Imperfect Desires

Xiu felt a tug at her clothes and looked down at Asteria who was staring at her with her sparkly eyes. The little girl pointed at the little tiger in her arms and said, "I want to see him."

Darren pulled a chair for Xiu and she sat down allowing the little ones to get a glimpse of the little tiger. Asteria hesitatingly lifted her finger and touched the soft and smooth cheek of the little bun. Her eyes sparkled even brighter as she asked, "Xiu, who is he?"

"He is your little brother," answered Xiu.

Asteria's lips curled up into a big smile as she asked, "Really? He is my little brother?" When Xiu nodded in response, she jumped up and down happily. "Can I hold him?"

"Yes, you can," said Xiu. She asked Asteria to sit down on a chair before she put her little baby into her small arms. Asteria carefully held on to the baby in her arms. 

While everyone else was surprised at the interaction between Xiu and Asteria, Darren was quite clear about it. Usually, Xiu would keep her distance from kids. She even kept her distance from Ava. But for the past few months, Asteria had managed to find her way into Xiu's life somehow.

Since they lived right next to each other, every morning, Asteria would bring a flower for Xiu and tell her to have a good day before going to school. It had become a norm. At first, Xiu was confused and that's why she asked the little girl why she was doing it. 

Asteria had replied to her, "Daddy said, my mom, hurt you. Asteria wants to say sorry to you. Can you please forgive my mom?" Before Xiu could say anything to her, she went on, "Mom is already getting punished for doing bad things. I don't want you to hate her."

Since then Asteria had become close to Xiu. Perhaps, Xiu herself didn't know why that was. Maybe it was her guilt. After all, because of her Asteria had to grow up without a mother. Xiu didn't like this feeling at all. It made her feel like she had done something wrong. Even if Qiu Meihui deserved what she got, she still couldn't stop thinking that Asteria didn't deserve it. 

"How about you forgive me as well?" Xiu had asked in return back then. The little girl was confused by her words so Xiu elaborated. "I didn't want to snatch your mother from you. I'm really sorry for that."

Xiu knew she couldn't be a mother to Asteria, neither did she want to become one. But she did become a good friend to her. The little girl didn't lack love. Xiao Li loved her more than even a real father would. Even Xin Zimen loved her like a granddaughter. She was called Ava's elder sister and everyone treated her like that as well.

It was a given that now, she had become an elder sister to Rowan as well.

On the side, seeing how her younger brother's attention was on Asteria, Nora sighed out loud. Sitting beside him, she leaned over and whispered, "Little bro, can you please choose a different target?"

Jackie glared at his elder sister's choice of words. What did she mean by 'target?'

"Don't glare at me like that," said Nora. "Our relationships are already complicated enough. Imagine in the future if you really get together with her. How am I supposed to act? You're my brother. She is my brother-in-law's daughter! Does this relationship make sense?"

"Sis, you better get your brain checked," suggested Jackie seriously. "I haven't even said anything and you've already cooked up a whole story."

Nora snorted at his words, "As if you're being subtle about it. I can practically read all your thoughts on your face. Especially whenever she is around."           

Jackie took a deep breath and told her, "I won't waste my breath on you. But let me tell you, you're just overthinking about it."

"So, you have no interest in her?" questioned Nora.

"How old am I?" retorted Jackie. "You sure, you should be having this conversation with me?"

Nora scoffed at him, "My darling brother, you're more like an ancestor of mine. She is a little girl, you're an old fox before her. I'm just scared she might get duped by you."

"I'm glad to hear that you think so highly of me," said Jackie and picked up his juice to drink leisurely. He didn't want to pay attention to his sister again. She was seriously thinking too much.

Even if he paid extra attention to Asteria it was solely because the latter didn't have a mother. Jackie just felt bad for her and paid some attention to her. Why did his sister have to jump to such conclusions?       

Since Jackie wasn't willing to talk to her, Nora chose to strike up a conversation with Xiu instead. "Now that you've become a mother, please allow the rest of the people to call you an aunt."

Xiu glared at Nora, "If you can't say something nice, don't speak at all!"

"What do you mean by this? Are you gonna make Asteria and Ava call you Xiu for the rest of your life?"

"Yes, of course!" retorted Xiu matter-of-factly. "What's wrong with my name?" She took a brief pause and added, "Why would make them call me aunt? Especially when I don't even like being called one?"

"There is something wrong with your brain," said Nora.

"Did you just figure it out?" asked Xiu in surprise. "How can you call yourself my best friend when it took you so long to realize that something is wrong with my brain?"

Nora stared at her for a long while in silence and knocked her own head, "I must have really lost my mind to even start an argument with you." She took a moment before her attitude took a 180-degree turn and she said, "By the way, my nephew is really cute. I so want to take a bite of his chubby cheeks."

"Keep your dirty hands off of my son," warned Xiu. "No one is allowed to bite his cheeks. Except for me." 

Nora thought she was protective of her son but her last sentence really ruined the mood. Indeed, she shouldn't expect too much from her best friend. 

"What's the story behind his name?" asked Nora.

"No story at all," replied Xiu blankly. "I just wanted my son to be called R.D. Salvay Jr. so I looked for the names that matched the initials of my husband."

Nora laughed dryly at her, "You certainly have put some special thought into this, eh..."