Imperfect Desires

In fact, Rowan had loved Boss Baby so much that he requested his father to get him the exact same suit as he wore. And that's why currently, in their wardrobe, along with Darren's suits one would find an exact same replica for Rowan.

Rowan looked so dashing in his suit that Xiu wanted to hide her baby away!??

Usually, kids would go to sleep at this time but today was an exception in every household and their house was no different. On Spring Festival, they were allowed to stay awake till midnight.

"Xiu! Storytime!"

"Stories only on Friday night," reminded Xiu.

"But today is New Year's Eve!" argued Ava. "We can get a bonus tonight. Please!"

"Please!" another voice rang out.

"Yes, please!" Rowan also joined them.

Even Jackie gave her a smile and said, "Please!"

Xiu took a deep breath. What the hell! When did she lose all her defenses? She was such a strong-hearted person! How can she lose before these cute faces? Such a shame it is, Xiu! You've failed!

After admonishing herself for a while, she finally decided to just cave in. As if she had any other choice.

"Oi! Can I join?" asked Dylan. "My beautiful niece has so much to say about the amazing storytelling of Xiu. I also want to see just what is so amazing?"

Darren sat beside him and warned, "You can join but only for once. You won't get a chance ever again."

"I'm not a kid," said Dylan. "Why would I want to join them again?"

Darren gave him a look as if to say, 'We'll see about that.'

Since Darren allowed Dylan to stay, Xiu didn't bother with him. She gathered the kids and started the story...

"Where did we leave last week?"

Ava raised her hand to tell her excitedly, "When the beautiful elf was running from the dark warrior and she entered the enchanted forest!"

"Correct! Our Ava's memory is as amazing as ever!" complimented Xiu wholeheartedly.

"When the beautiful elf entered the enchanted forest, she had hope. Since elves have an affinity with the trees and nature. She believed she'd be able to survive here. Or at least find someone of her kind to help her. But she was crushed when she looked at the dark forest where night and day were hard to tell. Because inside the enchanted forest, there was only night.

Enchanted forest hadn't seen the ray of light for hundreds of years. It gave off a gloomy air. It felt so cold inside the enchanted forest that the beautiful elf felt her bones freezing. She tried to find her way out but she couldn't do so. She couldn't find the way around the forest since it was like wherever she went, there was no way out of here."

Dylan was absorbed in listening to the story. He had to say, Xiu was really something. She was like an experienced storyteller who knew how to pitch her voice to create suspense. She even knew how to brighten the atmosphere or how to add melancholy to the atmosphere. Dylan's whole attention was on her story.

He was so absorbed in the story that when Xiu mentioned how the elf was betrayed by someone of her kind, he almost cried for her. What a poor elf!

The worst part was that Xiu stopped the story at a cliffhanger which made him want to shake her and ask her to tell her what happened next! That's so unfair! But he couldn't do it. He was in his thirties now. It really didn't suit him.

Why did he insist on joining the kids? He dropped the brick on his own foot!

"What story is this? Are kid's stories this interesting and intriguing these days?" asked Dylan to Darren. He was thinking that if he could know the story's name, he'd just go and buy the storybook to learn about the next part. It might not be as interesting as it was to hear it straight from Xiu but at least, his curiosity will be curbed, right?

As if reading his thoughts, Darren told him, "You can't find the story in stores. These stories come from my Sweets mind."

"When did she start making stories?" asked Dylan in shock.

"Her imagination has always been rich," responded Darren proudly. He didn't want to explain anything else to Dylan. It was not needed.

He looked up at Xiu who asked the kids, "Did you notice something in today's episode?"

"Yes," answered Asteria. "One can't trust others just because they are of our kind. We can never know someone's heart."

"True!" agreed Xiu. "So, always remember. Trust is not something everyone deserves."

"She talks big," said Dylan. "As always."

"But she isn't wrong either," said Darren.

Dylan gave him a look, "You have never found anything wrong in her. You've been looking at her through tinted glasses for years now and it won't change!"

"What does that have to do with you?" asked Darren in displeasure. "My Sweets is sweet to me. I don't need others to share the same opinion."

When Xiu was done, Darren extended a glass of water towards her. Xiu took it and drank all of it in one go. She was thirsty. She didn't think she'd have to continue the story today instead of Friday night. She was really caught unprepared.

But as long as the kids were happy. Why did it matter that she was tired?

Today was New Year's Eve, she would just let them have their way. It wasn't like they threw a tantrum every day. It was okay to indulge them once in a while.

"When are we continuing the story?" asked Bo Jiu.

"You've been listening?" asked Xiu.

"I did, and now I'm hooked!" said Bo Jiu. "So, please tell me when can I join the next session?"

"How old are you?" asked Xiu. 𝙛𝔯𝒆e𝔀e𝗯𝓷𝗼𝘃e𝚕.𝒄𝗼𝗺

"Does that matter?" retorted Bo Jiu. "Why is age involved in this as well?" She wanted to protest right now. How could she be swept away just like this just for kids? She wasn't even as important as kids.