Saving the Heartthrob Frenemy-Chapter 49: "Aish you brat,"

Qie Xieling thought the fireworks incident had passed and no one would talk about it anymore but who would have thought that his dad would find everyone who helped him and start trouble during their family holiday in the Maldives?

Wen Qinxi was cutting cucumbers in the kitchen while occasionally waving the knife around at his accomplices.

Wen Danzhe who had just come downstairs after waking up late was startled to hear his name. He scratched his scruffy head of hair and asked, "What did I do?"

Wen Qinxi stopped cutting the cucumber and said, "You showed him how to blow them up one after the other. You are also an accomplice."

Wen Danzhe picked one of the sliced cucumbers and said, "If I didn’t he wouldn’t have done it safely and then you would blame me again if he got hurt," before eating it.

Nana Qie lightly pressed the two slices of cucumbers she had stolen on her eyes and said, "Exactly."

Nana Wen chased away her son who was taking too long at the fridge door as she replied, "Besides who taught him to go on the dark web? The only place he could have bought that kind would be there."

Wen Qinxi, "..."

"I didn’t teach him. He is just too smart. One glance and he figured it out," said Nana Qie.

Wen Danzhe poured out some juice in a glass and when he heard Nana Qie say this he pressed the cold bottle on Wen Qinxi’s cheek while saying, "Then it’s your fault that he is smart."

Wen Qinxi grimaced while moving his head away. "Aish you brat," he exclaimed before he pinched Wen Danzhe.

Wen Danzhe curled up as he yelped, "Uh...ma, dage is bullying me. Look."

"I haven’t even started yet. Stay still," said Wen Qinxi and Nana Wen ignored them. How was this any different from when they were young?

Qie Xieling just watched the two of them with interest. He suddenly felt like it would be nice if he had a sibling.

While he was watching them in a daze his shoulder was tapped and when he turned his head he saw his father dressed in gym shorts and a vest like he was ready to work out.

"Let’s go," said Qie Ranzhe and Qie Xieling was very reluctant to follow. He really didn’t like to exercise much but his father insisted.

He got off the barstool and walked behind in slow steps. When they reached the gym Qie Ranzhe began to stretch out his muscles looking like a giant in Qie Xieling’s eyes.

"Pa," he said already glancing at the door to run for his life.

"We are going to have to practise the moves I taught you last time. Don’t worry I will go easy on you," he said but his tone didn’t give him that impression at all.

Qie Xieling exhaled deeply before rushing over to tackle his father. Qie Ranzhe showed a disappointed expression at his son’s predictability.

He counter attacked while reprimanding him. "You just had to start with the spear," he said while lifting him before gently slamming him on the gym mat.

Qie Xieling was like a possum pretending to be dead but his chest was rising and falling deeply. Qie Ranzhe looked down at him while saying, "You should always think things through and if you decide to pull a stunt like this again just don’t get caught... Now get up," he said but Qie Xieling didn’t want to. He knew what his father was talking about had nothing to do with wrestling but rather his pranks and troublemaking. His father knew the likelihood of him behaving was quite low so this was him giving him advice.

Qie Xieling understood what he meant but he also understood that he didn’t want to exercise as well. He put on a pained expression as he displayed the best performance of his life. Clutching his knee he feigned an injury like a soccer player.

"Uh uh it hurts," he yelped while rocking back and forth.

Qie Ranzhe arched his brow and said, "Isn’t it supposed to be your lower back that’s injured?"

Qie Xieling froze as he opened one eye and shut it before touching his lower back and crying out in pain again.

Qie Ranzhe, "..."

Why was it so similar to his husband though Wen Qinxi was a much better actor than Qie Xieling? Qie Ranzhe picked him up and hauled him over his shoulders before placing him on the treadmill.

Qie Xieling who thought he had gotten away with it, "..."

"Since you don’t want to practise then we run double the time today," said Qie Ranzhe and Qie Xieling almost cried tears of blood. Where was his dad when he needed him? Well, he was sipping mimosas with his mother and mother-in-law while hearing gossip.

***

By the time Qie Ranzhe was done with Qie Xieling he was a different kid in terms of stature. This was further exacerbated by the fact that his hormones were slowly kicking in. He seemed taller and stronger at a glance. It took a while for Bo Ailun to even recognise him.

He grasped both of Qie Xieling’s arms with a look of shock while shaking him. "Is this really you?!" he yelled and Qie Xieling looked around seeming embarrassed.

There were seniors hanging around at the entrance to see the new fresh meat walking through the doors of high school.

Qie Xieling pulled out his earbuds out and hooked his arms around Bo Ailun’s shoulders while saying, "Don’t shout. They are all looking at us like we are prey."

"Eeee, so exciting to be in high school. Come let me show you our class," said Bo Ailun as he pulled him away.

While he was being dragged around by Bo Ailun, he caught the gaze of one of the seniors standing by the top of the stairs. He was two heads taller than Qie Xieling and was just lazily watching him.

The boy next to him who had his back pressed on the rail of the stairs followed his line of sight and whispered, "Is he the one with two dads?"

The other boy didn’t answer. Instead, he scoffed watching Qie Xieling’s disappearing figure.

When they reached the class it was already busy with girls in groups getting to know each other and the boys arguing about some basketball games.

Qie Xieling raised his head but when he saw Luo Muchen sitting quietly with his head lowered organising his things, he froze causing Bo Ailun to stumble.

He asked, "What? Are you thinking about where to sit? How about we sit at the back like always?"