315 Little Cartoon

Xiu was speechless, she didn't know why but when she observed the sincerity in Xin Zimen's eyes, she couldn't help feeling touched. His voice made Xiu want to lean in to hug him and thank him for actually saying those words. She always thought that Jing Family accepted her as a family member because they thought she was Destiny. 

However, it was different with this family. They only met Xiu. They didn't meet Destiny but even then they were willing to accept her as a part of the family. Xiu was feeling emotional again and she blamed it all on these people who were really trying to make her cry. How was she supposed to keep her facade of being calm when their words brought out a million feelings within her?

But Xiu had willed herself to not let a single tear drop from her eyes. She never liked crying before people whether it was her previous life or present one. She would do anything and everything to hide her emotions from shedding down her eyes.

"We might give you headaches at times, but we are still pretty awesome family," said Qiu Jiayi as if he was advertising how good this family was. But then again, who calls their own family a headache?

Darren placed his hand around her shoulder and said, "Uncle Zi, my Sweets is already a part of the family." Xiu furrowed her brows at him while he added, "She's my girl that automatically makes her a part of this crazy family."

A round of laughter echoed around the table as Zhao Wei nodded, "True, true. If Regi is a part of this family then how can his girlfriend stay as an outsider?" 

The three elders smiled affectionately at Xiu as they said in unison, "Welcome to this crazy family, little one!"

Xiu bit her lip in an attempt to keep her emotions from gushing out. The rims of her eyes had turned red now but she really didn't know what to say. The way they all were willing to welcome her to their family was something she never thought would happen. It made her feel like a part of something and this feeling wasn't that easy to describe in words.

"Looks like I don't have to ask dad to adopt you," chuckled Xin Xiaoli trying to lighten the mood for Xiu who looked like she was gonna cry any minute now. Xiu looked at him with confusion as he said, "I really planned on asking dad to adopt you. Because I wanted a sister like you."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Xin Zimen sounded displeased. 

Xin Xiaoli shrugged his shoulders at his father as he replied, "It doesn't matter now though since she's already a part of the family and I have finally gotten a sister to pamper."

"Ah Li, I am not your favorite anymore?" questioned Asteria as she tugged at Xin Xiaoli's sleeve with a pout.

Xin Xiaoli chuckled at the little girl as he picked her up and made her sit on his thigh saying, "How is that possible? Our little star is everyone's favorite."

Dylan scoffed at the side, "Of course, you shouldn't worry at all, you little thief. I don't think there is anyone who'd be able to steal your position like you stole mine."

"Didi!"

"Hedi!"

"Dylan!"

Dylan rolled his eyes at how everyone said his name but in different ways. Why were they all so eager to reprimand him all the time? Did he say something wrong? He was the baby of this family until his little niece came in the picture. She was a thief and he really won't forget that! 

"Are you really petty enough to blame a little girl for losing your position?" Xiu questioned staring straight at Dylan's face who nodded without hesitation.

"I am that petty!" he replied loftily making everyone shake their head at him.

"Dylan, stop competing with my daughter. You had been competing with me for years, can you please keep my daughter out of this," began Qiu Meihui who had just been silently watching everyone until now. "Besides, dad still loves me more." She didn't forget to tease Dylan how she always did since they were young.

Dylan laughed at her face saying, "So what? Just because my partial birth giver..."

"Partial birth giver?" Qiu Meihui cut him off with a frown.

Dylan rolled his eyes at his sister, "I mean just because dad is always favoring you doesn't mean I am jealous." He straightened his shoulders with pride as he added, "After all, my birth giver is the boss of the house and she loves me more." He turned to his mother with a sweet flattering smile, "Ma, I'm right, right? You love me more, right?"

Zhao Wei looked at her son who was acting like a clingy kid all over again but smiled at him while giving a small sound of affirmation.

"Mom, you can't be biased with him always," Qiu Meihui said looking at her mother.

Zhao Wei didn't even look at Qiu Meihui as she placed her chopsticks down and looked at Xiu saying, "Xiu'er, stay after the meal. We still have so much to talk."

Xiu frowned at this interaction between Zhao Wei and Qiu Meihui but she silently nodded to agree with Zhao Wei who got up to leave. Xiu couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that the loving and kind Zhao Wei was actually acting so indifferently and coldly to her own daughter. But seeing how everyone seemed used to it, she could only frown in silence.

It was neither her place to talk nor did she want to probe around. 

Qiu Meihui also got up and left while Xin Xiaoli followed after her. There was definitely something going on around here but it was something Xiu was oblivious to. And because she really hated being the oblivious one, she was feeling frustrated.

"Ying, how's your fever?" questioned Qiu Jiayi since he wasn't gonna follow anyone. Taking sides between his daughter and wife had already got him kicked out of the house for months. He had learned his lesson and was now only gonna act like everything was okay.

"I'm fine. It was a minor thing someone just overreacted," said Ying while her remark was directed at Darren who took a sip of his mint margarita and rolled his eyes at her. She was so close to getting pneumonia but in her words, it was just a minor thing. "Anyways, I had been curious about a while... How did you manage to reconcile with Weiwei? Did you apologize? Or she did?"

"What do you think?" Qiu Jiayi retorted with his own question.

Ying thought about it carefully before saying, "She won't apologize, I can bet anything. She is my mother's best friend and even my own mother never apologized to dad. It was always the other way around."

"Well, in our case, nobody apologized..."

"Huh? Really?" this voice came from Xin Zimen who raised his brows at his best friend. 

"Yeah, really," answered Qiu Jiayi.

"Then what happened?"

At the table, now only Xin Zimen, Qiu Jiayi, Ying, Dylan, Darren, and Xiu were remaining since Asteria also went to the lounge to watch cartoons after finishing her food. And every single person's attention was now on Qiu Jiayi.

"I was sleeping on the couch. In the middle of the night, she locked the door hid the key, and turned the AC on blast before snatching my blanket from me."

"What?!"

Qiu Jiayi nodded his head, "Yup. And before I could turn into a popsicle, I went up to the bed and laid down beside her."

"That's it?" questioned Xin Zimen.

"Hmm... After that, I hugged her in her sleep and everything was okay."

Xin Zimen scrunched up his nose before pointing at Dylan, "No wonder, you both peculiar and bizarre people gave birth to this cartoon."

"HAHAHA!"

The only person who wasn't amused by that remark was Dylan himself who pouted pitifully and whined, "Uncle Zi..."

"Yes, my little cartoon?"

"How can you call me a cartoon?"

"I called you 'my' little cartoon."

"Oh, then it's okay."

"HAHA!"