Roses in Flames

Xia Wan is thirty years old this year.

Her family kept urging her to go on blind dates, which annoyed her to no end.

She had many suitors, but none of them suited her.

She had tried to flirt with Cheng Lei a few times, but he was completely oblivious to her advances and didn't respond at all, which made her doubt her own charm.

After thinking about it carefully, I realized that Officer Cheng might not like her type.

Twisted melons are not sweet.

She hadn't contacted Cheng Lei for almost half a year, and even when Tangtang invited her to participate in police station activities, she refused.

She thought she would never have any further contact with Cheng Lei.

Unexpectedly, her friend invited her to a newly opened bar. Seeing that she was unhappy, her friend ordered a few male models. The male models lifted their shirts to reveal their eight-pack abs.

She had been drinking and was feeling dizzy. In a moment of impulsiveness, she went to touch the male model's abs at the urging of her friends.

Before my fingertips even touched it, the anti-prostitution squad came to conduct a surprise inspection.

Xia Wan was taken to a police car without her knowing what was going on.

As soon as she arrived at the police station lobby, she saw Cheng Lei on duty and blurted out, "I am Officer Cheng's family member."

As soon as she finished speaking, Cheng Lei looked in her direction.

Xia Wan shuddered, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the ground.

It was all because of being drunk; how embarrassing.

Cheng Lei came over, inquired about the situation, and then bailed her out according to procedure.

She followed behind him, her cheeks burning, keeping her head down the whole time, not daring to look at him.

Cheng Lei led Xia Wan to his car. After Xia Wan sat in the passenger seat, she said with a somewhat aggrieved expression, "Officer Cheng, I've been so wronged today! It was my first time going to a bar with my friends to pick up a male model, and before I even touched him, I was taken to the police station by your anti-vice squad!"

Cheng Lei turned to look at Xia Wan. She had drunk too much, and her bright, pretty face was flushed. Beneath her long, fluttering eyelashes, her almond-shaped eyes were watery, like an innocent deer. He pursed his pale pink lips slightly. "If the anti-prostitution squad doesn't come, what are you planning to do?"

Xia Wan tilted her head and thought about it seriously for a moment, "I just... I just touched his abs, what else could it be?"

"Not thinking about taking it a step further?"

Xia Wan narrowed her almond-shaped eyes. "Officer Cheng, are you trying to trick me into revealing information?"

"No," she said, then changed the subject, "Where do you live? I'll take you home."

He remembered that Sister Yuntang had said that Xia Wan had moved to a new place and no longer lived in the same neighborhood.

"I don't want to go back. My newly bought house is still under renovation. I'm staying with my mom right now, and whenever I go back, she keeps pressuring me to go on blind dates. I'm so annoyed."

Cheng Lei stared at her with his dark eyes for a moment, then asked, "Have you been on any blind dates lately?"

"I didn't go. None of the places my mom recommended suited my taste."

Cheng Lei nodded and didn't say anything more.

"Officer Cheng, how about you? Have you found a girlfriend yet? Tangtang told me you've been promoted to deputy captain now, you should have no shortage of girls who like you, right?"

Cheng Lei's long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles gripped the steering wheel. He shook his head. "No, my mind is on work."

Xia Wan said "Oh," and then added, "Since you're single, can I stay at your place for the night?"

Cheng Lei's breath hitched. Just as he was about to say something, he heard Xia Wan say, "Don't misunderstand, it's just about staying overnight, nothing more."

After saying that, without giving Cheng Lei a chance to refuse, she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

Cheng Lei stared at her for a few seconds, then shook his head with a hint of helplessness, started the engine, and drove away.

Xia Wan was only pretending to be asleep, but as she kept pretending, she actually fell asleep.

She was woken up by Cheng Lei.

I opened my eyes and found that the car was parked downstairs in an unfamiliar residential complex.

"Have we arrived at your place?" She had just woken up, her eyes still sleepy, but she looked quite pretty and cute.

Cheng Lei nodded.

Xia Wan got off the car with Cheng Lei.

Cheng Lei lives on the sixth floor. After exiting the elevator, turn left and you'll find his apartment.

Two bedrooms and one living room, one bedroom and one room used as a study.

Cheng Lei led her to the bedroom, saying, "You sleep here, I'll sleep on the sofa in the living room tonight."

Xia Wan didn't stand on ceremony with him. "I didn't bring any clothes. Can I borrow some of yours?"

Cheng Lei led her to the wardrobe. "Choose for yourself."

Xia Wan picked out a camouflage t-shirt.

After taking a shower, she put on her t-shirt and lay down on Cheng Lei's bed. It felt as if his scent still lingered on her pillow, fresh and pleasant.

Xia Wan fell asleep in no time.

In the middle of the night, Xia Wan was awakened by the urge to urinate.

That's the downside of drinking too much; after she finished relieving herself, she suddenly couldn't fall asleep.

She walked out of the room barefoot.

I spotted the man lying on the living room sofa at a glance.

He has long arms and legs, and lying on the not-so-large sofa, he looks a bit cramped.

Xia Wan tiptoed to the sofa, squatted down, and looked him over with her chin in her hand.

He has a rather delicate and refined appearance, with single eyelids, long eyelashes, a high nose bridge, and light pink lips with a healthy hue.

Although she's a bit clueless about romance, her good looks and charm have won her heart.

Xia Wan's gaze fell on his sexy, prominent Adam's apple.

My back molars suddenly started to itch.

I really want to take a bite.

Xia Wan suddenly understood why she couldn't stand anyone else: she still had feelings for this blockhead man.

After staring at the man for a while and seeing that he still hadn't woken up, Xia Wan quickly kissed him on the lips.

After the kiss, she ran back to her room as if fleeing.

The moment the door closed, the man on the sofa opened his eyes.

He sat up from the sofa, his dark eyes fixed on the direction of the bedroom.

The auricles of his ears were so red they were almost smoking.

……

After that night, Cheng Lei didn't see Xia Wan for quite a long time.

But whenever he's not busy, he watches Xia Wan's live broadcast twice a week.

She is a beauty blogger with over five million followers across the internet.

He knew she never lacked suitors.

Sometimes, wealthy second-generation heirs would appear in her live streams.

He always thought that she was just playing around with him and that even if they got together, she wouldn't take it seriously.

He is a very serious person when it comes to relationships, and he felt that they were from two different worlds.

When she first kissed him, it took him a long time to get over it.

But why did she kiss him a second time?

On National Day, Cheng Lei attended the wedding of a high school classmate.

He ran into He Rui, a female high school classmate he hadn't seen in a long time.

He Rui had written love letters to Cheng Lei before, but Cheng Lei was focused on his studies at the time and rejected her.

"Lei Zi, I heard you're still single. We're not getting any younger. I've dated a few boyfriends, but after all this time, I think I still like you."

He Rui called Cheng Lei outside the banquet hall and confessed her feelings to him.

Cheng Lei was somewhat surprised, not expecting that after so many years, He Rui would still like him.

But in his heart, he only regarded He Rui as an ordinary classmate.

"Sorry, I don't want to have a girlfriend right now."

He Rui's eyes widened. "You're 28 already, and you still don't want a girlfriend?"

Cheng Lei nodded. "Mm."

He Rui looked at Cheng Lei for a moment and suddenly realized that his reluctance to have a girlfriend was just an excuse.

The truth is that he's not interested in her.

"Don't let your quiet demeanor fool you; your standards are ridiculously high. I really don't know what kind of fairy could possibly catch your eye!"

After saying that, He Rui ran away angrily.

Cheng Lei had just turned around when his gaze froze.

Not far away, stood a bright and pretty figure.

Xia Wan wore a one-shoulder dress, her long hair was styled in a princess updo, with wisps of hair framing her face. Her makeup was exquisite, and a smile played on her lips, revealing her dimples.

"I was attending an event in the banquet hall next door," she began, her voice sweet and clear. "I just happened to be passing by and overheard someone confessing their feelings to you."

Before he could say anything, her beautiful eyebrows curved into crescents again, "The person who confessed to you is quite pretty."

Cheng Lei took a few steps forward, his dark eyes landing on her pretty, radiant face. "Not as pretty as you."

Xia Wan was taken aback, a faint blush spreading across her fair earlobes. "You think I'm pretty?"

He nodded. "Mm."

Xia Wan exclaimed inwardly.

This blockhead can actually say nice things?

For a moment, she felt a bittersweet feeling, "But you don't like me."

Cheng Lei's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. "It's not that I don't like you."

Xia Wan was stunned again. After a long while, she finally found her voice, "Then why didn't you react at all when I flirted with you before?"

Cheng Lei lowered his gaze slightly, and when he looked up again, there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes. "I thought you just wanted to play around."

The heartbeat inside my chest has become disordered.

The heat rose from his earlobes, but he tried his best to remain calm, his dark, bright eyes fixed on the expression on her face.

Xia Wan's smile deepened, and her dimples became even more pronounced.

Looking at her bright and radiant smile, Cheng Lei was in a daze, almost losing his focus.

Xia Wan moved closer to him, her almond-shaped eyes shining like stars. "Do I look like the kind of woman who flits from flower to flower? If it weren't someone I liked, I wouldn't take the initiative. You're such a blockhead. I've made it so obvious, and you still think I'm just playing around. I'm serious about you!"

She was so close to him that he could clearly smell the sweet fragrance emanating from her.

His Adam's apple bobbed. "If you're serious, should we be together?"

Xia Wan nodded without hesitation, "Of course I want to. I've been waiting for this day for a long time."

She took the man's long, slender hand in hers, lightly brushing her fingertips against his palm. "Are you busy this afternoon?"

Cheng Lei shook his head. "It's nothing."

"Do you want to watch my live stream? I can rest after I finish my live stream this afternoon."

Cheng Lei nodded, and his large hand, which she had taken the initiative to hold, was slightly sweaty from excitement and nervousness.

Xia Wan took Cheng Lei to the banquet hall next door.

Many beauty bloggers attended this event.

Xia Wan had a separate live broadcast area, and she introduced Cheng Lei to her team in a very open and generous manner.

Cheng Lei sat on the sofa, quietly watching Xia Wan's live broadcast.

When she was resting, he would proactively hand her his thermos.

Xia Wan would occasionally glance at him, and the moment their eyes met, they would unconsciously exchange a smile.

Even though we've known each other for years, the change in our relationship has made even the air feel sweeter and more touching.

After the live stream ended, Cheng Lei invited Xia Wan's team out for dinner.

After dinner, the two returned to Cheng Lei's apartment.

As soon as they entered, Xia Wan pinned him against the entryway. "I want to kiss you."

This time, she wanted to kiss him openly and honestly.

Cheng Lei's handsome face flushed, and his back, pressed against the cabinet, tensed slightly.

Xia Wan reached out and hooked her arm around his neck, then kissed his lips.

It's no longer just a fleeting glance.

His skin was burning hot, as if it were on fire.

The breath that came out of his nose was incredibly hot.

When the kiss ended, he reached out and pulled her into his arms.

She looked up at him, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling, and said, "Now that I've kissed you, you can only be my man."

He gave a weak, unsteady "hmm".

She wrapped her arms tightly around his lean waist, her smile deepening. "Officer Cheng, please guide me from now on."

He lowered his head and kissed the top of her head. "No need to teach me. I'll let you have your way for the rest of my life."