You did very well

The fool had been acting very strange these past few days.

Bai Congming wore his emotions on his face. Though he still worked deftly, he no longer beamed at everyone he saw the way he usually did.

That morning, Granny Sun had specially brought a sweet little cake to cheer him up, only for the fool to take a bite and say it was bitter.

Her daughter and son-in-law had even lectured her over that cake, telling her not to care so much about that fool.

Granny Sun had said she was craving some herself and eaten a whole piece in front of them before she had finally managed to bring it out.

Wouldn't she know whether it was bitter?

She went to ask Auntie Zhou in private, but it turned out she was just as baffled.

"It's been days, and he won't say anything when I ask. He's even eating less at lunch."

Granny Sun clasped her hands behind her back. "What's been on the lunch menu lately? Have you been putting chilies in again?"

"No!" Auntie Zhou frowned. "It's all been savory, sauce-based dishes lately. He usually loves those!"

"Oh..." Granny Sun looked worried. "Then what's wrong with him...?"

Nothing was really wrong. He was just unhappy.

The day he had taken Ding Ding's underwear to work, Bai Congming had been certain that Ding Ding wouldn't be able to leave that way.

He had looked forward to getting off work all morning and gone home in high spirits, only to find no one there.

Bai Congming had searched for a long time, even opening the rice cooker lid to look inside several times, before finally confirming that his wife had left again.

He was unhappy because his next day off was still so many days away.

"Little Bai," Auntie Zhou came over and took the gloves off Bai Congming's hands. "Go take a break."

Bai Congming froze, then suddenly grew flustered.

"Little Bai won't take a break!"

He still remembered the last woman Auntie Zhou had told to take a break. She had never come back to the Flower Nursery.

That woman had treated him very well, always volunteering to help him put away his tools. When work ended, she would always urge him to go home first, quietly staying behind to lock up herself.

She had been on a break for a long time before Bai Congming learned from other people's conversations that she had been fired.

The fool didn't understand what it meant to steal what you were entrusted to guard, but he vaguely understood that it meant she could never work at the Flower Nursery again.

From then on, in Bai Congming's mind, being told to take a break meant he couldn't work anymore.

That absolutely wouldn't do. Without work, he would have no money, and he wouldn't be able to save up to marry a wife.

When Auntie Zhou wouldn't give his gloves back, Bai Congming stamped his feet anxiously.

"No break!"

Auntie Zhou sighed. "Then tell me, Little Bai. Why are you unhappy?"

Now Bai Congming didn't dare say he wanted his day off to come sooner. He merely pressed his lips together and tugged at the fingers of his gloves.

"No break..."

Bai Congming's job that day was weeding, but he had distractedly pulled up several seedlings.

Auntie Zhou didn't return his gloves. She stood and pointed outside. "If you won't take a break, go out and help them pack."

"Okay." Bai Congming nodded obediently. "Go pack."

The customer who had come that day was a woman dressed in a lively style. She was so beautiful that even her multicolored outfit couldn't overshadow her striking looks.

She had opened a flower shop downtown. After arranging a partnership with the Flower Nursery, she had found a vehicle herself to transport the first batch of fresh flowers.

Surrounded by strangers, Bai Congming felt rather constrained, but he still set to work very earnestly.

With his head down, Bai Congming carefully placed the wrapped bouquets into cardboard boxes lined with moisture-retaining cotton.

His concentration stood out, and it soon caught the woman's attention.

"Is that one of your workers?"

The Flower Nursery manager glanced back, checking that Bai Congming hadn't made any mistakes before answering.

"He grows the flowers. Don't worry, Xiangxiang. He may be a fool, but he's very careful with his hands. He won't damage your goods."

Sun Xiangxiang murmured an acknowledgment and stood quietly watching for a while, then walked toward Bai Congming as though she had discovered a treasure.

Perhaps because he was worried about losing his job, Bai Congming was packing with particular care.

Lilies were delicate. Their buds had to be gently wrapped in tissue paper first, then each flower had to be positioned so the stems supported one another without pressing against each other.

Roses were covered in thorns. The painfully sharp thorns had to be carefully trimmed away, then the blooms protected with special mesh sleeves before they could be boxed.

Bai Congming was so absorbed that he didn't hear the person beside him greet him twice.

Somewhat helpless, Sun Xiangxiang reached out and patted his shoulder.

"Hello there!"

Bai Congming startled and stammered out a reply.

"Hello... to you too..."

Smiling, Sun Xiangxiang gave him an encouraging thumbs-up. "You're doing very well."

Bai Congming blinked, then nodded just as Sun Xiangxiang was beginning to think he hadn't understood.

"I know."

Before Sun Xiangxiang could react, Bai Congming added, "You're very pretty."

"Hahahahaha!"

Her hearty laughter didn't affect Bai Congming at all. He remained focused on his packing.

Sun Xiangxiang leaned closer again and asked, "Do you really like flowers?"

Bai Congming pressed his lips together and gave a small nod.

The flowers were beautiful one by one. When he got close, their sweet scent drifted into his nose, and they came in so many pretty colors.

Just like the person in front of him.

Bai Congming thought she looked very much like a sunflower.

"I like flowers," Bai Congming said.

Sun Xiangxiang laughed again, inexplicably wanting to tease this adorable gardener. "What else do you like?"

"I like... Brother Ding."

The unexpected answer made Sun Xiangxiang pause before she asked a stupid question.

"Is that a person?"

Bai Congming hummed in agreement, a faint smile curling his lips. "He's my wife!"

Give her gossip or give her death!

Sun Xiangxiang grew excited. "Your wife? Brother Ding? He's a man?"

Bai Congming didn't know what was wrong with that. Without stopping his work, he nodded lightly.

"Wow!"

Coupled with the word "wife," it sent Sun Xiangxiang's thoughts straight into the gutter, countless literary works she couldn't discuss with others flooding her mind.

"He... you... I..." Sun Xiangxiang took a deep breath. "I've read so many novels, but this is my first time seeing it in real life! How long have you been together? What does he do? What's he like? Oh, let's get together sometime! My treat!"

The words came too thick and fast. Bai Congming didn't know how to answer for a moment and merely stared blankly at her.

"I mean," Sun Xiangxiang cleared her throat, "let's go out together sometime. Bring your... wife."

At that, the smile on Bai Congming's face suddenly gave way to dejection.

"My wife... left..."

"Left!?"

An agonizing chase to win his wife back!

Sun Xiangxiang grew even more excited. "So what if he left? Just go chase him back!"

"Chase him back?" Bai Congming tilted his head, looking as though he didn't quite understand. "He wasn't running. He walked away."

"I know, I know." Sun Xiangxiang searched for the right words. "I mean, court him... um, that means..."

She went round and round, but by the time Bai Congming had finished wrapping all the flowers in his hands, she still hadn't managed to explain what courting meant.

Looking at the boxes of fresh flowers before her, Sun Xiangxiang simply took out a bouquet and thrust it into Bai Congming's hands.

"This is for you. Go give it to him, tell him you love him very much, and ask for his forgiveness. That's what courting means."

"You have a mouth so you can talk. Don't be shy. Whatever's on your mind, you have to say it!"

"Far too few men ever get flowers. He'll definitely be moved!"

"You can do it, little guy!"

"..."