Chapter 19: Someone Showed Off Succulents in the Class Group Chat

After returning to Taoyuan Village, Zhou Yu walked to Li Guomin’s shop, greeted him, and then rode his electric bike back to the Old Family House.

During the morning, he went to the mountain with Huzi, found the Little White Fox’s den, helped it drive away enemies, and then went to a dessert shop with Wei Dehua to taste some desserts made from Grapes. It was a very fulfilling time.

Today was the third day since the Jade Dews were planted. After growing for two days and two nights, these twenty Jade Dews were already larger than those others had raised for over half a year. Whether it was the color of the leaves, the shape of the “windows,” or their translucency, they surpassed Jade Dews grown in ordinary conditions.

Especially the variegated Pan Deng and Hei Ji. Compared to the other Jade Dews nearby, they were even more beautiful. Their unique colors, different from the green leaves, were the most dazzling presence on the Jade Dews, like a single red spot in a vast green field.

Looking at these twenty Jade Dews growing bigger and more beautiful, Zhou Yu thought for a moment and felt it was time to propagate some more.

The space inside the Spirit Gathering Array wasn’t very large. In terms of fully mature Jade Dew plants, aside from the grapevines, the remaining space could only support about forty plants.

However, if the Jade Dews were fully mature, there was no need to keep them in the Spirit Gathering Array anymore. They should be moved out, treated with Spirit Stabilizing Liquid, and prepared for sale.

Zhou Yu couldn’t help but wish he could obtain a Spirit Gathering Array with a larger range. Even a lower-level one would greatly increase the variety and quantity he could plant.

After fantasizing about the future, Zhou Yu focused his gaze on the twenty Jade Dews. He decided to propagate five from each, and then use Spirit Stabilizing Liquid to create two variegated Jade Dews. That way, two could be sold later, and two could be kept as family treasures. Perfect.

Next, he first went to the Pan Deng Jade Dews. He casually selected one non-variegated Jade Dew and dug it out from the soil.

From a small seedling to now having over a dozen leaves in just one or two days—this was the miracle brought by the Spirit Gathering Array.

Zhou Yu took the small knife from his keychain and slowly cut off five outer leaves. Generally, succulent propagation relied on offshoots or side shoots. However, Pan Deng Jade Dews basically didn’t produce side shoots. To propagate them, one had to resort to beheading or leaf cuttings.

For an ordinary person, directly removing five leaves from a growing Pan Deng would undoubtedly ruin the plant’s overall beauty and growth condition. But with the Spirit Gathering Array, nothing was a problem.

Afterwards, Zhou Yu did the same with a Hei Ji Jade Dew. He buried all the removed leaves in the soil within the Spirit Gathering Array.

After finishing the propagation work, he took out the small golden gourd from his pocket. He selected one Pan Deng and one Hei Ji, applying a drop of Spirit Stabilizing Liquid to each. The emerald-green liquid disappeared instantly upon contact with the Jade Dew leaves.

Relying on these two grapevines, or using Grapes for fishing to make money, was not a long-term plan. The Jade Dews inside this Spirit Gathering Array were his greatest asset for earning money.

In Taoyuan Village, most people his age either had new houses built by their families or had gotten married. Many relied on their parents’ savings. His own parents had worked hard for most of their lives but hadn’t saved much money.

Selling the Old Family House this time was also because his parents felt they owed him. They wanted to sell it to help him get married. But Zhou Yu had never complained about anything. Some people had the skill to rely on their parents; he believed earning money by himself was the real skill.

After finishing everything, Zhou Yu picked two more bunches of Grapes. As usual, he took Huzi to see the sea and eat Grapes. Another day had passed since the Radio was last turned on. He wondered what surprise Uncle-Master Wu would bring him tonight.

Thinking about Uncle-Master Wu’s cursing scenes made him chuckle. When he was lost, it was Uncle-Master Wu who lit up his life, bringing him the miraculous Spirit Gathering Array and endless fun.

While eating Grapes and watching the sea, his Mobile Phone suddenly chimed. Zhou Yu picked it up and saw it was a message from his university class group chat. Someone seemed to have @-mentioned his name.

He hadn’t checked messages in this university group for a while. Some people showed off their jobs, some their salaries, some their boyfriends or girlfriends, and a few even showed off their sugar daddies or mommies. It was filled with interests and showing off.

But that’s life. When you get something others don’t have, if you don’t show it off a bit, how can it match your efforts?

In university, apart from close friends or roommates, many people were merely acquaintances. This kind of showing off naturally didn’t burden many people psychologically.

Zhou Yu tapped his phone and opened the WeChat group. He and some friends he knew were in a smaller group. Now, someone @-mentioning him in this group probably meant nothing good.

Opening it, sure enough: “Little Universe, I heard you got fired again and went back to your hometown to farm. Is that true? Come out and tell us.” A person named “Having Money, No Panic” Han Yahui had @-mentioned him.

Seeing this name, Zhou Yu couldn’t help but smile. People really could show off anything. As if typing those words made him seem so grand.

“Yes, went back to farm.” He thought for a moment and typed those words. He didn’t feel there was anything shameful about it.

“Haha, I guessed right! Went back to farm. Those four years of university really weren’t wasted, huh? And you’re called Little Universe? I think you’ll never ‘explode’ in this lifetime.” Han Yahui typed again, attaching a picture of big laughter.

“Yeah, can’t compare to Boss Han, who has a good sugar mommy and gets a fixed salary every month.” Zhou Yu replied calmly.

Seeing these words, Han Yahui instantly felt blood rush to his head. He wished he could tear Zhou Yu to pieces.

“Little Universe, that was so many years ago. Boss Han is now an engineer at a big company.” Someone on good terms with Han Yahui stepped in to help.

Zhou Yu didn’t say anything more. Although his personality was gentle, he wasn’t someone anyone could just bully. Back when Han Yahui first graduated, he couldn’t resist the lure of money and was kept by a rich woman. It only lasted a year, though. This wasn’t a secret among classmates.

“Alright, alright, we’re all classmates here, just joking. By the way, Yahui, the Jade Dews you posted in your moments look really nice.” Another classmate also stepped in to smooth things over, shifting the topic elsewhere.

Han Yahui was looking for a chance to make a comeback. Seeing this question, he immediately laughed and sent several pictures. “Haha, you’ve got a good eye! This is a Neon Light Jade Dew, the world’s most expensive succulent variety. I’ve been raising this one for two years. It’s worth at least several thousand yuan now.”

Zhou Yu had kept the WeChat group open and also saw these so-called Neon Light photos. He immediately smiled, then looked back at the Jade Dews inside the Spirit Gathering Array. This guy raised his for two years? His own Hei Ji Jade Dew, raised for just two days, looked better. A non-variegated Hei Ji Jade Dew, and he could show it off?

However, he didn’t intend to show off his own Jade Dews to put him in his place. It really wasn’t worth it. Besides, a picture didn’t mean someone actually owned it.

“Back then, someone thought they were so great for raising some ordinary succulents. And now? Back to farming. Let me tell you all, I know a boss who runs a Succulent Shop in the provincial city. He’s a rich second-generation heir. His shop has lots of precious succulents, even Neon Light variegated ones. When I have time, I’ll take you all to see it.”

Han Yahui continued to mock, while also taking the chance to show off his social circle.

Zhou Yu couldn’t hold back his laughter. It was truly a case of “when the tiger is away from the mountain, the monkey proclaims himself king.” Speaking of which, back then, Han Yahui’s purpose for raising succulents was the same as his, and the person they wanted to pursue was the same. But they couldn’t really be considered love rivals, because that beautiful woman never even glanced at Han Yahui properly.