Chapter Text
Accidents are like death. Waiting for us everywhere. Inevitable. Unavoidable. Plan as we might. They defy our planning.
“Dr. Xiao Zhan, you are under arrest for the murder of Wang Liying Née Zhao- “getting arrested at Liying’s funeral Infront of the attendees was not something Xiao Zhan anticipated, most importantly not Infront of Yibo. As his hands are being handcuffed, his eyes search worriedly for said man.
As his eyes find him, Yibo is staring back at Xiao with those piercing eyes and a rigid stance, bawling his hands into a fist so tight that his knuckles are turning white.
Xiao Zhan can already see the accusing in his eyes, shaking his head towards Yibo. He yells to him, “Yibo I can explain please! I didn’t want any of this to happen I swear. I never meant to hurt her you have to believe me.” As the detective takes him away, He keeps his gaze towards Yibo as he’s being led to the police car, he looks for some sort of sign or body language from Yibo that tells him that he at least listened to his pleas but he saw nothing in return… no expression… no signal… no mouthed words…. Not even a blink.
In the contrary all he sees is Yibo turning away and hugging his mother as he starts to sob, Xiao Zhan can tell as Yibo’s shoulders begin to shake violently in his mother’s comforting arms as she cries with him.
As the police car begins to drive away from the cemetery, Xiao Zhan cries as he sees the cemetery disappear from his view.
3 Hours Later
“Dr. Xiao this will move a long much faster if you tell us why you killed Mrs. Wang Liying.” Says the chief detective as he leans towards Xiao Zhan over the cold metal table.
Sighing in desperation Xiao Zhan looks down towards his hands that are cuffed to the cold metal table, as tears began to form again. How did he get here? he was not a bad person; He was not a Murderer! His only crime was falling in love with a married man
Everything can change at any moment, suddenly and forever.
A Year Ago
After a long shift at the hospital all Xiao Zhan wants to do is make tea and go to bed, as he gets off the elevator towards his apartment, he sees a bunch of boxes lined up next door. As he gets closer, he sees a beautiful petite woman come out of the apartment next door, feeling his presence, she looks up from a box she was about to pick up.
Smiling she waves at him and says, “Hello! Sorry for the mess, I hope it’s not an issue? My husband and I just moved in. I’m Wang Liying.” Extending her petite hand to Xiao Zhan.
“Oh no it’s not an issue, welcome to the building. I’m Xiao Zhan, do you need help?” says Xiao Zhan as he looks at all the boxes on the floor.
Chuckling Liying shakes her head. “It’s ok Xiao Zhan, my husband and I got it covered but thank you. That’s very kind.” Turning her head towards the entrance of her new apartment she yells out, “Yibo… Love come here please, I want to introduce you to somebody.”
A few moments pass by when the sound of footsteps came closer, A tall lean figure walks out of the threshold.
Xiao Zhan’s breath hitches.
Out walks the most handsome man he’s ever seen in his life. Gulping Xiao couldn’t help to feel a little intimidated by him but at the same time enamored.
As Xiao gets a better view of the man, he couldn’t help to get flustered as Yibo (he assumes is his name) eyes Xiao up and down. Like he was examining every inch of his body.
“Love, this is our new neighbor Xiao Zhan. Xiao Zhan this is my husband Wang Yibo.” Says Liying as she proudly wraps her hand around Yibo’s bicep.
Coming out of his thoughts Xiao Zhan clears his throat and extends his hand out towards Yibo. “Nice to meet you Yibo.”
Taking a quick second to look at Xiao Zhan’s hand Yibo eventually takes hold and shakes it.
Feeling a sudden electric rush go through him, he gets goosebumps. Removing his hand from Yibo’s grip, he Coughs nonchalantly as he extends his earlier offer to Yibo but of course he rejects his offer but thanking him as well.
After a courtesy conversation between the couple and him, he bids them farewell after agreeing to meet up again after they are completely settled in.
As Xiao Zhan goes into his apartment and away from Yibo’s constant gaze like a cheetah eying a baby gazelle, he lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in. Leaning against his door Xiao Zhan is ashamed to admit that something tingled inside him as he gaze fell on Yibo.
Xiao Zhan is not blind, he sees how attractive Yibo is, anyone with eyes can see it. Sighing in disappointment knowing Yibo is a married man…. A forbidden fruit. The apple that he can’t eat as eve already took her claim on it.
PRESENT DAY
Frustrated by Xiao Zhan’s silence the detective decided to take it one step further and get under Xiao Zhan’s skin as last efforts to get him to confess. “Look Dr. Xiao we both know that you and Mr. Wang were having an affair.” With a mocking smirk he leans himself over the table a bit to have direct eye to eye contact with Xiao Zhan. “And Don’t try to deny it, we have evidence to support this.” Snaps his finger to his partner signaling him to give him the folder he had in his hands, as his partner complies the detective opens the beige folder and takes out photographs and lays them down in front of Xiao Zhan.
Leaning over to look at the “Evidence” Xiao Zhan freezes, Infront of him are photographs of him and Yibo kissing, holding hands, hugging affectionately outside a restaurant they frequent that is miles from their apartment due to the possible risk of getting caught by anyone they know. But they don't look like regular photos that were taken from a camera or a phone, they are a bit grainy and in black and white with weird angles so they must be CCTV pictures.
Seeing Xiao Zhan’s reaction, the smug detective leans back on his chair. “So just tell us you did it out of anger towards Mrs. Wang, she got to be the wife while you were just the other women who kept his bed warm.” Says the detective with a mocking smirk.
Tearing his gaze away from the pictures that were laid out in front of him, Xiao Zhan’s head snaps up so fast by the detective's accusation that he almost risked whiplash, looking at the detective in disbelief. “NEVER! That’s not true, we loved each other, and we wanted to be together but I knew what was at stake here, so I had ended our relationship 3 weeks ago.”
3 Weeks Ago
Today was not Xiao Zhan’s day, he had little sleep constantly feeling sick and on top of that the constant dreams…well nightmares about Liying crying on her knees to Xiao Zhan begging as tears of blood fall from her eyes. This is the second week he dreams the same dream, the first night he woke up throwing up all over his comforter.
But deep down he knows why… the guilt… the secrecy… its eating him alive. For his own peace of mind, he knows what he has to do and as much as it pains him, he has to do the right thing.
“Doctor Xiao?” snapping out of his thoughts as the nurse comes to him, he clears his throat and nods for her to continue.
” We have a patient here who refuses to be seen by our Trauma doctor that’s on duty tonight, he says he only wants to be treated by you.” Hands Xiao Zhan the man’s chart.
seeing the name on the chart made his blood run cold. “Yibo!”