Imperfect Desires

325 Mom's Little Sidekick

"Don't like it."

"Too dark."

"Too fancy."

"Very plain."

"Hideous!"

This had been going on for the past hour with Nora. She would try out dresses and the little one before her would keep going on and on with his moodiness. How was he still not content? He didn't like even a single dress till now and it was getting on her nerve now!

"Oi! How can you call your sister hideous?"

Nora finally lost her patience. She was wearing a ruffled skirt with a shimmery shirt. Although it was not her style, he couldn't go as far as calling her hideous.

"I called the dress hideous. If you think the comment was about you then..."

Jackie left his words unsaid as if it was understandable already.

Nora took a deep breath and crouched down before him saying, "Jackie, are you punishing your sister for bringing you here?"

"No. Not at all. I'm actually enjoying myself," said Jackie with a smile. But the smile was like a fuel that was sprinkled on the fire burning inside Nora's heart. Of course, he was having fun. Why wouldn't he when all he had to do was sit comfortably and reject every single piece of clothing that she chose to try out.

"Of course, you're enjoying yourself," she sneered as she thought about how he was playing with her. Jackie knew that as long as he rejected a dress, his sister wasn't gonna buy it. She was the most indecisive person he knew. She was always confused about her own feelings. So, it wasn't hard to manipulate her. All he had to do was say that the dress didn't look good on her and she's believe it at any cost.

Nora was getting a headache now. She was tired of trying out different clothes. The one hobby that she loved the most was actually making her want to smash her head somewhere now. What was the point of having all her cards re-activated? She was not even buying anything!

"Jackie, are you hungry?" she asked in a defeated tone.

"Yes, very much," answered Jackie with the same innocent smile that could fool anyone in thinking that he was a simple little kid. But only Nora knew what kind of schemer and evildoer this seven-year-old was.

"Come, I'll buy you some burger and fries," Nora offered her hand to him and took him out of another famous brand's outlet. Her eyes were still lingering on the beautiful dresses but even if she tired those, she wasn't gonna be able to buy because a certain evildoer was hellbent on dampening her mood.

"Mom says that unhealthy food."

"Mom's little sidekick! I don't give a fuck that's junk food or whatever. I crave greasy and unhealthy food and that's what I am getting."

Jackie made a displeased look as he shook his head at his sister, "I'll tell mom you used bad words."

Nora pinched his cheeks violently as she said, "Is it necessary for you to report every word to mom? Why can't you act like a sweet little brother, once in a while?"

"Ah! Ah! Nono, you're hurting me!"

"And what about you hurting my feelings for an hour? Is that fair?"

Jackie rubbed his red cheeks that she squeezed so hard and grumbled, "Well, I wasn't lying though. Those dresses were all for those delicate and pretty kinds of girls. Xiu can pull those off, you can't."

"You think I'm not pretty?" Nora widened her eyes at her brother in disbelief. How could he insult her at every chance he got?

"I didn't say that," began Jackie. "You're beautiful in your way. At least, way better than those girls who look like sticks. But you don't have the delicate beauty. Your features are sharper and your figure is more on the plump side."

"Wow! Now, I'm fat as well."

Nora stomped her foot like a kid and went off towards the food court with Jackie following behind her with a straight face. He didn't call her fat and she knew that. But she was really not in the mood to understand since she didn't even get to buy even a single dress for herself. It was hurting her now.

....

"What's the urgent matter that you called me to the mall?"

Yan Ying was in the middle of a seminar when Cali's call disturbed her and made her abruptly leave as well. But when she came to the address that Cali sent, she could only scowl. What could be an urgent matter in a shopping mall?

"I heard world's top brands reside in this shopping mall," said Cali as she around at the crowd of people with nonchalance.

"So?"

"I need your help in selecting a gift," answered Cali with a straight face.

Ying's face twitched at her words, "This is your urgent matter?" Cali nodded in reply. "You actually called me out of an important seminar of mine to help you with shopping?"

"Yes, I'm very bad at shopping. Actually, I can even count on my fingers the number of times I chose to come to a mall for shopping. And right now, I'm in need of an experts advice."

Ying closed her eyes to keep herself from erupting in the middle of so many people. It wouldn't be a good sight. "Don't you have anything better to do? You're disturbing me way too much these days." She took a brief pause before adding, "Besides, do I look like an expert in shopping to you?"

"First of all, I'm not trying to bother you. It's just that I don't have any friends here and since you are the one who invited me, as a good host, you should accommodate me well. Second of all, you do look like someone who has a fair share of experience when it comes to shopping."

Ying might not know that Cali had friends in this city. Although both of them were men, she still could use their company. However, one thing she did know was that there was no way that Cali was the kind of person who would need a friend to hang around with. She seemed more independent than that.

"What kind of a gift are you looking for? And for whom?" Ying finally sighed in defeat.

Cali smiled triumphantly as she replied, "I'm gonna meet a friend's mother for the first time and I don't wanna go empty-handed. That'll leave a bad impression and I really don't want that."

Ying frowned. "Didn't you say you don't have any friends here? And why do you need to meet a friend's mother out of nowhere? Or is that friend a little too special."

Cali cleared her throat awkwardly before pushing her head away. "Stop thinking so much. You're already here, wouldn't it be better if you just helped me with my gift?"

Suddenly someone bumped slightly into Cali who scowled and looked at the person who said a 'sorry' in a hurry before joining his parade of uniformed people. "What's with the protocol? Is it the President's entourage or something?"

Ying wasn't paying attention to her as she looked at the group of bodyguards with familiar-looking uniforms and called out, "Ah-Si?"

Xin Xiaosi who had been stuck between this group of people that his father assigned to his side heard Ying's voice and stopped. He turned around and seeing Ying, he almost ran up to her.

"Ying Jie, help!"

"What's wrong? Did someone say something? Or anything happened?"

Ying asked frantically looking around and didn't forget to look dangerously at the group of people following him who backed off instantly with that one look.

"My little Princess is scared," said Ah-Si as he pointed at the little girl who was clinging to his neck. Ying frowned and he elaborated, "Dad said I can't take Ava out without any protection. So, he left all of these people with me. But Ava is not comfortable with them around. Look, she's not even willing to look up."

Ying looked at the little baby who was hiding her face in her father's neck and refused to look up. Then she turned to the bodyguards behind him and said, "Follow me..." Ah-Si only saw her taking all of them to a side and saying something to them. He didn't know the context of the conversation but he could see how everyone was being submissive with their heads lowered before Ying.

"She's a cutie pie."

Ah-Si heard a voice and finally noticed Cali's presence. "Is she your daughter?" Ah-Si nodded in reply. "Hmm... She looks like you. So adorable."

Ah-Si didn't know what Cali did but now, Ava had finally looked up. Her big eyes were blinking in curiosity at Cali who was smiling at her brightly. Ah-Si couldn't help but smile when he heard that his daughter resembled him. It made him feel proud for some reason.