Zhu Yanyi leaned close to Zhang Yan’s ear and whispered a few words. Zhang Yan looked slightly surprised but nodded. “I’ll go handle it with Tiandu right away.” She took the roses from Zhu Yanyi and left.
“Did you ask Zhang Yan to return the roses to the hotel?” Gu Jingtian asked casually.
“Yes, she went to the hotel,” Zhu Yanyi smiled, though her expression held a hint of mystery.
“Little Junior Sister, if you only like roses for their effects, why did you have Zhang Yan buy so many?” Dong Bo’cao asked curiously.
“Demon Senior Brother, did you forget what I just said? In ancient times, roses symbolized assassins.” She smiled lightly again. Whether Dong Bo’cao understood her meaning was none of her concern; she had no intention of explaining further.
Dong Bo’cao was completely baffled, but seeing that Zhu Yanyi had no plans to elaborate, she didn’t press the matter.
“Actually, the best roses come from Yunnan Province. People there even eat them as snacks,” Yu Qingyun said.
Qu Zhong nodded beside him. “That’s right. When I was young, I visited Yunnan and saw how much they loved roses. They didn’t just grow them; they ate them too. It’s said roses are good for beauty. Little Junior Sister, if you have time, you could try making rose juice. It’s great for skincare, something all girls need.”
Zhu Yanyi raised an eyebrow slightly. “Roses are quite versatile. They can be used in herbal medicine or medicinal meals. Adding a few rose petals to women’s health dishes is indeed a good idea.”
“Can Little Junior Sister make them?” Dong Bo’cao asked, thinking of her cooking skills and feeling hungry.
Zhu Yanyi snorted and laughed. “Demon Senior Brother, you don’t need to beat around the bush if you want to eat. When we return to the capital, I’ll cook for you again. I promise you’ll be full.”
“To be honest, Little Junior Sister’s cooking is really good. I wonder who will be lucky enough to marry her in the future,” Qu Zhong sighed.
“Second Brother,” Gu Jingtian said disapprovingly. “Little Junior Sister is only fourteen. Fourteen! She’s still a minor. It’s too early to talk about this.”
“It is a bit early,” Qu Zhong chuckled. She had indeed thought too much. Mostly, Zhu Yanyi’s usual behavior didn’t seem like that of a child.
“Hello, everyone.” The six seniors and juniors were still talking when several representatives from Country Y approached. Deng Qing held a bouquet of roses in his hand.
“What’s the occasion today? Why is everyone buying roses?” Zhu Ziming asked casually.
Deng Qing looked at the roses in his hand. “I saw these roses at the flower shop over there. They looked fresh and nice, so I bought some. Did any of you buy roses too?”
Dong Bo’cao pointed at Zhu Yanyi. “Our Little Junior Sister saw roses at the Western restaurant where we had dinner. She liked them, so she had someone buy a bouquet and send it to the hotel. I didn’t expect you to buy one too.”
“Roses are the flower of love. Miss Zhu likes them too. We really are kindred spirits,” Deng Qing said directly, with a hint of joy in his eyes.
Zhu Yanyi rubbed her arm. “No, don’t be so cheesy. I don’t want to be kindred spirits with you. Besides, to me, roses are just medicinal herbs. They aren’t flowers of love at all. Our ideas are different, so there’s no such thing as being kindred spirits. Don’t flatter yourself.”