Chapter 37: "Seeds of Connection"

After listening to Yansen's explanation, Qin Li went quiet but still couldn't shake off her doubt. "Are you saying all of them were weeds?"

Yansen nodded. "Unfortunately, yes."

Qin Li couldn't believe it. She repeated her question for confirmation. "Not a single vegetable sprout?"

"Not a single one," Yansen affirmed.

"That's impossible!" Qin Li exclaimed. "How do you even know?"

Yansen's tone was matter-of-fact. "Because I'm a farmer."

"But you're not a vegetable farmer," she countered, grasping for straws.

"It's common knowledge," he replied calmly.

"Then why don't I know that?" she shot back.

Yansen didn't miss a beat. "Because you're not a farmer."

Qin Li stared at him for three whole minutes. They had no past grievances, no recent conflicts—he had no reason to yank her plants out without cause. Begrudgingly, she decided to trust him, for now.

Still, the thought of her hard work going to waste gnawed at her. She'd been so excited about planting those seeds, dreaming of a flourishing garden, only to end up with absolutely nothing. The realization crushed her, and she wilted under the weight of disappointment.

The two stood in silence for a while until Yansen finally spoke. "Your method of planting was all wrong. You'd have better luck seeing ghosts sprout."

His bluntness stung, but she refused to give up. "What was wrong? I tilled the soil, loosened it, fertilized it, watered it. What else could I possibly do? Sacrifice a goat and set up a Feng Shui talisman?"

Yansen blinked at her. "Feng Shui what?"

Realizing he didn't get the joke, she waved it off. "Never mind."

He continued, "The seeds need to be cultivated first."

"Cultivated?" The word sounded familiar, but she only associated it with raising kids. "You mean… like raising seedlings? How does that even work?"

Seeing her confusion, Yansen patiently explained. "You start by planting the seeds in small, controlled patches of soil. Water them, fertilize them, and let them sprout. Once they're strong enough, you transfer them to the main field."

"But why can't I just plant them directly? Farmers on TV scatter seeds all the time!" she argued.

"That won't work," Yansen said with a shake of his head. "Scattered seeds are vulnerable to birds, bugs, and bad ones that can't sprout. Even the ones that do grow will end up competing for nutrients and space. They'll be stunted—crooked and underdeveloped."

"Crooked and underdeveloped…" Qin Li muttered. She immediately pictured a familiar face and blurted, "Like Thomas…"

Yansen shot her a sharp look, and she quickly clamped her mouth shut.

"So, what should I do now?" she asked, deflated.

Yansen grabbed his keys and began striding toward his tractor. Halfway there, he glanced over his shoulder and gestured for her to follow. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" she asked, catching up.

"To buy some tools for cultivation," he replied.

The tractor took them to a massive garden center—a sprawling chain store filled with every plant imaginable. There were roses, bamboo, apple and cherry trees outside, while citrus trees, orchids, and bonsai were housed indoors. Everything was neatly categorized by whether it thrived indoors or outdoors.

The store also sold fully grown vegetables, though they were shockingly expensive—triple the price of supermarket produce. But Qin Li knew growing her own would be far more cost-effective.

As they wandered deeper into the store, she noticed garden decor—everything from stepping stones and miniature bridges to fishpond kits and lawn furniture. Even live animals like koi fish, rabbits, and chinchillas were up for sale. If you had enough money, you could transform your backyard into a national park.

Qin Li mentally calculated the cost of turning the farmhouse garden into a Chinese-style haven. With bamboo groves, flowerbeds of peonies, a pond for lotus flowers, and maybe a rock garden… it would cost at least €50,000—a whopping 400,000 yuan. That was BMW money!

The thought made her shiver. "It's so expensive."

"Gardening's a hobby," Yansen remarked coolly. "Hobbies are always expensive."

She nodded in silent agreement.

As she daydreamed about designing her ideal garden, Yansen nudged her toward a peony display. One particular bloom caught her eye—its colors were so vibrant it almost glowed.

"Like it?" Yansen asked.

"It's beautiful," Qin Li admitted, her eyes sparkling.

"If you want it, buy it," Yansen suggested casually.

She hesitated, glancing at the price tag. It wasn't expensive—just over €10—but where would she plant it?

"Could I put it in the garden?" she asked tentatively.

Yansen met her gaze, his tone serious. "I told you, if you stay, the garden is yours to manage."

His intense stare made her heart race. Feeling flustered, she quickly looked away and pretended to scrutinize the flowers.

She lingered over the peonies, marveling at their elegance and variety: crimson blossoms, pure white petals, golden hues, and regal purples. Each flower seemed to outdo the last in beauty.

"Peonies truly deserve their title as the king of flowers," she murmured. "No wonder they say, 'Only peonies hold true beauty; their bloom stirs the capital.'"

Yansen tilted his head, clearly puzzled. "What does that mean?"

Qin Li laughed. "It's a Chinese poem. It praises the peony's unparalleled beauty, but it's hard to translate."

He raised a brow but said nothing.

She clapped her hands together. "Help me pick one. Which looks the healthiest?"

Yansen pointed to a white one.

"That one?" Qin Li asked, pointing at the white peony bush.

Yansen nodded.

Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. "It's pure white, no color at all. Don't you think it's a little boring?"

"Like you," Yansen replied evenly.

Qin Li's face fell further. "So in your eyes, I'm boring?"

"Pure," he corrected, his tone softer.

That single word worked its magic. Qin Li's spirits lifted, though she tried to play it cool. "Still, I don't want something so plain. Let's go for the red one—bright, lively, cheerful! That's more my style."

Yansen simply shook his head.

Caught between the white and red peonies, Qin Li hesitated, glancing between the two. Unable to decide, she finally purchased both—one white, one red.

"Oh, they sell lavender here too!" she exclaimed, brushing her fingers against the delicate stems. A faint, soothing aroma clung to her hand, its subtle fragrance instantly calming.

"Want it?" Yansen asked.

"It's only two euros for a pot," she said, her eyes lighting up.

"Buy it," he encouraged.

Her excitement bubbled over. "I know exactly where to plant it!"

"Where?" he asked.

"Along the iron fence, all the way around."

Yansen arched an eyebrow. "You'd need at least a hundred pots for that."

She stuck out her tongue. "Okay, never mind. Just one pot for my balcony, then."

Her frugality amused him, and he chuckled softly.

While wandering, Qin Li noticed the peach trees. Instantly, she was transported to visions of "Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms"—a paradise of blooming beauty. Yet when she checked the prices of fifteen-year-old trees, which had already grown tall and strong, the numbers hit hard. Even discounted, they cost 150 euros each. Younger trees were cheaper but looked like scrawny sticks barely reaching a meter in height. She sighed, calculating how long it would take for them to grow into majestic canopies.

Yansen, ever the pragmatist, said, "Give them plenty of fertilizer and water. They'll grow faster."

Trusting his advice, Qin Li steeled herself and bought four saplings. She reasoned that even if they didn't amount to "Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms," at least a sprinkling of flowers would bring charm. Maybe she'd splurge on older trees later when her wallet wasn't crying.

By the end of their spree, Qin Li had a cart brimming with odds and ends—flowers, trees, decorations. Only then did she realize she'd spent most of her money without even buying the tools for cultivating seedlings.

Looking into her rapidly thinning wallet, she sighed. "Forget the peach trees. Let's put them back."

Before she could act, Yansen placed a firm hand on hers. "Buy them."

"But I won't have money left for seedling supplies," she protested.

"I'll take care of that," he said simply.

Her eyebrows rose in disbelief. "You will?"

He nodded, his expression serious and resolute.

With Yansen's help, they quickly gathered everything they needed: seed trays, LED grow lights, seedling cups, fertile soil, sand, fertilizer, and even a double-headed hoe. Qin Li watched, marveling at the sheer number of tools required to grow a garden. "Who knew tending flowers and plants could be so complicated?"

By the time they loaded everything onto Yansen's tractor, Qin Li's wallet was lighter, but her cart was bursting. Thank goodness for the tractor—anything smaller wouldn't have sufficed.

Hearing the commotion, Thomas and Qu Dannie came running out. Thomas let out a series of astonished "Wows!" while Qu Dannie crossed her arms, eyeing the goods.

"What's all this?" Qu Dannie asked.

"Flowers and plants," Qin Li replied breezily.

"And peach trees! You've gone full 'Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms,' haven't you?" Qu Dannie teased.

"Yep! Just imagine—the whole yard filled with peach blossoms come spring. Isn't it going to be stunning?" Qin Li said, her enthusiasm unshakable.

Qu Dannie admitted, "It'll look amazing. But…you're not planning to move back to Munich, are you?"

"What does one have to do with the other?" Qin Li countered.

"Are you kidding? You've spent so much money on this place. Are you really going to walk away after putting in all this effort? And don't tell me Yansen didn't try to stop you."

"He didn't," Qin Li admitted. "Actually, he encouraged me to buy more."

Qu Dannie gasped dramatically. "Oh, he's good. Very good."

"What do you mean?" Qin Li asked, confused.

"You seriously don't see it?" Qu Dannie asked, exasperated. "He's trapping you, you fool! Think about it—he's helping you cultivate seedlings, encouraging you to buy plants, pushing you to beautify the garden. Once it's all set up, you'll never want to leave. It's your blood, sweat, and tears out there!"

Qin Li paused, the logic sinking in. "That…makes sense."

"Yansen's a quiet one," Qu Dannie continued, "but don't underestimate him. He's calculated, methodical. I bet there's no way he wants you to leave."

Qin Li smiled faintly, secretly pleased by the idea. "Then why won't he just say so?"

"Because he's clever," Qu Dannie replied. "If he asked you outright, what would you say?"

Qin Li thought for a moment before admitting, "I don't know."

"Exactly! He knows you're indecisive. Instead of forcing a decision, he's making it harder for you to leave. Piece by piece, he's tying you to this place—and to him."

"I feel like prey in a hunter's trap," Qin Li muttered.

"You are," Qu Dannie said with a smirk. "A clueless little rabbit caught in a very well-laid snare."

The comparison made Qin Li shudder, though her heart fluttered with an odd thrill.

Qu Dannie grinned. "Why not just stay and be a farmer's wife? By next year, this place will be a haven of peach blossoms. You could even start a bed-and-breakfast! Food, views, and cozy accommodations—you'd make a killing. Sign me up as your first customer!"

The idea wasn't entirely unappealing. Qin Li had toyed with the thought of staying. Life in the mountains wasn't as harsh as it might've been back in China. Here, there were cars, entertainment, schools, hospitals, and self-sufficiency. Most of all, there was freedom.

As the two friends chatted, Yansen's voice rang out. "Qin Li! Come here. We're starting the seedlings."

"Coming!" she called, scurrying off toward him.

Watching her hurry after Yansen, Qu Dannie shook her head with a knowing smile. "This girl's a goner."