Chapter 290 - Stuck Between Angels

'Who is the mother?'

That question made Ah-Si's eyes to droop down in despair and pain. His heart clenched tightly inside his chest. 

"I asked a question, Ah-Si? Don't you have anything to say?" Xin Zimen stressed.

Seeing that his son wasn't willing to answer, Xin Zimen's eyes narrowed considerably.

"Don't tell me you don't even know who the mother is?" gasped Xin Zimen making Ah-Si look up at his father's horrified face as he continued, "Tsk tsk tsk tsk. I didn't know I raised a playboy. Aiyo! How am I gonna face your mother in heaven? This is tragic."

Ah-Si's face twitched at his father's remarks. "Are you done, dad?"

"I have more," replied Xin Zimen.

"Don't bother continuing please," pleaded Ah-Si. "I can only take this much."

Xin Zimen shrugged his shoulders and lamented, "Okay. I can understand. When fathers get old, sons don't like to even talk to them."

"DAD!" 

Xin Zimen chuckled slightly at his son's reaction and zipped his lips indicating that he won't talk now.

This allowed Ah-Si a chance to sigh out, "First of all, I'm not a playboy. I know who Ava's mother is but I don't wanna talk about her. Not at all!" He took a brief pause before adding, "Second of all, don't worry you won't have to face mom in heaven." 

"Huh?" Xin Zimen brows quirked up slightly.

And Ah-Si elaborated calmly, "Well, there is no way you're gonna end up in heaven with her."

"You!" Xin Zimen picked up a cushion to hit his head while he laughed it out. However, Xin Zimen also ended up laughing along with his son. This was the first time tonight he saw Ah-Si so lighthearted. It didn't bother him at all that his son's happiness was at his own expense. 

When the laughter died down and Xin Zimen leaned back in his recliner, Ah-Si placed his head on his thigh as he spoke, "Dad..."

"Hmm."

"Can you not ask me about Ava's mother again?" Xin Zimen patted Ah-Si's head. "I really don't want to talk about the woman who didn't even bother telling me that I was gonna be a father but just a year and a half ago abandoned my daughter at my doorstep."

Xin Zimen shook his head at his son who still loved to act this spoiled. Ah-Si really knew how to take advantage of the fact that he was the youngest in the family. 

"But you never even asked her why she left her own daughter? No parent would like to abandon their own child without any reason or rhyme. She must have a solid reason for her actions. It's just that you didn't ask her."

Ah-Si tilted his head up to look at his father's face and frowned, "Are you actually defending her?"

Xin Zimen knocked on his head saying, "I'm not defending her. What I am trying to tell you is that,,," He heaved a long sigh before adding, "I don't want my granddaughter to grow up without a mother just like my sons did." Ah-Si's eyes lost the initial displeasure as he stared at his father with a complicated gaze. "You grew up without your mother, you know how it feels. No matter how much I tried to cover for your mother's absence, I still couldn't do so. There are so many moments that I regret because I couldn't be there for my sons when they needed me. Do you want Ava to grow up with that loss as well?"

Ah-Si was lost for words completely. He knew what his father was referring to. He still remembered how when he was young he used to wake up his father in the middle of the night ordering him around to make him late-night snacks. Even though his Xin Zimen never complained but he was really bad at cooking during that time and oftentimes either cut his finger or burned his fingers during the process. In fact, he even almost burned the whole kitchen once.

He knew very well what his father was talking about but...

"Ah-Si, Ava is still very young and might not feel like she needs a mother but when she'll grow up, she's gonna question you where her mother is just like you used to do."

Ah-Si pursed his lips as he listened to his father's words with attention and contemplated over it as well. He couldn't find anything to retort with. Whatever Xin Zimen said was hitting right at the mark.

"I'm not telling you to get back together with her. If you don't want to do it, don't do it. Dad will never force you to do anything that you don't want. I never did and I never will. What I'm asking of you is to get Ava's mother involved in her life. Being in Ava's life and yours are two very different things. Don't deprive your daughter of the right to get the love of both her parents."

Ah-Si could agree that his father never forced him to do anything that he didn't want to. In fact, when both he and Xin Xiaoli refused to take part in the power struggle of the Xin family, their father didn't force them at all. Instead, he supported them both and urged them to achieve their dreams.

"Promise me that you'll think about what I said. Not for me, but for my granddaughter."

Looking at those eyes filled with eagerness, Ah-Si nodded his head agreeably.

"I'll think about it," answered Ah-Si honestly.

Xin Zimen finally heaved a sigh of relief and smiled contently as he said, "Then I can be as ease."

"But you have to promise me something as well," added Ah-Si. Xin Zimen furrowed his brows in confusion. "You won't use your ways to find out who Ava's mother is neither will you get involved in it unless I say so."

"About that..." Xin Zimen seemed reluctant to promise that.

"Dad!"

"Haiz! Okay, I won't do but if I died from the curiosity that will be on you!"

Ah-Si laughed at his father and said, "You won't die that easily. God only likes good people."

Xin Zimen gaped at his son in disbelief before he looked heavenwards and beseeched, "Wife, are you seeing this? Now your son wants me to die early as well. Keep better watch on your sons from heaven."

"Sorry, she can't do," replied Ah-Si as he stood up from the floor and added, "She doesn't even have the time to listen to you."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, dad. Really! After all, stuck between those gorgeous angels, I'm sure mom doesn't have time to hear you whining about your sons."

"You!" Xin Zimen threw the cushion towards him but Ah-Si turned sideways.

"Haha! You missed!" He stuck his tongue at his father before running away from the study.