Imperfect Desires

Yan Ying had no way left to argue with Uncle Kuan. Instead, she was left contemplating her next course of action as she walked towards a tree at the side and sat underneath its shade. Sitting cross-legged, she closed her eyes and tried to focus. This was her way of thinking when her mind would get overwhelmed, she would only find solace by being one with nature.

Uncle Kuan looked at her meditating leaving a very important discussion and was baffled. He really had a wish to see inside her mind to figure out what she really was. Or how her brain was programmed! Because he was certain that something was definitely wrong with her. However, he didn't disturb her since he knew it was her way of calming the storm in her mind. No matter how weird but it was her way of avoiding stress.

As he stood at the side watching the blue sky silently, his phone's vibration caught his attention. He attended the call and greeted, "Xiao Zi, you're calling at an unexpected time."

Xin Zimen took a moment before replying, "Brother Kuan, I have a favor to ask."

Xin Kuan's lips curled into a curious smile as he questioned, "What can this humble one do for you, Master?"

Xin Zimen's lips twitched at Xin Kuan's emphasis on 'Master'. But he laughed it off with, "Brother Kuan, can you be any more sarcastic?"

After a moment of reflection came a reply in a level tone, "I can but I certainly don't want to make you cry." Xin Zimen was rolling his eyes at those words before Xin Kuan continued, "Let's not waste time. Just tell me what I can do for you."

Xin Zimen slightly sighed and trailed off, "Can you keep that hyperactive beagle away from my sons until I come back?" Xin Kuan frowned to hear his words and Xin Zimen tried to elaborate, "I mean to say-"

Xin Kuan didn't let him finish, "You don't want Ms. Yan to know what you have planned for your sons?"

Xin Zimen was amazed at how fast Xin Kuan figured out everything. As expected of someone of his caliber. After admiring Xin Kuan in his heart, Xin Zimen noted, "Yes. That's exactly what I'm asking for. You know her, she'll be really upset to know their predicament and would obviously want to help. But I don't want her to lend a helping hand. Not this time."

Xin Kuan could figure out the rest for himself. It was quite obvious why Xin Zimen didn't want Yan Ying to lend a hand to his own sons. She always lent a helping hand but in the process, she always lost her value in one way or another. After all, both the Xin brothers took her existence for granted.

"Instead of keeping her in secret, isn't it better to go easy on your sons? After all, at the end of the day, both of them are your own blood," wondered out Xin Kuan earnestly. "Your plan is a bit cruel this time around. Especially with Ah-Si."

Xin Zimen nodded agreeably with his words but he wasn't going to accept that. So, he decided to change the course of conversation as he inquired, "Forget about my sons. Are you with Ying?" Xin Kuan hummed in reply. "Where is she?"

Xin Kuan looked back at Yan Ying's figure still in the same position as before as he answered, "She's meditating in the middle of nowhere."

Xin Zimen facepalmed himself before a small smile played on his lips. "This beagle does all sorts of things. I can't with her." Xin Kuan couldn't agree more with that statement. "Brother Kuan, she must be a headache for you."

Xin Kaun pointed out, "She is my responsibility. Even if she acts like a headache sometimes, I can't deny that she's the most amusing person one can come across."

"Couldn't agree more," agreed Xin Zimen.

They spoke over the phone for another minute before hanging up. As Xin Kuan looked at his phone screen, he was bemused at how much Xin Zimen was worried about Yan Ying. One might say that he always preferred her over his sons but only Xin Kuan knew what Yan Ying was in Xin Zimen's life. Or why she mattered so much.

While Xin Kuan was lost in his own thoughts, he was startled by the roar that came from behind him...

"I didn't even think of that!" 

He turned around to look at Yan Ying's face when she abruptly stood up and clapped her hands together with a look of enlightenment. She ran up to Xin Kuan's side as she uttered, "Uncle Kuan, we always focused on the fact; where is Carina Novell? But we never even focused on why."

Xin Kuan gave her an uncertain look while she went on, "What I mean to say is that why was she in China of all places?" Xin Kuan looked interested in her line of thoughts as he stayed silent to allow her to speak. "It's not like a person of European roots would come all the way to Asia just to die, right?"

Xin Kuan narrowed his eyes at her choice of words while she ignored it with a sheepish look and continued, "Focus on the context here, Uncle Kuan. Why would Carina Novell come all the way to China? What was her purpose here? You can't say she was here for sightseeing."

Xin Kuan mused, "Maybe she came to-"

But Yan Ying's frisky self didn't give him a chance to finish, "Yes, you can assume that she was here to meet Zizi. But we can't be certain of that. Because even if we assume that, there is still a loophole."

Xin Kuan crossed his arms over his chest as he listened to her and wondered, "What's the loophole here?"

Yan Ying hit his arm and informed, "If she was here for Zizi then why didn't she contact him? Why didn't she try to meet him?" Before Xin Kuan could say anything, she speculated, "Now, I have two theories... One; she was never here for Zizi. Two; someone intercepted her attempts to contact Zizi."

Xin Kuan was surprised at how much Yan Ying's words made sense. 'No wonder, Xiao Zi always says that she turns into a genius after her meditation sessions,' thought Xin Kuan to himself as he stared at Yan Ying in amusement. She definitely wasn't looking for his suggestions. Instead, she was just telling him what she thought and she won't be in the mood to hear that she was thinking wrong.

Yan Ying came before Carina Novell's gravestone as she claimed, "And if I'm not wrong... The second option seems more likely to me." She touched the memorial with her hand as she whispered, "Whichever it is, I'll get to the bottom of this mystery. You don't worry, I'll make sure to find justice for you."

Then she turned around, looking resolute as she declared, "Uncle Kuan, let's go. Our mission is not even halfway through yet. We have a lot more digging up to do."

Xin Kuan was really applauding her enthusiasm and was also feeling relaxed. If Yan Ying got focused on this task, she won't even have the time to pay any attention to what was going on with Xin Xiaoli or Ah-Si. In fact, this way he wouldn't even have to do anything.