The Company

Chapter 10 Dumb Shop · Poppy

Yu Cui was inwardly complaining about her name for the Nth time.

Yu Cui. The name looked tacky and sounded depressing when spoken. She had no idea what her father had been thinking back then.

It wasn't that she hadn't protested to her father - she'd thrown several tantrums begging to change her name, but her father simply wouldn't allow it. Legend had it that their family was a collateral branch descended from Yuji, the famous concubine of Xiang Yu, the Conqueror of Western Chu in history. And in the Yu family, girls were actually forbidden from being named Yu Cui.

Because when the character "翠" (Cui) was separated, it became "羽" (Yu) and "卒" (Zu), meaning Xiang Yu's death. This rule prohibiting Yu family girls from being named Yu Cui was actually specified in the family precepts.

It was already the 21st century, and no one took these family precepts seriously. Yu Cui's father particularly led by example - when he had a daughter, he insisted on naming her Yu Cui no matter what.

This unlucky girl was her.

Yu Cui narrowed her eyes and helplessly put down the book about Xiang Yu in her hands. Because she bore the surname Yu and had been given this name related to Xiang Yu, logically she should have been very interested in that period of history between the end of Qin Dynasty and beginning of Han Dynasty. But for some reason, every time she read about this historical period, she would get terrible headaches. Today's history class happened to cover Xiang Yu, and just hearing his name gave her a headache. Unable to bear the nagging, chatterbox history teacher any longer, she had directly skipped class.

Damn it! It was all because of this awful name her father had given her. Her father even insisted that she was growing more beautiful, claiming she must have some connection with the historical Yuji.

Connection my foot!

The early winter sunlight lacked warmth, providing only slight warmth when it touched the skin. Yu Cui took a deep breath of the chilly air, stretched lazily, glanced at her wristwatch, and felt it was about time to head back.

It wasn't a rest day today, and someone her age wandering outside at this hour was clearly skipping class. Along the way, Yu Cui had already received several disapproving looks from passersby, forcing her to lower her head as much as possible and pretend not to see them.

"Tap!" Perhaps because she was walking without looking up, she happened to see something fall to the ground. She crouched down to pick it up and discovered it was an exquisitely embroidered red pouch.

Yu Cui quickened her pace to catch up with the two people ahead, extending the pouch forward as she said, "You dropped this."

Yu Cui looked up to examine the two men. The taller man wore fashionable glasses with his hair dyed brown, dressed in a black wool coat that reached his knees. He had a standard build and handsome features, just like a model from a fashion magazine. The man standing beside him was slightly shorter but wore only a thin black Mao Suit in the cold winter. Embroidered on his left chest was a vividly lifelike crimson red Dragon, its head baring teeth at his neck while the long dragon body coiled around his waist. The dragon's scales reflected sunlight in rainbow colors, appearing so real and magnificent that one couldn't look away.

The taller, fashionable man chuckled lightly: "Boss, I never expected you to use a pouch like a woman!"

Yu Cui, captivated by the embroidered red Dragon, hadn't noticed what this man looked like. Only then did she look up at the man called "Boss," seeing his pale complexion, soft black hair, and phoenix eyes that held indifference, though they flashed with surprise when they saw her.Yu Cui blinked in astonishment. Had she been seeing things?

“Are you Yu Cui?” the man in the Mao suit asked.

Startled, Yu Cui was about to ask how he knew her name when she followed his gaze and noticed the student ID card still pinned to her chest. No wonder so many people had been staring at her along the way... Yu Cui’s lips twitched as she silently removed the card and tucked it away. “Yes, I’m Yu Cui.”

The man murmured her name several times under his breath, his narrow, profound eyes studying her for a moment before he curled his lips into an enigmatic smile. “This pouch is fated to be with you. You should keep it.”

Fate? How she hated that word! Yu Cui nearly flung the pouch right into his face. Though she knew little about craftsmanship, she could tell the pouch was made of supple material with exquisite embroidery—definitely not some mass-produced item. Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her irritation and shoved the pouch back into his hands before turning to leave.

There were too many shady people around these days. She wasn’t about to chat with strangers.

“Wait,” the man called out.

Yu Cui had no intention of stopping, but when he began calling her name in an eerie, haunting tone that sent chills down her spine, she had no choice but to halt.

“I run an antique shop nearby—the one called Dumb Shop,” he explained.

Yu Cui remained silent as she watched the man pour a small, round, nut-like object the size of a melon seed from the pouch. He handed it to her and said, “This is a poppy seed. Since it shares a connection with you, Miss Yu, consider it a token of gratitude for returning the pouch. You can plant it in a flowerpot when you get home.”

What connection? And who still used old-fashioned terms like “Miss” these days? Still, it was just a seed—probably harmless.

Yu Cui had seen poppies before. They resembled opium poppies but lacked their seductive allure. Instead, they were delicate, charming, and vividly enchanting, radiating an ethereal beauty.

Clutching the seed, Yu Cui stood frozen in place. By the time she snapped out of her daze, the two men had already walked away, their conversation drifting faintly on the wind.

“Was that really a poppy seed? Nothing strange about it, right?”

“It’s a genuine poppy seed—just one that’s over two thousand years old.”

“…You must be joking…”

“I never joke.”

Yu Cui woke up to find she couldn’t move.

The sensation wasn’t entirely unfamiliar—it felt like being trapped in a nightmare or experiencing what people called sleep paralysis. But sleep paralysis didn’t usually plunge everything into pitch darkness, did it? If this was a dream, surely she’d wake up eventually.

Yu Cui waited quietly. After what felt like an eternity, she began to feel thirsty. This thirst was different from any she’d known before. While she could usually endure thirst, now it felt as if she were drying up, on the verge of death.

Panicked, Yu Cui tried to call out, but no sound escaped her lips. If this was a dream, it felt far too real.

She desperately wanted to move her limbs, but she couldn’t sense any response. It was as if she were tightly enveloped by something, utterly immobilized.What on earth was going on? Yu Cui pondered gloomily. After skipping class and returning home yesterday, the poppy seed had fallen out when she took off her coat. She casually buried it in the snake plant pot by the entrance. After that... after that, she seemed to have carried on as usual—reading, doing homework, browsing the internet, washing up, and going to sleep. The next time she regained consciousness, she had ended up like this.

Just as Yu Cui was racking her brains and dying of thirst, she suddenly felt a stream of cool water pour over her head, instantly refreshing her entire body. She wanted to open her mouth to drink, but she found that her entire body was absorbing the water, quickly relieving her near-fatal thirst.

What exactly had happened to her? Even someone as slow as Yu Cui could tell she wasn't dreaming—this kind of dream was just too bizarre.

"Drink plenty of water and sprout soon!" A young, gentle male voice suddenly spoke, startling Yu Cui.

Sprout? Sprout! Sprout, sprout, sprout... The word echoed in Yu Cui's mind like a broken record, overwhelming her brain until it completely shut down.

No wonder she was tightly surrounded by darkness—she had been buried in the soil all along! No wonder she was so thirsty—it was simply the need to sprout!

Had she turned into a seed?! Yu Cui was utterly frantic...

Humans always yield to fate eventually. Yu Cui came to understand this deeply. On the third day of being a seed, she finally accepted her fate and decided to be a good seed.

Since she was buried in the soil, she could occasionally detect faint rays of light through the gaps in the earth, which she used to distinguish day from night. She knew that the man who watered her lived with his uncle, and his uncle called him Ji. Ji was probably in his teens, about the same age as her—or, to be precise, the same age as her in her previous life.

Yu Cui believed she had died and was reincarnated as a seed. But she couldn't ignore the strangeness of it all—for example... why had she turned into a seed the very night the antique shop owner gave her one? She remembered the owner saying it was a poppy seed, so perhaps she was now a poppy seed?

Yu Cui didn't know whether to be happy about it. After all, poppies were annual herbaceous plants, meaning her plant life would only last a year. If she could endure it, maybe the King of Hell would arrange a more reliable reincarnation for her next time.

So, she settled into being a seed. Ji, who planted her, watered her on time every day. While she idly waited for death, she could listen to the little dialogues between Ji and his uncle to pass the time, like now—

"Ji, your uncle has hired a tutor to teach you calligraphy and poetry. You start lessons tomorrow," Uncle said sternly. Actually, what Yu Cui heard was a mix of classical and modern Chinese, which she directly translated into plain speech in her mind. She strongly suspected that not only had she turned into a seed, but she had also traveled back to ancient times.

"Alright," Ji replied gently.

"A real man shouldn't speak so softly! You need more vigor!" Uncle roared disapprovingly.

"Alright!" Ji mimicked his uncle's tone.

Uncle seemed satisfied and changed the subject. "Ji, you're not a child anymore. Why do you fuss over flowers and plants like a girl? What kind of behavior is that?"Ji remained silent, and Yu Cui instantly felt a strong sense of crisis. Could this uncle be trying to persuade Ji to uproot her? Though being a seed was a miserable fate, she didn’t want to die immediately! Without Ji watering her every day, she would quickly die of thirst!

Fortunately, the uncle said nothing more. But a few days later, he flew into a rage because Ji refused not only to study calligraphy and poetry but also to learn martial arts from the instructors his uncle later hired.

The uncle threatened to smash all the flowerpots in his room. Yu Cui felt her body sway and realized Ji must be holding her in his arms.

"Studying literature only helps one remember names, and studying martial arts only enables one to fight a hundred men. If I must learn, I will learn how to defeat tens of thousands!" he suddenly declared. Yu Cui was taken aback—the words sounded strangely familiar, though she couldn’t recall where she had heard them before.

Naturally, the uncle was overjoyed and began teaching Ji military strategy at home. Yu Cui was forced to listen in, but the subject was so dull that even the surrounding plants seemed to wilt. Peonies, tree peonies, and chrysanthemums all expressed their dismay. Ji soon found it unbearable too and refused to continue after a few days. Furious, the uncle scolded him as "rotten wood that cannot be carved" and gave up entirely.

Ji, content with his newfound leisure, devoted himself to tending his plants and rarely left home. From Yu Cui’s perspective, he was undoubtedly a top-tier ancient homebody!

Freed from the tedious military strategy lessons, Yu Cui languished in the soil, drowsy and idle, passing her days in a haze.

Transmigrated as a seed, Yu Cui saw little purpose in her existence. Her days were filled with nothing but sleep and drinking water. Though her past student life had been demanding, she missed having a body to move freely and a mouth to speak her mind.

"Ji! Do you realize you nearly caused a disaster today?" the uncle stormed in, fuming.

Yu Cui perked up immediately—the daily drama was starting! The interactions between this uncle and nephew were her only entertainment in this dull existence. Though she couldn’t see their expressions, listening to this live audio drama was better than nothing!

"What of the King of Qin? He can be replaced," Ji said calmly. "Uncle, haven’t you always said, ‘Though Chu has but three clans, Qin will surely fall to Chu’? As descendants of Chu, is it wrong for us to think this way?"

"The King of Qin? Ying Zheng has proclaimed himself the First Emperor—he is no mere king anymore," the uncle replied stiffly. "You... ah! Never say such things outside again." Yu Cui was stunned. Only then did she realize which era she had landed in—the Qin Dynasty!

Ji fell silent.

"Very well. You’ll turn twenty in a few days. Have you chosen a courtesy name?" the uncle asked with a sigh.

"I have. It is Yu," Ji replied indifferently.

"Good. Xiang Ji, courtesy name Yu—Xiang Yu. After your capping ceremony, we will call you Xiang Yu. Good, good." The uncle repeated "good" several times.

Yu Cui was utterly speechless. Xiang Yu? The clueless, awkward homeboy who had been watering her all along was actually Xiang Yu? No one had told her that Xiang Yu’s birth name was Xiang Ji, and Yu was his courtesy name! Yu Cui’s scalp prickled with regret for skipping that history class—otherwise, she would have figured it out much sooner.While she was still reeling from the shock, she heard her uncle say coldly, "You're about to come of age. It's time to drop your old habit of fussing over plants. Especially that pot—" Without even looking, Yu Cui knew her uncle was pointing at her. "Yes! The one in your hand! Hiding it behind your back is useless! You've been watering it for three years without a single sprout—the seed inside must have died long ago!"

First, she had died and ended up in the unfamiliar Qin Dynasty. Then, she discovered that the gentle giant who had been tenderly caring for her was none other than Xiang Yu, with whom she was "fated." And now, she faced the fate of being discarded even as a plant... One blow after another...

Yu Cui broke down, realizing that since arriving in this world, she hadn't been a qualified seed.

She began to reflect. Yes, a qualified seed should strive to sprout!

Don't abandon me! She would try her best to sprout! Yu Cui screamed silently.

Xiang Yu neither opposed nor agreed with his uncle's command. He continued watering Yu Cui day after day.

Yu Cui deeply admired Xiang Yu's revolutionary spirit. If their roles were reversed, she would never have been able to water a seed every day for three years. She had no idea why he was so persistent. But to prevent him from abandoning her, Yu Cui struggled to break through the soil. However, having been a seed for only three years, she had no idea how to sprout.

Since vowing to seize the throne from the First Emperor, Xiang Yu had been diligently practicing martial arts and studying military tactics every day. Yu Cui knew how determined this man was—just seeing him water her unfailingly every day proved that once he set his mind to something, he would see it through.

Previously, when his uncle tried to teach him, he hadn't recognized the value of that knowledge and refused to learn. But now, with an ambitious goal, he naturally began to strive diligently.

Yu Cui also had a new goal: sprout, sprout, and sprout again!

...But months passed with no progress. The most frustrating part was that blockhead Xiang Yu completely failed to understand her melancholy! Every day, he would just mutter to the flowerpot—

"Today while practicing swordplay in the garden, I tripped over a stone. Luckily, Uncle didn't see."

...As if! All the plants in the garden saw it!

"I thought of a new battle formation today, but my teacher said I was being unrealistic... Should I draw it for you?"

...As if! I haven't even sprouted yet, what am I supposed to see? Hey! Stop scribbling on the soil above my head!

"Why haven't you sprouted yet? Is the spring water not good enough?"

...You're practically drowning me with all that daily watering!

"Why haven't you sprouted yet? Is the fertilizer not good enough?"

...How should I know! I want to sprout quickly too!

"It's alright. I'll keep waiting for you."

...At this point, even Yu Cui was left speechless.

She couldn't help but wonder if the seed she had possessed had actually died long ago? But suspicion aside, Yu Cui continued drinking water daily, sleeping, silently complaining about Xiang Yu's monologues, and eavesdropping on the daily dramas between him and his uncle—living quite a comfortable little life.Four more years passed in this manner, when Yu Cui suddenly realized one day that Xiang Yu hadn't come to water her. The thirst made her entire being feel wrong, and she wondered where Xiang Yu had gone. She knew she hadn't moved from her spot, she hadn't been abandoned—so he must not have returned.

Where on earth had that fellow gone? Yu Cui had vaguely heard about Chen Sheng and Wu Guang raising their banners in rebellion, but she hadn't paid attention to what Xiang Yu specifically intended to do. She thought she had grown too accustomed to his company, always assuming he would never leave her behind, always feeling he cared for her—even though she hadn't sprouted for seven whole years.

One day, two days, three days... Yu Cui didn't know how she endured it. The soil in the flowerpot had dried and cracked, yet she struggled to push upward through the fissures.

After who knew how many days, she suddenly felt a bright light before her, the long-missed sunlight warmly bathing her body. Though she had no eyes, she abruptly saw him bursting through the door into the sunlight.

His stature was tall and imposing like a mountain, his features heroic and peerless, his aura extraordinary. The Tiger-Head Dragon Halberd in his hand still dripped with fresh blood, drop by drop falling to the ground, spreading stains in the dust. The blinding sunlight reflected off his bloodstained Black Gold Armor, shimmering with a dazzling radiance.

In his utterly astonished eyes, she saw herself.

A tiny, tender green sprout.

In the first year of Qin Er Shi's reign, 209 BCE, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang raised their arms in rebellion at Daze Village. Xiang Yu, following his uncle Xiang Liang in Wuzhong, assassinated the governor Yin Tong and raised troops in response.

In this battle, Xiang Yu alone slew nearly a hundred of Yin Tong's guards, displaying his peerless martial skills for the first time.

Xiang Yu had just turned twenty-four that year.

Having successfully grown from a seed into a small sprout, Yu Cui finally felt vindicated. Not only had she cleared herself of the reputation of never sprouting, she also joyfully discovered that when Xiang Yu touched the flowerpot, the two could communicate telepathically. After his initial surprise, Xiang Yu quickly adapted to the marvel that the seed he had watered for seven years actually had a spirit and could speak like a human.

The Taoist who had given him this seed had said it was different from others, requiring attentive watering to grow the most beautiful flower. But even Xiang Yu hadn't expected that planting it would take seven years.

Tch, Yu Cui felt immensely frustrated hearing this. What attentive watering—she had sprouted purely because she couldn't stand him anymore. Otherwise, with such daily watering, she would have surely rotted in the soil, never able to germinate.

Having been bored for seven years with no one to talk to, the moment Yu Cui discovered Xiang Yu could hear her voice, she immediately poured out her life story like spilling beans.

"You mean... you were originally human?" Xiang Yu also felt somewhat dizzy.

Yu Cui nodded vigorously. But her body couldn't move, so she could only sway her newly grown small leaves.

"Then..." Xiang Yu didn't know what to do either, struggling for a long time before finding his voice again, "Then... what should I call you, miss?"

"My surname is Yu..." Yu Cui suddenly fell silent, because she abruptly remembered the curse associated with her name.

Cui means "feather" and "die"—implying Xiang Yu's death. Though this interpretation was baseless, since she had already time-traveled to become a flower planted by Xiang Yu, what couldn't possibly happen?Yu Cui's pause made Xiang Yu misunderstand, thinking a maiden's personal name shouldn't be casually revealed to men. He tactfully continued, "Since you bear the surname Yu, I shall call you Yuji!"

Yuji? Yuji! Yuji, Yuji, Yuji... Yu Cui's mind buzzed, leaving her thoughts completely blank. She had felt something was amiss—it was that this Xiang Yu didn't have the stunningly beautiful Yuji by his side!

Although Yu Cui was not well-versed in Xiang Yu's life story, she had heard her talkative father mention a few times that according to legend, the Conqueror of Western Chu, Xiang Yu, and Yuji fell in love at first sight in their youth, and Yuji devotedly followed Xiang Yu to battlefields ever after...

"Yuji, my uncle has established King Huai of Chu, Xiong Xin, and has become the commander of the Military Faith Army. From now on, I'll be going to war with him! Don't worry, I'll take you with me. I still want to see what kind of flower you'll grow into!" Xiang Yu laughed heartily, his tone no longer as gentle as in his youth but now mixed with an indomitable, iron-willed fierceness.

What?! Yu Cui saw herself being transplanted into a clay flowerpot, held in Xiang Yu's arms as he mounted a majestic horse—jet-black all over with four snow-white hooves.

"Xiang Yu, why are you bringing that pot of flowers to the battlefield?!" His uncle beside him was utterly exasperated.

"Uncle, this is Yuji," Xiang Yu introduced with utmost seriousness.

"Haha! Giving a woman's name to a pot of flowers? Could it be a Poppy?" His uncle mercilessly mocked.

"Yes, this flower is indeed called Poppy," Xiang Yu recalled the name Yu Cui had told him. The wind from the east of the Yangtze River made Yu Cui's fragile little form sway unsteadily. If she could cry, she would have shed hot tears in the wind.

So this was the truth of history—why Yuji was called "Yuji the Beauty," why "Yuji the Beauty" was a flower's name, and why Yuji, as a woman, could follow Xiang Yu everywhere in his campaigns...

Because... because Yuji was simply a flower!

Even more tragically, Yu Cui realized that she seemed to be this unlucky flower...

"Yuji, my uncle wants me to become a great general. I'm so afraid I won't lead the troops well. I know what to do when I fight alone, but how do I command thousands of people?"

"What is there to fear? Just charge forward! If you charge, how could the soldiers behind you not follow?"

Xiang Yu understood. From then on, he fought with extraordinary bravery, always leading the charge into enemy formations. His Tiger-Head Dragon Halberd moved as if through unguarded territory, unmatched by anyone. Soon, he was promoted to the rank of Senior General.

"Yuji, my uncle wants me to give a speech before the troops, but I'm afraid of speaking in front of a crowd. I'm scared I'll forget my lines..."

"What's there to be afraid of? Just imagine the people below as big radishes. Besides, didn't Uncle write the script for you? Just copy it onto your palm! Huh? You say your palms sweat easily? Then speak less—use your presence! Use your gaze! Overwhelm them with your eyes!"

Xiang Yu understood. From then on, he spoke little in public. Simply standing there, clad in his Black Gold Armor and Tiger-Skin Red Battle Robe, his imposing presence would instantly silence thousands of soldiers.

Whenever he issued a simple command or cast a faint glance with his eyes, no one dared to voice opposition.

In others' eyes, Xiang Yu was increasingly becoming a true Senior General. But in Yu Cui's eyes, he remained that man who would chatter endlessly before her flowerpot—big, awkward, silly, and somewhat endearing. Essentially, he was like a large dog that loved to mutter incessantly. To enemies, he would bare fierce teeth and sharp claws, but when sitting before her, he would revert to a gentle tone, faintly reminiscent of the youth who used to talk to himself in front of her years ago.Yu Cui's flowerpot had been replaced with a beautiful terracotta one, adorned with vibrant patterns that Xiang Yu had specifically chosen from the spoils of war.

Perhaps because she had slept in the soil for seven years, Yu Cui found herself growing rapidly after breaking through the earth.

Of course, this was relative to her seven years of failing to sprout. Compared to ordinary plants, her growth was still quite slow. It took over half a year before she finally developed a flower bud.

That day, the sunlight was warm, and the breeze felt soothing. Xiang Yu brought a bronze mirror to show her what she looked like—an oval-shaped bud wrapped in two green sepals with white edges, a plump and adorable blossom drooping from a slender, upright stem. In Xiang Yu's words, it resembled a young maiden lost in thought, graceful and delicate.

Yu Cui was quite pleased with her appearance, but Xiang Yu hesitated as he held the mirror and asked, "Yuji, don't bloom too soon. If you finish flowering, will you leave me?"

Yu Cui was taken aback. Truthfully, she felt that life as a flower was dull and meaningless—merely existing while waiting for death. She had originally intended to end this lifetime quickly, hoping for an early rebirth. But when she saw the pleading look in Xiang Yu's eyes, she couldn't help but hesitate.

This man, fierce on the outside yet tender-hearted within, would likely struggle to carry on without her, wouldn't he?

"Yuji, stay by my side!"

Fine, fine—she would resign herself to fate and be his confidante. Yu Cui's drooping bud gently nodded twice.

Her entire world now was this lush, green garden, bathed in abundant sunlight, filled with the fresh scent of plants, and accompanied by Xiang Yu. Everything was too beautiful, too peaceful.

In that moment, she completely forgot the cruelty of history.

The Battle of Dingtao—Xiang Liang had fallen in battle.

That night, Xiang Yu received the news from a messenger soldier. Inside the tent, he held Yu Cui's flowerpot and wept silently.

"Yuji, Uncle... he... is gone..."

Yu Cui remained silent, unable to utter a single word of comfort.

She knew that for Xiang Yu, his uncle was like a father to him. Having been with them for so many years, she had witnessed their arguments, reconciliations, and repeated clashes. That stern yet kind uncle had raised Xiang Yu with both strict discipline and maternal tenderness, essentially bringing him up single-handedly.

That old man who always threatened to uproot her but never once acted on it; that old man who was often infuriated by Xiang Yu, bristling with anger; that old man who would stroke his beard and laugh heartily when happy; that old man who would firmly pat Xiang Yu's shoulder in encouragement after a victory...

That serious old man with his graying beard—was he truly gone? Would she never see him again? When Yu Cui confronted this reality, an indescribable ache welled up inside her.

Xiang Yu's tears seeped through the soil, reaching her roots without missing a drop. His sorrow and resentment were transmitted directly into her heart. She wept alongside him.

"Xiang Yu, what was Uncle's wish?" she asked.

"To destroy Qin!" Xiang Yu replied grimly.

"Then fulfill his wish!" she heard herself say.

Xiang Yu said nothing more but clenched his fists tightly.That night, Xiang Yu completely matured, transforming from a youth who knew nothing of the world and loved planting flowers and tending grass into the Western Chu Overlord who struck fear into people's hearts. That night, Yu Cui, nourished by Xiang Yu's tears, finally bloomed.

The two sepals enveloping the flower bud fell away, like a maiden shedding old garments, revealing the crimson-clad blossom within. The once shy and curved stem straightened, lifting petals as thin as cicada wings, as vibrant as red lips, and as smooth as silk.

Elegance and vividness coexisted. It was truly unimaginable that such a magnificent and gorgeous flower could bloom from such a delicate stem that resembled ordinary roadside grass.

The next day, Yu Cui saw the soldier who brought news of Xiang Liang's death.

That familiar face, those distinctive phoenix eyes, that indifferent expression—it was unmistakably the Boss of Dumb Shop! Only he wasn't wearing that Mao Suit embroidered with the Crimson Dragon!

Yu Cui shared her doubts with Xiang Yu, who reluctantly allowed the soldier to touch the flowerpot. But even after Yu Cui talked herself hoarse, the other party wore a bewildered expression, unable to comprehend why the Supreme General had him holding a flowerpot.

So it was a signal mismatch! XX Telecom, I hate you!

Yu Cui grew even more frustrated. Could it be that only Xiang Yu could hear what she said?

Xiang Yu became even more delighted. So the secret of Yuji was known only to him.

Xiang Yu kept this soldier by his side, making him a halberd-bearing guard. The man said his name was Han Xin.

Yu Cui's lips twitched. Why did this name sound so familiar? Once again, Yu Cui regretted skipping that history class.

In the second year of Qin Er Shi's reign, Xiang Yu led his troops to capture Xianyang. Reaching Yongqiu, he engaged in fierce battle with Li You, the governor of Qin's Sanchuan Commandery. Xiang Yu slew Li You amidst ten thousand soldiers, and the Qin army suffered a major defeat.

That same year, Xiang Yu led his troops to rescue Zhao, burning his boats and breaking his cauldrons, decisively defeating the Qin army.

In December of the same year, Xiang Yu led 100,000 Chu troops to crush 400,000 Qin soldiers at Julu, in what history would call the Battle of Julu.

Xiang Yu became famous overnight.

Historical records state: "Chu warriors fought as if each was worth ten, their battle cries shaking the heavens, making all the allied armies tremble with fear."

Watching Xiang Yu gradually become the historical Western Chu Overlord, Yu Cui felt the youth she had known was slowly fading away. She saw him less and less frequently, and their daily conversations grew shorter.

Fortunately, he never forgot to water her every day, even during the most difficult times when water was scarce.

Slowly, she didn't know when it started, but he stopped touching her flowerpot altogether. He would only watch her from afar, gazing at her with distant eyes as if looking at nothing more than a simple flower.

She didn't know what else to do except strive to maintain her blooming appearance, hoping he might glance at her during his moments of unease and disappointment.

When he led the army into Xianyang, she heard he had burned the Epang Palace and killed many people. She wanted to find an opportunity to advise him, but he never appeared.

The Epang Palace burned for seven days and seven nights. The air became thick with smoke she could hardly bear. Gazing at the towering flames and listening to the distant, mournful cries, she felt as if she were in a living hell.

Finally, he brought back an exquisitely carved jade flowerpot and transplanted her into it. Though the jade pot appeared magnificent, she found it unbearably cold."Yuji, my uncle's vengeance has been avenged. Let's go home now." He gently stroked her delicate petals as he spoke softly, yet unable to conceal the fierce aura that had soaked into his very being from the battlefield.

She remained silent, her blood-red petals trembling slightly.

Not long after, Xiang Yu's halberd-bearing guard was replaced, while Han Xin abandoned Chu to join Han, seeking out Liu Bang.

Long ago, Yu Cui had heard Xiang Yu speak of his dreams. Back then, he would hold her while sitting in the sunlight, surrounded by lush greenery and blooming flowers.

Xiang Yu's aspiration was actually quite simple - he only wished for a fertile plot of land where he could grow vegetables, becoming self-sufficient and content.

But as a descendant of Chu's nobility, his uncle would not permit such peasant-minded thinking, forcing him to study literature and martial arts to bear greater responsibilities. Now that he had avenged his uncle and overthrown Qin, Xiang Yu began longing for home.

Though the land within the Pass was incredibly fertile, stretching thousands of miles in abundance, and Xianyang's palaces were magnificent with countless beautiful women, Xiang Yu felt no attachment. What would it matter even if he sat upon that imperial throne?

Xiang Yu knew he wasn't cut out to be an emperor - he was merely a military commander without such ambitions. After years of slaughter on battlefields, drenched in blood that could never be washed away, he only wanted to find a place to repent for his sins, living out his remaining years quietly with his Yuji.

Even though his Yuji was just a flower, even though he knew she disapproved of his changes in recent years, he had no choice but to change. On the battlefield, through countless lessons, he learned that mercy toward enemies meant cruelty to oneself. Only by annihilating them completely could he better protect himself.

His uncle was dead, few of his original followers remained, everyone feared his brutality, all said he had become too cruel. Only Yu Cui knew he had always been gentle at heart. How could someone who tenderly cared for a seed that hadn't sprouted for seven years possibly be cold and heartless?

Fortunately, she remained by his side. Just watching her gracefully swaying petals would bring peace to his soul, instantly filling the emptiness that followed bloody battles.

But he discovered it wasn't so easy to withdraw. No one would let him go easily - neither subordinates nor enemies.

That former halberd-bearing soldier seemed not to have aged at all, now a great general who would face him in battle at Gaixia.

Han Xin commanded three hundred thousand troops, while he had only one hundred thousand.

A decisive battle on open plains, without rivers or passes, without any fancy tactics.

This was the first battlefield confrontation between two military geniuses of their time, and also the last.

He was defeated, for the first time ever.

Amidst the Chu songs surrounding them, he remained silent before her. He caressed her lustrous petals, gently, afraid to use force. His hands had wielded swords, killed people, set fires. But in his original dream, he only wanted to hold a hoe, farming and tending flowers.

"Yuji, what will become of you after I die?" He wasn't afraid of death - having killed so many, his hands stained with so much blood, death was no pity.

But what would happen to her?

He knew she was a remarkable flower, having stayed in the soil for seven years before sprouting, blooming for seven years without withering, still as radiant and beautiful as the night she first blossomed."Fool, if you die, I'll accompany you." He heard her say this in a delicate voice, gentle, "After all, no one else will water me so patiently every day like you do. Sooner or later, I'll wither too."

"Alright." His heart was filled with joy.

She whispered again, "This flowerpot is too heavy. Why don't you pluck me and carry me with you..."

He carefully broke her at the waist and pinned her to his chest.

He selected eight hundred men and broke through the encirclement heading south under the cover of night. He wanted to return to his homeland, for it was said that only by returning to one's native land after death could one find eternal peace.

But when he reached the Wu River, the Han army surrounded him. Across the river lay his homeland, the place where he had grown up. Yet he could never return.

Finally, he looked down at her on his chest—already tattered and worn, her once vibrant petals withered and broken. He suddenly had an illusion that he would never hear her speak again. With his last ounce of strength, he planted her in the soil.

He still didn't want her to die. Though he couldn't take her home, he refused to let her accompany him on his final journey. She was so radiant and dazzling; he had no right to extinguish her brilliance.

"Yuji, Yuji, can you tell me your name?"

"...I... I am Yu Cui... It's Yu Cui..."

"Cui? A fine name, Yu Cui... Yuji, in the end, let me water you with my blood..."

In 202 BC, Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, took his own life by the banks of the Wu River.

One year later.

"I heard this is where Xiang Yu committed suicide?" a man in armor asked indifferently.

"Yes, General Han. Xiang Yu died right here. I saw with my own eyes that before he died, he planted a flower. The way he cared for it was as if it were his lover. Tsk, tsk, it's truly moving."

"Do you remember where he planted that flower?" the man continued.

The soldier gazed at the endless sea of flowers and was struck speechless. The former battlefield had transformed into a vast expanse of blossoms. The delicate, enchanting red flowers stretched as far as the eye could see, crimson like a sea of blood, evoking an indescribable sense of tragic grandeur.

"I remember, at that time, no one collected Xiang Yu's Tiger-Head Dragon Halberd. It should be around here..." The soldier thought the general had come for the halberd, as he had heard that this renowned great general had once served as a halberd bearer beside Xiang Yu.

The man walked through the flower sea and stopped at a certain spot. He bent down, parted the dense clusters of flowers, and revealed the Tiger-Head Dragon Halberd beneath. The green halberd shaft was mostly buried in soil. To the soldier's surprise, the great general did not pick up the halberd but instead picked up a seed resting beside it.

"General, what kind of person was Xiang Yu?" the soldier ventured to ask, seeing the general lost in thought over a seed.

"A fool," the man said coldly. "I had hoped he would destroy Qin, but I never expected he would slaughter the Qin royal family and burn the Xianyang palaces. He went too far, so I had to make him pay with his life. It's just a pity for this Poppy. Perhaps fate will bring them together again someday."The soldier was taken aback by the hatred in the general's voice. Under Qin Shi Huang's tyranny, everyone in the realm wished for the Qin dynasty's downfall, yet this supreme general seemed not to hate the Qin dynasty itself, but harbored resentment toward something else.

"Go. After all these years by my side, you'll surely play my role well," the man said calmly. The soldier licked his parched lips nervously and accepted a gilded ring from him.

"This is Daji's Ring of Allure. It can alter one's appearance. From now on, you are Han Xin, the supreme general of Great Han. But remember, this is your own choice. Whatever the outcome, do not regret it."

"Yes, yes. Take care, General." The soldier eagerly put on the ring and transformed into the likeness of "Han Xin," then hurried off to pursue his dream of becoming a great general.

A breeze swept through, swaying the sea of flowers gracefully. The man removed his helmet, revealing delicate features, and sighed to the sky, "Fusu, I have avenged you..."

The rest of his words were lost to the wind, unheard by anyone.

Yu Cui stared dazedly at the stark white ceiling.

What had happened to her? The last thing she remembered was Xiang Yu falling on his halberd before her, his warm blood spilling onto her soil. She had desperately called out to him, but there was no response. She could only watch as his blood was slowly absorbed by her, swallowed bitterly.

It all felt so unreal, yet vividly clear.

It was as if she had had a long, long dream.

Only after lying in bed for half an hour, hearing her parents stirring to prepare a meal outside, did Yu Cui realize she seemed to have returned to the modern era.

Could it all have just been a dream?

She immediately jumped out of bed. Having been without bodily sensations for so long, she had almost forgotten how to walk. Her legs gave way, and she tumbled to the floor.

Ignoring the pain, she crawled on her knees to the entrance and stared in astonishment at the spot where she had buried the poppy seeds—now sprouting tender shoots.

"Cuicui! What's wrong with you?" her father exclaimed in surprise.

Yu Cui had no time to explain. Stumbling to her feet, she rushed downstairs. She remembered a newly opened flower shop at the street corner. She needed to buy a flowerpot and soil to transplant that poppy.

Could it be that in this lifetime, it was Xiang Yu's turn to be reincarnated as a poppy seed? And now it was her job to grow him? She couldn't imagine the mighty Conqueror of Western Chu, Xiang Yu, turning into a flower... Shudder...

Grumbling in frustration, Yu Cui pushed open the flower shop's door.

"Welcome," came a voice, gentle and achingly familiar.

Yu Cui stood frozen, staring at the tall, robust man. He was as handsome as ever, but his topknot had been replaced by neat short hair, his cold, iron armor exchanged for a casual sweater, and he wore an adorable Snoopy apron.

"Xiang Yu?" Yu Cui's lips trembled as she asked in disbelief.

The man nodded gently, a warm smile spreading across his face. "You're Yu Cui? You're even cuter than I imagined."

Yu Cui gritted her teeth, rushed over, and began pummeling him with fists and kicks.

Xiang Yu covered his head, complaining pitifully, "I thought you'd hug me and cry tears of joy when you saw me again!"

"Damn you, Xiang Yu! I've wanted to do this to you for ages! Don't think plants don't have tempers! Hmph!"

"...Have mercy, miss!!"

Yu Cui grabbed Xiang Yu's head, hammering, hitting, and even biting him..."What's wrong? Did you run into someone?" Seeing the doctor's puzzled expression as he pushed the door open, the boss raised an eyebrow and asked.

The doctor set the breakfast he'd bought on the counter and bit down on the disposable chopsticks, perplexed. "I think I saw that girl we met yesterday at the flower shop on the corner. She seemed to be transplanting a newly sprouted seed into a flowerpot... Could it be that seed you gave her yesterday has already sprouted?"

"What's so strange about that?" the boss said calmly. "It's a seed—sooner or later, it will sprout. Whether it's a seed from a year ago or one from two thousand years ago. Now that the seed has sprouted again, the two destined to meet should have reunited..."

"Hey! What's the origin of that seed anyway?" The Doctor still found it hard to cope with the endless stream of mysterious items in Dumb Shop.

"Nothing special. Everything in Dumb Shop is just antique." The Boss smiled faintly, snapping apart a pair of disposable chopsticks with a crisp sound. "Next time you buy food, no need to bring disposable chopsticks. I have chopsticks here too - just wash them after use."

The Doctor buried his head in his meal, not daring to respond. Who was it that just said everything in Dumb Shop was antique? Then these chopsticks must be antiques too! He definitely didn't want to use something hundreds of years old to pick up his food!

And who knows... they might even be burial chopsticks that accompanied some dead person to the grave!

(End of Chapter)