Imperfect Desires

"Ah-Xin, why are your hands sweating?" asked Xiu as she sat between her fathers. "Father, even you have beads of preparation on your forehead. Are you both alright?"

"My little lass, I just realized, I'm gonna be a grandfather," replied Xin Zimen.

"It's not your first time," said Xin Zemin from the other side. "I'm the one who is feeling even more nervous. It's my first grandchild."

"What the hell?!" retorted Xin Zimen. "Just because I have grandchildren that I'm prepared to be a grandfather again. Besides, it's my little lass's, first baby. How can I not be nervous about this?" 

"You both have known it for months that you're gonna be grandfathers. Why are you reacting like this now?" Xiu chuckled at their reaction. She couldn't hold it, it was truly funny.

"But it's finally sinking in now," answered Xin Zemin in the same words that had been on the tip of Xin Zimen's tongue.

So just how Darren coaxed her last night, she had to do it with her fathers who were really anxious. 

On the other side, Dylan sat together with Darren. His eyes were focused on Xiu as she talked animatedly and made her fathers laugh at anything and everything she said. 

"She looks happy," he remarked.

"Hm..." Darren hummed in reply with a gratified smile on his face.

Dylan chuckled to himself, "It seems like just yesterday when I called you out to the police station to bail me out."

Darren recalled that time and felt like it had been a long time since then. But surprisingly, it had been a little over a year since then. However, the number of memories he made in the past year was enough to make him believe that it had truly been a long time. 

"If you hadn't annoyed her, you wouldn't have ended up there," said Darren.

"You're still taking her side? I get it, she is your wife. But Dazi, be rational for a minute. It was her fault just as much as it was my fault. She pulled my hair as well and refused to let go." Dylan felt like pouring his grievance out.

"You also pulled her hair and refused to let go. You both are no better than the other," retorted Darren. When Dylan shut up, Darren added, "I feel like you're planning on even telling my son that Xiu did this and that to you."

Dylan smirked at him, "Of course, I'll do that. How else will my heart be at ease?"

Darren gave him a look, "Be careful, if my son turned out to be a mini version of my wife, then the one to get bullied will again be you. And this time, you'll have to go up against two bullies."

Dylan looked horrified, "Don't jinx me like that!"

Darren laughed out at his reaction and then his eyes fell on Han Bohai who came to sit beside him and said, "Brother-in-law, you have the cutest mother in the world."

"Oh, really?"

Han Bohai nodded his head vigorously, "There is no doubt. She is so worried that Ash didn't like her last night. However, let me tell you a secret, Ash usually doesn't like strangers but she fell in love with your mother in just one meeting. Let me quote her words, 'Dad's girlfriend was clumsy but a hell lot of cute.'" Han Bohai chuckled as he recalled the conversation he had with his cousin last night.

"Mama has been fretting over the fact that she left a bad impression on her future daughter," told Darren.

"Aiyah!" Han Bohai waved his hand, "She is worried for nothing though. She is an amazing person. I can see that. My cousin isn't that difficult of a person. She just lacked the love of a mother in her life. And I truly believe that your mother can offer her that."

"It's funny since France has a lot of love to offer even to the strangers," Dylan chimed in from the side. Then he looked at Darren and asked, "But Dazi, are you okay with this change? You'll have to share your mother. Usually, you don't even like sharing her with me."

"I'd have long thrown you out of my life if I couldn't share her with you." Dylan laughed out but didn't say anything. Darren looked serious as he continued, "Actually, I really don't mind it." He looked at Han Bohai and added, "I'm really thankful to your uncle who persisted in courting her. I know he had been in love with her for years. I also know she was the one who forced him to marry someone else. But I also know he was never able to forget her." His eyes moved down as he went on, "And it was all because of me. Since she wanted to give me the best, she chose to cut off her own happiness. I don't want her to continue like that. As long as Han Yiheng loves her and respects her, I'll be more than happy to share her with him."

While the atmosphere turned serious, Darren patted their shoulders, "But guys, I'm more concerned about sharing my wife with my son in the future. I feel like that little tiger is gonna rob me of my wife in the near future and just the thought of that is making me angry."

Han Bohai and Dylan shared a look and burst out laughing, "As a father, at least spare your own son."

"I can't," Darren stressed on his words. 

"You're impossible, Dazi!"

Darren harrumphed at their reaction and said, "Once you both also get to taste what I'm tasting right now, I'll be the one to laugh at you both in the same way!"

Taking a chance when Xiu wasn't paying attention Nora held Darren's hand and dragged him out of the hall. Xiao Li and Ah-Si also followed along with Ying. As gathered around in a circle.

"Am I being kidnapped?" questioned Darren as he looked at their expressions.

"We won't even get any benefits from kidnapping you," retorted Ying in disdain.

Darren shrugged his shoulders, "So, why am I here? What are we planning here?"

"We have an idea and we want your input," said Nora. "Well, the idea originally belongs to Li bro. I must tell you, my brother-in-law is a smart person."

"I'm standing right here," said Ah-Si unhappily.

Nora said sorry to him and told him the details of their plan to Darren. The more he listened the more he looked at Xiao Li in awe and admiration. Truly, this silent man certainly knew how to spoil his sister to heaven. 

"So, you want to arrange everything on the baby shower but Sweets won't know anything?"

Everyone nodded at him. "It'll be a surprise for her. And a beautiful surprise at that too."

Darren thought about how surprised and happy this plan would make Xiu and agreed with them, "It'll really be a beautiful surprise. I'm sure, she'll love it. And she'll certainly be happy as well." Thinking up to here, he faced them and asked, "So, what do you want me to do it?"

"Just keep your mouth shut," said Xiao Li seriously. 

Darren smiled awkwardly, "Yeah about that..."

"Don't make any excuses," warned Ying. "We know you can't keep a secret from her but this one, you'll have to keep it. There is no way around it."

Darren was left in a dilemma, of course, he knew he couldn't ruin the surprise but he couldn't hide for long either.

"How many days? I don't think I'll be able to keep a secret for long."

"Just give me three days," replied Nora. "I'll be able to manage everything in three days. I can arrange it in a day but the designer won't be done within a day. So, just hold it in for three days. Okay?"

Darren nodded his head, "Okay. I can do this much for Sweets' happiness. You guys better not disappoint me. Or ruin her day, I'll kill you all otherwise."

"You don't have to worry about that," said Xiao Li. "I'll look over everything myself. There will be no room for mistakes."

"What are you all planning secretly out here?" asked Dylan who came to look for Darren. But when he saw the circle around Darren, he knew they were up to something here. He checked everyone's expressions and concluded, "Let me guess since Xiu gave you all a surprise today, you want to return the favor by surprising her."

"How do you know that?" retorted Nora.

"It's written all over your faces," replied Dylan. "As Xiu often says, I'm dumb but not that much."

"So, you agree with her that you're dumb?"

Dylan shrugged her shoulders, "I've long learned my lesson."

"What's the lesson?"

"That there is no point in refuting Xiu's words. If I want to live safe and sound, I should just agree with her peacefully. So, if she says I'm dumb then I'll agree I am."

Darren tsked at him, "If you had learned the lesson sooner, we could have saved so much trouble."

"I know, right?" Dylan also shook his head.