It's mid-January and finally the day has come for Yibo to go to court against his mother to contest the will that his father wrote 7 years ago when he was in a rage after finding out that Yibo had a relationship with another boy.

The trial began with a strong opening statement from Lana's father. He not only explained to the judge why they were there today and why Yibo, as a son, was suing his own mother, but also to the audience in the courtroom, who looked stunned as he explained that Mrs. Wang even blocked contact between father and son, prevented the two from reconciling, and also prevented Yibo from returning to his father.

Of course, the other side's lawyer denied everything and claimed that Mr. Wang, after learning seven years ago that his son was gay and in a relationship with another boy, forced his own son to break up with his boyfriend and then voluntarily sent him to the U.S. to live with his mother, because he wanted to get rid of him. And that during this time, he is said to have not once aked about Yibo.

But Lana's father was well prepared. Better than Yibo had assumed. Because he used the last weeks extensively for the search for proofs, which show quite clearly that Mrs. Wang had lied.

So, not only did Yibo's brother speak up in the courtroom and explain, "After Yibo had been in the U.S. for about two years, our father had regretted sending him away and wanted to bring Yibo back. However, our mother always claimed that Yibo did not want to leave at all and was comfortable with her. She also said that Yibo did not want to see my father or me. Our father, in the last 5 years before his death, had tried again and again to talk to Yibo, to apologize and bring him back to Beijing. And if that was really my father's last will it was surely because he forgot to change it."

"Well Mr. Wang Hai Kuan, but isn't it also the case that your brother was angry because you of all people, revealed his secret about his relationship with that other boy?" Asked the lawyer from the other side.

Hai Kuan smiled sadly and replied, "Yes, that's true. Our parents always told us they were modern and open-minded people. Over and over again, I heard my father say that he wished Yibo would finally fall in love. But when I showed him this strip of pictures with Yibo and his boyfriend on it, he was not the modern and open-minded man he always pretended to be. He went berserk. I never expected such a reaction."

Yibo had also been called upon to testify. He often looked to Zhan, who encouraged him, just by his smile. "When my father forced me to separate from Zhan and live with my mother, I hated him. Mainly because he was a liar in my eyes. How could he always claim to be modern and open-minded and then condemn me for my feelings for Zhan? I didn't choose my sexual orientation. I just fell in love and was happy. Zhan and I were together for one year and didn't hurt anyone with it! We were just a happy couple and left everyone else out of it. We never misbehaved, never bothered anyone else with it. Then why did I have to break up with Zhan? I hated my father for it and also my brother for betraying me. But, eventually that anger and hatred subsided. I kept hoping my father would come forward and take me back. I wanted so much to go back home. Back to Zhan. I even begged my mother many times to let me go back. But she kept telling me over and over again that neither my father nor my brother wanted me with them. That they wouldn't even contact me. In all those years before my father found out my cell phone number and address, after I was forced into a marriage and moved out of my home, I had no idea that my father wanted me back and regretted how he had treated me."

Lana's father handed over two original letters from Yibo's father and stated, "It is clearly written here: 'Yibo I regret everything. I made a mistake and miss you every day since I sent you to your mother. I called so many times, wrote so many times, but you were and are unforgiving'. It doesn't sound to me that Mr. Wang had made no effort to contact his son for 7 years."

The judge confirmed that. Then he said, "But that doesn't prove he had intended to change his will."

"That is correct, honorable sir. So, over the past few weeks, I've been looking for evidence of that, and I found something. Or rather, someone. Mr. Wang had a housekeeper. She worked for Mr. Wang for over 20 years and even lived in the Wang's house. She is here today and would like to testify." Replied Lana's father.

The judge called the former housekeeper to the testimony stand. After greeting Yibo with a warm hug, she sat down. She placed a large envelope in front of her, smiled and said, "For a whole two years after Mr. Wang, sent Yibo to the U.S. to live with his mother, no household servant was allowed to enter Yibo's room. I often saw him going into the room, looking at Yibo's belongings, and crying in there. He didn't admit it at that time how much he missed Yibo. But after two years, he kept talking about it. I was often there when he tried to reach Yibo, but was always blocked by his ex-wife. I had to take several letters and packages from him to Yibo to the post office in the last few years. Until the end, he had always tried to reconcile with Yibo."

"I see. So he was very sad." Replied Lana's father.

"Yes, exactly. I think he had already regretted it the same night after he sent Yibo away. Yibo was always his pride and joy. Hai Kuan too, he loved his sons more than anything. But Yibo came completely after him and that's why he had a special relationship with him. Mr. Wang and his father, the late Wang Senior, often talked about Yibo and also about their relationship back then. In the process, Wang Senior kept saying that he met the boy from back then and was delighted with him. He was very kind, hardworking, sincere and always polite, he said. Mr. Wang then informed himself about Xiao Zhan and said several times that had he not overreacted at that time and taken time to get to know the boy, he would have been proud that his son, had such a great boyfriend."

"So he was no longer against his son's homosexuality?" Asked the judge.

"No, on the contrary."

"Can you prove your claims?" Asked the lawyer of Yibo's mother.

Mrs. Ling, the former housekeeper answered in affirmative and opened the envelope in front of her. She pulled out three documents and explained, "I found these documents recently after Mr. Lawyer contacted me. At that time, I had the task of taking care of the household liquidation after Mr. Wang died. I didn't know where to put all the personal documents because Hai Kuan didn't want them and Yibo wasn't around. So I kept them with me. I recently looked through those documents and found this envelope and was quite amazed at the contents. It is a will, written just 6 months before Mr. Wang died and there are two letters. One for Hai Kuan and one for Yibo."

Lana's father handed the documents to the judge, who paused the hearing for an hour to look at the documents.

Yibo and Zhan went outside for some fresh air. They both were also hungry and got fried noodles with chicken and egg from a snack cart. Neither talked much, as Yibo was even more nervous now that new documents had surfaced than before the trial began. But when Zhan put his head against his shoulder, Yibo immediately felt a little more relaxed.

"Thank you Zhan." He whispered.

"Mhm, anytime." Replied Zhan, looking around and giving Yibo a kiss on his cheek.

"Oh yeah, I needed that right now. I'm so glad you're with me today."

"I won't let you go through this alone. We're a couple, we can handle anything together."

"Say that again."

"What exactly?"

"That we're a couple."

"We're a couple Yibo."

"I just love hearing that. I'm so happy to have you back."

"I'm glad too."

"Hey you two, are you okay?" Called out to them Lana, who had just arrived.

"Very well, actually. I've got Zhan, I'm full, that's all I need." Yibo replied with a grin.

"Hey, I thought we were friends now. And friends is what everyone needs." Muzzled Lana with a laugh.

"Mmm, you're a good friend. Your dad is great, by the way. I don't even understand why he gave up that job to buy a TV studio."

"My dad had always been a great lawyer and helped a lot of people. But at some point he needed a change. The TV station was still kind of a shopping channel back then when my dad bought it. And he did that for my mother. So that she would be known all over the country. They made a documentary about her and her work and my father began to love that work as much as he loved working as a lawyer back then. That's why he stuck with it and made the little TV station, into something big." Explained Lana.

Since the break was also over, they went back into the courtroom. The judge came out of his office, along with both lawyers, who were also looking at the documents. The lawyer for Yibo's mother consulted with her, and again and again Mrs. Wang shook her head. Her displeasure with what her lawyer was telling her was clear to see.

When the judge officially reopened the hearing, he said, "We have looked at the documents in detail and called the notary whose stamp is on it. This will is authentic and notarized. Since the notary did not know about Mr. Wang's passing, he had not called before. Let me read something from the will:

My dear sons, I now know that I will die soon and must prepare for it. I want to tell you that I love you and will not abandon you even after my death. I have been thinking about the distribution of my inheritance and wondering to whom I should give what. Well, my mind is now made up. You Hai Kuan, will inherit the house and 40% of my financial assets, build a future together with your boyfriend. Yibo, you will also receive 40% of my financial assets and my shares in the insurance agency, so you will have 31% of the shares and get my seat on the board of directors. 5% of my assets will go to Mrs. Ling, my housekeeper who was with me for 20 years. I hope she can retire with it and live a quiet carefree life. The remaining 15% of my financial assets will go to Xiao Zhan! Think of it as compensation for what I also did to you back then when I forced Yibo to separate from you. I know by now that you loved each other very much and I tortured you both when I forced you to separate though. I hope that maybe you can give Yibo another chance after you learn why he broke up with you. I think, because Yibo is like me, that he still loves you very much and as much as I have learned about you, I think you still love my Yibo too. No one else can manage to make him happy. Only you can do that. Forgive me for what an asshole I was back then.

That is what is written in this will, as well as a few more personal words to his sons. In the two letters to his sons, which will be given to you after this hearing, he also talks about his love for his sons, and to Yibo he wrote: 'Get Zhan back'. So here we have the proof that the other will is invalid. Therefore, in this case, I do not need to pass judgment. But, I would like to say a few words to Mrs. Wang."

Yibo's mother sat up straight and looked at the judge. The latter said, "As a mother, you should be ashamed of yourself after what I heard today and learned about you before the trial. I don't know if someone like you can even be called a mother. You deliberately put yourself between father and son, and between the two brothers. You lied, withheld letters and phone calls. But even worse, I think, you could not accept your son as he is and even forced him to marry a woman who made his life hell. I wish your sons would report you for mental cruelty and if they do, I hope I will be the judge in that trial. Nothing is more important in a family than love, trust and respect. None of these things you have had for your sons. I hope your sons will break away from you."

Then the judge turned to Yibo and said, "You have been through a lot in the past years and I hope you are better now. There is nothing wrong with your sexual orientation, even though it is still a taboo subject in this country. What was and is important is that you are happy. And as far as I know, you are back together with your boyfriend from back then and your smile tells me that you are very happy at the moment. I wish you only the best for your future and that you will never be separated from your boyfriend again."

Then the judge declared the trial over. Lana's father then told Yibo that Yibo would be notified by his father's notary and that he would explain everything.

Yibo was relieved. When he received the letter from his father, he read it together with Zhan. And even the judge came to Yibo once again, extended his hand to him and Zhan, and told them to take good care of each other and always stick together.

The letter, in which Yibo's father not only apologized and explained, also included the words once again, "Get Zhan back. Become happy again and don't let anyone else destroy that happiness."