Chapter 11: How to Choose the Future Path

“Yi An, you’re finally awake?”

Seeing her waking up with drowsy eyes, the Dormitory Leader, already dressed and ready to leave, smiled and struck up a conversation. “We thought we wouldn’t get to say goodbye before leaving.”

“All of us have trains this morning and plan to go to the station together to wait.”

“After we leave, you’ll be the only one left in the dorm. Remember to take your keys when you go out.”

“By the way, your train is tomorrow, right?”

As soon as she opened her eyes, Shen Yi’an was faced with a barrage of questions.

Though her mind was still foggy, she instinctively nodded. “Yes, my train is tomorrow.”

Only after speaking did her consciousness gradually clear. “Are you all getting ready to leave now?”

“Wait for me, let me wash my face and I’ll see you off to the station.”

“No need!” The roommate closest to her waved her hand with a smile.

“There are seven of us going together—why would we need just one person to see us off?”

“Don’t make it so we have to send you back afterward.”

At these words, the dormitory erupted in laughter.

After a few playful exchanges, the seven who had already packed their luggage took turns hugging the newly awakened Shen Yi’an to say goodbye.

“Yi An, let’s get together again when we have the chance!”

“Our majors all involve assignments to schools—we’ll have plenty of time during winter and summer breaks to reunite, right, Yi An?”

“Oh, Yi An, your home is in Lancheng, isn’t it? The city I’m assigned to is close to yours. I’ll visit you when I have time!”

“Goodbye, Yi An. Looking forward to our next meeting!”

Listening to her roommates’ farewell sentiments, Shen Yi’an’s eyes grew slightly red.

During their four years of university, the eight of them in the dorm had gotten along very well.

Though there were occasional arguments, most of the time it was quite harmonious.

At the end of every winter or summer break, each would bring local specialties back to the dorm for everyone to share.

Who would have thought four years would pass so quickly in the blink of an eye?

After this parting, it was unclear when they might meet again in the future.

But what did it matter?

As long as they kept in touch, there would surely be a day when they reunited.

After the farewells, the seven leaving one by one departed the dorm, leaving Shen Yi’an alone.

But she had no time to dwell on the sadness of parting. Instead, she quickly washed up, locked the dorm room, and left the school.

Her destination: the Seed Market.

Since the Space needed to absorb energy to level up, the vast, unused Black Soil Land had to be utilized.

There was a time difference between the Space and reality.

As long as she bought enough seeds to plant, the tenfold time acceleration would allow the absorbed energy to speed up the Space’s leveling.

Moreover, the Spirit Spring Water was inexhaustible.

With efforts on both fronts, it shouldn’t take long for the Space to level up smoothly.

Only then could she decide how to choose her future path.

Should she use her academic qualifications to become a teacher, or leverage the Space’s Black Soil Land to become a grain merchant?

Beijing Normal University was quite a distance from the Seed Market—it took over half an hour by tram to get there.

“Sir, could you sell me a handful of wheat seeds?”

Looking at the plump, golden wheat seeds, Shen Yi’an, having reached her destination, couldn’t help but ask.

Hearing such a request for the first time, the Seed Market staff member in charge of sales couldn’t help but find it amusing.

“Comrade, don’t joke with me.”

“The seeds sold at the Seed Market are measured by the pound at minimum.”

“How am I supposed to weigh them if you only want a handful?”

His tone was thick with disbelief as he responded.

This was the first time since he started working at the Seed Market that he had encountered such an absurd request.

Hearing the staff member’s helplessness, Shen Yi’an quickly came up with a new idea. “Comrade, I’m a student from the Agricultural University.”

“The university needs seeds for experiments, but the warehouse doesn’t have enough ready stock.”

“So I was sent to the Seed Market to try my luck.”

“Can’t you really sell me just a handful?”

“Don’t worry, although the quantity I need is small, I need many varieties. I’ll take a handful of every type you have available.”

Hearing this, the staff member’s expression noticeably became more serious. “Really? You’ll take a handful of every type of seed?”

Although he worked at the Seed Market, he still had performance metrics to meet.

Each month, there were quotas for the quantity, variety, and size of seeds sold.

If the quantity didn’t meet the target but the variety did or even exceeded expectations, he could still receive bonuses from the management.

If neither target was met, he’d be lucky to just avoid having his pay docked, let alone receive any rewards.

Now that a customer was saying they wanted small quantities but many varieties, he naturally adopted a more attentive attitude.

This was a top student from the Agricultural University!

If he could build a good relationship, it might secure his future performance metrics.

Meeting the staff member’s hopeful gaze, Shen Yi’an could roughly guess what he was thinking.

Amid the current market economy reforms, things were completely different from how they had been over the past decade.

The attitude had shifted from “take it or leave it, there are plenty of people who want my goods” to “my products are high-quality and affordable, with bigger discounts for larger purchases.”

Though he found it somewhat mercenary, he could understand why this was happening.

Shen Yi’an immediately smiled at the staff member. “Of course, this isn’t something to joke about.”

“I’ll take a handful of every type of seed you have for sale.”

Confirming that the person before him wasn’t joking, the Seed Market staff member immediately broke into a wide smile and began gathering the goods.

Wheat, rice, corn… he portioned out a handful of every variety that was in stock.

As for sweet potatoes, potatoes, and cassava, he gave five of each as Shen Yi’an had requested.

Additionally, he included small quantities of various oil crops and sugar crop seeds.

When everything was tallied up, the large pile of seeds cost less than twenty yuan.

Mainly because prices were quite low at this time.

Japonica rice was priced at 0.20 yuan per jin, wheat at 0.18 yuan per jin, and other seeds were even cheaper.

But given that this was the Seed Market, the variety of seeds available was substantial.

With no other choice, Shen Yi’an bought a large carrying basket to hold everything.

On his way back to campus, he found an opportunity to store the entire basket in his Space.

As he approached the university, he spotted a familiar figure standing quietly at the school gate.

The person radiated an aura that kept others at bay, causing students leaving the campus to instinctively give them a wide berth.

Only when they noticed Shen Yi’an’s gaze did they rein in their cold demeanor and quickly approach. “You went out? I thought you were resting in the dorm today?”

Hearing this, Shen Yi’an tilted his head back to look at them. “My roommates all left by train. I got bored staying alone in the dorm, so I came out for a walk.”

After replying, she couldn’t help but ask in return, “Why did you come to the school? Didn’t you say you’d come tomorrow?”

Hearing this question, Li Beichen couldn’t help but laugh helplessly, reaching out to ruffle her hair. “We just confirmed our relationship, so of course I want to be with you every moment.”

“What do you think?”

Shen Yi’an didn’t have a good answer to this question.

They had only just met yesterday, and in such an unconventional way at that.

It wasn’t as if there were deep feelings yet, but at the very least, this person had already found a place in her heart.

Lost in thought, she nodded unconsciously. “Well, what you said isn’t wrong.”

Hearing this, Li Beichen knew that the “slow and steady” approach was the right one.

After their conversation ended last night, the Old Master had also said that their meeting was somewhat abrupt.

But since he had already placed her in his heart, he had to persist and use every possible means to win her over.

As the old saying goes, “When a man pursues a woman, it’s like climbing a mountain; when a woman pursues a man, it’s like passing through a veil.”

Taking responsibility is the true mark of a man’s maturity.

After all, in matters between men and women, it’s always the man who benefits more.

And that was precisely why he had appeared at the school gate today.

Setting aside his inner reflections, Li Beichen pointed to the bicycle leaning against the wall.