Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Qian Qi brand, absolutely no shady tech tricks!

No sooner had the Principal calmed down than he realized Qian Qi had used him. He grew angry again and could only pound his chest with a finger. He thought: [What sin did I commit in a past life to get such a slippery student?]

The watching students, having seen the effect, started to think about buying.

One student asked with doubt as he said: “Classmate, did you really develop this yourself?” He knew that stopping bleeding at once without a scar was impossible in modern medicine.

Qian Qi lifted her chin with pride as she said: “Would I lie to you? This is a specialty of our College of Magiplant Studies. We use the most expensive machines and the most advanced handcraft methods. There are absolutely no shady tech tricks.”

[She had paid tens of thousands for the grinder, and the making was indeed by hand. She was not lying.]

She patted the medicine box and said in a sugary tone: “Dear customer, Qian Qi’s goods never cheat the young or the old.” Then she added with meaning as she said: “Times are not very peaceful lately. Think of it as buying insurance.”

Many students rolled their eyes. One of them waved a hand as he said: “What could be so unsafe? Our school security is strong. Even if an A class Magibeast shows up, we will be fine.” They took her words as fearmongering and did not care.

Their curiosity still poked at one thing, and someone asked as he said: “Aren’t Magiplants useless to Humans? How can your medicine come from Magiplant research?”

She thumped her chest and beamed as she said: “Because I am a genius. I am a miracle.”

[…have you no shame.]

She coughed and added, eyes darting as she said: “Situation forced me, you know. I am actually very modest and low key.”

She spread the formula sheet and pointed line by line as she said: “Classmates, it does not only stop bleeding on arms. It can stop and repair severed limbs and ruptured arteries too. The effects are written clearly.” She thought to herself: [And my cheat has boosted the Magiplant’s power, so it works even better.] Then she pushed the price again as she said: “Selling at 1998 is really cheap.”

The interested students looked at one another and could not decide. They were students. They did not get hurt that often. Even in training duels, most wounds were small. Instead of buying an expensive Hemostasis Potion, they could go to the school clinic or ask Healing Skills students for treatment.

Also, the belief that Magiplants were useless to Humans was deep and old. Even if a miracle could stop bleeding on an arm, they did not think it could fix heavy wounds like severed limbs or torn major arteries. In their minds, Qian Qi was still wearing the label of false advertising.

In the end, only a few rich students who did not want scars bought a few bags of Hemostasis Potion. The others shook their heads and flew off like birds.

Qian Qi was not discouraged. For day one of business, this was already a good harvest. She knew new things always made people stand at a distance and watch. It was normal to be afraid to try.

She was about to pack up when she spotted something and put on a surprised face as she said: “Ah, Principal, you are still here.”

The Principal said nothing. He looked down at the hem of his suit that her fingers had held the whole time she was selling. He had wanted to leave, but she had kept a grip on him.

She showed a fawning smile as she said: “Heh heh, Principal, about the fee for the medicine…”

He smiled without warmth as he said: “You made me wait so long that I was planning to walk off without paying.”

She waved that off with a righteous look as she said: “If you dare not pay, there will be a ten meter red banner at the school gate tomorrow, and the whole world will know our Principal stiffed a student.”

The Principal fell silent and thought: [How do you say something so scary with such a straight face?]

Grinding his teeth, he gave in as he said: “Hemostatic Potion is one thousand, right?”

Qian Qi rubbed her hands and chuckled as she said: “Two thousand works too.”

His mouth twitched, and he transferred one thousand yuan. He pressed his lips together and asked as he said: “This medicine is good. Did you really make it yourself?” Even though he was still angry about being pushed in public, his first thought was of the front line. Many Awakeners and Warriors died from blood loss before they could be treated. If they had this potion, maybe many lives could be saved.

Qian Qi took the money, bent to gather her shabby stall, and put on a smile as hard as a copper wall as she said: “Principal, what nonsense. Go ask the Magiplant Department. I, Qian Qi, am a bottom feeder. How could I make something this strong?” She waved a hand as she said: “All that talk just now was made up to warm the mood. The ‘day and night’ stuff, the ‘genius miracle’ stuff, that was all to fool you. Please do not take it seriously.”

She tipped her head and sang out as she said: “So, Principal, keep busy. I am off.” Then she hugged her cardboard box and small stool and slipped away fast like a little mouse with oiled feet.

The Principal stood there stunned for a moment. When he came back to himself, he wanted to pull off his leather shoe and throw it after her as he said: “That brat, never changes.”

Su Ang, who had waited quietly the whole time, watched Qian Qi’s fleeing back. His dark eyes lowered a little, and a thoughtful light passed through them. He wondered: [When she said times are not peaceful, was that casual talk, or does she know something?]

Beside him, the Principal remembered his own harsh words. He gave two dry coughs and explained to Su Ang as he said: “I did not really want to skip paying. It is just that brat is too slippery. She does so many slippery things that I wanted to scare her a little.”

Su Ang nodded. He could tell that classmate Qian Qi was lively and quick, with a sharp tongue. Even the respected Principal could not handle her.

The Principal frowned as a thought hit him and asked as he said: “But why did you offer to test the drug? We could have made her test it herself in public. I was confident I could talk her into it.”

Su Ang lowered his gaze, and a piece of silver hair brushed his lashes as he said: “No special reason. I wanted to try the effect myself.” His gut was usually right. Only by feeling it could he tell if it would suit Warriors in front line fights. Also, he did not think the Principal could outtalk Qian Qi. If they kept facing off, he had no doubt she would make the Principal spend even more.

The Principal, not knowing he was being looked down on, nodded simply as he said: “Fine. You must have your own plan. I will not ask. Let’s go. We still have a meeting.”

Su Ang nodded and followed the Principal toward the Principal’s office. A few minutes later, something came to him, and he spoke up as he said: “By the way, that classmate Qian Qi is a girl, right? Why do you call her a brat?”

The Principal went quiet.

[Principal: ???]