Chapter 62: The Violent Bloom

“It’s so hot today.”

“It must be over forty degrees, right?”

Meng Ting squinted at the blazing sun hanging in the sky—it burned like it would never stop. Sweat instantly beaded on his forehead. He quickly ducked back inside. Looking worriedly into the makeup mirror at the dazzling face reflected there, he asked, “Can you even shoot in this weather?”

Qin Mang, who had a heat-sensitive body and didn’t sweat easily, was already struggling in an air-conditioned room—let alone shooting on a sun-exposed rooftop.

Wearing a vivid red dress, she kept her eyes closed while the makeup artist gently brushed setting powder across her refined features. She ignored Meng Ting.

He had already offended her during the last video shoot. Even a rich lady has her moods!

The makeup artist chuckled, “This year’s weather is weird. Normally it would’ve cooled down a bit by now. Good thing Ms. Qin’s face can handle light makeup—sweating only makes her skin look more radiant.”

Otherwise, with a red dress like this, she’d need heavy makeup to match it on camera. But Qin Mang had stunning, high-contrast features—flawless bone structure and skin.

Feeling ignored, Meng Ting clapped and praised her, “Now I finally understand what it means to be a divine masterpiece.”

The makeup artist agreed. With a face like Qin Mang’s, makeup artists barely had anything to do. She added, “We must do a peach blossom look for you someday! Your eyes are perfect for it.”

Meng Ting nodded quickly, “Next time on the red carpet—peach blossom look! Our queen will outshine every global actress.”

Qin Mang finally opened her eyes lazily, her gaze tinged with sarcasm.

“All this talk of outshining—Meng Ting, your heart’s as black as Shen Wanyin’s.”

Meng Ting: “!” Being compared to Shen Wanyin—that’s brutal!

“If I compliment you again, I’m an idiot!”

Qin Mang thought she was used to the heat after so many shoots. But— Once she got to the rooftop in forty-degree heat, she realized it could get even worse. She felt wilted even before they started filming.

“Let’s hurry—aim for a one-take shot!” The director shouted through a megaphone.

Even the tough crew couldn’t handle the heat!

Qin Mang quickly got into character. She was used to intense work like this—bearable. As soon as the director shouted “Action,” she immersed herself in the character.

“Beautiful!”

“One more—bad angle.”

“OK, that’s perfect.”

It was scorching. The director originally planned to shoot more, but when crew members started getting dizzy, he waved it off.

“That’s it for today.”

He led the team downstairs, fanning himself.

“It’s too hot! Get me some iced tea!”

His assistant ran off to help.

No one noticed that smoke had started to rise from the rooftop’s small generator room—completely hidden behind layers of dried roses.

Qin Mang lowered her lashes. The crew began detaching the harness from her.

“All done, Ms. Qin.”

The crew turned to tidy up the set.

Just then— Someone shouted, “Holy crap! Fire!”

“Fire! Get water!”

But the rooftop had no water, and everything was flammable dried flowers. There was no way to extinguish it. The only option—get downstairs fast.

Everyone’s first reaction: “Run!”

Right after shooting a major scene, Qin Mang’s lashes were still damp. She looked up instinctively. Flames were racing through the piles of roses—

The fire spread in an instant, devouring the dried roses. Qin Mang froze, her mind flashing back to when her father set himself ablaze in a garden of tulips.

That gentle and dignified man, so proud like her, smiled in relief— But standing at the gate, seven-year-old Qin Mang clearly saw the madness in his eyes.

Even though his daughter—connected by blood to the woman he loved—stood outside, Qin Han still walked into the burning tulip garden without hesitation.

Her body trembled uncontrollably. It was like her soul was trapped in that inferno.

As people fled, a staff member yelled, “Everyone, get out of here!”

That brief moment of hesitation left Qin Mang standing alone near the railing, missing her best chance to escape.

“Ms. Qin!”

“Come on, hurry!” Someone shouted from the exit.

Qin Mang snapped out of it.

“Don’t worry about me. You go first!”

Seeing a staff member trying to run back to help her, Qin Mang noticed the fear and hesitation in his eyes. As she removed the loosened equipment from her body, she shouted harshly at him. He stomped his foot in frustration but ultimately turned and ran without looking back.

At the brink of life and death, Qin Mang never felt anyone had the responsibility or obligation to risk their life to save her. No one would save her. But she didn’t want to die. She still had so much to do.

She hadn't yet brought the Best Actress trophy to her mother's grave to tell her that her lifelong dream—her daughter had fulfilled it. She hadn't yet found a “partner” for her uncle, so he wouldn’t spend the rest of his life alone with no one to share the wealth he worked so hard for. And she hadn’t had the chance to ask the man who abandoned her why he brought her into the world only to leave her behind.

Today, Qin Mang wore a flowing red dress. The hem was caught in the flames of dried roses burning on the ground. She bit her lip, forced herself to stay calm, and with trembling fingers, tore the silky skirt along her thigh.

In the next second, The torn fabric was consumed by the flames— Reduced to ash.

Without looking back, she ran toward the emergency exit.

Under the blazing sun, The rooftop fire raged across the massive field of dried red roses, spreading downward. Even the stairwell was filled with roses prepared for set decoration—what once looked dreamy and romantic now felt like a death sentence.

The girl in the red dress ran ahead, With wild flames chasing behind her.

The fire on the rooftop was clearly visible to those outside. The blaze spread too fast. Everyone fled—no one dared to go back in.

…

The director didn’t learn about the fire until he had gone downstairs. He immediately called for rescue.

Then he saw the entire crew rushing out and sighed in relief, “Is everyone out? No injuries?”

The next moment—

“Wait—Miss Qin hasn’t come out?”

“That’s right!”

“She was the last one inside!”

Someone cried out, “With a fire this intense, if she’s still inside, she probably can’t make it out!” “Someone go in and save her!”

“We’ve called for help—tell them to hurry!”

“How did this fire even start?!”

Chaos erupted all around.

Just then, A black helicopter landed not far away. A man in black combat boots and camo pants stepped out, his strong figure striding through wild grass toward the fiery set ablaze with roses.

From above, he hadn’t seen clearly— Only a rooftop filled with roses. But now He Lingji (贺泠霁) realized thick black smoke was pouring from an old, dilapidated building.

Fleeing crew members streamed out alongside the smoke.

His eyes darkened.

“Qin Mang didn’t come out?”

His deep, cool voice cut clearly through the noise.

Meng Ting saw him immediately and rushed over.

“President He!”

“Yes, she’s still inside.”

“The place is full of flammable roses.”

“She should have come down by now. She must be trapped by the smoke!”

His explanation was rushed, but he got the point across.

In the distance, sirens wailed— The rescue team was arriving. Hope flickered in everyone’s eyes.

The location was remote but near a creek. People were pouring water in an attempt to slow the fire—any little bit helped. But no one knew how bad it was inside. Smoke kept pouring out.

He Lingji didn’t hesitate. The helicopter had emergency gear onboard. He soaked a heavy coat with water and carried it into the smoking building.

Everyone was shocked. Some recognized him.

“President He?!”

“Oh my god, he went in?”

“It’s too dangerous!”

“Stop him!”

“With a fire like this, no one can survive! President He, don’t—”

His cold gray-blue eyes silenced the actress who said "no one can survive." No one else dared try to stop him.

…

Meanwhile, Qin Mang was lucky— She had found the hospital’s emergency shelter. Though the place was old, the shelter was usable and still smoke-free. For now, it was the safest spot in the entire building.

As her consciousness faded, her dark eyes dimmed— Her mind drifted to thoughts of her poor uncle. Losing his parents in childhood, then his sister-in-law, almost losing his brother… Now this brother was barely alive—and he might lose his only niece too.

How tragic.

She murmured, “Uncle’s life is too tragic…”

As memories flashed before her eyes, the last image to appear was He Lingji’s face— Sometimes cold as ice, sometimes gently warm.

She had so many things she hadn’t yet told He Lingji.

“Qin Mang?”

“Where are you?”

That familiar voice pierced through the chaos. She instinctively responded, “I’m… here.”

She struggled to open her eyes, searching for him.

Trapped in a sea of fire and burning roses, Through the crack in the door, She saw He Lingji walking through fire like a god descending from the heavens, searching for her.

“Qin Mang.”

“Qin Mang.”

His voice was hoarse from the smoke— But steady.

To Qin Mang, it was like a divine voice that shook her soul.

He sensed something, turned sharply, and without hesitation, pushed open the heavy door.

Her dim eyes lit up instantly. Her lips trembled. She mouthed, “I’m here…”

Even when choosing to risk the fire, He Lingji remained calm and rational. But the moment he saw her— Even with her face dirty and dress torn, her suddenly brightened eyes made his calm heart beat out of control.

Each beat louder than the last. Like a seed breaking through the dark sea floor, blooming into a burning flower that scorched his heart and soul.

That’s why he, knowing he had work the next day, still wore the camo pants she liked and flew the helicopter there. That’s why he didn’t hesitate to charge into a firestorm.

Qin Mang murmured, “Why am I dreaming of you again?”

Wasn’t she about to die?

This time, He Lingji stepped forward and held her hand.

“It’s not a dream.”

Her mind cleared a bit. Trembling and with cracked lips, she shouted: “Why did you come here?”

“You could die!”

She grasped his soot-stained arm, burned earlier by a flaming rose.

He bent down, Covered her with the soaked coat, then—as if it were nothing—lifted her into his arms.

Kicking away burning debris with his boots, He carried her through the fiery hallway of roses.

Her voice trembled, and he chuckled hoarsely, “Isn’t this romantic?”

“What’s romantic about this?”

Qin Mang’s emotions broke through.

“You’re insane!”

Step by steady step, He Lingji avoided the worst flames, holding her firmly. Crushing scattered flames beneath his boots, his rough voice remained calm, teasing her: “After all, dying by roses—it’s poetic.”

His voice was so steady, one could barely tell the risk he was taking. Qin Mang hadn’t cried when she was trapped. Hadn’t cried when she thought she’d die. But now—when he was still trying to comfort her—

Tears rolled down her soot-covered cheeks like broken pearls, falling into his palm. Using her last strength, she said: “Who wants—who wants to die with you…”

She didn’t want to die with him. And she didn’t want him— To die.

He gently touched the corner of her eye.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll take you out.”

That was the last thing she heard before losing consciousness.

By then, the rescue team had arrived, Quickly beginning firefighting operations.

When they learned someone had gone in voluntarily, the team leader shouted, “Reckless!”

“This is insane!”

“With a fire this intense, there’s no time to run—someone went in?”

“Why didn’t you stop them?”

“Why let them act out like this?”

The director was near collapse.

“We couldn’t stop him!”

Flames engulfed the hospital. Smoke poured out. Everyone recalled the man once considered cold, noble, and untouchable— Always calm, composed, distant.

Yet now, he had made a shocking decision.

Meng Ting collapsed on his knees in front of a Buddha statue that had been saved. He prayed, “Please, Buddha, protect Miss Qin and President He.”

“I’ll go vegetarian for ten years.”

“Please.” “Miss Qin, if you come back, I’ll praise your beauty every day.”

“I’ll write 10,000 words a day if I have to.”

A Tong stared into the smoke-filled fire, unable to even see the exit— But praying to every god and spirit he could think of.

Then suddenly— A Tong jumped up and shouted, “They’re out! They’re out!”

Everyone looked— Amid the burning roses and swirling smoke, A graceful man carried a girl with a burned red dress out of the building.

Though disheveled, the scene looked like a beautiful, tragic painting.

As He Lingji fully emerged, A Tong’s gaze dropped—and his voice trembled:

“Fire—put out the fire!”

Red flames were crawling up his legs— Like the fiercest bloom atop a glacier.

—

Let me know if you'd like a shorter summary or specific parts translated in a different tone.