An Unparalleled Treasure Grown by an Outsider

“You didn’t plant the wrong thing,” Liu Yunqi took a deep breath, suppressing the surge of emotion within her so that her voice sounded less animated, though the slight tremor at the end betrayed her excitement. “On the contrary, you’ve cultivated an utterly unique treasure.”

“Really?” Zhong Yun asked in disbelief.

“Really.”

Liu Yunqi nodded vigorously, her eyes full of appreciation and fascination as she gazed at the potted flower. “This is—” she paused, her breath quickening, and spoke as if sighing, “—unparalleled.”

Zhong Yun captured every nuance of her expression and thought to himself that she truly lived up to her reputation: an absolute flower enthusiast, almost to the point of obsession.

It was a long while before she managed to pull herself away from the flower’s endless allure. Turning to Zhong Yun, she asked, “How did you do it?” She still couldn’t quite believe that an amateur could cultivate such a legendary specimen.

Zhong Yun scratched his head. “I don’t really know. I just followed the instructions that came with the seed. It was doing fine at first, but then, somehow, it turned out like this.”

Aside from marveling at his luck, Liu Yunqi had nothing else to say. Still, she remained a bit skeptical. “Actually, I can’t be completely certain that this is the legendary… Let me take you to see someone. He might be able to identify it.”

Zhong Yun carefully packed the flower and followed Liu Yunqi as she led him further inside. She dialed a number as they walked. “Mr. Huang, where are you? … The cultivation room? Alright, I’ll come now… I have a rare orchid I’d like you to appraise.”

After passing through several doors and a long corridor, they finally entered a vast open-air courtyard. The moment they stepped inside, a refreshing scent filled the air—the scent of living plants.

Zhong Yun looked at rows upon rows of plants, some he recognized, others he didn’t, and he couldn’t help but click his tongue in awe. In his eyes, this was a veritable mountain of crisp, white banknotes.

Before coming here, he had researched the floriculture market. Every pot he recognized was worth a small fortune, with prices starting at a hundred thousand. There must be thousands of pots here.

“Yunqi, what brings you here?”

While Zhong Yun was estimating the worth of the courtyard, a delighted voice sounded. He turned to see a young man dressed head-to-toe in designer labels hurrying over.

Zhong Yun instantly disliked him. The man was slick and pampered, unmistakably born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and his expression bore the condescending arrogance typical of the privileged class.

When Liu Yunqi saw him, her brow furrowed slightly as she replied coolly, “Fei Yingming, you’re here too.”

Fei Yingming shot a glance at Zhong Yun, a flash of disdain crossing his face. Though it was fleeting, Zhong Yun caught it.

And he was certain Liu Yunqi noticed it too, for her gaze grew even colder—just like how she had looked at the receptionist who had ignored him earlier.

In that instant, Zhong Yun seemed to glimpse a facet of her character. She valued equality, which explained why, despite her wealthy background, she attended a public school.

She was also genuinely friendly to people. Though Zhong Yun had never spoken with her before, she had stood up for him simply because they were classmates.

She disliked seeing her friends slighted, whether it was the receptionist or, as now, this wealthy pest in front of them.

Realizing this, Zhong Yun’s admiration for Liu Yunqi grew—not because of his predecessor’s memories, but because of her rare and admirable qualities.

He could feel that she wasn’t putting on an act; everything was genuine and heartfelt. She had a soul of gold.

Fei Yingming, oblivious to how much of a nuisance he was, stuck to her side. “I’m here with my grandfather.”

Zhong Yun had already noticed a large group approaching. At the front was an elderly man with snow-white hair, yet he moved with the vigor and confidence of a much younger man. The rest followed behind him in a reverent cluster, making it clear that the old man’s status was not ordinary.

From a distance, the old gentleman spotted Liu Yunqi and laughed heartily, calling out, “Girl from the Liu family, you haven’t come to visit this old man in ages!” His voice boomed like a bell.

Liu Yunqi smiled, “Grandpa Fei, I’ve just been busy with my studies.”

The playful tone in her voice made Zhong Yun glance at her in surprise, finding this softer, more youthful side of Liu Yunqi even more endearing.

The old man teased, “Busy with your studies? Or busy falling in love?” As he spoke, his gaze wandered pointedly to Zhong Yun.

A blush rushed to Liu Yunqi’s cheeks. “Grandpa Fei, you’re being naughty!”

Zhong Yun could only smile wryly at the side; the old man’s earlier look hadn’t been exactly friendly.

Standing beside Liu Yunqi, Fei Yingming fixed Zhong Yun with a cold, menacing stare that sent a chill down his spine.

The old man burst into laughter. “My bad, my bad. How about this: you’ve always loved my Sapphire Tears, haven’t you? I’ll give it to you as an apology. How does that sound?”

Liu Yunqi’s eyes lit up in delight. “Really?”

Zhong Yun could only marvel at the generosity of the wealthy.

Sapphire Tears was said to be one of Davos’s most famous flowers, named for its pure blue color and teardrop-shaped stamens. At an auction, it had once fetched an astronomical price of eighty million, making it one of the most valuable flowers in existence.

Liu Yunqi hesitated to accept such a gift, but the old gentleman turned to his grandson, “Yingming, when you get home, deliver the flower to Xiao Qi.”

“Grandpa Fei, Sapphire Tears is your most treasured plant. How can I possibly—”

The old man pretended to be angry, “Once I give something away, I don’t take it back!” Then his tone softened. “You’re a true lover of flowers, so it won’t be dishonored in your care. From now on, I entrust it to you—be sure to look after it well.”

Liu Yunqi could no longer resist the temptation. Besides, their families had longstanding ties; refusing now would only offend him. She decided to reciprocate with a gift of equal value later and accepted with gratitude.

Seeing her nod, the old man was overjoyed, as though giving away his beloved flower was in fact a great bargain for him. His eyes shifted to Zhong Yun. “This young man’s face is unfamiliar. Which family are you from?”

“He’s Zhong Yun, my classmate. We just happened to run into each other at the door, so I brought him in,” Liu Yunqi explained.

The old man nodded, glancing again at the somewhat nervous Zhong Yun. So, just a regular fellow—not a threat to my grandson, he thought, and his gaze softened.

Fei Yingming, however, sneered inwardly, convinced he had seen through Zhong Yun’s intentions. How dare this pauper try to woo my Yunqi? Dream on.

Zhong Yun, oblivious to Fei Yingming’s thoughts, knew that as someone with neither power nor influence, his best option was to keep a low profile for now.

With Zero at his side, all he needed was time, and these people would one day be at his feet. He was patient.

Liu Yunqi turned to the matter at hand. “My classmate has cultivated a rather… unusual orchid and would like someone to identify it.”

“Qi, you’re quite the expert yourself. Why go out of your way?” the old man said offhandedly, not believing for a moment that an ordinary boy could grow anything special.

“I’ve looked at it, but I can’t be completely sure.”

“Oh?” Now the old man’s interest was piqued. “Is it a mutant? Let me see.”

Holding his breath, Zhong Yun carefully opened the box.

“Tch,” Fei Yingming, already irritated with Zhong Yun, saw the flower’s unopened bud and couldn’t help but sneer, “It’s just a bud and you dare to bring it here for appraisal? Who are you trying to fool—” He hadn’t finished speaking.

“Seven Fairies…” an unsteady voice suddenly broke in.

PS: It’s the fourth day since my new book went up, and there are only three pitiful recommendations. My heart is sinking. Brothers, please give me some encouragement!