Chapter 113: Instructions

The twentieth day of the first lunar month, noon.

Ning Qing sat on the sofa, draped in a light-colored wool coat, checking the shipping progress.

The unmanned delivery truck had just entered the territory of Yujing.

It is more convenient for these unmanned vehicles to enter the capital; their company automatically applies for temporary entry permits for them, and Yujing is more lenient toward them. It is not very easy for ordinary freight drivers to enter Yujing.

Ning Qing received another message from Zhang Suannai.

This person was always bothering her.

Zhang Suannai: Ah, why aren't you back yet!

Zhang Suannai: I'm so bored all by myself!

Zhang Suannai: Oh, right.

Zhang Suannai: Did you get the message this morning? The school sent it out, saying we have a new roommate this semester and telling us to be prepared.

Zhang Suannai: Why do you think that new roommate is coming this semester?

Ning Qing: Received it.

Zhang Suannai: Why do you think she's coming this semester?

Zhang Suannai: It must be a special admission!

Zhang Suannai: But even if it's a special admission, shouldn't she normally enroll next semester?

Zhang Suannai: Could it be that she was admitted last semester but didn't report for some reason?

Zhang Suannai: How about we guess the reason?

Ning Qing: Not guessing.

Zhang Suannai: Guess! Guess!

Ning Qing: No.

Zhang Suannai: I beg you.

Ning Qing thought for a moment and typed: If you guess wrong, don't talk to me for a week.

Zhang Suannai: /complex expression

Zhang Suannai: Okay!

Zhang Suannai: /struggling

Zhang Suannai: I must guess right this time!

Ning Qing: You guess.

Ning Qing: If you're wrong, then I'm right.

Zhang Suannai: Okay.

Zhang Suannai: I guess she's returning from military service!

Zhang Suannai: It's usually something like this!

Zhang Suannai: It must be this!

Zhang Suannai: /convinced

Zhang Suannai: We're about to have a retired soldier big sister as a roommate, so exciting!

Zhang Suannai: Aren't you excited?

Ning Qing: Good.

Zhang Suannai: You guess too.

Ning Qing: It's my younger sister.

Zhang Suannai:...

Ning Qing: I told you before.

Zhang Suannai: /blank

Zhang Suannai: Tell me this isn't true!

Ning Qing: See you in a week.

Zhang Suannai: /complex expression

Ning Qing closed the Messaging App app, turned the Mobile Phone in her hand unconsciously, and continued to wait.

One hour later.

The unmanned vehicle entered the residential compound and stopped at the gate of the courtyard.

Ning Qing called Chen Shu and the little girl over to help her move the flowers down and place them in the courtyard.

Taozi acted as the supervisor on the side.

Although these flowers were in very large pots, the nutrient-rich soil Ning Qing had mixed herself was very loose, and since they hadn't been watered for a while, they were very light in weight. Sometimes, the little girl could even carry a pot in each hand, so it only took a few minutes to finish moving them.

Confirmed receipt, closed the cargo hold.

The small truck drove away automatically.

Ning Qing looked at the bare flowers all over the courtyard, holding a small shovel in her hand and waving it casually, looking like she was about to work but also felt it was a hassle.

The little girl peeked from the side, feeling that her sister's expression at this moment looked just like her brother-in-law's usually did.

"What do we do now?" Chen Shu asked.

"Transplant them from the pots into the ground," Ning Qing replied.

"Transplant them now?"

Chen Shu knew that roses would grow better planted in the ground; no matter how good the nutrient soil Ning Qing mixed was, or how carefully she cared for them, it couldn't compare to just planting them in a random patch of earth. He also knew that the reason Ning Qing had kept the flowers in pots while at home was because she had decided long ago that once she went to university, she would move them all away to her own place.

Now that she had left Bai City and had land, naturally, she had to plant them in the ground.

It was just that it was still very cold right now.

"Transplanting in winter is good; it won't cause damage," Ning Qing replied in a low voice, her gaze wandering as she looked thoughtful, still waving her small shovel. "They can sprout once the weather in Yujing warms up next month."

"Then why did you bring the pots over?"

"Only planting half."

"Oh..."

"Pots are very expensive; they'll be useful later."

"Then let's get to work," Chen Shu said. "We'll help you so you can finish early and head to school. Do you have a class meeting tonight?"

"Yes."

"We have one too."

"You help me dig the holes, and I'll place each pot where it needs to be planted. Dig according to the size of the pot, just a circle slightly larger than the pot." Ning Qing handed the shovel in her hand to Chen Shu, not forgetting to instruct him, "The soil here is quite hard. After you dig the hole, remember to check the four walls and the bottom. If the marks left by the shovel on the soil are smooth and flat, you must poke them to break the smooth surface, otherwise, it's easy for water to accumulate."

"..."

Chen Shu didn't take the shovel and said speechlessly, "So you spent all that time thinking just to prepare to hand this manual labor over to me, right?"

"Yes."

"You're even calm about it!"

"Hurry."

Ning Qing pushed the shovel toward him again, extending it in front of him.

Chen Shu still didn't take it and waved his hand:

"I know Earth Movement Spells."

"Spells used to dig holes will compress the soil, making it very compacted, airtight, and prone to water accumulation. The flowers will die if planted."

"I'll use a different principle."

"That's fine."

Ning Qing then took back the shovel, placed it on the ground, and began to move each pot to the position where she wanted to plant it—

She already had a plan in mind.

Chen Shu followed behind her, using Spells to dig the holes.

This type of Spell related to soil is collectively referred to in ancient times as Earth Movement Spells, also called Earth-type Spells. These Spells are widely used in modern times; in addition to common applications in agriculture and construction, many modern military Spells with very high frequency of use and importance have also been born from them.

For example, Trench Spells, Bunker Spells, etc.

On the Battlefield, for individual defense, no matter how useful Protective Divine Light is, it cannot compare to a thick mound of earth. No matter how powerful a Defense Barrier is, it cannot compare to curved trenches and tunnels deep underground when facing the enemy's saturation fire strikes.

In short, this type of Spell is simple and practical.

Chen Shu has also learned many.

Trench Spells, Bunker Spells, Tunneling Spells, Fortress Spells, Underground Passage Spells—one can tell they are modern Spells just by their names; the naming is simple and direct. Either he has already learned them, or they are on his to-learn list.

There is also one Ancient Spell—

Called Wandering Traveler's Inn.

This is a Spell created over a thousand years ago by Daoist practitioners traveling abroad. Its effect is to control stones and soil to form a simple small hut. Its ingenious conception and design are considered by modern people to be the earliest Spell possessing Modern Spell Design Thinking.

Chen Shu used a modified application of this type of Spell, scooping the soil out of the ground and then using other control Spells to push the soil to the side and pile it up.

One hole took about a second or so.

This was considered slow; if one didn't consider soil compaction and used conventional ground-sinking Spells, Chen Shu could dig five such small holes in one second.

But if he were to dig with a shovel himself, dozens of holes would likely take half an afternoon.

Spells change life.

Immediately, Ning Qing held the small shovel in one hand and carried a bag of sheep manure and slow-release fertilizer in the other, starting to apply base fertilizer to each hole. After mixing it evenly with the loose soil, Chen Shu would take the flower with its soil out of the pot, remove a portion of the soil ball, and plant it into the hole.

The little girl followed behind watering.

Taozi still acted as the supervisor, never leaving their side, and was very strict.

Two hours later.

About half of the flowers had already been planted in the ground. Although most of these flowers had been pruned until they were bare, the courtyard suddenly felt much fuller.

At least there wasn't so much empty space.

For the remaining half, some were miniature roses that could be planted in pots. Some were not roses; for example, the Deep Sleep Flower that had once knocked Chen Shu down, which Ning Qing did not intend to plant in the ground. There were also some rose varieties that Ning Qing planned to put elsewhere, such as taking them back to the Dormitory, or placing them on the roof of the east wing of the courtyard, on the corridor of the second floor of the main house's side room, or by the bedroom window.

Secondly, there was another reason: this courtyard is smaller than the one in Bai City, and the empty space is limited, making it impossible to plant all the flowers.

Just by planting this half, over eighty percent of the empty space inside and outside the courtyard had already been used.

"Done?"

"Done."

"Emmm..."

Chen Shu thought for a moment and pointed to a small patch of empty space in the corner: "If you have time later, plant some green onions here, scatter a small patch of cilantro, and by the way, you can also plant some garlic sprouts; they're useful for stir-frying, and then you won't be too lazy to go out and buy them."

"Okay."

"Then this task is handed over to you; it should be very simple for you."

"Go wash your hands."

"Okay."

It was almost five o'clock, time to go to school.

After Chen Shu washed his hands clean, he came back and stood by the edge of the courtyard, turned his head to look at the fruits of his labor, and felt very satisfied and had a great sense of accomplishment. He had already begun to look forward to the scene of them blooming in his heart.

"Xiaoxiao."

"Hmm?"

"Come here."

The little girl walked over obediently, blinking her eyes as she looked at her brother-in-law, curious, but not saying a word.

"When does the full-magic training start?"

"Next week."

"Next week, huh..."

"Mm."

"But you still have to move into sister's Dormitory today."

"Mm."

"Sister has a roommate, I heard there's something wrong with her brain," Chen Shu patiently exhorted, "You'll be living with her day and night for a few years, so you must get along well with her, build a good relationship, and don't look down on her intelligence, got it?"

The little girl honestly nodded her head:

"Okay."

"And don't always make her angry."

"Okay."

"Maybe if you get bullied by sister in the future, you can join forces with that sister to deal with sister."

"Okay."

"I heard that sister is also very interesting, you should observe her more often."

"Okay."

"If brother-in-law has anything to ask you in the future, you must not hide it."

"Okay."

"If there are any tasks entrusted to you, you must also help brother-in-law complete them well; brother-in-law won't treat you badly."

"Okay, okay."

"Also, although you will only officially enroll in school next semester, you will usually stay at Ling'an Academy, so remember to help me keep an eye on sister. If anyone pursues sister, remember to tell me."

"Okay."

"If anyone harasses sister, remember to help me beat him up."

"Okay."

"Do a good job and I'll take you to eat something delicious."

"Okay."

"Just keep being a little fool."

"Okay..."

The little girl suddenly raised her head, staring at brother-in-law with a serious expression:

"!!"

"Haha!"

Chen Shu patted her shoulder: "Hurry and grab your luggage, let's go to school and start your new life in Yujing."

"Okay..."

The little girl walked quickly into the house.

She was also full of longing for her future life.

At the very least, she wouldn't have to stay at home anymore.

She could match wits with sister every day, and her school was right next to brother-in-law's.

Before long, Ning Qing had already walked out with her bag on her back and her suitcase in hand. The little girl was also dragging her luggage; her luggage was too much and too heavy, and she was struggling to pull it. Seeing this, Chen Shu hurried forward to take the luggage from her hands, then quickened his pace to walk out of the courtyard, finally turning back to close the door.