Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

The wooden shelves are arranged in a staggered manner, and all kinds of flowers are neatly displayed on them.

Several buckets were placed on the floor of the flower shop, filled with fresh cut flowers, water droplets rolling on the petals, crystal clear.

The afternoon sun slanted in through the glass window, refracting tiny sparkles on the water droplets like scattered diamonds.

The air was filled with the rich aroma of various flowers: the intense fragrance of roses, the delicate scent of lilies, the subtle fragrance of daisies, and the fragrance of wildflowers whose names I did not know.

Orikasa Midori followed closely behind Hayashi Hideichi.

The girl's footsteps were light, her light green apron swayed gently with her movements, and her long hair, tied in a ponytail at the back of her head, swayed back and forth like a cheerful little deer.

She pointed to the roses over there: "These just arrived, they smell wonderful, senior, please smell them."

As she spoke, she actually picked a flower and held it up to Lin Xiuyi.

The rose was deep red, with layers upon layers of petals, and exuded a rich fragrance.

Before Lin Xiuyi could react, the girl turned around and pointed to the daisies over there, saying, "This color is especially beautiful. It's perfect for placing in a room. Just looking at it makes you feel good."

The daisies were pale yellow, with delicate petals, like little suns.

The girl's voice was light and cheerful, clearly indicating that she was in a good mood.

Like a tireless little bee, she flitted among the flowers, introducing each of her favorite flowers to Lin Xiuyi.

Each time she introduced something, she would tilt her head to watch Lin Xiuyi's reaction, her eyes full of expectation, like a child waiting for praise.

Lin Xiuyi listened quietly, nodding occasionally and asking a question or two now and then.

He found that his tense nerves gradually relaxed amidst the fragrance of flowers and the girl's cheerful voice.

There were no arguments, no questioning, and no suffocating tension here.

There were no Eri Kisaki's all-seeing glasses, no Yukiko's ambiguous teasing, and no suffocatingly subtle confrontations.

There was only the fragrance of flowers and a girl with a bright smile.

Lin Xiuyi took a deep breath and felt much more relaxed.

He then realized how tense he had been in the coffee shop.

When those two girls were arguing, he felt like he was sitting on a volcano, constantly worried that an eruption would burn him.

Now, in this little flower shop, he can finally catch his breath.

"What kind of flowers does Senior like?" Midori Orikasa suddenly asked, tilting her head to look at him.

Those eyes sparkled like two obsidian stones, brimming with anticipation.

She put her hands behind her back, leaned forward slightly, and waited for his answer.

Lin Xiu was taken aback for a moment, then thought for a second: "I... don't know much about flowers."

That's the truth. In all his past and present lives, his knowledge of flowers is limited to the level of "roses are for love, chrysanthemums are for visiting graves."

Asking him to distinguish the different varieties and their meanings is simply a pipe dream.

“Then I’ll recommend it to you, senior!” Midori Orikasa said enthusiastically, grabbing his wrist and leading him toward a flower stand.

Her hands were small, soft, and had a faint warmth.

The touch lasted only a few seconds before she let go, but Lin Xiuyi still felt that moment of softness.

Orikasa Midori pointed to a small flower on the flower stand. The flower was pale purple, with delicate petals clustered together like a purple cloud.

“This is called Forget-Me-Not.” The girl’s voice suddenly softened, as if afraid of disturbing something. “Its flower language is 'eternal memory'…”

As she spoke, she suddenly realized something, her face flushed again, and her voice softened.

She lowered her head, her gaze fixed on the tips of her shoes, a faint blush creeping onto her ears. Lin Xiuyi looked at the small potted flower, then at the girl beside her with her head down, a wave of tender emotion washing over her.

Forget-me-not. An eternal memory.

He suddenly felt that escaping here might be a good choice.

The flower shop was quiet for a few seconds, with only the fragrance of flowers lingering in the air.

"Senior, why don't you take a look at this instead?"

Embarrassed, Midori quickly changed the subject, her voice tinged with panic, and hurried to another flower stand.

"This is an orchid. Look at its petals, don't they look like butterflies? That's why it's called a butterfly orchid, and its flower language is 'happiness flies to you'..."

She spoke a little faster than before, as if trying to hide her embarrassment.

Orikasa Midori pointed to the various orchids on the flower stand and introduced their names and flower meanings one by one.

Some are pure white, some are light pink, and some are pale yellow. Each one is elegant, like a butterfly fluttering in the air.

"This is a lily, and its flower language is 'a harmonious union for a hundred years'."

"This is a rose. You should know that, senior. The red rose symbolizes 'passionate love'."

"This is baby's breath, and its flower language is 'pure heart'."

The girl introduced more than ten other flowers and their meanings, and the girl's embarrassment finally subsided.

Her voice became light and cheerful again, and her movements returned to normal.

Only occasionally, when she glanced at Lin Xiuyi, would a hint of barely perceptible shyness flash in her eyes.

Lin Xiuyi listened quietly, and seeing her earnest expression, a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

This girl genuinely loves flowers and truly wants to share that love with him.

"Senior, is there any flower you like among these?" Midori Orikasa finally finished introducing all the flowers and couldn't help but ask.

She crossed her arms and stared intently at Lin Xiuyi, waiting for his answer.

"Flowers..."

Looking at her face, which was slightly flushed with anticipation, Lin Xiuyi suddenly remembered a cheesy joke he had seen in his previous life.

He couldn't remember the details of the joke anymore, only the last sarcastic line: "Men, they all like chrysanthemums."

For some reason, without thinking much about it, he blurted out, "It should be chrysanthemum."

"Chrysanthemums?" Midori Orikasa blinked, somewhat puzzled.

Chrysanthemums are not among the flowers she just mentioned.

In her understanding, although chrysanthemums are common flowers, in the culture of flower language, they are often associated with autumn, longevity, or... in some contexts, mourning.

She didn't understand why Lin Xiuyi would suddenly mention chrysanthemums.

However, they are also available in flower shops.

Orikasa Midori searched in the corner and quickly brought out a pot of brightly blooming flowers.

It was a pot of cosmos flowers, with pinkish-white petals and a faint blush of red at the edges, in full bloom.

"Why do you like this, senior?" she asked, placing the flowerpot in front of Lin Xiuyi and tilting her head back.

Those eyes were full of curiosity, and a hint of inquiry.

She genuinely wanted to know why this boy who had captured her heart would like such a flower. (End of Chapter)