Chapter 2278 - 2181: Ambition
Upon hearing Huo Sining ask this, Yan Xuesong couldn’t help but look up at Chen Qiankun, hesitating, unsure of how to respond.
Yan Xuesong was too embarrassed to speak, but Chen Qiankun wasn’t shy at all, raising his voice and speaking into the phone:
"Since we’re representing S University’s School of Biological Sciences, of course, the rarer the orchid, the better. It would be best if we could win the top prize in one fell swoop. That way, we can also promote our college’s reputation, and maybe even become famous internationally!"
Huo Sining couldn’t help but laugh at Chen Qiankun’s words.
When she first bought those ancient tea trees from this old man, she thought he was a humble tea farmer. Later, she found out that the old man was a professor at their college, and not just any professor, but a plant expert who didn’t put on airs at all.
Chen Qiankun’s words were quite blunt, with ambition big enough to swallow an elephant. If others heard it, they might laugh at Chen Qiankun for not knowing his limitations. But to Huo Sining, it didn’t feel out of place at all; it seemed only natural.
She thought about it for a moment and then asked with a smile, "How long until the evaluation meeting?"
Yan Xuesong replied, "The date is set for the end of the year, January 26th. There’s still more than half a year left."
Huo Sining nodded: "Then that time isn’t too pressing. Here’s the plan, both of you gather all the rare orchid seedlings you can find for me. I’ll cover the cost, and I’ll also think of ways to inquire on my end."
Yan Xuesong’s mouth twitched: "Right now, we have no resources at all, nothing prepared. To cultivate a presentable piece in six months is already quite pressing."
Huo Sining was taken aback, then realized that because she had Spiritual Energy at her disposal, cultivating an orchid took her only ten days to a couple of weeks. So in her view, six to seven months was more than enough time.
But for Yan Xuesong and Chen Qiankun, it was different. For ordinary people to cultivate an orchid to full bloom, it would take a year or two. This is also why the international orchid competition is held every three years, to give orchid enthusiasts ample preparation time to gather more enchanting and rare orchids.
Huo Sining couldn’t help but laugh: "You really don’t need to worry about that. Six months should be plenty of time. What you two teachers need to do now is quickly help me gather the materials and nurseries I need. If there are no seedlings, seeds or bulbs will do."
Yan Xuesong and Chen Qiankun didn’t understand Huo Sining’s intention, but from her tone, it seemed like she had everything under control. After exchanging a glance, they decided to trust the girl this time.
"Alright, Old Chen and I will start organizing things here. Once we’ve gathered what you need, we’ll send them to you together."
After hanging up the phone, Huo Sining began researching orchid-related materials. However, the types of orchids are so numerous, just the Spring Orchids alone have countless varieties, not to mention the Summer Orchids, Autumn Orchids, and Winter Orchids. Huo Sining only read a few Chapters of information and already felt overwhelmed.
She wasn’t particularly skilled at plant cultivation. When she bought Chen Qiankun’s ancient tea trees, it was simply because she enjoyed drinking tea. As for the custom glass flowerhouse she made for Huang Hongying, it was entirely because she accidentally discovered a new use for the Spirit of Azure Pearl, and knowing Huang Hongying loved flowers, she catered to her preferences and made one for her.
But when it comes to flower cultivation, Huo Sining didn’t have much of a knack for it. Although she was from a rural background and had worked in the fields with Huo Yong and his wife, in reality, she had no experience or talent in planting and cultivation.
However, she had a trump card—in her possession, no matter what kind of flower, as long as it was nurtured with Spiritual Energy, it would grow beautifully, surpassing the ordinary understanding of beauty.
Moreover, she could even alter the growth habits of plants; spring flowers blooming in autumn was not a rare occurrence for her. So in this aspect, Huo Sining had an innate advantage, something others couldn’t achieve.
So for the orchid evaluation suggested by Yan Xuesong, Huo Sining was absolutely confident.
After reading for a few days, Huo Sining began to feel a bit bored. A week later, Yan Xuesong came to the Imperial Capital in person, bringing with him the seedlings and information Huo Sining needed.
However, Yan Xuesong wasn’t very satisfied with the collected seedlings and bulbs:
"These seedlings and bulbs took quite a bit of effort from Old Chen and me. We had to use up a lot of favors, but to be honest with you, these are at most reputable items, but definitely not top-tier. If we expect to win with these flowers, it might be a bit far-fetched."
"I know how good you are at nurturing flowers, and I’m sure you can make these look fantastic. But no matter how beautiful, the inherent limitations of the flower’s variety restrict how far it can go. The judges at orchid exhibitions always prefer rare species, and these flowers are just too ordinary."
Hearing this, Huo Sining furrowed her brow: "What kind of flowers count as rare species?"
"You know the Yun Province orchid exhibition? In previous years, there were several pots of orchids fetching sky-high prices: Golden Sand Tree Chrysanthemum, Supreme Lotus, Unprecedented Peony. In the data I gave you, there are photos and details of these Orchid Kings. These flowers were listed as rare species worth millions at the orchid exhibition."
"However, there’s one downside to this circle—the expensive orchids are almost monopolized, and you can’t buy them on the market at all. After all, they’re challenging to cultivate; globally, there are only a few plants. The owners keep their seedlings tightly held. Even if a transaction occurs, it would likely be a private deal and not with strangers."
"Old Chen and I don’t have much network in this circle and could only get our hands on some ordinary items, which is exactly why Old Chen and I feel troubled."
"If we had famous varieties, we wouldn’t be so worried. But as you know, such rare species are seldom available. Many orchid enthusiasts go to great lengths, traveling thousands of miles to Yun Province’s Shangri-La or even the jungles of Xishuangbanna, personally searching for precious orchid species."
"But such tasks require both skill and luck. Not everyone who ventures into the jungle comes out with rewards. Many people didn’t make it back; some even narrowly escaped death."
Originally, Huo Sining was indifferent to Yan Xuesong’s words, but upon hearing the latter sentences, her expression paused inadvertently. She instinctively raised her head and asked with a smile, "The Xishuangbanna jungle? Are there good orchid species there?"