"Sigh, you say that a person gets a strange illness, but why do these precious flowers also contract such strange diseases?" Xu Yongqian sighed regretfully.

"Ah, Old Xu, you're right about that. These flowers are just like people; the more delicate they are, the easier they get sick, and when they do, it's always some bizarre illness!" Boss Jiangg spoke with a wealth of experience, and his words seemed to carry a philosophical depth.

Curious upon hearing this, Wang Xiaoqiang couldn't help but ask Boss Jiangg, "Old man, what is this 'Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum' you mentioned? Is it a type of chrysanthemum?"

Wang Xiaoqiang's layman question amused Boss Jiangg, who had been paying attention to him ever since he arrived with Xu Yongqian, but Wang's simple attire of a manual laborer intrigued him. He knew Xu Yongqian's background well; before he had been a figure in the provincial government, so why was he accompanied by a young man dressed like a farmer?

Having conducted business for most of his life, Boss Jiangg had become shrewd. His surprise kept him from asking about Wang Xiaoqiang's identity. Now, seeing Wang Xiaoqiang speak up, and using layman's terms at that, he couldn't help but turn to Xu Yongqian and ask, "And who might this be?"

"Uh, this is a young friend I've just met; his name is Wang Xiaoqiang," Xu Yongqian introduced.

Wang Xiaoqiang might not have fully grasped the particular significance of the title "young friend" from Xu Yongqian, but to Boss Jiangg, it meant something quite different. Boss Jiangg was Xu Yongqian's old comrade-in-arms, and he was well aware of Xu's temperament.

Xu Yongqian was a man of restraint. For him to affectionately call someone a "young friend," they must be quite exceptional in H Province; moreover, considering his age, to use that term for someone barely twenty years old was a sign of deference, indicating his high regard for Wang Xiaoqiang.

"Uh, Boss Wang, hello…" Boss Jiangg immediately stopped what he was doing and extended a hand for a handshake with Wang Xiaoqiang upon hearing the introduction.

Being called "Boss Wang" made Wang Xiaoqiang feel awkward. Shaking his hand, he said, "I'm not any kind of boss, just call me Little Qiang."

"Uh, Little Qiang, hello, welcome, welcome…" Boss Jiangg, being an old comrade of Xu Yongqian, had followed a different path, with Xu going into politics and he into business. Despite their different ambitions and goals, they had remained in contact.

Boss Jiangg, who had done business in this area, had often enjoyed Xu Yongqian's support, which made him particularly polite to Wang Xiaoqiang at this moment.

Wang Xiaoqiang was slightly uncomfortable with Boss Jiangg's courtesy: "There's no need to be so polite, Boss Jiangg. Actually, this is my first time at the Flower and Wood Market, and I'm a complete amateur. My earlier comment must have amused you…"

"No, no, actually I'm an amateur too. The real expert here is your Old Brother Xu…" Caught in an awkward moment, Boss Jiangg couldn't help but flatter Xu Yongqian.

As expected, Xu Yongqian glared at him as he detested people flattering him.

After shooting Boss Jiangg a glare, Xu Yongqian turned to Wang Xiaoqiang with a friendly face and explained, "Little Qiang, the 'Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum' we were talking about is not a chrysanthemum; it's an orchid from the Lotus Petal Orchid Family, and it is indeed a very rare orchid. Just one of them can sell for at least two million!"

"Uh, could I take a look at it? I'd like to appreciate what a two-million orchid looks like." Wang Xiaoqiang replied, his interest piqued after hearing the two older men discuss how the Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum was ailing and wanting to see it for himself.

"Of course, of course." Boss Jiangg readily agreed and led the two men behind the stall to a large glasshouse. The glasshouse wasn't very big, but it was locked, and inside it was filled with various flowers and plants.

Boss Jiangg took out a key, unlocked the glasshouse door, and led them inside. Upon entering, Wang Xiaoqiang carefully noted the thickness of the glass door, which was about as wide as two fingers, indicating the preciousness of the flowers and plants inside the glasshouse.

Inside the glasshouse, Wang Xiaoqiang's gaze swept over the flowers and plants, noticing how different they were from those outside: some were bright and luscious, some were delicately elegant, and some had unusual shapes. It was clear they were all extraordinary.

Boss Jiangg pointed to an orchid and said to Wang Xiaoqiang, "Little Qiang, look, that is the Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum."

Wang Xiaoqiang saw the orchid Boss Jiangg pointed to, with its tall stem and bell-shaped flowers that were pinkish when they were small. The buds looked like round plum blossoms growing upwards, and each spike had two pronounced flowers. The flowers were grand with a white base and red striations, combining characteristics of butterflies, uniqueness, plums, and trees in one.

The flowers resembled human hands, and when about a dozen gathered together, they looked like the Thousand-Hand Guanyin.

It was incredibly beautiful and had great ornamental value!

Even Wang Xiaoqiang, the amateur, thought so.

"Boss Jiangg, this Huazi looks quite healthy and doesn't seem sick at all?" Wang Xiaoqiang exclaimed in surprise.

"Uh, this is a healthy one, I've already moved the sick one outside," Boss Jiangg said, pointing towards a Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum behind the glasshouse with his finger.

Wang Xiaoqiang followed his pointing finger and indeed saw a Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum just like the one in front of him, except with withered and curled yellow leaves and petals drooping as if about to fall, which was truly an eyesore. No wonder it had to be moved outside the glasshouse.

Wang Xiaoqiang stared at the sick Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum for a while, then sneaked out of the glasshouse, went around to the back of the room, crouched down in front of the sick plant, and placed his index finger at the base of the Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum. With a thought, he channeled green Wood Element Spiritual Qi into it. Suddenly, the dry yellow leaves began to unfold...

Wang Xiaoqiang was just trying his luck, but to his unexpected delight, the Wood Element Spiritual Qi had a miraculous effect. A surge of quiet elation followed, and he immediately withdrew his finger. His generosity didn't extend to healing Boss Jiangg's Huazi for free.

The two elders inside the house saw Wang Xiaoqiang squatting silently in front of the sick Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum, lost in thought, and couldn't help but feel puzzled. They approached one after the other, and Boss Jiangg tentatively asked, "Little Qiang, could it be that you can heal this Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum?"

Wang Xiaoqiang stood up and showed a wry smile to Boss Jiangg, "Boss Jiangg, you're really overestimating me. As an outsider, I didn't even know what a Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum was before, so how could I have a way to heal it?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yongqian gave Boss Jiangg a disdainful look, "Exactly, Old Jiangg, you really have some imagination… People who don't know any better might think you're mocking Little Qiang!"

Boss Jiangg, hearing this, showed a sheepish smile and smacked his forehead, "Look at my brain, it's almost muddled by this sick Orchid. Sigh, if this Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum dies, I am going to lose at least two million!"

"Boss Jiangg, this must be a propagated one, so it shouldn't cost any money, right?" Wang Xiaoqiang said.

"Yes, and that's why I feel it's such a pity. Now I only have one Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum left. If I sell it, there'll be no chance to propagate it. If I want to propagate, then I'll have to wait…"

"Boss, why don't you sell this Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum to me?" Wang Xiaoqiang suddenly said.

"Ah, Little Qiang, why do you want it? A sick Orchid…" Xu Yongqian found Wang Xiaoqiang's idea to be quite peculiar and couldn't help but to offer a reminder.

Boss Jiangg, hearing this, sized up Wang Xiaoqiang with a look of incredulity and said, "Little Qiang, you don't actually have a way to cure this Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum, do you?"

"I really don't, but back at my hometown there's some soil that's quite good. Some sick Huazi planted there all manage to survive, so I want to give it a try…" Wang Xiaoqiang said evasively.

"Is there really soil that good?" Boss Jiangg's eyes lit up.

"Ah, I just want to give it a try," Wang Xiaoqiang responded, "Boss Jiangg, you said it yourself, the more delicate the flower, the shorter its life. I can't guarantee this Huazi will live…"

Boss Jiangg naturally didn't quite believe Wang Xiaoqiang's words, but seeing that the Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum was beyond help and since Wang Xiaoqiang was willing to take it, he might as well grant the favor and give it to Wang Xiaoqiang. So he said, "Since you claim your hometown has such good soil, I'm happy to let you try. Here's what we'll do—you take the Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum.

Consider it treating a dead horse as a live one. Let's not talk about money; that'd be too formal."

As he said this, Boss Jiangg glanced at Xu Yongqian, who didn't give him a friendly look but said, "Right, you shouldn't take money. This is basically a dying sick Orchid, how could you have the cheek to take his money!"

Wang Xiaoqiang said, "That's very kind of you, Boss Jiangg, not taking a penny. I feel quite ashamed to accept this favor!"

"Ah… let's just say I'm making a friend, that should be fine, right!" Boss Jiangg was quite the smooth talker and not only was he smooth with words, but he was also good at maintaining relationships. Right there, he pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it to Wang Xiaoqiang, "My number is on it. Call me when you want to buy flowers…"

Boss Jiangg didn't really expect Wang Xiaoqiang to buy his flowers; offering the business card was merely a gesture to build rapport.

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