How To Polish A Pearl

Chapter 95 - Interrogating (1)

Author's Notes:

Have you all recovered? Still with me on this rollercoaster? We are heading into a long straight now so just sit tight and enjoy the ride.

⊂ (▀▿▀) つ

After an emotional night and morning, they are just about to fall back asleep in each other's arms when they hear someone walk in through the main door.

"Zhuren−are you in here?" Ah-Xiang's voice carries into the bed chamber and they sigh in unison.

Zhou Zi Shu responds before Wen Ke Xing has registered the question, "Ah-Xiang, I will be right out." He stares into those black ones and whispers, "You rest, I will go out and see what she wants." Zhou Zi Shu caress that puffy face that is his husband this morning and swings his legs over the edge of the bed. He puts on a dark blue robe, his boots and walks out of the bed chamber, the cold air not as intense as the day before.

"Good morning, Ah-Xiang."

"Oh. Qingfu. Is Zhuren here?"

"He is still sleeping, let him rest. If you tell me what it is, I will let him know."

She stares at him with one eyebrow raised, "Are you sure? Seems like you don't even tell him everything these days. Not that you ever did."

"Ah-Xiang−" His voice grows sharper as if scolding a child, even though the young woman in front of him is no such thing. "Just tell me what it is that is important and I promise that he or both of us will come see you when he has woken up. Unless it is really urgent and then I will go wake him up now, but he will likely not be in the best of moods."

She thinks about it for a short moment and purses her lips, "Fine. I just wanted to report what I have found out so far on a potential daughter of the old Guzhu. I haven't found Hongtao Huanghou−yet. Maybe by the time you are back from Wuming."

"Thank you, Ah-Xiang. I will send for you when we get to Jianchan. Let's have some tea in Kuai He."

Without responding, she turns and walks out, not even bothering to close the door behind her. Zhou Zi Shu sighs and braves the cold wind in order to close it. The sky is looking clear today, maybe we will see the full moon tonight. He walks back into the bed chamber and snuggles close to his man before falling into a dreamless sleep.

✾꒡ .̮ ꒡✾

It is mid-day by the time they stop snuggling and decide to leave the warm comfort of the bed for the warm comfort of the hot spring. Hot food and wine has magically appeared on the table by the time they walk out, fully dressed, their hair still a little bit damp.

Zhou Zi Shu snatches the steamed bun at the top along with a bottle of the Jiangnan wine. With food stuffed in his mouth, he smiles towards the man that is observing him from across the table, "What...?"

"Ah-Xu~", a low laughter cuts him off and Wen Ke Xing shakes his head before he continues, "No one is going to steal the food from you, I know I certainly wouldn't dare stand between you and those buns in the morning... You know the kitchen will make you as many steamed buns as you want right? Any flavor you want. Whenever you want. Even if it's in the middle of the night."

Zhou Zi Shu rolls his eyes and chases the bun down with some of the warm wine. He looks longingly at the food and then at Wen Ke Xing, "Let's not eat too much and save some room for the tea with Ah-Xiang. You haven't spent much time with her lately, I think she is feeling left out."