Imperfect Desires

Happily oblivious to their discussion, Xiu had skipped her way out and found Gigi waiting for her exactly where she left her. Her posture, expressions, even the air around her seemed like she was facing an enemy and the situation was extremely dangerous. Xiu's lips twitched seeing her expressions, did she have to act so stiff all the time? They weren't in any grave danger.

However, she had long decided to just go along with this arrangement. If Gigi wasn't beside her, there'd be someone looking from behind the scene and she'd rather have someone right by her side than to feel like she was being monitored all the time. The feeling of being tracked like a stalker was behind her had always left a bitter taste in her mouth. She'd very much like to not come across such a situation ever again!

"Are you done?" asked Gigi in a courteous way. The way she looked at Xiu had already taken another turn and she could only resort to showing even more respect to Xiu. She knew better than to mess around with someone like Xiu who had direct access to the President's office even though she wasn't even an employee here!

"Yes, I'm done. We can leave now," replied Xiu while observing the way Gigi looked at her. But she didn't bother asking about the change that she noticed.

The buildings here were already like a maze but Xiu could tell that Gigi had purposely taken a different route to the exit. The layout of this place was already really complicated, did she have to confuse me more? Xiu was shaking her head as she sighed but suddenly her steps halted.

When Gigi didn't hear Xiu's footsteps following her, she looked back and found Xiu standing a few steps back with her hand clutching her stomach. "What's wrong?" Gigi hurriedly inquired.

Xiu waved her hand as if trying to say it was no big deal but this cramping was getting on her nerves. What the hell! "Can I use a bathroom?"

"Emm..." Gigi hesitated before pressing her lips together and nodded. "Okay. Follow me."

Gigi directed Xiu to the restrooms that were close to the break rooms instead of going deeper into the working space. Although Xiu could walk around here with that single black card in her hand, Gigi didn't want Xiu to come across any highly classified information that would get her in trouble later on. After all, sometimes ignorance is bliss! 

The less a normal person knew about their jobs, the better for their safety.

Xiu took out a pad from her purse and entered the bathroom. However, she was baffled to realize that her great aunt had not really come. So what? Was it planning on knocking painfully before finally visiting in full force?! Xiu grimaced at her own poor humor and clutched her stomach that still had some mild cramps. 

Now that I think about it, isn't my great aunt really late this month? Xiu frowned to herself as she tried to think when was the last time she had her periods. However, she had never kept any note of when that nemesis of hers visited every month so she had no idea about the exact date. No wonder Nora always tells me to have that period tracking app. I really need it now. 

Xiu had just been mulling over this false alarm when she heard voices from outside.

"Did you see Ben flexing his Red Access Card around? Such a show-off!" Some woman was really feeling indignant as she spat her words out. 

There was a soft chuckle as the other woman said, "Don't feel bad, Chichi. It's just like how rich people like to flaunt their money, in our line of work everyone wants to flex around with the color of their access card. I don't think I need to tell you that red isn't just a color, it's also a rank." The woman sighed out, "Having someone like Investigator Yan as a team leader must have been a blessing for Team 2. They recently completed a joint mission with the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. But since Investigator Yan didn't get her promotion, her team member got it."

Xiu hadn't been paying attention until two things clicked in her mind; Access Cards and Investigator Yan. She didn't understand the rest of their conversation but she didn't need to. Because those two things were enough to make her brain work overtime since it sounded awfully familiar.

Where did she hear it? Xiu was scratching her head trying to recall when someone rapped on her cubical door. "Are you okay in there?"

Since Xiu was taking long, Gigi had grown worried. She had seen Xiu's pained expression before she entered the restroom so she couldn't help coming to look.

Xiu shook her head and stood up since the knock had already disturbed her thinking process, she'd try again later. For now, it was better to get out of there. Fixing her clothes, she stepped out.

"Sorry for taking so long."

Gigi looked at her, scrutinizing her from head to toe.

"Are you feeling better?"

Xiu was washing her hands when she looked at Gigi's reflection through the mirror and nodded while looking around to find those women but those gossipy women had already left and Xiu didn't even notice it. 

"Absolutely! I must have just eaten something wrong today," replied Xiu with a sincere smile as she lied perfectly right through her teeth without even blinking. This was why Xin Zimen had said earlier that she was way too good at fooling people because Gigi was easily convinced. Looking at Xiu now, she couldn't tell this was the girl who was almost sweating in pain from stomachache in the hallway earlier.

Still smiling, Xiu followed her out of the building and finally taken the seat in the comfort of the very familiar car. It was odd how she felt an invisible pressure inside that building as if the whole world's affairs were weighing down on her shoulders. She really couldn't tell how the people who worked inside that building were able to breathe in peace?

"Where to?"

Xiu was putting on her seatbelt as she replied distractedly, "Sun and Moon Bay."

"That's about 4 hours drive from the city!"

Xiu nodded, "I know but we are already out of the city so it will take about 3 hours but it can be shorter if you know how to drive."

"You're really getting comfortable with the idea of having me as a personal driver, huh?"

"Not really," replied Xiu honestly. "I think being around me is a waste of your talents. But I'm not the one calling the shots. So, you'll have to bear with it for a while."

Gigi shook her head as she cursed under breath saying, "I can't even get mad at you. What a tragedy!"