How To Polish A Pearl

Chapter 49 - Burning

A/N: I got inspired to do a mini theater in the previous chapter, after it was published. Feel free to go back and read, if you missed it.

⊂ (▀▿▀) つ

Zhou Xu is in the backroom when he hears Daiyu's voice calling for him out in the main room. Realizing that it must already be dinnertime, he puts the last of the insense sticks aside on the shelf and stands up a little stiffly. The entire room, including himself, smells of the exotic scent he has worked all day to develop and then turn into insense. First grinding the florets into a fine powder that he then mixed with a few other ingredients. Working in the liquid to create a pasty dough that he then nimbly rolled on to thin long sticks. This should be plenty... but I don't actually know how many it will take...

He had refused Daiyu's help every time she had showed up, which he had noticed had been a few more times than normal. In addition to the usual meals, she had turned up with all the ingredients and items he had asked for, instead of the other servants. She had also showed up with tea a few times in between. Her intentions had been anything but subtle.

He didn't have time to figure out if she was stupid or brave, but he had kept alert in case Wen Ke Xing would arrive and snap. For example, she had returned way too fast with Wen Ke Xing's breakfast that morning. They had barely gotten out of the hot spring, where they had bathed on opposite sides of the pool, before she was back and hovering out in the main room. She had even lingered in front of Wen Ke Xing to the point where Zhou Xu had thought that he would self-combust from holding back from snapping her neck. He was fascinated over this change, yet he still couldn't figure out what had transformed Wen Ke Xing from the person who killed people as easily as breathing, to this person who begged to hold his hand.

Then again, it had been very amusing to watch that death god, that usually confident Guzhu, that man that bragged about bedding all the flower beauties in the world, be jealous of a maid. Though he had to admit, now that he had startedpaying attention to her, that she was actually beautiful with that heart shapedbirthmark between her almond shaped eyes and round lips.

Walking out to the main room, Daiyu beams at him from where she is standing by the table arranging the dinner plates. Not once had she brought food, snacks or tea for Wen Ke Xing, then again, he had left after breakfast and not returned.

"Nu Zhuren!" Her voice soft yet excited. "Have you finished or do you want help?"

"No thank you Daiyu, I am quite alright by myself." His voice soft and friendly as he sits down in his usual chair.

Meeting his eyes, she slowly moves closer with a shy smile on her face. "I don't mind staying late to help you." The insinuendo is perfectly clear and he wonders if what he is feeling is temptation, curiosity or defiance. Those images that had flashed before him during those first wedding nights suddenly appear in front of him again. Those naked bodies, both men and women, hot skin and loud moans, awakens something primal inside him. Though, he can't remember being with a woman, then again, he can't remember being with anyone but Wen Ke Xing.

He quickly discards the thought. Tonight is not the night to go experimenting with someone else's life. Wen Ke Xing will probably kill anyone that I look at that way, or in any way for that matter.

Noting that Daiyu has moved in closer whilst waiting for him to respond, he reaches for one of the steamed buns to cut her off and starts to eat. "No thank you, Daiyu, I am fine. You can leave now. I will see you tomorrow."

The disappointment is written all over her face, but she nods and walks away with quick but heavy feet. Zhou Xu finishes his dinner alone whilst staring out the window screen, lost somewhere in thoughts of handholding. When he is finished, he sighs and stands up to walk towards the bed chamber. Halfway through the front room he loses his balance and stumbles forward two steps before his QingGong kicks in, keeping him steady and floating.

A deep rumble echoes throughout the valley as it moves closer. Aftershock?! (1) The sound and movement is over in a few seconds and he descends on to the floor, looking around the room. The only clue that there had been an earthquake is the toppled bottle of wine on the table. What a waste... And from such a small earthquake too.

Sighing he continues into the bed chamber. Lighting one of the insense sticks and placing it on the table by the bed, watching the delicate smoke plume slowly rise and swirl.

Walking behind the screens to undress, the scent from the insense quickly spreads throughout the bed chamber. It is heavy yet light and somehow familiar. A few breaths of the fruity and exotic scent and he can already feel himself relaxing.

"So, it really is something to help you sleep?"

The husky voice from the door opening caress Zhou Xu's naked skin where he is standing hidden behind the screens, reflexively responding a bit too quickly, "I told you."

You are okay... Wen Ke Xing sighs mentally and continues with a light voice, "I guess if you are burning it in here, it can't be that lethal for me to sleep here too."

Hanging up the trousers, he walks out from behind the screens, purposely showing Wen Ke Xing what he can't have, he responds, "Who said you are sleeping in here?"

"Ah-Xu, thoughts during the day will become dreams at night." (2) Following Zhou Xu's naked body walking slowly towards the bed, Wen Ke Xing's mouth goes dry and he licks his lips reflexively, "What is bothering you during the day? Tell me and I will chase it away."

With a smirk, Zhou Xu turns to face Wen Ke Xing, his voice honeyed with a hint of irony in it, "Then chase yourself away."

"Ah-Xu, I'm happy that you think about me during the day and then dream about me during the night!"

"More like nightmares."

"Then I will just have to continue sleeping here until we dream the same dreams on the same bed." (3)

He must admit that Wen Ke Xing is a first class flirter when he wants to be, which seems to be all the time this past week. Since two can play that game, Zhou Xu watches him with a steady gaze as he responds, "Then get ready to sleep here for the rest of your life."

"Deal." After that single word, Wen Ke Xing leaves the wall he has casually been leaning against and walks towards Zhou Xu without saying a word, not even blinking, only stopping right in front of him. Raising his right hand, he traces the collar bones with his cold fingertips until he reaches the necklace, almost whispering, "You look absolutely incredible dressed in nothing but pearls."

｡(^▽^)ゞ

Author's Notes:

(1) Aftershocks are earthquakes that follow the largest shock of an earthquake sequence. They are smaller than the mainshock. Aftershocks can continue over a period of weeks, months, or years. In general, the larger the mainshock, the larger and more numerous the aftershocks, and the longer they will continue. And yes, we had another earthquake when I was writing this chapter and it was the perfect thing that I needed to move the story forward. 

(2) 'Thoughts during the day will become dreams at night', pretty self-explanatory Chinese idiom.

(3) The original Chinese idiom is 'Dream different dreams on the same bed', which is a Chinese idiom that describes a relationship of two people whose lives are intimately intertwined, but who do not fundamentally communicate with each other. I changed it, well Wen Ke Xing did, to be that they will live intimately and communicate with each other.