Flower Room

Chapter 1 The Flower Shop
With a sound of "ding", the glass door opened automatically, and Li Qian stumbled in, completely forgetting about the crowded store, the decorations had already pushed to the left and right of the door, just took a big step, a white porcelain vase swayed After a few shakes, she fell to the ground in response. Following her annoyed exclamation, a soft voice of inquiry came from inside the cash register.

"Xi'er, why are you in such a panic?"

Li Qian hurriedly leaned over to help up the vase, but fortunately it was not broken, and it was still glowing with uniform white jade light. She breathed a sigh of relief, raised her head, and saw the concerned face of the proprietress Su Manzhi.

"Oh, it almost scared me to death." Li Qian patted her panting chest and began to elaborate.

It turned out that when she went to the Hibiscus Bar to deliver flowers, a half-drunk Japanese old man mistook her for a young lady and stopped her.

"Fortunately, a gentleman passed by and rescued me, otherwise I really don't know what to do."

Li Qian was naturally timid, and at this moment her face was pale and round, her eyes showed fear, and the few maroon freckles on her reddish cheeks became more and more obvious.

When Manzhi heard about it, she also frowned. It's not yet eight o'clock. Why does the bar open so early now?

In the summer evening, the sky faded late, and it was a little hazy at this time.

"Next time there is such a late business, let Xiaosan go." Manzhi said thoughtfully.

Xiaosan is a boy, who usually comes over to tease him when he has work, and is a part-time worker.

Li Qian was washing her hands by the pool, but she didn't know what she was thinking except the sound of rushing water.

The air-conditioning in the store was blowing, and sometimes customers who had dinner came in to have a look, there were not many buyers, but the tinkling of the bell was very lively.

Manzhi carefully calculated the accounts for the day, and looked through the book again from beginning to end. There were not many pages. This shop just opened after the New Year, and it only took half a year. The flower business is a slow-growing business. Only by relying on good word of mouth to attract repeat customers can we continue.To be on the safe side, in addition to fresh flowers, her flower shop also sells small green bonsai, dried flowers and various cute home accessories, which are displayed on the two walls, embellishing the small space to the brim. Walking among the flowers, I can't help but feel bad.

After closing the ledger, Manzhi said, "Let's go here today."

Li Qian let out an "hey" and got up to tidy up.

Here, Manzhi started to turn off the computer, lock the drawers, and when the two of them exited the dark shop, they immediately merged into the suffocation of the summer night, like two popsicles just taken out of the refrigerator, bubbling white, quickly melted up.

The streets are brightly lit and the crowds are constantly flowing, which is the beginning of another life.

Li Qian said goodbye to her and hurried to the nearby bus stop.Manzhi locked the door, and took another look inside the shop separated by the anti-theft net. Under the contrast of the street lights, the things inside were only vaguely visible, and her eyes overflowed with a trace of satisfaction.

At the beginning, I took a fancy to this facade. Firstly, it is cheap. This is a suburban area. At the same price, you can only rent about 1/3 of the area in the city center. Secondly, this shop is next to a large-scale luxury residential area. , no matter the taste or consumption concept should not be bad; three, the supporting facilities and transportation here are already complete and well-developed, across the street from the shops in the community, there is a food street that stretches for nearly one kilometer.The whole land was ready to go, and she was glad that she had a place in time.

Turning around, her eyes changed completely, because she thought of home, and her footsteps also began to hurry.

He trotted to the parking lot, reversed the car, turned, entered the street, and quickly disappeared into the traffic.

When I got home at exactly 08:30, the living room downstairs was empty, except for a light at the entrance, emitting a faint orange light.

After changing her shoes, Manzhi tiptoed up the stairs. In Shen Yufang's room, her daughter Shao Mengmeng's chirping and scraping voices could be heard, she must be watching TV.

She didn't go in, and went back to her room to take a shower before turning back.

As soon as the door was pushed, Mengmeng let out a joyful scream, and immediately jumped off the bed barefoot, threw herself into her arms, and was hugged by Manzhi.

"Slow down, don't fall." Shen Yufang said angrily, and then asked: "Shao Yun hasn't come back yet?"

"En." Manzhi replied in a low voice, with a smile on her face, letting her daughter hang her neck, and said to Shen Yufang: "Mom, then I will take her back to the room, and you should go to bed earlier."

Shen Yufang nodded, but still stood up and walked out with them.

"Is Mengmeng good in the kindergarten today?" Manzhi put her mouth next to her daughter's ear and asked softly.

"Good boy, I didn't cry." Mengmeng, who was in the middle class, said quickly, and buried her face on her mother's shoulder. There is no silver 300 taels here.

Shen Yufang winked at Manzhi, she understood immediately, and smiled gratefully at Shen Yufang, Shen Yufang has been helping to take care of the child.

Mengmeng snuggled into her mother's arms, drowsiness swept over her, but when Manzhi put her on the bed, she woke up again.

"Mom, don't go." She pouted and held Manzhi tightly.

"Silly boy, I'll be right back." Manzhi said, seeing her reluctance, she felt a little sad again.

When she went to bed again, she found that Mengmeng had been lying on the edge of the bed, looking at the small spittoon on the floor with interest, it was Manzhi's urination for her at night.

Manzhi lifted the blanket and lay down, asking, "What are you doing with the spittoon?"

"Mom, it doesn't even look like a spittoon to me."

"What does that look like?"

"Like a teapot."

Manzhi burst out laughing, and said, "Shall I give you a drink?"

Mengmeng giggled and shook her head, she rolled away and avoided it.

After turning off the lights, the mother and daughter talked for a while, and Mengmeng fell asleep quickly, breathing evenly.

Manzhi, who was lying in the dark, seemed to be asleep all the time, until she heard slightly messy footsteps from the corridor outside the door, followed by the sound of the door lock closing, followed by deathly silence.

Manzhi listened for a while, sighed silently, finally turned her head and fell into a deep sleep.

In the morning, Manzhi was woken up by Mengmeng's crisp laughter. When she opened her eyes, she saw Shao Yun rubbing her face against Mengmeng's cheek. Mengmeng's young skin couldn't stand his stubble, and she pushed her father desperately , shouting in his mouth: "Dad, go away, it's so itchy!"

Unwilling to be reconciled, Shao Yun leaned forward and kissed her vigorously, before saying, "Okay, Dad will go shave now."

Manzhi rolled over and got out of bed, pounding her slippers on the ground with both feet, with some sleepiness remaining in her eyes, "It's been a while, why haven't you gone to the company yet?"

Shao Yun is the vice president of the company. He is usually too busy to touch the ground. He has never had such a leisurely morning.

Shao Yun fixed his eyes on his daughter, his eyes were full of doting, but he spoke to Manzhi, a little coldly, "I won't go to the company today."

Manzhi was looking for clothes in the closet. Hearing what he said, her hands stopped, she looked back at him and asked, "What's going on?"

Shao Yun was a little impatient, "Can't you take a rest?" Before Manzhi could ask again, he hugged Mengmeng and walked out of the room.

Manzhi's heart turned cold, she bit her lower lip with her teeth, and continued looking for clothes.

Ever since she insisted on opening this flower shop in spite of Shao Yun's objection, the conversation between the two of them has become less, and they often don't even see each other.Shao Yun has always asked Manzhi to focus on the child.

After washing up, they went downstairs. Shen Yufang, Shao Yun, and Mengmeng were all having breakfast.

Mengmeng looked around while eating, and when she saw Manzhi, she immediately called out, "Mom, sit by my side."

Manzhi walked over with a smile, and sat down next to her. The six-year-old girl was already very sensual, and she exclaimed, "Mom is so beautiful today."

Manzhi wore a black short-sleeved knee-length dress, which was simple in cut and style, except for a small strip of black metal discs dotted on the chest.

Shen Yufang smiled and said, "Will your mother not be pretty any day?"

Shao Yun glanced at Manzhi quickly, with a complicated expression, and lowered his head to drink a glass of milk.

Mengmeng still talked the most at the dinner table, even with bread stuffed in her mouth, she refused to give up her right to speak.

"Mom, we are in English class. If we want to pee, the teacher forbids us to say pee pee, but to say 'may I go pipi?' If the teacher says no, we can't go, but if the teacher says pls, we can go."

Everyone laughed when they heard this. Mengmeng goes to a bilingual kindergarten, where she teaches English four days a week.

Manzhi patted her head and asked, "Did you do what the teacher told you?"

"Of course there is. As long as Teacher Vivi asks a question, I will raise my hand, and I will be awarded a five-pointed star." Will read the suffix sound, often omitted.

Manzhi met her at the parent-teacher meeting, she was a very kind girl, no wonder Mengmeng often mentioned her.

"Our children like Teacher Vivi the most. Every time Teacher Vivi comes, we are very excited."

Shen Yufang had to remind, "Mengmeng, eat quickly, or you will be late."

Mengmeng let out an "oh" and ate her food. If you are late, you will be deducted a five-pointed star, which is a very serious matter.

After eating, Manzhi helped Mengmeng clean up the kitten's face, and then put the schoolbag on her back.

Shao Yun said: "Mom, let me send Mengmeng to school today."

His mother nodded and said, "Alright."

Mengmeng yelled against, "No, I want my mother to give it to me."

Shen Yufang made an angry expression, "You still imagine holding on to mom's clothes like last time, don't you?"

Mengmeng desperately shook her head, "No, no, I promise I won't cry this time."

Manzhi softened her heart and said, "Then let me see you off."

Shao Yun frowned and said, "Why are you making trouble? What if it gets out of hand after a while?"

Manzhi was blocked for a while and had no choice but to keep silent.

Seeing that the hope of getting it soon was so easily shattered, Mengmeng still cried for a while, and finally, under Manzhi's persuasion, holding back her grievances, she went out with Shao Yun tearfully.

Manzhi turned around at the door and saw Shen Yufang looking at her, so she smiled at her, feeling far-fetched.

Shen Yufang seemed to comfort her and said, "Don't blame him, he is unhappy." Knowing that such comfort was useless.

Manzhi went to the entrance to change her shoes, and said nonchalantly, "How could that be?"

Shen Yufang said again: "I heard that his uncle will transfer him to a branch company in another province for a year."

Manzhi let out an "oh", and turned her mind quickly a few times. Several thoughts popped into her mind at the same time, but she finally shook her head, gave up, and continued to wear her shoes.

The heels and laces are thin, looking like walking on a tightrope, as if she might fall off at any time, she put her feet in, fastened the straps, stood up, took two steps carefully, stood firm, the silk fluttered The fluttering restlessness faded away, and she was a person who could hold herself steady.

Manzhu went to the garage to pick up the car. As soon as he turned to the door, he heard hurried footsteps and panting behind him. Looking back, it turned out to be Shao Lei.

"Sister-in-law, wait for me." Shao Lei ran in front of her while speaking.

"Are you resting today too?" Manzhi teased him somehow.

Shao Lei is six years younger than Shao Yun, and has just graduated from graduate school. Although he is in front of Shao's, he still has the childishness of a student in his gestures. Manzhi is only two years older than him, but he is much older. Shao Lei respects this very much. A sister-in-law who had a problem, instead of looking for her brother, she came to Manzhi.Shao Yun's temper is relatively irritable, and a few words of disagreement will make people look bad.

Shao Lei has the same thin face as his brother, with clear outlines, but Shao Yun's face is slightly dark, his lips are thin, and his red phoenix eyes are slightly squinted to look at people, which always has a breathtaking feeling.Shao Lei is much fairer than his elder brother, with big and clear eyes, as if he can't hold anything in his heart, and all his thoughts are poured into his eyes.

At this moment, he brushed the back of his head and smiled shyly, "I'm about to tell you about this. My car broke down last night and is still being repaired. Can you take me to the company?" The flower shop must go through the Shaw Group first.

Manzhi shook the car key in her hand and said, "Of course, as long as you don't dislike my car."

After opening a flower shop, Manzhi bought a pick-up truck with an open truck at the back. She was ridiculed by Shao Yun a few times, but she didn't care about it.

She got into the garage, and heard Shao Lei say loudly behind her: "It's just a car." Unconsciously, she smiled slightly, this uncle was more compatible with her than her husband.

The two were sitting in the car, and Shao Lei couldn't help but said, "I'm really sorry, eh, won't it delay your business?"

Manzhi laughed and said, "After working, it's different after all, and I know how to be polite."

Shao Lei chuckled.

Manzhi said again: "There is no business in the morning, let's talk about helping the trade union to open the door first."

Shao Lei nodded, "How's the business going?"

"It's off-season now, it's not very good, so we can only take it slowly."

After Shao Lei heard this, he didn't say anything consoling. Manzhi opened this store just to relieve boredom, and he didn't expect it to make a fortune.

He hesitated for a while, but still said: "Brother told you, Second Uncle wants him to be the general manager of the branch in N City, and it will take at least a year."

Manzhi had heard about it from Shen Yufang just now, so she was no longer surprised, and just replied lightly: "I know." Ever since Shao Lei proposed a ride, Manzhi knew that his real intention was to talk to herself about it.

Seeing her calm expression, Shao Lei thought that they had already discussed their ideas, and asked, "Then the eldest brother is going or not?"

Manzhi held the steering wheel and focused on the front. After a few seconds of silence, she turned her face and smiled apologetically at him: "I don't know either."

Shao Lei was stunned for a moment, thinking of the scene yesterday at the meeting where Shao Yun ignored his second uncle's face as soon as he heard the proposal, and walked away with a pale face, thinking that this matter could not be resolved in a short while .

"Sister-in-law, what's your opinion?"

Manzhi sighed, "Is my opinion important? Even if I say it, your brother might not listen."

Shao Lei was a little embarrassed. He still didn't understand why his brother hated his sister-in-law so much. Manzhi was gentle and virtuous. Since he met her, Shao Lei had never seen her lose his temper with anyone. Even though she was not his brother's favorite, but since he married her , why not treat her kindly?

Manzhi noticed Shao Lei's restraint, and instead helped him out, "Don't worry, your brother will take care of this matter."

Seeing her calm expression, Shao Lei was relieved, and couldn't help but continue, "Many people guess that the second uncle did this to clear the way for his future son-in-law."

Manzhi smiled and asked, "Do you think so?"

Shao Lei said frankly, "I also think there is such a possibility." He sighed and said, "It's no wonder that the eldest brother is unhappy. If nothing happened to him, the second uncle's seat is now his. If the second uncle is self-willed this time, he can only I'm afraid that my eldest brother will set up another family in a fit of anger." As soon as he finished speaking, he regretted his slip of the tongue.

Manzhi pretended not to feel his embarrassment, and said calmly: "It's fine for others to think so, we can't mess up ourselves. If there is no second uncle supporting the company these years, how could Shaw Brothers come to where it is today. If your brother brought Leaving the shares from Shaw Brothers may be in the hands of some people."

Shao Lei was startled when he heard that, but he believed in Manzhi's judgment. She had worked in Shaw Corporation for four years and was appreciated by her second uncle Shao Junbang, and she knew everything about Shao Corporation.

Manzhi felt that she had talked too much today, and there was no need to continue, so she changed the subject and said: "When did you bring Miss Shangguan to the flower shop to play, and she clamored to see it when she came home from dinner? No sound again?"

Shangguan Lin is Shao Lei's girlfriend, and the two have been dating for half a year, and their relationship is firm.

Shao Lei immediately said: "Okay, I was afraid that she would disturb you when she left, so she didn't agree to it after mentioning it several times."

Manzhi laughed and said, "Aren't you seeing someone else? In the future, she will come into our house sooner or later. A good relationship is better than anything else."

Shao Lei felt a little embarrassed, and said, "She has been praising you in front of me."

Manzhi glanced at him with a smile, and when she was about to chat and joke a few more words, she had already reached the gate of Shao's, so she let Shao Lei go down.

A security guard at the door, surnamed Zheng, knew Manzhi. When he saw her, he greeted her very attentively through the window. .Although he might just be passionate about Mrs. Shao, not her.

Manzhi was sitting near the door of the flower shop, wearing thick rubber gloves, and was using scissors to repair a batch of newly arrived roses.

The thorny branches and leaves of Lalaza fell to the ground one after another, and after a while, a large pile accumulated on the ground.

"Xian'er, go and throw some away first." She turned her head and told Li Qian.

Li Qian came over with a garbage bag, and Manzhi helped her grab the broken branches in until the bag was full.

The weather was extremely hot, and under the scorching sun, the vehicles moved slowly, and even the occasional passers-by frowns and hurried past.Manzhi calmly sat in the air-conditioned room doing things, a thin layer of glass seemed to separate two worlds, the light and heat flowing outside the door had nothing to do with her.

Manzhi's mind drifted a few times, but she finally turned to Shao Yun's matter. She thought of her father's accusation against her, saying that she was born with a worry-free life, and she sighed inwardly.

There was a ding sound, and then there were two figures covering Manzhi. She raised her head, the backlight was dazzling, and she couldn't see clearly. She only knew that it was Li Qian and a strange man who came in, maybe they were guests, so she stood up instinctively. .

The man is tall and tall, and his facial features are not considered handsome. When matched together, they can make people feel good, probably because of the so-called good looks. The pickle-colored slacks he wore didn't seem to match his age and temperament, but he wore them with a natural look.

"Sister Manzhi, this, this is the gentleman who rescued me at the bar a few days ago."

Li Qian's face was blushing, she didn't know if it was from the sun outside, or because she was excited, she began to eat and drink while talking.

Manzhi was used to her gentle smile, warm and polite, "Oh, I should really thank you, oh, my name is Su, I don't know what your name is?"

Li Qian rushed to answer immediately: "His surname is Chang, Mr. Chang."

Mr. Chang stared at Manzhi with a pair of smiling eyes, and immediately stretched out his hand to her, raised his eyebrows and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Chang Shaohui."

Manzhi had no choice but to take off her gloves, and stretched out her hand to hold him. The warmth in his palm was in sharp contrast to her own coldness. When they held it, they both seemed to be startled, but they let go soon.

Manzhi asked: "Mr. Chang lives in this community?"

Chang Shaohui nodded with a smile.

Li Qian added on the side: "I just finished taking out the trash when I saw Mr. Chang coming out of the gate. I was so impressed by what happened last time, so I recognized him at a glance, because I asked him to come over to our shop and have a look." Look."

Manzhi had to say some words of thanks again, Chang Shaohui wrote lightly: "It's just a small matter, don't take it to heart."

He began to look around the store.

A large area on the left hand side of the entrance is three rows of flower shelves from low to high. All kinds of flowers are packed in large silver lead tubes, and the colorful flowers form a partial sea of ​​flowers.On the same seat on the right hand, three thick wooden boards are nailed to the wall. The boards are painted milky white, and there are some exquisite bonsai and hydroponic plants. One of them almost touches the fish tank below. There are a few fishes in the dark brown tank, shaking their heads and tails among the artificial landscape plants in the water, like the pendulum of an antique wall clock on the wall. stop.

In the center of the store was a square table, on which a set of Japanese tableware and a few flower arrangements were placed in a regular manner, purely for display.Going further inside, there are two hollowed out Bogu wooden frames, one black and one white, arranged one after the other, dotted with many exquisite gadgets, and also separated the space with some ancient charm.The Bogu stand is on the left hand, and the cash register and service desk is on the right, the throne of Manzhi.The tall countertop was also full of decorations, and there was another hidden desk under the countertop, revealing half of the computer, and there were other things, Chang Shaohui didn't go over to see.

The ceiling is suspended with white alloy gussets, and a few rows of small spotlights are pressed at key points, but they are not turned on because it is daytime.Chang Shaohui has seen the brightly lit scene here at night, but the decorations inside cannot be seen clearly from the door, and the line of sight is easily blocked by a few rather majestic signboard flower arrangements placed at both ends of the door .

Chang Shaohui looked at it and said, "I've wanted to come in and take a look at your store several times, but there are always some inconveniences and I didn't find the opportunity."

Manzhi smiled and said: "Mr. Chang is a busy person, and I will ask you to take care of the business in the future."

"Did you plant this flower yourself?" Chang Shaohui asked, pointing to a pot of dried flowers.

Manzhi smiled and said, "Yes, it's so ugly, I'll make you laugh."

Chang Shaohui just smiled and said nothing. Seeing this, Li Qian couldn't help showing off the store's momentum, and said, "Our boss went to Beijing to learn how to arrange flowers for three months, and last month he went to Shanghai to participate in a flower arrangement." exhibition."

Chang Shaohui just smiled, paused, and suddenly said: "Miss Su is not what I imagined."

Manzhi was a little surprised, looked at Chang Shaohui with surprised eyes, and still asked with a smile: "Really? Why is it different?" Zhi was also embarrassed to ask, because seeing him full of interest, he said: "For ordinary customers, we can give you a 8.5% discount at most. Mr. Chang is a distinguished customer. If you like something, I will give you a 7% discount."

Chang Shaohui turned around and glanced at her, with a smile on his lips, he said, "Miss Su really knows how to do business."

In fact, Manzhi was not good at introductions. When he said this, her face turned slightly red. Her skin was as crystal clear as jade porcelain, and she looked even more beautiful after being dyed some bright red.

Chang Shaohui looked at his watch and said, "The things you have here are very good, but I don't have time today, so I'll pick another day."

As he spoke, he drew a florist's business card from the service desk.

Manzhi only took him as an excuse and didn't take it to heart, and sent him out with Li Qian.

After being exposed to the scorching sun for the first time, Manzhi felt dizzy for a while.

Chang Shaohui suddenly turned to Manzhi and said, "I like the name of your flower shop."

He left this thoughtless sentence and strode away into the distance.

Manzhi hadn't recovered from the sunbathing, she stared at his back in a daze, and then looked up at the shop's signboard. Against the dark red background, there were two big characters "Huajian" imitating Song Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)