Chapter 23: 023
Zhu Ran, having sent off Delivery Person Z, opened the express packages he bought online.
He first put the two kinds of soil he bought into the vases.
The expensive unpolluted soil was divided into two portions. The untreated soil, after Zhu Ran filtered and purified it with his spiritual power, was also divided into two portions.
Zhu Ran planted a daisy cutting in each of these 4 flower pots and then watered them with purified water infused with his spiritual power and ordinary purified water respectively.
After doing all this, Zhu Ran placed the 4 pots of flowers in the sun, waiting for tomorrow to come.
“There should be results tomorrow! Hope to find a way to increase plant yield.”
After preparing the experimental groups, Zhu Ran observed the gene-synthesized plants he bought—Mutated Fire Thorn and Fish-scale Narcissus.
Even though he had already seen these two gene-synthesized plants in the Xinggou holographic world, when Zhu Ran actually held them in his hand, he couldn’t help but sigh again: Interstellar plants are really strange.
Mutated Fire Thorn fruits grew as big as fists and were fluffy. Zhu Ran didn’t like fruits with hair.
The Fish-scale Narcissus had a strange beauty.
The deep black petals actually grew patterns like fish scales, shimmering with polarized light. It felt icy cold to the touch, and the handfeel was very peculiar.
“Cough… cough…”
However, the fragrance of the Fish-scale Narcissus was too pungent. As soon as Zhu Ran, who had sharp senses, smelled this scent, he was stimulated and sneezed repeatedly. His eyes also seeped tears due to physiological reaction.
Zhu Ran quickly wove a net with spiritual power to cover the Fish-scale Narcissus so its scent wouldn’t spread out.
He turned on the exhaust fan again to let fresh air enter the room, and only after a while did he stop coughing.
Zhu Ran probed the synthetic plants with spiritual power.
What was different from Zhu Ran’s imagination was that gene-synthesized plants had almost no feedback for his spiritual power. It was just like throwing a stone into an endless abyss, without even an echo.
“So cold… like a cold robot.”
Trying twice without getting positive feedback from the synthetic plants, Zhu Ran felt natural plants were more cute.
Every time Zhu Ran used spiritual power to catalyze natural plants, the feedback of the natural plants was very active, wishing to stick their whole plant onto Zhu Ran, very clingy.
“Continue to list 5 pots of Freesia, 5 pots of Daisies, and a jar of Daisy tea today.”
“Need to set a purchase limit to avoid being bought out by one person, and also send a shop push notification to inform previous buyers that the shop has moved.”
Planning this way, Zhu Ran first catalyzed the Daisies and Freesias to be listed, and then finished making a jar of Daisy tea.
Setting the items for automatic listing at 3:00 PM and limiting each person to buy a maximum of 2 pots of the same variety, he then sent the shop update.
[Zhuying Anxiang: The shop has moved to Shop No. 81, Central 19th District. Goods are listed at 3:00 PM every day. Everyone is welcome to the new shop to choose and buy.]
After doing this, Zhu Ran felt his spiritual power; there was still a surplus.
Since moving to the central city area, because he could bask in the sun every day and ate food made from mutated beasts, Zhu Ran’s spiritual sea recovery rate had become faster, now restored to about 10%.
Thus, even though he had already catalyzed so many plants today, Zhu Ran didn’t feel tired.
“Since spiritual power is enough, might as well open a new seed blind box to enrich the varieties in the online shop.”
So, Zhu Ran took out one of the remaining shriveled seeds and injected spiritual power into it like before.
The pollution inside the seed was quickly removed under the penetration of spiritual power.
It was filled with vitality and regained life.
A small tender sprout broke out of the shell with the help of the plant-type ability. It stretched, grew, and then bloomed.
Small purple flowers grew densely at the top. They huddled together to decorate the green main stem with an umbrella-shaped cap, elegant and beautiful.
Along with the blooming of the flowers, a light floral fragrance permeated, with a hint of grass in the richness, making one feel very comfortable.
Different from the light sweetness of Freesia and the wilderness aura of Daisies, its fragrance was more towards vegetation, fresh and elegant.
“Ah… it’s Lavender.”
Zhu Ran recognized this new plant at a glance.
Lavender is a relatively cold-hardy plant. Usually, they are planted in large areas to form lavender gardens, creating a beautiful purple sea that is intoxicating.
Lavender is also a common spice plant, and its fragrance has a sleep-aiding effect, making it very suitable for making essential oils or aromatherapy.
“With Lavender, I can start making lavender essential oil.”
“When listing Lavender, I’ll update the holographic eco-zone along the way. The appearance of a large area of purple lavender blooming in the shop—the thought of it is very beautiful.”
Zhu Ran immediately thought of various uses for Lavender, with a shallow smile hanging on his face.
He placed an order on the Star Network for small brown glass bottles on the spot, to be used for storing lavender essential oil.
“Wait until the essential oil is successfully made, then list it with Lavender together!”
Placing the lavender on the balcony, Zhu Ran stood alone by the window looking into the distance.
The city without plant decoration was full of high-tech atmosphere everywhere. Near the star-rail track connecting to the firmament, automatic patrol hovercars sped past from time to time.
This city, which was unfamiliar at first sight, had gradually become familiar to current Zhu Ran.
In these days, he also met quite a few people.
For example, Z with a bad first impression, enthusiastic Xiuna and the cold-faced but warm-hearted Officer Vier, interesting guests “Qin Ke is Very Cute” and “Mu Qingzhou,” etc.
Original Zhu Ran, who was like a small boat drifting in the interstellar, after meeting these people, the scenery in his eyes also became brilliant and colorful, becoming lively and full of the aura of common life.
The radiance of the sun shone on his body, hair, and long eyelashes, draping a shallow layer of gold over him.
Zhu Ran smiled: “Everything is becoming better.”
The update from the [Zhuying Anxiang] shop came out, and many people’s optical computers popped up the Xinggou APP’s notification sound.
“Zhuying Anxiang moved to Central 19th District and predicted the listing of items at 3:00 PM!”
“There is still 1 hour until 3:00. I’ll squat at the shop door now. I don’t believe I can’t buy Freesia.”
“The big boss gave a 20,000 sourcing fee just to buy a stalk of Freesia. I must grab it today.”
…
Several personal shoppers teleported to the 19th District with two “whooshing” sounds, waiting at the door of the [Zhuying Anxiang] shop.
Because of their appearance, the cold and quiet 19th District became a bit more lively.
Several luxury shop owners in the 19th District, out of curiosity, poked their heads out to ask.
“Are you squatting here waiting for the shop to open?”
“What does this shop sell that’s so popular?”
“Anyway, the shop hasn’t opened yet. Do you want to come to my shop and browse? Looking doesn’t cost money.”
The personal shoppers waiting for the [Zhuying Anxiang] shop to open only replied once in a while, unwilling to say much.
What a joke. Speak more, err more. Speak less, err less. No speak, no err.
In case being talkative caused their sourcing to fail, who would make up for this loss?
And this was the famous 19th District where money was not lacking! In the case that some rich person came and bought out the [Zhuying Anxiang] shop, who should they go to cry and complain?
Take advantage of the fact that not many people know about [Zhuying Anxiang] shop moving yet, and quickly do the sourcing to earn a wave.
The shop owners in the 19th District nearby, seeing these people not very willing to pay attention, felt a sense of contrariness.
The more some people didn’t want them to know what was sold in the shop, the more they wanted to know.
Thinking this way, the shop owners did a frantic search for the shop name [Zhuying Anxiang].
In the interstellar big data era, it only took zero point several seconds to have detailed information about this shop.
December Xinggou APP newbie shop first place…
The holy grail for chasing love, Freesia…
Natural plants…
“Selling natural plants… no wonder they dared to open the shop in the 19th District.”
“Mm… might as well join the fun myself!”
So, the shop owners in the 19th District, who were originally bored and watching the show, joined the rush-buy team and also sent the matter of a natural plant shop opening in the 19th District to their friend groups without fear of trouble.
[Ding~ I found an interesting shop “Zhuying Anxiang” in the Xinggou APP Central 19th District, come find me and play together!]
Not long after, several figures went online with “whoosh whoosh whoosh” sounds, joining the rush-buying together.
The 19th District shop owner looked at the suddenly lively street and laughed happily: “Truly lively~”
In Jialan Comprehensive University, Qin Ke and Mu Qingzhou received Daisy dried flower tea almost at the same time.
What Qin Ke received was the official large jar, while what Mu Qingzhou received was a small jar.
Qin Ke strictly followed the instructions, took 4 dried daisy flowers, brewed them with boiling water for 3 minutes, and then started drinking.
The slightly bitter taste of the daisy tea carried a hint of sweetness. It was different from all interstellar drinks, with a long and gentle aftertaste.
It was a taste Qin Ke had never drunk before.
“Plants can actually be used to brew tea. Didn’t expect that.”
“Good drink!”
Qin Ke, who liked to drink carbonated drinks, actually didn’t hate this lightly flavored hot drink.
Not only did he not hate it, but the more he drank, the more he got hooked.
After being brewed with hot water, the fragrance unique to Daisies was amplified, so the entire dorm was soaked in the tranquil wilderness aura, as if the surroundings were filled with daisies, with a sense of tranquility as if being in a forest.
The mood was comfortable.
Drinking the daisy tea mouthful by mouthful, he wondered if it was a psychological effect, but Qin Ke felt his irritable mood today caused by final exam homework seemed to have calmed down a bit.
His head didn’t hurt, his spiritual sea wasn’t violent anymore, and his eyes weren’t sore either.
He was peaceful and suddenly didn’t have those worldly desires; the impulse to curse being tortured by the sea of questions also disappeared.
It’s said natural plants have a slight effect of soothing the spiritual sea; seems true.
Hehe, he might be the first person to drink a beverage brewed from natural plants.
The sense of superiority made Qin Ke unable to stop his heart from wanting to show off.
But… Qin Ke remembered last time he posted on the forum and almost had his identity exposed; this time he wouldn’t go to the forum to post, just post a picture in the friend circle!
With a [click], Qin Ke took a photo of the daisy tea and posted it to the friend circle.
Qin Ke: [Daisy tea, refreshing and brain-boosting, essential for final exams.]
After taking the photo, Qin Ke’s vanity was satisfied.
Because of the daisy tea, his emotions were very stable now, with no irritability at all from being tortured by final exams.
“While the thinking is clear, might as well do two more questions?”
Thinking this way, Qin Ke once again plunged into the theoretical subjects he didn’t like. Only this time, he wasn’t as resistant as before.
Different from Qin Ke who drank it as soon as he received the daisy tea, Mu Qingzhou just put the daisy tea aside and didn’t drink it immediately after receiving it.
At this moment, he was holding an ice-sealed mutated vine plant in his hand.
This was the mutated plant he specially went to a nearby planet to hunt today after skipping a whole day of schedule, with the purpose… just to have a deeper connection with the owner of the Zhuying Anxiang shop.
Realizing the shop owner [Zhu] of Zhuying Anxiang might just be opening the shop on a whim and could suddenly run away, Mu Qingzhou was a bit anxious.
He didn’t want Zhu to suddenly disappear from his world.
Whether it was the plants the other party cultivated, the fragrance on the plants, or Zhu himself, Mu Qingzhou liked them all.
Since he liked it, he would go and strive for it.
Mu Qingzhou’s hand became red because of holding the ice block, but he didn’t seem to feel this cold temperature. He kept holding the ice-sealed plant in his hand without putting it down.
He sent a message to Zhu with one hand.
Mu Qingzhou: [I accidentally obtained a mutated plant, are you interested?]
After sending the message, Mu Qingzhou sat on one side and quietly waited for a reply, and on the table beside him were two pots of ice-sealed Freesia.
Crystal clear, radiating bursts of chill, just like the feeling Mu Qingzhou gave to others—handsome and overly cold.
After Zhu Ran received Mu Qingzhou’s message, he was attracted by the ice-sealed mutated plant in the photo at a glance.
It was a black-red vine, about as thick as Zhu Ran’s wrist, with quite a few sharp thorns on the outer wall looking very aggressive. But its front end was curved into two circles, with a soft texture.
This was a vine that could strangle a person to death. Very suitable for use as a self-defense weapon.
Having experienced being targeted by bandits, Zhu Ran felt he lacked self-defense means in the interstellar.
He had wanted a mutated plant, but couldn’t buy one on Xinggou. Zhu Ran originally wanted to find a way to get one when he had time; now there was actually a ready-made one.
Zhu Ran naturally wanted it.
So he immediately replied: [Interested.]
After replying, Zhu Ran noticed Mu Qingzhou’s hand holding the mutated plant was frozen red.
He also cared: [Your hand is about to be frostbitten, don’t hold it directly.]
Soon Mu Qingzhou replied to Zhu Ran.
[This is a B-rank mutated plant, the market price is around 40,000. If you want it, I can give it to you, but I need to confirm your identity to avoid you using this plant to do illegal things.]
[The hand is fine, just apply some medicine.]
This price of 40,000 was a sky-high price to Zhu Ran who had just arrived in the interstellar, but to the current Zhu Ran, selling two natural plants was enough to pay.
As for what Mu Qingzhou said about needing to confirm identity, Zhu Ran felt there was no problem either.
In the interstellar, mutated plants were probably like controlled firearms before the apocalypse—not something you could have just because you wanted it.
Zhu: [Okay. Do I need to give you the ID card?]
Mu Qingzhou: [Need. Also need video.]
[I will also give my ID card to you.]
Z: [Good. You can add my Xingxun number: 27195****.]
The two had been communicating on the Xinggou APP before and had not added private communication numbers.
Mu Qingzhou: [Added.]
Mu Qingzhou at the other end of the screen saw his friend application pass, and the corner of his mouth curved up.
He could establish a further relationship with Zhu.
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