Imperfect Desires

Staring at the photo of his wife and his daughter, Xin Zimen seemed to be lost. He had come back to rest for a while in his room but ended up taking out their photo and then, he lost track of time completely. 

He looked at the beaming face of the little girl in the photo and his eyes softened. "How is my little angel? Did you miss Ah-Xin?" His hand caressed the girl in the photo and he smiled, "Ah-Xin is really sorry for not giving you time these days. I had been busy with stuff. I know, it's no excuse. I should have made time for you. I'm really sorry! It won't happen again. I'll try my best that it won't happen again."

Seeing that smiling face made his heart ache all over again. He was torturing himself for years like this but he couldn't help it now. It had become a habit to talk to their photo. He was obviously talking to just a photo but it still made him feel connected to the two people he lost. 

"Do you know, now you have a little cousin? If you had been around, she'd be like your little sister. And I believe you would have loved her. She is just like you and yet she is not like you."

"Xiao Zi, you're okay?"

Xin Zimen pinched the space between his eyes when he heard that question from Xin Kuan. He hurriedly put the photo down but Xin Kuan had already seen it. In fact, he didn't even have to hide it from Xin Kuan who already knew about his habit of talking to a photo. But he still always hid the photo as if it was something very private.

"I'm fine," replied Xin Zimen. "Just a little tired." He looked at Xin Kuan and asked, "Brother Kuan, where had you been?"

"As you told me to, I have been gathering the details of Xin Xiaoli's movements in the Wen Clan in the past years," replied Xin Kuan.

"Oh," responded Xin Zimen. "Find anything interesting there?"

Xin Kuan nodded his head and said, "Something very interesting."

"What is it?" inquired Xin Zimen.

"Give me some time, I'll provide you a detailed report," said Xin Kuan. "Also, the movements within the Xin family are big right now. Everyone is feeling a crisis since the Head of the clan finally has an heir. The shares are being manipulated and power is being distributed."

"That is not my concern," replied Xin Zimen. "Anyway, can you call Xiao Li for me?"

"He is not at home," answered Xin Kuan.

"Where did he go?"

Before he could say that he didn't know, he received a call and excused himself. After he disconnected the call, he came back to Xin Zimen's side, "Xin Xiaoli went back to check up on Liu Nuan."

Xin Zimen frowned at that, "Why didn't he take me with him?"

"Maybe because he has something to talk to her that he doesn't want you to know," said Xin Kuan.

"That makes sense," agreed Xin Zimen before he stood up. "Let's go then. Let me find out what is he up to right now."

"We don't have to go," said Xin Kuan. "If we went, Xin Xiaoli would be cautious again."

"Then?" Xin Zimen looked at Xin Kuan. "What do you have in mind?"

Xin Kuan turned on Xin Zimen's laptop and after moving his fingers around for a while, he shifted the screen towards Xin Zimen, "We can just breach into their security system."

Xin Zimen looked at the security footage before him and looked at Xin Kuan, "You! Was it child's play?"

"Don't forget, I grew up in Wen Clan. No one knows how they work better than me."

Xin Zimen nodded his head in agreement. He shouldn't be surprised that Xin Kuan managed to hack into Wen Clan's security system so easily.

Just as Xiao Li appeared on the screen before him, Xin Zimen quietened up and attentively looked at the screen.

On the other side of the screen...

When Xiao Li entered the room where Liu Nuan was held, he looked at her dispirited appearance. She had been kept awake for all this time. No matter how she tried to sleep, she was awoken every single time. Although it had been only two days, she seemed to be in worse condition than someone who hadn't slept in a week or so.

"Did she try anything funny?" asked Xiao Li.

"Answering Master Li, except for crying and screaming, she hasn't tried anything else."

"Why didn't you block her mouth?" 

"How else will she tire herself out?" retorted the person standing beside him. 

Xiao Li looked up at the woman who answered him and shook his head. It was because of people like her that made him believe that his mother indeed came from a ruthless bloodline. Every single person in this clan loved to talk with their fists. 

Now, he could understand why Liu Nuan's condition seemed so bad just within a day. They all let her scream and cry all night and didn't even let her sleep, she must be going crazy by now.

"Untie her," he ordered and soon Liu Nuan's hands and feet were freed. 

However, she didn't try to run. Instead, she looked at Xin Xiaoli and her eyes teared up. She fell on her knees and held his leg as she pleaded, "Li bro, please let me! I didn't do anything."

"Just yesterday, you confessed your crimes," replied Xin Xiaoli.

Liu Nuan cried out, "Li bro, I wasn't wrong. She really deserves to die!" 

Xin Xiaoli's eyes darkened as the aura around him chilled, "You're still not repentant?"

Liu Nuan hugged his leg even tighter as she said, "Hear me out! I'm not lying! You're angry because I tried to kill your cousin... I mean, Uncle Ze's daughter. But you're not understanding it. She is not Uncle Ze's daughter. She isn't! His daughter is dead! That's an imposter before you. She is fooling you all!"

"Liu Nuan!" Xiao Li held her shoulders and shook her body violently. She looked so frail at the moment, that he thought she'd break but surprisingly, that made him want to break her! "Stop talking nonsense!"

"I'm not lying! I'm not lying!" she kept repeating. "She isn't Bai Xiu. She is not! You have to believe me! She is not Bai Xiu!"

"What difference does that make?" questioned Xin Xiaoli. "You aren't related to the Xin family as well. And yet, you've been enjoying all the privileges that came with being the Xin family's daughter."

Liu Nuan's body stiffened as he said it straight to her face.

"What? You don't have anything to say now?" snickered Xin Xiaoli. "You aren't even Aunt Suyin's daughter and yet, you demanded your inheritance shamelessly? Now, I know why Aunt Suyin hates you so much. You aren't even her daughter and yet she foolishly showered you with all her love. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk."

Liu Nuan's body swayed as cloth would sway in wind. She held her head and tried to block his voice. But Xin Xiaoli wasn't planning on letting her go crazy just yet. She had to suffer from each and every mental torture that she gave to Chen Xiu. And he'd make sure of it!

He crouched down before her and added, "Wanna hear something even more interesting?" Liu Nuan didn't lift her head. She pretended like she couldn't hear him but that didn't stop him from continuing, "Even Chen Hana isn't your mother." Liu Nuan lifted her head and looked at him now with wide eyes. "That means, you were never Liu Mingfan's daughter. You neither have a blood relation to Liu Mingfan nor Xin Suyin."

"That... That's not possible!" Liu Nuan stuttered in horror. She had been already going through an identity crisis from the moment she learned that Xin Suyin wasn't her mother. But now that she learned that she wasn't even related to Liu Mingfan as well, that made her truly realize what sky falling on one's head felt like.

"Oh, you don't want to believe me? That's up to you," said Xin Xiaoli leisurely. 

"But... Chen Xiu gave me her bone marrow. If she was Liu Mingfan and Xin Suyin's daughter that means we are related and that's why we were a perfect match."

"Chen Xiu was your match was purely a coincidence. And an ill-fated one as well," said Xiao Li. "She was just that stranger who turned out to be your match. It was her misfortune that she ended up saving a white-eyed wolf[1] like you." He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "One should be careful of karma. It always comes to bite you. When you insulted Chen Xiu for being a low-born, did you realize that one day you'd end up becoming a low-born as well? That's why they say, the way you call others is the best way to describe yourself."

[1] 'white-eyed wolf': a cruel person