Chapter 43: Video Reactions and Back Massage part 1
Interstellar citizens had never heard of terms like “aromatherapy” or “essential oils.”
“Is the shop owner just making up new concepts to create hype?”
“He just signed as an exclusive shop and heâs already doing this? The ownerâs getting a bit ahead of himself.”
“Is he trying to turn Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance into some viral influencer shop?”
“Iâll put my words right here: even if I starve to death, die outside, or jump off a cliff, I will absolutely never buy any of these essential oil products!”
âŚâŚ
A perfectly good natural plant shop just had to sell such strange products; it was truly a case of “failing to live up to expectations.”
However… since the shop owner had made such a serious instructional video, they might as well take a look!
Just a peekâeven after watching, they definitely wouldn’t buy anything.
Driven by curiosity, people clicked on the explanatory video.
In the video, the shop owner, Zhu Ranâonly his chin visibleâexplained as he turned on a humidifier filled with essential oil.
Under a soft yellow light, the humidifierâs built-in lamp glowed, emitting puffs of white mist. Before long, a thin layer of moisture draped the room, adding a sense of hazy mystery.
The atmosphere was quite nice.
“Essential oils are extracted from natural plants…”
“…Everyone can take 3 drops of pure lavender essential oil and add it to a 100ml aromatherapy machine. This amount can fill a room of about 15 square meters with aromatic factors, and the fragrance can last for more than half a day.”
The shop ownerâs soothing and gentle voice flowed through the video, making the listeners feel a sense of tranquility in spite of themselves.
The shop ownerâs fingers were gently pressing against a person lying on a bed. His fingertips were stained with shiny essential oil as he massaged from the temples to the top of the head.
His fair hands moved in and out of the brown hair. The movements were extremely slow and deliberate, looking incredibly gentle.
Accompanied by the shop owner’s rhythmic massage, even if the people watching the video couldn’t smell the lavender oil or feel their exhaustion dissipating, they unconsciously began to relax.
The warm light, the mist, the gentle voice, and the soft movements.
Ha~
Their eyelids couldn’t help but droop.
They felt a bit sleepy.
After watching the video, people began to post comments:
[The concept of aromatherapy is a bit magical; I’ll wait and see for a bit.]
[The testing certificates can’t be fake! I’ll rush to buy it tomorrow first.]
[Isn’t there an experience room opening at midnight tomorrow? I’ll go try it out first!]
[I wonder how expensive this essential oil is. It won’t cost millions of Starcoins, will it?]
[Am I the only one who got sleepy watching the video? The shop owner’s voice is so gentle…]
[I wish I was the little brother being massaged QAQ, I want to be touched by the shop owner.]
âŚâŚ
Just like that, the people who had vowed they would “absolutely never buy essential oil products” did a complete 180 after watching the video.
Well… this new product is quite magical. Should I buy one and try?
What? You said I just said I definitely wouldn’t buy it?
You misheard me. How could I say something like that?
You definitely misheard.
Ever since lavender was proven to be effective for Fang Huaâs insomnia, Fang Ning had been keeping a close eye on Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance.
This time, seeing that the shop had launched an essential oil with spiritual sea repair effectsâand one made from lavender as raw materialâFang Ningâs eyes lit up.
“Dad was originally losing sleep because of damage to his spiritual sea. Doesn’t this mean lavender essential oil is even more useful for his injuries?”
Fang Ning didn’t doubt the efficacy of the lavender oil at all. The natural lavender plant had already been proven effective for insomnia, and now with the medical department’s testing certificate attached, the oil couldn’t possibly be fake.
“I just don’t know how expensive it will be. But the shop owner said 5ml of pure lavender essential oil is enough for a week and can fill a 15-square-meter room with aromatic factors. Can we find others to share the use?”
The calculator in Fang Ningâs mind clicked rapidly. She sent a message to her insomnia group.
[Hamster: Is anyone interested in a group buy for the pure lavender essential oil from Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance? A one-week share, 3 spots left. Location: Planet Lanyi. Once agreed, reveal ID cards.]
[Me me me!]
[2.]
[3.]
In just a few minutes, the four-person group was full.
“I thought I wouldn’t be able to fill the spots~ I didn’t expect it to be so easy.”
As Fang Ning spoke, she discussed the specific details in the four-person group chat.
“After this, we just have to wait for midnight to grab the lavender oil. Last time in the holographic world, the hamster image was a bit slow. This time Iâll change to a sugar glider! It can fly.”
Beautiful red roses and elegant lavender were placed in translucent glass devices. Their bright colors were very conspicuous in the grey-blue toned bedroom.
Lai Ze had not worked overtime at the research institute for several days. Instead, he returned home punctually after finishing work at 6 o’clock.
A colleague he was close to joked: “Is Researcher Lai in a relationship? Someone who used to work until 10 PM is now leaving on time every day. Could it be a ‘hidden beauty in a golden house’?”
To this, Lai Ze only smiled and said nothing.
To say “hidden beauty in a golden house” might not be wrong. And the “beauty” he hid was the red roses and lavender he had obtained from Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance.
Lai Ze was extremely curious about the shop owner who could cultivate natural plants with such perfect appearance.
Unfortunately, his interaction with that shop owner remained stuck on the day he correctly guessed “Red Rose.” Other than that, the two had no communication.
Lai Ze adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses and lightly stroked the glass cover containing the roses.
His movements were very gentle.
With a “ding,” the notification sound from Star-Purchase rang in the quiet room.
Lai Ze opened his optical computer to check the message, and his smile gradually widened: “Aromatherapy? Can repair the superficial spiritual sea?”
“Truly, how interesting.”
The emergence of an unknown field made Lai Ze feel very delighted. He loved exploring unknown and mysterious things and was willing to give everything for it.
“Speaking of which… Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance has caused such a stir on the Star-Net, yet those old fogies at the institute haven’t heard a single whisper until now. It seems quite improbable.”
Lai Ze tapped the glass cover with his fingertip, making “ding, ding” sounds.
“So, someone is covering for you.”
For years, the institute had monopolized the distribution of natural plants in the name of His Majesty. Everyone dared not speak out despite their anger.
However, the appearance of the online shop Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance broke this balance. Natural plants were no longer the exclusive privilege of the institute or His Majesty.
A few weeks ago, Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance was as fragile as a babbling infant that could be crushed with a casual move.
But in just a few short weeks, after experiencing artist promotion, public opinion storms, Star-Purchase promotion activities, and now the new aromatherapy, Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance had clearly gained a group of loyal customers. Moreover, the social status of these customers was likely not low.
Now, even if the institute wanted to move against Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance, they would have to weigh their own capabilities.
“In that case, let me help block some things for you as well…”
With that, Lai Ze opened his optical computer and entered the institute’s internal database, adding terms like “Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance” and “Freesia” to the blocked keyword list.
In this way, no content related to Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance would appear in the communication software within the institute.
Lai Ze opened the glass cover. Instantly, the rich fragrance of fresh flowers rushed toward him, making him feel as if he were standing in the middle of a sea of flowers.
“So fragrant.”
Lai Ze touched the gorgeous rose petals with his hand: “I look forward to your continued growth.”
At the same time, Mu Qingzhou, who saw the massage video from Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance, erupted with an extremely cold aura throughout his body.
In the next moment, the room he was in was covered in a thin layer of ice. The floor, ceiling, and furniture were all frozen, emitting a terrifying chill.
Mu Qingzhou pursed his lips, a cold blue flash of ice appearing in the depths of his black eyes.
His emotions had spiraled out of control.
The frost energy grew more intense, and even the tips of his hair and his brows were covered with a light layer of white frost.
It wasn’t until the only bunch of blooming lavender was also frozen that Mu Qingzhou snapped back to his senses.
It looked like a canary trapped in an icy cageâbeautiful, fragile, and extremely uneasy.
The cold in the room gradually faded. Mu Qingzhou slumped onto the sofa, the gloom in his usually indifferent eyes remaining.
The optical computer was still dutifully playing the massage video. Zhu Ran’s beautiful hands moved back and forth through the other person’s hair.
In the next moment, an icicle descended, smashing the optical computer to pieces.
Mu Qingzhou didn’t want to see any of this.
As people close to Zephyr, Hyuna and Leon naturally followed the updates of Zhuâs Lingering Fragrance.
When this massage explanation video came out, the two of them fell into a long silence.
Even though Zephyr had used a disguise, they recognized at a glance that the person cooperating with Zhu Ran’s massage in the video was Zephyrâthe highest ruler of the Interstellar era, and the cold-blooded, ruthless ruler in others’ mouths.
This was the very Emperor who was revered and feared by everyone in the Interstellar world, yet in the video… he was being massaged by Zhu Ran, and his hair had been touched an unknown number of times.
Hyuna and Leon were beyond shocked.
Wait… last time when Zephyrâs spiritual sea was in a riot, Zhu Ran and Zephyr were visibly unfamiliar. How did they become so close in less than two weeks?
Leon sent a Star-Message to Hyuna: [Zephyr and Zhu Ran…]
Hyuna: [His Majesty hurt Mr. Zhu Ran because of his spiritual sea riot, so heâs been acting as Mr. Zhu Ran’s assistant lately to atone for his sins.]
Leon: […]
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