As the sun rose above the horizon, Wen Qinxi was still snoozing like a pro especially after yesterday's events that tired him out. Who knew tussling among boys after rounds of mahjong would actually tire him out.
If it were upto him, he would have slept till noon but unfortunately the world's loudest alarm wouldn't let that happen.
"Ge!" yelled a horrified Lin Mingxu while peeking through the window. At first, he knocked at the door but his brother didn't respond so he resorted to peeking through the window only to get the shock of his life. Lin Jingxie was sound asleep with his leg hooked around Qie Ranzhe's waist.
His brother were basically huddling the ruffian as though cuddling a teddy bear. Wen Qinxi was jolted awake with dishellevelled hair looking like a hot mess. "Mingxu why are you yelling? Ah fuck! Can't l sleep some more," he whined with his eyes half closed as he lay back down.
Mingxu wasn't having it using the same method Qie Ranzhe used to get in. He grabbed Lin Jingxie dragging him out of bed as though shielding him from the vile beast lying in the bed. All this excitement woke Qie Ranzhe up. He sat up straight with sluggish eyes and a smirk on his face.
"W-what is he doing here?" he said looked at both of them back and forth waiting for an answer but none of them had the energy to reply. "Did he hurt you?" asked Lin Mingxu panickingly checking up on his brother.
"Mingxu l am fine. Stop making a big deal out of this," replied Wen Qinxi wishing he could slap him till he calmed down. 'Why is he acting as though l am girl caught with her boyfriend in bed,' thought Wen Qinxi putting on his slippers.
"Yes, little children should not interfere in grown people's business. What we did or didn't do last night is none of your business, " replied Qie Ranzhe putting on his brocade boots while tauting Lin Mingxu which he found out was surprisingly satisfying.
"You!" said a pissed off Lin Mingxu with a dark expression on his face. If it weren't for Lin Jingxie, he would have thrown a punch by now.
"Don't forget our deal," said Qie Ranzhe patting Wen Qinxi's shoulder twice before making his exit. The matter didn't stop there as the childish Lin Mingxu kept on glaring at Wen Qinxi for the rest of the morning.
Wen Qinxi had his own troubles, pissed off at the fact that Qie Ranzhe had basically manhandled food out of him. He had no time to deal with Lin Mingxu who occasionally passed the kitchen door glaring daggers at him.
Seeing that Lin Jingxie wasn't paying him any mind, he finally gave in and decided to break the ice. "Jin-ge why do you have to do this again? Dad has already made arrangements, you don't have to deal with all this smoke each and everyday," said Lin Mingxu sympathising with his brother.
'Thats right Mingxu, l don't have to do all this shit but l like money more so if cooking everyday gets that jerk out of this game, so be it,' he thought while tossing some diced onions into the wok. "Remember when l told you to trust me? Then trust your big brother because l know what l am doing."
"Fine but does he have to sleep in your bed, dage that's a bit much!" said Lin Mingxu getting all emotional unable to control his volume.
Wen Qinxi quickly closed Ling Mingxu's mouth shut while looking around to see if anyone had heard. "Shh you little brat. Why are behaving like l am a girl who just got deflowered. What the fuck?" said a whispering Wen Qinxi with his hand still blocking Lin Mingxu's mouth. "Now are you going to be a good boy and quiet down otherwise will all get a beating?"
Lin Mingxu nod his head but barely kept his promise asking the most ridiculous question. "Ahhhh! Dage did you and him.....," he said thinking back to how his brother was comfortably cuddling Qie Ranzhe in his sleep.
"You shut your mouth! Where did you get such a fucked up idea? If you are not going to help then get out," said Wen Qinxi in a threatening manner while angrily stirring the half cooked onions.
Satisfied with Lin Jingxie's reaction Lin Mingxu calmed down a little and moved in closer to give his brother a hand. "l will help but you have to take me with you," he said fiddling with a carrot he had no idea how to chop.
"Fine you can come too but don't start shit with him otherwise," replied Wen Qinxi while tossing in some minced pork.
The two brothers packed up everything including a portion for Lee Jienjie that Madam Lin insisted on when she caught them in the kitchen. Now they had to go feed both Qie Ran and Lee Jienjie before going back home.
Wen Qinxi was actually okay with it but Lin Mingxu, not so much. He kept his distance while pacing nervously with his eyes fixed on Qie Ranzhe as soon as they arrived. "Here, you need me to taste it first before l go?" asked Wen Qinxi handing the bowl to Qie Ranzhe.
Qie Ranzhe gazed at Lin Jingxie without saying a word clearly expressing his expectations. He might look cold and distant from outside but within he was a little happy to see Lin Jingxie. 'This is how it should be. From now on l can keep a close eye on you,' thought Qie Ranzhe just as Lin Jingxie tasted the food.
"Mmm see, l am not that heartless to kill you with poison. Poison is a woman's game, l would go for an assassin," he joked around handing him back the bowl.
Qie Ranzhe stared at him for a minute before looking back at the bowl. "Oh shoot! I am sorry l didn't bring another pair of chopsticks with me. Let me wash them for you," said Wen Qinxi trying to take the chopsticks away from him. It might have been a game but they still needed to be civil. Before he could grab them Qie Ranzhe started eating, just like that.
"It's fine," he said as he carried on eating but Wen Qinxi's expression didn't look right freaking out of his mind.
'Ahahahah Qie Ranzhe thats so fuckin disgusting!' he yelled in his mind unaccepting of what just happened. Qie Ranzhe was famous for being a germaphobe in high school. If you touch his things he would freak out, even worse if you touched his water bottle and here he was using a utensil Wen Qinxi had just used.
"Qie Ranzhe, thats fucking disturbing, don't ever do that again," he reprimanded him while Machu nearby was having a major freak out. His three world views had been toppled over by this incident. It was as if Qie Ranzhe was possessed by something to even do such a thing.
"Does he have to be here?" he asked pointing at Lin Mingxu who was still glaring at him fiercely.
"Mm, you aggravated him this morning. All thanks to you, now he won't let me go anywhere by myself," he said in a sarcastic tone while standing up to leave.
Qie Ranzhe finally mentioned the extra packed lunch in Lin Jingxie's hand and so he asked, "Wait l thought you were eating with me. Whose that for?"
That statement had Wen Qinxi bursting out in laughter while saying, "Seriously Qie Ranzhe, you had me bring you food and you expect me to eat with you as well? Aish....so high maintenance. This is for Lee Jienjie, we are going over to her house to drop this off," as he turned to leave.
Qie Ranzhe suddenly stood up, "You said you will only make for me why you making it for her as well?" he asked barely making any sense.
'What the fuck is wrong with him? So l can only make food for him? What am l, his personal chef? So unreasonable,' he thought with a frown on his face not bothering to indulge such a big baby.
"Okay l get that was silly for me to say. How about this, l escort you there," he said in a stern tone standing next to him, "just in case you meet Sun Huxian again? Its all my fault that you got into a fight with him in the first place. l wasn't there in time to protect Xie Ruen."
Wen Qinxi was weirded out by his offer and there was no way in hell he was going to have Qie Ranzhe following him around. He already had Lin Mingxu to worry about. "No thanks, l think the two of us will be just fine. See you tomorrow," he said in a dismissive tone before leaving with his brother.
"Ran-ge what happened? You seem unwell?" asked Manchu as soon as Lin Jingxie left. Even he had to admit Qie Ranzhe was behaving strange lately and it wasn't getting any better.
Qie Ranzhe didn't respond, he sat back down with an ominous grin on his face as he finished off his delicious food.