The next day, Fang Yun asked Xiao Cheng to take Wang Wenfeng out for a stroll, but he refused: "I've been to Jiangcheng several times already. I want to wander around by myself and buy some things."

Since Fang Yun got married and moved to Jiangcheng with Xiao Zhaoxing, her sister initially brought Wang Wenfeng to visit her. After he grew up, he would come whenever he had time. Since they were quite familiar with each other, Fang Yun didn't insist.

Although Jiangcheng is not as bustling as Haicheng, it has its own atmosphere. He strolled along the main road and eventually entered the nearest department store.

Although it was early, the store was already bustling with activity. His arrival was like a pebble thrown into a noisy pond, creating subtle ripples. His nearly 1.85-meter height, well-tailored light gray wool coat, and sharply defined face with gold-rimmed glasses made him stand out even in the crowd, attracting considerable attention. He seemed unfazed and headed straight for the food counter.

"Rice candy, peach cake, buckwheat noodles..." He pointed to the local specialties under the glass counter and ordered a little of each. Huang Yun was dazzled by his handsome face. While quickly packing the things, she couldn't help but steal glances at him, and said with a smile, "Comrade, you're not a local, are you? Buying so much, are you buying it as gifts?"

"Yes, I'll bring some back for my family." He smiled, paid, and got the ticket. The paper package was securely tied and felt quite heavy in his hand. He thought about the task his mother had given him: wherever he went, he must bring back local specialties on his return journey.

He knew that his mother wanted him to travel more whenever he had time, to experience the local customs and culture. But in fact, over the years, the place he had visited most often was Jiangcheng. Every time he came, he would bring back almost the same things. But his mother was always happy to receive the gifts because her son had taken her words to heart.

After buying his things, he should have left immediately, but for some reason he stopped in his tracks. He subconsciously looked around, his gaze sweeping over the crowded people and the dazzling array of goods on the shelves, and finally, as if drawn by something invisible, he settled on a relatively quiet corner at the back of the store.

That was the bicycle counter. Clearly, supplies were tight; the area behind the counter was empty, with only a few promotional posters on the wall. Compared to the surrounding hustle and bustle, it seemed to be its own little world. A woman in a blue sales clerk uniform sat behind the counter, head down, intently reading a book in her hands.

The soft morning light slanted down from the high window, illuminating half of her body and her serene profile. She was engrossed in her book, her fingertips occasionally brushing lightly across the pages, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding noise, which remained undisturbed by an invisible barrier.

Wang Wenfeng's heartstrings were gently plucked by a tender hand.

The daily tension and exhaustion in the hospital, the helplessness in the face of illness and death, had long since eroded his heart to the point of near numbness. He had seen too many anxious, painful, and longing eyes, but he hadn't seen such a completely immersed, peaceful, and contented scene in a long time. She was like a meticulously crafted still life painting, possessing a strange power to soothe restlessness.

It's so beautiful it's unreal.

He suddenly snapped out of his daze, realizing how impolite it was to stare at a strange woman like that. He quickly looked away, but a faint smile involuntarily appeared on his lips. As he turned to leave, the heaviness that had accumulated over the past few days seemed to dissipate somewhat, and his steps became noticeably lighter.

Just as he was about to step out of the department store, Zhan Chunlan behind the counter seemed to sense his lingering gaze and looked up without warning.

My gaze swept through the bustling crowd and landed at the mall's entrance. The golden sunlight streaming in from outside outlined a tall, reclining figure about to disappear from view—broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long, slender legs. The setting sun generously gilded him with a flowing halo, especially his neatly combed black hair, which seemed to have been dyed a dazzling gold.

Even just a glimpse of his back reveals a refined and outstanding demeanor.

"He must be a very outstanding gay man?" This thought flashed through Zhan Chunlan's mind.

As for what he looked like, she wasn't curious.

She had her own plans for his face, given his stunning silhouette.

She smiled, lowered her head, and immersed herself once again in the words that had just been interrupted, leaving her golden silhouette in the warm sunlight.

On her day off, Fang Yun once again took the initiative to visit Zhan Chunlan, who was working at a department store this time.

Although she said that at home before, if that orchid was really that precious, it was indeed a bit too hot to hold in her hands.

Fang Yun and Zhan Chunlan stood in a small corner outside the department store. There were few people passing by, so it was very peaceful.

She looked at the girl in front of her, who was about 1.6 meters tall, almost as tall as herself, with thick, long, black hair tied in a ponytail that hung down her back. Her features were not particularly outstanding on their own, but together they had a unique charm, like a clear mountain spring that brought peace to the soul.

Fang Yun was somewhat dazed, wondering to herself: Was she always like this? Her memory was becoming hazy.

"Aunt Fang?" Zhan Chunlan called softly when she saw Fang Yun staring at her in a daze, and gently waved her hand in front of her eyes. "Did you come to see me for something?"

Fang Yun then came to her senses and remembered the purpose of her visit. She quickly said, "Oh, right, there's something I need to ask you." After gathering her thoughts, she asked, "Do you remember the orchid you gave me before?"

A gentle smile spread across Zhan Chunlan's lips: "I remember. I met Xiao Cheng a couple of days ago, and he said you took exceptionally good care of the flowers."

Fang Yun looked slightly surprised upon hearing this: "Haven't you been away from school for a long time?"

Zhan Chunlan tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and explained, "Li Xiuxiu and Fan Hongying would come to tutor me when they had free time, and they would occasionally talk about things at school."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yun immediately misunderstood, thinking that Xiao Cheng had even told others about the plants she had been unable to keep alive. She couldn't help but chuckle and scold in a low voice, "That brat, he really says everything that comes to mind, he doesn't give me any face at all."

She waved her hand, as if to brush away the slight embarrassment, then straightened her expression and revealed her true purpose for coming today: "Alright, let's not talk about him anymore. Chunlan, I came to see you today because a knowledgeable friend told me that the orchid you gave me is not an ordinary variety. It's called something like 'Songmei,' and it's said to be very rare and precious."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed across Zhan Chunlan's eyes, which quickly turned into a deeper smile. Her tone was sincere and frank: "Really? Such beautiful flowers are just right for someone as refined as Aunt Fang."

Fang Yun's eyes suddenly lit up, as if these words had touched her heart. She excitedly clapped her hands lightly: "Right! That's what I said back then! It should be mine, even you, the one who sent the flowers..." She paused, realizing that she had gone too far, and quickly coughed to cover up her lapse. Her tone became slightly more restrained, but it still carried an undiminished enthusiasm.

"Heh! Look at me, I just talk nonsense when I'm happy." She composed herself and finally revealed her true purpose, "Actually, I came here today to return that 'Songmei' orchid to you. If it were just an ordinary orchid, I would have accepted it without hesitation, but now that I know it is so precious, I really feel bad about keeping it."

Zhan Chunlan listened quietly, a faint smile always on her lips, her gaze gentle yet firm as she looked at Fang Yun: "Aunt Fang, when I gave it to you, I never thought about its value. I just saw that pot of orchids and felt that it was very suitable for you. I was already very happy that you didn't mind that it was a wildflower that I just picked up from the mountains and accepted it with pleasure."

Her tone was sincere and earnest: "Now that I hear it's rare and valuable, I feel even more at ease. Don't worry about it. Besides, the value of Songmei or not is just something people assign to it. For me, only your liking it is the most important thing."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yun's eyes lit up with a genuine smile, and she couldn't help but reach out and gently tap Zhan Chunlan's forehead: "You child, you're such a smooth talker."

Zhan Chunlan lowered her head slightly, a faint blush rising on her cheeks: "That's what I truly think, it's all from the bottom of my heart."

"Okay, okay!" Fang Yun's smile widened, and her tone was cheerful: "Aunt Fang isn't one to be coy. Since you've said so, Aunt Fang will gladly accept it. Come visit me more often when you have time. I'm free on my days off."

Zhan Chunlan looked up, her eyes filled with a hint of shyness, but she replied gracefully, "After hearing what you just said, I really want to visit your home. I've almost forgotten what that orchid looks like, and I'd like to see it for myself."

"What are you saying? I just praised you and you're already being so formal!" Fang Yun immediately beamed and warmly took her hand: "There's no time like the present, let's do it today, I happen to be free today! Besides, the flowers are in full bloom right now, who knows if they'll still be blooming next time."

As she spoke, her tone held a hint of disbelief and admiration: "Speaking of this, this orchid is really special, its flowering period is so long! I look at it every day, always afraid that it will wither the next day, but it gets more and more vibrant every day, and it's still very beautiful today!"