I See Roses

I See Roses – Chapter 3

When Cen Xinyan called, Liang Xian had just finished taking a shower.

He walked over to the coffee table, wrapped in a bathrobe, glanced at the incoming call display, casually picked up his phone, and continued drying his hair.

On the other end of the line, Cen Xinyan was very polite, first greeted him warmly, and then mentioned that Ming Si’s temper wasn’t very gentle, asking him to be more considerate.

Between the lines, she had taken on the image of a caring mother worried about her daughter.

If he hadn’t grown up with Ming Si since childhood, he might have really thought that their mother-daughter relationship was harmonious. However, she was after all, his mother-in-law, so Liang Xian reined in his casual attitude as a young master and politely replied, “You’re being too polite.”

Cen Xinyan smiled and exchanged some pleasantries before getting to the point, “Ming Si seems to be in a bad mood these past two days. She had a fit of anger and smashed things at home, then went shopping at Hengwu Tower. Did you two have a fight?”

Liang Xian sat down on the sofa and casually threw the towel he was using to dry his hair aside.

He felt that Cen Xinyan’s oversight was too broad, and he couldn’t help but bring a hint of indifference to his tone, “Isn’t she always fond of dressing up?”

Every time they attended a gathering, she wouldn’t leave the house unless she was all dressed up beautifully.

In his memory, during one summer vacation, Cheng Yu and a few others insisted on going fishing. Liang Xian wasn’t very interested in this middle-aged people’s hobby, but for some reason, he went along that time.

They drove to Ming Si’s house in a grand procession of cars and waited for her for a long time before she finally came out.

That scene, for some reason, remained deeply etched in Liang Xian’s memory.

He remembered she was wearing a blue dress; the hem of the dress seemed to have a bit of pearl-like luster, shimmering in the sunlight.

With a well-proportioned figure and a slightly raised chin, she walked towards them with a straight back, like a beautiful and proud little peacock.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Liang Xian lightly chuckled, his meaning unclear.

When he saw her that night, he immediately associated her with some animal in the zoo… a showy little animal. He couldn’t recall what it was called at that time, but it turned out to be a peacock.

Thinking about it carefully, it was quite fitting.

“It’s good that you didn’t fight,” on the other end of the phone, Cen Xinyan’s voice remained composed, “Liang Xian, I know you may feel wronged, but this is for the benefit of both our families. The die has been cast, and I still hope that you both can get along well.”

“You’re overthinking it. We understand all these reasons,” Liang Xian replied in a nonchalant manner.

His tone wasn’t dismissive, but it lacked sincerity.

Cen Xinyan said a few more words and then gracefully ended the call. Before hanging up, she kindly reminded him – Ming Si’s car might have some minor issues, and she hoped he could go pick her up.

Liang Xian lightly tugged at the corner of his lips and casually threw his phone on the sofa.

It was very rare, but at this moment, he found a resonance with Ming Si – if Cen Xinyan were his mother, his rebellious psychology might be even more severe, and his temper could be even more arrogant than that young lady’s.

After using the restroom, Ming Si returned to the lounge area and found various shopping bags piled up on the sofa, but the driver who was carrying the bags was nowhere to be seen.

She thought the driver might have gone to the restroom and waited patiently for a minute, but he still didn’t show up. So she made a call to him directly.

——Then she found out about Ms. Cen Xinyan’s elaborate arrangements.

In truth, it wasn’t that she couldn’t go anywhere without the driver; she could still take a taxi or find other means to get home. But being alone, it would be difficult for her to carry all these big and small bags down the stairs. It might also attract attention from passersby.

Not knowing what to do, Ming Si simply sat down and started searching her contacts to call Lin Xijia or Cheng Yu.

Unfortunately, neither of them picked up the phone; one probably fell asleep, while the other was still partying.

Ming Si sighed and looked up at the massive logo of the store across the street. This was the first time she had been abandoned at a mall while shopping, and she felt a bit lost.

When Liang Xian arrived, this was the scene he witnessed.

She was wearing a smoky pink dress, sitting on the sofa.

Her face slightly tilted upwards, her jet-black, silky hair cascading down in curls, unexpectedly looking somewhat docile, as if waiting for someone to come claim her.

His footsteps paused for a moment, but he quickly resumed walking with his long legs.

Ming Si noticed someone approaching and subconsciously turned her head, then exclaimed in disbelief, “Liang Xian?”

She was genuinely surprised, and for a moment, her eyes widened a bit. Liang Xian, on the other hand, didn’t know why, but he chuckled lightly and asked, “What’s wrong? Can’t I come?”

Ming Si really didn’t expect the pampered young master to come and pick her up.

According to common sense, Liang Xian was not someone who would both with these little tricks, so she didn’t take Cen Xinyan’s words seriously from the beginning.

“My mom told you to come?” she asked.

Liang Xian replied with an En, saying, “Otherwise?”

He was probably called out from home at the last minute, as he was only wearing a white shirt and black trousers. The hem of the shirt was tucked into the waistline of the pants, showcasing his broad shoulders and long legs — quite a pleasant sight.

Ming Si had always known that Liang Xian was handsome – this man had been chased by girls since he was young, so his facial features naturally wouldn’t be lacking.

He was the epitome of good looks, with a high nose bridge and thin lips. The corners of his eyes naturally curved, even when not smiling. He attracted peach blossoms effortlessly, and seemed to be carefree about everything.

Perhaps it was precisely because of this appearance that she always felt out of sync with him.

Liang Xian wasn’t much of a talker either. He said he came to pick her up, then bent down, and one by one, picked up her small and big shopping bags, taking the lead with his long strides.

Ming Si had grown accustomed to all kinds of boys fawning over her since she was young, so she didn’t feel anything inappropriate about it. She followed him in her high heels, walking side by side.

“Although it was my mom’s idea, you really agreed to it,” Ming Si said after a few steps, feeling that Liang Xian’s attitude seemed a bit unpredictable after not seeing him for a few years.

For example, when he was asked to marry her, she thought he would resist it as strongly as she did, but unexpectedly, he accepted it without any objections.

And then, her several provocations afterwards were met with mild responses from him, as if he didn’t want to take her seriously.

“And that money, why did you send it to me?” Ming Si suddenly became a bit wary, and her tone unconsciously became more intense, “You don’t have feelings for me, do you?”

Liang Xian’s eye twitched lightly.

Cen Xinyan’s original words were about pleasing the girl, but Young Master Liang had never pleased anyone. He just casually transferred the money.

Simple and convenient.

He originally wanted to deny this playful assumption directly, and just as he was about to, he suddenly felt that it might be interesting to play along with her teasing.

Why not find some fun since he had made the trip anyway?

So, Liang Xian glanced at her leisurely and said, “What if I do?”

“Then I’ll have to firmly decline you with a righteous attitude,” Ming Si also spoke earnestly, “You are not my type.”

Looking at his reaction, it definitely didn’t seem like he had feelings for her. Besides, she asked the question more as a taunt, to begin with.

Liang Xian pretended to be interested and said, “Oh? What type do you like, then?”

“Steady, reliable, more serious,” Ming Si said, sizing him up with her eyes, “Almost the opposite of you, I suppose.”

After being struck with this comment, Liang Xian’s eyebrows lifted slightly, and he smirked, “So, you like someone who doesn’t look that handsome.”

Ming Si choked for a moment and said with irritation, “Narcissist.”

Perhaps all those notions about him not taking her seriously were just her own misconception. This person had never shown any courtesy towards girls. It’s just that both of them had grown up now, or else they might repeat the past, fighting fiercely over some trivial seashell just like when they were kids.

After squandering a considerable amount of money and unexpectedly assigning her arch-enemy as a free laborer, Ming Si slept contentedly that night and woke up the next day with new inspiration.

In three days, the conceptual design was nearly complete. However, Ming Si hadn’t decided what to do with it, so she saved it on her computer for the time being.

In fact, after she and Liang Xian got their marriage certificate, the Ming family had eased their stance and promised to introduce her to contacts in this field and provide her with high-quality raw materials companies.

But Ming Si still felt a sense of resentment lingering, so she stubbornly refused to back down.

With the arrival of June, Pingcheng quietly transitioned into summer.

The courtyard was filled with ginkgo and phoenix trees, layers of green leaves overlapping each other. The sunlight filtered through the gaps, creating patches of light on the wooden floor, and shadows swayed gently.

Ming Si withdrew her gaze from outside and listlessly scanned the people sitting in the courtyard.

Today was the Ming family’s family gathering, and at the request of her stepfather, Ming Zhengyuan, Ming Si brought Liang Xian along. After having their meal, they sat in the pavilion in the courtyard and chatted casually.

The Ming family estate was built in traditional architecture, with pavilions, terraces, and corridors. It was adorned with lush pine and cypress trees, as well as many unique antique decorations, exuding a distinctive charm.

Unfortunately, at this moment, no one had the mood to appreciate it. The elders’ firepower was all directed at the young one, Ming Si.

Starting with Cen Xinyan’s concern, followed by the aunts and uncles, they took turns to greet her.

“Hey, Ming Si, I heard that you two aren’t living together? How can that be!” Ming Zhengyuan’s younger sister, Ming Si’s third aunt, raised her tone, not hiding her disapproval, “Newlyweds who don’t live together, how can they foster their feelings?”

With her words, she glanced around, earning many approving gazes.

There were always people who had nothing better to do than poke their noses into other people’s private affairs instead of pondering the secrets of the elderly’s longevity.

Ming Si couldn’t tolerate such an attitude and coldly sneered. She was about to retort with What’s it to you? when she caught a glimpse of Ming Zhengyuan and Liang Xian walking over, probably done with their official matters.

Most of the people in the pavilion were women, and they were chattering away. Thanks to them, Ming Si felt that Liang Xian’s arrival was a kind of relief.

And once he arrived, naturally, he became the center of attention.

“Why aren’t we living together?” Liang Xian walked up to the pavilion and naturally took a seat next to Ming Si. When asked the same question, he answered like a big celebrity responding to media questions, smiling gently and courteously, “Because Ming Si prefers her current villa, where she has her own handicraft workshop.”

“Of course, I occasionally go over to accompany her—”

In front of the elders, as long as he was willing, that carefree, cynical attitude of his would disappear, replaced by a gentle and handsome, modest and polite Liang Xian, instantly winning the favor of a large group of middle-aged women.

Ming Si suspected that this person had either been possessed by someone else or had lost his mind.

She found a moment tugged at the sleeve of his suit and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong with you?”

Liang Xian was not surprised by her reaction. He raised an eyebrow slightly and replied in a low voice, “The more you try to stop them from prying, the more curious they become. It’s better to satisfy their curiosity once and for all.”

Ming Si: “…”

This was your reason for putting on a show?

But it seemed to be effective. Since Liang Xian put on a bold and open attitude to answer their questions, the interest of the others diminished, and they shifted their attention to another single woman’s relationship issues.

After weighing her options, Ming Si decided to join in the act. She covered her mouth and let out a light yawn, looking at him, “I’m tired. I really want to go home and take a nap.”

Liang Xian raised an eyebrow slightly – her acting wasn’t bad either.

Coincidentally, he didn’t want to stay any longer either, so he got up to bid farewell to everyone.

Ming Zhengyuan rarely participated in women’s gatherings and also intended to end it promptly. Clearing his throat, he made a small admonition before parting, just like how he would conduct a meeting at the company.

Ming Si and Liang Xian nodded in response, pretending to be genuinely attentive, even though they didn’t really catch everything he said.

“Alright, I won’t delay the affairs of you young people,” Ming Zhengyuan waved his hand, “You can go.”

Ming Si gave a faint smile to the crowd, while Liang Xian continued to play the role of a devoted and considerate husband, picking up her handbag and walking to her side.

The two of them walked away together from the pavilion. Looking at their backs, they did indeed appear as a harmonious couple.

At this moment, Liang Xian leaned in and whispered, “They are watching, a play should have a beginning and an end.”

What do you mean by a beginning and an end?

Ming Si was puzzled and subconsciously gave him a look of confusion.

The next second, Liang Xian gently pulled her hand and naturally wrapped his hand over her hand.

Ming Si: “…”

She didn’t want her hand anymore.