Chapter 425 A Scheming Woman


    Letting go of Hiram''s hands, Rachel walked into the kitchen. As she rolled her sleeves up, she


    asked,"Flora, do you need any help?"


    When Flora saw her, she pushed Rachel out of the room and eximed,"No, no, no! How could I ask


    for your help? You''re my guest. All you have to do is sit and rx on the sofa. I can handle everything


    here. These dishes are just a piece of cake for me! Don''t worry."


    As she was an experienced chef, this amount of dishes was not really a big deal for her.


    Looking around the kitchen, Rachel could easily see everything was really clean and there were no


    greasy stains. In fact, she had to admit that Flora was graceful in the drawing room and skillful in the


    kitchen.


    So she walked out of there, since she couldn''t do anything to help Flora.


    In the meantime, Hiram was browsing for books on the bookshelf in the living room.


    Only a few minutester, Flora walked out of the kitchen, boldly and gracefully carrying two dishes on


    her hands.


    "You like this novel too? It''s written by Herman Melville!" Holding the book in his hand, Hiram took a


    quick look at Flora, who was cing the dishes on the table, and said.


    "Uh-huh. I think it''s a great novel about humanity. The truth is that hatred can help realize one''s


    potential, but it could also destroy a person." Smiling warmly, Flora shared her idea with Hiram.


    Sitting on the sofa, Rachel lowered slightly her head to see which book they were talking about.


    Moby Dick?!


    She hadn''t read that book.


    "Oh, right. I have two other French literary ssics books here. They''re limited editions. Come and


    check them out!" said Flora. Her interest seemed to be aroused by Hiram''s question. So, like a swift


    cat, she went to the bookshelf, took out two thick books and handed them to Hiram.


    Interested and impatient, Hiram grabbed them in his hands.


    "You can stay here and read them. I need to bring other dishes to the table." Gifting Hiram with a


    dazzling smile, Flora walked towards the kitchen.


    Meanwhile, Rachel, who was still on the sofa, was eating sunflower seeds. Although she was reading a


    book too, as a matter of fact, she couldn''t quite understand it, as it was written in English


    Going to college had been a hard earned luxury for Rachel. And yet, Fannie worked very hard to be


    able to pay the tuition and support her daughter. Unlike Hiram and Flora, Rachel didn''t have the lucky


    opportunity to study abroad, let alone learning foreignnguages.


    "Hiram, the dinner is ready!" Flora called Hiram with her gentlest voice, as she had already brought all


    the dishes.


    Now Rachel was feeling extremely thirsty, because she ate too many sunflower seeds. So she took a


    ss of water, but the way Flora spoke to her man in the meantime almost made poor Rachel choke


    with the water. ''Howe she called Hiram, as though he''s her husband?'' Rachel was jealous.


    "These two books are good. Once I saw them in a senior phnthropist''s house, while I was in France.


    But since then, I seldom see them on sale in any bookstore," said Hiram, as he put the books down


    and sat on the sofa.


    As she removed her apron, Flora sat on the sofa too and then asked Rachel,"Do you also read books,


    dear? What type of literature do you prefer?"


    Listening carefully to Flora''s question, Rachel replied after a short pause,"Parenting and fairy tales. I


    usually read books about pedagogy and education.


    My two kids love stories. So I''d say that, most of the time, I read them tales."


    Then nodding her head, Flora praised Rachel,"Oh, you''re such a great mother. Whatever you do, you''ll


    always think about your children first and foremost."


    As a sign of epting Flora''spliment, Rachel stayed silent and modest. She took a brisk look at


    the dishes on the table. Of course, they were all Hiram''s favorites.


    Generally, he didn''t like oily dishes and sweet foods. He would rather eat something lighter. Although


    Rachel was fine with that, she preferred something spicier and sourer.


    "Have a try! I''ll take you to eat other foods, when we go back." Sitting next to Rachel, Hiram whispered


    in her ears, as he got a dish for her.


    "Uh-huh," Rachel said very gently. Actually, it was not a big deal. It was just a dinner.


    She could enjoy eating more, if she ended up really liking those foods. If not, she could just have a little


    and leave them on the table.


    "Oh, I''m sorry, Rachel! I don''t know what you like to eat. I cooked these ording to Hiram''s taste. Are


    you fine with that?" Flora felt sorry and apologized to Rachel.


    As she was trying one of the dishes, she shook her head and replied to Flora,"No, no, no! Honestly, I''m


    not a picky person and, in general, I''m willing to try any new foods. I''ve been married to Hiram for many


    years, so I have gotten used to his taste. You don''t need to feel sorry."


    Afterwards Rachel nced at her husband gently. In the past years, he had ustomed himself to her


    habits too.


    Grabbing some napkins, Hiram helped his wife wipe off the rice from her lips. He couldn''t help, but


    burst intoughter, saying,"Sweetheart, you''re an adult. Why are you as careless as Joyce?"


    "Hey, don''t say that! Flora is here. You''re embarrassing me." Slightly ashamed by Hiram''s words, she


    just red at him.


    As he looked at Rachel with his loving eyes, he apologized,"Sorry, honey. My bad."


    Rachel and Hiram were looking at each other with eyes, full of love. That view was too much for Flora


    to put up with. A few secondster, she stood up abruptly, solemnly announcing,"Oh, I''ve got a really


    nice bottle of wine here. I have never opened it. Since you''re here today, let''s have a drink!"


    Flora went to get the special wine and put it on the table. "Hiram, can you, please, help me open it?"


    "Sure!" Hiram said "yes" immediately. Then he put down his chopsticks and opened it with a corkscrew.


    After that Flora was back in the living room with three sses and poured wine into them one by one.


    As Rachel reached to get hers, Hiram stopped her. "You''d better not drink it. Aren''t you going to feel


    ufortable in the carter? You need to take good care of your health."


    Hiram said, as he took Rachel''s ss away.


    "That''s fine, darling. Flora is a great host and she treats us really well. Since she has opened the wine


    specially for us, how could I not drink it?" Rachel said and took back her wine ss from Hiram`s


    hands.


    His furrowed eyebrows were clearly showing that something worried him. But rather than stopping


    Rachel, he just kept observing her closely.


    Slowly, she took a sip of her wine. These two days, Hiram had kept inviting her to drink some wine,


    before she went to bed. In fact, she found she was almost addicted to it.


    Therefore, whenever she saw wine at night, Rachel couldn''t stay away from it.


    "Hiram, it''s fine. It''s just a ss of wine. You don''t need to be so worried." Flora said, as she kept


    observing him. Then she clinked her ss with Hiram.


    And Hiram clinked his ss with Flora too.


    "Oh, Hiram, I have something nice to show you. Would you want to have a look?" Flora said excitingly


    with a singing voice, as something urred to her. Then she stood up and walked towards her


    bedroom.


    After she had drunk half of her ss, Rachel realized something wrong was happening with her body.


    She felt really hot, as though she was taking a sauna. Then she wanted to refill her ss, but Hiram


    stopped her.


    "Stop drinking! If you wish to refill, then wait until you go back home!" Hiram said firmly, as he took the


    wine ss from Rachel and put it back on the table.


    "I''m okay. It''s just a little wine. I can''t get drunk by that." Pushing Hiram away, Rachel peaked inside


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    Flora''s bedroom. She lowered her voice and whispered,"Don''t you hear that your sweet ssmate


    invited you to have a look at her collections?"


    His face frowned, but then he heard Flora calling him,"Hiram,e here and check this out!"


    So he had no alternative, but to stand up.


    Hesitant, he stood in front of the door of Flora''s bedroom, but didn''t walk into it. Seeing him, Flora


    showed him the photo album and said,"Come on in. Look! I still have these pictures. You haven''t seen


    most of them."


    "Uh-huh. Flora, it''ste now. I need to go back home with Rachel. You have a good rest too. Thank you


    for your hospitality tonight," said Hiram. He was still standing next to the door, looking determined not


    to walk in.


    After putting an effort to "swallow" her surprise, Flora smiled,"Why?... Why are you in such a hurry?


    These are the pictures we took at college. They won''t take you so much time. Besides, it''s still early


    now. You seldome to visit me. Why don''t you stay a bit longer?"


    Walking slowly towards Hiram, Flora said in a catty voice,"Hiram, you''re the only friend I have in H City.


    I don''t want to disturb your life and I do hope you don''t misunderstand me. It''s just that I don''t want to


    lose a friend like you.


    If you think I''m causing troubles for you, please let me know now and I won''t bother you any more!"


    Wearing a disappointed expression, Flora lowered her head and sighed.


    Hiram furrowed his eyebrows,"I didn''t mean that. It''s just… Rachel feels ufortable. I want to take


    her home, so she can have a rest."


    Completely disregarding his words, Flora lifted her head, smiled, as though nothing had happened, and


    continued working on her own obsessive goals. "Hiram, I hope you still regard me as your friend. If you


    have any problem or you ever need to talk to someone, I want you to know that you''re always


    wee, okay?"


    No answer followed, as Hiram just closed his eyes, focusing on one thing and one thing only —— how


    to get out of here.


    At this very moment, someone ran straight to him. It was Rachel. She walked into the bedroom, perkily


    asking like a little girl,"What are you reading? Can I have a look too?"