Chapter 84

Morning arrived, sunlight filtering through the gaps in the curtains and washing the room in a warm, golden hue. Xu Huan opened her eyes slowly, her consciousness still blurred. She shifted slightly and felt a warm breath beside her, realizing only then that she was being held tightly in Pei Cheng’s arms. Her gaze fell inadvertently upon the rose tattoo on his forearm, and she paused. That night on the mountain, the darkness had been too thick for her to notice, and in his daily life, Pei Cheng always wore long-sleeved shirts that kept the ink thoroughly concealed. Now, with the morning sun illuminating it, the rose’s lines were vivid and lifelike. Xu Huan’s fingertips traced the texture of the flower, the delicate sensation making her heart flutter. Involuntarily, she pressed her hand to her own left breast. There was a rose there, too. But unlike Pei Cheng’s—his, a bud waiting to bloom—hers was fully opened, passionate and bold. The two roses, one budding and one in bloom, seemed to silently speak of a hidden resonance.