Qie Xieling plated the sandwich looking so prideful when the sound of the front door creaking open broke the silence. He hadn’t finished washing the dishes and wiping the counter thus he was a little startled.

His heart skipped a beat as he heard the hurried footsteps that followed. Looking up, he watched as Luo Muchen stumbled into the room, his usually impeccable hair dishevelled, and his breath ragged.

"Babe, you’re here!" Qie Xieling exclaimed as he picked up the plate to show him but Luo Muchen just stood there with red-rimmed eyes. He seemed so distressed. "Mu Mu, what’s wrong?"

Luo Muchen’s eyes darted around the room, his chest heaving with each breath. "I’ve been looking for you everywhere," he managed to say between gasps. "You just left and your phone. Where is it?"

"Oh," said Qie Xieling as he walked over to the coffee table where there was a cracked cell phone. He picked it up and shows him. "It got run over when I exited the taxi so... I think I need a new one."

Luo Muchen frustratedly pulled his hair back and said, "Why would you do that? Why...," trying his best not to lose his mind. He was suppressing his anger.

Qie Xieling suddenly realised that he had fucked up. Luo Muchen was really mad at him. "I was bored and I really wanted to go home with you," he said but Luo Muchen didn’t want to hear it.

Qie Xieling’s heart sank as he watched Luo Muchen’s retreating figure. The anger radiating from him was palpable, and the weight of his disappointment settled heavily upon Qie Xieling’s shoulders.

Luo Muchen had always been overprotective of him. He was so afraid that he lost him just like a few days ago. He was so scared.

Qie Xieling’s mind raced with regret. He had left the hospital thinking that he could surprise Luo Muchen. But now, seeing the hurt in his eyes, he realised how foolish he had been. With a heavy sigh, Qie Xieling picked up the plate and followed after after him .

His hand hovering near the doorknob of Luo Muchen’s study he hesitated, uncertainty gnawing at him. Would Luo Muchen even want to talk to him? Would he be willing to listen?

Gathering his resolve, Qie Xieling pushed open the study door, revealing Luo Muchen sitting at his desk, his face a mask of seething anger. Qie Xieling placed the sandwich on the desk and said, "I made this for you." It was like a let’s make peace type of gesture but Luo Muchen didn’t even look at him.

He candidly said, "I am not hungry."

Qie Xieling, "..."

He had almost cut himself five times. Fine, it was three times. He was just exaggerating but still. It was so hard making that sandwich.

A surge of anger rose within Qie Xieling, matching Luo Muchen’s own. The firecracker in him had sprung up and he had even forgotten that he was the one who had escaped the hospital like a patient from the psychiatric ward.

He wanted to hurl the sandwich across the room, to release his frustration in a fit of rage. But as he tightened his grip on the plate, a flicker of clarity broke through the storm of emotions.

Nope. He couldn’t let his anger grab a hold of him. Instead, he took a deep breath and said, "Okay," before walking out.

Luo Muchen scratched his head in frustration. He felt like he had been super excessive but he was so mad at Qie Xieling. The welcome home plan he had worked on for days had turned to them being angry with each other.

The clatter of the dishes echoed downstairs as Qie Xieling angrily cleaned the utensils he had used. He didn’t like staying with someone who was mad at him and wanted to leave.

His mind turned to Jolie and as expected her gossip-loving butt was ready to hear the juicy details. ’What? Your surprise didn’t work? What did you expect? I heard that he threw a fit.’

Qie Xieling, "..."

’I didn’t call you to give me a lecture,’ he said to Jolie the guilt now killing him. He was in the wrong but damn, he couldn’t accept that Luo Muchen refused his truce sandwich. He was really mad.

’Ugh never mind. I will call BoBo to pick me up,’ he replied before angrily wiping the counter.

’You are missing a good opportunity. Online it says that make-up sex is good. Just open his study door and press him down. Trust me he won’t protest,’ said Jolie her advice quite sound but Qie Xieling was still grumpy.

After dismissing Jolie he remembered that he didn’t have a cell phone so he decided to take a taxi back but again his cell phone had the e-hailing app.

With a loud sigh, he checked his wallet thinking he could find a rental e-bike when he caught a glance of a landline. Seeing his saviour he picked it up but this kid who had been raised in the digital age couldn’t figure it out for a moment plus he couldn’t remember Bo Ailun’s number by head.

He accidentally pressed something and the front desk answered. "Yes Mr Luo, may I help you."

Qie Xieling’s eyes shone like twinkling stars he said, "No, it’s Mr Qie. Can you call a car for me? I have an urgent matter," while crossing his fingers.

As it turns out these luxury condos could provide any service. "Sure, the estimated time of arrival will be five minutes. Anything else?" asked the man on the other line and Qie Xieling shook his head while saying,

"No, that is all. Thank you."

After saying that he cut the line and headed towards the door to put on his shoes. Just as he got up and opened the door it was suddenly slammed by Luo Muchen startling him.

"Where are you going?" he said his voice deep and husky sending shivers all over Qie Xieling’s body.

"Home," he whispered bearing the full brunt of the overbearing side of the triad boss.

Luo Muchen pressed the tip of his tongue against his cheek before his jaw clenched tight .

He was about to say something when the landline rang. Luo Muchen walked over to the phone and answered it while watching Qie Xieling standing by the door.

"... You can cancel it. It’s no longer needed," he said before cutting the call. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

The man at the reception was a little confused. Wasn’t it Mr Qie the one who ordered the car?