The morning market was crowded as usual.
Vendors called out prices, baskets of vegetables filled the stalls, and the scent of fresh herbs mixed with the fragrance of flowers.
Lian Hua moved between the stands, greeting the suppliers she had known for years.
"Morning, Lian Hua!" Mr. Chen called from behind a stall stacked with peonies.
"Morning!" she replied with a smile.
She selected several bundles of fresh lotuses and carefully placed them in her basket.
But something felt… different today.
As she approached the final stall, the old flower supplier leaned closer.
"Someone was asking about you yesterday," he said quietly.
Lian Hua blinked.
"Asking about me?"
"Yes. A tall man. Black suit."
Her heart skipped.
"Black suit…?"
"Yes," the supplier continued. "He wanted to know what time you come to the market and how long you've been running the shop."
Her fingers tightened around the basket.
"Did he say his name?"
The supplier shook his head.
"No. But he looked very serious."
Lian Hua forced a small smile and thanked him before leaving the market.
As she walked back toward Jade Street, her thoughts raced.
Was it Zhen Wei?
But… he already seemed to know those things.
When she reached the flower shop and unlocked the door, she noticed something strange.
The bell above the door chimed softly as it opened.
And someone was already inside.
Zhen Wei stood near the window, examining a vase of white lilies.
"You're early today," she said carefully.
He turned toward her.
"You're later than usual," he replied.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Have you been asking people questions about me?"
For the first time since she met him, Zhen Wei paused.
Just for a second.
Then his expression returned to its calm, unreadable state.
"I like to understand the people I care about," he said.
Lian Hua set her basket on the counter.
"You care about me?" she asked quietly.
"Yes."
The answer came without hesitation.
She looked at him for a long moment, trying to understand what kind of man he really was.
"You're very intense," she finally said.
"And you're very calm," he replied.
Their eyes met across the shop.
Outside, the street continued its usual busy rhythm.
But inside the flower shop, the air felt different.
He stepped closer.
"You don't seem afraid of me," he said.
Lian Hua picked up a lotus from the basket.
"Should I be?"
For a moment, Zhen Wei didn't answer.
Then he said softly,
"No."
But the way he said it made her heart beat faster.
Because something told her the real answer might not be that simple.