I See Roses

I See Roses – Chapter 43

Outside the window, the leaden sky was washed by rain, and heavy raindrops fell on the colorful petals, creating a mist in the air. Inside the villa, it was gradually getting warmer.

“I like you,” these three words were said by him slowly, genuinely, with a lingering tone, like raindrops falling on the lake’s surface. Ming Si felt her face slowly heating up, even feeling a bit flushed.

Subconsciously, she covered her cheeks with her hands, trying to cool them down. However, she realized that her action seemed a bit foolish, so she quickly put her hands down.

“Did you hear me clearly?” Liang Xian squatted in front of her, one hand casually dropping from the back of the sofa to rest on her side, “Do you want me to confess again?”

At this distance, his gaze was almost level with hers, slightly lower even. However, the sense of aggression from earlier hadn’t disappeared.

Ming Si nodded, then shook her head, acting as if she hadn’t fully grasped the situation.

Liang Xian looked at her with a smile and reminded her, “Then, give me a response?”

“Are you serious or just teasing me?” After a while, Ming Si managed to utter these words. And since she had already started speaking, she continued confidently, “We grew up together, and now we’re married. It’s different from others. You need to understand that if we break up, it’ll be embarrassing in front of Cheng Yu and the others… And, why do you suddenly like me? Have you been secretly in love with me?”

In the first few words, a hint of disbelief was evident, but the last few words were suddenly raised in pitch, full of suspicion.

Liang Xian tilted his head and laughed.

In a short span of time, Ming Si’s thoughts jumped from questioning his sincerity to the embarrassment of breaking up after they got together, and finally, settling on to whether he had been secretly in love with her.

How could he answer that?

Ming Si was displeased, “What are you smiling at? Be serious.”

“Well, I’m thinking,” Liang Xian’s smile didn’t fade, and he paused for a moment, “Which one should I answer first?”

“Are you bothered by my questions?” Ming Si glared at him with a stern tone.

She wanted to criticize his attitude, but he already spoke in a low voice.

“I’m serious.”

“We grew up together and got married to each other. Isn’t it fate?”

“We won’t break up.”

Finally, he asked, “Should I tell you the truth or should I lie to you?”

“…”

Why does it have to be a multiple-choice question now?

Ming Si casually grabbed the nearby cushion and hugged it in her arms, resting her chin on top.

In fact, there were only two answers… Yes, Liang Xian had indeed secretly liked her for a long time. Now that they were living under the same roof, this reserved man could no longer contain himself and came all the way to confess his feelings.

The other possibility was that Liang Xian had known her for over a decade, and only recently, he had developed some feelings for her.

Neither answer seemed to bring much joy.

The second option didn’t sound as romantic or profound as the first one, leaving a slight psychological gap between them.

However, Ming Si’s intuition was leaning towards the second one.

“Never mind, I don’t want to listen,” Ming Si finally made up her mind and raised her head defiantly, saying, “Anyway, I’m not dating little Liang Xian from elementary school. What he thinks is none of my business.”

Liang Xian heard the implication and slightly curved his lips.

After a moment, he asked softly, “Then, do you want the one in front of you?”

Do I want it?

She needed to think about it carefully.

She couldn’t agree too quickly.

Ming Si glanced at him while hugging the cushion, then quickly looked away, her cheeks slightly flushed, “…Yes.”

Liang Xian smiled.

His voice was already somewhat deep, and his laughter seemed to flow from his throat, with a hint of hoarseness and sensuality, quite alluring.

Ming Si’s face grew redder. Feeling nervous and flustered, she didn’t know how to respond. She suddenly stood up and thought of the main task at hand, “Then, I’ll go take a shower.”

As she spoke, she was about to take a step, but Liang Xian unexpectedly grabbed her hand and gently pulled her into his arms.

The world spun before her eyes and her consciousness went blank for a moment. When she came back to her senses, she was surrounded by his faint woody fragrance.

Her heart pounded like a drum, and her cheek happened to press against his shirt that was dampened by the rain.

“You run so fast,” she heard him speak with a teasing tone, close to her ear, “Were you so shy when you touched my Adam’s apple while drunk?”

This person! He always brought up the most embarrassing moments!

Ming Si was about to get angry and retort while in his embrace, “You…!”

But the rest of her words were blocked in her throat.

Because Liang Xian suddenly leaned down and kissed her, his lips tightly pressed against hers. He held the back of her head with one hand, his fingers tangling in her hair, while the other hand naturally wrapped around her waist.

Their breaths mingled, faint yet scorching, brushing against her nose.

Ming Si’s head went bang, seemingly as if it was about to explode from the heat.

All the curses she had prepared for him vanished.

She had no experience with kissing, so she felt a bit flustered.

Liang Xian was also inexperienced, but seeing her flustered, he felt he was was much more composed. Perhaps because men naturally excelled in this area, at first, it was just tentative contact, lightly touching and then parting their lips, gently landing on her nose and forehead.

Later, the kiss deepened gradually.

Between their lips and teeth, there was only the intertwined and refreshing breath of each other.

This kiss lasted for a long time, but it’s not convenient to describe it in detail on Jinjiang platform.1

Ming Si’s fingers unconsciously grasped his shirt, her heart beating faster and her grip tightening, as if she couldn’t bear it, she leaned her waist backward.

Liang Xian finally released her after noticing her little actions. Their foreheads leaned against each other; his Adam’s apple rolled heavily as his gaze became deep and dark

Their breaths still mingled closely, and in Ming Si’s heart, it felt like countless little deer were running amok. Her red lips slightly parted as she tried to steady her breath.

Liang Xian lifted his fingers to brush against the corner of her lips. After a while, he finally spoke, his voice low, composed, and restrained, “Go take a shower.”

Ah ah ah ah ah, he really kissed her!

Why was she still so nervous?

Just as she sat in the bathtub after showering, Ming Si’s mind began to replay the scenes on the sofa just now. Every time she recalled the key moments, her heart would beat erratically, as if it was about to jump out of her throat.

She couldn’t help but cover her face with her hands and shake her head forcefully to clear her mind.

He actually likes her…

The corners of her lips couldn’t help but curl up, and the mixed feelings of shyness and joy in her heart had no place to vent, so she could only splash the bathwater noisily.

He likes her too.

Suddenly, there was a knocking sound outside the door.

Ming Si immediately stopped moving.

She removed her hands from her face, turned her head to look at the tightly closed bathroom door behind her, and pricked up her ears, trying hard to distinguish whether she misheard or if she made too much noise just now in her excitement and really attracted Liang Xian.

In the next second, she heard his voice, “Ming Si, open the door.”

She was taking a shower, how could she open the door for him?

Could it be that this bad guy had something else in mind besides kissing?

Wasn’t it enough for him to take advantage of the situation, and now he wanted more?

Ming Si’s heart was still recovering from the previous pounding, and now she was a bit annoyed as she said, “I’m still showering, what are you thinking! Pervert!”

“Who are you calling a pervert?” Liang Xian chuckled, shaking his head, then raised his hand to knock on the door again, his voice filled with a playful tone, “I bought essential oils for you. If you don’t open the door, I’ll leave.”

“…”

There was only silence inside.

Liang Xian laughed, took a step back.

After a while, the door opened slightly, and Ming Si, like a peacock, had one hand holding the door, revealing a pair of beautiful eyes, looking very vigilant, “What do you want to give me essential oils for? Are you trying to trick me into opening the door?”

What did she take him for?

Although, he couldn’t be considered a gentleman either.

Liang Xian lightly tugged at the corner of his lips and handed a bag to her. “Weren’t you complaining that my body wash had no fragrance?”

When he led her into the bathroom, she looked at the men’s body wash in the shower and showed a picky expression, “This one doesn’t smell at all.”

Ming Si cautiously held the bath towel with her right hand and reached out her left hand to accept it, muttering, “You bought so many.”

It felt quite heavy.

“I didn’t know which one you would like,” Liang Xian explained lightly, lifting his hand to grasp the doorknob, intending to close the door for her. However, Ming Si immediately raised her head with a swift motion, and her right foot quickly hooked the door, saying, “You’re not allowed to come in!”

Was it necessary to be this guarded just because he had kissed her?

Liang Xian tilted his head and chuckled, about to say he didn’t mean it that way, but his gaze fell on her blushing cheeks, and he suddenly changed his mind.

Exerting a little force with his hand, he acted as if he wanted to push the door open. He even adopted a more casual stance and raised an eyebrow with a smile, “I already have the key, and you’ve accepted me, too. Can’t we take a shower together?”

With his naturally charming appearance, his eyes slightly curved and a hint of laziness, there was also a touch of affection in his gaze.

Before, Ming Si hadn’t felt much when she looked at him because she didn’t like him. But now, how could she resist?

“No, way!” She immediately rejected, and before closing the door, she lifted her foot and gave him a firm kick.

Liang Xian: “…”

That dog man is really infuriating!

As Ming Si rummaged through the bag, she cursed him silently in her mind.

He clearly had no intention of showering with her, yet he still managed to take advantage of her words.

In addition to the essential oils, the bag also contained her favorite skincare products. Ming Si took an orange blossom-scented bath bomb from the bag and tossed it into the bathtub. After a while, she stepped into the tub.

Comparatively, she felt so inadequate.

Back then, during their arguments and banters, she could hold her own ground without faltering. But now, after Liang Xian confessed his feelings to her, why did she become so timid?

In his presence, she seemed to lose all ability to defend herself. Her heart raced even before she could speak.

……

Lost in thought, Ming Si took her time, spending over half an hour soaking in the bath. Afterward, she sat in front of the vanity mirror in the dressing room, meticulously completing her skincare routine. She blow-dried her hair until it was partially dry, adjusted it with her hands in front of the mirror, and finally stood up, satisfied.

She changed into a clean bathrobe and opened the door.

Liang Xian had already finished his shower in the bathroom downstairs. Now, he was seated on the sofa in the open-plan study on the second floor. His back was turned to the window, dressed in a black sweater and pants, exuding a casual and lazy vibe.

When he saw her, a smile crept up at the corners of his eyes, “Come here.”

Ming Si walked over, and as she approached, he pulled her to sit down next to him.

Liang Xian’s fingers were quite cool, and this sudden touch made Ming Si shiver slightly. In such cold weather, he actually took a cold shower.

“No hot water downstairs?” she asked.

“We have it,” Liang Xian replied lightly, and when she looked at him discontentedly, her eyes seemed to say, Have you lost your mind? Without explaining, he just smiled and said, “I didn’t feel like using it.”

Ming Si pouted and hmphed, “You’ve got a strong constitution.”

Liang Xian nodded, his smile casual, “Wanna try?”

Ming Si took a couple of seconds to process his words and immediately pushed him away speechlessly, “Pervert!”

“Alright, I won’t tease you anymore,” Liang Xian chuckled softly, pulling her into his embrace as they both leaned back on the sofa.

Ming Si pretended to be annoyed, but in reality, she nestled in his embrace, and the corners of her lips couldn’t help but curl upwards.

The rain outside continued to pour heavily, creating a steady rhythm. Inside, it was warm like spring. She was comfortably nestled on the sofa with the person she liked, feeling peaceful and joyful.

It didn’t seem like there was a need to be… overly shy.

While he was momentarily distracted, Ming Si turned her face slightly and snuggled closer to him. She wrapped her arm around his waist in a tentative hug.

Like a cat, gradually circling its territory.

Sensing her little intimate actions, Liang Xian raised an eyebrow playfully.

A sweet and citrusy fragrance surrounded her, like ripe oranges or grapefruits, with a faint hint of rose.

He turned his head slightly and kissed her hair gently, “You smell lovely.”

Ming Si’s lips curled upwards, feeling a bit proud.

After a while, she lifted her head from his embrace, as if remembering something, and playfully poked his arm with her finger. “I almost forgot. You better settle this for me. When did you start liking me?”

When did it start?

In Liang Xian’s memory, the words liking and Ming Si appeared together during high school.

During that time, due to rumors spreading, even Cheng Yu and the others grew suspicious. He and Ming Si both denied it directly.

However, Cheng Yu seemed persistent. One time during a PE class, he approached Liang Xian and asked, “Brother Xian, you really don’t like Ming Si?”

Liang Xian had never been interested in discussing such topics, “Mhm.”

“Why not? Ming Si is so pretty, and she plays the violin!”

“Are you saying that if someone is pretty and plays the violin, I should like her?” Liang Xian chuckled softly and replied, “My feelings for her are the same as yours.”

After finishing a game of basketball, he casually flipped up his collar to catch the breeze, his gaze wandering casually across the field. He happened to see Ming Si jumping up and hitting a green tennis ball with her racket. Her graceful figure leaped in the sunlight—

It was an affection that he wanted to cherish even if he didn’t harbor romantic feelings for her.

As for when this affection changed its nature, it was probably during this visit to China, as they spent time together repeatedly, gradually influencing each other.

Seeing her cry or laugh, seeing her tease Cheng Yu or oppose him, all seemed more pleasing than before.

“Why didn’t you confess earlier then?” Ming Si listened with a satisfied heart, but still had to find fault out of habit, “You made me think you didn’t like me…”

She slipped up unintentionally and immediately stopped.

Liang Xian chuckled lightly, his fingers gently combing through her long hair. His voice was calm, “I also thought… you didn’t like me.”

So he thought, he would take it slowly.

To put it in simpler terms, he aimed to improve their rapport first.

However, Ming Si ran off to Venice without a word. Although he later found out she was participating in a competition, he still wanted to see her.

Later, in the lounge at the venue, he saw Ming Si wearing a thin beige coat, propping up her cheek, her gaze fixed on the ground beneath her. Behind her, there was a dense curtain of rain.

It seemed like she was waiting for someone.

That scene was like when he returned to China not long ago and received a call from her in a bustling mall.

Suddenly, he couldn’t wait any longer.

“Hmph, I wasn’t originally interested,” Ming Si held onto that also he used, adamantly refusing to admit that she had been moved early on, “And just now, I saw a lot of clean towels in the bathroom.”

Liang Xian’s eyebrow lifted slightly, “So?”

“So, how come you lied to me that there was only one left, when you deliberately wanted me to use the one I’ve used before?”

He curved his lips into a slight smile, “En.”

He admitted it openly, which left Ming Si at a loss for words. Instead, she mumbled rascal under her breath, but her lips couldn’t help but curl upwards sneakily, “Then… what are we now?”

“Following the usual process, we are boyfriend – girlfriend. However, legally, we’re a married couple,” Liang Xian looked at her from the corner of his eye, “Which one do you like?”

Ming Si pondered seriously, eager to test a particular answer.

“Just a reminder, if we’re legally married, we’ll have to share a bed tonight.”

“…” Ming Si blushed slightly at the thought, she grabbed the nearby cushion and playfully thumped his chest, “Sharing a bed doesn’t mean we’re going to do anything!”

“En,” Liang Xian held her, lifting her up and seating her on his lap, a chuckle escaping from his throat, “Where did your thoughts run off to? Just pure sleep—did I mention anything?”

 

I guess the author is saying that he/she cannot describe the kiss in details without getting banned on the platform he/she was publishing this novel. ↩︎