Tan Qiqiang returned to his home and met his son, Tan Jiuming, in the living room.
Tan Jiuming looked just like his father, with black hair and sharp features. However, his temperament was milder, and he looked easier to get along with than his father.
Tan Jiuming was holding a laptop on his lap, working on some documents. When his father came in, he didn't even look up from his work. He was a typical workaholic.
"Jiuming," Tan Qiqiang called his son.
"Dad, you're home. Mom is waiting for you," Tan Jiuming said.
Tan Qiqiang nodded his head and hesitated. Throughout his life, Tan Qiqiang had a growing business and his family name was prosperous, but his biggest regret was the death of his two sons.
Naturally, Tan Qiqiang was overprotective of his third son. His son was now an adult, but Tan Qiqiang couldn't help feeling uneasy.
He touched the Chrysanthemum flower in his pocket and hesitated to give it to his son. Tan Jiuming really hated it when his father started nagging about his safety.
Tan Jiuming felt like it was needless worrying. Wasn't he fine right now? Nothing would happen to him.
He felt that his father was too paranoid.
Tan Qiqiang couldn't stand it anymore and finally gave the flower to his son.
"Jiuming," Tan Qiqiang cleared his throat a few times and held out the flower.
Tan Jiuming finally looked up from his work.
"That's a pretty flower, Dad. But I think Mom likes roses more..."
"No. This is for you," Tan Qiqiang said.
Seeing his son's incredulous expression, Tan Qiqiang hurriedly explained everything that happened that day.
Tan Jiuming's expression grew worse and worse as time went on.
"Isn't it just a flower?" he complained, "That person probably just wanted to scam you..."
Tan Jiuming's reaction was actually understandable. When he was younger, his room, his clothes, and everything else around him had been arranged by a Fengshui Master and his father would buy anything that might give him good luck.
His father claimed that he wasn't superstitious, but Tan Jiuming thought otherwise.
His father was willing to buy anything so that he (Tan Jiuming) could live a long life... If this wasn't superstitious, then what was it?
From dream catchers to mandarin ducks... His father really bought everything he could think of!
"Dad... I told you I don't want something like this," Tan Jiuming said unhappily.
Just who was the person who scammed his father?!
Tan Qiqiang knew his son would be like this, but he still tried to persuade his son.
"Come on, just take it... Isn't it just a flower? You can bring it with you wherever you go... There's no harm in that, right?" he said.
Tan Jiuming was about to refute his father's words when he saw his mother walking downstairs with a stern face.
If there was one thing that Tan Qiqiang and Tan Jiuming had in common, it was that they were weak against this woman: Chen Chuntao.
Chen Chuntao was the wife of Tan Qiqiang, as well as Tan Jiuming's mother. She was an elegant woman who looked gentle on the outside.
Although she seemed like a weak woman, her husband and son were helpless against her.
Seeing his mother staring at him, Tan Jiuming knew that he couldn't go against his father anymore.
Under her watchful eyes, he took the flower from his father and tucked it into his pocket.
"D-don't worry, Mom and Dad. I'll bring this flower with me no matter where I go," he said.
Chen Chuntao glared at her son, as if not believing in his words.
"I-I'm saying the truth!" Tan Jiuming said. "I'll even bring it with me when I go to the toilet!"
Chen Chuntao was finally relieved, and her face softened. She walked closer to her son and patted his head.
"Son... I know you don't like it when we're like this... But we're just worried about you, so don't be angry, okay?" Chen Chuntao said.
Tan Jiuming nodded his head helplessly. How old was he... but his parents were still like this...
Tan Jiuming did not want his parents to get upset, though, so he acquiesced and did not complain anymore.
A few days later, Tan Jiuming finished the work in his company and sat inside his car. The chauffeur began driving him home, and Tan Jiuming opened his computer and continued his work.
Suddenly, Tan Jiuming touched his pocket and found it empty. It seemed like he forgot to bring the flower his father gave him.
That morning, Tan Jiuming found the flower annoying, so he took it out of his pocket and left it on the table. He forgot to take it back and must've left it in the company!
Tan Jiuming didn't want to return to the company. After all, he didn't care much about that flower, much less believe in it.
However, he knew that if his parents (especially his mother) found out that he didn't bring the flower with him, she would be upset.
"...Bring me back to the company," Tan Jiuming told the chauffeur helplessly.
He might as well return to the company, take a few more documents with him, and get that flower as well.
He still remembered that several years ago, he was given an amulet, but he accidentally lost it. Several days after losing it, the company's stocks went down, and Tan Jiuming tripped down the stairs.
Thankfully, he didn't break his leg or anything.
But at that time, his parents were convinced that he got bad luck because he lost that amulet. They were upset for several days, and Tan Jiuming felt really helpless.
So this time, Tan Jiuming decided to return. If anything bad happened to him, his parents would blame him for losing that flower!
The chauffeur made a U-turn and headed back to the company. Tan Jiuming took his documents as well as the Chrysanthemum Flower and returned to the car.
On the way home, Tan Jiuming took out the Chrysanthemum Flower and looked it over. It had a pinkish, almost crimson hue, and a subtle scent was emanated from the flower.
As Tan Jiuming looked at the flower, he realized that it hadn't wilted even after several days had passed. It was really strange...
Tan Jiuming had never believed in superstition before, so he wondered how they could make the flower stay fresh like this.
"I wonder what they used..." Tan Jiuming muttered.
All of a sudden, the car swerved to the right, causing Tan Jiuming to tilt his body to the right as well.
The abrupt movement had made Tan Jiuming let go of the flower, and it rolled to the floor of the car and stopped a few centimeters away from his right side.
Tan Jiuming had recovered from the initial shock, and he moved closer to the flower, intending to take it...
BAM!
Tan Jiuming's car was hit from the left side, causing his car to skid a few meters and creating a huge dent on his left door.
The left window was broken, and shards of glass flew through the air. Thankfully, Tan Jiuming was on the right side of the car, and he managed to react quickly.
He shielded his face and his head, trying to steady himself. When he looked up, he saw that the chauffeur was bleeding.
When Tan Jiuming looked out of the window, he saw the car that had crashed into them. The driver's face was very red, and he was muttering something under his breath.
It was a drunk driver!
Tan Jiuming took out his phone and called an ambulance quickly. His chauffeur needed first aid immediately.
***
Several hours later, Tan Jiuming exited the hospital. The chauffeur was alive. He had some injuries, but as long as he rested well and was given proper care, he would get healed in a few months.
The drunk driver who had crashed into their car had been apprehended by the police.
As for Tan Jiuming, aside from a few scratches, he was alright. When his parents heard about the incident, they had rushed over immediately.
They were relieved when they saw that he was fine, but another matter was brought up.
"You were saved because of that flower, right?" Tan Qiqiang said.
Tan Jiuming was speechless. It was true that he bent to the side to pick up the flower... And since he had moved more to the right side, he didn't get too much impact...
But to say that he was "saved" because of a flower was a bit...
"I think what your Dad said makes sense," Chen Chuntao piped up.
Tan Jiuming was speechless. Why would they think like this??
"No... Even without the flower, I wouldn't die just because of that, right?" Tan Jiuming said.
"That's right, you might not have died, but you could've been seriously injured," Tan Qiqiang said.
"I've heard stories where a car accident can turn a person into a human vegetable... You were really lucky this time," Tan Qiqiang continued.
Tan Jiuming's eyes twitched and he pursed his lips. He had a bad feeling about this...
***
Tan Jiuming: Who dares scam my father?
A certain scammer: *sneezes*
***
What is the prettiest/best flower in your opinion, and why?
Comment below~