Yun Qingxue stood motionless, not reaching out to take the bouquet Cang Yan offered her. She truly couldn’t fathom what his intentions were in doing all this.
These gestures, which seemed like typical courtship tactics to woo a girl, when employed by someone as cunning, treacherous, and scheming as Cang Yan, made it incredibly hard to believe they were merely innocent romantic overtures.
Cang Yan frowned, his hand still extended with the bouquet. “Qingxue, do you not like these flowers?” he asked.
“These flowers were plucked from their branches at the peak of their bloom. Do you really think I should be happy about that? Or are you trying to imply something with such an act?” Yun Qingxue retorted coldly.
Cang Yan’s previously smiling expression stiffened instantly.
Qing Yan, who had been following behind Cang Yan, suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.
He had only thought to ask the maids and women what they liked and how to please a girl, completely forgetting that the person His Majesty was trying to woo was the Flower King of the Flora Tribe! Sending jewels and silks earlier could be considered a way to charm a beauty, but presenting freshly plucked bouquets afterward? That wasn’t an attempt to please—it was outright provocation!
Never mind that the Flower King’s true form was a Star-Blue Peony. As the ruler of all flora in the Three Realms, whether sentient or not, the act of wantonly plucking blooming flowers and presenting them to her was tantamount to harming her subjects!
And His Majesty had just asked if she liked the flowers…
If some foreigner were to behead a beastkin and present the head as a gift to His Majesty, how would he feel about that?!
“They say flowers are meant for beauties, but it seems I was careless. Qingxue, don’t overthink it,” Cang Yan said soothingly, forming a hand seal.
The flowers in the courtyard seemed to respond to an unseen force, lifting into the air and flying out of the palace grounds.
Cang Yan took Yun Qingxue’s hand and soared into the sky, chasing after the departing blossoms.
The flowers had been taken from the Beast Clan’s royal garden. With Cang Yan’s spell, they returned to their stems, reattaching as if never plucked.
Hovering midair with Yun Qingxue, Cang Yan smiled. “Well? Are you satisfied now?”
Yun Qingxue curled her lips into a faint, insincere smile. “Such formidable magic truly grants one the privilege of caprice…”
Her words still carried an unmistakable edge of resentment.
“Did you like the jewels and silks I sent earlier?” Cang Yan attempted to change the subject. The flower fiasco had been a blunder, but surely gifting precious treasures was beyond reproach!
“They’re too extravagant!” Yun Qingxue replied calmly. “I’ve done nothing to deserve such generosity. The Beast King’s lavish gifts only leave me uneasy.”
“In my eyes, no treasure compares to you, Qingxue,” Cang Yan murmured, gazing at her with deep affection in his azure eyes. It was the first time he’d ever spoken such words to a woman, and he found himself oddly lightheaded.
Was this… some kind of spell? Did sweet nothings have a physical effect, making one’s heart race and cheeks burn?
Yun Qingxue lowered her eyes without responding. Of course she was precious—whoever won her would gain legitimate control over the entire Flora Tribe. Compared to that, a few chests of jewels and silks were trivial.
This was Cang Yan’s first time confessing his feelings to a woman, and he waited foolishly for her reaction…
Yet after a long silence, Yun Qingxue didn’t even spare him a glance.
No reaction. Did that mean she didn’t reciprocate? Cang Yan’s brow furrowed in displeasure, his hopeful expression fading. The fluttering sensations from his confession ebbed away like a receding tide.
A gentle breeze carried the fragrance of flowers through the air.
“You don’t like me?” Beating around the bush was pointless. Cang Yan narrowed his eyes dangerously, gripping Yun Qingxue’s wrist and forcing her to meet his gaze.
Startled by his sudden aggression, Yun Qingxue’s eyes flickered with unease.
Couldn’t they just talk things out? Resorting to force—how very Beast King of him!
Of course I don’t like you. I’m not insane enough to fall for someone who sees me as a pawn! Yun Qingxue thought bitterly, though she managed a soft smile. “Why do you ask, Cang Yan?”
“Then do you like me?” Cang Yan’s piercing blue eyes bore into her.
Yun Qingxue gave a faint laugh. “Liking someone is a serious matter. You’re asking so abruptly—shouldn’t I take time to understand my own feelings?”
Cang Yan’s gaze darkened. “Then think carefully. I’ll wait right here for your answer.”
“I need time,” Yun Qingxue said, feigning shyness as she faced his domineering stance.
“Mm.” Cang Yan acknowledged but made no further move.
Faced with the Beast King’s unyielding attitude—like it or not, she’d better like him—Yun Qingxue took a deep breath. “How about I give you my answer tomorrow?”
Cang Yan studied her intently…
Yun Qingxue grew uneasy under his scrutiny. She didn’t like him, and she couldn’t bring herself to lie. If she falsely claimed affection now, given their statuses, even if she escaped the Beast Clan later, Cang Yan could twist her words into a binding promise between rulers and use it against her. She’d be the one blamed for betrayal.
“You have one hour,” Cang Yan said coldly. He wasn’t fooled by her stalling. Her reluctance spoke volumes.
Her evasiveness unsettled him. His question had been impulsive, but now he needed her explicit commitment.
“In one hour, I want you—as the Flower King—to tell me whether you like me or not!”
With a wave of his hand, the once-lush royal garden was ravaged into a wasteland.
This was an unmistakable threat.
Cornered by Cang Yan’s aggression, Yun Qingxue was at a loss.
Should she yield and swear affection as the Flower King? That would be handing him the reins to control her.
Or should she defiantly declare her dislike?
One glance at the decimated garden made it clear: a single “no” would reduce her to the same fate.
Though she’d befriended Xiao Xiaoxiao, a ghostly envoy from the underworld, that realm was no paradise—once you entered, there was no return. Best to avoid it if possible…
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