I See Roses

I See Roses – Chapter 4

In fact, everyone knows that Liang Xian holding Ming Si’s hand was not intended to be inappropriate.

However, after walking several steps away from the Ming family mansion, Ming Si felt uncomfortable all over.

She hadn’t said anything yet, but Liang Xian turned around, saw her expression, and chuckled lightly, “Just holding hands, and you find it so awkward?”

This remark almost reflected what kind of carefree playboy Liang Xian usually was.

He could even tease her so naturally.

The awkward feeling instantly disappeared, and Ming Si sneered, “I just don’t want to hold hands with you.”

After saying that, she continued to walk ahead, her high heels making deliberate sounds with each step.

Liang Xian casually slid his hand into his pocket and leisurely caught up with her.

He couldn’t help but find her amusing.

Perhaps their acting skills that day were just too exceptional that they managed to fool everyone, including Cen Xinyan, who remained silent for an extended period without causing any further trouble.

On Saturday, Lin Xijia invited Ming Si to that MMA club again.

Ming Si quickly searched for some information and found out that MMA had recently gained popularity in China. Although various levels of competitions were being held, it was still considered a niche hobby.

How Lin Xijia had come to appreciate it remained a mystery.

“Why the sudden interest in fighting and violence?” Ming Si put on a pair of black sunglasses as they left the restaurant, covering most of her face. She had applied red lipstick with a subtle sparkle, making her fair skin appear even more radiant in the afternoon sunlight. People passing by couldn’t help but look, mistaking her for a celebrity.

“I’m writing a script related to this topic,” Lin Xijia said, and before Ming Si could commend her dedication, she continued, “And don’t you think that the sight of muscular men fighting is quite sensual?”

Ming Si was speechless for a moment, “I actually don’t think so. Don’t you find it a bit intimidating?”

She didn’t appreciate overly exaggerated muscles. In daily life, unless necessary, people wouldn’t deliberately train to achieve such an obvious sense of strength, as it often compromised aesthetics.

Lin Xijia clicked her tongue in a confident manner, “You’ll change your mind once you see it in person.”

The club was named [PARROT], and its facilities were luxurious. The training gym alone occupied a separate building, with modern industrial-style décor. The lights cast a cool gleam on the black iron railings.

The manager here was an acquaintance of Lin Xijia. As they arrived on time, he walked over from the octagonal cage and greeted, “Miss Lin!”

Soon, introductions were made. The manager’s surname was Zhao, and he was responsible for arranging the athletes’ events at the club.

Last time, Manager Zhao wasn’t present, and they only took a cursory look before leaving.

This time was naturally much more interesting. Manager Zhao showed them around the entire club, explaining the rules and classic events of MMA. Finally, they returned to the training gym and were invited to watch a practice match.

During their visit, most of the conversation took place between Lin Xijia and Manager Zhao, and Ming Si casually listened in, witnessing Lin Xijia’s extraordinary skill in making things up on the spot.

Manager Zhao said, “To be honest, the current situation of MMA in China isn’t that great. It’s still struggling to gain momentum. Take the guy who just passed by, for example. His family is quite wealthy, and he could be considered a second-generation rich. It was only after overcoming significant resistance from his family that he joined our club.”

“That’s not easy,” Lin Xijia said, taking notes in her notebook, her tone full of emotion, “But for me, seeing many men shining for their dreams is precisely what makes MMA so fascinating.”

Ming Si: “…”

Didn’t you just say that sight of muscular men fighting is quite sensual?

In the octagonal cage, two fighters, one in red and one in black, assumed their stances and circled each other.

Ming Si watched closely, observing the prominent muscles on both of them, resembling solid stones.

Suddenly, she thought of Liang Xian’s bodyguard. Unlike those fitness enthusiasts who intentionally trained at the gym, the bodyguard’s muscles seemed to have been developed for the sake of strength. His suit looked slightly deformed from the bulging muscles.

Could it be that Liang Xian kept this person around as a thug?

Thugs and bodyguards had different roles and meanings.

After a momentary distraction, her focus returned to the fighters on the stage who were already launching their attacks.

MMA allowed the use of various combat techniques. Although Ming Si was not familiar with them, with Manager Zhao’s timely explanations, she learned that one of the fighters excelled in boxing, while the other specialized in judo.

“So, do you find it exciting? I didn’t lie to you,” Lin Xijia said, after watching for a while.

Ming Si nodded.

The clean and sharp elbow strikes, punches, throws, and locks—all of it, combined with the sweat and intense fighting, indeed exuded a sense of life-and-death struggle that was thrilling to watch.

Lin Xijia watched intently and occasionally made notes in her small notebook, “Actually, over the past couple of years, there have been several MMA clubs opening in Pingcheng. I’ve been to some of them. The feeling here is different; the atmosphere is more relaxed and clean.”

The club operated with rewards and penalties based on wins and losses. During crucial events, there might be some manipulation behind the scenes; for example, fixing matches. Such practices were not uncommon.

Ming Si offered a different perspective, “This indicates that the club’s owner is quite wealthy.”

Lin Xijia quickly understood, “True.”

The club must be wealthy enough to be confident in not being influenced by any forces, providing generous treatment to its athletes, and not engaging in shady activities like match-fixing.

This made her curious about the person behind the club.

Suddenly, Lin Xijia had an idea, “What if I go and interview the owner? I’ll ask if he’s willing to be the inspiration for a character in my TV drama.”

Just then, Manager Zhao, who was beside them, seemed to have spotted something and quickly walked towards a certain direction.

Ming Si subconsciously followed his gaze; through the fencing of the octagonal cage, the light from the ceiling formed a faint halo, making it hard to see clearly.

She squinted and avoided the light, only seeing a tall figure followed by two or three people.

Manager Zhao approached in a hurry, acting very respectful as if he had met a major investor. From a distance, he called out, “Boss!”

The boss walked closer until Ming Si finally got a clear view of his appearance. She stood up with a crisp click of her high heels stepping back.

Her movement was not subtle and attracted Manager Zhao’s puzzled look, “Miss Ming?”

It was Liang Xian, who stood next to the black fencing of the octagonal cage. He raised his eyebrows slightly, a hint of a smile playing on his lips as he greeted her.

It was evident that he had noticed her long ago.

Ming Si began to seriously consider whether she was experiencing Mercury Retrograde1 lately, always running into her enemies.

Lin Xijia was surprised, “Liang Xian? Are you the owner of this place?”

Having known Ming Si since high school, Lin Xijia was naturally aware of Liang Xian and his group. They had even had a few meals together.

Liang Xian casually placed his hand into his pocket and chuckled, “Yes, just a leisurely investment in a club.”

Lin Xijia was secretly amazed. After all, he was the crown prince of the prestigious Jinghong Group in Pingcheng, and he was indeed generous. To invest in such a lavish club, and only consider it as a form of entertainment, showed his grand gestures.

“Are you also interested in MMA?” Liang Xian seemed to engage in small talk.

The training area was usually off-limits to outsiders, with only one row of seats for viewing. Ming Si and Lin Xijia sat in the middle, while Liang Xian took a seat at the left end, stretching his long legs comfortably.

Shi Tai, the bodyguard, followed behind him. At this moment, the imposing bodyguard seemed like a retinue escorting a young master.

“I am writing a script, and I want use this place as inspiration,” Lin Xijia said.

“If you need any help, just let me or Manager Zhao know,” Liang Xian offered.

Lin Xijia was worried about not being able to interview the fighters here, but when she heard his offer, her eyes lit up, “Okay!”

Perhaps her tone sounded overly enthusiastic and flattering, causing Ming Si to give her a questioning look, doubting where loyalty lies.

Lin Xijia: “…”

She almost forgot.

Normally, a sister’s enemy should be her own enemy, and Lin Xijia should stand in solidarity against Liang Xian. However, the problem was that the company she currently worked for, Jinghong Films, was part of Jinghong Group.

In other words, this seemingly noble and indolent young master before her was, in all likelihood, her future boss.

With the boss’s face to consider and the young lady to accommodate, Lin Xijia raised her hand and vowed to Ming Si, “Circumstances, it’s all circumstances. But I really haven’t betrayed you!”

Ming Si glanced at her and pressed the finger she raised back down, “I dare you.”

“Of course, I won’t!” Lin Xijia made the vow again, this time in a more correct posture.

Ming Si was satisfied.

Still concerned about the possibility of a conflict arising between the two of them, Lin Xijia suggested, “How about we leave for now? I’ll come for the interview alone next time.”

“No need, you can go do your interview,” Ming Si said.

Lin Xijia got up and went to find Manager Zhao, intending to wrap things up quickly.

Meanwhile, the competition in the octagonal cage continued.

Ming Si was determined to treat Liang Xian as if he were air, so she focused on the competition much more than before.

Suddenly, she heard him ask, “There’s a match tonight, last year’s Golden Belt winner will be participating. Would you like to watch it?”

Ming Si was sure he was addressing her. She glanced over, “Why the sudden act of kindness in inviting me?”

She still remembered his somewhat frivolous smile at the entrance of the Ming family mansion, which had left her feeling slightly displeased.

Liang Xian replied casually, “As the host, it’s polite to extend an invitation.”

Ming Si straightforwardly declined, “Then I won’t go.”

Liang Xian raised an eyebrow and smiled, implying that it was entirely her choice.

She noticed a birdcage on a nearby seat, and upon taking a closer look, she found a brilliantly colored parrot inside. Mostly in bright red with wings and tail gradually changing into yellow and blue.

He brought a parrot to watch the combat?

Ming Si took a quick glance.

Then she couldn’t help her curiosity and took another look.

The parrot seemed to sense her gaze, turned its head, and suddenly squawked, “Gong Xi Fa Cai, Wan Shi Ru Yi!”2

Ming Si: “…”

This common Chinese New Year’s greeting sounded nothing like what Liang Xian would say.

Unable to resist her curiosity, she asked, “You didn’t teach it anything else?”

Liang Xian replied nonchalantly, “I did, but it refused to learn and only says these phrases.”

Then, the parrot timely added, “Nian Nian You Yu!”3

The parrot’s high-pitched voice harmonized with Liang Xian’s slightly lower voice, creating an unexpectedly amusing scene.

Ming Si observed closely, “What’s its name?”

“He Sui,” Liang Xian answered.

Ming Si couldn’t help but smile. A parrot that was only capable of uttering Chinese New Year’s greetings was named He Sui4 — quite fitting.

Her lips curved upward, then hesitated, and gradually returned to their usual expression.

What in the world? When did she become so familiar with Liang Xian that they were chatting like this? It was all because of that parrot’s mischief.

Ming Si had a natural fondness for beautiful things, like jewelry, elegant dresses, high heels, and even beautiful pets such as cats, dogs, and birds. It was an instinct she couldn’t control. Thus, she unconsciously forgot about the awkwardness between her and Liang Xian.

She pursed her lips and averted her gaze. However, the parrot was truly interesting; she sat upright but couldn’t help stealing glances with her peripheral vision.

The parrot was fully engrossed, raising its head high at the exciting parts, flapping its colorful wings in excitement, and chirping cheerfully, which amused everyone.

Sitting next to the parrot, Liang Xian looked quite composed.

Ming Si then shifted her gaze back to the octagon ring.

The fight on the stage had entered the final stage, and both fighters were displaying various martial arts techniques, intensifying the battle.

Ming Si was engrossed in the match when she heard Liang Xian leisurely ask, “Who do you think will win?”

She casually guessed, “The one with the red gloves, I suppose.”

After saying it, she thought about it and felt it made sense. After all, that person excelled in Judo, and as they say, Gentleness overcomes strength.

Liang Xian smiled, “Then I can only guess the one with the black gloves.”

“Are you making a bet?” Ming Si’s competitive spirit suddenly emerged as she leaned on her hand and looked at him.

There was something she wanted from him.

Liang Xian propped his elbow and turned to look at her, “Do you want to bet?”

Ming Si gently raised her eyebrow and was about to agree, but Liang Xian suddenly changed his tone and said nonchalantly, “Knowing that I’d lose, who would bet?”

Ming Si: “…”

If he didn’t want to bet, then why did he ask her to guess the winner? He even chose his own winner!

Was he just teasing her for fun?

She didn’t want to talk to him anymore.

Back Table of Contents Next

Three to four times a year, the planet Mercury appears to travel backward across the sky. We refer to these periods as times when Mercury is in apparent retrograde motion or simply Mercury Retrograde. To those who practice astrology, these times were traditionally associated with confusion, delay, and frustration.
↩︎“Gong Xi Fa Cai, Wan Shi Ru Yi” is a traditional Chinese New Year greeting that is commonly used during the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). It is a way to wish someone prosperity and good fortune for the coming year. ↩︎Wishing you abundance year after year! ↩︎“He Sui” (鹤穗) is the name of the parrot. The name is a combination of two characters: “鹤” (hè) meaning “crane” and “穗” (suì) meaning “ear of grain” or “tassel.” The name is a play on words as it sounds similar to the word “贺岁” (hè suì), which means “to celebrate the New Year” or “to wish someone a happy and prosperous new year”. ↩︎