"Listen to me," he said firmly. "How am I supposed to talk to someone I don't know? I told you already....I don't know you. I've never seen you before. So why are you interfering in my life? What do you want from me, really?"
With that, he scoffed and stormed past Yibo, not even bothering to hold Fadwa's hand this time.
Yibo didn't care about the stares around him....Fadwa's curious look, the people exiting the conference room who turned to watch the drama unfold. He simply followed Zhan, determined.
"You're only saying this out of anger," he said. "You know it's not true. Deep down, you know exactly who I am. No one knows Yibo like you do."
But Zhan didn't get far....he slipped into a cab just as Yibo realized what was happening. By the time he made a move, the car had already pulled away.
"Damn it!" Yibo exclaimed, angry at himself for not reacting sooner. He clenched his eyes shut, then opened them again, scanning the road as if he might still catch a glimpse.
Only then did he notice the strangers around him watching curiously. Of course, they probably recognized his face from magazines or business news. He cursed under his breath.
"What's the point of fame if you can't protect what matters most?" he muttered bitterly, before getting into his car and slamming the door behind him.
Zhan sat in the back of the cab, his face buried in his hands, tears streaming down. Everything he'd buried...the memories, the trauma, the loss....came rushing back. He remembered how he'd been separated from his younger siblings, the isolation, the confinement in that house where it felt like he'd been sold into silence. He remembered losing the one thing that had meant the most to him....something he could never get back.
He had fought hard for the strength to raise his children, and had done it all in pain and sacrifice. Now, those memories wouldn't stop haunting him.
By the time he got to the hotel, he was completely drained. He rushed to the bathroom to wash himself down. He didn't want Fadwa or the others to see him in this vulnerable state...this was part of his private life, a side of himself he never let anyone witness.
He changed into a light, soft outfit and tied his still-damp hair back, hoping the cold water had at least numbed some of the turmoil in his head.
Desperate to distract himself, he grabbed the documents he had brought from the seminar and tried to focus. But the words blurred....his thoughts kept drifting.
It wasn't long before Fadwa and the others entered the suite. He greeted them, forcing a smile, though anyone paying attention could tell something heavy weighed on him.
From their side, the women were still stunned at the way Zhan had interacted with that famous businessman....how casually he had turned him away. Anyone else would have treated a conversation with someone like Yibo as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But none of them asked Zhan anything. They kept quiet and went about their routines: showering, changing, and gathering for dinner in the shared sitting room.
Zhan didn't even touch his food. He sat there silently as they prepared for the evening outing they had planned after the seminar.
Once they were ready, Salena....one of his travel companions....looked over at Zhan.
"We're all set to head out."
He looked up slowly, as if lifting his eyes was a chore. He'd completely forgotten about their post-event plans.
He pressed a hand to his forehead and said softly, "I don't think I can go out tonight. I'm really sorry. Please go ahead without me."
"It's fine... we'll be back soon," Salena said with a casual wave as they all stepped out together.
Their exit left Zhan feeling like the room had opened up around him, granting him the space he didn't realize he needed. He tossed the documents aside....they had felt more like an obligation than anything useful....and laid back fully on the couch. His mind drifted far away, no longer resisting the thoughts he'd been trying to avoid all day.
"How did Prince Yibo follow me to Dubai? How did he even know I was coming here?"
That question kept ringing in Zhan's head. It was what confused him the most.
***
Prince Yibo didn't even blame himself for letting Zhan slip away again....at least not until he was back at his accommodation and unable to sleep. His nerves were shot. A part of him kept whispering, What if that was your last chance? What if you never see him again? He fought off the thought, pushing it away with force, clinging to the hope that he still had time to fix this.
He called Xeilin and told him everything. There was a pause before Xeilin finally spoke.
"I think he's too angry to even consider listening to you if you come with apologies and softness..."
Yibo nodded, his heart already telling him the same thing. "That's exactly what I feel, Xeilin. I think the only way I can make him believe he really know me is by showing strength. That's my first step."
"I agree with you," Xeilin said. "But don't overdo it. You don't want him to end up hating you more than before."
Yibo closed his eyes, the word hate hitting like a blow to the chest. "Understood," he murmured.
That night, Yibo stayed up planning his next move down to every last detail. Tomorrow, Zhan would listen to him. He had to. He would make Zhan admit that he knew him. He would bring up his son...their son. He deserved that much.
Meanwhile, Zhan hadn't moved much from where the girls left him. Hours later, a call from Salena woke him. They were downstairs and asked if he could grab a bag for them so they wouldn't have to return after entering the room. Begrudgingly, Zhan got up, slipped into his open sandals, and went down to the hotel's front area.
Just then, Sikong was leaning against a car outside the hotel, phone in hand, texting. He was waiting for his girlfriend, who he had picked up from her college dorm without her parents' knowledge. They had spent a week together, but now the fun was over....he was dropping her back.
Almost instinctively, he lifted his head to scan the entrance for her. But instead of spotting his girlfriend, his eyes locked on someone else....someone who stunned him. It was him. The man he had spent the last eight years trying to find....the one he believed was destined to be his partner. The only one he had ever wanted to marry. He had last seen him in New York, eight years ago.
Without thinking, Sikong pocketed his phone and walked toward Zhan, heart racing.
"Hey, baby," he said with confidence.
Zhan flinched at the sound of a strange man's voice so close. He turned sharply, startled, and immediately stepped back, eyeing Sikong with visible discomfort. Sikong, on the other hand, stared at Zhan, stunned by how much more handsome and mature he looked....he had grown into the kind of man Sikong had only dreamed about.
"How are you, baby? My name is....."
But Zhan raised a hand abruptly, eyeing him with clear suspicion. "You've got the wrong person. I'm not whoever you're looking for," he said flatly, then turned and walked off quickly, his chest tight with anxiety.
Sikong followed at first, but stopped short when he saw Zhan entering the elevator. He stared after him, jaw clenched in frustration.
Sikong knew he didn't have access to Zhan's room without permission....but that didn't matter. He was going to wait. Zhan would have to come out again eventually....maybe by tomorrow morning or afternoon. He'd be ready.
He returned to find his girlfriend waiting, her arms crossed.
"I thought we were going to spend some time together," she complained.
"I've got a business meeting with a friend here. He'll be arriving soon. The car will take you back to your dorm. I'll call you later," he said.
She frowned. "That's not what we agreed....this isn't how it was supposed to be."
He snapped at her, his voice sharp enough to scare her into silence. Without another word, she got into the car as instructed.
Back in his room, Zhan was shaken. His heart was pounding, his mind in chaos. What kind of awful luck is this? Who were these people, and why do they keep following me like I'm some target?
His thoughts were interrupted by a call from Salena.
"We're here, but we can't find you."
"I came down and didn't see you, so I went back up. I'm really not feeling well."
"Oh… okay. Don't worry, we'll get one of the hotel staff to help us carry it."
"Alright," he said before hanging up.
Zhan tossed the phone aside and collapsed face-down onto the bed. His mind was spinning so fast he couldn't make sense of any of it.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛