Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
“Did-did you have the chance to see the Xiannu District? It’s a distance from the city center, but it has some of the oldest buildings and homes. A wonderful glimpse of our history.”
His blond eyebrows darted toward his nose for a moment in thought, but he brightened almost instantly. “It has the fox statue. The…not kitsune…huli jing?”
Jin laughed. “Close! You know quite a bit of our culture. The huli jing is just a fox spirit, but after a thousand years of cultivation, it can become a juiwei hu. A nine-tailed fox, which is what the statue is in the old square. I always loved that statue when I was a child. It was my favorite because it promised magic and mystery. That I might just run into a huli jing while hiking through the woods with my father and brother. But the Xiannu District is my favorite. I—” Jin stopped himself, his hand shooting up to cover his mouth. “No. No. No. I shouldn’t say that. I love all the districts of Jin. Each one is precious to me.”
A low chuckle wrapped around Jin, and he blinked up at John to find him smiling that devastating smile once again. Jin was melting. Why was it so easy for him to melt with this man? He needed to get out more.
“I think we should permit the crown prince of Gaoxing to have a favorite.” John’s voice was low and warm like the burn of good whiskey, heating part of Jin’s chest.
“I can’t. Shouldn’t. I wouldn’t want the other districts to feel that I don’t love them just as much. Each one is precious to me and has its own unique qualities that make it different and wonderful.”
John laughed. “Don’t worry. I promise not to include that you might have a favorite district in any article I write.”
Jin was enjoying their friendly small talk, but John finally got to the business of asking him some serious questions about Gaoxing, his expectations for the future, the Jin family’s place in the country’s history and its future. All pretty standard questions that he was more than comfortable answering. There was nothing too invasive or out of the ordinary. Naturally, some things confounded the reporter more than his own people. The citizens of Gaoxing had been under a monarchy almost since its inception. There had been some hard times and several bad rulers, but they’d found their footing and marched forward even stronger than in the past. The people of Gaoxing didn’t question the monarchy and relied on their leaders, both big and small, to see to their needs.
They continued to walk along the winding path through the park. The sunlight peeked through the leaves and the branches of the trees and glistened off the water. Jin celebrated drawing yet another chuckle out of John when a gust of wind swept across the pond and slammed into them. They both hunched down. Jin shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat.
Looking over at John through his squinted eyes, his heart stuttered. He hadn’t paid too much attention to John’s clothing upon his arrival because he’d gotten caught up in his devastating beauty. But the wind was biting cold, and they’d been walking for a while.
“Here. We should head back, or at least continue this conversation at a tea shop where you can warm up. This is my fault. I should have noticed the weather prior to making our appointment here.”
John’s head popped up, his eyes wide. “What? No. I’m fine. It’s not that cold. Are you cold?”
“No, but are you sure? You’re not wearing a heavy coat.”
“I’m fine. Do you mind if we stay?” John’s eyes darted away to skim over the park, a little smile seeming to pull at the corner of his mouth. “I like it here. It’s beautiful and so peaceful.”
“Very well.” Jin relented, even though he was still worried. “But if we’re staying, I’m at least putting this on you.” As he spoke, he pulled off the scarf he had loosely wrapped around his neck and tossed it over John’s head so that the center lined up with the nape of his neck.
A large, chilly hand gripped one of his and they both froze. Jin stared up into John’s hazel eyes. Yes, they were close enough that he could see they were hazel. A haunting mix of green and brown, as if he held the birth of spring in his eyes. Neither of them was moving and all he could think was that John’s hand was so cold. He wanted to cup those long, rough fingers in both of his hands and blow warm air over them, chasing away that bitter chill.
And once he did that, it wouldn’t be so horrible if he brushed his lips across the tips, covering them in tiny kisses. Just to warm them, of course.