CHAPTER 63: CHAPTER 63: A MERE THIEF

After the fleece incident, Qian Qi refused all outside disputes and forcibly returned to her normal life.

Every day, she fed and cleaned up, then went up the mountain to analyze magic plants and answered classmates’ questions.

During this time, she proactively sought out the classmates whose magic plant assignments had been destroyed by the original host and who had even been beaten by the original host, and sincerely apologized.

There were some who really disliked Qian Qi because of that incident and refused to forgive her, but in the end, under Qian Qi’s "arm-around-the-shoulder" threat, they accepted her apology with mixed feelings of joy and anger.

It’s not that their resolve was weak; it’s really because she actually offered to teach them until they fully learned!

Magic plants cultivated artificially have many ways to perish, and even using methods from textbooks might not work, or could even lead to new issues.

But Qian Qi said she could reveal the planting methods and all cases of that type of magic plant, so how could they not be tempted!

[I actually thought someone like you wouldn’t apologize.]

The system panel faced her. In its view, Qian Qi was not someone concerned about decorum and would never bear the costs for others’ mistakes, so when it saw her bearing the original host’s mistakes to apologize, honestly, the system was surprised.

Qian Qi squatted in front of her experimental field and lazily glanced at the system.

"You have a misunderstanding about me." She pointed to her own face, "Have you forgotten? I am both shameless and cheeky."

If the original host’s past caused damage to Qian Qi’s reputation and delayed her money-making opportunities, she would absolutely not allow it.

So, she needed to rectify her reputation, ensuring she owed nothing to her classmates, in order to gain the trust of the students in the Magic Plant Department, allowing them to...

Gladly become the "workers striving for her honey-pot-sweet retirement life!"

Thinking of this, Qian Qi couldn’t help but laugh, "Gagagaga—Hahaha—Gagagaga—"

System: [...]

Hey, I heard that villainous laughter in the middle, hey!

...

After creating the second batch of Blood Stopping Magic Potion, Qian Qi sold the potion to those who had paid the deposit.

During these days, she had analyzed all the magic plants on the back mountain.

She was no longer satisfied with analyzing E-level magic plants.

"People, indeed are greedy creatures." Qian Qi sat at her desk, lightly tapping the light brain as she organized something. If someone leaned in to look, they’d be shocked to find it was all about magic plant cultivation reports.

"Tongzi, what other magic potion do you have there? Let me see what I should work on next."

The profit from the Blood Stopping Magic Potion no longer satisfied Qian Qi’s steadily swelling ambition; she wanted to make big money, super big money.

For a sweet and beautiful retirement life, her first wish was—a wheel-less luxury hovercar!

"Come on! Empty my wallet without restraint, System Lord!" Qian Qi howled.

System: [...Should we first repay the installment payments for the Blood Stopping Magic Potion we owe earlier?]

Qian Qi: "..."

"Ah, the weather is so nice today, perfect for going to the Magic Plant Research Institute~" Qian Qi pulled her chair back, looked at the overcast sky outside the balcony, and said with a cheerful smile.

System: [...]

Don’t change the topic so obviously, hey! Paying in advance won’t kill you! Cheapskate Qian Qi!

Qian Qi hummed a tune as she walked to the wardrobe, searching for the pass she had thrown inside before, but after searching three times without finding it, she leaned on the wardrobe door, grasped her tousled hair, and laughed up at the sky.

"Hahahaha—How interesting, really interesting!"

The system watched her: [Have you finally gone mad?]

"Don’t you find it interesting?" Qian Qi closed the wardrobe, a happy smile arcing her lips.

But due to her facial features, the smile appeared peculiarly deranged.

System: [...I don’t get it, but if you want to know who stole the pass, you can uncover the answer by paying 200 yuan~]

Qian Qi scoffed.

She slipped on her brown leather jacket and regretfully said, "I just gave you a chance to ask for money, you were no help, now you want my money? Dream on!"

For 200 yuan, if she haggles with a street vendor, she can buy ten leather jackets!

For a mere thief, does she even need to spend 200 yuan?

Pfft! Dream on!

Qian Qi slipped into her flip-flops and hurried downstairs, ready to explore a new map.

——

When the Magic Plant Research Institute was first established, it was filled with human expectations. They hoped it could research new drugs beneficial to humans or even gene medicine to promote human evolution, essentially anything to advance human medical development.

But, the greater the expectations, the greater the disappointment.

With annual public apologies from the Magic Plant Research Institute, people gradually became disillusioned, and more increasingly believed that magic plants were unbeneficial to humans and researching them was a waste of funds and time entirely.

Thus, the Magic Plant Research Institute gradually moved from being in the prime city center to the outskirts, eventually relocating to the outskirts of Jiang City next to Yan City.

However, as a public research institute, its site is still vast, with several tall buildings standing in the courtyard. Although some building walls might appear aged, necessary security measures are well-established.

At the moment, Qian Qi was standing at the entrance of the institute, staring directly at the security guard.

"Hey, Big Brother Security, I am truly invited," Qian Qi tried to make her small eyes look utterly sincere, "You don’t believe it, call the Dean and ask, okay?"

The security officer waved his hand, straightforwardly declining, "What are you thinking? How could I possibly have the Dean’s number? Hurry and leave here, outsiders aren’t allowed in."

"You actually don’t have the Dean’s number?" Qian Qi was surprised and then gleefully slapped the table at the security room entrance, "Well, what a coincidence; I do!"

Security Guard: ???

Then he saw Qian Qi open her light brain and dial the research institute dean, Li Hongsheng.

"Dean! It’s Qian Qi; I’m visiting the Magic Plant Research Institute today!" Qian Qi leaned on the table and tapped her light brain to show the security guard, her face full of hubris, "Yeah, right, just passing by, thought I’d take a look, forgot the pass, and now the security guard won’t let me in."

From the light brain, Li Hongsheng’s voice could be heard, "Is that so? Then I’ll have the security let you in."

"How could that be?" Qian Qi exclaimed, and while Li Hongsheng was puzzled, he heard Qian Qi say, "Why don’t you come out and meet me? I might not recognize the way inside!"

Li Hongsheng: ...

Security Guard: ...

You really are audacious!

"Wait there, I’ll be right over." Li Hongsheng hung up and quickly left the meeting room.

The magic plant researchers in the meeting were puzzled, curious about who could make the dean abruptly leave such an important meeting?

At the entrance, the security guard looked at Qian Qi, who was hunched over writing registration information, and asked perplexed, "I say, buddy, since you have the dean’s number, why did you ask me to call the dean?"

Was it to show off intentionally?

The security guard glanced at Qian Qi, dressed plainly yet exuding a certain coolness. He often reads novels about poor characters rising through ranks and is well aware of the climax-showing off trope.

Unexpectedly, he got to experience it once in his lifetime.

He couldn’t help but get eager; when the dean came out and scolded him for failing to recognize a big shot, he’d explain that he strictly adhered to work duties and couldn’t allow entry without a permit. If the dean, angered and ashamed, decided to dismiss him, he’d demand a 2N+1 severance payout!

The security guard was getting excited as Qian Qi picked up the registration book, pointed at the names on it, then pointed to herself.

She said, "What else could it be for; it’s obviously for you to remember my face so you can let me enter without a pass next time!"

Security Guard: "..."

The dream of counter-showing off was shattered...