A researcher prepares to place bioluminescent plants into a dark chamber for observation at a laboratory of Magicpen Biotechnology Co in Hefei, Anhui province, in December. ZHANG DUAN/XINHUA

　　What if your evening drink came with a side of bioluminescence? That's the idea germinating at Beijing's Dongsheng Bajia Park, where a sprawling 7,000-square-meter greenhouse will bloom this fall with glow-in-the-dark decorative plants.

　　Featuring a glowing cafe and a luminous corridor of plant life, the venue will offer a surreal after-dark twist on a nature walk.

　　The project, led by Magicpen Biotechnology Co, is set to turn one man's childhood fantasy into a public spectacle. The dream took root in the rural backyard of Li Renhan, who would later become the founder of the company.

　　That childhood wonder eventually became the driving force behind Magicpen's breakthrough technology.

　　"I wished I could make plants glow in the dark, like fireflies," Li said.

　　As of August, the company has developed more than 10 varieties of bioluminescent plants, including petunias, tobacco and poplar.

　　At the heart of the innovation is an artificial intelligence platform called Agent VitaMind, which accelerates genetic design and metabolic engineering.

　　"Using AI, we boosted the supply of luminescent substrates and enhanced certain fungal activity in plant cells," Li said. "We prevented gene silencing, so the glow remains stable across generations."

　　The company hopes that the upcoming third generation will feature increased luminescence. The goal is to develop multicolor variants of glowing plants while improving their cold tolerance and drought resistance. The enhanced plants are being bioengineered to be suitable for parks and cultural tourism spots across the country.