How To Polish A Pearl

Chapter 44 - Sneaking

A/N: Thanks everyone for the warm welcome back I got yesterday! You guys are the best!

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Pushing off from his right leg, he skims the mountain side as he, for the first time, ascends through the air towards the pavilion that is situated at the top of the manor. Stealthily touching down, he waves to the guards both as a greeting and for them to remain silent as he walks into the courtyard, heading for the far most right opening to the pavilion.

He hasn't been here since Wen Ke Xing was unconscious but he had, without any difficulty, memorized the entire layout during those days. With light steps, he moves quickly towards a place he had spent the majority of his time during those few days he had been here. Surely, he isn't there during the day.

Zhou Xu almost holds his breath outside Wen Ke Xing's bed chamber, listening intently for any sound, movement or energy shift within the room. After he has verified that the room is empty, he holds his breath and steps through the opening. Moving quickly towards the table with the scrolls, he removes the one hidden amongst the ones he is carrying and slips it back to where he had taken it from. He is in and out of the chamber in less than one minute, not noticing that there is someone on the bed behind the drapes.

Moving through the corridors like he has lived there his whole life rather than just five days, he steps into the library just moments later. Breathing in the earthy smell of books, his lips curving upward as he looks at the endless rows of shelves with books and scrolls stacked in such an abundance, some are on the verge of falling off. He squeezes the remainder of the scrolls he had brought with him into random locations as he moves through the walkways following no particular path. There was absolutely no reason or order to how this library was arranged, and he wouldn't know how to find something specific even if he wanted to. Not that he had anything specific in mind. He just missed reading.

With fond memories of the library he had spent so much time in back at Four Seasons Manor (1), he randomly picks the next aisle. His hands tracing the outline of the characters written on the books and scrolls, his eyes not really knowing what they are searching for yet trying to file away the titles and authors for later use.

One particular booklet that is about to make it's escape towards the floor catches his eyes. The red and gold silk strands that are poking out on the side looks very similar to the ones he had seen in Wen Ke Xing's bed chamber stuffed into almost every single book or scroll. That ghost sure liked to read... and poetry at that. That must be why he speaks the way he does.

Intrigued, he wiggles it out like he is playing with a massive Jenga puzzle, careful not to cause the others to come crashing down. It is another book filled with various types of poetry. However, carefully turning each page this book looks different than the others. The handwriting, though clearly by the same person, looks to have evolved like this had been written or collected over some time. Can he have copied these himself from the original works? Maybe they are favorites of some sort?

Zhou Xu finds the first bookmark and traces the words as he reads them, his eyes focused on the beautiful handwriting that is curving under his fingertips. The words are soulful and longing, not at all in sync with the cold ghost that walks these hallways. Emerged in this particular poem that is clearly a love poem, he doesn't sense the other person moving in behind him until he is caught between two long and strong arms. With one arm on each side, he is not only trapped between the man and the bookshelf, but the scent of the man is also assaulting his every senses with memories of skin against skin burning in front of his eyes. The cold breath against his neck sends an electric jolt straight down below his abs, making him arch his back and rub up against Wen Ke Xing's chest.

Like he has a sixths sense, Wen Ke Xing voice breaks the silence with the exact passage of the poem that Zhou Xu has just read, "I miss you every day when I can't meet you" (2), his voice low and alluring as he breathes out the words close to Zhou Xu's ear, leaving the top of his head tingling.

Closing the book with a snap, partly because he doesn't want Wen Ke Xing to see what he was reading and partly to help himself snap out of whatever reaction is going on further below. With one eyebrow raised and a smirk curving his lips, he responds to the man who is literally breathing down his neck, "You have seen me every night for the past week. Does that mean that you don't miss me?"

"I always miss you. And it is too dark to see your beauty in the middle of the night.", Wen Ke Xing's voice is soft and with a hint of laughter. In addition, he gently blows a bit of air over Zhou Xu's neck and ear just to test out if there is a reaction. He just can't help himself when this delicious man is right in front of him. At least during the night, when he couldn't see him, he could hold himself back.

Any preparation and resistance he had built up the past week evaporates along with the breath against his ear that is making his whole body tingle. The urges, needs and wants that started on that rock, and then grew bigger in the pool to finally push him to take what he wanted a week ago, are burning in his core. His skin feel like it's on fire as it craves to be touched. Wanting to be hot and sweaty.

Zhou Xu struggles to retain the upper hand he has worked hard for. Turning around he realize that he is standing far too close to this man, but since he can't back up closer to the shelf, he does the only thing he can. He takes one step closer to look up at those black ones, his lips only centimeters from the taller man that has become like a magnet, just pulling him in.

His words are spoken so softly, they are almost whispered into the others mouth, along with his slow breath, "Then why don't you stay until morning?" It was supposed to be a joke, but in the scheme of things he realize that what he just said sounds like a longing wife and he stiffens momentarily. Crap!

With lips curving upwards into a genuine smile, a slight sparkle at the edges of his eyes, Wen Ke Xing bends his head to level their eyes. Looking at this fascinating man sneaking around his pavilion like a thief, he asks, "Do you want me to stay?" Just tell me to stay.

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Author's Notes:

The below note includes minor spoilers, so skip the part below the poem if you don't want any spoilers whatsoever.

(1) Four Seasons Manor – the manor of Zhou Xu's sect.

(2) This is a line from a poem with the English title "the Yangtze Love" (我住长江头) by Li ZhiYi (李之仪).

This is one of many English translations that are out there. It is a beautiful love poem about long distance relationships, which is "sort of" what our stubborn male leads are in at the moment. Because I really love this poem, I will share all of it with you.

I live close to the headstream of the Yangtze River.
You live close to the downstream of the Yangtze river.
I miss you every day but I can't meet you.
we drink the same Yangtze river water.
When the Yangtze river water will stop flowing?
When my hatred for the long distance situation will end?
I just hope your love is like mine.

SPOILERALERT: Though – in this story they will be written by our male protagonist. Like you hadn't figured that out already?