Imperfect Desires

Xiu had heard such words for so long in her previous life that she found it funny this time around. Change is inevitable in life and yet people choose to stick with their bad habits. How pitiful! 

"Mind your words, Liu Nuan!" Zhou Jinhai warned his wife with a glare but perhaps, the latter was also feeling rebellious today because she didn't back down.

Instead, she further provoked, "Why? Did I say something wrong? An orphan is an orphan. What's wrong with me calling her one?"

Xiu laughed out at her and Liu Nuan was left frowning at Xiu's reaction. As soon as Xiu's laughter died down, her smile turned sinister as she stepped closer to Liu Nuan with such aura that Liu Nuan felt like cowering away in fear. Xiu, however, didn't give her a chance as she placed her hand on her shoulder. Her grip on her shoulder was so tight that Liu Nuan felt the pressure.

 "I really have no manners. You're right. No one really taught me. But..." her voice got low as she added, "At least, I have an excuse for having no manners. What's your excuse?"

"What?"

Xiu patted her cheek lightly before walking away leaving a baffled Liu Nuan staring at her back. However, while she was passing by her side, Liu Nuan clearly heard Xiu saying, "Delusional!"

She looked at her husband and questioned, "She insulted me?"

"So?" was Zhou Jinhai's response.

"As my husband, you should be defending me."

Zhou Jinhai smiled which didn't look like a smile as he said, "Di mei seems to be right about you. You're indeed delusional."

"Jinhai!"

"I already signed the divorce papers," gritted out Zhou Jinhai. "You're the delusional one, who is dragging this non-existent relationship unnecessarily! I have no obligations for this relationship which you all tricked me into. Get that through your head already!"

In annoyance, he turned to leave but heard Liu Nuan's words, "Is it because of her name?" Zhou Jinhai halted and tilted his head to look back at her. "Why is it always a 'Xiu' between us? Are you taking her side just because her name reminds you of someone? Or is it because just like before, you've come to be fond of another Xiu? Don't forget she is your brother's girlfriend."

Zhou Jinhai's clenched his hands before he said, "Just as di mei said, you're sick in your head. And I don't feel like wasting my time on a sick person!"

...

Xiu finally found her way back to her table and sat down beside Darren with a huff. Oddly enough, her dearest husband was right where she left him. Whether he didn't leave or he just came back earlier than her, was something she wasn't certain about. But she cared about neither of that.

"Did you see my Ying Jie?" asked Xiu as she leaned back and crossed her right leg over the left making the slit of her dress to get even more obvious.

Darren held her hand in his own and while playing with her fingers, he replied, "Your Ying Jie hasn't come yet."

"Huh? But isn't the wedding about to start?" She looked towards the doors and saw that the doors were closed, her frown deepened. "Why is she not here yet? Do you think this whole wedding affected her and that's why she doesn't want to see it?" She tilted her hand thoughtfully as she added, "But doesn't that mean that my Xiao Bobo's charm is not enough to capture her heart? That's not good."

Darren looked at the side of her face in amusement and shook his head saying, "Or maybe, your Xiao Bobo's charm has captured her to the point that she totally forgot about this wedding."

Xiu flashed him a brilliant smile as she said, "It's definitely as you said. Ha! Great!"

"I'm just making an assumption here," Darren pointed out.

Xiu scooted to his side saying, "But as your obedient wife, I'd always believe what my husband says."

Darren chuckled at her response and said, "But I don't want an obedient wife."

"Oh?"

Darren tapped her adorable nose saying, "I already love my crazy wife."

Xiu's lips twitched and she pursed her lips to hold back her smile. "As always, my husband doesn't even need an occasion to tell me that he loves me."

"I believe I should keep reminding you," said Darren.

Xiu placed her hand on the side of his face and said, "It's not I need these reminders."

"You might not need these reminders but that doesn't mean I'll stop saying it." His expression shifted slightly as he asked, "On a serious note, what's up with that look in your eyes?"

"What look?" Xiu played dumb.

"Sweets..." 

Xiu groaned at the way he called her and sighed, "Is it that I'm too easy to read or what? How are you able to see right through me? It's not like I can hide anything from you anyway."

Darren smiled helplessly at her and patted her head carefully. "That's because we are one, both in body and soul."

Xiu gave him a look as she asked, "And how can you say we are one both in body and soul?"

"Because..." his hand wandered around her body before it stopped on her abdomen as he whispered, "Because we made one. It's a part of us. Growing slowly inside of you."

Xiu slapped his hand saying, "What is exactly running through that head of yours all the time?"

"With such a beautiful wife, I think it'd be a shame if my thoughts didn't wander off."

Xiu shook her head helplessly and hit his arm playfully. "Dear husband, you should really change this habit of having wandering thoughts. You're gonna be a father soon enough."

"Just because I'm gonna be a father, it doesn't mean I have to stop loving baby's mama. In fact, that means I should love her even more."

Xiu touched her cheeks with the back of her hands saying, "It's a good thing I'm wearing blush. Or else, people might see me boiling here like an egg." While Darren chuckled at her remark, she hit him again for doing this. Knowing very well, what his words could do to her, she still loved playing around at such places.