How To Polish A Pearl

Chapter 64 - Suffocating

Left behind alone in the room, Wen Ke Xing feels so cold it almost suffocates him. Why am I so cold when I am not around him? With difficulty breathing, he sinks to his knees trembling violently, his entire body tingling from the pain spreading from his chest. The pressure builds up quickly until his core cannot bear it, forcing the black clotted blood to be coughed up. Wrapping his shivering arms around himself, he stares at the broken plates in front of him, the pavilion silent. What is wrong with me?

Zhou Xu walks with resolute footsteps along the wooden walkway, towards the part of the pavilion where Ah-Xiang is staying, his thoughts a bit preoccupied. Part of him is contemplating what just transpired in Kaihua and the transformation he witnessed in his man, but mostly because he is thinking about the hot spring.

When he approaches the part of the pavilion that the rest of the Wu Ying party is staying at, a maid appears in front of him, one that he doesn't think he has seen before. She must be one of Shanyuan's.

Bowing, her hands placed in a submissive greeting, she smiles, her voice light, "Nu Zhuren."

"Can you tell Gu Xiang that I am here to see her."

Before the maid can respond, Ah-Xiang steps out through the door opening, her voice wary, "Qingfu? What are you doing here?"

"Ah-Xiang, we decided that you should head back to Wu Ying tomorrow to start organizing the repairs."

"What?" Ah-Xiang looks surprised, her eyes widening a bit.

"Nu Zhuren?", Daiyu's voice carries from somewhere within the pavilion and he can hear that she is approaching the entrance that Ah-Xiang has just stepped out of.

"Take all the servants with you, no one is to be left here. Lao Wen and I will ride back ourselves in a few days."

"I'm leaving..." pointing at herself with her eyebrows raised, then pointing at Zhou Xu, continuing, "... and you're staying here by yourselves? Zhuren said that?"

Uninterested in arguing with her, Zhou Xu straightens his back boring his eyes into hers, "I am staying here. Lao Wen can stay with me if he wants, or he can head back with you. That is his choice. Either way, you, Daiyu and the rest of the servants are leaving first thing tomorrow. Make the arrangements." Not leaving anything open for discussion or waiting for Daiyu to join them, he turns and walks away, heading for the trail leading up towards the hot spring.

Scoffing as she watches Zhou Xu head out the back and towards the hot spring. Qingfu, you are not my boss. I don't take orders from you.

"Nu Zhuren...?" Daiyu appears behind Ah-Xiang in the door opening. Her voice still hoarse and her eyes searching for Zhou Xu. "Did he leave for the hot spring? Did he come to check on me?"

"Why would he come check on you?" Irritated, Ah-Xiang turns and pushes Daiyu to the side so she can step inside. "He came to tell me that you, me and the rest of the servants are heading back to Wu Ying first thing tomorrow morning. They are staying here a few more days. Go make the arrangements."

"We... we are leaving? And they are staying?"

"Yes, that is what I said."

Daiyu gazes towards the walkway where Zhou Xu had disappeared, shifting towards the white fog that is haunting the rocks at the bottom of the waterfall.

Following the white stone path through the bamboo forest, Zhou Xu feels tired. It has been a long day and, unexpectantly, it has been an emotional rollercoaster. Flashes and feelings of damaged buildings and the devastated ghost lingers in his mind. The assassins triggering him to regain his Qi and kung fu that he, even now, can feel stirring in his heart and his core. Lao Wens eyes when he had saved him from the collapsing building. His eyes when they had kissed against the tree. His eyes when he wanted to kill Daiyu.

Shaking his head, he takes a deep breath and walks onto the deck of the outdoor pavilion. Stripping off his clothes, his body warm and sticky from not only the ride but the heat that was generated every time he was near his man, he drops them all in a basket.

Left with only the pearls against his milky white skin, he holds Bai Yi in his left hand. Whilst he weighs it in his hand, he contemplates the fight he had with the two assassins earlier in the day. They had not used the bayonets that the ones on the plateau and the ambush had carried. They didn't have any weapons at all. She... Who is she?

Still holding his sword, he steps into the hot spring. He all but purrs submerging himself completely under the surface, bubbles leaving his mouth when his lungs release the stress from the day. Though he doesn't feel the need to sink to the bottom of the pool to scream these days, the warm water still carries a soothing feeling of comfort.

Back in Kaihua pavilion, Wen Ke Xing is still slumped on the floor. His body still trembles sporadically, though he is slowly recovering from the anxiety attack he had just experienced. Murmuring to himself, a little bit incoherent, he slowly gets up and walks to pick up one of the other whole wine bottles. He opens the bottle, drinking greedily as his thoughts wanders. 

He thought he had taken a few steps forward towards that smile. He had been craving Zhou Xu for weeks, holding himself back, allowing the other to take each steps forward to gain his trust. He had given Zhou Xu everything he had wanted, everything he had asked for, everything that he could give and not taken anything for himself. Except holding his hand...

Until a moment ago.

He had wanted to take him today, any way that he could. He admitted to himself that the need to possess Zhou Xu had been exceedingly strong. The need to show him that he only belonged to the Guigu Guzhu and no one else, had been blinding. He had wanted to take him any way he could, even if it included violence.

He only slipped up once. Once! And Zhou Xu had left him. No, he didn't leave me. I was left to calm down. He is waiting for me. Wen Ke Xing, Wen Ke Xing, he told you that he would be waiting for you. Staggering towards the door, slowly regaining mobility in his trembling legs for each step, he is soon sprinting towards the bamboo forest, the wine bottle still in his hands.

Up in the hot spring, Zhou Xu is resting in the same spot as the night before. The spot that, in his opinion, had the best view−right next to the waterfall. The deafening white noise from the water hammering away against the rocks below is soothing, drowning out all the voices in his head. The warm water is working its magic on his muscles, slowly calming the pounding of his heart and all the feelings stirring inside.

A little bit sooner than he would have guessed, he sense the other person in the pool slowly moving towards him, just like yesterday. Finishing off the wine bottle, leaving it on the edge, his voice lazy and soft, "Lao Wen, I hope you brought more wine."

When two strong arms circle his waist and a soft kiss is placed between his shoulder blades, the first reaction is that the Guzhu has calmed down and is now back to being his man again, a smile forming at the corners of his lips. A smile that vanish before it has even finished forming. His second reaction is to unsheathe his sword. The hands caressing his chest and abs are warm to the touch and the breath against the base of his neck is hot. The scent that is assaulting his senses is not that of peach blossoms.

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