The protagonist committed numerous evil deeds.

Chapter 58 Jiangcheng 16 Making River Lanterns as Gifts to My Beloved

When Wen Li and the others returned to the Zhao family after having lunch outside, they saw many maids and servants carrying cardboard, incense, and bamboo sticks.

Wen Li recalled that there were quite a few of these things being sold on the street today.

But there are still some days until the Lantern Festival, why are you in such a hurry to buy it?

When Wen Li and Shen Yingsi arrived at the hall, they saw Wen Mingzhu and Aunt Song sitting at a large round table making river lanterns.

"Fourth brother!"

Wen Mingzhu saw Shen Yingsi carrying a river lantern and ran to his side.

"Fourth brother, where have you been today? I can't find you anywhere."

Wen Mingzhu's voice carried a coquettish tone, but her gaze towards Wen Li was hostile.

"Fourth brother, look how pretty the river lantern I made is!"

Wen Mingzhu held up her little rabbit-shaped river lantern and waved it back and forth in front of Shen Yingsi.

The little rabbit lantern was exquisitely made; the rabbit's body was made of light yellow paper, while its eyes, ears, and mouth were made of other paper.

The little rabbit was so exquisite that Wen Li was envious. She was clumsy with her hands, so was she supposed to carry a pile of waste paper into the river on that day?

Wen Li looked at Shen Yingsi. Although she couldn't see his expression clearly, she could sense his impatience. Instead of answering Wen Mingzhu's question, he turned to look at her.

Okay, this time she saw the murderous intent in his eyes.

But Wen Mingzhu just doesn't know how to read the room. She was still asking, "Fourth brother, did you go out alone with sister today? Why didn't you call me?"

Wen Li, thinking about how hard this person had managed to lower his level of corruption, directly intervened and stood between them.

"Why did I call you? You're so annoying and spoiled. Who would want to take you out with them?"

"Wen Li, it's none of your business to interrupt when I'm talking to my fourth brother."

Aunt Song was carefully cutting paper when she heard Wen Mingzhu's words. Without even looking up, she retorted, "Didn't you say that Ali is your sister? Your sister cares about you, and you don't appreciate it?"

Seeing that Aunt Song was helping her, Wen Li became even more arrogant.

"Little sister, I'm just worried about you. Your breath smells awful today, I'm afraid it'll bother people! Sigh! Wen Mingzhu, what did you eat for lunch today? Your breath smells so bad!"

Wen Mingzhu covered her mouth, panicking, and said, "Don't talk nonsense!"

Wen Li pinched her nose: "Am I lying? But the smell is really strong. Shen Yingsi, can you smell it?"

Wen Li frowned and asked Shen Yingsi, who was standing next to her. He replied seriously, "Yeah, it really does smell bad."

Wen Mingzhu could hardly believe her ears, and tears instantly streamed down her face.

"You guys are so annoying! Waaaaah..."

Wen Mingzhu was very concerned about her image in front of Shen Yingsi. Now, she was so angry at being told that she had a foul mouth that she covered her face and ran out crying.

After finishing trimming the lamp in her hand, Aunt Song looked up and saw Wen Mingzhu leaving in tears. Then she looked at Wen Li's smug expression and couldn't help but laugh and cry.

They're just kids, after all.

Wen Mingzhu ran out and bumped into Xie Xiao, who was returning with some things.

Xie Xiao watched Wen Mingzhu's departing figure, then saw the smug Wen Li in front of him, and instantly understood.

Miss Wen has been scolded to tears by Wen Li countless times during this mission. No one knows what Wen Li said this time that made her cry so bitterly.

Xie Xiao carried a pile of materials for making river lanterns and arranged them neatly.

"Fourth Brother! The Lantern Festival is coming up soon. We need to hurry up and finish making these river lanterns. Wenli, would you like to make a few too?"

Looking at the various colored cardboard pieces, Wen Li asked, "Didn't Zhao Sicheng say that these things were all made by loved ones and then given to each other? Do you have a loved one here?"

Xie Xiao blushed upon hearing Wen Li's words and waved his hand, saying, "Releasing river lanterns shouldn't only be for lovers. We can also make river lanterns ourselves and pray for our loved ones. Whether it's a lover, a relative, or a friend, it's all fine. We don't necessarily have to give them away."

“Xie Xiao’s family has indeed arranged a marriage for him.” Shen Yingsi took off his mask, sat down, picked up scissors, and said while cutting paper.

"No, no! Fourth Brother, don't talk nonsense. My family is planning... it's not decided yet."

Xie Xiao blushed and quickly refused.

Now Wen Li was curious: "Who is it? Which family's daughter?"

Xie Xiao blushed, the tall man looking down as he fiddled with the lotus lantern in his hand.

"It's the Liang family."

Upon hearing Xie Xiao speak, Wen Li lowered her head in thought. The main branch of the Liang family was now mostly dead, with only Liang Tiantian and Wen Mingzhu's mother remaining. It seemed that there were no other eligible young women in the collateral branches.

Wait a minute! No way!

Wen Li hesitated before asking, "Is it Liang Tiantian?"

Xie Xiao remained silent for a long time. Seeing his reaction, Wen Li already knew the answer in her heart. She immediately sat down in the chair next to him and said, "Is it really her? Xie Xiao, are you confused? But isn't she looking for a son-in-law? Your parents are planning to sell their son!"

Xie Xiao was, after all, only a collateral branch of the Xie family, while the Liang family, though the lowest of the four families, was still the head of the family!

Xie Xiao denied it repeatedly: "No, I'm willing, Tian Tian is great."

Wen Li pictured Liang Tiantian's smug face in her mind, and the thought of Xie Xiao standing next to Liang Tiantian made her dislike Xie Xiao even more.

"Once you two get married, I'll hate you too!"

Wen Li sat down angrily in the spot furthest from Xie Xiao, took off her mask, and began making her own river lantern in a chaotic manner.

"Ah Li, come here, I'll teach you."

Aunt Song saw Wen Li diligently cutting and pasting haphazardly, and for once, she showed a rare gentleness, so she called her over.

Wen Li walked over happily and watched as Aunt Song skillfully cut pink cardboard into petal shapes and then pasted these petals onto the bottom of the upside-down aromatherapy diffuser.

"This is the simplest one. You can also make little rabbits or lanterns according to your own ideas."

Wen Li shook her head vigorously in protest: "Forget it, I'll be doing well if I can make this one flower."

Xie Xiao asked doubtfully, "Wen Li, are you only making one? I just saw Mingzhu make at least ten, saying that on that day everyone can see her lights. That whole pile just now belonged to her; she was the one who told me to go out and buy more materials."

Who knew that after buying so much, I'd get so angry that I ran away before I even started using it?

Wen Li noticed that the table in front of the empty seat where Wen Mingzhu had been sitting was piled with all sorts of river lanterns, each one exquisitely crafted and beautiful.

Wen Li had already foreseen the smug look on Wen Mingzhu's face that day.

"She's so useless, I definitely can't do worse than her!"

Wen Li buried herself in the chaotic battle again, but as time went by, when she looked up, she found that everyone was surrounded by all kinds of exquisite river lanterns.

Especially Shen Yingsi next to her, who was in stark contrast to her!

In a short time, the number of river lanterns in front of him had increased even more than that of Wen Mingzhu. Moreover, each lantern was different and more exquisitely made. Some had inscriptions, and some even had paintings.

This is so good, you could practically open a shop here!

Looking at the somewhat haphazardly made river lantern in front of her, Wen Li felt despair. Was it only her hands that were useless?

Wen Li rolled her eyes, thinking that she would buy more beautiful and exquisite river lanterns later.

Thinking this, her hands slowed down, and then she saw many river lanterns in front of her.

Wen Li glared angrily: "This is my territory!"

So what if you do a lot? You can't handle it all yourself, so you push it onto her.