44. Chapter 44: Scheming 4

Her carefully prepared speech had actually been interrupted. Hen Queqian was quite displeased, but considering that this person was Luo Li, whom she had tricked so miserably, Hen Queqian decided to forgive her.

"Well, simply put, I've cultivated countless flowers since I was a child, and this is the only one that ever bloomed—the most enchanting flower in all the world. So, I plucked it just to give to you!"

"Beauties are matched with fresh blooms; only after being set off by your presence does this flower appear even more enchanting. Besides, it represents more than a decade of my painstaking effort! What do you think, touched? Are you in tears?"

Hen Queqian spoke eloquently, finally looking at Luo Li with hopeful eyes, waiting for praise.

Luo Li was left between laughter and tears, and Luo Nongyou’s lips twitched as well. Seeing his own wife being played for a fool, the First Elder was utterly furious and stepped forward, intending to give Hen Queqian a severe reprimand. However, he was held back by Hen Ruochen, who was desperately trying to suppress his laughter.

Since ancient times, green leaves were meant to serve as a foil to enhance the beauty of flowers. But having a woman far more enchanting than any flower act as a foil for a bloom was something only Hen Queqian could conceive. Furthermore, making her serve as the backdrop for an ugly, botched creation smeared entirely with glue, its central petals crushed, and a bizarre red berry jammed right in the middle—that, too, was uniquely Hen Queqian's masterpiece.

"Over the past ten years, out of countless attempts, this is the only one that bloomed. What about all the others?" As soon as Luo Li asked this, a terrible premonition instantly gripped her heart.

Hen Queqian's words proved that Luo Li's sixth sense was by no means false.

Hen Queqian finally managed to show a rare trace of embarrassment, offering a dry laugh as she replied, "They all died! But those aren't the point. The point is that you arrived, and it bloomed. Moreover, it's the only flower in over a decade, the fruit of my blood and sweat! Besides, fulfilling your exact request, I went through great difficulty to glue the red berry you wanted right on top..."

Crack, crack. Luo Li wouldn't have been quite so furious if the red berry hadn't been brought up. What was originally supposed to be iced plum fruit shaved ice had somehow turned into this nauseatingly hideous monstrosity.

If not for her years of proper upbringing, Luo Li would have slammed this wretched flower directly onto Hen Queqian's detestable face. Even so, she couldn't completely contain her temper and finally roared at Hen Queqian:

"Hen Queqian, you are an absolute bastard, a complete and utter bastard! Elder Luo, let's postpone canceling the engagement for now. We're leaving!" With an angry shout, Luo Li stormed out furiously, dragging Luo Nongyou along with her.

Seeing this, Hen Queqian muttered with a grievance so profound: "Women, oh women, truly beyond saving!"

Thinking it was all over, Hen Queqian was about to secretly rejoice that Luo Li had forgotten to leave behind the martial arts manual and the two bottles of medicinal pills. However, just a few steps outside the main hall, Luo Li suddenly remembered.

She turned around, glared fiercely at Hen Queqian, and marched back toward the items on the table with a huff. Hen Ruochen and the others tactfully stepped aside. They simply didn't have skin as thick as Hen Queqian's.

Left with no choice, Hen Queqian had to step up personally, sprinting over and slamming her hand down heavily on the box just as Luo Li reached for it.

Luo Li glared angrily at Hen Queqian and demanded, "What are you trying to do again? Let go of your hand, or don't blame me for being unpolite!"

"What do you mean let go! You took advantage of me without paying, and you ate my shaved ice without paying either. Consider this as repayment for your debts! So these belong to me and shouldn't be taken away by you!" Hen Queqian refused to back down an inch!