Chapter 119 - Literal Soul Searching

Zoey's vision shook, her eyes widened as she watched the smug smirk on the side of his lips. Her hands were still in a protective karate stance. 

"Who are you?" Blinking her eyes many times, Zoey sized him up by narrowing her eyes suspiciously. 

She did say she liked her flirtatious darling. However, just moments ago, he had a semblance of the man that night whom he had never shown ever since their first' encounter. 

Moreover, Zoey didn't expect him to do that. After all, she somehow got used to Matthew Xi being a detached divine being. Surely, liquor brings out the craziest side of a person. 

"I am nobody." Shrugging his shoulders, a faint chuckle escaped his lips before he gave her a side eye. 

"No... bring back my darling~" Zoey gasped, placing her hand on her chest as she bit her lower lip. 

"Tomorrow," Glancing at her once again, Matthew Xi's eyes twitched. By the looks of it, Zoey was utterly concerned about 'her darling's' whereabouts. 

He was kidding! Why must she look at him as if she believed him? Is she that intoxicated?!

"Where did you hide him?" On the verge of tears, Zoey muttered rendering him more speechless. 

"I... "

"Help me find him. My poor Browny... I'll save you~" Determined, Zoey suddenly stood up from her seat as she declared. Looking around like a bundle of shame clad with human skin, Zoey searched for Matthew Xi's wandering soul. 

"I'm kidding..." Closing his eyes, Matthew Xi let out a distressed sigh. Although he had a few drinks, his consumption was not much for him not to be conscious. Thus, a sense of shame suddenly enveloped him seeing Zoey's craziness creep out from the closet. 

"Come with me. I can't let you get away with my Browny's body." Regardless, Zoey ignored his last remarks as she grabbed his hand and dragged him to who knows where. 

As Zoey stomped her feet out of the hallway, dragging Matthew Xi's hand who seemed reluctant, Ezekiel Tang knitted his brows. In his eyes, the reason behind their hasty escape was because they had some adult things to do. 

Little did he know, they were about to search for a 'missing soul' who was never missing in the first place. In short, they would do something crazily tiring activity for nothing!

"Mr. Tang, I don't intend to offend you but you're engaged to Miss Wei now." Watching Ezekiel Tang having his eyes fixed upon Zoey and Matthew Xi, while his grip onto a glass of liquor trembled, Richard Sun approached the lone man. 

"What I mean to say is, please focus on your own woman." Richard Sun clarified, giving him a piece of advice while Ezekiel Tang was alone. 

"Huh, I never thought I'd hear such a threat from Mr. Sun." Sneering, Ezekiel Tang slowly turned to Richard Sun and scoffed. "From someone who is constantly harassed by the same woman." He added, bearing the fake courage of the shots of liquor he had throughout the night. 

"I'd treat your words as if you never said them. However, don't forget that the Tang's owe our Sun Family. Mess with anyone you like, but not Miss Zhou. This is a friendly reminder, Zeke." Despite how Richard Sun took his words personally, he remained calm and collected. 

On normal days, he would have taught Ezekiel Tang a lesson and put him in his place. However, this wasn't the right time and place for that. 

At least, Richard Sun was aware of the consequences of breaking up ties with them. Also, somehow he could understand being in Ezekiel Tang's shoes as he has been there. 

Bearing feelings for Zoey was akin to creating a self-destruction button. She would playfully play her fingers around it, constantly teasing one by pressing it a little at times. 

But those little acts unknowingly made them snap, completely losing it. She's a curse, a man's curse. A woman who was unable to love wholeheartedly. Therefore, it was pointless arguing with her because at the end of the day, Zoey found her match. 

Matthew Xi could be her karma. That was what Richard Sun wanted to believe. 

"I'm not messing with her." Unaware of the good intentions of Richard Sun, Ezekiel Tang murmured as he downed the glass of rum in one go. 

'You messed with her, but I don't. Your feelings for Zoey are too hollow for you to understand me.' He continued inwardly, drinking his longing and anger away. 

****

Meanwhile...

"Are you always like this?" Watching her search the garden, Matthew Xi let out his nth sigh. 

Zoey has been relentlessly searching for something that he was certain they couldn't find. Alas, her determination says otherwise, making him feel like a liar. 

"Nobody, keep searching. I'm not talking to you unless you find my Browny. My poor baby Browny..." without giving him a glance, Zoey resumed her search whispering his nickname as if she was looking for a lost child. 

Watching her go crazy as the liquor kicked in, Matthew Xi pinched the space between his brows. While the alcohol's effect on Zoey grew stronger, it was the opposite for him. 

He felt sober at the chore she had given him — STRESS. 

As Matthew Xi cooled his nerves down, a sudden memory flashed across his mind. Slowly, he raised his gaze and set it on Zoey who was busy 'soul-searching'. A literal soul searching. 

"Why did you drive me to the funeral parlor that night?" Matthew Xi squinted his eyes suspiciously. Somehow, he had this suspicion that it was not because Zoey thought of cost-cutting or her touché revenge for taking her as an hostage. 

After all, witnessing how crazy she was at the moment, it might be related to this. 

"Huh?" Knitting her brows, Zoey straightened her back and turned her head towards him. 

Cocking her head to the side, she answered, "I thought my one true love is an embalmer and wanted to go to find him. Alas, he was just in the backseat..." With flushed cheeks, Zoey smiled, along with the gentle night breeze that swayed the tip of her hair in the air softly. 

However, the next second, that beautiful innocent smile instantly vanished and was replaced by a mortified look as if she had seen a ghost. "But now he's gone!" 

"Tsk," Witnessing the fast transition, Matthew Xi clicked his tongue as he took large strides towards her. 

"Don't make me sound like I'm dead." He muttered, as his tracks didn't halt until he was in front of her. Without further ado, Matthew Xi proceeded to carry her like a sack on his shoulder causing her to let out a brief squeal.