Zhan's POV.~
10 years later
"Get up Zhan. It's morning." A sweet gentle voice caught my attention, a voice that I loved, "Yibo... let me sleep a little" I said with a smile as I saw his blurry face.
"Get up."
"A little more..." Yibo suddenly grabbed my shoulders and shook me harshly, "Get up, get up Zhan, GET UP!"
Suddenly Yibo's voice changed and his face changed into that of someone else.
And I was finally awake.
"Good morning,"Â Yanli said.
I blinked twice before I came back to my senses and finally sat on the bed, "Yanli... what are you doing here?"
"Well, I came here I came here to check up on you and to remind you that it's Grandpa's birthday tomorrow."
Before I could say anything another voice chimed in, "And also to scold you for skipping yesterday's dinner." Cheng walked inside the room, with two coffee mugs, he kept one mug on my bedside table.
"Yes." Yanli said, "How dare you, it's already very hard for everyone's schedule to align and you ditched us."
I smiled, "In my defense, I had a very important meeting last night." I said as I grabbed the cup of coffee and finished it in one go, before I went to the washroom, to get fresh.
I turned on the shower and let the warm water calm my nerves.
It was so relaxing. I kept my hand on the wall in front of me and sighed, and when I opened my eyes, my eyes fell on the ring that Yibo had given me ten years ago.
I never took it off, I couldn't take it off, it was my lucky charm, my comfort, a reminder of his promise, and my hope that encouraged me to keep going.
Ten years are enough to change a person, ten years ago I was a mess, ready to give up on everything, ready to end it all, I had lost my parents, had to leave my home to start over and also lost my love, it was a lot.
Adjusting to the new environment was hard, figuring out my life and what I wanted to do with my future was stressful.
I was thrown into a new world, with new people in a new city, a new home, new everything. I felt lost, and out of place however, I couldn't go back I had to push forward.
The good thing was college.
Yes, college.
I actually went to college and not just any college, the HazelWood University, met amazing people, and great professors, learned a lot about life, got a new perspective, completed my Bachelor's, then completed my master's.
I had never thought I would make it this far.
I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled, I was proud of myself. Learning to love myself and be kind to myself was a long process. And I wouldn't say that I am perfect in that, I am not, the feeling of self-loathing creeps in from time to time, but I know how to handle it.
I finally made myself the man my parents wanted me to be, the man you wanted me to be, Yibo.
I have achieved what I wanted and the only thing that I want in my life is you.
I am still waiting, Love.
"Have breakfast, Zhan," Yanli said as she served me breakfast.
"Thanks."
Cheng was already eating his breakfast.
Yanli was my aunt's daughter and Cheng was my uncle's son, other than these two, there were three other cousins, Lucy my uncle's other daughter, A-Xiang my uncle's youngest daughter, and Danny my aunt's son.
Yanli was the eldest among all the cousins after she there was me and then Cheng, there wasn't much age gap between us, Yanli was nearly a year older than me and Cheng was the same age as me, with only a six-month difference, in the entire family I shared the closest bonds with these two, I loved them.
My aunt and uncle were amazing too; the two made sure I was never left out and that I was never uncomfortable, and they left no stone unturned to make me feel welcome and accepted.
Sometimes I felt bad for being a burden on them, but they shut that down quickly and gave me stern lectures on how I was like their son and that I could never be a burden on them, I worked to make them happy and make sure that their money didn't go to waste.
"Grandma was upset that you didn't show up." Cheng said, "You should go and meet her."
"Will grandpa be there?" I asked and they nodded. I loved this family, I really did. But the only person I had a problem with was my grandfather, or more like had a problem with me.
My grandpa made these subtle jabs at my father and my upbringing that I hated and I shut that down too, I was never shy to give him a solid answer whenever he tried to put my father down, and that was why our relationship was strained.
He never really forgave my father for going against his wishes and marrying his 'enemy's daughter', his thinking was old-fashioned, he called himself the patriarch of the family and thought that he should have the final say in everything.
Like, fuck off man. They both died, in a few years, you will too, can't you just move on?
But my grandma was a sweet woman, for her, I can tolerate my grandpa.
"By the way Zhan, did you buy the gift?" Cheng asked and I paused. "for what?"
Cheng laughed while Yanli groaned, "I just told you that Grandpa's birthday is coming soon."
"Isn't he a little too old to be receiving gifts? Like what's so fun in turning ninety?"
"Eighty-five," Cheng said
"It's the same thing."
Cheng spoke, "I am curious about what you will give him this time."
Yanli added, "Please Zhan give him a good gift this time."
"What do you mean? I always bring the best gifts for him."
Cheng laughed, "I agree, I can tell he puts a lot of thought into those gifts."
Yanli shook her head while I laughed, I loved to tease that old man, some examples of the gifts that I gave him were, 2 kgs of almonds for his IQ, castor oil for his bald head so that he could grow hair, or 10 kilos of carrots for his deteriorating eyesight, a serum for his wrinkles, and at last chameleon because he changes colors just like my grandpa changed his personality in front of others. and many other like these.
Safe to say that my grandfather would get so angry that sometimes it felt like he would faint from the anger, but others had a good laugh.
My grandpa nearly uninvited me this year and I was glad he did but my grandma convinced him to invite me, and she asked Yanli and Cheng to help me pick a gift, for him because if I gave him another funny gift this year then he might just start beating me in front of the guests.
"How about the bible? That old geezer needs that, it's about time he starts to learn about god because, in a few years, he is going to be with him." I said.
"Forget it." Yanli said, "I am going to help you, let's meet in the evening and go shopping."
Cheng was already laughing, "it's a good idea, I would love that."
"I know," I said.
"Shut up you two, eat, and let's head to work."
"Yes ma'am."