I See Roses

I See Roses – Chapter 24

On the 31st floor of the Shanghai Jiali Hotel, there was a restaurant that was the first in China to introduce the concept of high-altitude afternoon tea. Sitting by the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, one could overlook the bustling CBD with towering skyscrapers.

Yu Niannian was a frequent visitor to this restaurant, always ordering a table full of desserts and posting about it on her moments.

After replying to a comment, she looked up and said to the person opposite, “Zheng Yizhou, you owe me an explanation. Don’t tell me this was just a coincidence today.”

She had just come out shopping with Ming Si in the morning, and as soon as they left the shopping mall, they bumped into Zheng Yizhou walking towards them. He was dressed up quite fashionably today, with carefully combed hair, a gray checkered suit, and even a pair of thin gold-rimmed glasses.

To say it was a coincidence, only a fool would believe it.

“Can’t I just get to know your friend?” Facing his good friend, Zheng Yizhou didn’t put on so much pretense. He propped his face with one hand and looked at her, not hiding his interest in Ming Si, “Didn’t you agree to have afternoon tea with me?”

“Who said I agreed to that?” Yu Niannian knew her high school friend too well, so she rolled her eyes, “I agreed to have afternoon tea with you just to tell you something.”

“About Miss Ming?”

“Yes, she’s already married, so you can give up on her.”

Zheng Yizhou didn’t believe it, “Are you tricking me?”

Yu Niannian glanced behind her and leaned closer to him, “Tsk, who’s tricking you? Her husband is the Crown Prince of Jinghong, Liang Xian.”

“Jinghong?” Zheng Yizhou’s face stiffened slightly.

“Surprised?” Yu Niannian was quite satisfied with his reaction, “And she’s also the only daughter of the Ming Group, Ming Zhengyuan’s daughter.”

She relayed the information she heard from her aunt to Zheng Yizhou, hoping he would back off. However, he didn’t seem surprised at all and instead had a kind of expression…that was hard to read.

Zheng Yizhou adjusted his glasses with his hand, and his gaze was somewhat unclear behind the lenses, “So, it’s her.”

He should have noticed it long ago. Ming was not a common surname.

“What?” His voice was so light it sounded like a murmur, and Yu Niannian didn’t hear it.

“Nothing,” Zheng Yizhou returned to his usual appearance and smiled, “I mean, it’s a pity.”

When Ming Si finished the call and came back, Yu Niannian kept using her eyes to urge Zheng Yizhou to leave quickly. He didn’t linger any longer and excused himself, saying he had something to attend to in the company.

“Sorry, Sister,” after he left, Yu Niannian apologized to Ming Si, “My friend tends to be too forward with people. I’ve already told him that he shouldn’t accompany us anymore.”

She wasn’t blind; how could she not see that Ming Si didn’t have a good impression of him.

Ming Si smoothed her dress, “It’s okay.”

During this hour, Zheng Yizhou had intentionally or unintentionally made advances, but in her eyes, he was no different from the air.

At 7 o’clock in the evening, Shanghai International Convention Center.

This D Jewelry Exhibition had a total of seven exhibition halls. The first five halls mainly showcased cultural relics and classic artworks. Passing through the emerald and gold corridor, the sixth hall displayed rings, watches, and necklaces that matched the theme Spirit. In the last hall, there were qipaos and costumes inspired by the brand’s symbol——the snake.

Yu Niannian was a complete amateur when it came to jewelry exhibitions. She brought a friend along to take photos, but the two of them had already lost track of each other.

Ming Si and Mrs. Yu strolled slowly, taking their time to enjoy the exhibition.

After the seventh hall, their view suddenly opened up to a terrace in the convention center, where the organizers arranged a small outdoor banquet.

By the time they arrived, the atmosphere was already lively. A row of orange cocktails was set up on the entrance bar with waiters in black suits bustling around. Nearby, a band was playing a serenade, and chefs from various countries were attentively preparing delicious food and drinks, all with smiles on their faces.

Ming Si picked up an ice cream and turned around, but she couldn’t find Mrs. Yu anymore.

Compared to the noisy exhibition hall, this place was even more crowded, making it as difficult as reaching the sky to find someone through the dense crowd.

“Miss Ming, what a coincidence,” just a few steps away, Ming Si heard a voice that was not unfamiliar.

Zheng Yizhou raised his cup towards her, the cocktail inside swaying, “Does Miss Ming like ice cream?”

In fact, Zheng Yizhou had a good appearance and seemed quite cultured in his manners. Some of his actions could be seen as intentional flattery, and they could also be seen as simple friendliness between acquaintances.

In fact, Zheng Yizhou had a good appearance and seemed quite cultured in his manners. Some of his actions could be interpreted as intentional flirting, but they could also be seen as gestures of goodwill between ordinary friends.

Therefore, Ming Si didn’t directly show him a bad attitude.

She chuckled lightly and responded without much politeness, “I’m afraid not.”

Tonight, she wore a knee-length black cocktail dress with curly hair cascading to one side. The smile on her beautiful face didn’t reach her eyes, and standing amidst the bustling lights, she appeared cold and distant.

“Miss Ming,” Zheng Yizhou looked somewhat helpless, “I wanted to ask if you have some misunderstandings about me.”

Ming Si didn’t answer and just watched to see what kind of play he was going to put on.

“I admit, when I saw you at the airport, I was somewhat captivated. But later, when I found out that you were already married, I no longer had such thoughts,” Zheng Yizhou spoke sincerely, “I’m just a little regretful.”

“If our Zheng family had been a little earlier, the person standing beside you next month would have been me,” He continued with a bitter smile, portraying himself as someone who had missed out on true love.

In Ming Si’s mind, scenes from the afternoon tea replayed, including the moment when Liang Xian called her. His first sentence upon answering the call was, “Where are you right now?”

“At LV,” Ming Si replied, “Getting you a bag.”

On the other end, Liang Xian paused for a moment, seemingly amused, “Do you think I’m Cheng Yu? Seriously, where are you?”

“In Shanghai.”

“Are you with someone surnamed Zheng?”

Ming Si was taken aback and instinctively looked towards the nearby bodyguards, slightly furrowing her brows.

Liang Xian, on the surface, assigned bodyguards to protect her, but in reality, it seemed more like he was monitoring her?

He even investigated who she had afternoon tea with.

It was a bit annoying, to be honest.

“I sent you an email. Hang up and check it,” Liang Xian seemed a little rushed. Without waiting for her response, he continued, “Stay away from that guy.”

The more Ming Si listened, the stranger it felt. She faintly heard a female voice in the background, seemingly broadcasting news. So, she asked him, “Where are you?”

Liang Xian casually said, “At LV, getting you a bag.”

Ming Si: “…”

This guy really knows how to hold a grudge.

After hanging up, Ming Si opened the email sent by Liang Xian.

In just a minute, she finished reading Zheng Yizhou’s eventful life——from junior high school to entering society, not just indulging in drinking and women, but also just released from a drug rehabilitation center.

It was truly a spectacular story beyond ordinary imagination.

No wonder she felt he looked pale when they first met, like someone with kidney deficiency.

In her mind, Ming Si had automatically labeled him as a playboy. Hearing his somewhat regretful and deep confession now, she couldn’t help but find it a bit amusing.

If Ming Zhengyuan dared to marry her to such a person, she would kick him until he became disabled right on the spot.

“Miss Ming, I don’t know if I’ve offended you in the past two days. If possible, I’d like to apologize with a drink,” Zheng Yizhou offered her the drink in his hand.

Ming Si looked at him, her thoughts unclear. After a moment, she bent the corners of her eyes and said, “Sure.”

Zheng Yizhou visibly sighed in relief. He probably didn’t expect things to go so smoothly. He smiled and handed her the glass.

In Ming Si’s mind, she smoothly rehearsed the actions of splashing wine and throwing ice cream.

She silently counted in her heart: 3, 2, 1…

Unexpectedly, before her fingers touched the base of the glass, another hand came in horizontally and blocked her movement.

The man wore a black suit, and with that hand blocking her, she saw a glimpse of a silver carved cufflink on his sleeve.

Looking up, the man’s side profile was smooth, with faint shadows created by distant lights. His eyelashes fell, covering a bit of his gaze, making him appear casual yet handsome.

Ming Si was startled, “Why are you here?”

“Isn’t it common courtesy to inform me when you come to an exhibition?” Liang Xian didn’t answer her question directly. When his gaze shifted towards her, it suddenly became very gentle, “So that I can easily find you.”

Ming Si: “?”

What’s with this tender tone that gives me goosebumps all over?

If it weren’t for Zheng Yizhou standing next to her, she would’ve reached out to touch Liang Xian’s forehead to see if he had a high fever.

“Miss Ming, who is this?” Zheng Yizhou didn’t immediately make any association with the person in front of him and felt unhappy that someone was ruining his plans.

“I am her husband,” Liang Xian glanced at him and provided the answer straightforwardly. He reached out his left hand to pull Ming Si close to him, while his other hand rudely pushed away the wine glass, “She doesn’t drink from strangers. Please take it away.”

“Miss Ming…” Zheng Yizhou frowned, looking at her. He seemed determined to hear it from her own mouth, but also hoped to gain sympathy in his current disadvantageous position.

However, Liang Xian didn’t give him any chance.

“Don’t understand? Fine, then let me put it differently,” Liang Xian moved Ming Si slightly back into his embrace, blocking Zheng Yizhou’s line of sight. When he looked at him again, his handsome face appeared indifferent, with a warning glint in his eyes, “Stay away from my wife.”

“Alright, Movie Emperor,” Ming Si patted his hand on her shoulder, “He’s gone.”

Liang Xian withdrew his hand and put it in his trouser pocket. He looked at Zheng Yizhou’s retreating figure and snorted softly, “He dared to let you drink that wink?”

Ming Si pursed her lips, about to say, I had no intention of drinking. However, she changed her mind at the last moment and held back her words.

Hearing that tone and attitude, did he think she was a fool?

“Why can’t I drink it? He seemed fine,” Ming Si deliberately said.

Liang Xian glanced at her, “Didn’t you read the information I gave you?”

“No, I was outside at that time,” Ming Si lied without hesitation, “What did it say?”

Before Liang Xian could respond, she added, “Zheng Yizhou is a friend of Mrs. Yu’s niece. He’s a very gentle person and quite elegant.”

Gentle? Elegant?

True, with that young man’s appearance, it seemed to fit the criteria Ming Si mentioned for her spouse.

Liang Xian sneered, “That’s called being physically weak.”

This was the first time Ming Si had heard him speak in this manner, as though he was gnashing his teeth; she couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

Liang Xian looked at her and squinted his eyes, realizing what she was up to, “Are you deliberately teasing me?”

“Oh, isn’t it obvious?” Ming Si also looked at him, smiling playfully, “And you thought he could deceive me. Do you take me for a three-year-old?”

As she spoke, she lightly raised one of her eyebrows.

The light behind her happened to cast a crimson hue on the corner of her eyes. Standing there in her black evening dress, with her lips full and delicate, she looked like a richly colored oil painting, bright and lively.

Liang Xian’s Adam’s apple rolled lightly.

She certainly wasn’t a three-year-old child.

“Hey, what are you thinking about?” Ming Si waved the ice cream in front of him, but forgot that it was hot outside, and the ice cream had already melted. As she shook it, it dripped down.

She tossed it into the trash can and took the wet tissue handed to her by a waiter to wipe her hands, sounding a bit annoyed, “My ice cream melted. I was originally planning to throw it on his face.”

Liang Xian snapped back to reality, not knowing if she was angry that the ice cream had melted and dirtied her hands, or that she didn’t get to throw it on Zheng Yizhou’s face.

He chuckled softly, “Do you still want to eat?”

“Yes,” Ming Si glanced in the direction not far away and muttered, “How did the crowd change so much? Will there be enough food left?”

She always disliked crowded places. She wouldn’t want to go there even if there were three or five people. However, Liang Xian turned and walked in that direction.

Ming Si asked subconsciously, “What are you doing?”

Liang Xian didn’t stop his steps, his gaze brushing past her, and his tone reamained nonchalant, “Going to grab some for you.”