I Just Won't Play By The Book
chapter-53

Yu Manwen went to the corner of the parterre where Jiang Beiran’s voice came from. She found Jiang Beiran and Order Master were talking in front of a pot of green plants.

“What are you talking about?” Yu Manwen walked up and asked.

Jiang Beiran first took out a thin knife from his storage ring, then turned his head and replied, “Order Master said that her pot of kapok fern is a little listless, so she asked me to take a look.”

“Oh…” Yu Manwen nodded and walked to the kapok fern with oval-shaped triangular leaves. After sizing it up, she said doubtfully, “It looks pretty good to me.”

Jiang Beiran laughed, he carefully picked up a branch with six leaves on it and said, “You have to look at the details to determine a plant’s condition. Look at the leaves on this branch, they are of different sizes, and the patterns are messy. This means that there is a disorder inside it.”

After hearing this, Yu Manwen stared at it for a long time and asked as if she understood something, “Then what should we do?”

“I was just talking to Order Master about this matter. If we want to make this kind of green plant grow well, we must cut off some of the upper branches.”

After saying that, Jiang Beiran looked at Shi Fenglan again. “I have already said that this kapok fern’s branch looks very strong, but it is actually very fragile. You must be careful when you cut it. You must not hurt the lower part. I will do it for you now.”

After saying that, Jiang Beiran slashed the thin blade on a branch a few times. He cut off the parts that were more than 18 centimeters effortlessly.

“Your hands are really skillful.” Shi Fenglan sighed in admiration. “Then, will it sprout as many side buds as you said?”

“Yes, in less than two months, I guarantee that your kapok fern will be full of vitality.”

“Okay, I’ll believe you this time. Come, come, come, help me look at other ones.”

Just like that, Jiang Beiran was dragged by Shi Fenglan to walk through her entire parterre and solve all the small problems.

“Hu…” Shi Fenglan stood up and wiped the sweat off her forehead, then, she patted Jiang Beiran’s shoulder a few times and said, “You’re really good. This is the first time I’ve seen a disciple who has so many knowledge on growing flowers. Not bad, not bad. eh? Why are you turning your face away?”

“I have to turn my gaze from you.” Jiang Beiran answered very directly.

The lapel collar of Shi Fenglan was already very low. In addition, when she patted Jiang Beiran’s shoulder, her movements were so big that she accidentally revealed her bare body. Jiang Beiran didn’t know where to look at.

“Hahahaha.” Shi Fenglan laughed a few times after listening to him, “You’re a little more interesting than those old men who want to see but don’t dare to.” After saying that, she turned to Yu Manwen and said, “Where did you pick up such an interesting little guy?”

“Oh, him. Rather than saying that I picked him up, it’s better to say that I dug him up painstakingly. He can’t wait to bury himself in the ground all day long.”

Seeing that the topic was a little off, Jiang Beiran hurriedly cupped his hands and said, “I wonder if Order Master Shi can take me to see that Yu Ling Long now? I’m really curious about it.”

“Good, good, good. Since you’ve answered my question correctly and helped me so much, I’ll bring you in to have a look.”

Relieved, Jiang Beiran hurriedly followed Shi Fenglan’s footsteps.

When they arrived at the main hall, Jiang Beiran found that it was filled with all kinds of rare flowers, many of which he had only seen in books.

Turning back to look at Jiang Beiran’s shining eyes, Shi Fenglan smiled and said, “How is it? Do you like it?”

“I like it.” Jiang Beiran nodded. “Your collection has really opened my eyes. Unfortunately…”

Hearing Jiang Beiran’s words, Shi Fenglan continued, “Unfortunately, I didn’t raise them well, right?”

Jiang Beiran cupped his hands and said, “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“Hey, who said you offended me?” Shi Fenglan walked to a pot of star lavender and sniffed its fragrance. “I do like these flowers and plants, but I just like to appreciate their beauty. I’m not the one who take care of them.”

“I see.” Jiang Beiran nodded. No wonder he felt that Order Master Shi was quite lacking in common sense when it came to flowers. “However, to be able to collect so many strange collections without being proficient in flowers and plants, it’s quite impressive.”

“Hahaha.” Shi Fenglan immediately laughed after hearing it. “These flowers and plants were not collected by me. They were all given to me by others.”

“Given?”

Jiang Beiran was shocked. The phoenix flower that he saw when he entered the shop was a famous flower that couldn’t be bought even with money. If it was placed on the market, it would be sold out instantly. Who would be so generous by giving away such a treasure?

However, Jiang Beiran figured it out in the next second. In terms of looks, Order Master Shi was on par with Law Protector Yu, or rather, they each had their own merits. Law Protector Yu already had so many simp… so many suitors, a stupid Order Master even ordered his disciple to line up to meet her. Then, if Shi Fenglan revealed that she liked flowers, her suitors would be willing to give all the beautiful flower species in the world to her

“I am so jealous.” Jiang Beiran sighed in his heart.

“Do you think these flowers are wasted with me?” Looking at Jiang Beiran’s complicated expression, Shi Fenglan asked with a smile.

“I don’t think so. Flowers are things that people admire. Since you like them, then their value has been reflected and cannot be considered as waste.”

“You sure know how to talk.” Shi Fenglan nodded slightly. She walked to a red wooden door at the side and pushed it open. “The Yu Ling Long you are looking for is here. Come and take a look.”

“Thank you, Order Master.”

After thanking her, Jiang Beiran walked into the room in quick steps and saw the pot of Yu Ling Long that was emitting a unique fragrance.

The Yu Ling Long’s petals were golden yellow and dazzling. The petals seemed to be coated with a layer of wax. They were crystal clear and glossy, as if they were translucent.

Upon closer inspection, Jiang Beiran saw that the plant was more than two meters tall. The leave was leathery. It was about 15 centimeters long and 2.5 centimeters wide.

After taking a deep breath and smelling the fragrance of the flowers at a close distance, Jiang Beiran was certain that Yu Ling Long was suitable ingredient for the medicine he was researching.

“How is it? Does it match your heart?” Shi Fenglan walked in and asked at this moment.

“It matches very well. Thank you, Order Master.” Jiang Beiran turned around and thanked her again.

Seeing that Jiang Beiran could not help but glance at Yu Ling Long as he thanked her, Shi Fenglan smiled and said, “If you really like it that much, there’s no harm in giving you a basin.”

“Order Master, are you serious?”

Jiang Beiran was just thinking about how to ask Shi Fenglan to give him a pot of Yu Ling Long. However, he didn’t expect Shi Fenglan would bring it up herself. How could he not be excited?

“Of course, there’s definitely conditions for gifting you, and there are two of them.” Shi Fenglan said as she raised two fingers.

“As long as it’s something that I can do, I will definitely do my best.”

“Don’t worry, you can definitely do it. As for this, I hope that you can come and take care of these flowers and plants for me in the future.”

“No problem.” This condition was something that Jiang Beiran couldn’t ask for more. Besides Yu Ling Long, there were also a few pots of flowers that he needed. As long as he raised them well, he would naturally be able to obtain the seeds.

Seeing that Jiang Beiran agreed readily, Shi Fenglan continued, “Second, you have to win against me in a drinking game.”

“No proble… drink… drinking game!?”