One Life, One Incarnation, Beautiful Bones

29

Chapter 9.2 - How Can Love be Unraveled? (2)

He slept for approximately two hours and then woke up naturally at seven thirty.

Shi Yi was stil fast asleep, and from Zhousheng Chen's angle, he could see the curving outline of the side profile of her face. He followed it to her neck and could even see her fine, smooth skin within the neckline of her pajamas. He gazed at her like this for some time, an indescribable feeling in his heart. Shi Yi shifted gently, and her hand that had been clutching his shirt collar, for just a moment, loosened a little before quickly tightening its grip again.

He pushed himself up slightly and softly called her, "Shi Yi?"

It was uncertain whether she was answering from within her dream or that she was simply dazed and half-awake still, but she gave a "hmm."

He deliberated for a little while, but in the end, he chose to lower his head and begin to kiss the exposed skin at her neckline. The stubble that had appeared overnight lightly rubbed against her neck. Shi Yi unconsciously retreated from it, so he let his kisses trail down her collarbone. He undid two of her pajama buttons, allowing some of the lovely and exquisite sight within to show.

"Zhousheng Chen?" She awoke, her voice groggy.

"Mm."

Their bodies were pressed together, fitting tightly against one another.

She could feel the change in his body, and there was also the suggestive atmosophere from being in a half-awake and dreamlike state. Her throat was somewhat dry, and as her face and ears burned red, she could not help wiggling her body away to avoid the contact between her thigh and his lower body. "Do you want to take a shower first?"

"No, it's alright," he replied in a low voice. "I just want to hold you in my arms."

His actions were not quite consistent with his words, however.

Shi Yi did not say anything more. She could feel his lips were truly simply kissing her, brushing against her neck, collarbone, and chest, neither advancing with his actions nor retreating. Under that thin quilt, the two of them were intimate with one another, and it could even be said, it was almost a form of torture.

"Have you ever read 'Rhapsody of the Imperial Park'?" he asked.

Shi Yi answered with a faint "mm-hmm."

She had never once mentioned "Rhapsody of the Imperial Park" to him and did not expect that he would be the one to first bring it up.

"The first time I saw you, I thought of the line in 'Rhapsody of the Imperial Park' that describes a woman." Zhousheng Chen discovered that letting go of her would be even harder than he had expected, so he forced himself to speak softly to interrupt his body's desire for her. "'Truly extraordinary, matchless in this world. Beguiling and bewitching, elegant and refined.[1]' The description in these words is very appropriate to you."

This was the first time he had ever spoken about their initial meeting.

And it was also the first time he had said something to her that was like the sweet, romantic words between lovers.

With her eyes closed, a smile spread across her face.

She stretched out her hand, trying to touch his face. Zhousheng Chen obliged, halting his words and allowing her fingers to caress his browbone, eyes, and the length of his nose. Shi Yi's motions were very gentle, and there was even a sense that they contained feelings he did not quite understand.

"Even the best outward appearances will one day be faced with aging and deterioration of that former beauty. In my heart, you are the best." In a gentle voice, she said, "Beautiful bones. Rare in this world. Those with bone do not have skin. Those with skin do not have bone. Most people's eyes are shallow, seeing only the skin-deep appearance and not the bones. I can feel your beautiful bones."