Part 2
His spiritual power condensed slowly, enveloping the three shriveled seeds.
The seeds, which had long since lost their “breath,” were instantly injected with life upon contact with Zhu Ranâs power.
They shed their dry husks and were reborn, tiny green tips breaking through the shells.
One plant had a thick stem covered in fine white down. Its leaves were large and greenânearly the size of Zhu Ranâs palmâradiating a vibrant vitality.
It was a tall plant, the tallest Zhu Ran had catalyzed to date. It continued to stretch until it reached above Zhu Ranâs waist before a flower bloomed at the top.
The petals were golden-yellow, and the center was a brown disc. The shape was somewhat like a daisy, but it was dozens of times larger and more magnificent.
The moment the bright yellow flower touched the sunlight, it slowly rotated its stem toward the sun, basking in the warm light.
The nickname “Sun-facing Flower” was not for nothing.
“Itâs a sunflower!”
Sunflowers loved warm climates, and their temperament was bright, lively, and cheerful.
At the same time, their seeds could be made into sunflower seedsâa fantastic snackâand they could also be used to produce cooking oil. Their uses were very broad.
After the second seed was catalyzed, its stem grew strong and sturdy. A dark brown woody main trunk grew upward, with more slender branches sprouting simultaneously from both sides.
Lush green leaves grew along the branches, gradually turning from a tender green to a deep emerald. The edges of the leaves were lined with tiny serrations.
Having just catalyzed a sunflower over a meter tall, the second variety today was even taller, surpassing the sunflower.
It only stopped growing once it reached about the same height as Zhu Ran.
Suddenly, over a dozen pale pink blossoms bloomed among the dark green branches. The color was fresh and elegant, with overlapping petals forming an exquisite bowl shape. It possessed a delicate beauty unique to spring.
The blossoms were incredibly dense; on this one tree alone, nearly a hundred flowers bloomed, releasing waves of fragrance that were as light and hazy as a spring morning.
“Itâs the ‘Gongfen’ variety of Camellia.”
Camellias are evergreen shrubs that can grow to 4 or 5 meters if nurtured properly, and they are commonly used as ornamental plants in gardens.
The “Gongfen” variety is quite common and easy to grow, yet its lush blossomsâa sea of pink and greenâare very pleasing to the eye.
“Two seeds, and each one is taller than the last. If the third one is any taller, I won’t have room for it in the house.”
As if to prove Zhu Ranâs words, the moment the third seed began to grow, Zhu Ran had a bad premonition.
Its main trunk was thickâfour or five times the size of the Camellia. The canopy was broad, and the foliage was so dense it looked like a small blanket had been draped over the top, completely blocking the view above.
The leaves were small and round, colored a bluish-grey and covered in a thin layer of white frost.
The scent was clear and crisp, a bit like camphor, with the effect of refreshing the mind.
Zhu Ran stopped the catalysis once the third plant grew slightly taller than himself.
Whether it was the greyish-blue leaves or the clean, transparent scent, everything reminded Zhu Ran that he had opened a “big guy” in this blind box.
“Eucalyptus, the small round-leaf variety. The smell is quite nice, but… it’s going to grow very tall.”
Eucalyptus belongs to the category of large shade trees and can typically grow to 25 metersâabout the height of an eight-story building.
Its scent was clean, capable of purifying the air and yielding essential oils. It was also the favorite food of koalas. Speaking of which… did koalas even still exist in the interstellar era?
The three plants catalyzed today undoubtedly added more diversity to the shopâs inventory.
The golden sunflowers brought a variety of colors to the shopâs flowers, while the Camellias and Eucalyptus opened up the possibility of decorating private gardens or even building landscapes.
Zhu Ran was very satisfied with todayâs results.
Except…
Right now, the Eucalyptus and Camellia took up most of the balcony; they had practically become the masters of the space. The other smaller plants were forced to one side or grew in the shadow of the tall trees, looking a bit pitiful.
“The balcony is full. I should consider moving.”
He had lived in this sun-drenched house for about a month. Zhu Ran spent his days soaking in the sun and tending to his flowers and plants, living a leisurely and comfortable life.
Zhu Ran loved it here.
However, as the shop grew larger and the demand for natural plant cultivation increasedâespecially now that he had catalyzed large treesâthis cozy house could no longer meet his future plans.
Zhu Ran had saved enough money now. A quick glance at the Xinggou backend yesterday showed that the withdrawable balance in his shop account exceeded fifty million Star Coins.
Having this much money was more than enough for Zhu Ran to settle on any planet he chose.
And it was time for him to take back what belonged to the original host.
Zhu Ran didn’t think long before making a decision. “Let’s prepare to move!”
On this planet, Zhu Ran had seen a corner of the galaxy; now, it was time to set sail.
With a click, the door opened.
Z was back.
Today, Z looked as though he had just attended a formal meeting, and his attire was exceptionally imposing.
He wore a deep blue shirt underneath, with golden diamond studs at the collar and cuffs, looking incredibly noble and majestic.
His overcoat was a very crisp white uniform embroidered with pale gold patterns. Yellow tassels adorned the shoulders, swaying gently as he walked with a disciplined rhythm.
Z wore a white uniform cap, the brim obscuring his eyes, leaving only his high nose bridge and strong facial contours visible.
He wore black leather gloves, covering every inch of exposed skin on his hands.
Though he wore a white uniform, which lacked the heavy feeling of black, it still radiated coldness and sharpness.
Z in this state looked quite a bit like the disguised “Officer Vier” Zhu Ran had first metâsame uniform, cap, and gloves.
However, Officer Vierâs aura had been more restrained, while the Z of today was much sharper. Though not ostentatious, he was extremely oppressive.
Z took off his hat and smoothed back his golden hair.
The freezing, stormy aura surrounding him dissipated the moment he saw Zhu Ran.
his features softened. Though a sense of sharpness remained, it was no longer suffocating.
“I’m back.”
“You’re back early today.”
Z had been leaving early and returning late lately. Zhu Ran didn’t see him in the mornings, and by the time Z got home, Zhu Ran was usually asleep.
If it weren’t for their frequent chats over Starcom, Zhu Ran would have suspected Z was planning to pack up and run.
“The matters here are mostly resolved.”
Zâs gaze passed Zhu Ran and landed on the balcony. The tall, greyish-blue plants occupied most of the space, while the delicate, dense pink blossoms and bright yellow flowers were in full bloom. They added a sense of mystery and vibrancy to the balcony that was already as beautiful as a god-given treasure.
There were several new scents in the airâa mixture of slight sweetness and a fresh chill. The aroma was very unique.
Of course… no matter how unique, it couldn’t compare to Zhu Ranâs scent.
“Catalyzed new plants again?”
“Yes. Eucalyptus, Camellia, and Sunflowers, just finished this afternoon. Speaking of which…”
Zhu Ran held a sunflower up to Z. “The sunflower matches your eyes.”
Z lowered his eyes for a moment. Then, he bowed his head, closed his eyes, and pressed a kiss to the petals of the sunflower.
His brilliant golden hair intertwined with the bright yellow petals, looking like a river of gold falling from the sky into a sea of flowers. It was a dizzying sort of beauty.
He looked up, his blue-and-gold eyes focused. “Thank you for the compliment.”
Zhu Ranâs fingers tightened slightly around the sunflower, and his pupils trembled.
Z: “Let’s go out to eat for lunch.”
After a brief pause, Z spoke again. “I have something to tell you.”
He couldn’t be sure if it was just his imagination, but Zâs voice sounded a bit weaker than usual.
After taking the sunflower back to the balcony, Zhu Ran smiled. “What a coincidence. I have something to tell you, too.”
Zâs hand tightened at his side, an involuntary sense of trepidation rising within him.
What… did Zhu Ran want to tell him?
Pushing aside his internal anxiety, Z turned toward the stairs.
“Let’s go. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
Zhu Ran changed his clothes and went down to the hovercar.
As the low-profile black hovercar drove out, several other vehicles immediately followed behind as an escort.
Zhu Ran glanced in the rearview mirror but said nothing.
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