The uniform-clad beauty’s exquisitely lovely face registered a flash of astonishment, her gaze involuntarily lingering on Liu Yunqi for a couple of seconds. “Welcome.

I am Qi Lingyu, a guide here at Flower Sea. How may I assist you?” As expected of a professionally trained etiquette specialist, Qi Lingyu quickly regained her composure after the initial surprise, introducing herself with poise and grace.

“I’m looking for a type of camellia. Which section is it in?” Zhong Yun glanced at the electronic map mounted on the wall.

It was divided into dozens of zones, resembling a labyrinth; finding it himself could take ages, so asking someone was clearly faster. “It’s in Zone Thirteen.” Qi Lingyu answered after a moment’s thought, demonstrating solid professional knowledge.

“Please follow me.” As a guide directly facing customers, Qi Lingyu was trained in reading people. Though young, her insight already held a certain depth; she could tell at a glance that Liu Yunqi was no ordinary person.

It wasn't just her captivating, world-class beauty, but more significantly, her attire. Her clothes appeared simple and unassuming, yet upon closer inspection, the style was novel and unique.

Based on her experience, it was most likely the work of a renowned designer. Then there was the sea-blue hairpin in the young woman’s hair.

Qi Lingyu had seen that style in a magazine; it was the masterpiece of Davo’s most famous designer, entirely handcrafted, with only ninety-nine pieces made worldwide. That tiny hairpin alone was worth five years of her salary.

Of course, this didn’t overly surprise her. Not just anyone was qualified to enter the heart of Flower Sea; those who frequented this place were the wealthy and discerning connoisseurs.

She had encountered countless rich people and witnessed accessories both sky-high priced and utterly extravagant. However, a girl possessing such an elegant aura, one who left an unforgettable impression upon first meeting, was something she had seen only a few times before—and those few were noblewomen and socialites of immense standing and formidable reputations.

She must come from some distinguished lineage, Qi Lingyu concluded internally. As for the boy, she found herself pondering.

His appearance was ordinary, his clothes were mass-market brands, and he possessed no particular bearing in his movements. He was just a very common person.

But when he walked so intimately alongside a dazzlingly beautiful young woman, he suddenly seemed exceptionally out of the ordinary. Upon entering the hall, Liu Yunqi naturally withdrew her hand, but how could that escape Qi Lingyu’s notice?

The two had been holding hands before they arrived. The girl stayed close to him, indicating a relatively intimate relationship, and positioned herself slightly behind him.

When answering her questions, the boy hadn't deferred to the girl, and after he spoke, the girl showed no sign of objection. This suggested the boy occupied the dominant role in their dynamic.

Of course, these were merely Qi Lingyu’s speculations, not necessarily facts. Could they be siblings?

This thought flashed through Qi Lingyu’s mind. She scrutinized the boy again—front, back, left, right—he remained stubbornly average.

Impossible. The disparity in their looks was far too vast.

She dismissed the idea; if they were truly siblings, it would be a miracle of genetics. Then they were very likely a couple, which, while seemingly absurd, wasn't entirely out of the question upon closer consideration.

A girl of noble birth and breathtaking beauty, who ate the finest cuisine, wore clothes designed by famous designers, and sported the most expensive jewelry. The pursuits of such a girl would surely differ completely from those of someone of humble origins like herself.

Her immense material wealth meant she placed greater value on spiritual fulfillment. Having seen countless elegant, handsome scions of wealthy families and noble houses, she had developed aesthetic fatigue.

It wasn't strange that a young man of ordinary looks but exceptional talent could deeply captivate her. Thus, in Qi Lingyu’s eyes, Zhong Yun transformed into a highly talented youth.

Just as Zhong Yun and the others were about to proceed further inside, an anxious voice suddenly echoed through the hall, “Quickly, find someone… my Crystal Rose is fading fast…” The words “Crystal Rose” struck their ears, and the three of them spun around, all eager to witness this famous rose for themselves. In Davo, the Crystal Rose might not be the most expensive flower, but it was undoubtedly the most renowned.

Ask any random person on the street, and nine and a half out of ten would recognize the name. It was much like Earth, where you might not know who ranked number one on the Global 500 list, but you certainly knew the name Microsoft.

The fame of the Crystal Rose was intrinsically tied to the name of one woman—much like the famous tycoon Bill Gates associated with Microsoft. This woman had been retired for twenty years, yet her name was still chanted by the people.

Her name was forever etched in history; she was the most famous and successful singer in Davo’s history. Her name had not only resounded across the nation but had even reached the Grane Empire.

She had been invited to perform for members of the Grane Imperial family and had been named an Honorary Citizen of the Grane Empire. She was the first person in Davo’s history to hold the title of High Imperial Honorary Citizen.

Even the President would bow slightly upon meeting her. Few people might know her name now, but mention the Crystal Rose, and she was the first person everyone thought of.

This was because, when she first debuted, a veteran music critic had used this analogy to describe her singing voice, and it later became her permanent moniker. Zhong Yun looked and was immediately disheartened.

In the hall, an elderly man with streaks of white in his hair was holding a flowerpot that contained only bare, withered stems; the plant was almost completely dead. The old man looked frantic, repeatedly urging the female receptionist before him, who was patiently trying to soothe his agitation.

“Your guides offer truly excellent service,” Zhong Yun couldn't help but praise. “That’s too kind; it’s simply part of our duty,” Qi Lingyu maintained her warm smile.

“Let’s move on then.” Seeing there was nothing more to look at, Zhong Yun suggested. Liu Yunqi suddenly exclaimed with regret, “That Crystal Rose is withered to this extent; I’m afraid it can’t be saved.

What a pity.” “Can’t be saved? Perhaps not,” Zhong Yun thought, but he kept it to himself.

Blurted out that he could revive the plant, and people would likely assume he was insane. Qi Lingyu led them to an elevator vestibule, asking, “This is your first time here, isn't it?”—though she already knew the answer from the records but was merely asking out of habit.

Zhong Yun nodded. Qi Lingyu then began introducing Flower Sea.

She was an excellent speaker, skillfully weaving in interesting anecdotes and knowledge, describing everything vividly. Zhong Yun and Liu Yunqi listened with rapt attention.

Before they knew it, they arrived at the camellia section, just as Qi Lingyu finished recounting an anecdote about Mayor Feng Hua’s wife. She said, “Here we are.

Which variety of camellia were you hoping to see?” Zhong Yun looked ahead. There was a very wide walkway, bordered on the sides by glass-partitioned, enormous flower rooms.

Inside each were countless potted plants of every description—some in full bloom, others tightly budded, and still others just sprouting new shoots. Stretching as far as the eye could see was a world of blossoms, punctuated by green.

“I’m looking for the Black Datura,” Zhong Yun stated. “The Black Datura?” Hearing this, Qi Lingyu showed a flicker of surprise but said no more, leading them to a flower room.

Zhong Yun stood before the enclosure, gazing at the black specter blooming defiantly amidst white drifts of simulated snow, unable to suppress a sense of awe at the Creator’s magic. The Black Datura was an exceedingly rare type of camellia.

Besides its unusual black flower, it possessed a very specific requirement: it could only survive in environments colder than minus fifty degrees Celsius. This characteristic resulted in its scarcity, as the cost of artificial cold chambers was prohibitively high—one cold room costing as much as two or three potted flowers.

Furthermore, aside from its peculiar color, the aesthetic value of the Black Datura was only mediocre. As such, for a rare bloom, its status was somewhat awkward.

Except for massive, deep-pocketed establishments like Flower Sea, very few people bothered cultivating this variety. P: We’ve reached fifty thousand characters, so I have a bit more confidence asking for votes.

I am an amateur writer, and five thousand characters a day is my limit. Please help me out with some recommendations.

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