CHAPTER 168: CHAPTER 34: BLIND DATE (PART 2)

Fei Lin is a woman of action; somehow, she got dozens of budding peach trees and, adhering to principles of equality, justice, and transparency, divided them into two groups for the apartment and dorm entrances, distributing more than a dozen in total.

Then, standing on the path leading to the apartment and dorms, she bellowed through a megaphone as if she feared the world wouldn’t hear, "Ladies, in the coming days, the Nine Purple Star will pass across the sky heading west. Don’t bother remembering its name, just know it governs marriage, peach blossoms, and such romantic events. I’ve picked for you the brightest, purple-reddest peach blossoms. Everyone gets one; plant them one by one."

It goes without saying that Yang Wuxu and Su Ziceng planted peach blossoms right outside their dorm. Despite it being the chilly early spring, after taking off their jackets, each female student huddled up like the drooping blossoms on the trees.

Su Ziceng was late in receiving her tree and got a weak, watery peach, with only a single blossom at the top, and two left around the thickest part of the trunk, with no other buds in sight. She had to carefully support the peach tree, worrying that any more force might cause those few precious buds to turn to spring mud.

The dark brown soil, hardened over winter, was as tough as paving stones. It was tough to break the earth with a shovel, releasing a dry, rotting smell, as if the earth itself was struggling to breathe.

As the clods of soil cracked open, splashed with water, Su Ziceng looked askance, a watering can already in hand, "Water it all over; dry soil can’t sustain flowers." Pello, probably having heard the megaphone, came over with a dark green watering can in hand.

When it comes to planting flowers, Pello is the expert. Following his advice, Su Ziceng handled the heavy can, watering back and forth over the expanse in front of the dorm. Once the soil was soaked through, the heaving of the earth turned into a hurried gulping sound.

Under the white canvas shoes, the soil seemed to soften instantly, feeling squishy with each step.

"Hey, you!" Su Ziceng, swinging the empty can and about to report her success, saw that her "weak, watery" tree had turned into a "bare commander", its previous buds completely vanquished by Pello.

"My peach blossom," Su Ziceng watched as the lifeless blossoms merged with the soil, feeling a pang in her heart. Having been peach-deficient all her life, she had hoped to really make a go of it this time, only for Pello to strip everything away.

"This tree’s foundation is too weak; surviving this winter was already tough. If it blooms a few more hollow flowers, it would drain its essence. Better to nourish the root and cultivate carefully, waiting for next year when spring will naturally bring blossoms." Pello had already planted the flowers and then used the back of the shovel to compact the soil.

A peach tree without flowers, she wondered if it would still be effective. Su Ziceng felt somewhat resentful; indeed, it had cost too much life energy to sustain just a few dazzling, fleeting blossoms.

Pello’s words were layered. The female students gathered around again, and Su Ziceng was quickly pushed to the side. Facing the probing and eager girls, he was always adept at dodging or pretending ignorance, but from those eyes hidden behind the glasses, Su Ziceng could tell that this array of peach blossoms hadn’t disturbed his composure.

As they were packing up the gardening tools, Su Ziceng saw from across a distance of over a hundred meters, under the peach branches at the apartment building, the eyes of Wen Maixue. She didn’t notice Su Ziceng’s gaze but was fixated in the rosy hue on a tall figure. As distant as if separated by oceans and mountains, Wen Maixue... Su Ziceng chuckled bitterly to herself, surely, a rabbit shouldn’t nibble the grass by its own burrow; no matter how tasty and lush the grass, with many rabbits lurking, it’s always perilous.

By the weekend, with Su Qingzhang still abroad and unreturned, Su Ziceng tried to test Chang Mei’s mood and could not find out his current whereabouts. As for Yang Wuxu, Su Ziceng still felt somewhat indebted, thinking that Su Qingzhang would at least give Yang Wuxu some money.

"Xiao Chi," Chang Mei kept Su Qingzhang’s whereabouts tightly sealed, acting like an all-knowing despotic female tyrant, fully aware of everything about the two of them at school: "I heard you didn’t do well last semester, you must be back in the dorm by ten each night this semester."

Chang Chi’s face was more colorful than the pan-fried fish on the table. Su Ziceng ate with satisfaction, finding Chang Chi more and more like her younger self.

"Kelly Women’s College’s courses aren’t easy, right?" Chang Mei was quite skeptical of Su Ziceng’s seemingly effortless performance in her studies. It seemed that merely changing schools had completely reversed her daughter’s and Su Ziceng’s attitudes.

The usually compliant Chang Chi took on a sulky demeanor, while the typically brash and rude Su Ziceng, on the other hand, became understanding and studious.

"It’s okay, it seems much simpler than Daoquan University," Su Ziceng deliberately understated the matter, knowing full well how she had initially struggled with French, almost wishing she could switch brains or even kill herself again. "But, I have a favor to ask of you."

Su Ziceng rarely spoke to Chang Mei in such a pleasant tone, except, of course, in specific situations after hitting a wall with Su Qingzhang, Su Ziceng would adopt this tone.

Chang Chi immediately tensed up, sensing something was amiss. Chang Mei, hearing Su Ziceng’s slowed speech, saw reflected in her eyes the scene of their first encounter with Qiao Chu. She spooned up some soup, drinking it nervously.

"I’d like you to help keep an eye out for suitable young talents in Mo City, I want to go on arranged dates," Su Ziceng was pleased to see Chang Mei’s eyes bulge unbelievably.

Chang Chi’s chopsticks dropped to the floor in shock. Su Ziceng actually said she wanted to go on arranged dates. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it with your monthly and recommendation tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.) (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it with your monthly and recommendation tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)