Saving the Heartthrob Frenemy-Chapter 122: Jolie, a menace to society

Thinking like this Qie Xieling ran upstairs and was about to ask when he saw Luo Muchen holding his pendant that he threw in the trash a week ago.

"Where did you get that?" he asked while reaching over to take it. He honestly thought it was already at some landfill somewhere.

Luo Muchen dodged his hand and showed the sticky note that was next to it.

"You threw it in the trash?" he asked struggling to keep his voice steady.

Qie Xieling grabbed it successfully this time and said, "By accident. I thought I wouldn’t find it." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Qie Xieling was just so happy that the auntie found it and brought it here when she stocked up his fridge with groceries.

He took it with him to the bathroom and closed the door leaving Luo Muchen standing in the bedroom with a complicated look on his face. He knew there was no such thing as accidentally throwing it in the bin so why would Qie Xieling do that?

Qie Xieling put the pendant around his neck before taking off his clothes and hopping into the shower. While lathering his hair with shampoo, he suddenly heard a voice almost giving him a heart attack. "So... you brought a friend home. How interesting."

"Shit, Jolie how the fuck are you in my bathroom?" asked Qie Xieling his eyes getting stung by the foam.

"Are you watching me?!" he exclaimed while covering his key parts.

"You dummy there is no camera in here. Your dad gave me an upgrade recently and said I should keep you company so I can now connect to your phone, your TV, your lights, your fridge," it said sounding like it was very nosy.

"Okay okay, I get it. Just don’t say anything around him. I don’t want you to scare him," he said but it was already too late.

Jolie was trying to torment the poor lad acting like the house was haunted. Unfortunately for Jolie, this person was as boring as its boss. He was like a block of wood.

"And don’t tell my dad that I brought someone home either," he said.

"Ohoo, boyfriend? It’s okay don’t be shy. Your dad was very shy at first now he goes around calling husband sweetly."

Qie Xieling, "..."

"Just go find someone else to mess with. I am fine," he said and Jolie for once listened, well that is after leaving a snarky comment.

"Sure, just don’t overdo it. That would be an embarrassing emergency call."

Qie Xieling, "..."

No wonder people complained about Jolie when the game was first launched. It was a menace to society.

When Qie Xieling came out of the bathroom Luo Muchen wasn’t in the bedroom. A sudden fear that he had left sprung up and Qie Xieling quickly peeked downstairs and when he saw that Luo Muchen was in the kitchen making something his heart settled.

Afraid that he would burn down the kitchen he hastily got dressed and rushed downstairs his hair a little damp.

"What are you doing? I was going to order something," he said but Luo Muchen carried on cutting green onions.

He slowly looked up and when he saw Qie Xieling his heart simultaneously stopped and leapt at the same time. Qie Xieling had just finished taking a shower, and his hair was dishevelled, tousled around his forehead. His skin was slightly flushed from the warm water, and his cheeks, clavicle, and lips were blushing, making him look even more enticing.

Luo Muchen couldn’t help but admire Qie Xieling, his heart racing as he took in everything about him. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch him, to feel the warmth of his skin against his own. But he held back, continuing to cut the onions.

"I am making something simple. Just go and dry your hair first," said Luo Muchen before clearing his throat having heard how hoarse it was.

"Okay," replied Qie Xieling before running back up the stairs. Ten minutes later he was downstairs sitting at the dinner table scrolling through his messages.

He ignored Bo Ailun who was apologising for setting him up. Luo Muchen placed two steaming bowls of wontons on the table.

Qie Xieling’s was spicy and his wasn’t. "Wow, this looks good," exclaimed Qie Xieling as Luo Muchen pulled the other chair close and sat with their knees touching.

Qie Xieling looked at all the space around them before glancing down at their legs touching. He wanted to say something when Luo Muchen asked, "Was that Jolie messing around earlier?"

Qie Xieling answered like it was a pet making trouble. "Just ignore it. It’s being a menace," he said and Jolie answered,

"I heard that."

Qie Xieling, "..."

"This looks great. I didn’t know you could cook," he said stirring the bowl of spicy wontons and noodle soup.

Luo Muchen suddenly stretched out his hand holding up the porcelain spoon with some wonton soup in it.

"What?" asked Qie Xieling and soon he got Luo Muchen’s meaning. He hesitated but when he remembered they used to do this all the time he leaned forward and ate it.

"How is it?" asked Luo Muchen and Qie Xieling hummed as he closed his eyes, savouring the explosion of flavours in his mouth. The broth was rich and savoury, with just the right amount of heat.

"It’s good," replied Qie Xieling turning to look at him. Luo Muchen was staring at his bowl like he wanted some. That look gave Qie Xieling nostalgia.

"You don’t even eat spicy food?" he said but Luo Muchen just looked at him with that look that made it very hard for him to refuse.

"I can handle it," he said and Qie Xieling pushed the bowl over but Luo Muchen didn’t move.

Qie Xieling almost rolled his eyes. Some things never changed. He scooped up a spoonful and said, "Here," before feeding him. "Happy?"

Luo Muchen was more than happy but he lied. His spice tolerance hadn’t gotten better yet. He coughed twice and Qie Xieling got up to get him a small box of soya milk. He poked the straw in the hole and gave it to him.

"Thanks," said Luo Muchen after taking a few sips. Qie Xieling’s gaze involuntarily lingered on his face. He was staring at his lips which had turned red just from the spicy soup.

He glanced down at the thumb ring that was where it was supposed to be and suddenly felt weird. Maybe it was because they hadn’t seen each other for so long that the atmosphere was strange.

As Qie Xieling slurped the noodles and savoured the spices, he felt a warmth in his heart that had nothing to do with the soup.

Unable to fully process this strange atmosphere he got up after eating and said, "It’s getting late. You should go home now. Your mum must be wondering where you are."

Luo Muchen, "..."

Qie Xieling felt weird chasing him off like this but if he let him stay he felt like something irreversible was going to happen. There was a shift in the scale his instincts were telling him to fix it before it was too late.