A Wuxia Tale: Union

Everything

(JIANG)

I held Mei close to me as we let the pleasures from our lovemaking linger in the our bodies and the bed where we are lying together.

We lied sideways and facing each other. One of Mei's legs is between mine and his head is pillowed by my arm under his head while my free hand is holding his.

"Did something happened this morning while I was in our home?" I asked Mei.

Mei's eyes mellowed. I sighed and squeeze his hand I am holding. "It's okay...tell me..."

Mei smiled, "What made you think I have something to say?" He asked in a teasing tone while sliding closer still to me. Our chests touching as Mei nuzzled the underside of my jaw.

"Because we had a decade of being together. Unlike Qing and your cousin who needs to get acquianted again after years of separation, you and I had years of learning each other well. And because you seem out of sort when I came in a while ago. I know you, I know I am not the only one who needed a distraction in the form of sex," I said.

Mei sighed, "I hope that is not a complain."

I chuckled, "Who is complaining? I love having sex with you. I adore making love to you. But still, tell me...what happened?"

Mei leaned his face out to look into my eyes, "While you are in your ancestral home, did you notice something strange? Something unusual?" He asked.

I frowned, thinking. What's so unusual about our home aside from the fact that my father just died there?

Then it clicked. "My grandmother was not there. I greeted her when I came in but after that, I didn't felt her presence. That's strange..."

Mei frowned, "You, not feeling your grandmother's presence is strange?"

I nodded, "You have to understand, my grandmother has a presence that cannot be denied. Her unhappiness and bitterness had permeated in that house. Any room in that house is extra gloomy when she is present. It's like she sucked the happiness out of any place..."

Mei gave me a dumbfounded look. "I don't understand..."

I sighed, "My grandmother has a standard story of a girl born into the noblest of family. She was an heiress, married for her name and money."

"By your granfather?"

I nodded to Mei's question. "Their story is nothing out of ordinary. My great grandfather Jiang was not that careful in money. He inherited a noble name and a decent fortune but by the time my grandfather is old enough to help in the family business, the business was close to bankrupcy. The solution my great grandfather made was to sell his son and our name to the highest bidder. The bidder was my great grandfather on my grandmother's side."

"Oh my..." Mei bit his lower lip while listening to my story.

I tenderly touched his eyebrow and cheek with a fingertip. "My grandfather was livid. He was resolved to marrying for the family's advantage but to be sold to his bride's family was something his pride never recovered from. His unhappiness, he passed to the poor woman who got unlucky enough to be pushed to marry him."

Mei nodded like he finally made sense of something, "That's why your grandmother seems ill content with her lot."

"So you do met her." It's not a question. I know Mei met my grandmother.