"Hmmm... You have quite a unique taste." She said to the first girl. The hostess wouldn't just offer a simple compliment on an arrangement she found unappealing. Although her words were polite and gentle, they could tell that the middle-aged woman didn't appreciate their work.
When it was Youna's turn, Mrs. Knox asked, "Your composition is quite good. Why did you only use red roses in your arrangement?" Although Youna was a member of the military in a famous legion like Eagle Sky, her elegance was not inferior to all the noble ladies who participated in the selection.
"I chose red roses because they are such beautiful flowers. Besides their intoxicating scent, I also find them incredibly attractive." Mrs. Knox seemed interested in Youna's explanation.
"The beauty of a rose can attract anyone to pick it. Rose petals are so fragile to the touch, but behind those fragile petals, roses also have thorns that can hurt those who carelessly pick them. So I think, even though they are weak, roses have other ways to protect themselves. This reminds me of myself, maybe I am a weak person, but I will do anything to cover up the weakness that I have."
"She's a good talker," Irish whispered to Quinn who remained calm while watching Youna Scarlett.
"Good thinking. I quite like the arrangement you made, too." Of all the girls Mrs. Knox had seen, Youna was the first to receive a positive response from the madam. From an outsider's perspective, the hostess had been attracted to Youna from the start.
The girls had already begun to talk about this selection being merely a formality. In fact, they believed that Youna Scarlett was definitely the chosen one to be the general's wife. She was a member of the elite forces, and the Knox family was a military family; they would love a daughter-in-law who was also a soldier. Furthermore, Youna was also rumored to be the general's lover. Those who loved gossip wouldn't miss this news. After all, the Knox family would certainly respect their son's opinion.
Not only beautiful, Youna is also a strong and smart girl, she also has a family background that is no less influential on the entire planet.
When she reached Irish's table, Mrs. Knox's frown deepened, she looked like she wanted to say something, but all that came out was, "Miss Gold also has very unique tastes."
"Thank you," said Irish, who already knew about the results of her work, but she also didn't really care about the comments given by the hostess.
After Irish, Quinn's table was next. Quinn had long been accustomed to not showing her emotions, and even when the hostess approached, the dark-haired woman simply nodded curtly, allowing the middle-aged woman to view the flower arrangement she had created.
There was something different about Mrs. Knox's expression when she saw Quinn's flower arrangement. "Ikebana?" the woman asked, turning her eyes from the flower arrangement in front of her to look at the young girl standing with a very cold aura.
"Yes. You didn't specify what kind of arrangement I should make. I thought that because of your family history, ikebana would be a fitting arrangement for the Knox family," Quinn replied calmly.
"But not many people know about this now," replied the madam.
"Hmm, I like reading some things related to plants."
When Quinn's eyes met the hostess's, she immediately looked away.
"Then can you tell me why you used chrysanthemums and lotus flowers in this arrangement you made?" The hostess raised her hand to touch the petals of the white chrysanthemums in bloom, only to hold back.
"Initially I wanted to use sunflowers because sunflowers symbolize eternity. But because the Knox family uses red chrysanthemums as a symbol, I decided to use white chrysanthemums as a symbol of purity, innocence, and eternity. As for the lotus flower, I chose it because it has a beautiful color but also doesn't overshadow the neutral color of the white chrysanthemum. Besides, the lotus also has the meaning of peace," said Quinn in one breath while staring for a long time at the lotus floating on the water.
"As one of the 'seeds' in the Knox family selection, I hope that the Knox family's peace, glory, and prosperity will continue forever. And so will all the family members." Quinn was unsure what she was thinking, but a small, sincere smile formed at the corner of her lips. This wish was also for herself. Because for years, her life had been haunted by fear, she wanted a life of peace and tranquility.
"You have so many beautiful flowers. Not to mention, all the flowers here are rare. I heard it's very difficult to grow flowers native here." Quinn concluded her explanation with a heartfelt compliment. Just because she chose this as an escape from Jacob didn't mean she would do things half-heartedly. She didn't want to embarrass her aunt and uncle. To her, they were all she had left.
On Mrs. Knox's side, the lady took a moment before saying again, "Don't you have an interest in plants? I could take you to see our garden if you'd like."
Doubting her own hearing, Quinn turned to find the hostess wearing a look of genuine satisfaction. "Thank you. I'd love to visit," Quinn replied, and Mrs. Knox walked away.
….