Chapter 20

Before she could react, in less than a minute, the garbage truck, which had been stationary, suddenly started moving. 

Seeing this, Xiao yuanzi’s eyes widened in surprise. So there was someone in the truck the whole time while she was over here jumping around anxiously? 

Suddenly, she felt a release in her hand. 

When she looked again, she saw her boss—a beautiful woman wearing a cheongsam and little leather shoes—quickly catching up to the garbage truck with a 20-30 pound garbage bag in hand. 

Then, with one swift motion, she effortlessly tossed the bag that Xiao yuanzi had struggled with into the truck. 

Afterward, her boss, who always seemed above the world, raised her chin proudly at Xiao yuanzi and said, “How about that? Impressive, right?” 

“Pfft… Impressive, very impressive!” Xiao yuanzi laughed and cheered. 

Equally amused was Wei Shian, who was sitting in a Mitsubishi Jeep outside, conducting surveillance on a suspect. 

He never imagined that after two months, the next time he’d see her, it would be in such an adorable and lively moment. 

— 

Chapter 11 

Time passed quickly. 

In the blink of an eye, another month had gone by. 

Lu Jiu’s flower shop, which had been bustling at the start, had now reached a steady pace. 

This “steady” didn’t mean business was bad. 

On the contrary, there have always been people who appreciate and understand flowers, no matter the era. 

Although the flowers at “One Flower, One World” were on the pricier side, each one was a masterpiece. 

Especially the way the shop owner nurtured peonies—it was an art in itself. Within just a month of opening, the shop had gained a steady clientele. 

Lu Jiu herself had also developed a routine of going to the shop once or twice a week. 

Today was Saturday, and she had planned to stay home and spend time with Mrs. Fang Wenyi. 

However, Zhao Lanlan called to request leave, saying an elderly family member had fallen and needed to go to the hospital. 

Knowing that weekends could be busy and Xiao yuanzi might struggle to handle it all alone, Lu Jiu decided to head to the shop to lend a hand. 

“Boss, you’re here?” 

As soon as Lu Jiu walked in, the busy Xiao yuanzi greeted her. 

Lu Jiu glanced at the rattan chairs in the shop. After just half an hour since opening, they were already full. 

By the window, a few elderly gentlemen with a scholarly demeanor were gathered around a newly stocked peony, happily but quietly discussing it. 

Lu Jiu placed her bag and keys in the drawer. “You handle what you need to; don’t worry about me.” 

She then pointed to a lunchbox on the counter. “The housekeeper made some mung bean cakes. I brought you a few.” 

Xiao yuanzi, used to such gestures, didn’t hesitate. “Thanks, boss.” 

Lu Jiu smiled and shook her head. “Didn’t I tell you to just call me ‘Peony’?” 

Xiao yuanzi opened the lunchbox. The mung bean cakes were bite-sized. She popped one into her mouth, savoring the soft, sweet taste, and her eyes curved in delight. “The shop’s main focus is peonies, so calling you ‘Peony’ might get confusing.” 

Confusing? Lu Jiu felt helpless but didn’t say anything further. She picked up the ledger from a few days ago and started reviewing the accounts. 

Seeing this, Xiao yuanzi put away the lunchbox and continued de-thorning the flowers. 

At that moment, a young man sitting on one of the rattan chairs stood up and walked toward the counter. 

Quick on her feet, Xiao yuanzi immediately grabbed the flower bucket and sat beside her beautiful boss in less than three seconds. 

There was no other choice. Ever since the flower shop opened, many men had come to pursue the boss. 

While most were well-mannered, there were always a few who were overconfident and acted sleazily with their words or behavior. 

So, both Xiao yuanzi and Lanlan had developed a conditioned response to these situations. 

Even though their boss was far from fragile and could handle things herself, they were always ready to intervene. 

Sure enough, after just a few words, the boss easily dismissed the man. 

Watching the disheartened man leave, Xiao yuanzi couldn’t help but admire her boss while also being curious. “Boss, that guy’s been waiting for you for days. He’s polite, well-dressed, probably comes from a decent family, and even has his own car. If you’re not interested in him, what kind of guy do you like?” 

What kind of guy does she like? 

Lu Jiu was taken aback by the question. After a while, she said, “He’d have to be good-looking, at least.” 

Xiao yuanzi’s eyes widened. “How good-looking? That guy was pretty handsome!” 

Lu Jiu raised an eyebrow. “Handsome? Really?” 

Xiao yuanzi was speechless for a moment before incredulously asking, “Are you saying you’d only go for a guy who looks like you? Where would you even find someone like that?” 

“That’s impossible,” Lu Jiu immediately retorted. 

Everyone knows that peonies are hermaphroditic flowers. 

Most of the flower spirits who had taken human form around her in the past were female, so she naturally considered herself female, too. 

But there were a few of her seniors who had transformed into males. 

Plant spirits, whether male or female, are all beautiful and delicate. 

Therefore, in Lu Jiu’s eyes, male spirits were no different from the female ones. 

As a result, she didn’t like overly delicate men. 

“Ring… ring…” The sound of her phone brought Lu Jiu back from her wandering thoughts. 

She opened the drawer, seeing that the caller ID displayed her childhood friend, Fang Jingjing. 

She answered with a smile, “Weren’t you supposed to be accompanying your colleague to a blind date?” 

“Don’t even mention it, it was such bad luck.” 

Lu Jiu frowned. “What happened?” 

“I’ll tell you in person. Are you home right now?” 

“No, I’m at the shop.” 

“I’ll come find you at the shop then.” 

Hearing the dial tone, Lu Jiu couldn’t help but chuckle. Even though Fang Jingjing was now a teacher, she still had the same fiery personality. 

Speaking of which, it was only this year that the Lu family had moved into their own house. 

In the past, they had many neighbors, and naturally, Lu Jiu had made friends with some of them. 

But over the years, the only person she’d remained close to since childhood was Fang Jingjing (not counting Li Ze). 

The reason was that they were the same age and lived in the same alley. 

Naturally, they had been classmates from kindergarten all the way through high school. 

Even during the few times they weren’t in the same class, their friendship had remained strong. 

— 

By the time Fang Jingjing arrived at the shop, it was lunchtime. 

There were hardly any customers left, so Lu Jiu led her straight to the sixth floor. 

Half of the sixth floor of the Lu Department Store was dedicated to dining. 

The two had similar tastes, so they picked a Sichuan restaurant. 

Sundays were busy, but since they arrived early, there were still a few tables available. 

“Over there,” Fang Jingjing said, pulling her friend toward the most secluded two-person table.