Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Grandpa Fighting for Magiplant’s Rise

Li Shu Yun had come to talk about the Fire Qilin Lotus. She should have asked yesterday, but Qian Qi was busy with that duel, so she waited until today.

Testing the waters, Li Shu Yun asked: “Junior, do you remember how a week ago you said you might sell me the planting method for the Fire Qilin Lotus?”

Clapping her forehead, Qian Qi said: “Oh, right! I’ve decided. Ten million, and I’ll sell you the planting method.”

It was basically a steal. Once you mastered the method, you could earn that money back in no time.

Even so, Li Shu Yun looked troubled. Ten million was a heavy load for both the Magiplant Research Institute and the Li clan. The institute had not received funding in years and was being propped up by the clan. Her parents and grandpa had argued about it many times. Still, she knew that once the Fire Qilin Lotus could be grown in large numbers, the money would come back. She hoped Grandpa could borrow from friends to cover it for now.

Lowering her voice to Qian Qi, Li Shu Yun said: “Junior, that amount is a bit high. Please give me one night. I’ll have my family prepare the money.”

Qian Qi waved easily as she said: “Sure.”

Li Shu Yun stood there a moment, then went downstairs to a quiet spot and opened a Light-Brain video call to her grandpa.

As soon as the call connected, the waiting Li Hong Sheng asked excitedly: “Yunyun, how did the price talk go?” Clearly, this week felt endless to him.

Clearing her throat, Li Shu Yun said slowly: “Grandpa, she wants ten million…”

Before she finished, Li Hong Sheng’s eyes bulged so wide the wrinkles at the corners almost flattened as he shouted: “Ten million? Why not just rob us? Even if you sold me, you wouldn’t get ten million!”

[Li Shu Yun: The key is you’re not worth that much anyway…]

He pressed on as he asked: “Didn’t you tell her you’re the granddaughter of the dean of the Magiplant Research Institute, and also the granddaughter of the dean of the Magiplant College?”

Li Shu Yun hesitated as she said: “She should know… everyone in the college knows.”

Then she paused. Maybe Qian Qi really did not know. Qian Qi had kept to herself before, always busy with who knew what, and might not have paid attention to her.

Pacing anxiously, Li Hong Sheng asked: “And you didn’t say that I’m the one who wants to buy her planting method? Where am I supposed to find ten million? My institute is almost bankrupt…”

Feeling helpless, Li Shu Yun said: “I didn’t say it. I think it wouldn’t help, even if I used your status.”

Qian Qi did not seem like someone who bowed to power. She had even played tricks on the Principal. As for her grandpa, whose whole brain was “fight for Magiplant’s rise,” if he came to school, Qian Qi might squeeze him dry.

Slapping his decision down on the spot, Li Hong Sheng said: “No. I’m coming back to campus tomorrow. I’ll meet this Qian Qi myself. Set it up for me. I must see her tomorrow morning!”

Li Shu Yun tried to dissuade him as she said: “I think-” but he had already hung up and started packing to leave.

She rubbed her face in silence. The old man was still that stubborn. Fine. She would prepare a fresh towel for him tonight. Hopefully he would not end up so upset he cried tomorrow.

Before that, though, Li Shu Yun carefully worded a message to Qian Qi. Soon, Qian Qi replied, agreeing to meet. Li Shu Yun exhaled in relief. It seemed Junior Qian Qi was easy to talk to when it came to money. She always handled money matters properly.

That was also the impression Li Shu Yun had formed from watching her. The second years had heard how Qian Qi charged first-year Magiplant students and signed contracts to teach them planting. Quite a few second years wanted in too, but the busy Qian Qi had turned them down.

Even so, new worry rose for tomorrow’s negotiation. Muttering to herself, Li Shu Yun headed back to her dorm as she said: “I hope Junior Qian Qi doesn’t lay a hand on my proud old grandpa. He’s too old to take a beating.”

Early the next morning, as soon as Qian Qi stepped out of her dorm, a classmate stopped her. Face tight with worry, he begged as he said: “Qian Qi, please save my Magiplant! My Seven-Ridge Ghost Flower suddenly got white spots. Is it some kind of fatal disease?”

Pulling her coat tighter, Qian Qi patted his shoulder to calm him as she said: “Don’t panic. It’s a small problem. I’ll deal with it when I get back.”

The classmate blinked and asked: “Where are you going?”

Waving as she walked, Qian Qi said: “To the office to handle something big, a major deal.”

The classmate’s jaw dropped. Going to the city to handle a big deal? In just a few days, had Qian Qi leveled up that much? He had misheard “office” as “city,” and his imagination ran wild.

Yawning twice in a row, Qian Qi shuffled into the Principal’s office with sleepy eyes. From the second the door opened, Li Hong Sheng, who had been waiting, stood up and fixed all his attention on the student walking in.

A kid who had discovered the Fire Qilin Lotus planting method had to be a hardworking, well-mannered student, gentle and modest. She might let him bargain the price down. Free would be even better.

But the moment his eager eyes landed on Qian Qi, his heart thudded as he thought it was over. In front of him stood a messy-haired kid in a stained sleeveless white T-shirt and baggy black shorts. A pair of flip-flops dragged across the floor with a long, dull scraping sound. The whole look screamed sloppy and lazy.

She rubbed at one small puffy eye, raised a hand to cover a yawn, and, without any sense of image, picked her ear. She did not look like a “proper” model student at all. Worse, when she saw the Principal, she greeted him in a lazy dialect drawl as she said: “Yo, Principal, you’re up early. Have you eaten yet?”

The Principal silently covered his face and tugged at the stiff Li Hong Sheng, trying to make him sit. He had already warned him not to act too eager with Qian Qi, or she would take advantage.

Qian Qi glanced at the white-lab-coated old man beside the Principal. Recognizing him from his looks, she reached out with both hands, grabbed Li Hong Sheng by the wrist, and said warmly: “Oh! You must be Senior Sister Li’s grandpa. You look so… well, very spirited. I almost didn’t recognize you!”

Li Hong Sheng stared for a beat before asking with effort: “You’re Qian Qi?”

Beaming, Qian Qi nodded as she said: “That’s me. Got the ten million ready? Let’s be quick. I have classmates waiting for me to answer their questions.”

Coming in so direct, she seized the lead. As someone who often pitched for funding, Li Hong Sheng could tell she was trying to control the deal. He pointed at the chair and said calmly: “No rush. Sit first.”

By making her sit, he was quietly showing that he was the host here and trying to take back control. But Qian Qi had already dug up his background and the rumor that he was broke. She would not let him haggle. She definitely would not let him freeload.

Waving off the chair, Qian Qi said with a breezy tone: “No need. This will take two minutes. If you’re not in a hurry, find me when you are.”

Then she ignored Li Hong Sheng and turned to the Principal as she said: “Principal, do you have anything to eat? I skipped breakfast and I’m starving. If not, at least a drink of water?”

The Principal answered flatly as he said: “No.”

Watching Qian Qi ignore him and chat with the Principal, Li Hong Sheng understood at once: he was up against a tough one.