Imperfect Desires

After Xiu had run off to find something to curb her hunger craving, Xin Zimen's attention finally shifted to his brother who seemed to be having a discussion with Darren.

"Regi, you're acquainted with him?"

Darren looked towards Xin Zimen and nodded his head, "Uncle Zi, if one has to do business in the Capital, one has to know Mr. Xin Zemin. Don't you agree?"

"Oh, how can I forget that..." Xin Zimen's voice was dripping with bitterness and anger that he was trying to suppress. 

"I didn't know Mr. Salvay is so close to my brother."

Darren smiled politely at Xin Zemin before speaking, "I'd have mentioned it if only Uncle Zi wasn't so..."

"Regan..." That low voice of Xin Zimen left Darren's words unsaid.

"Where did Sweets go?" 

"You wife is looking for food," was the only reply he received, and immediately got up to find her.

Just as he was about to leave, Xin Zemin questioned, "Wait! Mr. Salvay, you're married?"

Not only Darren's lips curved up, even his eyes curved up showing his brimming happiness as he replied, "Yes, I am."

Xin Zemin couldn't help but raise his brows a little in surprise as he said, "I didn't know that."

"Why do you sound so disappointed?" Hearing his elder brother's words, Xin Zimen was feeling displeased. So, he couldn't help saying, "It's not like you have a daughter that you wanted to set him up with."

"You don't need to remind me of that," his elder brother's tone wasn't as gentle as it always had been. Only then Xin Zimen realized that he had touched a very sore spot. 

Meanwhile, Darren pressed his lips together and while passing beside Xin Zimen, he patted his shoulder saying, "Uncle Zi, choose your words wisely. You're stepping on your own foot."

Xin Zimen furrowed his brows as he watched Darren's retreating back and it suddenly dawned on him that he had actually said something really ironic. Because Darren's wife was indeed his elder brother's daughter! Was it what they called slapping your own face? 

But who cared? It's not like his elder brother knew that.

*Snap*

Xin Zimen's monologue ended when his elder brother snapped his fingers right before his eyes. "What are you thinking about?" Before Xin Zimen could say anything, he added, "So you feel good hurting your brother?"

"Are you playing the sympathy card?"

"No... I'm just reminding you that it's okay to say this to me but make sure that Huanhuan doesn't hear the same words."

"Why would I hurt my sister-in-law? I know how much it bothers her that she doesn't have a child."

His elder brother sighed out, "Glad to know that you at least care about someone's feelings."

Zizi looked at his brother for a moment before asking, "Why are you here? And don't say it's to inquire about my health. I don't buy that."

Xin Zemin exhaled a long breath before saying, "It's good to know that you don't have facial paralysis." Zizi could tell that his brother was trying to avoid the main topic here. "You smiled so brightly at that livily girl that I thought I was hallucinating." There was a smile playing on his lips as he added, "It's been too long since I actually saw that smile on your face."

"You either have too much time on your hand or maybe you just love wasting my time." Zizi didn't feel like he needed to talk about his expressions with his brother. But he needed to hear the reason why he had been coming to see him lately which was something his brother wasn't willing to say. 

Xin Zemin had grown accustomed to this behavior of his brother as he conveniently chose to ignore him words and went on, "Who is she?"

Zizi's eyes narrowed as he replied cuttingly, "She is my daughter. You have a problem with that?"

Xin Zemin's brows quirked up in surprise. "Daughter? When did that happen?" He pretended to think about it deeply before adding, "She can't be born out of wedlock since she definitely has that image of your wife's personality."

"Why do you even care?" Zizi was annoyed now. And he wanted to shot back that Xiu was born out of wedlock but the person involved was you. However, he would never call Xiu an illegitimate child. No matter what! She was still someone from the Xin family. Even if he despised his direct family, he had always felt proud of being someone from the Xin bloodline. So, he wanted Xiu to feel proud of that as well!

"I care because she seems like someone who has your reins in her hands."

Zizi's face twitched at the word 'reins' and he snorted, "I don't mind."

"That's exactly what's unsettling with me," said Xin Zemin in reply. "You never even let your wife control you but now a little girl managed to hold you in the palm of her hands. How surprising!"

"I feel like you really have nothing better to do these days," was the only reply Zizi gave him elder brother. He knew how much influence Xiu had on him but it was something he didn't mind. 

Xin Zemin wanted to add that the last person who managed to play him like that was his daughter but he didn't do so. He knew if he brought up Zizi's daughter's name, his brother was gonna lose his patience again. 

"I'm gonna take my leave now," said Xin Zemin surprising his brother.

"What did you come here for then?"

"To see my brother," he replied simply.

"I am not falling for that. I know you have a reason for being here."

Xin Zemin lifted his hand trying to touch his younger brother's head but Zizi ducked away. As his hand was left lingering in the air, he shook his head saying, "Stop doubting your brother's goodwill. As a brother, I don't need a reason to see you."

With those words, he left the Xin Villa leaving Zizi with a complicated feeling.