Imperfect Desires

"Give me the bags and go back to your place."

Darren looked at the bags of grocery in his hands and then at her. They were standing at Xiu's door when she demanded to take the bags from his hands. 

"Why? I'll take it inside." He was ever so willing to help. How could he let her take these heavy bags on her own? 

Xiu snatched the bags from his hands saying, "And then you won't come out." Darren looked around when she continued, "As if I can't read through your schemes. I told you it's a private dinner. You're not allowed to join."

Darren pouted trying to look adorably at her, "Sweets, Cali is my friend. Why can't I join the dinner along with her?"

"How will we talk about you right before you?" retorted Xiu. "That's not how it works."

"If you guys are eventually gonna talk about me then it's even better if I'm right there," said Darren. He couldn't understand why he had to leave. After all, the only person common between Cali and Xiu was him. Well, there was Dylan too but he purposely chose to ignore that point. "You can pretend like I'm not even there."

Xiu looked him up and down before saying, "Baobei, you're too hard to..."

"Resist?" suggested Darren making her narrow her eyes at him. He poked her arm as he called out, "You can't just kick your Baobei out like this. How will I spend this time without my Furen?"

"What did you just call me?" Xiu stared at him wide-eyed.

"Furen..." he answered softly making her heart beat wildly. (*Furen: Usually husbands would call their wives 'Furen' in Chinese to show respect and affection. English translation would be 'lady'. Additional note: The author has learned from someone it means 'Honey' as well but it's not confirmed to me.)

Xiu couldn't talk for a good minute since she couldn't wrap her mind around that title. Taking a deep breath, she placed the grocery bags down and pushed him towards his door. "You are dangerous for my sanity. Go away!"

"Oh, now you're literally pushing me away?" Darren was really amused at the expense of how flustered she looked. "I'm hurt now."

"I don't care," replied Xiu harshly.

Darren placed his hand against her cheek. "I'll miss you."

Xiu furrowed her brows, "Why is everyone saying this today?"

"Who else said it?" Darren was suddenly in his alpha male role.

"Dylan. When he hugged me goodbye, he said the same thing," answered Xiu calmly.

Darren's face twitched in anger, "He really needs a good beating." He meant it. How could his dear best friend forget that he wasn't supposed to be so casual with his wife? He not only said he'll miss her, he even dared to hug her?! Oh, Dylan! You're really looking for trouble now!

Darren gave her a tight hug that almost made it difficult for her to breathe as he said, "Sweets, if you need a hug. Come to me. Don't let anyone just hug you."

"Why do you act like a teenager whenever you're jealous?"

"How come I act like a teenager?"

Xiu pointed at his face, "See, you're acting like one right now. Unreasonable and stubborn!"

"No, that's all because I love you."

Xiu shook her head tiredly, "I think you're getting infected with my random disease. Because these days, you just randomly announce your love."

Darren touched her nose lightly, "It's not random. I told you, if I could I'd say I love you all the time!" Xiu did a mistake again of looking into his eyes as he said those words to her. Now, how was she supposed to look away?

"Ahem! Ahem!"

Timely, someone cleared their throat and Xiu managed to take a step away from Darren. As she turned her head and saw Cali standing at the side trying to look anywhere but them, Xiu's ears turned red.

"Sorry, I wasn't planning on disturbing," said Cali in her defense.

"But you still disturbed," Darren shot back at her unhappily. "Couldn't you come a little later? Or you could have stayed quiet!"

Xiu slapped his shoulder, "That's no way to talk to a guest."

"Sweets, you can't hit me for her now!" Darren looked at Xiu and went on, "Besides, she's your guest. Not mine!"

"I'm not your guest, but I'm your friend," reminded Cali to him.

"Yeah, a friend who is trying to steal my wife from me."

Xiu punched in the code to his apartment and opened the door before shoving him inside. "Regan, it's just a dinner. Stop overreacting!" Before he could open his mouth, she had already closed the door and turned to Cali, "Sorry about that." Cali smiled in return to show it was alright. "But weren't you gonna come after an hour?"

"Since you said you're gonna cook yourself, I thought I should help you," said Cali as she helped her with the grocery bags.

"Don't let her help. She just a disaster in the kitchen!" came Darren's voice from behind the closed doors. Xiu rolled her eyes at him while Cali laughed. 

It was truly amusing for Cali to see how Xiu and Darren acted. It was entertaining and refreshing as well.

"You don't pay attention to him. I don't need any help," said Xiu without hesitation as she opened the door and led her inside. Cali silently nodded and followed her in.

Meanwhile, there was another person who was unexpectedly but thoroughly fed with Darren and Xiu's domestic display of love. Who would have the thought that when Yan Ying came to just inspect the place where Xiu lives, she'd have to suffer through the torture of watching this loving couple spreading love in the middle of the hallway?

Coming out from the place where she was hiding, Ying placed a hand over her head as if consoling herself as she whispered, "Being a guardian angel... This won't be easy." Then she looked in the direction of their doors and added, "These two want me to contract diabetes now."