Imperfect Desires

The room instantly engulfed in such a dense silence that one could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall. Xin Zimen didn't know what to think of this situation. Did he hear it wrong? If he didn't hear wrong, why it sounded so wrong?

He opened his mouth several times to say something but no sound managed to come out. He was truly at a loss for words right now. 

"I think she misspoke," said Xin Zimen finally with a nod. Whether he was telling it to Xiao Li or to himself was uncertain. But it sounded like he was convincing himself though. Or at least was trying to.

"There is another possibility," Xin Kuan also voiced out attracting the attention of both father and son. "We all have seen her mental state just now. It's very possible that her hatred for Chen Xiu incited her to act against Bai Xiu. Because she confused both of them."

"Uncle Kuan," Xiao Li spoke. "Didn't she sound too confident for someone who was just going through a confusing phase?"

Before Xin Kuan could reply, Xin Zimen had to say it, "So what are you suggesting? Our Xiu is really Chen Xiu?" He gave his son a look. "Are we writing a script right now? Are you really believing in something bizarre like..." Xin Zimen took a moment to add, "Rebirth."

Xiao Li lowered his eyes but didn't reply. However, in his heart, he knew how much he wanted that bizarreness to turn into the truth right now. This was the first time he had such a thought and once it came to his mind, he wasn't able to remove it. 

He took a deep breath and stood up saying, "I don't whether I'm willing to believe in that bizarreness but I certainly refuse to believe that Liu Nuan tried to kill Xiu only because she confused our Xiu with Chen Xiu. So, I need her to open her mouth and tell me the truth herself."

"She doesn't seem very inclined on talking though," said Xin Kuan. "Although she had always looked weak to me, she is turning out to be quite a trouble."

"It's the weak people one should be more cautious about," replied Xiao Li. He looked at the men behind him and asked, "Did you wake her up?"

"Yes, Master Li!"

Xin Xiaoli cracked his knuckles and said, "Then let's get some answers."

Before he took another step, his arm was held by his father. He turned his head to give his father an inquisitive look. "Don't use force."

"Dad!" Xiao Li called out in surprise. "She killed 20 of your men. You don't even want me to use force on her!"

Xin Zimen shook his head, "Don't get me wrong, son. That's not what I meant. I only said don't use force because I don't want you to forget how I raised you. Besides, there are more than one ways to break someone fragile like Liu Nuan."

Xiao Li sighed out, "Fine. I won't touch her. It's not like I was gonna do it myself anyway."

Walking him leave, Xin Zimen was lost in his own thoughts as he muttered, "The shell belongs to someone else, the soul belongs to another. Does it make sense?" He looked at Xin Kuan in question.

Xin Kuan stayed quiet for a long while before he said, "It makes sense." Xin Zimen's whole body stiffened when he heard that reply. "There is a famous saying in Wen Clan when nothing makes sense, that's the only thing that makes sense."

Xin Zimen rolled his eyes, "That saying also made no sense to me!"

Meanwhile, Xiao Li entered back the room to see Liu Nuan. This time, she was tied to the chair to restrict her movements. So, that even if she loses her mind, she doesn't try to hurt herself. 

Xiao Li took another chair and sat right in front of her. He looked at her face. She didn't have that deranged look in her eyes now that was there before she fell unconscious. Xiao Li didn't rush it as he continued to stare at her in silence.

After an unknown amount of time passed, Liu Nuan slowly lifted her eyes to look back at Xiao Li. 

"I am the one who tried to kill her, happy?" 

Xiao Li narrowed his eyes at her and said, "I already know that. I wasn't looking for your confirmation."

"Oh, then why are we here?" she questioned.

"Why did you do it?" he asked. "If I'm not wrong, you only met Xiu about two or three times, and that too just in passing. You never had a long interaction. So, what's with this hostility towards her? It doesn't make sense."

"I just hate her," replied Liu Nuan. 

"Why?"

"I just do," she said. "Do I need a reason to hate someone?"

Xiao Li continued to observe her expressions and to be honest, he didn't think she was lying right now. She indeed hated Xiu but the question in his mind was still the same; why? Why would she hate someone she barely knew?

But he knew if he insisted on asking this, she would dodge it even more. He had to use some other tactic to get to her. 

"If you don't want to give me a reason, it's alright," said Xiao Li that even surprised Liu Nuan a little. "I'm gonna ask you something else then." She looked at him wondering what was he up to. "Why are you scared of Aunt Suyin? She is your mother, then why do you seem to be afraid of her?"

Just hearing the name of her mother, Liu Nuan lost her earlier calmness. Her whole body shuddered in fear. She was scared of her mother. She couldn't deny it. Once upon a time, she loved her mother, now she only had fear in her heart. She couldn't forget the hostility and killing intent in her mother's eyes that kept her awake for several nights.