Chapter 30: Birthday Gift

It seemed that Luo Shaoxuan was usually aloof, but he had the ability to be so. As long as he could care for her, what did it matter if he was a bit aloof? Conquering such a proud and cold beauty only gave her more sense of accomplishment.

Her brows softened and she personally poured a cup of tea for Luo Shaoxuan: “Xuan’er, I will definitely treat you well in the future.”

Luo Shaoxuan glanced at her coldly, thinking this fool must have overthought something again. He put a grape into his mouth and chewed, not bothering to pay attention to her.

Seeing the Princess present such a precious birthday gift, the others all started making their own plans. It seemed the Princess greatly valued the Luo family. If they could connect with them, why not?

The crowd began to get restless. A slightly brutish-looking woman stood up and bowed to the Luo matriarch: “I also prepared a birthday gift for the Luo matriarch. Although it’s not as precious as the Princess’, please accept it with a smile.”

The Luo matriarch laughed: “Gifts are not measured by value. Being able to attend my birthday banquet already brings me great joy.”

She put on such false courtesy, already forgetting her delighted and greedy expression when she received the lingzhi mushroom earlier.

The woman signaled to her subordinates. Two of them were seen holding a long scroll painting, each taking an end and slowly unrolling it.

A celestial landscape ink painting was revealed. Mountains connected to mountains, painted in vivid and bold colors, the scenery lush and beautiful. At the very top of the painting, there was also a soaring eagle, lifelike, as if about to fly out of the painting.

The guests couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.

“Hahaha, wonderful painting! Wonderful indeed!” The Luo matriarch laughed heartily and bowed to the woman: “Many thanks to the madam. I will gladly accept this birthday gift.”

With that, a servant came forward to take the painting and stand by on the periphery.

The others also presented their birthday gifts one after another. There were calligraphy and paintings, some antiques, and some valuable porcelain vases. However, compared to the previous two gifts, they all paled in comparison.

Receiving birthday gifts was not the primary focus today, so the Luo matriarch naturally did not pay them much mind.

With the atmosphere just right, everyone was chatting about various trivial matters and business.

But Madam Liu, who was sitting beside the Luo matriarch, was getting a bit restless. She had argued with the matriarch before the banquet, so she had been holding her breath the whole time, unable to get a word in.

Now it seemed she had thought of a scapegoat. She looked at Luo Shaoxuan with ill intent, her voice carrying a hint of shrillness: “Xuan’er, this is your mother’s birthday banquet. Do you not have a gift prepared?”

Although her voice was not loud, the subject drew the scene to a quiet, all eyes turning to Luo Shaoxuan.

Luo Shaoxuan glanced coldly at the ensnared Madam Liu.

Before he could speak, Mu Yueshi beside him opened her mouth to answer for him: “Of course Xuan’er prepared one.” She gazed at Luo Shaoxuan with gentle eyes: “Right, Xuan’er?”

Luo Shaoxuan still looked at Madam Liu above, the corners of his mouth curling up as he slowly spoke: “Naturally.”

As soon as he finished speaking, before Madam Liu could make a fuss, a servant was seen carrying a black wooden box into the garden. The box was exquisite and square, surrounded by some red silk, making it look even more unique.

Everyone looked at the black box in the servant’s hands with curiosity.

The servant walked to the empty space between the tables on both sides, lifted the black box high, and said with head bowed: “Madam, a woman outside said this is a birthday gift for you.”

“Oh?” The Luo matriarch was a bit curious: “Who is it? Why was she not invited in?”

“This servant does not know. She left this black box and walked away, saying she wishes Madam fortune as vast as the East Sea and longevity greater than the South Mountain, that this is her small token of appreciation.”

Left? Who was it? Did she forget to invite someone? That shouldn’t be the case.

“Madam Luo has great popularity. Even if the person isn’t present, the gift arrives all the same.” Someone had already started flattering.

“Not at all, not at all. I merely treat people with kindness.”

Seeing her pretentious and fake demeanor, Luo Shaoxuan’s lips curled into a sneer. Truly nauseating.

After laughing, the Luo matriarch waved at the servant standing in the middle: “Take it to the side.”

Before the servant could step down, someone had already spoken up: “Madam Luo, why not open it and show us?”

“Yes, the box is so unique. What’s inside must be some rare treasure.”

“Hahaha, alright.” With them saying this, she also became curious about what was in the box.

“Open it,” she ordered the servant.

“Yes.”

The servant carefully removed the small lock on the front of the box and gently opened the lid. The wooden box was designed very cleverly. When the lid was opened, the wooden walls on all four sides of the box also opened outward, completely revealing the contents inside.

The servant holding the box kept his head lowered the whole time, not looking at the object inside. He just stood there motionlessly, holding the box high.

The scene was eerily quiet, so quiet it was strange. Everyone had their eyes wide open, staring at the thing in the box. No one made a sound, as if they had all been frozen.

The servant felt a bit puzzled. He secretly glanced at the Luo matriarch in the main seat, only to see her staring in his direction with a horrified expression. Not just her, but the expressions of everyone present were all the same.

As if they had seen a ghost…

He slowly raised his head and looked at the position in his hands, his pupils instantly contracting.

This… this was a human… head?

“Ahhhh!”

The servant’s piercing scream instantly woke everyone up. Some people reacted and also started screaming. Those with less fortitude directly turned around and started vomiting.

The scene was a mess.

The Luo matriarch’s eyes were bloodshot, her trembling fingers pointing at the head that had been dropped by the servant and was rolling on the ground: “What… what in the world is going on?!”

The hair on the head on the ground was already covered in dust. The face was extremely distorted, so distorted that one could not make out its original appearance. The eyes bulged out, as if they would fall out at any moment.

How much pain must one have suffered before death to cause such distortion and deformation of the facial features? Its protruding eyes happened to be staring right at the Luo matriarch.

The Luo matriarch only felt a chill all over.

Madam Liu, who had been stunned beside her, stared blankly at the head on the ground: “Yi… Yi’er?”

As if finally recognizing it, she screamed and ran over to pick up the head: “Yi’er!!”

The Luo matriarch felt a sweet bitterness rising in her throat. She looked at the head in Madam Liu’s arms with an ashen face, her voice trembling: “You… you say this is… Yi’er?”

At this point, how could Madam Liu still hear what she was saying? She held her daughter’s head and wailed with heart-wrenching sobs: “How could this happen, my daughter…” The overly intense emotional turmoil and grief caused her breath to suddenly fail to rise. With an “ugh,” her eyes rolled back and she fainted.

The head rolled to the ground again.

Mu Yueshi’s face had also turned a bit green, but she did not have as strong a reaction as the others. She turned her face away, no longer looking at that head.

Taking a few breaths, she looked at Luo Shaoxuan, wanting to take this chance to comfort him.

But she saw that Luo Shaoxuan’s expression was still calm. Forget being sad or grieving, Mu Yueshi even felt he was leisurely enjoying all of this.

But thinking this way, Mu Yueshi felt her own thoughts were too ridiculous. She stepped forward and asked with concern: “Xuan’er… are you alright?” After saying that, she changed tack: “If you’re scared, you still have me.”

“Scared?” Luo Shaoxuan’s eyes slowly turned to her: “Why should I be scared?”

Mu Yueshi choked. For a moment, she didn’t know what to say.

Why be scared? Because one should be scared in this situation… Not to mention this was still…

“Oh~” Luo Shaoxuan looked at the head on the ground and suddenly had a look of realization: “Because this is a human head, I should be scared? Or…”

He shifted his phoenix eyes back to Mu Yueshi, a wicked smile curling on his lips: “Or is it because it’s the head of my second sister Luo Yi, so I should be afraid?”

She felt Luo Shaoxuan’s smile at this moment was like the grin of a demon. He had no trace of fear or sadness. She could even sense his delight in body and mind.

A chill began creeping up her spine. She stiffly nodded: “No… it’s good if you’re not scared…” At this moment, a thought suddenly welled up in her heart.

It seemed the current Xuan’er was not as simple as he appeared. Could it be…

Luo Shaoxuan’s eyes were chillingly cold as he looked at her: “What, Princess, are you very frightened?”

Mu Yueshi forcibly pulled out a smile: “Of course not…”

“That’s good then.”

Having said that, he paid her no more attention and moved his gaze back to the Luo matriarch’s green-black face.

The Luo matriarch closed her eyes and took a deep breath before swallowing back the mouthful of bloody air in her throat. Her voice was hoarse: “Someone…”

The housekeeper covered her mouth as she walked over. She had been vomiting badly just now.

“Send Consort Liu back to the bedchamber. Pick up… Second Miss’ head and find an auspicious day to bury her.”

“Yes…” Although extremely frightened, the head was still picked up from the ground, but the eyes dared not look, not even a glance.

This head was truly quite horrifying.

The Luo matriarch turned towards Mu Yueshi’s direction, head lowered to not let others see her scarlet eyes filled with hatred: “I implore the Princess to seek justice for my daughter! Find this vicious person and surely repay them in kind!”

Looking at the top of the Luo matriarch’s head, Mu Yueshi subconsciously glanced at Luo Shaoxuan beside her, only to see him lazily leaning back in his chair, without a trace of panic.

“I will certainly help you seek justice,” she said in a deep voice.

The Luo matriarch bowed in gratitude to her and turned to address those who hadn’t left yet: “With such a major incident occurring in my household, I have been a poor host. Please forgive me. I also request that today’s events not be spread. You have my thanks.”

At this point, the Luo matriarch could still calmly say these words, leaving one not knowing what to think.

The guests all expressed they would not speak of it and then left the Luo residence.

Mu Yueshi, having promised to help the Luo household investigate, also took her leave. Before departing, she looked back at Luo Shaoxuan, gritted her teeth, but still left without saying anything.

Only Luo Shaoxuan and the Luo matriarch remained at the banquet site.

Luo Shaoxuan sat in his chair, composedly drinking tea. The Luo matriarch had her back to him, fists tightly clenched.

She turned around, her scarlet eyes filled with poisonous hatred as she looked at him.

Luo Shaoxuan leisurely blew on his hot tea and glanced at her: “What’s the matter, Mother? Why are you looking at Xuan’er like this?”

She stared at him intently: “Your second sister died so miserably, yet you don’t have a shred of sadness?” It seemed like both a probe and a question.

“Mm, sad.”

The two words were said blandly, very casually.