Chapter 7
Chapter 7: You’re Seriously Ridiculous
Mo Yin Qiu’s surprised stare made Qian Qi’s scalp prickle. With her reputation, this was going to take work.
So Qian Qi stepped forward and delivered the speech she’d rehearsed.
“Mentor Mo, you might not believe this, but lately it’s like I’ve had a sudden enlightenment. I realized I can’t keep wasting my life. I worked hard to get into Awakeners University—how could I waste a chance like this?”
“The school gives us such a good environment. It doesn’t expect us to become geniuses. It doesn’t even expect us to repay our alma mater. It just hopes we can survive in these miserable end times.”
She slapped the desk, eyes blazing with conviction.
“So I’ve decided. I’m going to make something of myself in the magic plant world. I’ll become the pride of the Magic Plant Academy—no, the pride of Awakeners University! Today I’m proud of my alma mater. Tomorrow my alma mater will be proud of me!”
Mo Yin Qiu stared at her for a beat.
Then her mouth twitched.
That was… a lot of talk. Too much talk.
But—
“It’s good you have that attitude,” she said, standing. “Fill out the form. Write what seeds you want.”
Qian Qi sat at the side table and, copying the original owner’s messy handwriting, scribbled down ten seed names. She signed and handed it back.
Mo Yin Qiu glanced at it. Mostly normal E-rank plants. Besides three-scale orchid and crimson flame grass having weak hemostatic effects, the rest were basically worthless.
“Before you plant anything,” Mo Yin Qiu said, “read the planting methods. Learn their attack patterns and weaknesses. Don’t rush in blind.”
A few minutes later, she returned from the seed storage room with ten small bags and tossed them to Qian Qi.
“Thank you, Mentor Mo,” Qian Qi said, tucking them away.
Mo Yin Qiu expected her to leave.
Instead, Qian Qi leaned in.
She sniffed delicately, eyebrows lifting as if she’d discovered a scandal. “Mentor Mo… is that alcohol I smell?”
Mo Yin Qiu’s spine stiffened. Campus rules clearly stated teachers weren’t allowed to drink on school grounds.
“You’re imagining things,” she said smoothly. “Now leave.”
“Mentor Mo,” Qian Qi said, hesitant, “you might not believe this…”
Mo Yin Qiu’s eyelid twitched. Danger pinged in her bones.
“My nose is… inconsistent,” Qian Qi said solemnly. “Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t.”
Her gaze drifted toward the balcony table.
“If Mentor Mo gives me one more three-scale orchid seed, my nose won’t work very well today. But if Mentor Mo doesn’t…”
Qian Qi sighed deeply, full of regret.
“…then my nose works perfectly.”
Mo Yin Qiu stared at her.
Then she laughed—sharp, incredulous. “Classmate Qian Qi—are you threatening me?”
“No, no.” Qian Qi widened her eyes, innocence cranked up to eleven. “This student just wants to reform and follow school rules. Mentor Mo also wants me to turn over a new leaf, right?”
Mo Yin Qiu studied her.
The old Qian Qi had been like a spiky stray cat—aggressive, defensive, explosive.
This Qian Qi felt like a slick, shameless fox.
Mo Yin Qiu didn’t trust her for a second—and that was precisely why she wanted to see what Qian Qi was up to.
After a long, tense glare-off, Mo Yin Qiu finally strode back into the storage room and returned with one more seed.
She slapped the application form with a finger. “Change three-scale orchid to two. Special case. One extra seed.”
Qian Qi’s smile turned radiant. “Yes, yes, yes!”
Outside the office, Qian Qi hugged the seed bags to her chest and sighed happily. “Mentor Mo is such a nice person. I should come visit more often.”
The System floated a blue panel in front of her, dripping contempt.
[I’m not a dog, but you sure are.]
—
Qian Qi spent the entire afternoon buried in textbooks and her lightbrain, memorizing every scrap of public info about her ten plants.
The next morning, well-rested and energized, she hopped out of bed and shook Chen Miao Miao awake.
“Classmate Miao Miao,” Qian Qi sang. “Up. Breakfast time.”
Chen Miao Miao blinked awake—and immediately saw Qian Qi’s face hovering over her. Her heart nearly stalled before she snapped, “I’m not eating!”
“Don’t be like that.” Qian Qi dragged her up like she weighed nothing. “People are made of food. Meals are life. Skip one and you’ll regret it.”
Chen Miao Miao was weaker, and with no new instructions from Chen Tong, she didn’t dare provoke Qian Qi too much.
So she got dressed in grim silence and followed.
Qian Qi strolled to the cafeteria in flip-flops, a thick textbook under one arm. Chen Miao Miao trailed behind, her glare hot enough to burn through concrete.
The blue panel wobbled in front of Qian Qi like a desperate salesman.
[Only 70 yuan to unlock the mystery~ Not too late~]
Qian Qi ignored it completely. At counter one, she whistled and tossed the cafeteria auntie a shameless grin.
“Pretty sister—two tea eggs, please~”
Chen Miao Miao’s eyes widened. Was she seriously doing this?
The auntie laughed. “Brat, who are you whistling at?” She didn’t look offended, though. “Two yuan.”
Qian Qi flashed her teeth. “Brat? Excuse you, I’m a girl.”
The auntie squinted, then slapped her thigh. “Oh! My eyes failed me. Here—take a bowl of soy milk. Help you grow!”
Qian Qi accepted it with exaggerated gratitude. “Thank you, Auntie. You’re a good person!”
With two tea eggs and soy milk in hand, Qian Qi turned and looked at Chen Miao Miao. “Miao Miao? Why are you standing there?”
Chen Miao Miao blinked. “What?”
“Pay.”
Qian Qi’s face was pure entitlement.
Chen Miao Miao stared at her like she’d lost her mind. Qian Qi used to mooch. Now she was issuing orders like she owned the cafeteria?
When Chen Miao Miao didn’t move, Qian Qi pressed a hand to the bandage at her neck and winced. “Ow. My neck hurts. And when it hurts… my hands get itchy.”
Chen Miao Miao ground her teeth, pulled out her student card, and paid.
Qian Qi patted her shoulder like a proud mentor. “Good girl. I’ve got something to do, so I’m heading out. I have class at ten. After that, we’re eating lunch together too~”
Chen Miao Miao jolted. “What?! Who said—”
Qian Qi waved as she walked off, cheerful as ever.
Somewhere in the universe, Mentor Mo Yin Qiu sneezed.
Qian Qi: “Mentor Mo, you might not believe this—”
Mo Yin Qiu: “Enough. Shut up.”
Qian Qi: (>_<)?