I See Roses

I See Roses – Chapter 25

Liang Xian stood in front of the dessert freezer and turned his head to ask, “What flavor do you want?”

Ming Si thought for a moment and chose a single scoop of pistachio with hazelnut flavor.

Liang Xian took the ice cream from the waiter and handed it to her.

Ming Si took a bite, then suddenly remembered that there was still an unanswered question, “How did you know I was with someone surnamed Zheng?”

Liang Xian casually replied with one hand in his trouser pocket, “Ke Lijie sent me the video of you two at the restaurant—the girl who was with you, he met her when he was traveling abroad with Cheng Yu.”

“Oh,” Ming Si responded.

It was easy to understand why Ke Lijie would forward the video to him. After all, they were in a nominal husband-and-wife relationship, and no one liked to see their brother wearing a green hat1.

Ming Si turned the ice cream in her hand and lightly rubbed her index finger on the wafer.

The band switched to another tune, a light and melodious melody echoing in the night sky. Men and women mingled, holding glasses, and chatting softly under the lamplight.

She was about to say something when she heard the voice of Yu Niannian. Following the sound, she saw Yu Niannian waving at them while holding her friend’s arm, smiling.

Liang Xian recognized her; she was the girl who had filmed the video.

“Have you seen my aunt? Oh,” as she approached, Yu Niannian’s gaze fell on Liang Xian, and she blinked, “Who is this?”

The man in front of her was wearing a black suit, with remarkable features, broad shoulders, and long legs. In Yu Niannian’s impression, few people could wear a suit with such a grand and elegant aura yet give a sense of aloofness.

In short, he was very unique.

“Liang Xian, my…” Ming Si hesitated for half a second, not knowing how to introduce Liang Xian to Yu Niannian.

She couldn’t bring herself to say those words, but saying friend seemed inappropriate too. What about husband… was that appropriate for a couple who had just recently reconciled?

Fortunately, Yu Niannian was clever. When she heard the surname Liang, she already understood. She tilted her head with a mischievous look, “Did Mr. Liang specially flying to Shanghai to find Sister Ming? Your relationship is so good.”

This statement, forcibly applied on the two who had just reconciled not long ago, seemed a bit absurd.

Ming Si was choked for a moment, feeling a bit embarrassed to admit it.

Liang Xian, on the other hand, wasn’t embarrassed at all. He hooked the corner of his lips and nodded slightly, as if confirming.

He naturally had a playful charm with his slightly upturned eyes and charming peach blossom-like eyes. With just a slight smile, it seemed as though he was flirting.

Yu Niannian and her friend beside her were obviously distracted for a moment. After a while, Yu Niannian remembered that she still had to find Mrs. Yu, so she hurriedly said, “I’ll go call my aunt.”

From their expressions, Ming Si could tell that the young man beside her probably dazzled them again. She turned her head slightly and raised her lips, “You’ve charmed the little girls again.”

This kind of thing was quite common during their middle school days. Ming Si and Cheng Yu often teased him and even gave him the nickname of No. 1 Troublemaker in Fuzhong.

Liang Xian’s eyebrows lifted slightly as he whispered, “Are you jealous?”

“…”

Ming Si gave him a disdainful look and didn’t feel like talking.

She found that ever since they had legally married, their old banter seemed to always end up backfiring on her.

“Aunt said she is feeling a bit breathless and is waiting for us outside,” Yu Niannian hung up the phone and walked over, just in time to see the two leaning closer, whispering to each other.

In her heart, she couldn’t help but think, they say that most high-society marriages are just for show, but it seemed that couples like Ming Si and Liang Xian, who have been together since childhood, are different.

Wuwuwu, it’s so sour, feels like I’ve eaten two pounds of lemons.

“Liang Xian is here too,” Mrs. Yu greeted them with a smile, “What’s the matter? Can’t bear to leave your wife alone in Shanghai?”

Madam Yu had no children of her own and had a close relationship with Liang Xian’s mother, so she treated him like her own son.

Liang Xian smiled lightly and put his arm around Ming Si’s shoulder, explaining, “I happened to have a business trip.”

She didn’t care if it was just an excuse or the truth, Mrs. Yu was just happy to see the young couple being affectionate, especially since she liked Ming Si very much.

“In that case, I won’t disturb both,” she said with a smile, adjusting her scarf and handing her bag to the driver who had come over, “Shanghai’s night view is beautiful; you can have the driver take you around.”

It wasn’t until the car drove away that Ming Si realized Mrs. Yu’s intention—she didn’t plan to let her return to the Yu family.

Shanghai’s summer was as hot as Pingcheng, but it had a bit more humid air. When the night breeze blew, it felt like a thin veil wrapped around their arms.

Ming Si was silent for a moment and looked up at him. “What should we do now?”

Liang Xian had already dialed a number; his voice sounded a bit distant in the night, “I’ll have someone pick us up.”\

“It’s not…” Ming Si was not actually worried about this, but when she saw Liang Xian’s inquiring gaze, she couldn’t help but deflate, “It’s nothing.”

Within five minutes, a black commercial van stopped in front of them, followed by an Audi A6.

Even in Shanghai, Liang Xian, the Crown Prince of Pingcheng, was still an honored guest.

The two high-ranking members and assistants of the Jinghong’s branch office in Shanghai were attentive all the way, accompanying them until they checked into a hotel under the Jinghong Group before bidding farewell and leaving.

The suite’s ceiling lights were bright and radiant, casting a warm glow. A curved floor-to-ceiling window extended through the living room and bar, capturing the bustling night scene of the entire south of Shanghai.

Stepping on the soft carpet with high heels, Ming Si suddenly felt a little at a loss.

However, Liang Xian seemed quite natural. He casually sat on the sofa and turned on the home theater.

Ming Si cleared her throat and unconsciously imitated his calmness, sitting on the nearby armchair, “What are we watching?”

Liang Xian responded with a soft En and seemed a bit absent-minded. After a moment, he asked, “What do you want to watch?”

“If you’re not watching a movie, why did you turn on the home theater? Give it to me,” Ming Si reached out her hand towards him, “I’ll choose.”

He seemed distracted, but strangely, it made her feel a bit more relaxed.

Liang Xian handed her the remote control.

They watched a movie together, occasionally exchanging a few words during the small breaks, behaving as usual. However, when the ending credits rolled, the atmosphere suddenly returned to silence.

Ming Si curled her fingers and stood up, “I’ll take a shower.”

Her figure disappeared at the doorway. Liang Xian got up and walked to the window, lighting a cigarette.

His assistant had just sent flight information, reminding him of an important meeting in Pingcheng tomorrow afternoon. In fact, upon careful consideration, many people could have handled this trip today.

Ming Si wasn’t an ignorant and naïve girl. As long as she knew what kind of person Zheng Yizhou was, she would naturally protect herself well.

But Liang Xian couldn’t quite explain why his first reaction was to rush over to Shanghai personally.

White smoke slowly filled his vision, and after an unknown amount of time, he narrowed his eyes and caught a glimpse of a graceful figure.

Ming Si leaned against the door frame, her arms crossed, looking at him.

She had just taken a bath. She was probably too lazy to dry her hair and had only wrapped a white towel around her bathrobe. Her wet hair hung down, forming waves at the tips, accentuating her beautiful face.

“You’ve been smoking?” Ming Si sniffed delicately.

In her impression, Liang Xian did smoke, but he wasn’t a heavy smoker.

Liang Xian took a few steps and extinguished the cigarette in his hand, “I didn’t expect you to come over.”

Though they were staying together tonight, they weren’t sleeping in the same bedroom, and he thought she would just go to bed after showering.

Ming Si shifted her posture and leaned against the door frame, looking up at him, “I pondered about it. As someone who knows the importance of repaying kindness, I should come and say thank you to you.”

She didn’t specify what she was thanking him for, but both of them understood.

Liang Xian leaned against the edge of the bar counter behind him and raised an eyebrow, “Accepted.”

His nonchalant attitude somehow made her a little angry.

Ming Si grumbled discontentedly, but considering she had something to ask, she suppressed her irritation and remained calm for a moment before asking, “About that… what Zheng Yizhou said, was it true?”

Her relationship with her family was mediocre, and Cen Xinyan wouldn’t have mentioned anything about finding a marriage partner for her.

So tonight was the first time Ming Si heard that the potential fiancé chosen by the Ming family for her might not be Liang Xian.

In Zheng Yizhou’s long-winded confession, he mentioned that the marriage arrangement was intercepted.

“What happened?” Liang Xian didn’t immediately grasp the situation, but as he met her eyes, he vaguely sensed something and tugged at the corner of his lips, “Did he tell you about this?”

“Just acting pitiful,” Ming Si shifted her weight to the other leg, her fair and straight long legs flashed under the bathrobe, “So, was it true? At first, you refused the arranged marriage, but later agreed?”

Liang Xian put one hand on the back of the chair at the bar counter and made a sound of agreement.

“Why?”

He didn’t answer but instead asked, “Do you want to marry someone like him?”

“No, I’d rather beg for food than marry someone like him,” Ming Si responded without hesitation.

If the Ming family threatened to cut off her financial resources, she could simply leave the family.

“That’s enough then, as…” Liang Xian hesitated for a moment.

As what? At that time, he and Ming Si were still at odds with each other, arguing as soon as they met. Calling each other friends or childhood friends seemed a bit inappropriate.

He simply skipped that title and raised his eyebrows slightly, “I also don’t want you to marry that scumbag.”

Perhaps due to the I’d rather beg for food than marry some like him hypothesis she made before going to bed, Ming Si actually dreamt that night that she was driven out of her family’s home after rejecting the arranged marriage. With no other choice, she held a bowl and squatted at the entrance of the nearby secondary school, begging for food.

In the dream, her former plastic girlfriends were all laughing at her, even Cheng Yu ignored her when passing by.

The cold December wind was bone-chilling, and when she lowered her head, she noticed that she was wearing tattered short-sleeved school uniform, and even the colors of her slippers were different.

What kind of weird dream was this?

After waking up, Ming Si felt her heart ache.

She sat up, exhaled deeply to calm herself, lifted the blanket, got out of bed, and walked to the living room with the soft slippers on her feet.

She took a bottle of mineral water from the fridge, leaned against the door frame, and took a few sips. Her gaze unintentionally swept over to the bar counter, where Liang Xian had been standing and smoking before.

At that time, he was wearing a white shirt, with the top button unbuttoned, giving off a somewhat careless vibe.

His appearance made it easy for people to feel that he was a nonchalant and carefree person. Ming Si admitted that she used to think the same until not long ago.

But he was different from someone like Zheng Yizhou.

This thought became clearer in her mind.

Thinking of this, Ming Si strangely felt a little relieved—fortunately, she ended up marrying Liang Xian. Otherwise, she didn’t dare to imagine how she’d end up.

The next day, Ming Si and Liang Xian bid farewell to Mrs. Yu and went to the airport together.

She was flying to Paris, while he was returning to Pingcheng.

Because their conversation the previous night had been relatively harmonious, when Ming Si said goodbye, she waved to him, and Liang Xian lifted his chin slightly, “See you in a few days.”

Throughout her stay in Paris, Ming Si had a smile on her face.

After trying on a few dresses, she went straight to LV to buy a bag for Cheng Yu. Two tall and sturdy bodyguards followed her from a certain distance.

As someone who enjoyed swiping her card and signing the bill, Ming Si certainly wouldn’t stop after buying just one bag. She also bought a limited edition LV bag for the upcoming autumn and winter, which hadn’t been introduced in China yet.

While settling the payment, she suddenly thought of Cheng Yu’s words: Xian Xian also wants a LV bag.

She actually glanced around the store but didn’t find anything suitable for him, so she gave up.

All she could say was that she had the intention to buy a bag for him, but it was Liang Xian’s bad luck that none of them matched him.

However, with this thought in mind, when passing by the men’s clothing section, Ming Si stopped and walked in to look around.

The sales assistant immediately recognized her as a wealthy customer from her appearance and temperament, and approached her with a smile, “Hello, may I help you with anything specific?”

Ming Si pointed to a pair of silver cufflinks on the counter, “Wrap this up for me.”