Li Hongsheng hurried to the door of the institute, took a quick look at Qian Qi, and couldn’t help but ask, "Do you dress when you go out?"
He thought Qian Qi only dressed at school, but it turned out she dressed so... well, casually outside as well.
"Can’t help it, I’m broke." Qian Qi glanced at the white coat on Li Hongsheng and couldn’t help but rub her little hands. "If it bothers you so much, why not give me a set? I think the one you’re wearing looks pretty good."
You scammed me out of six million not long ago, and now you’re telling me you’re broke?
Li Hongsheng selectively ignored her, and led Qian Qi into the institute. "I’m in the middle of an important meeting, so I can’t show you around first. But if you’re interested, you can sit in on the meeting."
Although he found Qian Qi’s personality rather troublesome, Li Hongsheng had high hopes for her talent. He was getting older and wasn’t sure how many years he had left. If Qian Qi’s abilities could lead the Magic Plant Research Institute to glory, Li Hongsheng was more than willing to train her to be his successor.
Of course, the reason he valued Qian Qi so much wasn’t just her talent.
It was also her shameless money-making skills.
Very much in his style, hum hum~
Qian Qi scratched her ears, "Not interested in listening, I can just take a look around myself."
Li Hongsheng, who was just envisioning a bright future: ???
"Why aren’t you listening?" Li Hongsheng exclaimed in surprise. Did she lack even the most basic human curiosity? Didn’t she want to know what the important meetings at the Magic Plant Research Institute were about?
This was an im-por-tant meet-ing!
Qian Qi pointed to her heart, "My heart is too small to hold big matters."
Meaning big matters shouldn’t concern her; she just wanted to live a steady life as a wealthy lady.
Li Hongsheng forcibly dragged Qian Qi into the meeting room.
Staring at the locked meeting room door, Qian Qi clicked her tongue, "He’s only pushing me around because I don’t hit old folks."
To be honest, it doubted she actually held such a conventional principle.
When Qian Qi entered the meeting room, a dozen or so researchers in white lab coats all looked at her curiously, clearly wondering who could warrant the director’s personal welcome.
"Could it be another rich fool the director roped in?"
"Doesn’t look like it with those clothes. What kind of rich fool dresses so poorly?"
"Looks pretty young, maybe she’s a student from Awakener University? I think there were a couple of students here before."
The researchers whispered among themselves, and such obvious scrutiny naturally caught Qian Qi’s attention.
She turned to look and carefully observed each one, eventually discovering some familiar faces among the researchers.
For example, one of her teachers from the Magic Plant Course.
For example, her mentor Mo Yinqiu.
"Teacher Mo!" As soon as Qian Qi saw Mo Yinqiu, she let out a gasp and ran to her side, like old friends reuniting with tears in their eyes. She lifted her small hand to hold Mo Yinqiu’s hands, coquettishly saying, "It’s so scary here, you need to protect me!"
Nearly startled by Qian Qi’s loud voice, Mo Yinqiu: ...
Please stop, I’m the one who should be scared here.
"Researcher Mo, this is..." The male researcher sitting at the head of the conference table beside Mo Yinqiu raised his eyebrows, casting a sharp and critical look at Qian Qi.
"This is..." Mo Yinqiu began, but was interrupted by Qian Qi.
Qian Qi leaned on Mo Yinqiu’s shoulder, tidying her messy hair, and shyly said, "Hello, I’m Teacher Mo’s kept boy toy."
Nearby, a Magic Plant Course teacher covered their face, deciding to pretend not to know Qian Qi.
Li Hongsheng sat across from Mo Yinqiu. Although he had seen what Qian Qi did earlier, he said nothing, as he was the one who forcefully brought her here.
He turned to the male researcher, "Wei Zhen, please continue."
Wei Zhen frowned as he glanced at Qian Qi, discontentedly saying, "Director, this is an important meeting at our institute. Letting some pretty boy, some stranger, participate isn’t right, is it? Am I alone in this, people?"
Other researchers listened and couldn’t help but nod. This important meeting was to prepare for the upcoming five-year "results survey day," where higher-ups would come to inspect the Magic Plant Research Institute’s research achievements. If the institute failed to present an eye-catching study, the next five years of funding would be significantly reduced again.
The Magic Plant Research Institute had barely made it this far and was already on the edge of financial collapse. If funding dropped further, they wouldn’t even be able to pay staff salaries, making layoffs unavoidable.
This meeting concerned the future of all researchers, so the presence of a stranger inevitably made them uncomfortable.
Seeing the rejection from everyone, Li Hongsheng didn’t say anything but looked at Qian Qi to see how she would resolve this.
Qian Qi buried her face in Mo Yinqiu’s back, trembling slightly, like a timid and clueless little deer.
But when her coarse face peeked out from behind Mo Yinqiu, it was as if a rough-voiced thug was saying: What the hell are you looking at, I’m the most innocent here.
Li Hongsheng twitched the corner of his mouth.
He originally thought Qian Qi’s eloquence would let her dupe the crowd, but he never expected her to bear the rejection so tolerantly, playing the innocent socially-awkward flower.
He could only wave his hand, "Alright, this classmate is here at my invitation. Wei Zhen, continue with what you were saying."
Seeing Li Hongsheng take such a protective stance towards Qian Qi, Wei Zhen reluctantly complied, casting a disdainful look at Qian Qi, and then stood up, saying, "I think it’s better to disband the Benefit Department. The role of magic plants has been established; they’re only good for feeding magic beasts, offering no benefit to humans."
The Benefit Department is short for "Research Department for Human Benefits of Magic Plants." The Magic Plant Research Institute focuses on two major research areas: one studies the impact of magic plants on magic beasts, while the other examines their impact on humans. The institute has already published reports on magic plants benefiting magic beasts (Contracted Beasts), like the Fire Qilin Fruit.
But to date, no beneficial effects of magic plants on humans have been discovered.
Wei Zhen believed that the department’s existence was a complete waste of money and time, as it’s been concluded that magic plants are not beneficial to humans. It’s better to cut this section and use the saved funds to research magic plants beneficial to magic beasts.
However, dissolving this department would mean the Magic Plant Research Institute would fully shift focus to studying magic plants’ effects on magic beasts, greatly enhancing the status of Beast Masters. Ultimately, in group combat, Beast Masters could become the main leaders.
But prior to that, the Spiritual System’s commander had been the core of a team, and altering this core might affect team combat advantageously or adversely; no one could be sure.
Li Hongsheng pondered deeply, and after a while, he looked at Qian Qi, who seemed to be spacing out, and asked, "Qian Qi, what do you think?"