Chapter 7: I Didn't Want To Either, But He Gave Too Much
Dong Yuxuan was shedding golden beans.
Lin Xiaohe turned her head away. What was the use of crying? If crying were useful, the Lin Family wouldn't owe so much money.
Seemingly aware that his hopes of becoming a disciple were slim, Dong Yuxuan squatted down, covered his face, and tears streamed down through the gaps in his chubby fingers.
“I’m such a failure. As a Dong, I can't even farm. Everything I plant dies.”
“B-grade wheat?”
“My brother helped me cheat with that. I can’t farm, and I can't manipulate star dust plants. I’m just the Dong’s trash. Everyone laughs at me, and my friends bully me too.”
Sarcastic words and contemptuous gazes echoed in Dong Yuxuan’s mind, making it hard for him to breathe.
Lin Xiaohe’s nose stung. In Hua Country, she was often ostracized by classmates because her family were farmers.
She softened her voice: “It’s okay. You just work hard to get stronger, then hit them back!”
Dong Yuxuan looked up, full of hope: “You’re willing to take me as a disciple?”
Lin Xiaohe’s expression changed, and she said coldly: “No.”
Dong Yuxuan keenly sensed the softening in her attitude, and like clutching a life-saving straw, he pleaded humbly: “I know I’m stupid and slow at learning everything, but I’ll try my best!”
He was going crazy, trying to find his strengths, but he couldn't find a single one: “Wah wah! I have nothing but a lot of money. You’re so amazing, you surely wouldn’t care about money. But this is my only advantage…”
The chubby child hugged Lin Xiaohe’s calf, crying breathlessly.
Lin Xiaohe seemed to see in him that little girl who walked along the field paths, secretly wiping away tears.
Crying truly was useless; they wouldn't let you off just because you cried.
Only by becoming strong yourself would others not dare to look down on you.
Sigh.
“How much money do you have?”
Lin Xiaohe’s voice was stiff, but to Dong Yuxuan’s ears, it was like heavenly music.
Dong Yuxuan pulled out his wristband: “I have 1 million star coin, but I always get robbed, so my brother set a limit that I can’t transfer more than 20,000 per day. I haven’t spent a single star coin today, so I’ll transfer it all to you.”
【Dong Yuxuan transferred 20,000 to you.】
Lin Xiaohe accepted the 20,000: “What’s your biggest problem right now?”
Dong Yuxuan looked at Lin Xiaohe, lowered his head, and stammered: “The family assessment. My family gave me an eggplant seed, but the eggplant seedlings I grew are short and thin. If I fail this assessment again, I’ll be banished to the Third Star Ring.”
Lin Xiaohe, who was in the Sixth Star Ring…
“Tomorrow, at the same time and place, bring the eggplant seedling for me to see.”
The two exchanged contact information, and Lin Xiaohe exited the Central District.
She had Xin Bao download a large amount of plant cultivation data, planning to go back and compare it with the knowledge she learned at the agricultural academy, updating her information in a timely manner.
As soon as Dong Yuxuan went offline, he received a holographic call from his elder brother.
His face was handsome and refined, his eyes deep like the night sky, flickering with the light of wisdom and resilience. He was at his desk, head bowed, handling official business: “Just spent 20,000? What for?”
Dong Yuxuan hung his head, unconsciously rubbing the hem of his clothes, inexplicably carrying a hint of guilt: “I, I took a master.”
The handsome man pinched his brow, his tone filled with helplessness: “This assessment is very important, I can’t help you cheat again. Pay attention and don’t go down the wrong path. In terms of cultivation, besides the First Star Ring and the Central Star Ring, who can compare to our Dong? Don’t contact that swindler again, it’s a waste of time.”
Dong Yuxuan bit his lip tightly and quietly retorted: “Master isn’t a swindler!”
The handsome man said without question: “Be obedient, focus on the assessment.”
With that, he hung up the phone.
Dong Yuxuan’s explanation was cut short. Looking at the empty room, he sniffled and whispered: “Master is a Star Dust Plant Manipulator. I will definitely make you all look at me differently.”
“star dust Manipulator? Hahahaha, Dong Yuxuan, you’re still so stupid! How could you believe such nonsense!”
The door was pushed open, and a group of teenagers walked in, holding their stomachs and laughing loudly.
“Oh my, even if she really is a Manipulator, there’s no way she’d take you as a disciple! What do you have? A C-grade body, B-grade mental power, and a talent for killing everything you plant?”
“Maybe she’s just after his 20,000 star coin?”
Another round of laughter.
How could a Manipulator possibly lack money?!
“Dong Yuxuan, if I were you, I wouldn’t even participate in the assessment, to avoid embarrassment. Just quietly go to the Third Star Ring, why struggle?”
“That’s right, your parents have your elder brother, that’s enough. He’s so excellent. You being born is purely superfluous, a waste of family resources.”
Dong Yuxuan’s face turned pale. It was always like this, every time!
He covered his ears with his hands, trying to drive those hurtful words out of his mind: “My master wouldn’t lie to me, my master is super amazing. She’s not after money, she just pities me. She can definitely help me pass the assessment.”
…
Lin Xiaohe didn’t know that her newly accepted disciple was being bullied. She was secretly leaving through the back alley of Fúqì lái Internet Cafe.
She couldn't let Cheng Ge discover her, or it would be too awkward.
Fortunately, the journey was smooth.
With 20,000 star coin deposited in one day, Lin Xiaohe was in high spirits.
Xin Bao: “Lin Xiaohe, didn’t you say you didn’t want to take a disciple?”
Lin Xiaohe: “I didn’t want to either, but he gave too much.”
Xin Bao was puzzled: “Really?”
“Truer than real gold and silver!”
Xin Bao believed her and became happy: “That’s wonderful. Lin Xiaohe, after you pay off the family’s debt, can you upgrade me?”
Lin Xiaohe patted her chest: “No problem, how do I upgrade you?”
Xin Bao was a great contributor, so of course, it had to be satisfied.
Xin Bao wiggled its small leaf: “Just use star coin. To upgrade to Level 2, it only takes 100,000 star coin. If you don’t have star coin, you can plant more wheat, and I can absorb energy from it. The lower the star dust content of the wheat, the more energy I absorb.”
Lin Xiaohe felt a hint of foreboding. If it took 100,000 new coin to go from Level 1 to Level 2, then how much would it take from Level 2 to Level 3?
Xin Bao was a little embarrassed: “It costs 200,000 star coin to go from Level 2 to Level 3. Lin Xiaohe, am I too expensive?”
Lin Xiaohe had a toothache. Covering her cheek, she comforted Xin Bao: “Not expensive, not expensive at all.”
Whose family raises a child without spending money?
In Hua Country, aren't little ones called four-legged money-devouring beasts?
Lin Xiaohe’s back bent slightly.
Fate, that little imp, always refused to let her go. Making her, at such a youthful age, begin to bear the heavy responsibility of supporting her family.
Fortunately, the Lin Family was with her on the journey of supporting the family.
“Mom and Dad, here’s 1,000 star coin, take it to pay off debt.” Elder Brother Lin Chiyang, bruised and swollen, pulled out cash.
Second Sister Lin Jingqiu glanced at him thoughtfully, took out 500 star coin from her bag, and gestured to everyone, telling them she had been scavenging and had good luck, earning money.
Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin, meanwhile, took out a pile of small bills, counted them, and they added up to about three hundred.
They didn’t say where they came from.
Lin Father clapped loudly: “You’re all so amazing! We’ve saved a small part of our whole family’s lives! Congratulations to us.”
Hmph.
Lin Xiaohe stood up proudly, pointing at herself with one hand and opening her wristband with the other to display her balance: “Me, 20,000!”