The Birth Of A Villainess

Lin Xiaofei didn't have an idea as to what he meant by those words even after they arrived in the garden.

Qu Xing Xu said that he replaced the flowers with something better but all she can see was a bed of flowers and other plans that lay on the ground, looking up at the creatures that can trample them and kill them anytime they want.

"Brother Qu Xing Xu, there isn't that much that changed here." Bai Jia Li commented as she walked ahead of Qu Xing Xu and Lin Xiaofei.

Even the Elders who were behind couldn't stop raising their eyebrows in wonder what changed in the garden. Although there's a different flower before them, they still expected the young Duke to have placed something more interesting.

Something like a library or a fish pond.

Mo Ting walked towards Qu Xing Xu and was about to ask him what was so good with looking at flowers when he heard him say…

"Oh, something did change actually." Qu Xing Xu said.. He saw Bai Jia Li reaching her hand out to touch the flower which took her attention and said, "For example that one your hand is about to touch. That one is a Larkspur, a poisonous flower."

"You're jesting." Bai Jia Li laughed and didn't believe him.

"Am I now?" Qu Xing Xu said with a smile.

Bai Jia Li still wanted to think that he was just teasing her but the smile on Qu Xing Xu's lips somehow brought her to pull her hand back.

As if she touched boiling water, Bai Jia Li stepped a few steps backward as she swallowed her saliva.

She could feel her heart racing inside her as her hand almost touched the flower.

Larkspur is a deadly plant from the Northern region. Just a brief contact with its flower or even the leaves, one would feel their body itching and burning. And if one were to taste it, a sure death will only wait upon you.

Such a poisonous flower and yet, how did it get a place inside the Qu residence? Of course, it was no doubt that it was the young Duke's wish to have this flower planted in his garden.

Not only that, but all the flowers that the Bai sisters loved and used as an excuse to get closer to him were also rid off and replaced with deadlier flowers or plants.

"Did you like it?" Qu Xing Xu suddenly asked Lin Xiaofei who had a conflicted expression on her face.

She looked at him and saw how his eyes sparkling like that of a puppy waiting for its owner to praise him.

His hand was still dangerously on her lower back and she could feel his thumb drawing circles. Unconsciously, she could feel the hairs at the back of her neck standing up.

Stepping to the side to gain a bit of space between them, she said, "It is… alright."

"Alright is also good." Qu Xing Xu didn't take any offense at her lack of obsequious flattery at his effort to make sure that she would like the flowers he replaced with the previous ones.

The last time he saw her handling a poison, it was an intestinal rupturing herb. And with that in thought, Qu Xing Xu considered planting more poisonous herbs aside from the flowers and leaves in the garden.

The only problem was that Lin Xiaofei had other thoughts on the flowers. Was he trying to threaten me with these flowers? That he could easily poison her if she ended up betraying him? Lin Xiaofei became worried as she didn't expect him to be this ruthless.

But on the second thought, Lin Xiaofei was glad that there was an available place for her to take poisonous herbs. Maybe, she could use steal some and keep it so, she can use it for him later.

Raising her head, Lin Xiaofei didn't realize that Qu Xing Xu was already beside her. Leading her to another place.

Instead of going back to the hallways where they first went to take a tour of the residence, Lin Xiaofei's eyes landed on the wide courtyard near the garden. Instead of the usual vermilion or brown pillars that she was used to seeing in the Lin residence and almost at every residence she's fortunate to step onto, the courtyard before her only had black and white color schemes.

The pillars and sets of doors were painted with black lacquer while the walls were white. She didn't get caught of any hint of other colors other than the two.

However, instead of looking gloomy and desolate, Lin Xiaofei thought that the colors were gentle to the eyes.

"Where is this?" She couldn't stop herself from asking. Her tone carried a sound of fascination towards the uniqueness of the courtyard.

Qu Xing Xu, who has been observing her reactions and movements didn't let the sparkles in her eyes go unnoticed and said, "This is my courtyard."

He saw her open her mouth but there was no sound coming out of it. Then, he said, "And yours."

"What do you… mean by that?"

And without waiting for her to get angry at him or kick him in the sheen, Qu Xing Xu pulled her forward, away from the others and enough for him to talk without letting the Elders hear what he was about to say.

"Don't get angry first." He told her. "I made this arrangement to ensure that we can look at each other's back and our actions wouldn't be questioned by others. The Elders might act like fools right now but they will soon become suspicious of us."

Lin Xiaofei took a quick glance behind them and saw the Elders beaming at her with their hands waving. She couldn't imagine them being suspicious of her and Qu Xing Xu. However, one couldn't be too sure with her presumption as she only got to meet them today and besides, they wouldn't be the Elders of the Qu if they weren't meticulous and outstanding people.