Imperfect Desires

Yan Ying was whistling and skipping her way towards the entrance of the Xin Villa with her car keys spinning around her index finger. She seemed to be in a very good mood for a reason which was unknown.

Today, Xiu didn't even step out of her house which meant that Ying also didn't have to leave for anywhere at all. So, she had a very lazy day. It wasn't her ideal deal but after how tired she was yesterday because of Xiu's shopping spree, she thought she deserved a lazy day. Not only that, even though her stupid team members did her dirty by using her credit card however they liked, she still had to say that they chose a very comfortable bed for her. 

At the end of the day, that's all that mattered. A comfy bed!

"What do you think about this, Zimen?" 

Yan Ying's feet came to an abrupt halt when she heard the voice from inside the lounge. Normally, she would have entered without care but this time, she could feel something strange in Zhao Wei's voice that made her stop. 

"You know I've always wanted Meihui to marry Xiaoli. And today, she finally agreed. I couldn't stop myself from running to you."

Ying closed her eyes as she felt her heart drop. Her feelings could be described simply, she had felt like she had been hovering over the edge of a hill for a long time and tonight, Zhao Wei's words finally worked as that push that threw her off that hill. 

Was she supposed to feel free now? After all, her first love was officially becoming someone else's. She should feel free but all she felt was the feeling of falling down. And she didn't even know where she was gonna stop or how.

Inside the lounge, Xin Zimen had been silent. He didn't say a word. He'd have loved to say yes, after all, Qiu Meihui was his very best friend's daughter. But how could he forget that it was his wife, Wen Ai's wish to see Xin Xiaoli and Yan Ying together? Wen Ai grew up in Ying's maternal family, she was deeply attached to every single person in that family and Ying was no exception.

"Zimen, why aren't you saying anything? You don't like the proposal?" Zhao Wei asked apprehensively. This was her last attempt to make things better between her and her daughter who had estranged herself for years. But today after so long Qiu Meihui asked her for something. She couldn't help coming here. "Zimen, Xiaoli has always been in love with Meihui. Even I know she hurt him when she married someone else. We all thought Xiaoli will move on but he didn't. He's still waiting for her."

Xin Zimen looked up at Zhao Wei thoughtfully. Indeed, how could he overlook the main point here, no matter how much he was fond of Yan Ying, Xiaoli didn't love her? In fact, his very own son never even cared about all of her efforts to get his attention.

"As you said, Weiwei since my son is already in love with your daughter. You or I can't do anything." Xin Zimen finally said, with a level tone.

Zhao Wei's eyes sparkled, "So, you agree?" Xin Zimen nodded his head slightly. Zhao Wei turned to Francesca sitting next to her, "I knew it. France, we have so much to do now."

"Sister Wei, you haven't even decided a date yet," Francesca pointed out the main point.

"Oh, right!" Zhao Wei touched her head as if reprimanding herself. "How about next month?"

"That soon? Weiwei, aren't you in a hurry?" Qiu Jiayi voiced out. Even though his question was directed towards his wife, his eyes were focused on Xin Zimen's face. 

"Sooner the better," replied Zhao Wei in a way that her husband didn't dare to argue again.

"And here I thought my son would be the one getting married first," Francesca sounded slightly depressed to think about how her son was still not proposing her daughter-in-law. What was the hold up now?! 

At this point, one could say that Francesca was more eager than anyone else to get Darren and Xiu married. She even planned on taking a good class of that son of hers who always acted smart but was being a real loser when it came to proposing a girl. 

Standing against the wall of the door, Ying placed her hand over her mouth and kept repeating to herself, 'Don't you dare cry! You can't keep cry for someone who wasn't yours! You knew it from the very beginning. You're the one to blame for hoping for a different result.'

"Miss..."

Ying looked at the maid who was about to call her name and shushed her. "Keep it down, Miyabi. No need to tell everybody I'm here," she said in a hushed tone. "I'm just here to get... Something I left in the room. There is no need to disturb anyone for that."

She smiled at the maid as she made an excuse before running up the stairs. Of course, she had nothing to get from the room. She only came to Xin Villa because she had something to discuss with Xin Zimen but she couldn't do so now. 

She touched her face and took deep, calming breaths.

Inhale...

Exhale...

"Everything is okay. Everything is really okay." Patting her own cheeks in a comforting manner, she opened the window and jumped over to the branch of the tree that was closest to the window. It wasn't her first time doing it, so it didn't take her long before she was sitting on the branch leaning against the tree in a very languid manner.

She had only sat down to take a breather to look at the full moon finding it beautifully enchanting tonight. Or perhaps, the moistness in her eyes was making everything seem painfully dreamy tonight. 

Ying was lost in her own thoughts when a small pebble hit her shoulder all of a sudden. It didn't hurt but it startled her to the point that...

*CRASH*

"Aiya, Ma! My buttock hurts! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"