005 An Encounter at the Flower Market

The third alley was noticeably less crowded. The flowers were no longer casually displayed in shop windows, but instead replaced by panoramic holographic images. What was sold here were all exquisite pieces, each one worth a fortune, and naturally, they could not be left out in the open for just anyone to see.

Zhong Yun, dressed in a public school uniform, stood out awkwardly among a group of adults clad head to toe in designer brands. Ignoring the strange looks cast his way, he walked straight to the largest flower shop, lifting his foot to enter.

"Stop right there." A burly security guard by the entrance stepped in front of him, blocking his way. Looking down at him, the guard asked, "What do you want?"

Zhong Yun frowned. "I want to buy some flowers."

"Buy flowers?" The guard sneered, his face twisted in a mocking smile. "Kid, you're in the wrong place. You should be in the first alley."

Zhong Yun raised an eyebrow, his voice cold. "Is this how Fair Flower Garden treats its customers?"

"Ha, listen to this brat trying to act tough with me. Don’t cause trouble here. Move along," the guard said, feeling slighted by what he saw as a child’s insolence. He waved his hand, shooing Zhong Yun away.

Normally, he would never drive customers off so rudely. But today, a distinguished guest was expected, and the manager had instructed him not to let any riffraff inside. He was simply following orders. Years of standing at the door had trained his eyes to be sharp; one look at the boy’s attire was enough to tell he was no young master from a wealthy family—just another nobody, so he didn’t spare him an ounce of courtesy.

Zhong Yun’s anger simmered, and he stared coldly at the guard. "Let me tell you, if you don’t let me in today, you’ll regret it very much."

A flicker of uncertainty crossed the guard’s face as he scrutinized Zhong Yun once more, worried he might have misjudged. But after a thorough look, he still couldn’t spot anything special about the boy. Besides, he’d already said what he said. Was he supposed to be intimidated by a kid’s empty threats?

"You’ve got guts, threatening me like that. If you don’t leave now, I’ll teach you a lesson," the guard warned.

Though Zhong Yun seethed at the man’s snobbery, he didn’t want to make a scene. How unlucky—never mind, let’s see who laughs in the end. He cast the guard a chilly smile, turned, and was just about to leave when a clear, crisp voice from the side spoke:

"Is this how Fair Flower Garden treats its customers?"

That voice made Zhong Yun’s heart jolt. His entire body stiffened for a split second, but he quickly regained composure.

The same words, spoken by a different person, had a completely different effect. Hearing someone speak up for Zhong Yun, the guard turned, bristling with anger. But the moment he saw who it was, his demeanor changed instantly; all traces of anger vanished, replaced by a fawning smile.

"Miss Liu, you see, I was only following orders," he said obsequiously.

A faint, elegant fragrance drifted into Zhong Yun’s nose, and then his eyes caught sight of a cascade of jet-black hair, straight as a waterfall, and a pristine white blouse below it.

Liu Yunqi didn’t wish to stoop to the guard’s level. "He’s my classmate. I’d like to go in with him."

The guard’s face broke into a servile grin, and he bowed. "So he’s a classmate of Miss Liu’s. I’m terribly sorry for the offense."

Seeing the guard’s groveling, Zhong Yun felt it beneath him to argue further; he’d let it slide for the sake of his classmate. Still, he now had a direct sense of the power of status.

"Let’s go in, Zhong Yun," Liu Yunqi said, turning and offering a graceful smile—neither warm nor cold, but perfectly poised.

At last, he saw that flawlessly beautiful face—elegant and refined. Any compliment one could imagine would not be too much for her.

Zhong Yun was momentarily dazed, answering awkwardly, "Oh, alright."

Liu Yunqi, used to such reactions, was unfazed. She stepped past the guard into the shop, and Zhong Yun followed, sighing inwardly. No wonder “I” had once been utterly captivated by her—such an enchantingly beautiful woman truly existed.

The guard watched the two disappear, then spat bitterly. "So the Liu family’s princess is so high and mighty? In the end, she’ll still end up under a man."

"Thank you for what you did just now," Zhong Yun said as soon as they were inside, having composed himself enough to remember his manners.

Liu Yunqi shook her head. "It’s nothing. We’re classmates, so of course we should help each other." She looked at him with a hint of curiosity. "Are you interested in flowers too?"

Zhong Yun was about to reply when a staff member approached, cutting him off. "Miss Liu, is there anything I can help you with?" The attendant’s eager demeanor made it clear Liu Yunqi was a regular here.

As for Zhong Yun, he was completely ignored.

Liu Yunqi’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and she declined, "No, thank you. I’m just showing my classmate around."

The attendant bowed and withdrew, disappointed.

Because of this, Zhong Yun stared at Liu Yunqi for a full three seconds.

"What is it?" she asked, a little uneasy under his gaze, wondering if something was on her face.

"Thank you."

Zhong Yun looked away and continued, "I came here to have my flower appraised. Do you know where I should go?"

Liu Yunqi’s interest was piqued. "Did you grow it yourself? What kind is it?"

"It’s a Twin Orchid."

"Twin Orchid? That’s hard to cultivate. Has it bloomed yet?" Her curiosity grew.

Zhong Yun scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "It’s bloomed, but… it’s not quite right. I was sure I bought Twin Orchid seeds."

Now, Liu Yunqi’s curiosity was truly aroused. "May I have a look?"

The so-called Twin Orchid is among the rarest and most difficult orchids to grow. As the name suggests, it always blooms in pairs: two flowers, equal in size and identical in shape, one purple and one white, blossoming and withering together like twins bound by fate. Its scientific name is the Violet-White Orchid.

They found a quiet spot. Zhong Yun placed his case on the table; it could simulate the ideal environment for flowers, protecting them from damage during transport.

Liu Yunqi felt a twinge of anticipation. She had never seen a successfully blooming Violet-White Orchid, and frankly doubted this unremarkable classmate could have managed it.

Zhong Yun pressed a button. The case opened slowly, revealing its contents.

"My goodness, is this…" Liu Yunqi gasped, her large eyes widening in shock, hand flying to her lips in utter astonishment.

Zhong Yun’s lips curled in satisfaction as he watched her rare loss of composure. At school, Liu Yunqi was always the picture of poise and refinement.

This was exactly the reaction he wanted. The flower, cultivated by the secret methods of Jialan Star, was no ordinary plant.

In the white porcelain pot, among several tender green leaves, seven unopened buds stood tall—each a different color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Zhong Yun said dejectedly, "Did I ruin it? I checked online and couldn’t find any mention of Twin Orchids turning out like this."

"Ruin it?"

Liu Yunqi had barely recovered from her shock when his words struck another blow. He, a complete amateur, had somehow grown such a peerless flower? That’s just not fair.