Beyond Time (WenZhou Modern Day FF)

Righteous

"You overdid it again."
ZZS got off the driver seat of his blue Suzuki Swift, parked in front of one of the gated bungalows neighbourhood in eastern Shanghai. He gave a short glance and rolled his eyes towards the other car there, as he waited for WKX to walk to his side. The metallic red Aventador had been among the list of eyesores ZZS had hoped WKX wouldn't bring to their new house.

"I beg to differ. I would've chosen a bigger one if it's only up to me." WKX put his hands on his hips as he smiled contentedly at the house prepared for them by his long term lawyer. The friend that helped managed his properties and citizenships around the world. Too bad that mere mortals would have to be replaced sooner or later but his previous lawyers and assistant always came from the same family, so finding a replacement was a matter of course.

"And what is with the car? Whatever happened to keeping things low?" ZZS used his car key to poke at the shiny car's window, intentionally making a tap tap sound.

Taking the keys along with ZZS's hand in his grip, WKX dragged ZZS inside the house as he gave his excuse. "It's just here for decoration. Don't worry, you are still my best view."

ZZS just gave him a mocking smile as WKX winked at the end of his words. He wanted to retort but WKX added more, "I was told that people nowadays have prying as their hobbies and habits so it doesn't matter where we live. More so, living here means more privacy. Rich people don't talk to their neighbours, you know."

ZZS found some logic in WKX's words, hence he gave up on nagging. From the look of it, since Shanghai receives little to no snow every year, WKX probably wanted to have clear access to the skies in case they need to ascend whenever necessary. Doing that in a dense residence would be hard and could attract unwanted attentions.

He looked around the house to see his Whip sword hung at the centre of the spacious living room. Many familiar things also caught his eyes, from the antique vases to the old paintings from many dynasty's ago. He just knew it, WKX would bring all his stuff everywhere. He sometimes wondered why his human friend never talked WKX out of his excessive habit but if even he couldn't do it, how could anyone else?

"As long as you are happy." ZZS said mindlessly as he walked towards the master bedroom on the second floor. The house was nothing similar to their Four Seasons Manor but he could see how hard WKX worked to make it resembled their forgotten esteemed residence. Cherry blossoms trees surrounded the entire parameter of the house, with the interior garden in the centre was filled with hints of natures. It was already the beginning of summer, but the flowers were still lively and the entire house was cold, like it was still spring. The flowers dancing in the late afternoon wind was filled with WKX's Qi energy, ZZS just knew it n his heart.

"Thank you." ZZS expressed as he looked down the second floor balcony than spanned the entire level. The back of the house looked over a wide lake, granting him a view he'd missed once he's back on the mountain.

He felt two strong arms enveloped him from behind and a soft whisper answering, "Mn." He smiled as the man started swaying, as if dancing to the silent rhythm of leaves rustling and birds chirping.

"Ehem. Pardon me, Master Wen, Master Zhou." A breathy and raucous voice cut in on their brief moment of slack, causing ZZS to immediately try to remove the hands around his waist but WKX just turned them both around and kept his one hand on ZZS waist anyway.

"You two were as sweet as the last time I saw you guys." The unfamiliar man said, his hand scratching the back of his neck.

ZZS lifted a brow at the intruder. The powder white hair reminded him of WKX's hair that had to be colored black everytime they decided to descend.

"I know right. I'm so sweet yet he never notices." WKX joked, pointing at the man beside him.

"Ah Fu? Is that you?" Ignoring his husband, ZZS walked towards the man in full suit and pulled him into a brief hug. The timeworn face and the white flecked beard made the man almost unrecognizable but the smile was still his; their friend, lawyer and assistant for almost 40 years. Unlike WKX, ZZS had rarely met the guy since he didn't really partake in any of their property management. He still remembered that there were not one white hair on the man the last time they met but that was of course many years ago.

"I know, the years have caught up to me. But you two..! It amazes me everytime we meet." Ah Fu laughed as he patted both ZZS and WKX on their backs.

They sat around a wooden table as ZZS made them all some tea. He stayed quiet as WKX and Ah Fu discussed on their pressing matter. It didn't really register to him as to what the two was seriously discussing about but from talks of lands and buildings, WKX couldn't help but to bring him into the discussion.

"So many problems! How I wish my husband would help me settle these matters too. But he'd rather go climb trees to save kittens." His tone was of disappointment, plastically so.

Used to his husband's antics, ZZS retorted, "The deities would strike your merits from being too involved in these mundanities."

"Hahaha.. Please don't fight, Masters. Master Wen have been very generous in donating towards good causes. You both are contributing to the betterment of the world in your own way."

ZZS smiled while WKX laughed as he heard the words of consolation. He waived his hand after sipping on his tea to say, "No, no. We're not fighting, Ah Fu. This is just foreplay."

Lucky ZZS didn't have tea in his mouth then, or else all the tea would've been sprayed onto the his face.

Ah Fu took his leave after some more chats and reassuring WKX that he could take care of the company's problem himself. As the acting CEO of one of the biggest real-estate company in the world, he had faced many difficult situations in acquisitions but getting death threats was something else. The ownership of a plot of land in central Shanghai had been disputed over and threats of eviction and demolition of the hundred year old building there had been raised.

"You wouldn't let the land go, right?" ZZS asked the man who was sitting on the end on the bed as he changed into a white shirt for bed, minding his early rise to go to work. 

"It's not just a land. It's where unfortunate people live." WKX had long built another building on the site where Four Seasons Manor used to stand; a place where the poor, the old and the abandoned could take shelter and now, losing that land would not only mean losing their home, but also many others'.

"I understand. Then make sure you plan your moves well."

WKX knew what those words mean. ZZS meant to remind him to make sure the safety of Ah Fu and his family, as well as the wellbeing of the people in the shelter. He nodded, his face solemn as he was reminded of the lives lost during their battle in the Ghost Valley a couple of millenniums ago.

Noticing the change in WKX's expression, ZZS walked towards the sitting man to pull him into his embrace. He stroked the short but soft hair as the man returned his hug.

WKX leaned the side of his head on ZZS's stomach, his eyes glazed. Maybe it was the wistful sundown, maybe it was the warmth dissipating from his husband's touch, but he felt rather melancholic that night. He closed his eyes as he uttered, "The past is nothing but a great woe, yet the mountain unmoved despite the cold wind blow [1]."

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[1] 人世几回伤往事, 山形依旧枕寒流。

This is a line from a poem which I translated and changed a bit to make it sound better in english. It basically means (in my own interpretation) that the world remained eternally the same, beautiful in a way despite our grieves. One's person's death wouldn't alter the course of the world even if the person means the world to us. But you know, poems are a form of art, they can be interpreted in many ways so feel free to use your own imagination. :D

FYI, this will be a recurring thing in this FF.