Saving the Heartthrob Frenemy-Chapter 117: Jinjing hugged him

Qie Xieling woke up a little more peckish than usual. Maybe it was because he stayed up late two nights in a row catching up on his assignments that he felt extremely hungry.

He reached over to take another pork steamed bun when a pair of chopsticks smacked his hand before taking the last one.

"Ah... Pa," he complained but seeing that gleeful look on Qie Ranzhe’s face he knew this was on purpose. His father had been dropping hints here and there that he should go back to staying near campus but Qie Xieling shamelessly ignored him.

After classes, he would come all the way home and he was everywhere in the house acting like his dad’s tail.

"You want another steamed bun, I will send them to your condo," said Qie Ranzhe and Qie Xieling glanced at the pancake eggs.

He was about to reach over when the plate was pulled away. Was this man trying to starve him?

Wen Qinxi came out of the pantry with a small box of soy milk before placing it next to Qie Xieling.

"Thanks, Dad," he said and Wen Qinxi ruffled his hair.

"We won’t be around for the next couple of days so you can go by grandma’s or your uncle’s place," he said and Qie Xieling’s face turned really sad.

"Can’t I come with? I promise I won’t slack off from school," he said but Wen Qinxi who knew this was a serious meeting with clients abroad couldn’t compromise.

"If you don’t make trouble I can buy you whatever you want," said Qie Ranzhe and Qie Xieling’s eyes visibly brightened.

He unlocked his cell phone and opened his gallery before asking, "Then may you please buy me this BMW? I like it a lot."

Qie Ranzhe picked up his cell phone and zoomed in on the picture before giving it back while reprimanding, "Do I look like a walking ATM? Your motorcycle isn’t in enough?"

Qie Xieling, "..." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Dad," he said turning to the lenient of the two but this time he was bound to lose.

"No, you heard your father. Now go change otherwise you will be late," he said before taking a bite of his steamed bun.

His shoulders slumped, Qie Xieling went upstairs. Living the two parents staring at each other. "Weren’t you too harsh? He rarely asks for anything?" asked Wen Qinxi and Qie Ranzhe pulled his chair over bringing him closer before saying,

"No, and besides he does have a motorcycle. Granted his nana got it for him but still," he replied while feeding Wen Qinxi.

"We are too stingy," said Wen Qinxi feeling a bit bad. Qie Xieling’s grades were excellent, he didn’t cause trouble and he didn’t spend money on girls like most kids in his circle. In other words, he was a reasonable kid yet they wouldn’t give him what he wanted. Thinking of it this way he felt way worse.

Qie Xieling was sulking all day at school, not because he wouldn’t be getting the car he wanted but because his parents were leaving again. Even if it was for a few days he really enjoyed the company.

He decided to go over to Bo Ailun’s place today when someone approached him in the library. It was Jinjing and from the look on her face, she was a little upset.

"Lin Lin, it’s already half past. I have been looking for you?" she said and Qie Xieling rubbed his face vigorously having forgotten he had a meeting with her.

"I am sorry. I just lost track of time," he said while packing up his things. "Let’s go."

The two of them left the library and headed for the coffee shop nearby with a large open area good for study groups.

"What would you like to drink?" asked Qie Xieling and she smiled slightly while replying, "A chai latte for me please."

Qie Xieling nodded his head and pulled up the zip of his down jacket while walking to the counter. He quickly placed his order picking his all-time favourite.

As he waited for their drinks, he felt a strange sensation like someone was watching him. He turned around, but there was no one there apart from a few students seriously studying.

Qie Xieling shrugged it off and figured it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. He grabbed the drinks and walked over to Jinjing’s table in the corner of the coffee shop. She had purposely picked an isolated table in the shop but Qie Xieling didn’t notice.

"Thanks so much," she said and Qie Xieling pointed at her laptop and said,

"Okay, let me see. What’s the problem?"

Jinjing didn’t delay. She flipped her hair back while explaining where she was stuck and Qie Xieling generously explained. But his focus wasn’t all there because that intense feeling returned. He kept feeling like someone was watching him. He turned around again, but still, there was no one there.

"What’s wrong?" asked Jinjing noticing his unease.

"It’s nothing," he replied trying to sound convincing. "I am just a little distracted."

But he couldn’t shake the feeling. It was like an itch he couldn’t scratch, a nagging sensation at the back of his mind.

He decided to finish explaining quickly and leave the coffee shop. The two of them immersed themselves in programming the software. They accidentally touched their fingers here and there while passing the laptop to each other. Jinjing knew how to get someone like Qie Xieling obsessed with his work to talk more freely so they chatted with no restraint.

After an hour or two they walked out, the feeling of being watched lingering, but Qie Xieling couldn’t explain it. He took out his cell phone to check the time while saying, "I have to go. I will see you so-," when Jinjing hugged him unexpectedly.

"Thank you," she said before running away like a robber after robbing other people’s things.

For a moment Qie Xieling was stunned. He just stood there his eyes wide with the strong scent of hand cream assaulting his senses. He sneezed twice while turning to leave.

Rubbing his nose he called Bo Ailun. When Bo Ailun answered he didn’t even let Qie Xieling speak. He was yelling on the call saying that he has earned the reputation of a playboy. His picture with Jinjing at the coffee shop had already circulated and people were crowning him with the title ’playboy’.

"Damn, I just helped her once with school work and everybody is already talking. They are too idle," he said as he raised his head slightly. His steps suddenly paused when he saw a figure he would never forget even when turned to ashes.

"Fuck..."