547 Once Bitten, Twice Shy (2/2)

Zhou Xichen looked at the tea leaves floating in his cup as he answered, ”Florence was a very beautiful person. But unlike Francesca, Florence was a very simple person. She was soft-spoken, kind, compassionate, and also a bit timid. Even though she was from a big family, she was very shy. Like an introvert.”

”No wonder your family easily pressurized her. Her personality had a big tag on her face, 'Easy to bully'. Who won't take advantage of that?”

”You really don't think before speaking, do you?”

Xiu pressed her lips together before answering, ”I've been better lately but your story just made me too excited. My mind is slow and my tongue is working fast. They both are not in sync. I apologize for that.”

Zhou Xichen shook his head at her.

”Don't mind me saying this, I still am not able to control my tongue so I'll just say it. The way you described your wife... It's hard to believe that such a person actually left her newborn son behind and never looked back.” Zhou Xichen was startled by her words and it gave way to the sadness he had been burying in his heart. ”Don't you hate her for that? After all, I can accept that she punished you by leaving you. She convicted you as a criminal in her own mind. Whether you did it intentionally or not, in the end, Zhou Jinhai was still your blood. But punishing her newborn baby? What was Regan's fault?”

”Hate her?” He repeated softly seemingly lost in his own thoughts. ”I never really thought about this. I know I still love her but hate? Am I allowed to hate her? After all, she left our son behind because of me. She didn't want our son to become a reminder of my betrayal. How am I supposed to hate her?”

Xiu was staring at his face in a daze when she heard, ”Sir, your flight is in an hour. We should be leaving now.” Only then did Xiu notice that an assistant had come to stand beside Zhou Xichen who nodded after hearing his assistant's words.

Then he turned to Xiu and pulled out a small rectangular box which he stretched out to Xiu. ”This is for you. It's the only thing I have of Regan's mother. I don't know whether it's appropriate to give it to you or not. But I think it's better if you keep it.” He stood up and turned to leave saying, ”I hope you invite me to your wedding soon. For now, take care of yourself.”

Xiu blankly saw him leaving and didn't know what she was doing because her thoughts were elsewhere. ”Are you trying to get fat?” It was Gigi's kind reminder that made Xiu look down and see that she had already eaten all four flavors of the cake that she ordered. And she still felt like eating something sweet.

”I don't think getting fat is that bad,” muttered Xiu before she stood up to leave herself.