Chapter Sixty-Four: The Rose Incident (Part One)

During the noon break, Wang Yuqing idly spun the pen in her hand, unable to muster any interest in the English test paper before her. She had an inexplicable feeling that something was about to happen today, which left her restless. After Xiaolin called her yesterday, she felt that their relationship had grown closer. The entire class now tacitly acknowledged her connection with Xiaolin. Although Wang Yuqing knew that Xiaolin liked her, she sensed a barrier in his heart—a distance that kept him from confessing his feelings. She vaguely suspected it might be related to Ma Yunrou, but she didn’t know what to do and could only hope he would break through it soon and declare himself openly.

With this thought, she glanced at Xiaolin, who was sleeping soundly on the desk, a faint smile on his chiseled face, as if caught in a sweet dream. This rascal had made her wait so long; a little more wouldn’t matter. Comforting herself with this thought, Wang Yuqing closed her test paper, laid down her pen, and decided to take a nap as well.

Not far from Innovation High School was a bustling commercial street, offering everything from furniture and appliances to toys and trinkets. The shops were vibrant and varied, with restaurants and entertainment venues as well—Prince KTV, where Wang Yuqing and her friends had visited last time, was also located here. The prices were affordable, making it a popular hangout for students, many of whom would stroll there whenever they had free time.

At that moment, two boys were walking down the street. One wore a black trench coat, strikingly handsome, his very stride exuding a flair that set him apart from the crowd. The other wore an ordinary down jacket, his face unremarkable, shoulders slightly hunched as he walked—so much so that it was puzzling how two people with such obvious differences could be together. These two were Gao Zheng and his follower, Zhao Mingliang, out during the lunch break.

"Zhao Mingliang, where's your aunt's flower shop? Are we almost there?" Gao Zheng asked as he followed behind Zhao Mingliang.

"Master, we're almost there, just a bit further ahead," Zhao Mingliang replied softly.

"And the flowers—are they ready?" Gao Zheng pressed.

"Don’t worry, Master. I talked to my aunt days ago and reserved the best ones. I guarantee Miss Yuqing will be delighted when she sees them."

"Master, you really didn’t need to come yourself. I could've brought the flowers to school," Zhao Mingliang said, puzzled as to why Gao Zheng insisted on coming in person.

"No, I can’t trust you with this. I have to see the flowers myself," Gao Zheng insisted. Originally, he had planned to have Uncle Xiang order a bouquet, but Zhao Mingliang mentioned his aunt owned a flower shop and could pick out something especially beautiful. So Gao Zheng entrusted him with the task, and today was the day to collect the flowers. But Gao Zheng insisted on inspecting them personally, so Zhao Mingliang had no choice but to bring him along.

"Master, we're here—this is my aunt's flower shop," Zhao Mingliang announced as they arrived.

Gao Zheng looked up at the shop. It wasn’t large—about the size of two rooms. Above the entrance hung a sign, framed by a heart shape made of fresh flowers and balloons. In the center, neon lights spelled out "Love Blossom Boutique." On either side of the door were decorative couplets: "Exotic blooms bring endless joy, flowers ever fresh to suit the heart’s desire," and "Elegant chrysanthemums and orchids adorn the street, crafted with such skill that even butterflies are enchanted."

They entered the shop, where the flower racks were filled with lilies, roses, carnations, daisies, and all sorts of fresh blossoms, petals dewy and vibrant. The air was thick with their intoxicating fragrance, refreshing to the soul.

"Auntie, Auntie, I’m here!" Zhao Mingliang called out as soon as he entered.

"Ah, Mingliang, you’ve come!" came the reply, as a middle-aged woman emerged from the back, apron tied around her waist and flower petals clinging to her hands.

"Auntie, are the roses I asked you to set aside ready? This is my friend—we’re here to pick them up." As he spoke, Zhao Mingliang shot his aunt a look, signaling that Gao Zheng was the true customer.

"Yes, yes, I chose only the very best. Your sweetheart will be thrilled. Come, this way, let’s take a look," she said cheerfully, gesturing for Gao Zheng to follow her inside.

"Here are your flowers. I put a lot of effort into arranging them," Zhao Mingliang’s aunt said, pointing to a large bouquet before them.

Gao Zheng examined the bouquet carefully. It was not the usual red roses but rare rainbow roses, also called multicolored roses, wrapped in elegant purple paper, studded with little ornaments, each bloom layered atop the next. Under the shop’s lights, the bouquet shimmered with a dreamlike beauty, its scent heady and enchanting.

"These roses are hard to find in the market. When Mingliang told me you wanted something special, I had people specially source them—a new variety cultivated in the Netherlands. I arranged sixty-six of them, representing undying love. Well? Are you satisfied?" she asked.

"Perfect, I’ll take them," Gao Zheng replied, nodding with satisfaction.

Seeing his approval, Zhao Mingliang’s aunt was overjoyed. These flowers were worth a fortune—each costing several hundred yuan. This was a big sale indeed. Zhao Mingliang had told her that as long as Gao Zheng was pleased, money was no object. So she had bypassed the usual red roses in her shop and secured these precious rainbow roses from the main store.

"Master, it’s getting late. Let’s follow the delivery van back," Zhao Mingliang suggested quietly. Since the commercial street was close to the school, they had walked over. But they couldn’t carry the bouquet back by hand.

"Alright. When we get back, let’s go straight to Class One’s classroom. I want the whole school to know that I, Gao Zheng, am pursuing Yuqing. Let’s see who dares compete with me," Gao Zheng said excitedly, already envisioning Wang Yuqing’s delighted reaction upon receiving the flowers.

Meanwhile, the noon break at Innovation High School had just ended. Wang Yuqing and Xiaolin had both woken up and were tidying their desks, getting ready for class. Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the classroom. As they exchanged puzzled glances, Gao Zheng strode in, holding the bouquet of roses with pride. Behind him trailed a crowd of students; ever since Gao Zheng stepped out of the car with flowers in hand, many had followed him. He was, after all, the school’s heartthrob, and now, walking into school with a bouquet, everyone wanted to see who the lucky recipient would be. This, after all, would be a story to brag about later. Normally, students carrying flowers into school were stopped by security, but Gao Zheng was no ordinary student, so the guards turned a blind eye.

"These rainbow roses represent my deepest love. Only you are worthy of them, so I give them to you, my goddess," Gao Zheng declared, kneeling on one knee before Wang Yuqing, holding out the bouquet, his eyes full of sincere affection for the beautiful girl before him.

(Note: Rainbow roses are indeed a new variety cultivated in the Netherlands. They are created by allowing white roses to absorb various pigments, resulting in vibrant, rainbow-colored blossoms. Each flower can display multiple colors and feels velvety to the touch. The colors and texture are achieved through artificial cultivation; the petals do not fade or fall off. This is a work of fiction—readers, please don’t question its authenticity.)