Imperfect Desires

Even after listening to Dylan, Darren was unusually calm and quiet. This reaction came as a surprise to even Dylan himself. 

Placing a hand on Darren's shoulder, Dylan began, "I think something's bothering your girlfriend. But you might be the only one she'd like it to share it with."

"She won't," was Darren's reply.

Dylan's brows knotted together. "Why not?"

Darren gave an odd look to his best friend. "You have followed her when she was Chen Xiu, you work with her when she is Bai Xiu. Didn't you figure her out even now?"

Dylan felt like his words were an attack on his intelligence or his lack of observation skills but he wasn't in the mood to prove himself at the moment. He was more inclined to hear what he had to say.

"No one taught her how to share her worries with others. She had buried them deep inside for a lifetime and even now, she's still trying hard to keep it all in." Darren took a deep sigh. "The reason why she doesn't share anything is that she thinks nobody will understand. And in fact, she isn't wrong either."

"What are you trying to say?"

Darren looked straight into Dylan's eyes as he questioned, "Didi, can you tell what it feels like to cross over the threshold of death and yet come back to life?" Dylan's eyes widened up. "You can't tell how it feels to be in a body you know nothing about. As long as she doesn't retain the memories of the original owner, she's gonna be feeling like she doesn't belong anywhere."

"I... I didn't think about that..." said Dylan feeling ashamed at how he wasn't really paying attention. He honestly couldn't imagine what Xiu was internally feeling. But all he could tell was that... It must be a scary feeling.

"Of course, you didn't notice. Haven't you seen her wearing her facade? She's often spiteful of everything and yet somehow she ends up smiling at others. How will you see anything which she so desperately concealed behind that big bright smile of hers?" Darren was staring into space as he went on, "I don't like bringing it up but I know she feels trapped. She is indeed trapped in the past and present. And there is no guarantee what she'll be tomorrow. The mysteries surrounding her existence are gnawing at her pure soul that can't live with the fact that she stole someone's life."

"And the worst part, she can't even tell this to anyone. You and I are like that breather she found before her own mind could suffocate her into an abyss of no return. Do you know how scared she must be before disclosing her biggest truth which can easily be taken as nonsense? And yet, she took the risk to say it out loud. I have seen that fear of rejection in her eyes the night she told me who she is."

For the first time being reminded that he was overlooking the pain that Xiu was going through, Dylan felt really weird. How was he supposed to deal with this information he didn't know at all.

"It sounds heartbreaking," remarked Dylan in a daze. 

Darren patted his back as he said, "Now, don't look like you're gonna pity her. That's the last thing she needs." He stood up from Dylan's bed and walked towards the door saying, "Take a shower and come down. I'll take care of my girlfriend. She's my responsibility anyway."

As Darren left Dylan's room, his mind replayed everything that Dylan told him. With a frown etched between his brows he wondered, What are you hiding, Sweets?

"Francesca, you came fast..."

"Well, if my elder brothers are the one complimenting someone then I had to come to see this new family member."

Darren heard his mother's chuckle when he entered the lounge. The place where he only left his mother and Zhao Wei, now also had Qiu Jiayi and Xin Zimen sitting along with the two ladies. This gathering of the old friends looked rather lively.

"Oi, Regan! When are you planning a proposal?"

"What?" Darren was taken aback slightly by that question which came from Dylan's father, Qiu Jiayi.

"Boy, why do you look so surprised? Aren't you gonna propose her for marriage?"

Darren smiled awkwardly which looked like he was rather flustered now. "I do. But I haven't decided yet."

"Do you need help?" this voice belonged to his own mother who looked at him eagerly.

"We can plan the proposal if you want," chimed in Zhao Wei. "Trust me, we'll make it memorable."

Darren perched down on the handrest of the sofa as he said, "Aren't you all a little too excited for my marriage? What's the rush? And besides, I can plan my proposal perfectly well."

He saw everyone visibly looking a bit mad at him for saying that. What? Did he say anything wrong though?

"You can't blame them for getting excited. In this family, nobody had a normal wedding," said Xin Zimen with a burst of laughter. He was casually sipping on his tea as he went on, "As you know, Francesca is still single." Darren looked at his mother who was scratching the side of her jaw while looking around as if to avoid looking at anyone. "As for Yi and Weiwei, they both eloped. And even Qiu Meihui's marriage was a result of her rebellion. Now, tell me, are these old people wrong to wish for just a single normal wedding?"

Darren was looking at Xin Zimen as if he wanted to scream that you old man are only trying to use your eloquence to get me to say yes. Not that he wasn't planning on proposing but he definitely wasn't gonna let anyone else get involved in that. Even if the wedding was not so private, he wanted the proposal to be something just between him and his Sweets. Was it too much to ask for?

"Hey! You didn't mention your own," said Qiu Jiayi while narrowing his eyes at his best friend. "If there was an award of having the most abnormal wedding, that'd go to you and Wen Ai."

Xin Zimen burst out laughing even more. He laughed to the point that even Darren could see his eyes getting wet. "Aiya, if there was one thing that nobody can surpass my wife in that would be, she definitely knew how to put on a show."

"Now, I'm really curious. Just how did you get married, Uncle Zi?" questioned Dylan who showed up all of a sudden.

"Would you like to know?" Dylan nodded his head and Xin Zimen answered with a smile flatly, "Not telling."

"You really love playing around," muttered Dylan to himself and shook his head. Darren's reaction was the same as he looked at this group of middle-aged people who had soon gotten busy with their own stories.

While Dylan was keenly listening in the fun, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He rummaged out his phone and clicked open the message that he received. But as soon as he read through the message, his eyes widened as he couldn't help cursing out, "What the hell!"