Roses in Flames

She smashed everything in the house.

He yelled and screamed, venting his frustration wildly.

Even her usually domineering mother was frightened.

She slapped herself more than a dozen times, hysterically demanding of her mother, "Is that enough? Are you trying to drive me to my death before you're satisfied?"

She picked up a stool and smashed the piano.

She grabbed the easel and tore the drawing to shreds.

"I'm fed up with you dictating my life every day, fed up with you controlling everything I do! I'm a person, not your puppet!"

Seeing her daughter's frantic state, the mother remained silent for a moment before erupting in fury, "I've poured so much effort into you, and this is how I repay you? You ungrateful wretch! Get out! If you don't repeat a year, never come back!"

She glanced at her mother, her eyes red as if about to bleed. "Fine, I won't go back then. I've long since run out of time to stay in this place that makes me wish I were dead!"

She rushed out of the house like a madwoman.

She ran all the way to Maple Leaf Mountain on the outskirts of the city.

She ran all the way to the top of the mountain, stood in front of the cliff, and opened her arms, wanting to be free.

Just as she was about to jump and end her life, a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.

She was pulled back.

She opened her eyes and met a pair of clear, clean eyes.

It's Ji Chen.

He was followed by several staff members, who were probably there to film on the mountain.

"Little girl, don't do anything foolish."

He slipped a small MP4 player into her hand. "These are my songs. If you're feeling down, listen to them and don't think too much about it."

His voice, like a clear mountain spring, carries a gentle and healing power.

Mengmeng snapped out of her reverie, her eyes red and tears streaming down her face. "Sister, do you know, if it weren't for Ji Chen, I would have jumped off the cliff and died that day. That afternoon, I was wearing the MP4 he gave me, sitting on the grass, listening to his songs all afternoon."

Since then, she has fallen in love with Ji Chen's songs.

Only when I hear Ji Chen's songs do those desperate and gloomy thoughts in my heart gradually dissipate.

"He pulled you out of the abyss, and you regarded him as a ray of light in your life, right?" Ye Yuntang asked gently.

Mengmeng nodded vigorously, resting her face on Ye Yuntang's shoulder. "Sister, you truly are an intellectual; your words always hit the nail on the head. When my mom finds out I'm a fan of celebrities, she just says I'm wasting my time, not doing anything productive, and disappointing her, saying I'll regret it someday."

They never realized that Ji Chen brought her hope for life.

"As an idol, Ji Chen is a truly positive role model. He frequently goes to mountainous areas to do charity work, donating books and stationery to children. When he meets with us fans in person, he never puts on airs like a celebrity."

"Did you know that he came from the mountains? He had no background or resources. He got to where he is today by relying on his talent for songwriting and composing, as well as his superb singing voice?"

Ye Yuntang gently patted Mengmeng's shoulder, "From what you've said, your idol is quite positive and can bring you hope. I don't object to you being a fan."

Mengmeng's eyes welled up with tears, and she threw herself into Ye Yuntang's arms, hugging him tightly with both hands.

"Sister, you're the best."

No one in her family supported her; they all said she was obsessed with her idol.

They all misunderstood her.

"If you ever have anything that makes you unhappy, you can tell your sister."

Mengmeng nodded vigorously.

"Meow meow meow—"

Suddenly, a meowing sound came from the sky.

Mengmeng lifted her head from Ye Yuntang's arms and got up to walk towards the bathroom.

"Recently, Xiaobai has been making noises in the bathroom all the time, I don't know what's wrong with him."

Sometimes he would call her so much that she couldn't sleep well at night.

Ye Yuntang followed Mengmeng into the bathroom.

Xiaobai is a stray cat that Mengmeng picked up, and she has been feeding and caring for it for more than half a year.

It was squatting by the bathroom wall, scratching the wall vigorously with its paws.

Mengmeng stepped forward, wanting to take Xiaobai out, but Xiaobai cried even more urgently.

The sound was rather eerie.

"What's wrong with it? Could it have developed bipolar disorder?"

Ye Yuntang told Mengmeng to put Xiaobai down.

After being freed, Xiaobai started scratching the wall again with its claws.

Ye Yuntang walked over and approached the wall.

She is a forensic pathologist, and her sense of smell is more acute than that of the average person.

A faint, yet undeniable, stench of decay wafted into my nostrils.

The hairs on the back of Ye Yuntang's neck stood on end instantly.

She straightened up and glanced at the bathroom wall.

It's obvious that the tiles on this wall are brighter than the tiles on the other walls, and the grout lines around the edges are also newer.

"Mengmeng, take Xiaobai out." Ye Yuntang's expression turned serious.

Mengmeng didn't know what had happened, but she sensed something was wrong and quickly carried Xiaobai out of the bathroom.

Ye Yuntang took out her phone and made a call.

Several tens of minutes later.

The sirens blared.

Xiao Lin arrived with officers from the Criminal Investigation Division.

Xiao Lin was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt today, with the top two buttons undone. His eyebrows and eyes were cold and sharp, and he exuded a powerful aura.

The moment Mengmeng saw Xiao Lin, she was frightened by his aura.

She hid behind Ye Yuntang, "Sis, are they police officers? What's going on?"

Ye Yuntang comforted Mengmeng for a few moments, then handed her his car keys. "Take Xiaobai to my car and wait there."

Xiao Lin approached Ye Yuntang. "What's going on?"

Ye Yuntang pointed to the wall where she smelled the odor, her delicate eyebrows furrowed, and said, "The smell is faint, but it's definitely the stench of a corpse."

Xiao Lin's expression suddenly darkened. He waved to the technicians behind him who were wearing protective gear, "Demolish the wall, be careful, and preserve the traces at the scene."

When the wall was being demolished, Ye Yuntang was pulled back a bit by Xiao Lin.

Ye Yuntang glanced at Xiao Lin, her gaze landing on his sharply defined profile. "Captain Xiao, don't get physical."

Xiao Lin: "I was just worried you'd get hit by a brick, that's all."

Ye Yuntang gave a slight smile, "I know you have no opinion, after all, you like being cuckolded."

Xiao Lin, "..."

The impact drill emitted a deafening buzzing sound. Ye Yuntang went outside and called Xiao Wei, asking her to bring her toolbox over.

Xiao Lin stood outside the bathroom, watching intently. As the bricks crumbled away bit by bit, a strong, rotten smell wafted out.

It has a very pungent smell.

Inside the wall, a decaying corpse was curled up, its skin a dirty green, some of its tissues softened and detached, and its facial features blurred into a mass.

The technicians demolishing the wall couldn't stand the smell and instinctively took several steps back.

Mengmeng was always curious about what was in the bathroom, and she wanted to go in and check it out several times.

Ye Yuntang pulled her back, saying, "Curiosity killed the cat."

"Sis, if you don't let me see, my heart feels like it's being scratched by cat claws."

Ye Yuntang didn't stop Mengmeng anymore. Mengmeng ran inside and took a look.

Upon seeing this, she was completely stunned.

It was...it was a corpse!

Good heavens!

She had been renting here for almost half a year, and she was living with a corpse every day.

Oh my god, that's terrifying!

Mengmeng's legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground.

"Sister, sister..." Mengmeng felt like vomiting when she smelled the pungent stench, but she couldn't vomit.

She was so scared she almost cried.

Ye Yuntang walked over and helped Mengmeng up from the ground. "I told you not to come in and look."

Mengmeng's legs went weak, and Ye Yuntang helped her back into the car. "Sister, I won't become a criminal suspect, will I? I... I haven't killed anyone!"

Ye Yuntang gently comforted Mengmeng, "That body was bricked into the wall, it's been there for at least two years, you're not a suspect."

Mengmeng nodded, her lips trembling. "Sister, I'm so scared."

"It's okay, I'm here."

After Xiao Wei arrived, Ye Yuntang put on sterile gloves and a mask, took the suitcase, and walked into the house.

When Mengmeng saw Ye Yuntang's tall and slender back, her eyes revealed endless admiration.

Her sister is so cool, so sassy, ​​so brave!