How To Polish A Pearl

Chapter 72 - Watching

"Ah-Xu, don't you think it's about time that you fill me in on the new plan?"

"Where is the fun in that?"

Zhou Xu laughs and removes the sword that could have left a serious scar on Wen Ke Xing's hand, or even cut it off, if he hadn't pulled it back in time. Not that Wen Ke Xing ever had any doubts that he wouldn't.

Placing the sword back into its scabbard at the back of his right hip, Zhou Xu walks over to where the devil lies unconscious and pulls back his sleeves, exposing the tattoos in each of the palms. "I knew it."

"You weren't sure?"

"Let's just say, I had a hunch in the middle of the night."

Wen Ke Xing laughs and squeezes Xiaotao's neck even harder, but not too hard, just hard enough so that he can't speak or move but not hard enough to pass out, "So now that we have two, what are we going to do with both of them? I assume this guys is up first since you knocked the other one out?"

Zhou Xu just smiles and cocks an eyebrow. "Nothing has really changed, it is just that you will have someone next to you as you watch." Zhou Xu walks over to Wen Ke Xing and Xiaotao, taking the traitors jaw in a firm grip, his gaze unwavering as he stares into those scared phoenix eyes, "Besides, I suspect that this traitor is too far down the food chain to actually know something of use." Even though it is unnecessary, Zhou Xu lifts up the sleeves and confirms that the tattoos are there, one crown and one heart centered in the palms.

Zhou Xu tilts his head, his marble face gone and replaced by something Wen Ke Xing has only seen one time before−inside the restaurant that collapsed. When Zhou Xu turns his head to stare at the devil that is sprawled on the floor, everything from his posture to his voice has changed, "However, watching Xiaotao getting tortured might inspire Lecherous Ghost to reveal what he knows."

Wen Ke Xing looks at his man, the man that scolds him for using violence is now discussing torture with a smile on his face like they are discussing what flavor steamed buns to have for dinner. Then he looks at the ant dangling in his hand, a cold smile forming on his lips before he hurls Xiaotao across the room and into the wall, all but knocking him out.

Watching the second man slide down the wall and slump on the floor moaning, Zhou Xu turns to look at his husband, "Did that feel good?"

Unable to hide his satisfaction, Wen Ke Xing looks down at his husband through dark eyes and a cold expression, though a drop of softness is glistening at the corner of his eyes as he shrugs, "What? I didn't knock him out."

Zhou Xu laughs and shakes his head as he walks towards the bed chamber. "Let me grab something to tie them down with. Can you start clearing the table?"

Wen Ke Xing looks at the messy table. Just the thought of touching any of it, with the exception of the wine bottles, makes him cringe. Taking up one of the bottles to take a sip, he shouts towards the bed chamber, "Ah-Xu, why didn't you have the servants clear everything before they left? Couldn't you have waited to knock him out until after?"

Walking back towards Wen Ke Xing with long strips of fabric in his hand, Zhou Xu shrugs and responds, "Because I don't know how long this will take, I might get hungry or thirsty."

Seeing his squeamish man holding the bottle, Zhou Xu pushes him to the side, scolding jokingly as he starts to move the plates from the table to one of the smaller ones by the door, "If you're not going to help, keep out of my way."

Sighing, Wen Ke Xing picks up one of the plates with cold steam buns on it, knowing that his husband will likely finish these ones off first. Smiling, he shifts his gaze towards the strips hanging over one of the chairs, "Did you just shred the sheets?"

Ignoring the question, Zhou Xu continues, nodding towards Lecherous Ghost, "You need to go chat to his underlings so that they don't miss him. After all, they were supposed to leave today. You need to buy us some time."

Trying to get used to being ordered around, and to his surprise not minding is, Wen Ke Xing studies the subtle changes in his man. The change to a straighter posture. The slight tilt of the head. The eyes, though still walnut-colored, cold and a little bit excited. A subtle arrogant smirk of the right corner of his lips. The slowed breathing.

Glancing at the three men, he sighs and responds, "Fine, don't start without me." Walking towards the entrance, he puts the plate on the table before he opens the doors and disappears around the corner.

<(￣︶￣)>

Somehow, this wasn't what he had pictured when he heard that Zhou Xu wanted to spend a few extra days here. He had pictured them sleeping in, well not exactly sleeping, but spending the morning in bed. And the rest of the day too for that matter. Maybe switching it up during the day by heading up to the hot spring for a bath and some more of that addictive skin.

Instead, here he was, sitting next to a tied up devil, the both of them watching his man deciding which knife to use. When the first knife had been pulled from within the sleeve, he hadn't been surprised. He knew that Zhou Xu carried more weapons than Bai Yi, however, when the 7th knife had been put on the table it was impossible not to view his husband in partial admiration and partial fear. You truly are perfect.

Wen Ke Xing is fully aware that this is just part of the scare tactics towards the prostitute sprawled like an X across the table, each of his four limbs tied securely. His mouth tied with fabric that ruthlessly cuts into the corners of his lips, stretching out his mouth in an awkward smile, only allowing muffled sounds and groans to escape. His eyes fiercely staring at the knifes.

Finishing the last of the wine, he puts the bottle down on to the floor next to his chair. "Ax-Xu. Let me do this."

"No."

"Ah-Xu, let me do this. I am used to it."

Turning to look at his husband, Zhou Xu locks his eyes on those black ones, "Don't expect from others what you can't promise them yourself." (1) Besides, I am used to this too.

Wen Ke Xing stares at his husband with worried eyes. I know that you are very capable of doing this, but that doesn't mean that you have to.

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Author's Notes:

(1) "Don't expect from others what you can't promise them yourself." – Chinese idiom. Zhu Xu is saying that he is not going to ask Wen Ke Xing to do anything he isn't willing to do himself. Basically, he is saying that they are two now, they are in it together and can lean on each other.