Chapter 160 - Now I Understand

The next day...

Before Zoey could open her eyes, she experienced a piercing pain in her head causing her to wince and groan. Slowly, she opened her eyes. 

The blinding light caused her to narrow her eyes again. By the time she felt she could open her eyes, Zoey slowly scanned around. 

Creasing her brows, Zoey frowned. Witnessing the IV drip injected to her, the plain hospital room and Matthew Xi sleeping on the chair beside her bed, she wondered how they had ended up in the hospital. 

'Did I had a dream...? Was it just a dream?' She wondered internally, recalling the scene last night. 

"Damn it..." Under her breath, Zoey cursed as she knew last night was too good to be true. 

Just then, Matthew Xi opened his eyes slowly and his gaze instantly landed on the girl sitting right up on the bed, confused. "You're awake?" He asked, standing from his seat and walked towards her. 

"I wish I didn't." Grumpier than usual, Zoey clicked her tongue as she glanced at the IV drip inserted in the back of her hand. "What happened?" She asked, trying to recall what really transpired last night. 

As she asked, Matthew Xi was already perched on the edge of the bed. Upon hearing her question, he furrowed his brows. "You don't remember?" 

"Nope." Shaking her head, Zoey turned her head to face him. To her surprise, he was already sitting on the side of the bed, staring at her in amusement. "What?" She asked, blinking her eyes many times. 

"You passed out." Without a change in his tone, Matthew Xi informed. "While we were heading to the private lounge — you passed out on the way." He added some brief details. 

Zoey clicked her tongue in disbelief. Even though he said that, Zoey couldn't recall. All she remembered was her dream! 

"I didn't drink that much. What kind of magic did that bartender put in my drink? I didn't ask him for some add-ins." Zoey grumbled, assuming that her drinks had some drugs mixed in.. 

In her perspective, the bartender must have mistaken her for ordering their special menu and added it to her drinks. How inconvenient! 

That being said, it also meant that Zoey missed the opportunity to confess, which made things worse. Just thinking about it, Zoey sighed heavily as she could feel her head throb. 

"So last night, while we were on the way to the lounge, I passed out on the way? You walking behind me somehow caught me and panicked? Then, after that, you rushed me to the hospital where you spent the night with me — me, probably, intubated — and slept till now?" Rolling her eyes, Zoey summarized the occurrence last night that she couldn't remember. 

Setting her eyes on the pair of amused orbs, Zoey arched her brows. "Accurate?" She asked, not even a bit pleased at the summarizations she concluded. 

"Mhmm," he hummed a tune, nodding his head as he didn't nitpick on the added details about him panicking and catching her from falling. 

"Argh...!" Hearing his answer, Zoey ruffled her hair in frustration. How could she pass out like that? This was upsetting and frustrating at many higher levels to her.

"Huh," Seeing her vent her frustration, a faint and brief chuckle slipped past his lips. 

Of course, it was impossible that she wouldn't hear it. Hence, Zoey perked up as she locked her frustrated gaze with him. "Why are you snickering?" She grumbled as she clicked her tongue. 

Matthew Xi averted his gaze and languidly placed his palms on the bed, assisting his upper body as he tilted his head back. The corner of his lips curled up a little, amusement flickering across his russet orbs. 

"Now I understand," He muttered, causing Zoey's brows to knit in confusion. 

"Understand, what?" Arching her right brow, Zoey frowned as she stared at him who was staring at the ceiling. "Browny, is there something beautiful in the ceiling? The only pretty view inside this room is here — me." 

Matthew Xi bent his arms, and slowly, his head landed on her lap. Zoey almost jolted as her eyes widened by his sudden bold action. "I understand the amusement you feel when you play a prank on me." 

"Ah?" Processing his last remarks, Zoey blinked her eyes many times as she looked down at his imperious visage. "Prank? Who? What..." Stuttering, Zoey's lower lip trembled as her subconscious mind automatically assumed what he meant. 

"You passed out... but that's before I start undressing you." Staring at her surprised eyes, Matthew Xi smirked as he didn't filter out his words carefully. 

"It's hard to believe... but, it's impossible not to either." He added, watching the transition of her reaction from being shocked to getting more shocked. 

"So last night..."

"Mhmm," Nodding his head, Matthew Xi hummed a tune as he raised his head and left a soft peck on her lips. "Should I kiss you more until you remember?" He asked, leaving an inch of gap between their lips. 

It was as if any words which would try to escape her mouth, he would seal them back again by his lips. Any moment, like a soldier prepared for anything, he would attack without a second hesitation. 

"Da—" Instead of listening to her inner self not to speak, Zoey denied her orders and tried to speak. However, just like what his countenance spoke, the instant her lips opened, his lips sealed her mouth closed. 

"Hmm?" 

"I —" 

"Hmm?" 

"Da — wait!" On her third try, Zoey, somehow, managed to stop his sweet assaults by covering his lips with her palm. "Darling! Can you let me talk?!" She grinded her teeth, a little bit annoyed and flushed at the sugar rush coursing through her veins straight to her heart. 

However, Matthew Xi slightly frowned which made her face distort. Why did his eyes scream that he didn't want to talk?!

There should be some questions thrown at her, right? Zoey wanted to play smart and cocky, bearing her smug grin as she paraded her perspective about this knowledge all along! 

Little did she know, that was also the reason Matthew Xi didn't want to ask questions. Zoey, with her arrogance would look down on him like a fool. 

Why would he want to torment himself? 

"So last night..."

"Last night, we were about to recall what happened seven years ago but you shamelessly passed out.." Cutting her off, Matthew Xi gave her a short summary of the previous night's event.