Walking Through Open Doors

Chapter 8 - Cause and Effect

Zhou Zi Shu wakes up hugging his pillow, his mind still floating somewhere in his dreams. A part of him can tell that it's a bit later than usual, but it's not like he has to drive Zhou Cheng Ling to school, so he keeps his eyes closed and stays floating. He can afford to snooze for a while after having stayed up late.

After spending the Sunday in the village with Wen Ke Xing, he had retreated to his study until the early hours of the morning. A few documents from the private investigator had pinged in his email during his coffee with Han Ying and as a result, he had rushed back to read through them and continue writing. The story was starting to take form similarly to his previous novels, but back then, he could just lock himself away in a hotel room and not emerge until he was done. Now he has obligations. But also, this time around, he doesn't want to spend weeks in seclusion. Mostly because of his son, but also because of his handsome and distracting house guest.

Not because he feels bad for leaving his son with Wen Ke Xing. The man has cast some form of magic spell on the kid and Zhou Zi Shu feels grateful to their guest, who quite literally flew a thousand miles to give him a goose feather (1). The man who is a surprising catalyst for his current creativity, and the source of that shivery feeling that is now a constant itch under his skin and the base of his spine—and highly likely the reason for his current morning wood. But since he is still pretending to sleep, he ignores it.

At least until Nao Nao jumps up on the bed and pokes him in the face with her paw, a clear indication that she expects him to start his day right now, likely because she's hungry. Zhou Zi Shu, however, can be quite petty early in the morning, so he takes his chances and turns onto his stomach and drags the pillow over his head. It's a fifty-fifty chance that it will work, but since Nao Nao has been away for two nights, she caves way easier than she does normally, and snuggles up half on top of him and falls asleep.

Forty five minutes later, he's startled awake when Nao Nao meows loudly and then zooms out of the bedroom. Bleary eyed, he drags himself out of bed to wash his face, and pulls on gray, worn out shorts and a matching sweater. He needs to get some of that nervous energy out of his system, and he's contemplating spending the day outside of his office. He had finished the two first chapters during the night so he is allowed a break.

He can hear a soft murmur from the kitchen as he approaches, which is different from what has become the norm in the past few days, which is—laughter, giggles, loudly asked questions and Wen Ke Xing's amused, patient and instructive voice. He peeks in through the crack in the door expecting to see his little comet orbiting his newly found sun, but instead Zhou Cheng Ling is staring resolutely at the floor, sucking on his lower lip. Wen Ke Xing is standing next to him looking concerned, the rice cooker ignored to the side. There is a sweet scent lingering in the kitchen and something tugs at the corner of his mind.

Zhou Cheng Ling peeks up at Wen Ke Xing and says, "Wen Shu, can you teach me how to fight?"

Oh, hell no. He's fighting in school and now he wants to learn martial arts and heaven knows what else?

Before Zhou Zi Shu can burst into the kitchen like a tsunami, Wen Ke Xing responds, "Violence is rarely the answer A'Ling," and Zhou Zi Shu's hand freezes on the door.

Zhou Cheng Ling sighs, "I know. I do! It's just..."

When Zhou Cheng Ling doesn't continue, Wen Ke Xing prompts, his voice gentle, "Why do you want to learn how to fight?"

Zhou Cheng Ling is quiet for a moment before he says, "I have all of these feelings... and I don't know what to do with them." He swallows and exhales loudly, a bit frustrated, "Sometimes, talking about them doesn't help. Not fully. I mean, it does most of the time, but sometimes it doesn't and then I don't know what to do."