She's Weird

"Brother Shan, is there a way I can join the training program of becoming a profiler?" Li Xiaozhi blurted out the moment she came in the study of their father. Old Li just went out and she took the opportunity to sneak in and state her question to her oldest brother.

The man who looked dignified and handsome in a military uniform that was at least 5 to 6 points similar to her, looked at her with a serious face. "Of course. When do you want to join?" He asked nonchalantly and turned his head back to the paper he was originally reading.

"As soon as possible." Li Xiaozhi answered in a firm and decisive voice.

Her brother only nodded before he answered. "Okay. I'll inform you before lunch if there's an available slot."

When Li Xiaozhi left the room, Li Shan looked questioningly at the closed door. His only sister seldom asked him a favor. She would normally act out first and he would eventually clean up some mess afterwards. 

But this time, she asked first before making a move. 

This kind of request was something he was more than willing to fulfil. He only hoped it wouldn't be an impulse decision. 

* 

After Li Shan left, Mrs. Li called out her only daughter who was about to leave. 

"Zhi'er..." 

Li Xiaozhi was surprised to see her mother waiting for her near the door. "Is there a problem, mom?"

Mrs Li exhaled and took her daughter's hand. She wasn't an affectionate mother when her children were growing up. She was busy building her own career. 

One could say that she missed the time when her children were growing. Time flew so fast, when she resigned in her post, all of them were already grown up. None needed her attention and help anymore. 

Although all of them were respectful, there was no sweetness and warm familial love that she normally see in other families. 

Even her only daughter wasn't close to her.

After graduating and coming back, she wasn't able to develop an ideal relationship with her. Now she was leaving again.

She could only blame herself. No matter how much she wanted to turn back the time when they were still toddlers and heavily dependent on their mother, she could never do it. 

After the two were settled down in the living room, Mrs Li asked looked at her daughter. She didn't have any cosmetics on her face and even her hair was simply tied loosely at the back. 

She was like her in the past. Wasn't concerned about her own looks but was driven with passion and ambition to be acknowledged in the military. As a woman, she encountered countless challenges to prove herself. 

She was one of those successful women in the military. Yes, she succeeded as a career woman but not as a mother. 

Before her daughter leave this time, she wanted to be a mother, even for once. 

"I've heard you want to join a certain training.." Mrs. Li asked. 

Li Xiaozhi nodded. "I asked Brother Shan to help me secure a slot. It will last for about two years minimum." Although puzzled, she explained.

"I see. You're not planning on settling down?" Mrs Li said cautiously. Women around her daughter's age were either married or getting married. 

Li Xiaozhi knitted her brows before she answered. "Mom, I don't have a plan of getting married." Her voice was flat without any ripple. 

Mrs. Li was surprised by her declaration. "But..."

"Mom, womanhood isn't all about getting married and have kids. Some wanted to be single for the rest of their life."

Mrs Li opened her mouth subtly as if wanted to say something but couldn't. She wanted to start this conversation as it was the most common topic among mother and daughter talk. But she was wrong. 

Besides, she saw Li Xiaozhi earlier. She was clearly heart broken. She thought she had broken up with someone and wanted to leave K country to forget. At least she could offer some advice about it. 

Unfortunately her analysis was incorrect. 

"Mom, if there's nothing more I need to leave. Brother Shan told me before lunch today he would give me an answer. If I can really join, there's a lot of paperwork I need to finish..."

Mrs. Li nodded. 

Li Xiaozhi stood up and went out. 

Settling down

Li Xiaozhi pondered on that. Her answer was automatic as she already prepared it just in case she would be asked about it. 

It really came in handy today. 

It wasn't that she really didn't want to get married. She just felt it wasn't a necessity. It wasn;t easy to trust someone your life. 

'Getting married, huh.' She murmured. That's right. Han Meixiu probably changed because she got married. 

Liu Zijian didn't know that his wife was playing a dangerous game? 

A thought of informing him crossed Li Xiaozhi's mind but later on dismissed the idea. What if she was wrong?

The more she thought about it, the more complicated it became. For someone like her, she probably couldn't help much anymore. 

Maybe the time when both of them were caught in a mess before, Han Meixiu started to seek other people's help. 

Indeed, if her brother didn't interfere, the two of them might have been in danger back then. 

It was Han Meixiu's choice to move in her own way. 

Like her younger brother, she already withdrew her dependence on her the moment she got married. 

In life, there were hellos and goodbyes. The latter was painful and something that she didn't want to encounter at all. But it was inevitable. 

She smiled bitterly as she got on her own car and drove towards work. 

*

"I'm surprised you're here." Zhang Huiling spoke in a hoarse voice. 

"Aunt...I'm more surprise than you..." Han Mingxia murmured. "Meixiu will be here in a while. I already sent her the message that you're awake." 

Zhang Huiling lips curled up. "You were with her? I didn't know you guys are that close."

Han Mingxia didn't answer. She was mulling over on how she would ask about her own matters. Besides, she also couldn't say that she's working that's why they're together. 

"Well, aren't you curious about many things? Why don't you start asking? You might not have another chance." Zhang Huiling continued without looking at the younger woman.

"My mom..."

"Only about your mom?"

Han Mingxia stared blankly at her aunt who was still pale but there was already vitality in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Mingxia, you're a smart kid. You already suspected that you're not a Han, correct?" Zhang Huiling said in a slow manner and looked provocatively at the younger woman near the window. 

Han Mingxia lowered her eyes. "Yes, I did. When I saw how my 'father' behaved." Unless her so called father was drugged, he could never impregnate her mother.

"I only know he was called Ding. He was a good friend of your Uncle Xiang."

"Why didn't he tell me?" Han Mingxia muttered. She followed her uncle when she came in K Country. Why didn't he tell her about her father?

"Han Yun Xiang?" Zhang Huiling asked. "You met him?"

Han Mingxia nodded her head and told the older woman how her uncle saved her wandering soul and eventually disappeared after the death of Wang Jinyi.

Zhang Huiling subconsciously touched her scar after hearing the name of that woman. She was there. She personally 'helped' her draw the image. 

"But, how could I ask him..." Han Mingxia heard the death of Han Meixiu's parents but seeing her aunt alive, she didn't want to believe any news about them again. "He's still alive, right?"

"Of course. How can someone like him die early?" Zhang Huiling sneered. 

"Aunt, do you know where he is?"

"No." 

"How about my father, do you know anything else about him?"

"Why don't you ask your employer to help you?" Zhang Huiling said and tried to move her arm, checking if she's fine. 

"Employer? Meixiu? Right, Uncle Xiang would probably contact her..."

"Meixiu? When did my Meixiu become your employer? Aren't you an assistant of Liu Zilong?"

"That's... I resigned... But Aunt, how did you know?" She was in disguise when she followed Liu Zilong. 

"That's not important. In search of your father, Liu Zilong can help you more than Meixiu." Zhang Huiling dismissively told Han Mingxia. Her slip of tongue was unexpected. 

Before the two could continue, the door opened. Han Meixiu came in holding a basket of fruit with a black sling bag. Compared to earlier, she looked refreshed as if she wasn't devastated earlier. 

It made Han Mingxia doubt her own analysis about what happened after she left. 

"I'm sorry. I'm a bit late." Han Meixiu said after politely greeting the two. She placed the basket on the nearby table and took out a black covered thing.

"Mom, you dropped this. I think it's important." She said in the most natural way. 

After handing in the book, she asked if her mother was feeling better and asked Han Mingxia to continue accompanying Zhang Huiling. 

When Han Meixiu thought she did what she had to, she bid her goodbye. 

Both women, one sitting on the bed and one leaning near the window were speechless after the door closed.

"Did you notice it?" Zhang Huiling asked Han Mingxia. 

"She's weird." 

"What happened?" Zhang Huiling asked the younger woman who stared back at her.