Imperfect Desires

545 Forced Relationships

Listening to Zhou Xichen's apprehensive voice, Xiu also looked around and smiled. Raising her hand, she shouted, "Gigi, you can just walk with us."

The person following them had indeed been Gigi who at once came to stand right behind Xiu with neither a humble look nor an overbearing one.

"I'm sorry! She is my personal guardian," informed Xiu.

Zhou Xichen looked at Xiu's face before his eyes did a thorough evaluation of Gigi who looked like a statue with no expression on her face. Not resisting his urge to ask, he eventually asked, "NBIR?"

The question was directed to Gigi and for once, Xiu actually noticed a slight flinch on her face as if she was surprised by this question. However, she didn't hide as she nodded.

"National Security Branch?" Zhou Xichen further questioned.

"Division of Criminal Intelligence Analysis," answered Gigi with a straight face.

"Rank?"

Gigi pursed her lips not wanting to disclose any further but since the other person was someone she had seen plenty of times in the office, she still answered, "Supervisory Special Agent."

Xiu was completely out of this conversation because her understanding was limited at the moment. Besides, she had no clue what they were talking about. However, she was startled when Zhou Xichen turned his eyes back to her face and smiled mysteriously.

"Now, you're making me curious about your identity," said Zhou Xichen with a hint of intrigue in his voice. At first, in his opinion, Xiu was just a girl his son loved dearly. He honestly wasn't that interested in knowing her background since he never had the habit of prying into his children's love lives. But now, he was really curious about Xiu's identity.

Xiu hurriedly followed after him as she questioned, "What do you mean? I'm just a simple person with a not so simple life. There is really nothing special about me."

"I might have believed your words before but not anymore," retorted Zhou Xichen straightforwardly. "You have someone from the NBIR's Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch right by your side acting as your personal bodyguard. And the field agent's rank is even more impressive. If you're capable of keeping such a person beside you, you can't possibly be a simple person."

Xiu's face showed her confusion quite obviously as she leaned back and asked Gigi, "What is NBIR?"

Gigi was equally astonished to see Xiu's reaction. But she still didn't show it on her face as she replied, "National Bureau of Investigation and Research."

"Oooh..." Xiu unknowingly dragged her little reaction and gave Gigi a thumbs up saying, "I knew my Ying Jie was amazing but I really didn't know she was this amazing." After showing her silly smile, Xiu was left to contemplate what she learned. No wonder Ying always came across as a very special person. She was indeed extraordinary to have such achievements at this age.

"You seem to like sweet things," remarked Zhou Xichen when he noticed how many things Xiu ordered with just a cup of tea to go along.

Xiu laughed awkwardly as she replied, "It's not all for me." Of course, she was lying. It was all for her own self. How was she supposed to know that just earlier she felt so full and yet now, looking at these cakes her mouth watered. It was like her stomach protesting that there was a special space available for sweets. She, being the weak person gave in to her stomach's desires.

"Well, I appreciate the thought but I'm diabetic."

Xiu's mouth opened but nothing came out. Oh, so Darren inherited this from his father? How... unfair? Couldn't you give something good to my Boabei? He must have suffered so much with life without sweetness. It was a good thing that he had her now. His Sweets to fill his life with sweetness. Xiu immediately shook her head to shoo away these narcissistic thoughts.

Where was this narcissism coming from?!

She's really losing her mind now!

"Why did you suddenly invite me for tea?" Xiu finally decided to ask.

"I just thought to know a little about the girl my son wants to marry."

"If you didn't like me, will you ask Regan to leave me?"

Zhou Xichen furrowed his brows at her sudden question, "Where did that come from? And why would I do something like that?"

"You're his father. Don't you want your son's life partner to be..." Xiu was trying to find the right words. She really couldn't believe there was no appropriate word she could recall from her limited vocabulary. Just when she needed it! She was definitely gonna seem unrefined before her father-in-law for having no words.

Zhou Xichen sighed out, "I'm his father, not a dictator. I can't possibly control who he loves. If he is satisfied with you, why would I have any issue?"

"So, you're not the kind of father who would control his kids' lives?" Xiu knew the answer to this question very well. She had seen it with her own eyes in her previous life. But she still wanted to hear about it from him.

"As a father, I just want both my sons to find their love and happiness. Nothing more. I'd never ask for anything as long as they are happy with the decisions they made."

"When I said I'm a simple a person, I meant it. Yes, a lot of people seem to care about me but at the end of the day, I'm an orphan with no background."

"You're the only one who is going to spend her life with Regan. Nothing else should matter. I'll never force my son to do anything he doesn't want to."

Xiu smiled softly expecting that answer. It was exactly as she thought.

"I know how it feels to get stuck in a relationship by force. I'd never wish for the same for my sons. It's a pity that I couldn't protect my eldest son. Now, I only hope that the youngest son gets who he loves."

Xiu's smile faltered when she noticed his look of loss.