Plot 147
Jiang Luokui was checking on the scallions she had transplanted the night before. They looked lively—no signs of wilting. As expected, the “bathwater” treatment was incredibly effective.
She opened the observation log for Plot 147 and wrote:
September 4 — Day 1 after transplanting four-season scallions. Leaves show no wilting, color is vibrant green, and a small number of white new roots have emerged at the base. Due to influence from nearby plots, soil radiation has slightly increased compared to the morning. Continued observation required.
The spiritual energy inside Jiang Luokui was now in a relatively stable state. Perhaps her ability had stabilized as well?
Time to test whether her power had changed.
Closing her comm device, she crouched beside the scallions and touched one with her fingertip.
Ability [Growth], activate!
A faint ripple passed through the air. The scallion she touched immediately began to grow at a visible rate.
From just 10 cm tall, it shot up another 3 cm in an instant!
Jiang Luokui’s eyes lit up. “[Growth] was always a decent ability, but with my low capacity before, it was fast but useless—quantity couldn’t lead to quality. But now… that limitation seems gone.”
She could clearly feel it—her ability capacity had expanded.
It seemed her power was directly tied to the spiritual energy within her body.
Unfortunately, the world’s spiritual energy was still too thin. The amount she could absorb from food was pitiful. If only she had money—then she could test every ingredient and eat whichever contained the most energy.
She pondered, “At this rate… breaking through the Qi Refining stage might take… half a year???”
Suddenly, she missed her alchemist friends from the cultivation world.
Plant cultivators and alchemists were the perfect duo. Back then, she wouldn’t even bother absorbing energy from food—she just popped pills.
“…Forget it. One step at a time. At least my ability is more efficient now—I can save some spiritual energy. Today I’ll ‘water’ every plant and push for an early harvest.”
After finishing the work, she noticed something surprising—the soil where the scallions grew had clearly lost fertility.
So rapid growth consumes nutrients…
“Hmm.”
She immediately messaged Wang Meng.
Jiang Luokui: Senior, are you still selling that fertilizer you mentioned?
Wang Meng: Not for others—but for you, I can spare a bag. Half price.
Wang Meng only had one corn plant and didn’t need so much fertilizer anyway. Might as well build goodwill—she might need Jiang Luokui’s help later.
But her fertilizer came in 20 kg bags. Jiang Luokui couldn’t afford that, nor did she need so much. At most, she could buy… one jin of nitrogen fertilizer—about 100 yuan worth.
Wang Meng still agreed readily.
Senior Wang is such a good person!
Before leaving the test field, Jiang Luokui even made a detour to check on Wang Meng’s corn. Seeing it grow well, she left reassured.
By the time she reached the cafeteria, it was nearly empty.
The lunch lady waved at her. “Steamed buns are half price today.”
“Then I’ll take six!”
The woman smiled and handed them over.
After paying, Jiang Luokui glanced around, then leaned in and asked quietly, “Auntie… does the cafeteria rent out pots?”
“Rent pots?” The woman laughed. “Since when do people rent pots?”
“Yes! Just for one night. It won’t interfere with meal service.”
Jiang Luokui was planning ahead—her scallions should be ready for harvest by the weekend. She’d need a big wok to make scallion oil. Buying one wasn’t worth it, but renting or borrowing might work.
The woman glanced at the charity institute logo on her chest and softened. “What do you need it for? Let me make sure it’s appropriate—if it is, I’ll help you. No charge.”
Jiang Luokui beamed. “Thank you! I just want to cook something.”
Cooking? Probably a food science student.
“Alright, you can use it—but only here in the cafeteria, and I’ll supervise.”
Jiang Luokui blinked. The auntie could decide that?
Just then, a chef walked by, grumbling, “Sister Chen, have you talked to logistics yet? Stop letting the agriculture department send over random plant powders. The buns taste awful and hurt my reputation!”
Reputation? For the first-floor cafeteria?
Wasn’t it already famously bad?
The lunch lady sighed. “I’ll talk to them again tomorrow.”
She removed her hat and smiled. “I’m the contractor for this cafeteria. My word counts. Just let me know a day in advance.”
Jiang Luokui was stunned—the seemingly ordinary lunch lady was actually the boss… and so kind.
“There really are good people everywhere,” she thought.
“Thank you, Auntie Chen!”
Her seed order had also arrived. After leaving the cafeteria, she picked up her package from the dorm gate.
The next morning, before dawn, she headed to Plot 147. After briefly soaking the seeds in her “bathwater,” she planted them all.
Even in September, mornings were already hot.
Wiping sweat, she muttered, “Not even a place to sit here… once I make money, I’m definitely buying a stool.”
Bubu climbed onto her shoulder, pointing here and there.
“Abu.”
Put the stool here… or maybe there… hmm.
Indecisive again.
Jiang Luokui laughed. “All your picks are good. We’ll rotate the stool!”
“Abu~” Bubu nodded enthusiastically.
“Now we just wait for the scallions to reach harvest stage!”
With daily infusions of [Growth], the scallions changed almost visibly each day. After five days, the first harvest was ready.
Saturday, 9:40 PM.
As soon as class ended, Jiang Luokui rushed to the field.
At this hour, it should be empty—perfect for harvesting.
But she ran into Wang Meng instead. The two chatted as they walked.
“Thanks again for saving my corn,” Wang Meng said gratefully. “It’s been growing great—no sign it almost mutated.”
“I should thank you too. Your fertilizer worked wonders.”
“Hehe, your scallions were tiny before—have they grown?”
Jiang Luokui smiled. “They have.”
Wang Meng had seen them days ago—barely 10 cm tall. Even after five or six days, they should still be in growth stage…
But when they reached Plot 147, she froze.
The once-empty land was now full of crops. Most were seedlings—but near the gate…
A dense patch of lush scallions stood out.
Each cluster was nearly 40 cm tall.
In this heat, they not only hadn’t stopped growing—they’d reached harvest stage in days?!
Wang Meng pointed, speechless. “Th-this…”
Even under ideal conditions, this should take at least a month!
Unless she replanted near-mature scallions…
After a long pause, she managed, “Did your potted scallions die?”
Jiang Luokui unlocked the gate. “No, these are from those two pots.”
Silence.
Wang Meng counted—16 clusters. Not one died?
“…Are you really D-rank?”
“Absolutely,” Jiang Luokui said, lowering her voice. “Same as before—please keep it secret.”
Wang Meng made an OK sign.
Looking closer, she noticed something even more shocking.
Not a single plant had mutated.
They looked exactly like textbook examples.
But this was radiation level 3 soil!
“What kind of chosen farmer is this…?” she wondered. “The school must’ve misjudged her ability.”
“I’d bet even Li Jueming wouldn’t do better,” she said.
Jiang Luokui—less than a week into school—already looked like a seasoned farmer.
Then Wang Meng noticed her harvesting.
“Wait! Don’t cut them like that! With this quality, whole plants would sell for more!”
“I checked,” Jiang Luokui replied. “Even whole plants don’t sell for much. Processing them is better.”
“…Fair enough.”
Wang Meng stepped back. “I’ll check my field then.”
Better not intrude.
As Jiang Luokui harvested, a rich scallion fragrance filled the air. One breath made her mind feel clearer.
“Not bad,” she nodded. “Special effect: mild refreshment and slight focus boost. Barely noticeable though.”
Bubu climbed out of the basin, nodding.
The basin—once for planting scallions—was now Bubu’s bed.
Pathetic.
“This is how my bonded spirit plant lives?”
Jiang Luokui hurried to finish, then picked up the full basin.
“Let’s go! Cafeteria time—scallion oil! Once we earn money, I’ll get you a proper bed!”
“Abu—!”
Off they went.