Chapter 131 - I’m Not A Child Anymore

Seeing how she got a little bit clingy after hearing he has no friends, Matthew Xi spoke. "If you feel sorry for me..." However, his words trailed off even before he could finish. 

"Shh... no one feels sorry for you." She said, closing her eyes as she enjoyed his indirect approval of resting her head on his lap. 

Matthew Xi just stared at her until she moved and faced him while laying on his lap. "You know, it wouldn't hurt if you trust other people a bit. Also, stop looking at people as if they're inferior beings. Jeez... you're scaring them away even before you can make friends."

"I don't need friends." Without batting an eye, Matthew Xi leaned his back against the couch since staring at her made him want to kiss her. 

"There, there, that's why you don't have friends!" Zoey clicked her tongue as her under eye twitched. "No one can lives for itself. No one dies for itself."

"Romans Chapter 14 verse 7. Hehe." Zoey grinned, recalling a bible verse she once heard from a freak several years ago. 

Matthew Xi arched his brows, surprised that she knew a few bible verses. It didn't seem that Zoey was a person who has spent a few years being a devotee. "What's that got to do with having no friends?"

"Nothing. I just felt it will give me more depth." Zoey humored, raising her brows in an up and down motion. 

Meanwhile, the corner of Matthew Xi's lips twitched with that hollow reason. She wasn't joking, right? 

"Anyway, I'm still curious about what happened last night with my bro and my bestie. Gosh... I'd be really upset if they did the deed because we didn't." Zoey frowned, uttering such insensitive words right in front of him. 

"I mean, I gave them my blessings, but I expected that we'd have some development in our—"

"Silence." Even before Zoey could finish her complaint, Matthew Xi decided to put a stop to her mouth by covering it with his hand. 

"Darlijai, I ksshaoa!!" 

"Shh..." Still trying to speak despite covering her mouth, Matthew Xi shushed her as he didn't want to hear another nonsense from her. 

After all, he'd been trying to reflect and act indifferently. However, Zoey kept spewing insensitive crap, thinking he was fine with it. 

Well, he could tell her that whatever she did affected him. But, that would only make her tease him even more. Matthew Xi didn't want to experience such horror. 

Zoey frowned at him for shutting her up in the most childish way. Staring at him who had just closed his eyes while resting his temples onto the back of his hand, Zoey raised her brows as an idea flashed across her mind. 

Slowly, Zoey pursed her lips before snaking out a bit of her tongue and licking the palm that was covering her mouth. Instantly, it startled Matthew Xi as he raised his hand as if he had touched human manure. 

"Hehehe..." She giggled, chuckling at his mortified reaction. 

However, Matthew Xi didn't seem to appreciate her silliness as his eyes darkened. 

"Okay! Okay! I'll shut up! My gosh, so sensitive." Sensing the invisible blizzards that suddenly gushed inside the closed hotel room, Zoey zipped her mouth as a gesture so as to not enrage him further. 

"You're not a child anymore." Glancing at the area she'd licked, Matthew Xi pondered if he should wipe it or not. 

"I know, right? I'm not a child anymore — why do you think I'm this persistent?" Alas, her sarcasm received a piercing glare that instantly zipped her mouth. 

"I know, I'll shut up now." 

With that, Zoey didn't say anything anymore and silence enveloped the whole room. Still, none of the two budged from their position with Zoey still resting her head on his lap while Matthew Xi supported his temples by the back of his hand. 

The long silence caused Zoey to fall asleep while the latter was subconsciously awake. After some time, Matthew Xi slowly opened his eyes and gazed down at the sleeping Zoey. 

'And yet, she was so energetic earlier.' He mumbled inwardly, thinking how much nonsense she'd spouted while still recovering from the hangover. 

Unconsciously, Matthew Xi raised his hand and was about to stroke her hair when her phone suddenly rang. The abrupt noise in the middle of this silence immediately startled Zoey as she opened her eyes. 

Fortunately, Matthew Xi's reflex was fast enough to retract his hand and pretend to be interrupted in his rest. He watched Zoey sit up as she hastily sprawled her arms to the phone that was on the small table. 

"Oh, it's Cora!" Seeing the contact number that was on the screen, Zoey glanced at him and informed him. She then picked up the call and put it on speakerphone for him to hear their conversation. 

"Hey! Why are you not picking up?" As soon as the line connected, Zoey exclaimed as she casted Matthew Xi a knowing wink. 

Meanwhile, Matthew Xi could not help but sigh. He didn't want to gossip. He wasn't interested, but Zoey's gesture made him look like a busybody. 

"I was asleep, Z. You didn't tell me that the dinner last night actually held importance for your brother." Cora Ma's tone was gentle as usual. 

Normally, she would sound enraged and scold Zoey. However, although her words were complaining, it didn't sound like it. 

"Hehe. That's why I couldn't go. I would've ruined the party if I did." Pretending not to take notice, Zoey chuckled as she cast Matthew Xi another suspicious look. 

"Whatever, Z. You're always like this... I am starting to hate it." Cora Ma muttered before she hung up, just like that. 

When Zoey heard the beeping line, she knitted her brows in confusion. "Huh?" She wondered, cocking her head to the side in puzzlement.

"That's what you get for using people." Shaking his head, Matthew Xi could not care less for this drama. Well, if he wasn't attracted to Zoey, he would certainly dislike her attitude and boldness. So, it was no surprise that even her friend would not understand her antics. 

"For your information, Cora loves me and I never used her — at least, she's the only one I would hate to use. Also, she's lying about everything. She's merely venting her frustration on me since blaming herself will never be enough." In a matter-of-fact tone, Zoey rolled her eyes as she rubbed her chin and pondered. 

"Darling, are you free tomorrow?" After several seconds, Zoey glanced at him and asked. "If you are, help me kidnap my brother. Hehe.. I'm sure he bullied her for no reason."