[2]: Being the Flower Master Isn't Easy / [1]: Meeting the Parents ...

Hua Nu: Flower Master, I take back what I said earlier.

Xiangyi: Suddenly feel like we can't get along?

Xiangyi smiled, but was afraid it would be too obvious, so she deliberately hid her expression. After all, in everyone else's eyes, it probably looked like she was suddenly grinning at thin air.

Hua Nu: No, I just think...

Hua Nu was about to emphasize something when she abruptly fell silent. Her gaze sharpened as she looked into the distance. Shaoyao didn't stay seated either; she flew to Xiangyi's side, taking a defensive stance. Xiangyi also sensed an unfamiliar presence, and at the same time, she heard the system's warning.

System: Warning! Warning! A dangerous individual is approaching.

The system acted as if something had set it off, making a racket inside Xiangyi's mind. Xiangyi was even more baffled. Of course she'd arranged plenty of villains to serve as stepping stones for the protagonist, but Ocean City wasn't the main setting, so she rarely let villains run amok there.

But now, something outside the plot had happened again. Xiangyi couldn't help wondering if becoming the protagonist had caused a butterfly effect, making some villain appear ahead of schedule.

As she thought about it, she stared at the bus stop, wanting to see what kind of person would show up.

Then, under Xiangyi's gaze, several people boarded the bus. They all looked perfectly ordinary, nothing like the villains she'd imagined. The system continued issuing warnings, while Hua Nu and Shaoyao searched for the person in question.

Xiangyi's gaze swept back and forth until she saw a woman holding an umbrella on the platform suddenly vanish into thin air. She hadn't seen the woman's face. She'd only caught the slight upward curve of her lips—and the feeling of being watched.

Her heart pounding, Xiangyi forced herself to turn away, praying that this unknown villain didn't know who she was or realize anything was wrong.

The bus continued on its way. At last, the system's alarm stopped, signaling that the danger had passed. Xiangyi breathed a sigh of relief. Hua Nu and Shaoyao were still on guard, seemingly unaware that the woman had already left.

Muning Was a Difficult Flower Master to Be

Xiangyi didn't waste any time. She asked the system what had happened.

Xiangyi: System, who was that person?

System: Sorry, you don't have permission to view that information yet.

The system refused to answer without a trace of sympathy. Xiangyi had built this world, and yet she wasn't its highest authority. She was annoyed, but had no choice but to accept reality.

Right now, she was a total weakling. If she wanted to survive, finding flower people and practicing cultivation techniques were absolutely essential. Otherwise, she might not even make it through the week.

Having settled on a plan, Xiangyi looked over at the sleeping Muning. She was still somewhat unsure if this bluff would work, but regardless, she was planning to carry out the frightening scheme that night. Even if it might hurt Muning all over again.

But if she had to choose between her own life and the lives of the characters she'd written, Xiangyi knew she'd put herself first...

A little while later, as they neared their stop, Xiangyi woke Muning.

"Muning, we're almost there."

Muning still seemed a little groggy. Xiangyi smiled and gave her time to come around.

When the bus stopped, Xiangyi took Muning's hand again. Muning had gradually gotten used to holding hands, and even leaned her weight toward Xiangyi. It meant that she trusted Xiangyi completely now, and could show her a side she'd never shown to ordinary people.

"I actually fell asleep... I didn't do anything embarrassing, did I?" Muning had finally woken up and asked Xiangyi about how she'd been acting.

Xiangyi shook her head again. "No. But you've been putting too much pressure on yourself lately, haven't you? You've even got dark circles under your eyes."

Muning was startled and immediately turned to look at her reflection in a nearby car window, trying to see how bad she looked. One thing was certain: she was wide awake now.

"I'm kidding. You're still as pretty as ever, Muning." Xiangyi complimented her, but regretted it as soon as she'd said it. Muning looked at her as if she'd seen a ghost, as though Xiangyi were some kind of monster for saying such a thing.

In that moment, Xiangyi could practically imagine what the old Xiangyi had been like. Clearly, she'd been an excessively straight-laced straight girl. Becoming friends with a beauty like Muning had probably been the best and most sensible decision the old Xiangyi had ever made. After all, Muning was so good-natured that Xiangyi wondered if the person who created her had forgotten to give her the ability to get angry.

After confirming she didn't have dark circles, Muning returned to normal and cheerfully took Xiangyi to the market to buy groceries.

She seemed to know the market inside and out. At every stall, she greeted the vendors, giving Xiangyi the impression the whole market belonged to her. The older the vendor, the friendlier they seemed toward Muning. She must have had a great reputation around here; even when she bought vegetables, people added extra or gave her something for free.

Muning was like the girl next door: warm and friendly, with no hint of distance. How could anyone not like her?

But in the original story, Muning had been the one woman who remained unattainable to everyone. She'd appeared early on, but her romance didn't begin until much later.

Now, Xiangyi was slowly destroying everything she'd planned, starting by being the first to get her hands on Muning.

"I'll make you something tasty tonight. But don't make fun of me, okay? My cooking's all right, but it doesn't look very appetizing." Muning smiled brightly as she admitted her weakness in the kitchen.

Xiangyi didn't mind. She was just about to say something when a phone rang.

Muning looked concerned at the sound. Xiangyi shifted the groceries to her right hand and took her phone out of her pocket. The caller ID said Sister Shuxuan.

At that moment, Xiangyi suddenly remembered that she hadn't told Shuxuan she'd gone out to see Muning.

Shuxuan had probably gotten home by now and discovered she wasn't there.

"Where are you?" As soon as the call connected, Shuxuan's tone sounded a little like she was checking up on her.

Xiangyi figured Shuxuan was annoyed because she'd gone out without saying anything, so she softened her tone. "Sorry, Sister Shuxuan. I forgot to tell you. I made plans to have dinner at a friend's place today."

She apologized first, in case Shuxuan got angry. If she apologized upfront, she could prevent a disagreement. Sure enough, Shuxuan said, "Oh," and Xiangyi could even hear her sigh with relief.

"As long as you're okay. Are you coming back tonight? Do you want me to pick you up?"

Shuxuan's voice returned to normal. She didn't seem to mind Xiangyi going out to have fun. After all, she knew Xiangyi had to report to Heaven City in a week, so it was only natural for her to spend time with a classmate.

"Well..." Xiangyi glanced at Muning beside her and suddenly didn't know how to answer. Until she knew whether her plan for that night would work, she couldn't be sure she wanted to stay over.

If it failed, staying the night would be awkward.

If it worked, she was worried the night would still be awkward.

Without love, a kiss was just harassment. She'd gotten lucky the first time, but that didn't mean she could pull off this difficult survival strategy again.

"You haven't decided yet, have you? How about this: call me before ten tonight and I'll come get you. If you call after ten, I'll assume you fell asleep over there." Shuxuan offered a solution, giving Xiangyi more time to think.

As an adult, Shuxuan had a good sense of how much space to give Xiangyi. She didn't deny her the chance to have a private life. Even if she was careful not to interfere too much, her attitude put Xiangyi at ease.

"Okay. Thanks, Sister Shuxuan."

Xiangyi breathed a sigh of relief, exchanged a few polite words with Shuxuan, and hung up. She'd meant to compliment Shuxuan to Muning, but Muning's expression had turned rather strange.

She couldn't put her finger on it, but Muning seemed a little unhappy.

"Is that the older sister who's taking you in?" Muning finally broached the subject, bringing up what Xiangyi had hoped to gloss over.

"Yes. She used to be Prince Qin's fiancée." Xiangyi thought about it and decided she should explain.

"The Shuxuan you always said was terrifying?" Muning caught on, then casually said Shuxuan's full name.

"Huh?" Xiangyi was stunned. She hadn't known the old Xiangyi had that kind of history with Shuxuan.

She stopped walking, and Muning stopped with her. Her gaze sharpened a little, as though she was starting to suspect something about Xiangyi's odd behavior.

Meeting the Family

Xiangyi's heart raced. She thought she was finally about to be found out, when Muning took her hand.

Compared to Shuxuan's, Muning's hand was a little rough. The life she led meant she often had to do chores. Even so, her hand felt wonderfully soft to the touch. She also carried a faint, elusive fragrance, and Xiangyi couldn't help taking a few extra sniffs.

"What's wrong?" Muning wasn't saying anything, so Xiangyi spoke first, doing her best to stay calm. If Muning started doubting her identity at this crucial moment, Xiangyi would have to postpone her plans for that night.

If she waited, they might end up following the original plot. They'd both go to Heaven City, but attend different schools and only meet again in college.

If that happened, Xiangyi would miss her chance to activate the Top-tier Flower Person early. She didn't want to, but keeping Muning calm had to come first.

"Xiangyi, is something bothering you? You seem like a different person since you left the sanatorium." Muning finally asked. She studied Xiangyi's expression, making sure she wasn't hiding any signs of distress.

To Xiangyi, though, this was the gentlest possible way Muning could have questioned her.

"I do have a few things on my mind. Let's talk while we walk." Facing this mild suspicion, Xiangyi could easily keep guiding Muning's emotions without any effort.

Muning nodded, her expression gradually easing. She seemed to realize she'd been too tense, and smiled. "I'm rushing things. We have the whole night to talk about it."

Muning sighed at her own impatience and squeezed Xiangyi's hand a little tighter. She didn't let go until they reached her home, and even then, she glanced at Xiangyi's hand several times.

That look made Xiangyi suspect Muning had already started to feel something more. But when she thought about it, it made perfect sense that Muning would be reluctant to part with her, since she thought they were both leaving Ocean City for good.

And Xiangyi had also saved her life, so her feelings were bound to be complicated...

"Come on in, Xiangyi." Muning let her in, then unlocked the door with her key. As soon as they entered, Xiangyi caught the scent of food. The range hood was running in the kitchen, a sign that someone else was home.

Xiangyi immediately tensed up and looked around, ready to greet an elder at any moment.

Muning laughed when she saw her, then gently patted her back. "Why are you so nervous? I'm not going to eat you."

The reaction was too funny, and Muning couldn't help teasing her. Xiangyi was obviously acting strange, but there was something fresh and amusing about it.

"No, I was just thinking there was an elder here. You wouldn't even let me buy fruit—what am I supposed to do when I meet your grandma?" Xiangyi was even more embarrassed. She had an instinctive wariness around elders.

It was fine if they were around her own age, but when an elder showed up out of nowhere, everything felt wrong. More importantly, having extra people in the house would seriously affect how the night went.

Put simply, Xiangyi wouldn't be able to do anything indecent to Muning without holding back.

"Hehehe. Don't you always say you're happy whenever you see my grandma? What, you haven't seen her in a while and now you're scared?" Muning wasn't very suspicious. She assumed Xiangyi's reaction was due to the unusual time they'd spent at Baichi Sanatorium, and led her into the kitchen.

There, an old woman sat on a little stool, watching a pressure cooker. Only when she heard them did she turn around. She looked first at Muning, then smiled at Xiangyi and held out her hand.

"You're here, Xiangyi."

Muning's grandmother looked very kind. Just looking at her made Xiangyi feel close to her. Xiangyi had been worried, but at the sight of that face, she relaxed and smiled as Grandma Zhou took her hand.

"Grandma."

"Good girl." Grandma Zhou smiled, warmly patting the back of Xiangyi's hand. A strange light shone in her eyes, as if beneath her calm exterior lay the wisdom of a lifetime. She gave Xiangyi the impression that she was hiding more than she let on.

But Xiangyi hadn't given Grandma Zhou any particular personality traits. These details must have come from her imagination. Xiangyi didn't dwell on it. She followed the script she and Muning had agreed on and told Grandma Zhou that she'd gone traveling recently.

From their conversation, it seemed that whenever Xiangyi had free time over the summer, she'd spent it with Muning. They'd done homework and watched TV together, which was why Grandma Zhou had always been so fond of Xiangyi.

"You should come over and visit more often. My Muning gets lonely easily." Grandma Zhou was a chatty, funny sort. Unlike a certain old woman called Hua Nu, she was the real deal when it came to grandmas.

Xiangyi forced a smile. Beside her, Muning was already protesting, dragging out her words. "Grandma, don't say things like that!"

Muning's face turned red again. Grandma Zhou chuckled, but as she did, she couldn't stop coughing.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Muning hurried over to check on Grandma Zhou. Xiangyi watched her, making a mental note of what she should do if she saw Grandma Zhou coughing again.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. It's an old problem. Aren't you two going to use the kitchen? I'll go for a walk." Grandma Zhou smiled even more warmly, as if she didn't think there was anything wrong with her.

"Yes, Grandma. I'm cooking tonight. But you're already coughing. Why don't you watch TV with Xiangyi instead of going out?" Muning pleaded with her, concern plain in her eyes.

Xiangyi sensed something was off as soon as she heard that. There was no way she could spend time alone with this sharp old woman and risk exposing herself again.

She thought for a moment, then hurriedly said, "I'll help Grandma get settled. I'll come help you cook after."

Muning glared at her in annoyance. "What, you don't trust my cooking?" Clearly, she had a lot of confidence in her culinary skills. Unfortunately, Xiangyi wasn't confident in herself, so she dutifully helped Grandma Zhou out of the kitchen and said, "Grandma, I'll go help Muning."

Grandma Zhou smiled even more fondly. "All right, go help her. I'll watch TV."

Flirting Is Actually Easy

Grandma Zhou's thoughtfulness put Xiangyi at ease. She handed her the remote, then gave instructions to Hua Nu and Shaoyao, who had been watching from nearby.

Xiangyi: Keep an eye on this old woman. If anything happens, tell me immediately.

They both nodded, then began wandering around, examining their surroundings curiously. It seemed to have become a habit for Shaoyao and Hua Nu. Unfortunately, Lord Huangquan couldn't come out and take a proper look at this colorful world.

After thinking it over, Xiangyi still asked.

Xiangyi: Huangquan, how many flower people will it take for you to come out too?

Huangquan didn't answer. Instead, Hua Nu spoke for her again, offering a rough estimate.

Hua Nu: Unless something unexpected happens, drawing out the flower person inside this woman will let Lord Huangquan come out. So, Flower Master, you have to do your best.

Xiangyi was a little surprised. "That soon?"

Hua Nu: This old servant senses a powerful flower person inside this woman. She could be worth ten Shaoyaos.

Shaoyao didn't look happy about that, but she didn't say anything. She stared at the photos nearby, apparently trying to understand the human world. From her aggrieved, hesitant expression, it looked like Hua Nu had scolded her again when Xiangyi wasn't paying attention.

Xiangyi did her best to ignore the pitiful look. Whatever happened today, tomorrow she'd go to the library and buy a stack of books so they could learn about human culture. Especially love. These flower people knew nothing about it, leaving Xiangyi to handle everything by herself.