Imperfect Desires

Xiu made a beeline to her table after leaving that irritating boss of hers behind. She kept cursing Dylan in her heart. "You damn nincompoop! If you weren't the one controlling my paycheck, I'd have already murdered you a hundred times without regret." She was rubbing the back of her hand where his lips barely grazed her skin. "I wish she had splashed wine on your face. Alcohol is also a strong disinfectant and it could surely kill a germ like you."

With an evil smirk, she thought, 'The Earth would have been cleaner without you.'

But as the scene of water being splashed on Dylan's face replayed in her mind, she couldn't stop herself from laughing. It was indeed a funny sight. Oh, how she wished to make a video of it for keepsake. Or for blackmailing? Aiya! She could have asked for a pay raise with that video. What a pity! She missed a golden chance.

When she sat back in her chair beside Nora's, she was grinning from ear-to-ear but her brows were snapped together in concentration.

"What happened to you? And what took you so long?" Nora was the one to question as she saw the look on Xiu's face. She looked like someone who had hit a jackpot in a casino and now, she was worried about what to do with all that money.

"Nothing. I just watched a live comedy," was Xiu's reply.

"It must be fun if it made you laugh like this," Nora remarked while studying Xiu's countenance.

"It was fun but only because the clown was pitiful and yet I felt no sympathy for him," Xiu replied as the corners of her lips lifted up. As she mused to herself, 'Wasn't my clown of a boss pitiful? If that blind date was set up by his mother... Aye, his mother must not be very fond of him.' She shook her head in disappointment since, in one glance, she could see that woman's personality.

Personally, she had no hopes for blind dates. But then again, one couldn't eat poison with opened eyes. So, they tried blind dates with a little faith.

"As long as it made you laugh, I'm glad as well," Nora said and turned her attention to the food on her plate.

Darren was peering at Xiu's face in silence all this while with a lopsided grin on his lips. She looked happy as the twinkle in her honey brown eyes was palpable. But the fact that it was already Xiu's third glass of wine hadn't gone unnoticed by his keen eyes as well. However, for some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to stop her. She seemed to be enjoying herself. How could he stop her?

Nonetheless, Xiu's eyes were also on Darren but not his face. Her attention was on his table manners. Elbows off the table, sitting up straight, chewing with his mouth closed, taking small bites, didn't speak with his mouth full, and using a napkin. He was well-versed with all the etiquettes and somehow, he made it look very effortless as well.

Xiu had always disdained so many rules involved with eating. When her mother had hired an etiquette teacher for her, the six-year-old Xiu had spent a month trying to learn which spoon to use for which food. It was safe to say that learning etiquettes had never been a joke.

But now, Xiu found his movements to be clean, unhurried, and elegant. She had dined with many people but this was the first time, she was so immersed in observing someone eat. Perhaps, that was the reason that she didn't even realize how much wine she had drunk already.

Darren and Nora were involved in a conversation when Darren looked at Xiu. She was holding the wine glass in one hand while the other one supported her face. The snow-white skin of her face was tinted now while her eyes were swiveling towards the back of her head. Nora also noticed her condition and the way Xiu's eyes were stuck on the empty glass, she knew her bestie was intoxicated.

"I had one glaaaasss..." Xiu slurred as she raised one finger with less coordination between her limbs. "Why are there two glassesss?" As if learning something new, her pupils dilated, "Stupid, you're raising two fingers." She curled back her index finger and frowned adorably. "Aish! Now there is no finger. Where did my finger go?"

She made a crying face. With glistening eyes, reddened face and strands of loose hair made her small face look enchanting.

"Baby Xiu'er, your fingers are right here. Don't cry." Nora uncurled her fingers and showed it to her. Xiu's face lit up instantly as she smiled.

"Oh, they are right here." She said in surprise and awe. She turned to face Nora and blinked her eyes. The scene of how she first saw Nora in the cemetery five years ago played before her eyes. She pointed her finger at her saying, "You! I know youuu. You're that girl." She tapped her temple with her finger as if stressing her memory to recall. "Ah! You're the girl who saved me. I saw you first when I came back."

"Baby Xiu'er, did you forget me already?"

Xiu shook her head. She hugged Nora while still sitting on her chair. "You're my memory manual. How can I forget you? But I want to say som-" She hiccuped before continuing, "Say something to you. Thank you! Thank you for being there for me. I'd have been so lost without you. I love you. I really do."

Nora smiled back at her as she stroked her hair and said, "I love you too, my Xiu."

Xiu's face stiffened as it lost all the light. She straightened up and said, "You don't love me."

"Of course, I do," Nora stressed on her words.

Xiu shook her head in negation. "No. You love Bai Xiu. I'm..." She suddenly forgot what she was talking about. How weird! She knew she was gonna say something important. What was it?

"And you are my Bai Xiu," Nora said to get her attention.

Xiu looked back at Nora's face and her reassuring eyes. She nodded in a daze as she mumbled, "Now, I am Bai Xiu."

"What is she talking about, Nora?" Darren finally intervened as he could sense the sadness in Xiu's tone. As if she was disappointed about something. What could make her lose the bright twinkle from her eyes?

His euphonious voice rang in Xiu's ears and she turned her face to look at him. Her eyes immediately lit up again like fireflies. She beamed with pleasure, awe and was that a starstruck look on her face.

She stuck her palms against her cheeks as her mouth was agape while she stared at him. A wolfish whistle that sounded more like coming from a hooligan could be heard from her as she bounced all the way to his side. "Aiyaya! I have never got to work with such a handsome Male Lead before."

Both Darren and Nora were left staring at her oddly.