Bride of the Moso Prince (32 page)

Soon she melted in his hot and skillful tongue that performed a variety of strokes and dabbing, with deliberately timed rhythm to prolong her pleasure. She lifted her dress and ran her fingers in his silky hair, grabbing it tightly, responding to the movement of his tongue. She wouldn’t mind if it went on forever, she thought, making fabulous love above a fantastic town, to an incredible lover. But all of a sudden his tongue was making quick circles and her body stiffened instantly. Then she heard herself muttering, “Um, it feels so good, yes, oh yes. Nobul, I…” She stopped mumbling in expecting the climax, and let out an ecstatic shout.

Sharon lay on her side and gazed into the night sky contently.  Nobul’s arms were around her shoulders. She looked at his big masculine hand under the moonlight. How could it be so powerful and gentle at the same time? How could it be skillful at so many things? Carving wood and
pleasuring
her body. She wanted to kiss his hand but was afraid that her stir would wake him. She didn’t want him to move. That warm body enveloping her was a safe harbor and she wished she could stay there for the rest of her life… for the rest of her life? What was she thinking? She couldn’t be so naïve. This wasn’t even a relationship. It was a just an affair. Soon she would be going back to LA, back to Web Genius, back to her regular life. She would get up at six every morning and swim for an hour before going to work. She would go home at six, have some frozen dinner, watch TV for a couple of hours, and go to bed. It was a great life and she had been thankful for that, except, except it all seemed mundane to her at that moment, and lonely. Suddenly she felt sad and tears tickled her face. God! What kind of life was that? Sh
e had lived like an old woman,
a spinster,
no, a robot,
to be exact. For a
n
old woman
or a spinster
would
still
have
family and friends
to visit. And she, she had no one. Charlene would be far away and her father had no need to see her. And here, here there was someone who needed her…and she needed him. She cuddled against him to feel his presence.  She needed him so. The days they had spent together were the fullest and happiest of her life. The things they had done together had woven them together. She could no longer be content with eating breakfast or dinner alone, and she would miss him at nights. Oh god, what does it mean? It was not just an affair. It was even more than a relationship. She was, she was…in love! How could it be possible? She opened her eyes widely, startled by the discovery. In the quietness of the night she heard her own voice within, and she couldn’t deny her feelings.  She had almost blurted it out when they were making love. Pierre’s words rang in her ears, “I’ve been dying to see my exceptional friend settle down with the right woman.” She sighed.
Was she
the right
woman for this exceptional man?

The next day they decided to go to Dahli, the Marble City with Pierre. Since Limei had to take care of the children, Pierre drove the three of them in his van. The scenery along the highway was fabulous. Often there was heavy fog hanging on top of the mountains while a strip of sunshine miraculously shone through and made a gorgeous pillar that reached directly to the car window. For awhile they were along endless rice paddies, and then they were passing acres after acres of tea gardens and bamboo forests. It was about two hours of drive and during which Sharon had not wanted to turn her head away from the window for a single minute.

They stopped briefly at the Three Pagodas of Chong Sheng Temple, a famous sightseeing spot, before they headed towards the old town of Dahli, which was similar to the ancient town of Lijiang in structure, but not at all comparable in prosperity and in scenery. They had lunch at a dumpling restaurant and drove to a
shop
close to the mountains.

The owner
of the shop
was a Bai woman. Since Pierre was a regular customer, she was very friendly to them. When Pierre and Nobul were looking for a marble piece, she took Sharon to look around and taught her basics about marbles. She said that all the marbles were from the Chang Mountains that surrounded the town, and were all of top quality
. T
here were three basic kinds of marbles: the ones with pattern resembling natural scenery was called Water Color, and ones showed patterns of clouds were called Grey Clouds, the one that was pure white was called White Jade.  Sharon looked around her,
indeed the
marbles
all looked different. She was amazed by
all kinds of
marble products
:
m
arble table tops, marble fountains, marble lions, marble statues of Kuan Yin and of Buddha, marble bowls and plates…

A particular piece of
Water Color
marble caught Piere’s eye
. It looked just like a water-ink Chinese painting. The owner said that it was a rarity, and it was usually framed in expensive wood to make partitions. It would a waste to use it for a table top. Pierre nodded and went on to look for something else with the owner.

“Maybe we could get something for our museum?” Nobul asked
Sharon while waiting for Pierre
.

             
The phrase ‘our museum’ delighted Sharon. The museum had indeed become part of her unknowingly.

             
“Sure.
Why don’t you purchase that Water Color piece and make it into a partition? You could put it in the main display room.” Sharon suggested.

             
Nobul thought awhile and shook his head, “
It’s nice but
it would be out of place
. Marble is not really our culture although we live close to here. The Bai, who are indigenous of the region, don’t use marble for furniture either.”

Sharon nodded. “What about
that marble
fountain for the garden?”

It was a fountain
made of White Jade marble,
in the
form
of a fairy holding a
flower
basket.

“It might work.”
Nobul nodded. “
She
could
be
Goddess Gemu,
and she will protect
our house.”

Sharon rolled her eyes. “Protect? But
she i
sn’t holding a sword.”

             
They left Dahli in the afternoon. Sharon and Nobul stayed one more night in Charming View and flew back to Lugu Lake the next morning.

When they returned to Lugu Lake it was midmorning. The blue lake was welcoming. The sight of the boats and the people harvesting algae warmed Sharon instantly. She had the feeling that she was coming home.

Urcher arrived shortly after the helicopter had left.

“So how is Lijiang?” Urcher asked Sharon cheerfully although he looked a bit tired.

“It was,” Sharon paused for words, “simply great.”

“I’m surprised you returned so soon. Last time your sister stayed there for two weeks.”

“Well I would stay longer too if I had time.”

“Anyway, it’s good that you two are back.” Urcher turned to his brother and said, “
Naruma
is sick. She tripped over yesterday morning in the vegetable garden. She’s been falling in and out of sleep since then. Last night when she woke up she said that she wanted to see you.”

“What for?” Nobul was puzzled.

“Don’t know.” Urcher shook his head. “At first she called the name of our grandfather, then she called yours.’

“Sure,” Nobul nodded. “There are things I want to take to Shangari-la anyway.” He rummaged through the things they got from Lijiang.

“I’ll go with you. I have to see Charlene.” Sharon said.

After making a brief stop at Shangari-la, Nobul went to the house of
Naruma
. Namu met him in the yard and took her to a room on the first floor.

“Is she ok?” Nobul asked.

“Not so good. It was a heavy fall and that was why her head was affected…”

The old woman was lying in her bed, breathing quietly.

“She’s sleeping. But she’ll wake soon.”

Namu left him alone in the semi dark room. Nobul stared at
Naruma
’s face with fascination. It wasn’t the first time he had seen the old woman sleeping. When he was a child he and his mother had lived in
Naruma
’s hous
e. She had
helped them through hard times. She had treated him as her own grandson. Suddenly the possibility that she was dying saddened him. Even though she was old, he didn’t want her to die. He hadn’t been aware of her changes over the years. She was almost immortal, like the old walnut tree by her own house, always there.

Suddenly
Naruma
stirred, “Nobul…Nobul!” she cried.

“I’m here,
Naruma
!” Nobul took her hand.

“You’re here?” Her wrinkled eyelids popped open and

her small eyes glittered.

“Yes. It’s me.”

“Oh good.”
Naruma
look
ed relieved. “I want to ask you

a favor.”

“What is it?” He stroked the bony hand softly.

“Namu,” she mumbled.

“What about Namu?”

“You’ll give her daughters, won’t you?”

The muscle of his heart constricted. The old woman was always direct, even when ill. Normally Nobul would be frank to her, but today seeing her frail condition, he hesitated.

“Not too much to ask. Namu needs more babies.” She

mumbled again.

“But…”

“No buts. I’m not asking you to marry her.”

“I can’t give her babies without marrying her.”

“You can. You’re a Moso, not a Han.”

Nobul wanted to protest but thought the better of it. He sighed and said, “Let me think about it.”

“Hurry up because I don’t know how long I’ll live. I want to see her belly swell before I die.”

“Then you’d better hang on.” Nobul forced a smile.

             
“How was Lijiang?” Charlene asked Sharon as soon as she saw her.

“It was unforgettable. I can’t imagine a better place for travel. They’ve got ancient culture and modern luxury all packed in that little town.”

“That was what I felt too. I love that place. Except that it gets crowded with tourists.”

Sharon pulled out the packet that contained the earrings from her handbag. “It’s for you.”

Charlene unwrapped the packet and exclaimed. “Peacock feather earrings! How exquisite! Where did you find them?”

“In one of the souvenir shops.”

“I’ve been to every one of them but never saw anything like this.” She held them up and admired them for quite a while.

“I’m not sure whether they are made of real peacock feathers. But they’re surely pretty.”

“They might be real. Wouldn’t it cost more to paint these patterns on chicken feathers?” Charlene put on the earrings and looked at herself in the mirror. “Gorgeous! Thanks, sis! Did you get one for yourself?”

“No.” Sharon shook her head. “It’s too colorful for me. But Nobul got me a necklace made of elephant tusks.”

“How come you aren’t wearing it?”

“Well, I was wearing it for two days. Limei, Pierre’s wife, complimented on it.”

Charlene smiled at her sister. “Pierre and Limei, you met them too? They’re a nice family, aren’t they? Their children are adorable. How do you like the restaurant?”

“I love it! It has better food than many French restaurants in LA. And I like the bamboo restaurant too. Have you tried bamboo worms?”

“Of course I have.” Charlene said, “It’s a specialty here and it would be a shame not to try it. Where did you stay?”

“Charming View.”

“No kidding! It’s outrageously expensive and I’ve never been there.”

“It’s worth it,” Sharon couldn’t help but recalling the pleasant nights, “The night view was fantastic, and the…” Sharon blushed. She was going to say that the sex was phenomenal. 

Charlene smiled at her sister, “I’m glad you had a good time, Sharon. Why did you come back in such a hurry?”

“I, we want to set up the exhibition room before I go back to LA.”

“Oh, can’t you hold off your returning date? You haven’t made reservation for your flight yet, have you?”

“No, but it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“What is the hurry?”

“I can’t be away for too long. My sick leave is almost

up.”

“You sure you won’t be leaving with…regrets?”

Charlene was looking solemn.

“What do you mean?” Sharon avoided her sister’s eyes.

“You know what I mean. I mean, between you and