Let’s Leave
[📘 Content Warning:
This story contains Boys’ Love (BL) themes. Reader discretion is advised. Please read the disclaimers mentioned in the Instagram post.]
Another week passed.
The air had shifted slightly, just enough to hint that spring was near.
But inside the Wang household, the mood remained the same.
Quiet, tense, unmoved.
Yibo sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his laptop screen.
His college results blinked back at him.
Top rank.
Highest in the entire college.
He blinked twice, then reread it.
His lips twitched.
Not quite a smile, but something like it.
He didn’t even bother telling his parents first.
Instead, he took his phone, opened his chat and typed:
Yibo:
Got my results, ge. Topped the whole college.
The reply came almost instantly.
Zhan:
BO!!! I’m so proud of you oh my god!! That’s amazing, you genius!
Yibo’s lips curled into a real smile now.
His fingers hovered for a second before replying.
Yibo:
It’s not that big a deal.
Zhan:
Shut up. It is! I’m smiling so hard right now. You deserve this so much, Bo. I wish you were in front of me right now so I could hug you and let you know just how happy I am.
He stared at that last message a while.
That warmth, that unshakable belief… Zhan had no idea how much that meant to him.
His phone buzzed.
Chen’s name lit up the screen.
Yibo answered and put the phone on speaker, so his parents could hear it for themselves.
“Bro! Top rank? That’s insane! I just saw the results. Congrats, man!”
Chen’s voice burst through the room, loud and full of excitement.
From the kitchen, Meilan looked over, startled.
A small smile touched her lips.
Jinfa lowered the volume on the TV, his gaze shifting sharply to Yibo.
But even after the call ended, neither of them said a word.
No “we’re proud of you.”
No questions.
No smile.
Just silence.
Yibo had expected it.
But that didn’t mean it didn’t sting a little.
————————————–
By afternoon, after lunch, the house had settled into its usual hush.
Jinfa had gone to the bedroom for his nap, the drone of the TV finally silenced.
Yibo sat by the window, arms loosely folded around his knees, gaze locked on the stillness beyond the window.
A soft sound behind him, footsteps approaching.
He turned his head.
Meilan stood in the doorway, holding a small steel plate.
The faint smell reached him even before she stepped inside.
Sweetened coconut dumplings.
His favorite.
On any other day, it might’ve brought him comfort.
Today, it just made his chest feel heavier.
She walked over and sat gently on the edge of his bed.
Yibo looked at the plate, then let out a short, bitter laugh through his nose.
It was kindness in a house that had offered him none all day.
But it was too late.
Too quiet.
Too incomplete.
“I made your favorite sweet.”
She said softly, placing the plate between them.
“You did well in your exams, Bobo. Top rank. That’s… that’s good. I’m happy.”
He looked at her but said nothing.
There was too much sitting in his throat, none of it ready to come out.
She took a breath… long, tired.
The kind that came from deep exhaustion, not from the day, but from years of being worn down.
“I know you’re angry with me.”
She said.
“And you have every reason to be. But…”
She picked up one of the dumplings and gently held it near his lips.
After a pause, he opened his mouth and let her feed him.
He chewed slowly.
Quietly.
She watched him, eyes red-rimmed but dry… like the tears had long since run out.
Then, with aching tenderness, she reached forward and brushed the crumbs from the corner of his mouth with her thumb.
A bitter smile played on her lips.
She whispered.
Her voice trembling under the weight of what she couldn’t change.
“You should know this, Bobo… I’m ready to take a hundred blows for you from your father.”
“But I can’t go against him. I can’t go against this world for you. Your Ma… she’s not strong enough for that.”
Yibo looked at her again, really looked this time.
Her eyes were dry, but hollow.
Like someone who had cried everything out long before today.
She looked worn down to her bones… not just sad, but spent.
She smiled at him, small and broken.
“I can’t watch you get hurt.”
She whispered.
“But I also… can’t stand beside you.”
Her hand trembled slightly as it rested on top of his, her fingers cold.
“But, if you really love him… then find a way to leave. Far from here. Go as far as you can. Because as long as you stay under this roof, Bobo… you’ll never be allowed to be with him.”
“Your Ba… he will never accept.”
Her voice cracked faintly, but she held it steady.
“You don’t know how hard I’m trying… trying to keep him from pushing this marriage forward with that girl.”
“But… I don’t know how long I can hold him back.”
Yibo’s throat tightened.
He finally managed a word.
“Ma…”
It broke on his tongue, half-breath, half-sob.
She smiled at him, the kind that hurt more than comforted.
“Don’t worry about me, Bobo.”
She said gently.
“I’ve lived long enough with your father’s temper. I’m used to his storms, his fists, his words. But I can’t see you drowning in it too.”
A single tear slipped down Yibo’s cheek.
She reached out and wiped it away gently with her thumb, her hand trembling just slightly.
“You don’t deserve to be hurt like this… just for loving who you love, Bobo.”
Then she stood, and looked down at him one last time.
“I just want to see you happy, my boy… But what you’ve chosen…”
She paused, voice faltering but firm.
“It won’t give you the happiness you’re hoping for. At least not easily. Still… if it’s what your heart wants, then run toward it and don’t look back.”
And with that, she turned and walked out of the room.
Yibo didn’t move.
He just sat there, lips parted, breath shallow, watching her back as she disappeared through the doorway.
The plate of sweets sat untouched beside him, still warm.
The silence after her footsteps was louder than ever.
———————————————
Two days later, it was Zhan’s turn.
He was organizing the display near the window in his book store when the call came.
“Mr. Xiao Zhan? Congratulations. You’ve cleared the final round for the Netherlands contract. We’ll send the documents by tomorrow.”
Zhan stood there, phone still pressed to his ear, barely breathing.
“…I did?”
“Yes.”
The voice on the line laughed.
“You did. We’ll be in touch.”
He hung up slowly.
For a few seconds, the world around him blurred.
Then his knees gave a little, and he dropped into the nearest chair, exhaling like he hadn’t in weeks.
Hope.
It wasn’t just a fantasy anymore.
It was something real.
Something solid.
Like maybe, just maybe… he could finally do something.
For Yibo. For them.
Something he could feel.
Something he could fight for.
That night, they were on the phone again.
Both lying on their beds, voices low and soft, like a ritual now.
Zhan hesitated.
He could’ve told Yibo about the job offer.
But instead, he said.
“Bo?”
“Hmm?”
“…Is there any way we can meet? I wanna tell you something. But not over the phone.”
There was a pause.
Then Yibo’s tone shifted, quiet concern creeping in.
“What happened, ge? You okay?”
“I will be.”
Zhan replied gently.
“I just… I really wanna see you, that’s all. Please? Just once?”
Yibo exhaled, like he was already calculating escape routes.
“Let me figure something out, Zhan-ge. I’ll find a way.”
When the call ended, Yibo kept the phone pressed to his chest, staring at nothing, his mind racing.
After a long moment, he picked it up again, scrolled through his contacts, and hit Call on Lele’s number.
——————————————
Next morning, Lele and Chen showed up at the Wang house, dressed semi-formally and wearing the most innocent expressions they could manage.
“Uncle…”
Lele said earnestly.
“Yibo has to go to college today. End-of-semester formalities, collecting his certificates, recommendation letters, returning the ID card, all that.”
Wang Jinfa narrowed his eyes.
“They can’t post it?”
“It’s one of those… uh… non-delegable protocols.”
Chen said, tossing in a word even he wasn’t sure existed.
“In-person collection only.”
Jinfa grunted but didn’t argue.
“Fine. But listen carefully. If you so much as take him anywhere near that Bookstore guy, I’ll make sure none of you walk straight for a week.”
“We swear!”
Lele said quickly, almost too quickly, throwing a nervous glance at Yibo.
“We’ll stick to him like glue.”
Zhang Meilan, who had been silently watching from the corner, said nothing.
But she didn’t look away from Yibo, not even once.
She knew.
And still, she stayed quiet.
Once outside and far enough from the house, Yibo finally let out a breath.
At the metro station, he turned to his friends.
“Thank you, guys.”
He said sincerely.
Lele smirked.
“Don’t thank us yet. Just make sure you kiss him good.”
Chen bumped shoulders with him, grinning.
“Seriously… anything for you and Zhan-ge.”
Then he handed Yibo a thin file, stuffed with random papers.
“Keep this in your bag. Just in case your uncle asks, say it’s from college.”
Yibo gave a small nod, clutching it tighter than needed.
They said their goodbyes, and Yibo boarded the train alone.
The metro hummed beneath his feet.
Outside the window, the buildings rushed past in smudged shades of gray and blue.
He rested his head on the glass and closed his eyes.
After everything, he was finally going to see him.
————————————————–
By early afternoon, he arrived in Deqing.
The bookstore stood just as he remembered.
Tucked into the quiet lane, sun spilling golden light across the front window.
Through the glass, Yibo spotted him.
Zhan was arranging books for a young couple by the register, laughing softly at something they said.
His profile in the light looked soft, calm.
Familiar in a way that made Yibo’s heart ache and leap at once.
He pushed the door open.
The bell chimed faintly.
Zhan turned… and froze.
Yibo hadn’t told him he was coming.
He stared like he didn’t believe what he was seeing.
Yibo gave a small, crooked smile.
Zhan smiled back… eyes wide, stunned but so full of quiet happiness.
They didn’t say anything.
Not with customers still there.
Yibo just nodded slightly toward the back room.
Zhan gave the smallest nod in return.
Yibo slipped past the shelves and into the small back room.
Zhan’s fingers were trembling as he returned to the customers.
He couldn’t even hear what they were saying now.
He just kept nodding, praying they’d hurry up and leave.
Ten excruciating minutes later, they did.
Zhan nearly flew to the door, flipped the sign to CLOSED, pulled the shutter halfway down, and ran into the back room.
Yibo was standing by the small window, sunlight spilling across his face.
“Bo…”
Zhan’s voice caught.
And then he was in his arms.
He hugged him like he never wanted to let go… arms tight, face buried in Yibo’s shoulder, breath shuddering.
“I didn’t think you’d actually make it so soon.”
He murmured.
Yibo pulled him closer.
“You know I’ve been dying to see you, ge… even if it meant risking everything.”
He eased back just enough to meet Zhan’s eyes.
Something flickered there… heat, longing, maybe a hint of defiance.
His gaze dropped to Zhan’s mouth, lingering for a heartbeat, and his hands slid up to curl around the back of Zhan’s neck.
He drew him in, slow but certain, until there was no space left to breathe.
And then, without another word, he leaned in and kissed Zhan… desperate, hungry, like the days apart had been a punishment neither of them could bear.
Zhan didn’t hesitate for a second.
He kissed him back just as fiercely, like that kiss was air, like he’d been drowning and this was the only way to breathe again.
“I missed you.”
Yibo murmured against his lips, breathless.
“I missed this… so damn much.”
Zhan’s hand fisted in his hair, his lips brushing Yibo’s ear.
“You don’t even know how bad I’ve been craving you… craving this.”
Their mouths moved with urgency, with longing, with all the things they couldn’t say out loud.
Fingers tangled in hair, breath hitched, hearts pounding like they were stealing time… because maybe they were.
Outside, the world kept turning, but in that small back room, the kiss spun out of control… clothes forgotten, restraint abandoned, until neither of them was thinking, only feeling, only needing… and there was nothing left to stop them.
—————————————-
The late afternoon sun slanted in through the small window, throwing golden patches over the cluttered little backroom.
The shutter was half down, casting long shadows, and the only sound was the faint hum of a ceiling fan turning in slow, lazy circles.
Zhan and Yibo sat on the mattress on the floor, backs against the wall.
Their legs were tangled casually, and their fingers laced together, resting between them.
Yibo’s head was leaning on Zhan’s shoulder, his dark hair was slightly tousled, still messy from earlier.
His hoodie lying discarded beside him.
Zhan’s shirt hung loose on his shoulders, half-buttoned and wrinkled, the collar askew.
Their clothes were creased, their skin warm, and the air between them still carried the quiet afterglow of something tender and unspoken.
They sat in comfortable silence, breathing in sync, hearts a little steadier just by being near each other.
Zhan broke the silence softly.
“Bo… I want to tell you something.”
Yibo didn’t move, but his fingers tightened slightly around Zhan’s.
“What is it, ge?”
Zhan turned his head, his voice quiet but filled with restrained excitement.
“I cleared that interview… the one from Netherlands. I got the offer.”
Yibo’s head shot up.
His eyes widened, then a grin broke across his face, bright and boyish, lighting him up like sunshine.
“Ge… seriously?! Oh my god, really? You got it?”
He sat up straighter, eyes gleaming.
“I’m so, so happy for you! Finally… something good. Finally, you got some hope.”
Zhan’s heart warmed seeing Yibo’s joy for him… it was so genuine, so unselfish.
But then, just as quickly, Yibo’s smile faded.
His brows furrowed.
“…That means you’re leaving?”
His voice was small.
Careful.
Zhan turned to him fully, reached out, and gently cupped Yibo’s face in his hands.
His thumbs brushed softly under Yibo’s eyes, his touch warm and grounding.
“No.”
He said, voice calm but firm.
“I’m not going. We’re going.”
Yibo blinked, confused.
“What…?!”
Zhan smiled and rested his forehead briefly against Yibo’s.
“I want you to come with me. We’ll figure it out together. We’ll talk to your parents later. Even my family… they know now. I don’t know what they think anymore, but… we’ll make them understand. Eventually.”
Yibo hesitated, his jaw tightening slightly.
“But how would I even go with you… I mean, it’s not that simple and…”
“I’ll sell this shop.”
Zhan interrupted gently.
“And I’ve saved a bit. It’ll be enough to start with. You’ve finished college now, Bo. You can find a starter job there… it won’t be perfect, but we’ll manage. Together.”
Yibo shook his head quickly.
“No, Zhan ge… you don’t have to do all that for me.”
“I have to.”
Zhan said, more fiercely now.
“I’m not leaving you behind. If I have to go alone, I won’t go at all.”
Yibo stared at him, stunned.
“Zhan ge, don’t say that…”
His voice cracked slightly.
He paused, chest rising and falling with emotion.
Then his mother’s words echoed in his mind,
“If you really love him… then find a way to leave. Far from here. Go as far as you can.”
And slowly… he smiled.
A real one this time.
Tired, a little trembling, but real.
“Okay…”
He whispered.
“I’ll come with you.”
Zhan’s breath caught.
“But you’re not taking all the burden alone.”
Yibo added, nudging him playfully with his arm.
“I’ll sell my garage too. I’ve got some savings stashed away. We’ll figure it out together.”
Zhan let out a soft laugh, then pulled Yibo into a tight hug, their foreheads brushing again.
It felt like the air shifted in the room… lighter, warmer, filled with a fragile kind of hope.
For the first time in what felt like forever, they weren’t just surviving.
They were building something.
Together.
That evening, Zhan closed the bookstore early, and they headed to the metro station together.
On the way, they stopped at a little street shop for snacks, just like in the old days, before boarding the train.
As Yibo had informed them earlier, Chen and Lele were waiting at Linping station in their morning formal clothes.
Before getting off, Yibo glanced at Zhan.
“See you soon, ge.”
Zhan smiled, nodded.
“Sure. Take care, Bo. Love you.”
Yibo stepped onto the platform, and from there, Chen and Lele drove him home so Wang Jinfa wouldn’t suspect a thing.
————————————
The night had settled softly over the house, the air still warm from the day.
In the living room, the soft glow of the television flickered across Xiao Guoqiang’s face as he flipped channels absentmindedly.
Liu Fang sat beside him, legs tucked under her, quietly folding a small pile of laundry.
The hum of the fan filled the space with a steady rhythm.
Yue had already gone to bed, her room silent except for the occasional creak of the old ceiling fan.
Zhan came out of his room, his expression calm but purposeful.
His hair was still damp from the shower, a few strands curling at the nape of his neck.
He padded barefoot to the couch and sat down beside his parents.
He watched the screen for a moment, gathering his words.
Then he spoke softly.
“Ma, Ba… I want to talk to you about something.”
Liu Fang glanced at him, noticing the quiet tension in his voice.
“What is it, Zhan?”
Zhan looked between the two of them.
“You already know I’m leaving soon… but I’ve decided something else. I want Yibo to come with me.”
There was a moment of pause.
The television murmured on, but neither parent reacted immediately.
Xiao Guoqiang switched off the television, his brows furrowing slightly.
Liu Fang looked at her husband, then back at her son.
“You mean, both of you? Together?”
She asked, slowly.
Zhan nodded.
“Yes. We’ve talked about it. I’ve already started working out the process with the consultancy.”
“There’s a way for him to apply for a job seeker visa or even join me first and look for work after. I don’t want to leave him behind… here, alone.”
Liu Fang’s hands stilled over the half-folded towel.
“Zhan… I think you should go first. Settle there. See how things are. You can always think about the rest later.”
His father exhaled and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“Taking someone abroad isn’t as easy as booking a flight. It takes money, time, paperwork. Yibo would need a job to survive there. And you’re going to be new yourself. You don’t even know the place yet.”
Zhan met his father’s eyes.
“I’ve already spoken to the agency. We’ve worked out the expenses. Between what I’ll earn and what we both have saved, we can manage it. We’re not being reckless, Ba.”
His voice trembled slightly, emotion rising in his chest.
“I’m not going to leave him behind. If I can’t take him with me, then I won’t go either.”
He stood abruptly, his jaw tight.
“I thought you’d understand.”
And with that, he turned and walked away, his footsteps quiet but heavy as they trailed down the hallway.
A door clicked softly shut a moment later.
In the living room, Xiao Guoqiang leaned back with a long sigh, rubbing his chin.
Liu Fang set the towel aside, her eyes still fixed on the hallway.
“He’s serious.”
She murmured.
Guoqiang nodded, silent for a while.
Then, quietly.
“Hmm. Too serious.
A hush settled over the house, the kind that made every breath feel louder than it should have.
[To be continued…]
——————————————
Author’s Note:
Heyyy, you made it to the end of the chapter! 😄
Hope you enjoyed it — and if you did, please don’t forget to like & comment on my Insta post. 💖
Think of it as your way of telling me, “Hey, I’m here, and I loved it!” — it means the world to me and truly keeps me inspired to write more for you! ✨
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