Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Enough Sense of Security

Never mind Xu Qiannian, who was so moved by Chi Wan’s words he nearly declared her a kindred spirit on the spot; even Xiahou Yu, standing off to the side, had a flash of surprise in his eyes.

Xu Qiannian said with renewed excitement, "Well said, Wanwan! You really understand our obsession with the Ghost Orchid! With other orchids, everyone does their best to research cultivation methods so that all people can appreciate their beauty.

"But to this day, there’s still no suitable way to artificially cultivate the Ghost Orchid, and that’s a fixation for every orchid lover. You’ve said exactly what’s in my heart! No wonder..."

Chi Wan asked curiously, "No wonder what?"

Mr. Xu Sr. just smiled. "No wonder you can grow so many high-quality orchids."

But he shot his grandson a look of profound disappointment. ’Why is he such a block of wood?! No wonder that Zhou Huaijin kid was the one to meet a wonderful girl like Wanwan!’

Then again, he thought, ’If Huaijin hadn’t met her, Zhou wouldn’t have gotten to know her. And if Zhou hadn’t known her, how would I have ever learned about Wanwan?’

’It’s all fate! Heaven brought such a wonderful girl to me, so I absolutely must seize this opportunity!’

He might be old and out of touch with the younger generation, Xu Qiannian confidently reasoned, but when it came to pursuing a wonderful girl, there was no such thing as first-come, first-served. Ultimately, it all came down to winning her heart on one’s own merits.

’My grandson is so exceptional; surely he has an advantage over that Huaijin kid, right?’

From his grandfather’s expression, Xiahou Yu knew exactly what he was thinking. This time, however, the two of them were in perfect sync, their thoughts completely aligned.

The two exchanged a look, and everything was understood without a word being said.

Chi Wan had no idea what Xu Qiannian was thinking. Seeing that he had been so easily cheered up by just a few words, she found the old man quite interesting.

Like Mr. Zhou Sr., he had a somewhat childlike personality. It just went to show that people who spend time together really do have things in common.

But what she had just said wasn’t simply to please the old man; she genuinely meant it.

Back when she was choosing her major for the college entrance exams, her family hadn’t gone bankrupt yet. Chi Yuanshan had never said a word about things like inheriting the family business, telling her to simply choose whatever major she liked and to let him worry about making money.

Therefore, Chi Wan genuinely loved all kinds of plants and adored watching them grow, bit by bit, from a seed or a tender shoot under her care.

That was why she deeply understood Mr. Xu Sr.’s fretful attachment to rare orchids.

Xu Qiannian then took his time admiring the other flowers in Chi Wan’s greenhouse. The staggered arrangement of the pots didn’t make the space feel messy or cramped. While some weren’t as precious as the orchids, they were all blooming brilliantly, a sight that gladdened the heart and refreshed the spirit. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The greenhouse itself was a converted treehouse, with vines covering every surface. The verdant foliage was dotted with clusters of Lixiao Flowers, as brilliant as flames, creating a delightful contrast with the elegant forms of the various orchids inside.

Xu Qiannian sighed in admiration. "I’m getting old. You young folks are the ones with the ideas. A greenhouse like this paired with flowers like these is just wonderful. Wanwan, would you mind if I took a few pictures to post in the association as promotional material?

"By the way, the association organizes annual tours for members to visit one another’s collections. Of course, it isn’t mandatory, so it’s perfectly fine if you’d rather not."

Chi Wan, of course, didn’t mind. "Please, take all the pictures you want. The association is meant for sharing, right? I happen to know that many rare varieties are seldom put on display, so it sounds like I’m the one getting the better end of the deal~"

Xu Qiannian laughed heartily. "You may not have many orchids here, but every single one is a masterpiece. In that case, Wanwan, I’m entrusting this piece of wood to you. Whether or not it can be saved, it will put a weight off my mind. Before I came, I was wracked with anxiety, constantly thinking about what I’d do if it was a lost cause.

"Now that I’ve come here, I’ve made my peace with it. Just give it your best shot. If you truly feel there’s no hope, then just throw it away."

At this, Xiahou Yu finally spoke up with a faint smile. "Don’t be fooled by how nonchalant my grandfather sounds now. He’s argued with everyone in the family over this piece of wood recently. If I had known your counsel was so effective, Miss Chi, I would have brought him over much sooner."

Xu Qiannian inwardly cursed his grandson for being so "filial," but on account of Xiahou Yu actively chiming in, he held his tongue.

Chi Wan, however, couldn’t help but shoot Xiahou Yu a strange look. She felt he was somehow different from his first visit—as if he’d become... warmer?

’It’s probably because of the Jade Token,’ she guessed.

But she was also interested in befriending Xiahou Yu. His social circle was the most influential network she could currently access, and she had long decided to cultivate that connection.

Now that the money was in hand and her network of contacts was slowly expanding, her state of mind regarding the He Family grew increasingly calm.

She felt as though she had been just a sheltered university student at the start of summer break, but the events of this short period and the people she had met had forced her to mature at an incredible speed.

When she looked back, she realized it had only been a little over a month.

After seeing the grandfather and grandson off, Chi Wan tidied up, stretched, and opened the gift Xiahou Yu had brought for her.

It was a bracelet from the T-brand classic collection. The style was simple and elegant, not too extravagant for a university student like her.

Chi Wan had owned one before but had sold it secondhand along with her other luxury goods when her family went bankrupt, so she knew its price. For someone who had just sold the Jade Token, a gift in this price range was not an overwhelming burden to accept.

She let out a soft laugh. ’Xiahou Yu’s assistant has good taste in gifts.’

Tossing it back into the box, Chi Wan remembered Li Xingye had said yesterday that he would be clearing out the central district of his Rong City today.

While Chi Wan didn’t know much about the situation in the apocalypse, she understood the basic logic: the city center was once a densely populated area, and more people meant more zombies, which meant more danger.

So, she decided to quietly take a look at what was happening on Li Xingye’s side.

But the moment she entered the space, she was met with the sight of a dense, teeming horde of zombies, jamming every street and stretching as far as the eye could see, all lunging toward Li Xingye!

*

Li Xingye had no idea Chi Wan was watching him, but he didn’t look particularly nervous as he faced the zombie onslaught.

Ever since he’d learned that Chi Wan could see a panoramic view of his world, he had kept the portal to the space open all day long, except for when it was inconvenient. This was so Chi Wan could check on his situation at a moment’s notice—whether she actually wanted to or not, it was the thought that counted.

This was a piece of relationship advice that Brother Qiang, single for so many years himself, had unreservedly shared with him after learning about his one-sided crush on Wanwan.

Although Li Xingye had no idea where the perpetually single Brother Qiang got such insights, he had to admit it made a lot of sense.

Brother Qiang had said, "The most important thing in a relationship is to give the girl a sense of security, especially when it’s long-distance. You and the Space God are separated by an entire dimension, so it’s even more crucial that you let her see what’s going on with you at all times!"