Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Your Smile Looks Very Sinister

The Magiplant Department had its own fertilizer storeroom. Because the school gave the department very little funding, students could only apply for a set amount of fertilizer each month.

After getting her free share, Qian Qi carried several small fertilizer sacks, huffed her way up Back Mountain, and found Li Shu Yun’s plot. The field was about three square meters. The Fire Qilin Lotus that the original owner had chopped in half was gone, cleared away by Li Shu Yun. There was not even a single weed left. Beside the plot sat a little supply box packed with testing tools for planting, and the farming student in Qian Qi lit up with joy.

She looked around and said with a grin: “Looks like Senior Sister Li not only works hard at planting, her family is also loaded.”

[Later I have to get on Senior Sister Li’s good side. I love rich people~~~]

Smacking her lips, she used the instruments to check the soil’s pH and moisture. Then she cupped the Fire Qilin Lotus seed in both hands and whispered in her heart: [Divine Hand].

At once, a strange, warm energy flowed down her arm into her palm, then slipped into the seed. The seed warmed slightly. Qian Qi felt a spark of life inside it, eager to sprout and grow.

She blinked and muttered: “That’s it?”

Studying the seed for a moment, she thought about how it would turn into a scary Magiplant in seven days and could not help getting excited; even the corners of her mouth curled up.

System: [Your expression looks a bit scary.]

She coughed twice and said: “I just got excited because its fruit sells for a lot!”

After burying the seed, Qian Qi went to the well for water, mixed in urea, and watered the plot. She opened the shabby Light-Brain on her wrist and recorded:
[3023/4/23, 06:45. Clear weather. Li Shu Yun’s field. Buried Fire Qilin Lotus seed about 3 cm deep. pH 6.9. Moisture 63.77%. Watered with 1 kg of 0.1% urea solution.]

She dusted off her hands and said: “Yep, that should do it.”

Next, it was time to plant her own Magiplant.

Following her memory, she found her plot and saw it was much smaller than Li Shu Yun’s. She looked around. Her nearby classmates each had only one square meter too.

[One square meter can only grow a small Magiplant at best…]

She clicked her tongue and thought: [One square meter is way too small for me to shine. I need at least ten!]

She opened her Light-Brain and messaged Li Shu Yun, saying: “I want to ask if it’s possible to apply for extra land.”

A reply arrived quickly.

[No Rename Until I Graduate]: You can’t apply for more. But a lot of sophomores and juniors have empty plots. You can rent from them on the School Forum.

[I Am Your Grandpa]: School Forum? How do I find it?

[No Rename Until I Graduate]: [School Forum link]

She tapped the link. The forum worked just like she expected, a place where students posted and chatted. Compared to other schools, the Magiplant forum was quiet, mostly full of seniors posting land-for-rent notices.

She browsed with interest, then her face darkened as she muttered: “Seventy credits a week for one square meter?”

She thought grimly: [That’s pricier than renting a furnished 30 square meter place in the city center!]

But a city center apartment could not grow fields, and regular land did not have planting permits. If you wanted to grow Magiplants, you had to do it on Back Mountain. She had considered taking over an unclaimed plot, but Back Mountain was only so big. To keep students safer, there were wide safety gaps between fields, which made the usable area much smaller. The remaining land had already been divided long ago.

She sighed and said: “Even a clever cook can’t make rice without grain.” Even with her golden farming skill, what could she do without land?

Annoyed, she scratched her head, turned around, and suddenly noticed several weedy plots nearby.

She squinted and thought: [Wait, aren’t these all the freshman plots?]

She counted. Magiplant 101 had 39 students. Among the 39 plots around her, nearly 20 were still empty.

The droopy look on her face flipped into a bright yet “regretful” excitement as she said: “Oh wow, what’s wrong with these students? They really don’t value this precious land. I think I have a duty to teach them a lesson!”

She went along from her own plot and noted the names of the classmates who had not planted anything. Thinking about what was going to happen, she gave two low, sneaky laughs.

System: [You smile very sinisterly.]

She straightened up and said: “You saw wrong.”

When Qian Qi walked into the classroom with a textbook under her arm, many students were already seated. Because there were not enough teachers, two or three classes often met together.

A few students in Magiplant 101 whispered as they watched her come in, and one said with a gasp: “Wow, Qian Qi actually came to class?”

Another snorted and said: “The sun must be rising in the west. Maybe she’s afraid of failing finals and getting expelled.”

A third hissed and said: “Shh, keep it down, don’t let her hear.”

The next second, Qian Qi sat down right in front of them.

Their backs went rigid.

She looked them over, picked one, grabbed both his wrists with a serious face, and said earnestly: “Classmate Han Tian, I heard you haven’t been farming lately?”

“W-what?” Han Tian jerked in shock as she grabbed his hands.

[Help! Why is Qian Qi talking to me? If I say the wrong thing, will I get smeared like that senior, Chen Tong?]

He yanked at his hands and blurted: “I already turned in my planting assignment. I don’t need to grow another Magiplant this term!”

“What!” Qian Qi cried with surprise, then lit up with unexpected joy. “So out of your Magiplant quota, how many seeds do you have left?”

“Uh?” Han Tian froze, not expecting that question. Seeing her hopeful face, he swallowed and said: “I think I still have seven?”

“You really are a good student!” Qian Qi grew even more excited and said: “I have a favor to ask. Would you be willing to help me?”

Han Tian wanted to cry. [At least tell me what it is! What if I can’t do it? Am I going to get beaten up like Chen Tong?]

Seeing his fear, Qian Qi decided she had to fix her image among her classmates. She gave a kind smile and said: “Don’t be scared. I’m a good person.”

Han Tian did not think she was a good person, and her smile was truly terrifying. But his roommates were sitting close by, which gave him a bit of courage, and he asked: “Qian Qi, what do you want me to do?”

She said: “Can you go to Instructor Mo and apply for seven Magiplant seeds for me?”

“That’s… it?” Han Tian blinked.

“That’s it,” she said with a nod.

Han Tian looked at his roommates. They all gave him small nods, so he nodded too and said: “Okay.”

It was only a few seeds. How hard could that be?

“Great!” Qian Qi was overjoyed. “This will save me a lot of money. Classmate Han Tian, you really are a good guy!”

Han Tian gave an awkward smile and said: “I guess…”

She thumped her chest with pride and said: “Don’t worry, I don’t freeload. With me, Qian Qi, covering you, you can walk sideways in the Magiplant Department and the Magibeast Department!”

Han Tian thought: […No thanks.]

She leaned past him with a sunny look and said to his roommates: “So, since I’ve promised all that… your Magiplant quotas too, can you maybe…”

The roommates froze: [Huh??? Is it too late to run?]

Han Tian stepped in with a bit of loyalty and said: “Their planting assignments aren’t done yet. They still need to keep applying for seeds…”

“No problem!” Qian Qi said as if it were nothing. “I can help you all finish the assignment!”

Han Tian and the others stared: [You? The last-place student at the bottom of the class? You’re sure you can help us do our homework???]