My Sweet Little Flower Turned Out to Be a Sinister Ghost - Chapter 42

“Boss Song, I’ve walked back and forth around that school three times now, my legs are sore from all the pacing, but I haven’t even caught a glimpse of that girl Bai Qingyu!”

The man crouched under a roadside plane tree, staring at the chat window, afraid that Song Yuelan might think he was slacking off and demand the prepaid deposit back.

After waiting two minutes without a reply, he tucked his phone into his jacket, casually brushed the dust off his coat as if nothing had happened, and sauntered off to grab a meal.

In the afternoon, Song Yuehua walked to the subway station after school.

The roadside snack stalls were already set up, sizzling starch sausages frying on iron griddles, the sweet aroma of roasted sweet potatoes wafting through the warm air, tempting her steps to slow.

Every time she passed by, she had to fix her gaze on the cracks in the pavement ahead and grip her backpack straps tightly to resist looking back.

Last time, she hadn’t held back, she’d glanced at the roasted sweet potatoes a couple of times, and the vendor’s loud call, “Hey, miss, want one? They’re so sweet the oil drips!” had made her impulsively pull out her money. As a result, Song Yuehua ended up eating a roasted sweet potato on top of her dinner, leaving her so full she couldn’t sleep until midnight.

This time, Song Yuehua was determined to keep her eyes straight ahead. But just as she reached the streetlight, a faint floral scent drifted into her nostrils, softer and more delicate than the greasy smoke from the food stalls.

Her steps unconsciously slowed as she turned her head. Under the warm yellow glow of the streetlamp, an elderly woman sat guarding a bamboo basket filled with bouquets wrapped in clear plastic, droplets of dew still clinging to the covers, clearly freshly set out.

On a small stool beside her lay a few unwrapped fresh flowers, and the elderly woman was carefully trimming the stems of freesias with an old pair of scissors.

Noticing Song Yuehua standing nearby, the elderly woman quickly set down the scissors, wiped her hands on her blue apron, and gestured toward the basket with a smile. “Interested in buying some flowers, miss? Feel free to look, they all came in today, fresh as can be! Perfect for giving to friends, a sweetheart, or even yourself. I even have some suitable for teachers.”

She picked up a bunch of white daisies first. “Earlier this morning, a young lady bought two bunches of daisies for her boss, said she wanted to thank her for the support.”

Song Yuehua’s gaze wandered over the array of flowers before finally settling on a bunch of pale purple lisianthus tucked in the corner of the basket. The edges of the petals shimmered with a gauzy lavender hue, the stems stood straight, and the roots were neatly trimmed, they looked delicate and gentle. She couldn’t help staring a moment longer.

The elderly woman, sharp-eyed, immediately picked up the lisianthus and held it out to her. “You’ve got good taste, miss! Lisianthus suits people best, softer than roses, and they’ll last well over ten days. If you’re giving them to a sweetheart, these are perfect. They’ll think of you every time they see them. How lovely!”

What Song Yuehua had in mind was buying a bouquet to bring back for Bai Qingyu.

But saying it out loud made her ears burn.

She stood still, a little shy.

Seeing her hesitate, the elderly woman thought she might be uncomfortable with the “confession” implication and quickly picked up a nearby bunch of orange ‘Barbie’ roses, adding with a smile, “If you don’t want to give them to someone else, they’re lovely in a vase at home too! This orange is so cheerful, just looking at it in your living room will lift your spirits…”

Worried the elderly woman was about to introduce every flower in the basket, Song Yuehua flusteredly waved her hands, her voice trembling slightly, “No need, Granny! I-I’ll just take the lisianthus!”

“Alright! Coming right up!” The elderly woman’s smile crinkled the corners of her eyes into mere slits as she swiftly fetched a sheet of pale pink wrapping paper. With meticulous care, she enveloped the flowers and tied a loose bow. “These blooms are delicate, handle them gently. They’ll last quite a while if you place them in water once you’re home.”

Song Yuehua paid for the flowers and cradled them closely against her chest. Earlier, when passing by the snack stalls, she had managed to resist the savory aroma of starch sausages and keep walking. But faced with this bouquet of lisianthus, her defenses crumbled completely.

The faint floral scent lingered at the tip of her nose. She glanced down at the bow on the wrapping paper and couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

Worried that the crowded subway might crush the flowers, Song Yuehua decided to hail a taxi instead. And rather than heading straight home, she directed the driver to the company to find Bai Qingyu.

By the time she arrived at the office building, the sky had darkened completely. Streetlights flickered on, and nearly every floor of the building was illuminated. It was no surprise, everyone inside was still working overtime.

Clutching the flowers, Song Yuehua walked familiarly through the lobby and pressed the elevator button.

Many days had passed since the company’s opening. Initially, they had struggled with high employee turnover. But thanks to Bai Qingyu’s extensive recruitment efforts and the attractive salaries and benefits offered, many applicants had flocked to join. After all, job opportunities were scarce these days.

So, after a brief period of persistence from Song Yuelan, Bai Qingyu had successfully hired a suitable team. Now, the company was steadily progressing, though Bai Qingyu had become even busier.

The elevator doors slid open. Song Yuehua swiped her employee card to enter. Most of the staff inside were typing away with their heads down, though a few looked up to greet her. She responded with gentle nods and light footsteps, careful not to disturb anyone.

She gently adjusted the lisianthus petals in her arms, straightening a slightly tilted bloom and smoothing out the wrinkles in the wrapping paper, wanting the flowers to look their freshest.

Taking a deep breath in front of the office door, she raised her hand and knocked three times “knock, knock, knock” her lips curling into a bright smile.

“Come in,” Bai Qingyu’s cool voice sounded from inside, assuming it was a subordinate reporting progress without even looking up.

When the door didn’t open immediately, Song Yuehua’s excitement only grew: Perfect! The surprise could last until the very end!

She carefully hid the flowers behind her back, pressing her hand against her waist as she gently turned the doorknob. The hinges creaked softly, and she paused for a moment, peeking halfway through the doorway with sparkling eyes that swept toward the figure behind the desk.

Hearing the hesitant movements without any announcement, Bai Qingyu’s brow furrowed slightly. She was about to urge, “If you have something to say, say it quickly,” but the moment she lifted her gaze, it met Song Yuehua’s.

The furrow in her brow instantly smoothed away, the coldness in her eyes melting like warm water. Even her fingers, which had been tapping on the keyboard, stilled. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going straight home after school.”

“Just came to see you!” Song Yuehua beamed as she stepped out from behind the door, skipping lightly around to the front of the desk. She stood straight, subtly shifting the hidden flowers further behind her back, afraid they might be spotted.

Bai Qingyu’s gaze immediately fell on her concealed hands. Tapping her fingers lightly on the desk, she teased, “What treasure are you hiding behind your back? And you’re deliberately keeping it from me?”

“Guess!” Song Yuehua tilted her chin up slightly. “I brought it especially for you. If you guess right… if you guess right, I’ll praise how amazing you are!”

Bai Qingyu followed her lead, resting his interlaced fingers on the table with his chin lightly propped on his fingertips. “Let me think,” he said.

“Then… is it flowers?”

As soon as Bai Qingyu finished speaking, Song Yuehua’s mouth fell open in a stunned “wow,” her eyes widening as she instinctively took half a step back. “How did you guess?! I hid it so carefully!”

Bai Qingyu couldn’t help but chuckle, pointing a finger behind her shoulder. “Turn around and see for yourself, the lisianthus petals are peeking out.”

!

Song Yuehua quickly spun around, pulling her shoulders back, and sure enough, she spotted a hint of pale purple at her shoulder.

She lightly tapped her forehead in frustration, muttering under her breath, “How could I be so careless… I wanted to give you a big surprise.”

With that, she still brought the flowers out from behind her back, cradling them in both hands as she offered them to Bai Qingyu. “Well, better late than never. Do you think they’re pretty?”

Bai Qingyu stood up, gently taking the flowers. His fingertips brushed against the cool petals as he leaned in to inhale their delicate fragrance. “Are these lisianthus?”

“Mm.” Song Yuehua recalled the elderly woman’s words “Lisianthus are perfect for expressing your feelings” and quickly lowered her head, twisting the hem of her shirt with her fingers. Her voice was as soft as a mosquito’s hum. “I saw them at the subway station and thought they looked elegant, so… I wanted to buy them for you.”

Deep down, Bai Qingyu had secretly hoped that perhaps Song Yuehua had finally understood his feelings. Hearing her explanation, his smile didn’t fade. Even if it was just because she “thought they were pretty,” she had thought of him first, and that was enough.

He tightened his grip on the bouquet, his gaze lingering on Song Yuehua’s flushed earlobes, his tone unusually sincere. “Thank you, I really like them.”

“I’m glad you like them. Hurry and put them in a vase,” Song Yuehua said, turning to search for one.

She found a transparent, narrow-necked vase, filled it three-quarters full with water, arranged the lisianthus inside, and placed it on the upper left corner of Bai Qingyu’s desk.

That way, he could see them while working.

Song Yuehua secretly rejoiced in her heart.

Suppressing a smile, she took two steps back and waved at Bai Qingyu. “Well, you should get back to work. I won’t disturb you anymore. I’ll just-”

Before she could finish, her wrist was gently caught. Bai Qingyu said, “Don’t go back. There’s a sofa over there, just sit and keep me company. Wait until I’m done, and we can leave together.”

She nodded quickly. “Then I’ll do my homework here. I won’t bother you.”

By the time Bai Qingyu finished his work for the day, Song Yuehua had also completed the assignments she could handle on her own.

Only the group project remained.

The mere thought of the group project gave Song Yuehua a headache.

The WeChat group created for discussing the assignment was completely silent, even though the project was due next Monday, and it was already Friday.

They hadn’t even assigned tasks yet. If they didn’t start soon, it would be too late.

Song Yuehua carefully composed her words and became the first to send a message. Gradually, others began to respond, but in the end, no conclusions were reached.

Song Yuehua’s face twisted in agony.

“What’s wrong?” Bai Qingyu asked, noticing her expression.

“Group project,” she replied.

With just those words, Bai Qingyu understood. “Don’t stress too much,” he said. “Just focus on doing your part.”

“Well, that’s the only option we have.” Song Yuehua sighed, slipping her phone back into her pocket before picking up her bag alongside Bai Qingyu and heading toward the door.

By the time she got home and checked her phone again, they had already reached an agreement.

They would meet at the café near the school on Saturday morning.

Seeing a string of “I’m free” responses on the screen, Song Yuehua had no choice but to reply that she was free too.

She hoped it would go smoothly and not take up too much of her time.

Silently, she prayed in her heart.