There were many shopping malls around Lijin Yuncheng, and flower shops were naturally not few. Chu Rong had only walked down one street before spotting a flower shop.
He walked in.
The flower shop owner greeted him with a smile, but his expression clearly faltered for a moment upon seeing Chu Rong. Then, blushing, he asked, "Sir, what kind of flowers would you like?"
Chu Rong surveyed the shop, then took out his phone and asked calmly, "Do you have this kind of flower?"
The owner took a closer look and was surprised. "This kind of flower doesn't usually appear on the market. What do you need it for?"
"A faux flower will do," Chu Rong added.
The flower shop owner breathed a sigh of relief, though he remained suspicious. "I can make faux flowers, but it will take time, about a week..."
"I need it now. Money is not an issue," Chu Rong said, taking out a wad of cash from his wallet.
The flower shop owner gasped, looking both helpless and troubled. He wanted to refuse, but it was a wad of cash. If he didn't refuse... well, he couldn't earn this much in a day running a flower shop. So, he immediately nodded. "Alright, I'll find some helpers, and I guarantee I'll have it done for you in an hour."
He then turned and hurriedly went to make calls to find help.
Chu Rong left the flower shop and went to the wet market. He spent a good hour browsing the various meats, vegetables, and fruits, picking and choosing. The hour passed quickly.
Carrying a large bag of fruits, vegetables, and meat, Chu Rong re-entered the flower shop.
The flower shop owner was chatting with her friends when one of them patted her shoulder excitedly. "They're here, they're here."
The flower shop owner turned and saw her most frequent customer. She immediately held out the newly made faux flower. "See, is this the one?"
"Yes, it's fine," Chu Rong nodded. "And give me that card."
The flower shop owner quickly handed him a card.
Chu Rong looked at it and asked curiously, "Why is it only half? Shouldn't it be a folded card?"
The flower shop owner chuckled dryly. "It is only half."
Chu Rong didn't mind. He borrowed a pen and quickly wrote two characters on the card before placing it in the bouquet. He then looked around again and asked, "What flower can represent a promise of a lifetime?"
The flower shop owner was taken aback again, then picked up a wrapped bouquet. "White campanula, meaning to love only one person for a lifetime."
The single, pure white blossoms, set against the backdrop of green leaves, looked beautiful and pure.
"This will do," Chu Rong said, holding the two bouquets, and turned to leave.
After Chu Rong had gone, the flower shop owner returned to her friends. "Isn't it strange? I was afraid to give him a card with my shop's logo on it. If the client found out later, I'd be in trouble."
A friend shook her head regretfully. "He's so handsome, what a shame."
...
Chu Rong returned home, put the fruits and vegetables in the kitchen, and then took the faux flower to the door of 1003. He placed the flower by the door, pressed the doorbell, and turned to go home.
"Who is it?" Tu Tu asked from inside the door. She ran to the door and turned on the electronic screen, but saw no one.
"Mom, someone rang our doorbell, but there's no one outside," Tu Tu called out loudly.
Quan Jiu quickly came out of the study and asked, "Did they only ring once?"
"Yes," Tu Tu moved aside.
Quan Jiu looked through the peephole a few times. There was indeed no one there. She cautiously opened the door and immediately saw a bouquet of flowers by the entrance.
Remembering Guan Shi's message, Quan Jiu smiled and picked up the bouquet from the ground. "It's an opening gift from Uncle Guan Shi for Mom." But these flowers... they were quite substantial, actually faux flowers, and of a type she hadn't seen before.
Finding the card with Guan Shi's name in the bouquet, Quan Jiu was sure it was from him.
"Mom, these flowers look a bit strange. This looks like..." Mi Mi took the bouquet and looked at it closely for a while, her expression darkening. "This is a purple datura."
"What's wrong?" Quan Jiu didn't know much about flowers and didn't particularly like them. Flowers were too delicate and fragile. She liked them when they were planted in the ground, but these bouquets were troublesome; they would wilt quickly and require effort to dispose of. However, these faux flowers looked good and could be kept permanently.
"Purple datura, its flower language is sinister and terrifying. It's generally not given as a gift, and it's poisonous all over, highly toxic," Mi Mi said with disgust. "Fortunately, he had some conscience and sent fake flowers. What does Uncle Guan Shi mean by this?"
Quan Jiu was also confused, but she knew Guan Shi's character well. She thought for a moment and said, "It must have been a mistake. Uncle Guan Shi isn't that kind of person. Forget it, his intentions were surely good."
"He's just a bit clueless," Tu Tu concluded.
Quan Jiu smiled and chided, "You can't say that about Uncle Guan Shi. He's helped us a lot." If it weren't for Guan Shi, she wouldn't have been able to leave Chu Rong smoothly back then. When she was alone abroad, it was Guan Shi who constantly cared for her, preventing her from feeling completely alone.
"I know, I'm not like him, so clueless. I only say it in front of family," Tu Tu promised.
"You still shouldn't be so rude. You shouldn't gossip about others, and you definitely shouldn't speak ill of Uncle Guan Shi," Quan Jiu lightly flicked Tu Tu's forehead.
Taking the bouquet from Mi Mi, Quan Jiu found a vase, put the flowers in it, looked around, and finally placed them on the balcony.
Seeing the two children looking confused, she explained, "Flower language is just words people give to flowers; it doesn't represent the flower itself. In my opinion, this is a bouquet that can be preserved forever and looks very beautiful. Mom also likes purple; it looks very pretty, doesn't it?"
"What you said... makes sense." Tu Tu nudged Mi Mi: Sister, I think Dad is a bit dangerous.
Quan Jiu didn't notice the children's expressions. She took out her phone and sent Guan Shi a message.
【I received the flowers, they're quite pretty. Thank you, Senior Brother.】
Guan Shi, who was still sleeping, heard a ding and immediately woke up. He rubbed his eyes and saw that it was already eleven o'clock.
【You're only receiving them now? I asked him to deliver them at nine-thirty. Why are they only arriving now?】
Quan Jiu quickly replied: 【It's okay, as long as they arrived.】
Guan Shi smiled again. 【I'm glad you like them. I was afraid you wouldn't. By the way, the flowers... you recognize them, right? I asked the flower shop to choose only conventional flowers.】
【Yes, I recognize them. Thank you.】
Guan Shi stared intently at his phone. After a while, there were no further replies.
The smile on his face gradually faded as he looked forlornly at the room full of withered branches and leaves.
...
The white campanula, a small, semi-spherical bouquet, the flowers tightly packed together, looked vibrant.
Chu Rong placed the bouquet on the coffee table in the living room and watched it quietly for a moment before getting up to go to the kitchen. He also sent Quan Jiu a text message.
【I'm already making lunch. Don't bother yourself.】
Quan Jiu, who was about to enter the kitchen, saw this message and truly felt like crying without tears. She really wasn't used to being taken care of like this, especially with an old man living next door. She felt flustered and couldn't possibly accept it.
But the old man clearly wouldn't be persuaded.
While she was contemplating, she received another message: 【I really like cooking for you and the children.】