Roses in Flames

Before leaving, Xiao Lin spoke privately with Grandma A-Lin for a while.

Grandma Alin called him into the room and fumbled in a drawer to take out a jewelry box.

The box was opened, and inside was a beautifully patterned gold bracelet.

A hint of surprise flashed in Xiao Lin's dark eyes. He leaned close to the old woman's ear and asked, "Grandma, why did you take out the bracelet?"

Grandma grasped Xiao Lin's hand and placed the jewelry box into his large palm.

"All the money you've given me over the years, I haven't been able to spend. I saved it up and had my aunt pick it out at the jewelry store." Grandma patted Xiao Lin's hand, "thinking that one day when you bring your girlfriend home, I'll give it to her."

Hearing his grandmother's words, Xiao Lin felt a lump in his throat. He grasped the old woman's hand tightly, "I gave you money so you could eat and drink well, why don't you use it yourself?"

"You've taken such good care of Grandma's food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, how could Grandma possibly spend this much money?" The old woman smiled kindly. "I like that girl Xiaotang. Call her in, Grandma wants to put it on her herself."

Xiao Lin pressed down on the old woman's shoulder and said in a low, hoarse voice, "Grandma, Xiao Tang isn't my girlfriend yet. I'm still pursuing her."

Grandma Alin paused for a moment, then patted Xiao Lin's arm. "Then you'd better work hard. Xiao Tang is a good girl, kind-hearted, and friendly. Grandma likes her very much."

Xiao Lin hummed in agreement, closed the jewelry box, and handed it back to the old man. "Once I've won her over, I'll bring her here again, and you can put it on her then, okay?"

"Okay, Grandma is waiting for good news from her eldest grandson."

Xiao Lin could no longer hold back and gently hugged his grandmother.

Grandma hugged him back and gently patted his back a few times with her aged hand.

"Ah Lin, promise Grandma you'll be happier from now on. Grandma will live well, eat well, and sleep well, and try not to be a burden to you. Grandma still wants to see you get married and have children, and she still wants to hold her great-grandchild."

The old man's words were like a warm current flowing through Xiao Lin's heart.

He nodded vigorously. "Grandma, we all need to be well."

……

Xiao Lin drove Ye Yuntang back to the city.

Ye Yuntang was sitting in the passenger seat, replying to messages.

Xiao Lin glanced at Ye Yuntang and, seeing her furrowed brows, asked in a low voice, "Who sent you a message?"

Ye Yuntang pursed her lips. "My mom asked me if I was with you last night and reminded me that if we were, I should be careful about using contraception."

A smile appeared on Xiao Lin's usually cold and resolute face. "It seems Auntie is quite satisfied with me."

Ye Yuntang glared at Xiao Lin, annoyed. "My mom isn't satisfied with you, she respects my opinion. As long as her daughter likes it and is willing to do it, she won't say anything."

Xiao Lin raised an eyebrow. "If you have feelings for Shen Yan, will your aunt support you?"

"My mom used to praise my senior, saying he seemed more reliable than Fu Shili."

Xiao Lin's facial features tightened, and he stopped speaking.

Ye Yuntang was deliberately teasing the man; she loved seeing his sour, jealous expression—it was just too funny.

Seeing Ye Yuntang looking at him with a bright smile, Xiao Lin freed one of his large hands from the steering wheel and flicked her nose. "You're just trying to annoy me."

The tip of my nose, brushed by his long fingers, felt like it was being brushed by a feather, leaving a slightly tingling sensation.

Ye Yuntang couldn't help but widen her smile.

The two chatted and laughed all the way, and the one-hour drive passed quickly.

When they were still a few hundred meters away from the office, Ye Yuntang asked Xiao Lin to stop the car.

"Just drop me off here."

Xiao Lin stopped the car and looked at Ye Yuntang. "Afraid of being seen?"

Ye Yuntang nodded, "It's best if we avoid each other at work."

He understood her concerns and didn't say anything more.

After unbuckling his seatbelt, he suddenly leaned towards her.

Looking at the man's handsome face so close to hers, Ye Yuntang suddenly froze.

"What...are you doing?"

He was so close to her that their breaths mingled, and the atmosphere suddenly became ambiguous.

Xiao Lin looked at her fluttering long eyelashes and slightly pursed red lips, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I want to..."

Before he could finish speaking, she interrupted him, "Don't even think about it! You already pushed your luck last night!"

Who pursues someone and kisses them every day?

What's the difference between this and actually catching up with someone?

A snap.

The sound of the seatbelt being unbuckled rang out.

"I wanted to unbuckle your seatbelt." The man flicked her forehead with his finger. "Forensic Doctor Ye, what are you thinking?"

Ye Yuntang raised her long eyelashes and saw the playful and mischievous expression in the man's narrow black eyes. She stretched out her hands and pushed him away in embarrassment and annoyance.

This guy is definitely doing it on purpose!

When he leaned closer just now, the way he looked at her wasn't innocent.

"Goodbye." She pushed open the car door and got out angrily.

Xiao Lin rolled down the car window, watched the woman get out of the car and walk quickly forward, and a charming smile appeared on his lips. "See you tonight, Forensic Doctor Ye."

……

When Ye Yuntang arrived at the entrance of the Criminal Investigation Team, he heard a loud argument coming from inside.

An elderly woman with graying temples stood in the hall with several simply dressed men. Her face was ashen, and her eyes were red as she shouted, "My son is innocent! How could he possibly harm his own son? Our Zhao family only has one grandson, Jia Shu. My son dotes on him; how could he possibly kill him? What right do you have to detain him so arbitrarily? Release my son immediately!"

The relatives behind the old woman echoed her sentiments, all saying that Zhao Jiashu's father, Zhao Mingyuan, was an honest man and would never kill his own son.

The lobby was in an uproar for a while, and the police officer on duty tried to explain patiently, but couldn't get a word in edgewise.

The old woman became increasingly agitated as she spoke, and suddenly raised her voice, "I've heard that your team has a top investigator named Captain Xiao, and I want to see Captain Xiao!"

The atmosphere was tense when Qin Feng suddenly walked out of the office area.

He stood ramrod straight, his eyes sharp. He glanced at the old woman who was leading the disturbance, and said coldly, "You are the mother of the suspect Zhao Mingyuan, right? Please calm down! This is the Criminal Investigation Team. Making a scene and disturbing the order is obstructing official business, and we have the right to deal with it according to the law."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Police investigations rely on evidence. Since we have summoned Zhao Mingyuan, it means there are clues pointing to him. We will not wrong an innocent person, nor will we let a bad person go free."

The old woman's chest heaved violently as she glared at Qin Feng. "I don't care about any clues! My son has always been honest and law-abiding; he wouldn't even dare kill a chicken. How could he possibly kill his own child? You've made a mistake; you've wronged my son!"

No sooner had the old woman finished speaking than a sharp, sorrowful female voice rang out, "The police didn't wrong Zhao Mingyuan; he's the one who killed my Jiashu!"