Imperfect Desires

Han Bohai had no idea what he had been feeling as he came out of the residential building to get inside the car that had been waiting for him. 

"Brother Han, why are getting so unruly these days?" As soon as he got inside the car, his assistant, Wen Qing started nagging. "You don't even tell me and vanish on your own. What am I supposed to do if others ask me where you are? You have never been this irresponsible before."

Han Bohai leaned his head against the back of his seat and closed his eyes. For some reason, he couldn't get that taste of the food, or even the way Xiu kept looking at him out of his mind. He felt there was something different in the way she looked at him. It didn't seem like a fan's love and admiration. It looked more like a proud mother's look who looked at him gently, and affectionately. The thought even startled him as well.

"Qingqing..."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Can I hug you?" 

Wen Qing gaped at him in disbelief before cowering back a little as she replied, "What for?"

"I need to check something," replied Han Bohai. "Just let me hug you."

"Oh-okay!" she agreed but rather reluctantly.

Han Bohai hugged her not very tightly like how Xiu did but he didn't feel anything. It was just a hug and he honestly felt nothing about it. Then why did the hug with Xiu felt such a complicated impression in his mind? Technically speaking, he knew Wen Qing for four years and he only met Xiu today. But why was there such a huge disparity in the feelings he got from both of them?

Was it really because Xiu's name and her food reminded him of Sister Xiu?

"Can you let go Brother Han? It's getting awkward now?"

"Oh." Han Bohai pulled away and leaned back in his seat again. Closing his eyes, he decided not to overthink about it for now.

....

Meanwhile, Xiu was still wondering how to help her Xiao Bobo. He already managed to become Ying Jie's trial boyfriend, now she just had to add fuel to fire and ignite Ying Jie's feelings for him. She smirked to herself. Even the idea was wickedly delicious to her. 

Ah! Xiu, you're so awesome!

While she was busy praising herself, the doorbell rang. Whistling happily, she skipped over to the door and pulled it open. "Hello, dear guest!"

But when the guest turned his head, her smile stiffened. "How do you always show up when I don't feel like seeing your face?"

"Hello to you too, Xiu!" greeted Dylan while pushing her shoulder to make way for himself as he just barged in like he owned the place. He certainly learned some things from Xiu. "Do you have something to eat? I'm famished!"

Xiu looked at the time and said, "Dylan, did you just use your lunch break to come here just to annoy me?"

"Of course not!" replied Dylan as he walked over and saw the table filled with food. Since Xiu had prepared generously, there were a lot of leftovers. "I came over for food and because I missed you."

"What do you want?" was Xiu's straightforward question. She didn't want him to dilly-dally when it was obvious that he chose this precious hour of his lunch to come over, just to find her. "If it's about your piano lessons, I made it clear to you already; you're hopeless."

"Are you giving up so easily? What happened to the mighty Shifu?" reported Dylan while scooping a bowl of rice for himself and sitting down at the dining table.

"It's not that I'm accepting defeat, I can teach you piano but with your speed, it might take a year. Are you willing to wait that long just to ask Cali to be your girlfriend? I believe you can even have a child by then." Xiu also sat down with him and perched her face on her hand as she stared at him.

Dylan swallowed the food before saying, "No, I can't wait that long. Even if the idea of having a child with her is very enticing, I still can't wait that long. By the way, why did you cook this much?"

Xiu completely overlooked his last question and continued to say, "Then if you can't wait, what are you up to?"

 "Glad that you asked," said Dylan as he placed his chopsticks down and smiled at Xiu. "Now, I'm gonna use my trump card."

"What's your trump card?" she retorted.

"It's not what. Ask who?"

Xiu rolled her eyes at him and asked, "Okay then Mr. Dylan Qiu, do tell me WHO is the trump card?"

"Ladies and gentlemen," Dylan made an exaggerating manner of using his spoon as his mic as he went on, "Give a big round of applause for my trump card, my one and only sister-in-law, Bai Xiu! Yay!!" With that, he even dared to clap right before her face.

"I'm gonna smack your face, do you believe me?" 

"I do," he answered honestly. "I know you won't hesitate but I also know that you want me to be happy. So, you'd definitely do what I say."

Xiu held her forehead as she said, "You've gotten sharp."

Dylan grinned at her saying, "So, are you up for it?"

Hearing his plan, she nodded. "I'm okay. But tonight is not an option. Let's do it tomorrow instead. I've something important planned for tonight."

"Great minds think alike," stated Dylan happily. "I have already planned everything for tomorrow. You just have to show up and see if everything is fine."

Xiu was really surprised seeing him acting like this. So, she didn't even want to make a cutting remark for him. "You're truly taking advantage of a jobless person now."

"My company is still waiting for you. Do you want to come back to work?"

Xiu shook her head. "No, thanks! I'm looking for a job."

"What kind of job are you looking for?"

"I have no idea!" replied Xiu plainly. "I mean, I still don't want to do that 9 to 5 job. I'm not an early bird. It's not my cup of tea."

"You're neither a night owl, buddy!" Dylan pointed out knowingly.

Xiu sighed out, "Yes, yes. I'm neither an early bird nor a night owl. I'm just some sort of permanently exhausted pigeon!"