Chapter 415 - Baby

"Did you come up with that just now?" Matthew narrowed his eyes. They gleamed in amusement as he could not believe his ears. 

"What do you mean I came up with it just now?" Without batting an eye, Zoey questioned in dismay. She wanted him to believe that what she said was believable. Well, there's some truth in it, after all. Thus, even if Matthew checked the validity of her claims, she was confident that she was safe.

"I hate liars but that half-baked lie is amusing." Matthew nodded his head approvingly, pursing his lips as he cast her a knowing look.

"Duh? It's not a lie. I'm just smart, okay?" In a matter-of-fact tone, Zoey stuck to her harmless lie for survival.

"Whatever you say, Ling ling." He shrugged his shoulders, conceding defeat as he figured there was no point in making her admit it. Not that he would mind, to be honest.

Actually, Matthew was amused; he'd never thought that he would ever praise a lie. After all, a lie was always a lie even if the reason behind it was good and pure. Still, hers was so obnoxious that one would need to think twice whether she was lying or not.

Either way, Matthew was amused by the fact that she seemed to exert effort to make it believable. Be it her words or demeanor, it matched perfectly as if she was a perfect replica of a puzzle piece.

"Ling ling, huh?" Her nose scrunched up, hearing how his address towards her sounded so affectionate. 'How can he sound so gentle with my obvious fake name while whenever he calls me with my real name, he sounds like a father who was about to whoop his child?' She muttered internally, shaking her head lightly that wasn't overlooked by him.

"Hmm?" He hummed, tilting his head to the side upon seeing her shaking her head.

"Nothing. I just didn't think you'll stick to calling me by my alias." Once again, an excuse was dropped as she shrugged her shoulder. 

Zoey couldn't possibly tell him she was slowly getting fond of her nickname Ling from Darling. Also, she was slightly displeased that Matthew only called her real name in a stern and cold tone. She's the same person, after all.

His response, however, caught her off-guard nealy causing her to choke on her own breath. "I can call you baby if you want." Matthew shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, humoring her as they waited for their food to arrive.

*COUGH COUGH COUGH*

Zoey coughed, feeling like she just choked by her own saliva. She started patting her chest, sitting upright to have a better airflow. After recovering from his silly joke, Zoey glared daggers at the man who found her reaction funny.

"XI Matthew, what did you say?" She gasped in disbelief, peering at him from her to toe. "You're too old for this! How old do you think you are?" She snickered, scoffing at his pro-level flirting skills that were masqueraded as a silly humor.

"I might look mature but I'm young." His demeanor was still laid back as he shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "I can be your baby, if you want." He added, watching her expression unfold before his eyes.

"Baby? You? Omo!" Zoey was rendered speechless, gasping at his playful front that seemed to enjoy the sight of her. Where on earth did he learn this from? Was he always like this during her husband's prime days? How many women had fainted with his flirting skills? 

Now, Zoey recalled that Matthew, in their previous life was quite surprising as well. He would humor her from time to time like this. However, Zoey was more open and flirtatious that she often turned the tables.

But this time was different. She didn't want to flirt back! She was actually trying to make her dislike her a little! But, by the looks of it, the more she attempted to push him away, the more he wanted to cling to her!

Just then, they heard a faint knock coming from outside the door. "Come in." Before the person outside could speak, Matthew gave his permission.

Shortly after he permitted the person outside access, the door slowly opened revealing Paul holding a paper bag. "Young Master," He greeted, bowing his head slightly after closing the door behind him.

"Miss Zhou," He then shifted to Zoey, repeating his polite gesture that he did towards his boss. Slowly, Paul trudged towards them and once he was near, he placed the paper that he was told to look for.

As soon as he placed the paper bag of food on the surface of the small table, Paul stepped back and inquired politely. "Was this the food Miss Zhou brought?"

Zoey glanced up and stared at him for a second. She then pretended to check the inside of the paper bag that has food containers inside. "Yes," It only took her a second to confirm that it was hers. Well, not that she didn't know it was the one she brought here as the paper bag had the signature of the restaurant.

"Should I bring plates and silverware…" Just before Paul could finish his inquiry that sounded more as a suggestion, Zoey stopped him by interrupting him midway.

"You sound different." She said, rubbing her chin as she narrowed her eyes, studying Paul's demeanor.

Paul and Matthew furrowed their brows, staring at her as she slowly stood up and walked around Paul. This, obviously, displeased Matthew. But, he was curious what she was up to. Thus, he let her study Paul as if she was investigating a crime.

"I believe I've always sounded like this, Miss Zhou." Despite that he was in a spotlight in her eyes, Paul remained calm as he affirmed he sounded normal. 

In retrospect, Paul had been like this. The reason he was the perfect right hand man of the king. Hence, Matthew trusted him a lot in whatever secrets he kept from anyone -- including from Vivian, Matthew's mother.

"Are you?" Her brows knitted together, stopping in her tracks as she gazed at him from head to toe. 'No, you're not like this. This is not the Paul I used to know.' Zoey muttered internally, nodding her head as she recalled what kind of person Paul in their previous life.

Just as she rummaged through her memory lane, Zoey recalled something very eventful; the time Paul had to hide under Vivian's protection while Matthew had gone insane for a day. Zoey didn't pay attention much about it as her attention was onto Matthew.

But now that she had the time to think through it, Vivian and Paul's counterpart was weird. 'Right… that day... Paul and Mom seemed… scared?' Zoey uttered internally, recalling how those two had the similar dimness in their eyes.

"You sound like you know Assistant Qian. Have you known each other before, Assistant Qian?" Upon hearing Matthew's question, Zoey snapped back from her trance.

"No, Young Master." Without a second delay, Paul answered while staring straight in Matthew's eyes.

Matthew didn't respond but shifted his gaze to Zoey. "Hmm?"

"I mean, he's always with you but this is the first time I hear him sound like a butler." In a snap of a finger, Zoey explained. Well, that's what she noticed and the initial reason she studied him. However, why did she feel that Matthew's simple humming sounded as if he just placed Paul's life in her hands?

'Gosh! Am I sent to a parallel world instead?!' Zoey screamed internally, having a terrible headache thinking how these two changed so much seven years later.