Imperfect Desires

Ying was actually very surprised to see Han Bohai like this. He didn't seem this serious on usual days. But right now, it was obvious that he had a lot on his mind. His eyes didn't have the usual brightness or mischief, in fact, her eyes seemed rather blank today. Ying didn't know why but she didn't feel good seeing him like this.

After hesitating for a while, she spoke up, "If something's bothering you, you can share it with me. I'm a good listener. And I might be able to help you out as well." She didn't know why but she wanted to know what was he thinking. He never shared anything with her. 

Han Bohai smiled at her and raised his head to kiss her forehead lovingly as he said, "Are you worried for me?" He was actually pleased to hear this from her. After all, it wasn't every day that Ying showed this much interest in him.

"No," said Ying as she took a sip of the coffee or more like used the cup to hide her expressions. Sometimes it was dangerous to have him around when he could read her so easily.

He clung to her saying, "Damn it! If you say it like that, I'll fall for you harder!" 

"That doesn't even make sense!" What were they talking about and where was he going? Something was definitely wrong with his brain!

"Have I ever made sense though?"

Ying's lips pressed into a thin line as she couldn't refute that. He indeed never made sense. It was only her who was being trapped in his nonsense each and every time. But she still loved his nonsense. She didn't know about falling head over heels in love with him but her feelings were definitely changing for him. 

Maybe that's why she didn't find the idea of spending her life with him, odd. In fact, she found it rather interesting. Because by now, she had come to a conclusion, with him around, life certainly had something to look forward to.

"Nora!" he suddenly called out to Nora who had been trying to distance herself from this pair of lovebirds. She looked up at him inquisitively as he went on, "How long have you been friends with Xiu?"

"I was fourteen or fifteen maybe," replied Nora uncertainly.

"Jackie said her name wasn't Xiu before."

Nora raised her brow but still nodded her head, "Yeah! She was called Destiny at that time. You can say Xiu is her Chinese name which she came up with for herself."

"Why Xiu?" he questioned.

"What are you trying to do here?" inquired Ying who had been listening to his sudden round of questions regarding Xiu.

"Didn't you say Xiu is like your sister?" Ying narrowed her eyes but nodded agreeably. "You also said that she is very important to you. So I thought I should know about her."

Although there was nothing wrong with his words, however, she didn't know why she didn't buy his words. 

Disregarding their banter, Nora focused on the question she was asked and replied, "Actually, it's a funny story. She always admired an actress named..."

"Chen Xiu," he suggested and Nora snapped her fingers.

"That's right! She had been a huge fan of that actress. That's why she chose the name Xiu for herself."

"That's it?" he asked. "I mean, such a simple reason?"

Nora contemplated for a while before she recalled something, "Now that you mentioned it, there actually is something else."

"What?" he was trying his best to keep his expressions in check right now but his heart was in a frenzy for some reason even he couldn't understand. What was he even trying to do right now? He didn't know himself!

"She once told me stupor that Chen Xiu gave her a new life. Something about saving her life and how selfless she was. I never understood what she meant." 

Han Bohai's heartbeat quickened as he questioned, "Wait! Was her name Destiny Novell? And Carina Novell was her mother?"

"That's correct!" answered Nora. "But why do you ask?"

Han Bohai laughed dryly, "I can't believe this."

"What's wrong?" asked Ying when she noticed the way his hand was shaking.

"I never knew such coincidences happen in life," he started. "That night... She really did save Destiny."

"What are you talking about?" was Nora's reaction.

Han Bohai didn't know how to reply. Even though the one who saved Destiny was Chen Xiu, but that idiot never even bothered asking the names of the people she helped. But he, as her assistant, had to deal with all the paperwork, and since he had been the one who processed the hospital bills and stuff, he clearly remembered the name of the person and her guardian. How could he forget it? It was his very first time seeing an idiot like Chen Xiu! And it was also on the very first day of him acting as her assistant!

As if catching on to something, Ying asked, "Did Chen Xiu really saved Destiny's life?"

Han Bohai couldn't like to her as he nodded, "Yes! It was her mother who came to ask for help and Sister Xiu being Sister Xiu, readily agreed to take them to the hospital! She even gave her blood to save her life."

"Something like that actually happened?" Nora was in shock. She always thought her best friend was spouting all kinds of nonsense. And that's why she never bothered paying much attention to this.

"She didn't tell you in detail?"

"She lost her memory, so we never got to discuss anything of this sort," replied Nora.

"Lost her memory?" repeated Han Bohai. "I heard about this from your brother. When did it happen? I mean do you remember the exact date?" Hearing the precise date from Nora, he sighed out, "Sister Xiu died during that time."

"Your point is?" Ying caught on to his abnormal behavior.

"Nothing," he tried to avoid talking about it. He would keep his conjectures to himself. 

"Ying!" 

Hearing someone called her, Ying looked over at Zhou Jinhai who was coming towards them. "What are you doing here?" 

"Why? I can't come to see my brother?" retorted Zhou Jinhai. His eyes felt hostility and turned his head to look at Han Bohai whose face had hardened. "Oh, I didn't know you'd be here."

"I don't think your brother would like to see you," replied Ying. "He already met his father in the day. I don't think your visit is needed."

"I know, but I still want to see him," said Zhou Jinhai.

Seeing the interaction between Zhou Jinhai and Ying, Han Bohai's eyes darkened. He felt infuriated just looking at his face. Every time he saw this man, he wanted to strangle him!

"If your eyes could kill me I'd have been long dead," said Zhou Jinhai as he looked at Han Bohai.

"You think I'd give you an easy death?" retorted Han Bohai. 

Zhou Jinhai smiled at him self-deprecatingly, "Right... I don't deserve an easy death."

"Both of you, stop it!" Ying stood between both of them and said to Han Bohai, "Sit down!" Then she shifted to Zhou Jinhai and went on, "And you, leave!"

"I just want to see him."

Ying glared at him, "Even if you stay, you can't see him. The doctor said none of us can see them for now. So, leave! You can come at another time."

"Why are you so angry?" he questioned when he noticed that Ying wasn't talking to him like she usually did.

Ying held his wrist and pulled him aside as she said in a low voice, "Because I am angry right now! Do you know how much it infuriates me, whenever I hear that Chen Xiu was a good person and that innocent girl didn't deserve to die in such a way! It makes me want to beat you as well because it all started with you!"

Zhou Jinhai's eyes dimmed as his head lowered and he said, "Yes. It all started because of me. If I had kept my distance from her in the very beginning, none of this would have befallen upon her. She deserved so much better."

"Indeed! She deserved the world! But what did she get?" She exhaled a long breath and said, "Now, please leave. My boyfriend is gonna lose his patience otherwise."

"I never thought I'd hear you say the word, 'My boyfriend'."

"You still want to talk?" 

"I'm leaving," Saying that Zhou Jinhai turned around and left. 

Ying came back to Han Bohai's side who was still gnashing his teeth in hatred and sighed out, "He is gone. Stop brooding." Han Bohai hmphed but didn't reply to her. Ying looked at the door and frowned as she asked, "Did someone go inside?"

"Yeah. The doctor came for a routine checkup," Nora told her.

Ying's expressions changed, "But they just left!" With that, she ran inside the room and the scene before her eyes made her eyes widen.