How To Polish A Pearl

Chapter 29 - Briefing

"Five days?" Wen Ke Xing's voice was hoarse but steady. His eyes calm, though curiosity was sparkling at the outer edges.

"Yes." To Wen Ke Xing's surprise, Ah-Xiang's voice is both shrill and a little bit annoyed.

"He didn't leave my side for the full five days I was unconscious?"

"No."

"And he wouldn't let anyone touch me?"

"Not even me."

"And he cleaned my wounds?"

"Every day, in the hot spring pool."

"He carried me there by himself?"

"He sure did."

"What about his injuries?"

"I haven't seen them. The doctors said that he will be fully healed within a few more days. He treated his own wounds."

Furrowing his brows, he continues, "And where did he sleep?"

"Right there.", she said and points at his left where his second pillow is located.

"Did he say why?"

"He said that he was the Nu Zhuren of Ghost Valley and didn't have to explain himself to anyone but you."

A low and almost soundless laughter finds its way through Wen Ke Xing's pale lips, leaving them in something that resembles a smirk. I wonder what else you have embraced as the new Nu Zhuren. My Ah-Xu, are you really going to be my bride?

Sitting up, he swings his legs over the side of the bed, immediately regretting it. The dizziness makes him vomit, staining the peach blossom pink inner robe he is currently dressed in.

Falling back onto the bed, he closes his eyes and breathes slowly to steady himself and force back the spinning. Facing the ceiling, he sighs but continues, "And you all just did what he said?"

"All the guards knew that you told the Ten Devils, well nine now, that he was the second in command. Most of the guards in this pavilion have been chosen because they are loyal to you. That and super scared. Who would dare disobey him for fear of what you would do when you woke up? Besides, when you came back you were drenched in blood and he was wielding a bayonet to anyone that came near him or you."

"Bayonet?"

"Yeah, it looked like bayonet. He kept it on him at all times when he was here. He brought it with him to Hua Men."

"When was that?"

"Just a short while ago, when you were fully awake."

Staying silent for a while, he sits up again, this time a bit slower getting used to the change in level.

"How much of Wu Ying was damaged?"

"Your place was barely damaged. Hua Men has some cracks, but nothing serious. Most of the damage was further down the manor. The repairs are already on the way."

"How is the rest of the valley?"

"Some of the passes have more damage than the others. It looks like it was mostly uninhabited places that took the worst hit. The shake opened up some new areas as well. I am waiting to hear back from the scouts."

Wen Ke Xing tilts his head as he contemplates the information. "Ah-Xiang, I am hungry. Is there any food? I want to have a bath and then eat."

"Sure, the hot spring is all ready for you. I will go get you some food from the kitchen."

He watches her scurry out through the door, a little bit less bouncy than usual but he is too distracted to notice. When she is out of sight he reaches for the pillow and holds it to his face, slowly breathing in that sweet and spicy scent. I hadn't imagined it. He was here.

That scent had been lingering in his mind every time he had almost surfaced back into reality. But when he had finally opened his eyes and stayed awake, the scent had been gone and the bed had been empty.

With skeptical eyes, which are absolutely not borderline hopeful, his gaze wanders around the room, searching. They stop when they fall on the books laying on the table next to the bed. Does that mean I didn't dream him reading poetry?

Picking up the book on the top, he opens it to the page with the marker. The book is one of his favorites and he is impressed. This book is usually hidden within one of his larger chests tucked away in the corner behind the majority of his wardrobe. Had he gone through the entire room? Does that mean he found...?

His mind suddenly clear, almost buzzing, he hurries on unsteady legs towards the far end of his bed chamber. Standing in front of a large painting of a single peach blossom tree alone on a lava field, his heart is beating slightly irregular in his chest, trying not to vomit again. Removing it from the wall, the wooden box is still placed at the center of the recess. Reaching out to open it, he can see that one of the string of pearls are missing.

"..."

(ᴗ˳ᴗ)

Hurrying towards the kitchen, Ah-Xiang replays the last few days in her mind. It would have been cute, if this was any other normal couple, that is, any other couple outside of Ghost Valley. But they weren't, and it wasn't. At least not in Ah-Xiang's eyes. It was annoying that he just wouldn't leave. What had happened to make him so bloody protective? It was him those assassins had been after – not her Zhuren.

She was not used to the fact that there was someone else in her Zhuren's life, at least not in his room. There had never been any other man (or woman for that matter) that had been allowed in that bedroom, well except for her and the servants. Zhuren had always ventured out in search of his next flower beauty.

He would always recite the words 'Choose your lodging before dark and leave before the morning dew' (1), tapping her on top of her head with his fan, when they would eat breakfast in whatever town they were in for the week.

But now, he was obsessed with this new plaything of his. She didn't like it at all. They didn't even know who this Zhou Xu was, only that he was extremely skilled at martial arts and able to resist part of the water of Lethe.

She rummages through the wine cellar trying to find something good to go alongside the dumpling soup that had been prepared. Deep in thought, she doesn't see the looks from the kitchen maids behind her back.

They thought the last few days had been adorable. Who would have guessed that their remarkably beautiful Ghost Valley bride would get all lovey-dovey with their cold and vicious Guzhu? They had kept it to themselves though, scared of Ah-Xiang's everchanging temperament the last few days.

(ᗒᗣᗕ)՞

Author's Notes:

What are you doing with the pearls Ah-Xu??  (O.O)

(1) 'Choose your lodging before dark and leave before the morning dew.' Chinese proverb – pretty self-explanatory and suits our Wen Ke Xing.