Imperfect Desires

During breakfast, Ying and Xiao Li were involved in an intense staring competition. Both tried to burn the other through the fire burning in their eyes. Both were eager to find answers to their questions and both were stuck because of each other. 

"Both of you," began Xin Zimen. "Stop glaring at each other."

"We are not glaring," said both Ying and Xiao Li simultaneously.

"Oh?" responded Xin Zimen. "It feels to me like you both are this close to strangling each other."

"I would never do that to her."

"I would never do that to him."

No matter what their differences were, they'd never actually try to harm each other. They could only bark at each other, there was no real bite!

Meanwhile, after another restless night, Ah-Si was on the verge of collapsing. Both mentally and physically. Even after thinking for a whole night, he hadn't been able to come to a real solution. The only conclusion he came to was that he neither could disclose the whole truth to Xiao Li nor could he tell it to Nora.

As much as he loved both of these people, he didn't wish to see them struggling like he was currently doing. But just because he came to a conclusion didn't mean that he could rest in peace. It meant he had to suffer through this situation on his own!

However, it wasn't as easy as he thought. He was neither able to stop thinking about it, nor was he able to ignore any of it. Since he really needed to have this conversation with someone. He wanted to have this conversation with Xiu herself! The person who was most involved with his restless nights. Since she made him restless, she was the only one who could bring him peace again.

Now that he had realized this part, he only had to think of an appropriate time to talk to her as well. After all, he didn't know whether it'd be right to talk to her right now or not.

Today, only a few people were at the breakfast. Francesca had left early. Nora had gone home for a while. Dylan hadn't come back. Xin Zemin had gone to give company to his daughter while Zhao Huan joined him because she wanted to help Xiu with eating.

So, apart from Xiao Li, Ying, Ah-Si, and Xin Zimen, only Han Bohai was there. 

Suddenly, rushed footsteps sounded from outside and Su Feifei's anxious face appeared at the doorway.

"Feifei, join us for breakfast," offered Xin Zimen.

Su Feifei made a crying face as she said, "Brother-in-law, my appetite is all gone."

"Why?" he questioned.

She moved up to Ying and forced a smile, "Yingying, don't be upset with me."

Ying frowned at her aunt, "What is up?"

Su Feifei licked her lips and said, "Actually, your mom heard about everything that happened."

"WHAT?!" Ying stood up so abruptly that her chair fell backward.

Su Feifei had expected that reaction, "But trust me, I didn't tell her anything! I swear I didn't!"

"Aunt!" exclaimed Ying.

Su Feifei took a step back before saying, "Although I wanted to tell her, I didn't do it. Or more like I called her to inform her everything but apparently, she already knew everything. She gave me a lecture for half an hour. I'm sure she wanted to continue for longer but I smartly hung up the call."

"Smartly hanging up on your elder sister?" echoed Xin Zimen. "Are you that eager to die, Feifei?"

Su Feifei smiled at him, "Oh, she won't be able to kill me that easily."

"Are you doubting your sister's capabilities?" questioned Xin Zimen.

Su Feifei shook her head, "Nope. I'll just hide behind you. I'm sure you won't let me die so young."

Xin Zimen rolled his eyes at her but didn't say anything to her. Since his wife cherished Su Feifei like a younger sister, how could he let her get wronged? But then again, he also knew that even Su Xixi would not have the heart to say anything to Su Feifei. After Wen Ai's death, although it seemed Su Xixi grew colder and strict, it was only because she didn't want to lose Su Feifei as well. 

Ying also looked at Xin Zimen, "Zizi, you have to help me!"

Xin Zimen shrugged his shoulders, "I told you I can only protect you from your mother as long as you don't get hurt. You're the only daughter she has and you're always running away from her. Even then, she only wants to see you safe."

"It's not the first time I got hurt though," retorted Ying. "But I've been doing a good job at hiding it from her for years. I failed this time around."

Su Feifei snorted, "Dear niece, I love you a lot but seriously, wake up."

"What do you mean?"

"What Aunt Feifei means is that you've never been able to fool your mother," told Xiao Li. He looked at Su Feifei and questioned, "Aunt Xixi is coming?"

"She is," the answer came from his own father. Xin Zimen was reading something on his cellphone and as he lifted his eyes, he went on, "She'll be here in two hours."

The one who looked most excited to hear this news was Xiao Li, the rest had complicated looks. For instance, Ying felt like a boulder was weighing down on her heart. Su Feifei's face was already pale. As for Xin Zimen, he also didn't look happy. How could he be? Handling Su Feifei was a lot easier than handling Su Xixi. Although Wen Ai and Su Xixi had nothing in common, they're still the most difficult people he had ever met!

Su Xixi never even got intimidated by Wen Ai's presence which screamed trouble. And even if Wen Ai was the real trouble, Su Xixi could handle her very easily. So, one could expect what kind of person could she be.

As for why Xiao Li looked so excited, he had two reasons. Just like Ying was close to her godmother, he was super close to his godmother which happened to be Ying's mother; Su Xixi. How could he be not excited about seeing her? As for the second reason...

"Bohai, get ready!" he patted Han Bohai's shoulder. "My godmother is the most difficult person to impress in this whole wide world. And if you aren't able to impress her, forget about marrying Ying, she wouldn't even let you see a glimpse of her."

Han Bohai's brows jumped up in surprise, "No matter what she is still a mother. I'm sure she won't go against her daughter's wishes."

Ah-Si who had been keeping silent looked at him and said, "The question is not whether she'd go against her daughter's wishes or not. The question is whether Ying Jie can go against her mother or not."

Han Bohai turned his eyes towards Ying who pursed her lips and lowered her eyes in response. In fact, it wasn't that Ying had never gone against her mother's wishes. The point was that all her life, she had only been against her mother. Everything she did, had been against her mother's wishes. 

"This will be interesting," said Xiao Li with a rarely seen smile on his face. He looked genuinely happy for once in a long while. 

"Aren't you really happy?" asked Ying with a furious look.

"It's your mother, why aren't you excited to meet her? I'm genuinely very excited to meet her. I haven't seen her in the past four months."

Ying's lips twitched, "I haven't seen my mother in a year now!"

"And yet you don't look happy hearing about her," retorted Xiao Li.

Before their argument could continue, Xin Zimen interrupted, "Xiao Li! Follow me."

Xiao Li frowned at his father but silently followed him out leaving Ying to glare at her aunt. 

"It's really not my fault," insisted Su Feifei. "I'm really not the one who told her anything."

"But you didn't stop her from coming either," said Ying.

"Why do I feel like you're really not happy?"

"I'm obviously happy about seeing my mom. But how can I be happy about the reason why she is coming?"

"Actually," began Su Feifei. "From how she yelled at me for half an hour, it sounded like she was upset about why I didn't tell her that you have a boyfriend."

"What?" Ying was stunned.

Su Feifei had a thoughtful look on her face as she went on, "It really felt that way."

Ying looked at Han Bohai and groaned, not knowing what to do. There was only one person who left her at a loss and that was her own mother. She actually was worried about whether her mother would like Han Bohai or not. Well, there was nothing to dislike about him. She didn't think there was. 

But...

Her mother's taste was out of her own understanding. After all, even though her mother loved Xiao Li, she always said he wasn't right for her. Now, she wondered if Han Bohai would be the right one in her mother's eyes or not.