Shen Jingze waited downstairs for a few minutes before seeing Sheng Xia struggling out of the elevator, holding a large pot of orchids.
Shen Jingze quickly stepped forward and took the orchids from Sheng Xia’s hands. The orchids were exceptionally well-cared for.
Shen Jingze set the orchids down and examined them carefully. “How much did you originally pay for these flowers?”
“Twenty million,” Sheng Xia replied. “I’ve been caring for them for less than two years. I’m short on money now and need to sell them quickly. If you genuinely like them, we can negotiate the price.”
“Short on money?” Shen Jingze repeated. Gu Cheng’an’s wife was short on money? Wasn’t that a joke?
Given Gu Cheng’an’s current wealth, even the Shen family had to rank behind him. Yet his wife was so desperate for money that she had to sell flowers to make ends meet? How poorly was Gu Cheng’an treating his wife?
Shen Jingze felt an inexplicable sympathy for Sheng Xia. “Thirty million, I’ll buy them!”
“Huh?” Sheng Xia was taken aback. She had just been thinking that since the man before her was wealthy, she wouldn’t halve the price. She wasn’t sure if Shen Jingze would accept fifteen million.
She never dreamed that Shen Jingze would offer double her expected price. Seeing Sheng Xia’s shocked expression, Shen Jingze thought she was dissatisfied with the amount.
“Is it too little? How about you name your price? I can accept up to fifty million.”
Sheng Xia shook her head like a rattle drum. “No, no, no, no! It’s not too little at all!”
The man before her was so generous that Sheng Xia decided not to hide anything. “Actually… I was planning to sell them for fifteen million. Since you genuinely want them, you can have them for the original price.”
Vain and greedy? Refusing thirty million and insisting on twenty million? This didn’t match the person his assistant Nan Feng had described.
Shen Jingze thought to himself but said aloud, “You’ve put effort into caring for them for two years, and the orchid market has been rising lately. Let’s make it thirty million. Don’t refuse.”
“This… you’re too… No, I’ll give them to you for twenty million. You don’t know, but all the orchids I’ve bought before were sold at a loss. I didn’t make a single profit—I always sold them for half price.”
Shen Jingze was even more surprised. “Why sell them for half price? As far as I know, orchid prices have been rising recently.”
“I’m short on money. I have no choice.”
As Sheng Xia spoke, her phone rang incessantly. She hung up, but the caller persisted. Sheng Xia finally answered. “What is it?”
“Li Shengxia, come to the hospital immediately and apologize! I’m telling you, if you don’t apologize to Xiaoxiao, the Lu family won’t let you off! Old Mrs. Lu has already spoken—whatever happens to Xiaoxiao will happen to you!”
On the other end, Gu Tingting threatened while gloating. “Don’t think my brother will help you. He doesn’t even like you. If you know what’s good for you, come to the hospital and apologize right now!”
Sheng Xia hung up the phone. Beside her, Shen Jingze overheard Gu Tingting’s arrogant words.
The caller was Gu Cheng’an’s sister, wasn’t she? When he left, Gu Tingting was only around ten years old, seemingly well-behaved and sensible. He never expected her to be so malicious, bullying her own sister-in-law like this.
And Li Shengxia’s submissive demeanor clearly indicated that this wasn’t the first time Gu Tingting had bullied her.
Shen Jingze felt even more sympathy for Sheng Xia’s situation. He asked with concern, “Do you need help?”
“No need!” Sheng Xia shook her head. “You buying my orchids at the original price is already helping me!””Thirty million, not a cent less, and I’ll take the orchid,” Shen Jingze said, taking out his phone. “Give me your account number.”
“Really, thirty million isn’t necessary. I’ll sell it to you for twenty million, but I won’t sell it for thirty.”
Seeing Sheng Xia’s stubbornness, Shen Jingze compromised. “Alright, then twenty million. Give me your account number!”
After giving Shen Jingze her account number, the huge sum of twenty million quickly arrived on Sheng Xia’s phone.
She let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you!”
“No need to thank me. If anything, I’m the one taking advantage. This flower of yours could probably sell for an even higher price.”
Shen Jingze knew that Gu Cheng’an liked orchids. Li Shengxia must have raised orchids because she loved everything about him, right?
It was a shame that Gu Cheng’an had ultimately let down the beauty’s heart.
Shen Jingze didn’t understand why Gu Cheng’an didn’t like Sheng Xia. She was so beautiful and captivating—was Gu Cheng’an made of stone?
If it were him, he’d cherish and protect her without hesitation, yet Gu Cheng’an wouldn’t even give her money to spend.
Selling her orchids meant Sheng Xia must be in financial straits. What Gu Cheng’an despised, he would support. Since Sheng Xia was so pitiful, why not help her?
But Sheng Xia seemed stubborn and not the type to easily accept help from others.
Shen Jingze thought for a moment and quickly came up with an idea. “I have a favor to ask. Could you help me take care of the orchid in the future? I’m very busy and might not be home often. If you agree, I’ll pay you a salary.”
Sheng Xia nodded. “Sure, I’ll help you take care of it. But no need for a salary.”
Shen Jingze smiled. “You’re really an interesting person. Alright, I’ll take the orchid back now. Could you come with me to see where I live? I’ll entrust my orchid to you from now on.”
After hesitating for a moment, Sheng Xia nodded. Meanwhile, Shen Jingze took out his phone and snapped a photo of the orchid in front of him, quickly posting it on his social media: “So happy today—I bought my favorite Orchid Aristocrat!”
Gu Cheng’an left the hospital and returned to the company. As soon as he arrived at his office, Ye Nuozhou called.
“Did you meet up with Shen Jingze and make up?”
“No! But he had his assistant invite me to the party he’s hosting after returning to the country.”
“Is that so? I thought you two had made up. Shen Jingze just posted a photo on social media—the orchid looks exactly like the one you raised. I thought you’d given it to him.”
“How could that be? Why would I give him an orchid? I’m not the one who did anything wrong!”
“I also didn’t think you’d take the initiative to back down, but the orchid really looks exactly like the one in your greenhouse. Take a look and you’ll see.” As he spoke, Ye Nuozhou sent Gu Cheng’an a screenshot of the orchid from Shen Jingze’s social media post.
Gu Cheng’an thought Ye Nuozhou must have been mistaken and didn’t pay it much mind—until he saw the orchid in the screenshot. With just one glance, he recognized it: this was the Orchid Aristocrat that Sheng Xia had raised in the greenhouse.
How did Sheng Xia’s flower end up in Shen Jingze’s hands?
Gu Cheng’an suddenly remembered what Sheng Xia and Gu Tingting had argued about the night before. Gu Tingting had accused Sheng Xia of selling all the orchids in the greenhouse, and Sheng Xia had said the orchids were bought with her own money, so she could do whatever she wanted with them.
Later, he had asked Sheng Xia why she wanted to sell the orchids, and she had said she didn’t want to raise them anymore. So, had Sheng Xia sold the orchid to Shen Jingze?
How did she even know Shen Jingze?That orchid was a gift Sheng Xia gave him on his birthday. He still remembered the grand celebration and the joy, as well as the expression on Sheng Xia’s face at that time.
How dare she secretly sell the gift she gave him, and to Shen Jingze, whom he disliked?
Gu Cheng’an couldn’t accept it. Suddenly, he recalled seeing that Orchid Aristocrat on the balcony of the bridal suite on Sheng Xia’s birthday. Sheng Xia had only moved the flower back to the new house. Perhaps the one in Shen Jingze’s hands was another identical orchid.
Gu Cheng’an refused to believe that Sheng Xia, who liked him so much, would sell the birthday gift she gave him. Yet, looking at the picture Ye Nuozhou sent, the flower did appear identical.
The more he thought about it, the more unsettled he felt. Gu Cheng’an lost all interest in work. No, he had to get to the bottom of this.
Gu Cheng’an stood up, left the company, and hurried toward the bridal suite.