Chapter 35: 035 part 1
The beautiful sunset glow slanted into the room through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, staining the entire living room in a bright orange.
Dinner for the two was already laid out on the open bar. Looking toward the balcony from the bar, one could see the vibrant natural plants bathed in the sunsetâvarious flowers arranged in layers, forming a unique landscape.
Zhu Ran set the meal on the table, while Zefaer poured two glasses of fruit-milk from the fridge and set them on the bar, arranging the cutlery for both. Soft light fell from above the bar, enhancing the cozy atmosphere.
Today’s meal included Spicy Sizzling SautĂ©ed Alien Meat, which Zhu Ran liked. Although the spiciness exceeded his tolerance, he enjoyed it very much. Seeing this dish among todayâs food, Zhu Ranâs eyes lit up.
“There’s a dish I like; Iâm so lucky.”
Seeing this, Zefaer used serving chopsticks to transfer all the sautĂ©ed meat from his own plate to Zhu Ranâs.
“My injuries haven’t healed; I can’t eat irritating food.”
Zhu Ran looked at the double portion of alien meat in his bowl and didn’t refuse.
“Then we’ll order something milder next time.”
“Alright.”
The two ate and chatted occasionally. When Zhu Ran became too overwhelmed by the spice, Zefaer handed him the cold fruit-milk to cool his mouth. Both glasses of fruit-milk eventually ended up in Zhu Ranâs stomach.
After eating, Zhu Ran slumped on the sofa. His posture was a bit ungraceful, but Zefaer only felt that this version of Zhu Ran was genuine and somewhat cute.
“Stuffed?” Zefaer sat down beside him.
Zhu Ran nodded: “A bit. Mainly because the sautĂ©ed meat goes so well with rice; it made me finish all my staples.”
Opening a glass jar, Zhu Ran took out a few dried daisy flowers and brewed daisy tea for both of them. The light tea fragrance drove away the spicy aftertaste, acting as a palate cleanser.
“By the way, look. These are the paintings artists did after seeing the natural plants. Aren’t they beautiful?”
Zhu Ran opened his optical computer and entered the Art section of the largest interstellar forum. The titles of the top few posts read:
[Created with Inspiration from the Natural Plant: Freesia.] [The color palette of daisies is truly beautiful, isn’t it?] [A painting themed on Lavender.]
…
Clicking on these titles revealed painting after painting. Some depicted a single stalk, some showed several pots, and some featured a vast expanse of natural plants covering the entire canvas. The colors were fresh, the flowers endearing; it was a heart-refreshing sight. These paintings mostly used realistic techniques, restoring the plants’ original appearance to the greatest extent. A few used exaggerated artistic processing, but the original form was still recognizable. Through the artworks, people could feel the vitality and the unique natural beauty within.
“This is truly artistic! Words can’t describe it.” “Heavens, natural plants are too beautiful!” “The art world is about to change.” “I just want to know how to get a natural plant. It feels like many artists have seen them, but I haven’t.” “Everyone can go to Shop 81, Central District 19 on Starbuy, ‘Zhu’s Shadow and Fragrance,’ to snag some!”
…
Clearly, the emergence of natural plants had injected new vitality into the artists.
“They paint so well,” Zhu Ran praised. “Some I can’t even tell are paintings; I thought they were photos.”
Because they were sharing the paintings, Zhu Ranâs unique aura was close to Zefaer. Zefaer glanced at him, leaning his body slightly to one side, seemingly casually touching Zhu Ranâs shoulder.
“It’s also because you raised the natural plants so well. You really like plants?”
“I do.” Zhu Ran didn’t hide his affection. “Whether it’s the plants themselves or their derivatives, they can make one feel happy and joyful.”
Zefaer remembered how Zhu Ran looked when he first saw him with the freesia. Back then, Zhu Ran was still living in a dilapidated house in the lower city, his cheeks sunken and his clothes tattered. Yet even then, those bright eyes and the freesia radiating vigorous life made Zefaer remember him at a single glance.
And so, he couldn’t help but pay attention. And now, Zefaer had actually lived in Zhu Ranâs home for several days. They would sit together for meals and chat like friends. Zhu Ran would give Zefaer aromatherapy, touching his skin with those soft hands, filling his surroundings with the otherâs fragrance. Zefaer felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
He might understand a bit of the “happiness” Zhu Ran spoke of. Zefaer took a sip of daisy tea. Under the curling steam, his heterochromatic eyes darkened.
“Indeed, it is very happy.”
Wendell Star
Yan Han irritably threw a priceless crystal artwork onto the floor. With a crash, the beautiful fragments scattered everywhere.
Since losing to Yan You in the livestreamed painting duel, Yan Han’s life had undergone earth-shattering changes. First, the co-branded collaboration he had agreed upon with a brand fell through. Then, the venue he had booked for an exhibition returned his deposit, citing “renovations.” Yan Han sought out connections, but the people who usually called him “brother” all claimed to be busy and told him to look elsewhere.
If that were all, it might be fine, but what was even more excessive was that at the Starbuy auction, Yan Youâs painting sold for over 1.8 million credits, while his own only fetched 250,000… a mere fraction of Yan Youâs work! Ever since Yan Han had painstakingly marketed himself as the “Number One Young Painter,” which of his paintings hadn’t sold for seven figures? But today, his painting only sold for a low six figures. Falling back to square one like this made him lose all face in the industry.
“Yan You… why is it you again?” Yan Han couldn’t help but grit his teeth.
Yan Han had bribed teachers at Jialan Academy to belittle promising students and pulled strings to ensure their paintings could only be sold at low prices. As one of the victims, Yan You had indeed become passive and silent under Yan Han’s tactics, unable to paint. Just as he was about to quit the art circle, Yan You made a brilliant comeback with a single livestream.
Jealousy was almost manifesting into a physical form, distorting Yan Han’s face. He thought that since Yan You had gained inspiration from the natural plants of “Zhu’s Shadow and Fragrance,” he, Yan Han, would make it impossible for Yan You to obtain further inspiration.
“Compete with me? What does Yan You have to compete with?” “Since Yan You relied on ‘Zhu’s Shadow and Fragrance’ to rally himself, then I’ll destroy ‘Zhu’s Shadow and Fragrance’!”
Yan Hanâs eyes were dark as he opened his optical computer and contacted his network.
The next morning, around 7:00 AM, several push notifications appeared across major sections of the Star-Net and spread rapidly.
[Experts claim that the natural plants sold by a certain ‘Zhu XXX’ shop are not necessarily real; everyone is urged to purchase with caution.] [Expert Professor Fang states that natural plants are difficult to cultivate; the source of natural plants sold by a certain shop is questionable.] [Expert Li points out…]
…
Many “Big Vs” with expert titles posted one after another, issuing warnings like “natural plant purchases require caution” and “do not easily trust certain shop owners.” Many confused netizens, having seen many such reports, unconsciously followed the narrative and joined the crusade.
[A Starbuy shop selling natural plants? Aren’t all natural plants in the Interstellar monopolized by His Majesty? I knew there couldn’t be any that slipped through the cracks.] [Calling them ‘natural plants,’ but who knows what synthetic crap they’re actually selling.] [To dare to fake natural plants, this owner really has guts.] [Starbuy’s quality control is getting worse; any counterfeit or inferior goods can be listed.] [That freesia from a while ago was so popular, and it turns out itâs fake.] [Close the shop and pay compensation!]
…
In District 19 of the Starbuy holographic street, the personal shoppers who were waiting for “Zhu’s Shadow and Fragrance” to open saw these reports immediately. They whispered among themselves, exchanging looks.
“Hey, look at the reports. Many experts say ‘Zhu’s Shadow and Fragrance’ isn’t selling real natural plants. Is it true?” “How can that be? So many people praised the freesia and daisies, and even claimed the lavender helps with sleep. How could what’s sold in this shop be fake?” “Who knows! Maybe the ownerâs craft is high and the technique is seamless. Iâm not doing any shopping today; I don’t want to get involved in trouble.” “My employer told me this morning that I must snag a pot of lavender! But just now, they said it’s cancelled. What do you think will happen next?” “Iâm not waiting anymore. Trash shop, wasting my time.” “Iâm out too. The owner sells fakes; hurry up and pay compensation!”
…
With the fermentation of numerous expert statements and the rising clamor, angry people logged out of the Starbuy holographic street, stating that “‘Zhu’s Shadow and Fragrance’ is a counterfeit shop selling fakes.” The District 19 that had finally become lively was once again deserted.
Furthermore, the latest update of “Zhu’s Shadow and Fragrance” was occupied by unsightly comments in the top positions.
[You piece of trash, why don’t you go die?] [Your whole family is dead.] [Fake goods dog.] [Hurry up and go bankrupt, you unlucky thing.]
âŠ
Recommended Reads
![Accidentally Turned a Tragic Romance Plotline into a Sweet and Pampering One [Transmigration]](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ACCIDENTALLY.png)
