Chapter Ten: Who Tampered with It?

“Peach Blossom Star?” The supervising teacher expressed confusion.

Hua Yun did not explain. The cultural gap between star systems was severe; it was better to see the actual object.

Who wouldn’t like Tao Yuanming’s Peach Blossom Spring? If such a planet truly existed, Hua Yun believed that while it might not receive an S rating from the public, it certainly wouldn’t rate poorly!

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Graduation projects are best tackled early rather than late, but the original owner still had an elective this week—one focused on cuisine. Curious about what interstellar cuisine might be like, Hua Yun thought this would be a perfect opportunity to broaden her experience.

“Class, last session we discussed natural cuisine—foods directly made from harmless or low-harm plants and animals. It is said that there was a period in human civilization when culinary diversity flourished, with countless culinary schools. Unfortunately, very few of these recipes have survived to this day.”

“Next, we will learn to prepare a simple boiled vegetable dish.”

Watching the teacher’s demonstration on stage, Hua Yun had to admit it was indeed simple: just toss the vegetables into boiling water until the leaves turned yellow, then add a pinch of salt. Just looking at it, she already felt her appetite wane.

After cooking, the teacher invited students to taste the dish—not by eating, but by using a device that simulated the flavor. She could only say that interstellar technology was truly impressive.

Once the class ended, Hua Yun headed for the dormitory. As for eating… natural cuisine was a rare luxury on this desolate planet; most people survived on nutrient fluids.

Aside from the strange taste, the convenience was undeniable. Back when she was preparing for graduate school exams, she wished every minute counted, and real meals felt like a waste of time.

If only she had had a bottle of nutrient fluid back then.

However, these drinks were not meant to be consumed in excess. Though convenient at first, she already longed for the rich flavors of Chinese cuisine.

Unfortunately, at school, she had no cooking utensils whatsoever. The cafeteria did have some restaurants offering natural foods—after all, the university housed a botanical academy—but they were expensive and nothing more.

As for taste, neither the original student nor she had tried them; the original was too thrifty, and Hua Yun was unwilling to torture her palate.

“Is that her? The alliance’s unluckiest student, and she got assigned a desolate planet for her project!”

“No way! Does our school really do that?”

“Oh no, I can already imagine how miserable her life will be—graduation will be forever out of reach!”

Suddenly, whispers arose nearby. Hua Yun was surprised at how quickly the news spread.

“Hua Yun!” A familiar voice called out. She turned around to see Li Na, still as arrogant as ever.

“What do you want?” Li Na had owed the original student a favor, but now it was more or less evened out.

“Believe it or not, I didn’t do your graduation project,” Li Na said. “If anyone’s to blame, it’s your own bad luck!”

At that, Li Na was clearly upset. Just as her business with Hua Yun had ended, Hua Yun was suddenly handed a graduation project that was practically impossible to get. Who would believe it wasn’t sabotage?

Naturally, Li Na became the prime and only reasonable suspect.

But Li Na was brave and upfront—if she hadn’t done it, she simply hadn’t done it.

“You don’t need to explain—I don’t suspect you,” Hua Yun replied, though she didn’t truly believe the original had been that unlucky.

The odds of drawing such a project seemed comparable to traveling through time and space—well, maybe not impossible.

Still, Hua Yun’s rational mind leaned toward human interference. She had initially suspected Li Na but ultimately ruled her out. Though arrogant and dismissive, Li Na was not the type to play dirty.

Plainly put, given the original’s background, if Li Na wanted to trouble her, a mere flick of her finger would ensure a life of no peace.

So, then, who was the culprit?