How To Polish A Pearl

Chapter 87 - Rumbling

The morning starts just like all other mornings had here in Wuming. Through sleepy eyes and lazy limbs, Wen Ke Xing snuggles closer to Zhou Zi Shu under the comfort of the blanket. It's still dark with only the faint glow from the last of the insense burning next to the bed, which is generating more shadows than light within the bed chamber.

Though he can't see it, Wen Ke Xing can tell that white puffy clouds are formed from his breath. After chasing most of the sun away for the past month, the winter has taken Ghost Valley in a firm grip and will likely not let go for a few months.

Wen Ke Xing nudges the nape of Zhou Zi Shu's neck with the tip of his nose, breathing in that warm, sweet and spicy scent. His lips have just started to nibble on those sharp collarbones when a low rumble is heard in the distance. The rumble moves through the outskirts of the valley and travels in long smooth waves through Wuming in the time it takes Wen Ke Xing to blink five times, leaving the bed swaying comfortably.

"The aftershocks are getting smaller." Zhou Zi Shu's tone is soft and warm, all wrapped up in his usual sleepy morning voice.

Wen Ke Xing can tell that his husband is about to fall back asleep unless he assist him in waking up−a task that he has eagerly and most diligently taken upon himself in the past week. Purely, because if he didn't do it−Zhou Zi Shu would sleep until noon−absolutely no other reason.

Using his teeth to skim the collarbone, his voice both coaxing and sulky, "Aftershock? Ah-Xu, you're so cruel. Here I was thinking you were excited to wake up next to me..."

"..."

Wen Ke Xing sneaks his right palm under the sheer and silky fabric of Zhou Zi Shu's inner robe, slightly warming his fingers against that warm and smooth skin. Encouraged by the mix of giggles and moans from the man under his touch, his mouth chases behind, tracing wet kitten licks in the outlines between the defined ab muscles.

He soon feels Zhou Zi Shu's hands tangle in his hair, steering him upwards towards the pecs where he finds those pink pearls stiff and waiting. Licking a stripe over the left one, his right fingertips gently twirls the other.

Wen Ke Xing is in the process of flicking the nipple with the tip of his tongue when a loud bang− that is much, much closer−suddenly blasts through the bed chamber. It is followed by a deep rumble that growls furiously underneath them, the bed not swaying this time but bouncing vertically.

When they hear the wall crack, they are instantly alert and nimbly rolling out of bed, each from their own side. Sprinting towards the door, Wen Ke Xing is a bit faster and picks up Zhou Zi Shu in his arms to exit the building in lightning speed.

Outside, they rely on their Qi to keep steady as they float just above ground, Zhou Zi Shu still wrapped snuggly in Wen Ke Xing's arms. Listening to the rumble moving through the valley, Wen Ke Xing looks into those walnut-colored ones and says, his voice conspiratorial, "What first appears as a calamity may later bring good fortune." (1)

The walkways throughout Wuming are starting to crowd with guests, powdered beauties and servants. Seeing the ruling couple of the valley in their inner robes, their Guzhu carrying his bride, the murmurs soon reach their ears. Though, to be fair, most of them had already heard the Guzhu and Nu Zhuren enjoying their honeymoon quite loudly the past week.

Suddenly cautious of making the Guigu Guzhu look gentle in front of the ghosts, Zhou Zi Shu kisses the corner of Wen Ke Xing's lips and maneuvers out of the embrace and down to stand on the ground. The white snow that had painted everything white, under the cover of darkness, was now mixed with dirt, huge cracks climbing up the mountain side behind the manor. Taking a deep breath in the crisp air, he smooths out his thin robe and looks up and into those black ones.