While eating breakfast, Lu Qianqian checked her favorability points again.
Yesterday she had gained fifty-eight points — not bad at all. At this rate, she’d be able to spin the wheel every few days.
Breakfast was still white rice porridge, pickled vegetables, and a boiled egg.
After eating the same thing for two days straight, Lu Qianqian was already getting tired of it. She could only wait until the family had more money before introducing better food.
After finishing breakfast, she went to the backyard and carefully cut three Cold Beauty flowers, leaving the stems and leaves attached.
These were intended for registration at the Plant Association.
After one night, all the flower buds on the Cold Beauty bushes had already bloomed, and many new buds had appeared as well.
It seemed the Cold Beauty flowers grew rapidly just like the mango and guava trees.
Seeing this, Lu Qianqian finally understood.
The special trait only existed with her.
As long as the plants were grown by her, their growth speed would be altered.
She carefully placed the flowers into a basket and covered them with gauze.
This trip to the prefectural city, Lu Qianqian brought fifty mangoes and one hundred fifty guavas. The rest she left at home.
Once they arrived at Tianyuan Prefecture, Lu Qianqian had her eldest and second brothers first head toward the place where Third Brother Lu Zhenghui lived.
At this time of day, Lu Zhenghui was not home but attending lessons at Qingfeng Academy. Only Third Sister-in-law Chen Xin was there.
Seeing Lu Qianqian and the others arrive, Chen Xin looked surprised.
Especially after noticing the baskets of fruit on the ox cart.
Hadn’t all the fruit sold out yesterday?
Why was there more today?
“Third Sister-in-law, the fruit trees at home matured again. Do you still want these? If not, I’ll take them to the Plant Association and ask around.”
Chen Xin immediately snapped out of her daze.
“Yes! Of course I want them.”
Yesterday, her elder brother had already told her that these fruits called mangoes and guavas were top-quality products — just limited in quantity.
Now it seemed quantity wasn’t really an issue.
Wasn’t another batch delivered today already?
Clearly there would be more in the future too.
“I’ll still pay you the same price. I’ll just trouble Eldest Brother and Second Brother to deliver them to my maiden family.”
Naturally, Lu Zhengguo and Lu Zhengjun had no objections.
“Eldest Brother, Second Brother, go with Third Sister-in-law first. I’ll head to the Plant Association alone for a bit. Once I finish there, I’ll come find you.”
Lu Qianqian lifted the basket containing the Cold Beauty flowers.
Neither Lu Zhengguo nor Lu Zhengjun had any problem with her decision. They also trusted their little sister to handle matters independently now.
Chen Xin was somewhat surprised that Lu Qianqian was heading to the Plant Association again, though she hid it well.
…
When Lu Qianqian arrived at the Plant Association once more, the attendants immediately recognized her.
After all, she had only received Florist certification yesterday. Naturally, her return today remained fresh in their memories.
“Miss Lu, welcome back. What brings you here today?”
The attendant stepped forward respectfully.
“I’m here to register a new plant.”
The attendant’s heart shook slightly.
It seemed this newly certified Florist truly possessed some ability.
Soon, Lu Qianqian once again entered Elder Ge’s office.
Seeing her, Elder Ge also revealed a trace of surprise before quickly recovering.
“Miss Lu, are you here again today for registration?” he asked.
Lu Qianqian placed the basket onto the desk.
“The Cold Beauty flowers I cultivated bloomed. Since I happened to come to the prefectural city today for business, I brought them along for registration.”
As she spoke, she lifted the gauze and removed the Cold Beauty flowers from the basket.
The moment Elder Ge saw them, his expression changed sharply.
“Miss Lu… are you certain this was cultivated by you?”
“That’s right. Is there some problem?”
Lu Qianqian wasn’t stupid.
From Elder Ge’s tone, she could clearly hear something unusual.
Elder Ge pulled out a document from a stack nearby and placed it before her.
“Please take a look at this first.”
Setting down the flowers, Lu Qianqian picked up the paper.
The illustration on it depicted the exact appearance of the Cold Beauty flower.
But beneath it, the flower was named “Purple Flower,” and the registered discoverer was listed as Liu Hua.
Strictly speaking, this kind of information was not supposed to be shown to outsiders.
Yet Elder Ge still brought it out.
It was partly to earn Lu Qianqian’s goodwill.
He genuinely believed in her ability.
Yesterday she had already brought two entirely new species, and today she had returned again.
Meanwhile, when the previous person came to register this so-called “Purple Flower,” that individual couldn’t even properly explain the plant’s growth characteristics.
It was obvious they had merely stumbled upon the flower through luck.
But now Lu Qianqian had brought the same flower.
Which meant nobody knew how the other person had obtained it.
“Thank you, Elder Ge.”
Lu Qianqian returned the document.
“Then I won’t disturb you further. I’ll head back first.”
Elder Ge escorted her out of the room.
At that moment, someone in the distance also noticed Elder Ge and walked over.
“Grandpa Ge.”
It was Shen Yalan.
Since Shen Yalan’s grandfather was an old friend of Elder Ge, he had practically watched her grow up.
“Yalan has come.”
“Grandpa Ge, have there been any new plants recently?”
In a few days, it would be her close friend’s birthday, and she had been searching for a suitable gift, though nothing had caught her interest yet.
“Haha, then you’ve arrived at the perfect time. This Miss Lu just brought over a new flowering plant today.”
Elder Ge introduced Lu Qianqian to Shen Yalan.
“This young lady — we meet again. I never expected to encounter you here.”
Shen Yalan smiled warmly.
Elder Ge looked between them.
“So you already know each other? Even better. Come, come — let’s go inside and talk.”
Lu Qianqian didn’t refuse.
She accepted Elder Ge’s goodwill.
The three of them returned to the office.
After sitting down, Shen Yalan asked,
“Would it be possible for me to see the flower?”
Lu Qianqian took out the Cold Beauty flower and placed it on the table.
“This flower is called Cold Beauty. Its color is elegant, its blossoms strikingly beautiful, and its flower language is ‘a unique tenderness.’”
After hearing her explanation, Elder Ge became completely certain.
Yesterday’s registrant had definitely been an imposter.
The only mystery left was how that person had gotten hold of the Cold Beauty flower.
These Cold Beauty flowers had only just been picked by Lu Qianqian.
Fresh and vivid, they seemed almost alive.
From the very instant Lu Qianqian revealed them, Shen Yalan fell in love with them at first sight.
They were simply too beautiful.
She had never seen flowers this exquisite before.
“May I ask how to address you? My surname is Shen, given name Yalan.”
Lu Qianqian smiled.
“My name is Lu Qianqian. You can just call me Qianqian.”
“Then I’ll call you Qianqian. Qianqian, would you be willing to sell these Cold Beauty flowers to me?”
Shen Yalan already had a favorable impression of Lu Qianqian from their meeting at Moon Tower.
“Of course there’s no problem. However…”
Lu Qianqian paused mid-sentence and turned toward Elder Ge.
“Elder Ge, since Cold Beauty wasn’t officially registered by me, am I still allowed to sell it?”