719: Not Alone

Not Alone

Xin Zimen rubbed her head saying, "Trouble?" He shook his head, "You can never be troublesome to me." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his side, "You're such a sweet baby. Your presence has only made my life more interesting and beautiful." Xiu lowered her eyes to hide her tears as he placed his chin on the top of her head and continued, "You've brought the colors that my life had been missing for years. How can I not love you?"1

Xiu sniffled as she said, "But I can't bring back your daughter. I really can't."

Xin Zimen blinked his eyes and took a deep breath trying to hold back his tears as he said, "I'm just as happy to see you alive as your father. How can I not be happy? You're my one and only niece!" Xiu looked up into his eyes and he smiled at her gently, "So what if I lost one daughter years ago?" He cupped her face, "I think Heaven is trying to compensate me with you after all this time."

Xiu burst out in tears when he said it, she couldn't help it. Every word of his touched her heart and she felt warm inside. She wrapped her arms around his frame and hugged him tightly saying, "I can't bring her back and I can't possibly take her place in your heart either but I'll try my best to be the best niece."

Xin Zimen chuckled as he stroked her head and said, "Aiyo! Who said you need to take someone's place in my heart? You don't need to take my Ah-Lin's place in my heart. Because you have your own place in your Ah-Xin's heart." Xiu's shoulders were trembling as she couldn't help crying even harder. "Oho! Stop crying already. It's hurting me, seeing you cry so painfully. You'll run out of tears at this rate."

Xiu pulled away and wiped her face with the back of her hands. Her face was completely red from how hard she just cried. She took Xin Zimen's hand in her own and said again, "I won't cry but Ah-Xin has to get this looked at."

Xin Zimen looked at his bleeding hand and then at her face, he nodded his head, "As you wish." He felt someone tapping on his shoulder and looked over at his brother, "What?"

"That's my daughter," said Xin Zemin.

"So?" was his younger brother's response.

"This is my first time meeting my daughter and you won't even let me hug her?"

Xin Zimen looked at Xiu and then at his brother then he broodily agreed, "Sure, sure. Please, go ahead."

Xin Zemin stood before Xiu who looked back at him with a complicated and conflicting look in her eyes. Although Xiu herself didn't feel any closeness to him, this body had a yearning to be close to him. She knew why it was like that. Destiny had always wanted to meet her father, be loved by her father but she died without getting that wish. It wasn't much different than Xiu's original circumstances, she had also only wished to have a family of her own.

Xiu took a step closer to Xin Zemin and smiled politely at him, "Hello, Dad!"

Xin Zemin's whole body stiffened for a second as he blanked out before wrapping his arms around her and embraced her. He never thought he wanted to hear that 'Dad' so badly in his life. It was a very strange and complicated feeling that she couldn't put in words. But it felt so good. He had never felt this instinct love and protectiveness for someone ever in his life. 

With tears in his eyes, he kissed Xiu's forehead and said, "No wonder my little brother used to say daughters are dangerous." Xiu's brows furrowed up as he answered, "They'd call you 'Dad' once and you'd want to bring the whole world to their feet."

He pulled her beside Zhao Huan and excitedly said, "Huanhuan, won't you say something?"

Zhao Huan's mind was still reeling from the truth she heard but still dazedly placed her hand against Xiu's cheek and when Xiu leaned into her hand, she felt her heart explode. "I just accepted you as my daughter, I never thought you'd actually be my daughter."

Xiu grinned at her with moistened eyes, "I guess now I can rightfully call you mom."

Zhao Huan nodded her head repeatedly, "Yes, yes!" She kissed Xiu's face like a depraved person as she kept saying, "Call me mom... I'm am your mom. This is so unbelievable."

This teary, heartwarming family reunion was something very important to Xiu. Whether it was as Chen Xiu or now, this was her very first time meeting her real family. Oddly, she could feel their love and yearning for her just as much as she had missed all of this in her two lifetimes. 

Her heart felt happy but there was an underlying fear as well. What if it all changed once she said everything out loud? What if the mistake that led to Destiny's death would make her lose all of this? They say once you taste it all, the fear of losing becomes intense. It did for her. And she had only gotten a tiny bit of a taste of this love. 

Because of Xiu's words, Xin Zimen actually got his hand bandaged and gazed at Xiu who was talking happily with Zhao Huan. He could see the happiness in his sister-in-law's eyes. It was something never seen before. She looked like she found the world's most precious treasure. And he knew in his heart, that Xiu was now really Zhao Huan's treasure.

That woman had pined for a child all her life. How could she not treat this daughter as her treasure?

He felt someone sitting on both sides but didn't pay attention until he felt both his sons hugging him from each side. He was taken aback when his sons placed their heads on each of his shoulders.

"What are you two doing?" he inquired.

"We are reminding you that you're not alone," said Ah-Si and Xiao Li simultaneously.

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