Chapter 8
Chapter 8: You’re Smiling Pretty Sinisterly
The Magic Plant College had its own fertilizer storeroom.
Unfortunately, the school barely allocated any funding to the Magic Plant Department, which meant students could only apply for a limited amount of fertilizer each month.
After grabbing her free allotment, Qian Qi heaved several little sacks onto her back and huffed her way up the Back Mountain until she reached Li Shu Yun’s plot.
The field was about three square meters. The fire qilin lotus the original owner had hacked in half was gone—cleaned up so thoroughly Qian Qi couldn’t find a single weed.
Off to the side, a small supply box sat by the plot, packed with planting diagnostic equipment. As an agriculture student, Qian Qi practically lit up.
“So Senior Li isn’t just diligent—she’s loaded, too!”
She needed to get on Senior Li Shu Yun’s good side.
Qian Qi loved rich people the most.
She smacked her lips, ran a quick check on the soil’s pH and moisture, then cradled the fire qilin lotus seed in her palm and silently chanted, [Miracle Hand].
A strange warmth slid down her arm, pooled in her hand, and seeped into the seed. It heated faintly, and Qian Qi could almost feel it—like the seed had been jolted awake, brimming with life and desperate to sprout.
“That’s it?”
She pinched the seed and studied it. When she pictured it becoming a terrifying magic plant in a few days, excitement bubbled up so fast her mouth split into a grin.
The System flicked up a warning.
[Your expression looks kind of scary.]
Qian Qi cleared her throat twice. “I’m just excited because its fruit is valuable, okay?”
She buried the seed, hauled water from the well, mixed it with urea, and watered the plot. Then she flipped open the battered old lightbrain on her wrist and recorded:
[3023/4/23, 06:45.
Clear weather. Li Shu Yun’s plot. Buried fire qilin lotus seed about 3 cm deep. pH 6.9, moisture 63.77%. Watered with 1 kg of 0.1% urea solution.
]
“Mm. Should be fine.”
She clapped the dirt off her hands. Next up—planting her own magic plants.
Using memory, Qian Qi found her assigned plot and immediately noticed the problem: hers was way smaller than Li Shu Yun’s. She glanced around. Nearby classmates all had the same thing—one square meter each.
One square meter. That meant one small magic plant, tops.
Qian Qi clicked her tongue. One square meter was nowhere near enough for her plans. She needed at least ten.
“I’ll ask Senior Li if there’s any way to apply for extra land.”
She opened her lightbrain and messaged Li Shu Yun. A reply came quickly.
[Won’t Change My Name Until I Get My Degree]: You can’t apply for more. But a lot of second-years and third-years have empty plots. You can rent from them on the school forum.
I’m Your Grandpa: School forum?
How do I find it?
[Won’t Change My Name Until I Get My Degree]: [school forum link]
Qian Qi tapped the link. The forum was basically what she expected: students posting, arguing, gossiping, trading info.
But compared to other colleges, the Magic Plant College forum was practically dead. Mostly it was seniors listing plots for rent.
Qian Qi scrolled with growing interest… until her face darkened.
“One square meter for one week costs seventy?”
At that rate, it was more expensive than renting a fully furnished thirty-square-meter apartment downtown.
But you couldn’t grow anything in a downtown apartment, and ordinary farmland didn’t come with a magic-plant permit. If she wanted to plant magic plants, Back Mountain was her only option.
She’d love to claim an unassigned patch for herself, but Back Mountain was only so big. For safety, the school kept wide buffer zones between plots, shrinking the usable space even more.
And whatever was left had already been carved up long ago.
“Even the best cook can’t make a meal without rice.”
A cheat ability was great. A cheat ability without land was just… vibes.
Annoyed, she scratched her head, turned—and froze.
Nearby, a bunch of plots were overgrown with weeds.
Wait. Weren’t these all freshman plots?
Qian Qi counted. Their Magic Plant 101 class had thirty-nine people. Of the thirty-nine plots in the area, at least twenty were empty.
A moment ago she’d looked defeated. Now her eyes practically sparkled with excitement. She quickly slapped on a mournful expression and sighed dramatically.
“Honestly, what is wrong with these students? They don’t cherish such precious land resources. I feel obligated to educate them properly!”
She walked along her plot and began recording the names of every student who hadn’t planted a magic plant. The more she imagined what was about to happen, the more she couldn’t stop a pair of sly chuckles.
The System hovered beside her like an alarm.
[You’re smiling pretty sinisterly.]
“You’re seeing things,” Qian Qi said, righteous as a saint.
…
When Qian Qi carried her textbook into the classroom, plenty of students were already seated. Teachers were scarce, so two or three classes often shared one lecture.
“Holy—Qian Qi actually came to class?”
“The sun must be rising in the west. Is she scared she’ll fail finals and get kicked out?”
“Shh. Don’t let her hear you.”
A few Magic Plant 101 students whispered. The next second, Qian Qi sat down right in front of them.
Their spines snapped straight like someone had yanked invisible strings.
Qian Qi slowly scanned their faces. Then she locked onto one person, grabbed both his wrists with a solemn expression, and said earnestly, “Han Tian, I heard you haven’t been farming lately?”
“W-what?”
Han Tian jolted like he’d been shocked.
Help. Why was she talking to him?
If he said the wrong thing, would he end up like Senior Chen Tong—reputation ruined, dragged through the mud?
“I already turned in my planting assignment,” he blurted, yanking at his hands. “I don’t need to plant any more magic plants this semester!”
“What?!” Qian Qi gasped, thrilled. “Then how many magic plant slots do you have left?”
“Huh?”
Han Tian blinked. He clearly hadn’t expected that question. Qian Qi looked at him like a kid staring at a birthday cake. He swallowed hard. “I… think seven?”
“Such a good student!” Qian Qi beamed. “I have a favor to ask. What do you say?”
Han Tian’s soul left his body for a second. Could she just say it already?
What if he couldn’t do it?
Was he going to get beaten like Chen Tong?
“Don’t be afraid.” Qian Qi softened her smile like she was trying very hard to look approachable. “I’m a good person.”
Han Tian did not, in any universe, believe she was a good person. And when she smiled, she somehow looked even scarier.
Still, his roommates were right beside him. That gave him a sliver of courage. “Qian Qi… what do you want me to do?”
“Can you go to Mentor Mo,” Qian Qi said sweetly, “and apply for seven magic plant seeds to give me?”
Han Tian stared. “That’s it?”
“That’s it!” Qian Qi nodded hard.
He glanced at his roommates. They all nodded back, silently begging him to agree. Han Tian swallowed and nodded. “Okay.”
It was just seeds. It shouldn’t be hard.
“Perfect!” Qian Qi nearly glowed. “Han Tian, you really are a good person!”
Han Tian laughed awkwardly. “It’s… not a big deal…”
“Don’t worry. I, Qian Qi, don’t freeload,” she declared, thumping her chest. “From now on, with me backing you, you can walk sideways through the Magic Plant Department and the Magic Beast Department!”
Han Tian: “…That really isn’t necessary.”
“Since I’m already making promises,” Qian Qi continued, her cheerful gaze sliding to the roommates beside him, “your friends’ magic plant quota can also—”
The roommates, ambushed: ?
?
?
Was it too late to sprint out the door?
Han Tian hurried to cut in. “They haven’t finished their planting assignments yet. They still need their seeds…”
“No problem!” Qian Qi said brightly. “I can help you finish the assignment!”
Han Tian and the others: …
Han Tian and the others: ?
?
?
You’re the bottom-ranked dead last in our year. You’re sure you can help us with homework?
Qian Qi nodded like it was obvious. “Helping with homework is my specialty.”
The System sighed.
[Forcing a good-person badge on someone is also your specialty.]