Chapter 217 - Ice Cream

"What?!" After wiping the water that came out from his mouth and nose, Kenneth Bai shouted in disbelief as he couldn't believe the words coming out of Matthew Xi's mind. 

Giving him a side eye, Matthew Xi opened his mouth before he closed them again. "Mhmm," instead of answering him, Matthew Xi just hummed a tune which made Kenneth Bai's eye twitch even more. 

"No, no, you're joking! Aya! Brother Matt, since when did you start making jokes, eh? You almost got me!" Kenneth Bai laughed awkwardly, shaking his head because he hadn't heard news about Matthew Xi having a girlfriend. 

If only he did, he would be the first to throw a party for him! No, perhaps, Vivian Xi would make sure to make it a headline! But none of that happened nor did he hear such news. 

Matthew Xi just sighed, closing his eyes as he tilted his head back. Seeing his reaction, Kenneth Bai's nose scrunched up as it seemed he wasn't joking. 

"Bro, you really have a girlfriend?" 

"Mhmm," Without opening his eyes, Matthew Xi just answered as it felt great calling Zoey his girlfriend. 

"..." For a moment, Kenneth Bai zipped his mouth as he absorbed everything in slowly. After exhaling heavily, Kenneth Bai faced the indifferent iceberg. "Zoey... from which family does she come from? What does she look like? Is she hot? Gorgeous?" As Kenneth Bai settled his still shaking brain from the news, he inquired as he was curious what kind of lady had managed to bewitch this man. 

Matthew Xi pondered about the answer he should give to perfectly describe Zoey. He could just say "yes, she's pretty and hot", but felt that it wouldn't give justice to describe Zoey. 

"Ice cream." After a minute, Matthew Xi muttered which made Kenneth Bai knit his brows. 

"Bro, are you purposely diverting the subject? Or you mean she looks like an ice cream? Why? Please don't say cause she melts your heart because I don't think I can look at you the same way ever." Kenneth Bai stared at Matthew Xi's side profile in conflict, hoping he wouldn't say cheesy stuff as Kenneth Bai would flip if he did. 

"Sweet and cold." Ignoring Kenneth Bai's blunder, Matthew Xi answered as he recalled his life with Zoey from their first encounter. 

Zoey has a very colorful personality. At first, one would think she's full of positivity that would charge heedlessly to things she wanted. However, the longer he observed her, the longer Matthew Xi realized that Zoey was more than the hyper Zoey whose train of thoughts were utterly ridiculous. 

Deep down, Zoey was just a cold lady who was looking for someone to fill the void in her heart. The void that was slowly consuming her silently, without a word, eating her up but she wouldn't complain or mention it to anyone. 

She wasn't a warm or kind person. Actually, Matthew Xi had always felt she's a rather cold person inside. Not that he was saying her front was a facade, but she just had too many layers, like a scoop of ice cream over another scoop. 

Just like Matthew Xi's initial question: who was the real Zoey? He finally realized the answer; every side of her is the real Zoey. She wouldn't be complete without a certain side of her.

"Ah?" Confused, Kenneth Bai tilted his head to the side. Although Matthew Xi didn't spout cheesy lines, why did he feel the cringe seep deep in his bones?

"And I think she will confess to me later." Muttering to himself, Matthew Xi slowly opened his eyes as he sighed. 

"Confess, what? Isn't she your girlfriend?" Upon hearing Matthew Xi's last remarks, Kenneth Bai was more baffled at this problem. 

After all, if Matthew Xi and his girlfriend Zoey were in a relationship, didn't that mean they already know each other's feelings? Wasn't that the right order in the relationship? Get to know each other, fall in love, commitment, then marriage if everything worked out eventually?

Yet, why does it sound that Matthew Xi and his girlfriend skipped a few steps? They didn't do it backward, did they? Little did Kenneth Bai know, he was almost accurate. 

"And I don't know how to respond." 

"What?" Still confused at this whole ordeal, Kenneth Bai waved his hands as he couldn't take this puzzlement further. "Brother Matt, are you and this woman —" the second Kenneth Bai spouted his last remarks, he felt an ominous aura caress his neck which made him gulp before clearing his throat. 

"I mean, Miss Zhou, your girlfriend in an official relationship? I mean by official is, is it a mutual agreement like love and interest? Not by force?" Kenneth Bai inquired, studying Matthew Xi's side profile as he remained silent. 

Hearing nothing but silence from him, Kenneth Bai somehow got the gist of the problem. "Brother, I know this is the first time you had an interest in someone romantically, but did you force her to be with you?" Staring at Matthew Xi in disbelief, Kenneth Bai clicked his tongue as he could not believe how inexperienced Matthew Xi was. 

"And now, your dilemma is you don't seem to have the same interest anymore after knowing she fell in love with you? Jeez... Bro, that's very heartless of you!" Disappointed at Matthew Xi, Kenneth Bai assumed as he wouldn't be surprised if this was the problem. After all, Matthew Xi has everything! If only he was a playboy, he wouldn't have a problem bedding all women he wanted!

"No, it's the opposite." Without a change of tone, Matthew Xi answered honestly. "She forced and bound me by a contract, seduced me whenever she felt like it, made me fall without me realizing it, and she planned to replace me if I acted based on my emotions." 

Kenneth Bai gasped, his eyes widened in dismay upon hearing the monotonous statement which sounded legit but not at the same time. "Huh?!?!" 

"But now, I think she likes me for real and I feel overwhelmed." Matthew Xi continued, nonchalant at the shock he caused to his childhood friend. 

He purposely didn't mention Zoey's misunderstanding about his sexuality as Kenneth Bai would surely fall from his seat.. Glancing at him, Matthew Xi was convinced he had made the right choice for not giving that part of the dilemma as Kenneth Bai seemed his brain had short circuited.