The old man’s daughter was puzzled, but sensing that her father seemed somewhat unhappy, she dared not ask further. After offering a few words of comfort, she hung up the phone.
On the other end, Huo Sining was quite pleased; she had purchased four pots of old tea trees. Since her car couldn’t fit them, she had the old man deliver the plants to a secluded intersection on the way back to the city, under the pretext that someone would help with the pickup. She then sent the old man on his way.
Once the old man had left, Huo Sining took the chance to sneakily put the four pots of tea trees into her storage ring while no one was watching, and then she drove off towards the city in a cloud of dust.
On the afternoon before Huang Hongying’s birthday, Huo Sining asked Su Qingqing to help her with a ruse to get Huang Hongying out shopping, and made sure that the rest of the family was sent out. Then, taking advantage of the empty house, Huo Sining quietly went to the Su Family home alone.
Using the spiritual energy of the Azure Pearl, she grafted the old plants, prompting them to grow. In just one afternoon, the greenhouse was completely transformed. Not only that, but Huo Sining also made a grapevine arbor on the top of the greenhouse. The arbor was lush and dense, providing a cool spot to rest under during the summer heat without feeling the scorching sun.
Huo Sining was confident that the greenhouse would be a showstopper, especially the pot of brightly blooming orchids in the very center.
On the day of Huang Hongying’s birthday, Huo Sining arrived at the Su Family home early.
Wanting to keep the birthday celebrations low-key, Huang Hongying did not have a lavish banquet but instead invited a few relatives and friends to gather at home. The Huang Family sent Huang Hanyun as their representative.
Huang Hongying had heard from Su Qingqing that Huo Sining had prepared a gift for her, which made her happy, but she still complained jokingly about Huo Sining spending too much.
However, by lunchtime, when everyone else’s gifts had been presented, the only one not yet seen was Huo Sining’s gift.
Huang Hongying was puzzled but did not feel it was appropriate to ask outright. On the other side, Huo Sining winked at Su Qingqing, and the two acted mysteriously.
After lunch, Su Qingqing clapped her hands and said to the guests, "Now comes the moment of the big reveal. Ningning has prepared a birthday gift for mom, but this one is quite special, so please join us on the terrace upstairs."
Huang Hongying was stunned, and in her daze, was pulled up to the rooftop by Su Qingqing. There, Huo Sining uncovered the previously concealed curtain, and upon seeing the inside of the greenhouse, Huang Hongying was dumbfounded.
"Wow, what a beautiful greenhouse!"
In this less than thirty square meters glass greenhouse, each plant was flourishing with thick branches and leaves. Upon closer inspection, there were even precious varieties like ’Chun Jian,’ ’Green Sepal,’ and ’Huahe Ling.’ Other mature species like spider plants, walnuts, and peonies were also abundant.
The verdant grapevine arbor at the center above added to the vibe, filling the greenhouse with a rich vitality, as if even the air had become fresher and more comfortable.
"Smell that, there seems to be a special fragrance in the greenhouse, where is it coming from?"
Soon, someone detected the refreshing scent in the greenhouse, and upon hearing this, others nodded in agreement, "Yes, I smell it too. I thought it was someone’s perfume, but it’s not."
"It’s definitely not perfume; perfume doesn’t smell this natural and refreshing. It must be the fragrance of a flower, but I’m not sure which one is emitting it."
Huang Hongying looked at a pot of thriving orchids not far away, her eyes filled with excitement and disbelief, "No need to look any further. The fragrance you are talking about must be coming from this pot of flowers!"
Upon hearing what Huang Hongying said, everyone in the greenhouse quickly followed her gaze.
They saw, in a corner of the greenhouse, a pot of lush Petal Lotus Orchids standing quietly there, their beauty unmatched, like fairies.
The leaves were a vibrant green, with a well-arranged center, and the colors of the flowers were as vivid as rouge.
The petals and sepals were goose yellow with splashes of red, curling outward, with edges tinged in a pale creamy yellow that shaded into tender green; and amidst them ran two purple bands.
Deep within the petals, a dark purple hue emerged, with the labellum noticeably butterfly-shaped, fluttering among the green grass as though painted with the freehand brushwork of a traditional Chinese painter.
Not only Huang Hongying, but also several other ladies who loved raising flowers and were in the greenhouse, were stunned upon seeing this orchid.
No one could have expected that such an unassuming pot, containing only slender, willow-leaf-like Orchid Grass, would bloom such large flowers; the inflorescence bore more than a dozen layers of blossoms, their fragrance fresh and lingering.
Such a small pot filled the entire greenhouse with a fragrant, pure, and exquisite orchid scent.
Huang Hongying had seen orchids before, but it was the first time she had seen one bloom so splendidly, and she immediately realized that this orchid was special, "Sister Afen, you must come have a look!"
Sister Afen, who appeared to be in her fifties or sixties, originally stood on the outskirts of the crowd. Hearing Huang Hongying call her, she quickly responded and squeezed into the crowd to look at the pointed-out flower.
As soon as she saw the Petal Lotus, her eyes widened in shock, and the longer she looked, the more amazed she became, her mouth gaped wider and wider.
"Sister Afen, this seems to be a Petal Lotus, right? But do Petal Lotus Orchids ever bloom so many flowers at once? Why have I never seen one bloom so vibrantly? How could this flower bloom at this time..."
Huang Hongying rambled on only to realize she was talking to herself as Sister Afen, whom she had invited, remained standing in one spot, staring blankly at the orchid.
"Sister Afen!" Seeing the bewildered look on Sister Afen’s face, Huang Hongying couldn’t help but raise her voice a notch.
Sister Afen finally snapped back to reality. Staring at the orchid in front of her, her eyes filled with disbelief, she couldn’t help but reach out and touch the Petal Lotus leaves, trembling slightly as she murmured, "The sheaths are round and neatly tucked, the red flowers and green leaves complement each other, the petal margins are curved like crystal butterfly wings, this double-butterfly leaf and flower pot, it even blooms better than the Liang Zhu cultivated by the master of Jianchuan Yi Lan, Mr. Liu Changle!"
"Liang Zhu? Is that also an orchid?" Huang Hongying asked, puzzled.
Sister Afen nodded, "Liang Zhu is a renowned variety among the Petal Lotus Orchids, and it was among the first to exhibit a double-butterfly pattern on its petals and sepals. With its large blooms, vibrant colors, and a myriad of flower shapes, it is favored by many orchid enthusiasts worldwide and is one of the most expensive varieties."
Upon hearing it was one of the most expensive varieties, Huang Hongying was taken aback, "Sister Afen, could you be mistaken?"
Sister Afen was not simply an orchid enthusiast, and although she experienced a strong visual shock at first sight of the orchid, now she had completely come to her senses. She glanced at the flower and then looked at Huo Sining with a smile that was not quite a smile, saying,
"I’ve been a member of the Flora Association for many years and have seen many precious flowers. Your orchid blooms even more splendidly than Liang Zhu. How could I be mistaken?"