Imperfect Desires

Since Nora's boyfriend was having lunch with Darren and Xiu, she also went to have lunch with them. But when she came, she found Ah-Si helping Darren sit on a wheelchair while Xiu was standing beside him.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked in confusion.

"We are going to have dinner outside of this room today," replied Xiu. "Or are you expecting us to stay locked up in here?"

"That's not what I meant," retorted Nora.

"What are you doing here though?" asked Xiu. "To what did I do to have you visit me twice in the same day?"

Nora narrowed her eyes at her, "It just shows how much I love you."

Xiu snorted at her, "Oh, please! You're here because I held your boyfriend hostage."

"Then why did you do it?" Nora shot back. 

"As if you can stop me," was Xiu's reply as she walked past her best friend. 

"I was gonna be nice to you today," said Nora. "I mean, I wasn't planning on arguing with you about anything today."

"How can that be acceptable?" asked Xiu and Nora shut up.

During this time, both Darren and Ah-Si didn't interrupt this pair of best friends. Ah-Si brought Darren to the dining area on the second floor. He had already asked the nurses to bring Darren and Xiu's lunch there.

As Xiu sat down beside the window, she asked, "Ah-Si, aren't you gonna eat anything? Or the tragedy of spicy beef noodles is still haunting you, little brother?"

Ah-Si gave her a look, "Sister Xiu, can you not bring that up?"

Nora frowned at that, "Hold up! Xiu is even younger than me, why are you calling her Sister Xiu?"

"Because she is wiser than me?" was Ah-Si's reply making Nora snort.

"She is childish and petty!"

"What did you just call me?" asked Xiu in a dangerously low voice.

Nora grinned at her sheepishly, "You misheard."

"Did I now?" Nora nodded her head in reply. Xiu didn't push it as she lifted the spoon to drink some congee. She took a moment and looked at Darren before asking, "Regan, now that I'm looking at my best friend, it reminded me... Isn't your best friend taking way too long to show up?"

"He shows up every night," said Nora.

"Like a thief," retorted Xiu. "Do you really think I don't know he comes around when he thinks we're asleep? But that's different! He isn't coming in the daytime."

"Maybe he is suddenly scared of sunlight?" suggested Nora.

"Why? Did he become a vampire overnight?" Xiu shot back.

Nora gasped at that, "Maybe? Who knows?"

"Both of you really need to stop it," said Ah-Si. "You both don't even know what he is going through. Give Dylan a little time."

Darren finally looked up and said, "Who is not giving him time? In the past, whenever he felt pain, I'd be the first one to know. Now, he doesn't even wanna tell me what he is going through."

"Aren't you going through enough on your own?" said Ah-Si. 

"I can handle it. I'm not alone. He is," said Darren, and Xiu held his hand underneath the table as she offered him a smile. Darren licked his lips before adding, "Even Cali is not around to take care of his. Wei Ma is also sick. Uncle must have been spending all of his time with his wife. He is hurting all on his own. Can't he just come to me when he needs me?"

"He will be here," said Xiu. "Don't worry, if he doesn't show up in the next two days, I'll tie him up and bring him to you. How dare he make my husband upset?"

Darren chuckled softly at her and rubbed her head, "I should always expect such a suggestion from you, eh?"

"I don't think she is joking though," Nora pointed. "I think my best friend is very capable of kidnapping your best friend if she wants to do it."

Darren looked at Nora, "I know." He gave a knowing smile, "No one knows better than me just how capable my wife really is."

Xiu was obviously pleased by that compliment from him as the bland congee even tasted extra good today. While four of them joking around and laughing, Su Xixi and Xin Zimen also came around.

"Oh, no one told me we were having lunch together," said Xin Zimen.

Xiu looked at both Su Xixi and Xin Zimen before saying, "Ah-Xin, don't you dislike her? Then why am I seeing you Xixi these days?"

Xin Zimen's eyes widened while Ah-Si choked on the food that he had decided to share with Darren and Xiu. Su Xixi looked at Xiu in amusement as she said, "Oh? Zimen, I didn't know you dislike me."

"I thought everybody knew that," said Xiu.

Ah-Si held her arm and leaned close to her ear to whisper, "Sister Xiu, that's the fact that everybody knows but nobody dares to say it out loud. So, don't say another word. Dad will kill me otherwise for telling you about it."

Xin Zimen looked at Su Xixi and took a step away from her as he said, "I never said I dislike you. I don't know who started that rumor."

"If you don't want others to talk," Su Xixi patted his shoulder. "Then don't be so obvious about it."

"Isn't it, your fault that I'm being so obvious about it?" retorted Xin Zimen with a strained smile on his face.

Su Xixi tutted at him, "Poor you! You can't even say out your dislike for me."

"But I can," said Xiu as she put down her spoon and stood up.

"You dislike me?" asked Su Xixi with a raised brow.

Xiu shook her head, "Not you." She pointed at Xin Zimen who was left dumbfounded.

"Little lass? Are you really pointing at me right now?" Xin Zimen was shocked, to say the least right now. Especially when Xiu nodded her head.