Imperfect Desires

"Sweets, how can you say you don't want our son?" argued Darren. "Parents should always accept their kids even with their flaws. After all, it's not like we as parents are without any flaws. So, we should not expect our kids to be perfect either. We should just accept them as they are."

Xiu narrowed her eyes at her husband who seemed to be preaching words of wisdom at the moment. It seemed those parenting books were really getting to him. 

"The least I'm asking of him is to have the same eyes like my husband. Is it too much to ask for?" Xiu retorted. 

Darren looked at her helplessly, "But that's something not in our control. And neither can our son control it. Besides, I think he'd look just as awesome with your eyes."

Xiu shook her head, "No! He has to have grey eyes."

While Darren rubbed his forehead, Nora was tired of watching them bicker over this.

"You know what," began Nora. "Let's not have the parents decide on baby's traits. Allow baby's favorite aunt to take this job." She grinned proudly, "And that's me. Give me a round of applause everyone."

Oddly enough, everyone did follow her lead to gave her a round of applause, allowing Nora to bask in this moment. But soon, Ying stopped Han Bohai and Xiao Li from clapping and stood up.

"Hey! Why do you forget that I'm also gonna be baby's aunt? What makes you think you're gone be the favorite one?"

"Because I'm gonna shop for him."

Ying scoffed at Nora, "Boys don't like shopping. If anything, he'd like me more. I'm the cool aunt around here."

"What cool? You're just an emotional mess!" retorted Nora. 

"As if you're any better!" Ying shot back.

And then this continued back and forth, Xiu munched on the snacks that Zhao Huan brought for her while she enjoyed this live show. This was certainly fun. She didn't think this baby shower would be so entertaining from the beginning.

Seeing her evil grin, Darren wiped the corners of her mouth that had the remnants of the food she was eating as he asked, "Are we having fun?"

"Very much," answered Xiu.

Darren shook his head at her and also leaned back to see who would come out victorious. His son wasn't even born and there was a fight over who would be the favorite aunt, he wondered what would happen once this baby comes to this world. Will he even get a chance to spend time with his own son?

Meanwhile, Dylan turned to Cali and nudged her, "Aren't you gonna make a stand for yourself?"

Cali gave him a glance, "I don't have to. Once the baby is here, we'd all know who is the victorious one."

Dylan gaped at her in disbelief. He thought she was mature enough to stay out of this petty argument but it seemed he was being delusional. 

"Nora!" Clara called out Nora harshly and Nora instantly stopped bickering. "Is this really something to argue about?"

Nora puffed up her cheeks and stepped back but her eyes showed that she didn't accept defeat at all. She took a deep breath to calm her emotions and started again, "Let's get back to the parents. Both of you better not start arguing now." Nora warned as she glared at Xiu and Darren. "And there is no need to play with my emotions. We have a lot of games planned for you. You really don't have to play me like this."

Xiu giggled at her words and agreed with a nod.

"We won't talk about baby's eyes. Xiu already said she wants it to be grey. And we all know, Darren can't win this argument."

Everyone laughed at Nora's words but also agreed with those words. Indeed, Darren could never win this argument especially since Xiu had already put her foot down.

"Then let's move on to his IQ!"

"Why are you skipping the other features of him?" questioned Ying.

"Because I want to," retorted Nora. "Now, let's talk about the IQ." Seeing both of them quiet, Nora furrowed her brows, "Xiu? Darren? What? You both don't want it to be like each other?"

"I think it'd be to have Dazi's IQ," suggested Dylan from the side. "He has always been the smart one."

"What are you trying to say that my bestie isn't smart? Are you forgetting that your own company actually sought after her?"

Nora's words shut up Dylan instantly. 

"I think Regi's IQ is fine," said Xiu. 

Nora stared at her for a minute longer before adding, "What about temperament? Do you want the baby to be calm like Darren? Or a little volcano-like his mother, Xiu?"

Darren wrapped his arm around Xiu's shoulder and said, "Let's meet in the middle. Having too much of my calmness won't be good for him. And being a little volcano-like his mother would also not be that good."

"I agree. No one would want to bear another version of you both."

"Nora, stop being snarky!" warned Xiu.

Nora stuck her tongue out at her playfully before they continued to talk about the baby's smile, hair color, etc. 

After that, Nora passed cards to everyone in the room. Then she instructed, "Now, I have given everyone three cards each. I want you all to either write a blessing for the baby. A word of wisdom for the parents or you can write whatever's on your mind. In fact, you can use all these cards so you can do whatever you want."

"And after we are done with that?" asked Xin Zimen since the question was on everyone's mind.

Nora pointed at the camellia tree in the corner and explained, "Then we'll hang those cards with a golden ribbon on that tree."

"Why that tree?" questioned Xiu.

"Because I'll plant that tree filled with everyone's blessings outside our little tiger's window. It'll grow along with the little tiger. Not only our little tiger will watch the tree grow, but even the tree will also our little tiger grow."

Xiu was momentarily silent because of Nora's idea. "But these cards filled with blessings won't stay there forever."

Nora smiled at her, "I know. That's why we'll save the cards in a special place. That way, our little tiger will be able to see how blessed he is once he finds it."

"You're just making trouble," said Xiu but still picked up the marker to write on the card.

Not just her, everyone else did as well. They all wrote as they were told. When Xiu was done, she looked around and was actually a little taken aback to see how everyone was earnestly writing a blessing for her son. It felt so great that she didn't even know how to describe this feeling.

She touched her stomach and thought, 'Son, you're really loved. I might get jealous of you.'

The love she had yearned for, she was happy to see that these people were here to offer that love to her son. Of course, they all loved her as well. But it was different. She was past that age where she cried for love. However, her son's life was yet to begin. 

"Are we supposed to read it out?" asked Zhao Huan.

"No!" said Nora. "For now, we'll keep that as a secret." She took out a rectangular box and asked everyone to put their cards in, "I hope you all signed your cards." She joked around as she collected the cards from everyone and closed the box before passing it to the maid. 

"Now, what are we supposed to do?"

"Now, we eat!" answered Xiu. Nora gave her a look and Xiu added, "Didn't you say we'll eat after two activities. We're already done. That means it's food time!"

"Xiu, you've already eaten," reminded Nora as she pointed at the two empty plates before her.

Xiu looked aggrieved, "That didn't even manage to cushion my stomach."

"Alright, alright! I think we should really eat now," suggested Xin Zemin.

Nora rolled her eyes when she heard that, "Don't fall for her acting."

"Even if she is acting, we'll still happily become the fools," said Xin Zimen. "But we don't want to see her sad. So, my future daughter-in-law, have some mercy on our daughter. We'll continue once she is done eating."

Nora groaned and fell down on the sofa, "Fine! Do whatever you want!"

Ah-Si rubbed her head to soothe her but it had no effect on Nora.

"If we continued at this pace, our surprise will go down the drain!"

Xiao Li was sitting on her other side as he said, "It won't. This day is for her. If she is happy with eating rather than doing activities, then let her be."

Nora scoffed, "And then she says she is getting fat. Who wouldn't be fat after eating so much?"

  Xiao Li coughed beside her, "For now, I'll look over the fact that you called my sister fat. But I hope there is no next time."

Nora gaped at him, "Awesome! I'm again at fault here!"