Chapter 152

"I don't know," Lily replied.

Jenny rephrased her question. "Hmm. Do you know what scent you want?"

"I can't describe it," Lily answered. Jenny found Lily's responses unreliable, but she understood them nonetheless. This, however, was something she couldn't help Lily with.

The car from the base arrived shortly afterward. It wasn't the same young man who had picked them up earlier. The driver was more effusive. "Are you tired? I didn't expect you to travel so far and for so long. Most people only stay for an hour at most."

He continued, enthusiastically, as he drove. "We have the best samples. We pick and ship flowers daily, updating the samples every day, so you don't have to worry about freshness affecting your judgment. Just tell us what you're looking for." Lily quietly observed the flowers by the nursery, inhaling the mix of natural fragrances. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She could identify each flower, but none were what she sought.

"You have such a large nursery," Jenny remarked. "Must be difficult to manage! You must need a large staff, huh?"

"Yes, it's challenging," he replied, smiling. "But it's my job, and I'm pleased to see the beautiful flowers thrive under my care. We do need a lot of staff, but we're understaffed. My brother is picking up other guests, so I had to pick you up, and now I need to prepare deworming solutions."

"I'm sorry to trouble you," Lily said.

"Hey, no trouble at all! It's my job, and you're our visitors," he responded cheerfully. He was charming and readily engaged in conversation. "How many visitors do you get daily?"

"Plenty during peak season, but it's been quiet lately. Wasn't there a perfume sampling session a couple of days ago? That might be why we're busier now. You two were our first today, but more will arrive this afternoon."

They reached the base as they talked. The man pointed inside the hall. "You two go ahead and rest. I need to go to the shed."

"Okay, we'll go in by ourselves," Lily said.

"A lot of people will be looking for materials soon, so we need to quickly order supplies while they're still available," Jenny said as they entered the hall.

Lily didn't worry; she knew everyone sought different materials. It was all about finding the right ones.

"I'm dying of thirst and want some iced water, but I don't know if they have any," Jenny said.

Lily was about to open the door when someone opened it from the inside. "Lily?!" Melanie exclaimed, her eyes widening. She hadn't expected to see Lily again. 'What kind of bullsh*t fate is this?!' Jenny thought, recognizing the woman from the past two days. Her expression was unfriendly.

Melanie, however, ignored Jenny, focusing entirely on Lily. She sized Lily up, noticing her sweaty face, and sneered, "What are you doing here?!"