Imperfect Desires

Have you ever looked at someone and had the urge to take a peek inside their brain to see what's going on inside? 

Yan Ying definitely had.

She had been around Xiu like a shadow since morning and was really annoyed by the fact that Xiu and Francesca were acting like kids in an amusement park who just had to try on every ride. Why were they so eager to explore this mall? If she knew this was how her first day was gonna go, she'd have really gotten someone else to take her place for the day.

She had no problem with shopping, but the problem was she wasn't the one doing the shopping here!

Seeing that both Francesca and Xiu had now entered a beauty salon after their long shopping spree, she decided to just wait outside. She couldn't just randomly enter the soon like she did with the other stores.

She was shifting her weight from one foot to another while waiting outside when she received the phone call informing her, "Team leader, we fixed everything in your new apartment according to your needs. You can move in anytime now."

"Thanks," she showed her gratitude to her team members who for some strange reason had offered to help her in moving in and even took care of the interior. To be honest, she had no faith in any one of them but still, they all worked hard for her sake so she was gonna show her gratitude. "I'll take you all out for dinner someday."

"Really? When?" came an eager voice of Gigi from the other end.

"Someday," replied Ying offhandedly.

"Team leader, give us a date and time. You're the one who says that somehow, somewhere, something always goes wrong. And since life is that unpredictable, you should give us a definite answer."

"I'm throwing a housewarming party this weekend, you all are invited as well."

"Wow, team leader, you're awesome!" Ying rolled her eyes at the way this subordinate of hers was trying to flatter her now. Like that was totally unnecessary. "By the way, where are you, team leader?"

"Before you called, I was thinking of visiting the zoo today," began Ying as she turned around and almost crashed into someone. Fortunately, she didn't. She only looked up to glare at the person for a second who was about to knock against her while continuing, "But I changed my plan. Why waste my money when I'm seeing rare kinds of animals everywhere these days for free."

The guy who had 'sorry' at the tip of his tongue looked at Ying and pointed at himself. Apparently, her words implied that she was calling him a rare animal but that wasn't in her mind since she wasn't even gonna bother paying him any attention. Her words and her attention were solely on her bothersome subordinates. She intentionally hit his arm with her shoulder before walking away.

"Team leader, who are you referring to?" came Gigi's question from the other side of the phone.

"I think you're smart enough to understand my words," said Ying before hanging up the call. "I should get ice cream while I'm waiting." Deciding that, she went on to look around for ice cream.

Behind her, the guy was still gaping at her back in disbelief. Someone just called him a rare animal right at his face. How was he supposed to process that?

"Brother Han," a petite girl called out looking anxious. "I told you to wait for me. I know you have long legs but show some mercy for my sake. My short legs can't keep up with you." Seeing how the guy wasn't even reacting to her rambling, she waved her hand before his eyes asking, "Are you okay?"

"Do I look like an animal?" he spoke in a daze while touching his face.

The petite girl was taken aback by that sudden question. "Uhh... No way. What are you even saying, brother Han? You're the most handsome in the whole industry." The girl was sweating worrying about what he was gonna say next. She was already in a tight spot since she became this eccentric man's assistant. He loved asking weirdest questions and she was really having trouble answering every single time.

"No need to flatter me," he said in a deep raspy voice before entering the salon with his assistant right behind him.

Meanwhile...

"Mom, the woman you met in that boutique..." Xiu began hesitantly while Francesca was getting a haircut. "Do you know her?"

Francesca thought about it before asking, "You're asking about Liu Nuan?" Xiu nodded her head. "Not really. I know her mother because of Sister Wei."

"Oh..." Xiu again thought of something. "So how does Weiwei know Liu Nuan's mother?"

Francesca looked at Xiu through her peripheral vision saying, "Honey, apparently everyone knows everyone in that aristocrat circle. And since Sister Wei comes from that socialite circle, she knows a lot of people."

"That makes sense," agreed Xiu and finally relaxed and stopped thinking about why Liu Nuan was talking happily with her mother-in-law. 

"Bring some tea for Brother Han."

Xiu wasn't gonna pay attention to the voices around her at all but...

"There is no need for that. I'm in a hurry."

Xiu abruptly stood up as she heard that raspy voice. Although it sounded a little different and mature, Xiu was certain it sounded familiar. She walked around looking for the person who spoke but by the time she arrived, the man was already led towards the VVIP section. She could only see his broad back wearing an expensive dark red jacket.

Xiu slapped her own head as she laughed at herself, "I'm hearing things now. It really can't be him." She was trying to convince herself that she was overthinking because of how she came across Liu Nuan and Zhou Liqiu earlier. She really thought since she had a reunion with her past, now she was being delusional.

"That little one would never wear a red jacket," she again tried to convince herself and felt relaxed a bit with her own reasoning.