Luo Muchen was at a loss. He thought he was the jealous one in this relationship but it turns out Qie Xieling was way worse than him. He was fuming and wasn’t speaking to him but mumbling in anger. Luo Muchen could hear him roughly packing his things.

"Baby, are you mad at me?" asked Luo Muchen worried that his sweet romance would end right then and there.

Qie Xieling angrily shoved his shoes in his duffle bag before saying, "No... I am not mad at you."

Luo Muchen felt a sense of ease wash over him only for his chest to tighten a second later when Qie Xieling said, "I just want to know which idiot doesn’t know you are taken. It’s clearly on your profile. You are basically a married man."

Luo Muchen, "..."

"Anyway, I will talk to you later. I need to eat something and catch up with my sleep," he said and before Luo Muchen could say anything the screen went blank. Luo Muchen’s heart almost broke as he stared at his home screen.

Qie Xieling really wasn’t mad at Luo Muchen but he was more upset with himself. His reaction to this was so bad he was afraid Luo Muchen would be put off by him.

His face flushed with frustration. He angrily yanked his polo shirt over his head, the fabric clinging to his skin. His hands trembled as he fumbled with the buttons, his mind consumed by a whirlwind of emotions he had never experienced before.

The training before was exhilarating, but it was the thoughts that plagued his mind that were making his heart race even faster. His love for Luo Muchen had hit him like a tidal wave, crashing through his heart that had remained still for a very long time.

Ever since he reached the age to be mentally conscious of love and dating he had always been content with his solitude, dismissing the advances of others without a second thought. They thought he didn’t know but he knew they called him a "devote monk," in their secret girl chats because he lacked interest in anyone. Be it tall, short, slender or chunky, he was unmoved.

But now, everything had changed. Qie Xieling realised that he might have been in a relationship with Luo Muchen for years without knowing it. The depth of his feelings, the intensity that coursed through his veins was surreal. The mere thought of someone trying to take his lover away from him ignited a fire within him, fueling a surge of possessiveness and protectiveness he had never known. He couldn’t understand why his emotions were this strong and he couldn’t control himself.

As he struggled to fasten the drawstring of his pants, his hands trembling with anger and frustration, Qie Xieling’s mind replayed the words that had set him off.

He just couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that someone out there actually agreed to marry Luo Muchen despite him having an all-telling intimate picture of them on his page and he was even tagged in it. The idea of someone attempting to steal away the man he loved was unbearable, an affront to his very being. Just that thought sent his jealousy into overdrive.

Qie Xieling’s breath came in ragged gasps as he finished dressing, his eyes ablaze with a mix of determination and fury. He would not allow anyone to come between them and undermine their relationship. Love had awakened a side of him he never knew existed, a fierce protector willing to fight for what was his.

What he didn’t know was that his father was exactly like him and he had inherited it from him. Everybody else around him growing up could see he was going to be a very possessive person because anything he loved he would hold on to it. If one wanted to piss off the five-year-old Qie Xieling you only had to take his favourite stuffed bear and all hell would break loose. When they needed to wash it they would send in Qie Ranzhe to get it because he was the only one he would listen to. Even then he would sit in front of the washing machine while sucking his thumb waiting. This was just one such incident.

Another incident that went over his head was when he found out about Bager hitting on Luo Muchen. His first response was to insert himself in the situation with no rhyme or reason.

These emotions were so overwhelming that he thought something was wrong with him. Instead of figuring it all out, he turned to his favourite thing to do which was eating his emotions away.

The rest of the crew had their mouth agape watching Qie Xieling and Bo Ailun devour their food as if they were competing.

They had chosen a barbeque and hot pot restaurant and ordered some beer in celebration of the new baby added to the team. It was meant to be a fun outing and it was but Qie Xieling was eating and drinking a little too much.

While the young man called Beihe was turning the pork pieces on the grill he interjected,

"What do you mean by jealous? Doesn’t everybody get jealous?"

"Like if you were to see someone get cosy with your girlfriend, you wouldn’t get jealous?" asked Bo Ailun and Baihe shook his head no.

"It’s not like anything is going on with that guy so why would I get jealous?"

"Aha then maybe you don’t love her. Girls like it when you are a little jealous. Not too much though that you would put them off and scare them," said Jin, one of the youngest of the crew.

Qie Xieling took a sip of his beer before setting it down and asking, "How would you define too much? How do you gauge whether it’s too overwhelming?"

Ru, the mechanic thought for a while and said, "Too much would be making her cry and scared I guess."

"What if it’s a grown man?" he asked a follow-up question and everyone was at a loss.

Since no one could give him an answer Qie Xieling continued to pour his heart out. "I feel like I am very abnormal... Would you be upset if you find out that someone who knows that’s your partner wants to marry them in an arranged marriage?"

"Oh, I would be pissed. I would find them and set the record straight," said Bo Ailun and the others seemed to agree but Qie Xieling knew he hadn’t clearly expressed his emotions. It was like a beast was threatening to come out and find that person and put them in their place.