Chapter 1: Married by Mistake to the Flower Fields

Dusk fell like spilled ink, thick enough that no breeze could stir it away. It clung to the neglected flower beds in the back garden of the Su Estate. Wind tugged at dry leaves, rustling softly as if mourning the silence that had settled over the place. Su Miao jolted awake from the freezing mud, her fingertips brushing against slick, rotting silt. A bone-deep chill shot up her spine, hitting the top of her head like a splash of ice water.

The crumbling scenery before her collided violently with the memories flooding her mind. Flashback fragments—being swapped, abandoned, humiliated—fizzed through her consciousness. She finally accepted the truth: she had transmigrated into the cannon-fodder stepdaughter of this novel.

The original owner had been returned to the estate after the switch with the real daughter, only to be demoted to a flower-tending servant. In the end, she died of illness, alone and drowning in despair. Su Miao took a deep breath. The air was thick with the smell of mold and hopelessness, mixed with the pungent stench of decaying soil. It was so cloying it made her want to vomit.

She slowly pulled herself up, her legs numb from the cold water. Her gaze swept across the waterlogged, weed-choked field. Though a tinge of melancholy lingered in her chest, it was overshadowed by a challenge to fate. Now that she was here, she wasn't going to repeat the original owner’s fatal mistake.

Just then, light, arrogant footsteps echoed on the ridge. The crisp snap of soles against dry, cracked earth broke her brief reverie, and the air around them seemed to freeze instantly.

Su Yao stood on the ridge in her embroidered shoes, looking down her nose at the mud-caked Su Miao. Her makeup was flawless, with a flourish of rouge on her cheeks, but her smile never reached her cold eyes. The corner of her mouth curled with open contempt and malice.

Su Yao raised her chin, her voice crisp but as hard as icicles: "Su Miao, did you think returning to the estate would change your luck? This flower field is your only fate. Stay here and rot. Don't even dream of climbing out."

Her words stung like poisoned needles driven into Su Miao’s ears, pricking the last shreds of her pride. But instead of crying or making excuses like the original owner, Su Miao simply straightened up and wiped the mud from her face. Her eyes were so clear that they made Su Yao feel an inexplicable unease. That wasn't the old cowering look; it was a calm, piercing scrutiny.

A short distance away, Gu Tingzhou stood with his hands clasped behind his back, radiating the distinctive coolness of a noble scion. His robes fluttered even without a breeze. He watched the drama with detached coldness, ignoring Su Yao’s venomous remarks. He only glanced briefly at Su Miao, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

Gu Tingzhou spoke, his tone flat: "Now that you are back in your place, stay in your lane. Don't cause trouble over the flower beds, or you'll have to live with the consequences."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an irrefutable authority, like the strike of a hammer on an anvil, making one's heart skip a beat. After speaking, he turned and left, his boots crunching over the grass, leaving Su Miao alone to face Su Yao’s triumphant sneer and the sprawling desolation.

The evening wind picked up, whipping Su Miao’s robe and agitating Su Yao. Seeing Gu Tingzhou leave, Su Yao grew bolder. She advanced, grabbing the mud-spotted sleeve of Su Miao’s robe, her fingers tightening as she tried to shove her back into the mud. Su Miao sidestepped with a gentle but decisive motion, her gaze as cold as frost.

Su Miao spoke in a low voice, unnervingly calm: "Lord Gu was listening. Miss Su’s lack of decorum might become a scandal if spread about."

Su Yao’s face flushed red, then erupted in furious humiliation. She yanked her hand back and stormed off, her embroidered shoes kicking up a cloud of dust. Su Miao adjusted her clothes, a cold smile playing on her lips. The real game had just begun.

Maid Wang stumbled toward them, her wrinkled face filled with heartache. She held Su Miao’s hand, her grip so gentle it was as if she feared breaking something. Her voice trembled with restrained sobs.

Maid Wang choked up: "Young mistress, please come inside. The wind is biting, and the mud is icy to the bone. I saw all the cold treatment you received in the estate before, and it breaks my heart. Now that you’re back, these days will be even harder."

Su Miao squeezed Maid Wang’s rough palm. Her own fingertips were cold, but she felt the real warmth radiating from the older woman’s skin. She looked up into Maid Wang’s hazy, wet eyes, feeling a surge of warmth in her chest.

Su Miao reassured her, her voice soft: "Thank you, Auntie Wang. No matter how hard the road is, we must walk it. Rest now; I’ll just stand here and clear my head."

Maid Wang wiped her tears, said no more, and turned to brew tea inside. Her hunched, lonely figure left Su Miao standing alone in the center of the flower field. The surroundings were silent, save for the faint hum of insects, as if whispering ancient secrets. Su Miao closed her eyes, trying to sort out her new reality. Her thoughts raced until a sudden burning sensation flared on her wrist.

The heat didn’t come from the outside; it seeped out from deep within her bones. She looked down. On her previously plain wrist, a faint golden ring-like pattern had appeared. The ring rotated slowly, emitting a soft glow, as if alive. A strange sense of perception spread from the ring, instantly encompassing a ten-zhang radius around her.

The world before her eyes shifted. She could "hear" the metabolic sounds of microorganisms deep in the soil, like tiny, fragmented whispers. She could "see" the tussle of weeds’ root systems fighting for water, the roots intertwining into a complex network. This was the cheat ability, the Spirit Plant Nurturing Ring, officially activating.

Su Miao tentatively extended her right hand, crossing the protective boundary of the golden ring, and lightly touched a withered weed. Data-like perceptions instantly popped into her mind: dehydration, nutrient loss, severed root system. The information was clear. Her heart settled. With this ability, this dead zone wasn't a dead end.

Following the faint signal guided by the golden ring, Su Miao walked to the corner of the courtyard. There was a dry well with moss-patched edges, and beside it grew a shriveled Withered Wood Flower. It trembled in the wind, as if issuing a near-death wail. In the novel's settings, this flower was the only thing the original owner cherished but failed to save, and the best example Su Yao used to mock her as useless.

Su Miao crouched down, looking at the gray branches of the Withered Wood Flower, a strange tenderness rising in her heart. She reached out again, this time actively sinking her consciousness into the golden ring to explore the flower’s "emotions."

Instantly, intense resentment and longing flooded her mind. The flower was not a true dead thing; after long neglect, it had accumulated deep hatred and an intense craving for sunlight and rain. It hated its own fragility, even more than it hated others’ indifference. Su Miao frowned, forcing down the negative energy, and began to construct a root network in her mind.

She guided the ring to release a weak pulse of Azure Rain Power, precisely controlling the water flow in the soil at the well’s edge, forcing nutrients into the Withered Wood Flower’s remaining main root. The process was like building a tower on sand—one mistake and it would all fall apart.

A fine layer of sweat beaded on Su Miao’s forehead, her body trembling from overexertion, but her focus was absolute. Her hands moved through the air as if weaving an invisible net, bridging the gap between life and death.

Gu Tingzhou was just about to leave when he noticed a strange flash of light in the courtyard. He paused, then returned to the doorway. Pushing the door open, the scene made his expression shift into something unusual. Under the moonlight, a figure knelt by the dry well, surrounded by a faint golden glow.

Gu Tingzhou frowned, his voice low: "What are you doing? Gesturing at a dead tree is not proper."

Su Miao wasn’t flustered, only breathing a bit heavily, her voice calm but slightly weak.

Su Miao replied: "Lord Gu’s timing is perfect. I’m testing a new cultivation method. This Withered Wood Flower isn’t completely dead. It just needs its vitality guided back, and it will revive."

Gu Tingzhou looked skeptical, his gaze moving between Su Miao’s hands and the dead tree. He noticed Su Miao’s composure—she wasn't casting demonic spells—and the air actually carried a sharp, clear scent he couldn't name. His confusion deepened. He didn't mock her, just stood still, witnessing this strange ritual.

While Gu Tingzhou observed, a miracle happened. At the edges of the Withered Wood Flower’s gray leaves, a hint of pale green suddenly appeared. The green spread rapidly; the dry branches began to unfurl, as if filled with a new soul. Su Miao felt her Azure Rain Power being heavily drained, her vision blurring, but she gritted her teeth and poured her last reserves into the flower.

Su Yao, who had heard the commotion, arrived to see new sprouts on the Withered Wood Flower. Her shock instantly twisted into venomous jealousy. She assumed Su Miao had used evil arts and lunged to break the fresh green sprout, trying to crush its fortune.

Su Yao shrieked, her voice shrill and grating: "Where did that demon flower come from! Su Miao, you're not clean after all. You’re using wicked arts!"

She snatched at the sprout, her sharp nails inches away. Gu Tingzhou reacted instantly, stepping between them and firmly gripping Su Yao’s wrist, the pressure causing her to cry out in pain.

Gu Tingzhou’s voice was icy, his gaze like a blade: "Stop! No one may disturb the Anomalous Flower while it grows."

His gaze swept the area, tension spiking so high that even the insect noises cut out. Su Yao, her wrist pinned, turned pale but refused to back down, her eyes burning with resentment. Seizing the moment, Su Miao unleashed her final burst of Azure Rain Power.

With a thunderous sensation, the Withered Wood Flower bloomed. Layers of Anomalous Flower petals unfolded, shimmering with flowing colors, releasing a strange, pure fragrance that instantly overpowered the surrounding decay. The petals displayed an unseen interweave of deep blue and purple-red, breathtakingly beautiful, sparkling under the moonlight.

Maid Wang came out with tea, saw the scene, and her teacup clattered to the ground, the shattering sound sharp in the silence. She trembled, covering her mouth in disbelief.

Maid Wang gasped, her voice shaking: "Is this... a miracle? In all my years, I’ve never seen such a wondrous flower."

Everyone stood in stunned silence. Gu Tingzhou’s eyes flickered with curiosity, shifting between Su Miao and the Anomalous Flower. Su Yao retreated in shock, crashing into a wooden fence behind her with a dull thud. Su Miao slumped to the ground, gazing at the blooming Anomalous Flower, a faint smile on her lips.

The air seemed frozen. The fear and curiosity about the "demon flower" had already taken root in everyone’s hearts, impossible to calm now.