C20 Food Poisoning

Qin Fen didn't have any complaints. It was only natural for others to harbor biases against him. After all, with the system he had acquired, he was bound to rise to prominence eventually, so he didn't need their validation.

There's a saying that goes, "Today, you ignore me, but tomorrow, you won't be able to reach me."

In his class, those gifted with psionic powers typically didn't prioritize ordinary academic subjects. Qin Fen, however, was the exception. Since he had no opportunities to progress in the psychic community, he knew he had to double down on his academic studies.

But when it came to those subjects, Qin Fen's talents weren't exactly shining through. He couldn't hold a candle to the academic stars of his class. This very reason led his classmates to sarcastically nickname him "Teacher Qin," suggesting he was a scholar in name only.

Yet, Qin Fen had managed to doze off during a lecture, catching his peers off guard. His reasoning was straightforward: as a genuine Psychic with a system akin to a cheat code, and already ranking first in his grade, he saw little point in the lessons. He figured he might as well catch up on some sleep.

Post-lecture, Qin Fen made a beeline for the cafeteria. Despite possessing the system, he was still financially challenged, and the cafeteria seemed to be the only place that treated him kindly.

"Green beans and potatoes, that's it?" Qin Fen sighed in resignation.

"Well, beggars can't be choosers," he muttered, ladling a generous portion into his bowl before settling down to eat.

A few bites in, Qin Fen noticed something off about the taste. It wasn't spoiled, but it was peculiar. Committed to not wasting food, he soldiered on and finished his meal.

Soon after, he felt a sour tingling in his stomach, but a surge of energy quickly coursed through him, neutralizing the discomfort.

"These green beans weren't undercooked, were they? I've heard they can be toxic if not properly prepared..." Qin Fen mumbled to himself, exasperated.

Still, he reasoned that if there were a serious issue, it would affect the whole school, and surely someone would step in to handle it. He didn't need to fret over it.

The afternoon passed without incident, and Qin Fen breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the issue had resolved itself. Little did he know, his class was about to face a predicament.

As class monitor Qian Tong was about to speak with the teacher, he suddenly collapsed, his body convulsing on the ground.

The sight left everyone frozen in shock.

"What in the world is happening?"

"Monitor, what's wrong with you?" Zhang Ning, who was right next to Qian Tong, rushed over to help him up, only to be met with a mouthful of foam.

"Ugh!" The acrid smell almost made Zhang Ning retch up her dinner from the night before. She had wanted to get closer to the class monitor, but instead of earning his favor, she ended up covered in his vomit.

"There's something wrong with the beans," Qian Tong managed to say before losing consciousness.

Zhang Ning, completely bewildered, turned to the others and asked, "Beans? What's going on?"

Xue Cheng, the student with psionic powers, had a sudden insight. "Could it be the beans the monitor ate at lunch? I remember him saying they tasted off."

Qin Fen, sitting at the back of the room, was taken aback. Yes, the beans had tasted odd to him too. Could they have been poisoned?

The thought startled Qin Fen. Poisoned food in the cafeteria of Jiangcheng No. 1 High School? That seemed far-fetched.

Zhang Yun, the study committee member, chimed in from the corner, "I remember my mom telling me when she taught me cooking that those beans have to be thoroughly cooked. Otherwise, they can be harmful because they contain toxins."

The teacher, about to start the class, overheard and quickly directed the students to take Qian Tong to the school infirmary.

Qin Fen couldn't help but feel a bit of schadenfreude. It wasn't his fault; Qian Tong had brought this on himself by mocking Qin Fen earlier. Now, it seemed like karma had caught up with him.

In his possession, Qin Fen had an expired coke he'd won in a raffle, rumored to have detoxifying properties.

But with Qian Tong and Qin Fen at odds, it was unlikely that Qin Fen would foolishly use the expired coke as an antidote to help him.

Suddenly, a spark of inspiration flashed through Qin Fen's mind. He seemed to remember something, but the memory was faint.

"Right, the expired coke might have side effects. I haven't tested it on anyone yet. Isn't this the perfect opportunity?"

Though Qin Fen felt a bit like he was letting the kid off easy by letting him drink it and saving his life, it would at least give him a chance to impress his classmates.

"Hold on, don't move," Qin Fen suddenly yelled, causing everyone in the classroom to freeze.

"Qin Fen, what are you doing? Don't cause a commotion; this is a life-or-death situation," Zhang Ning snapped, her face darkening with anger.

She had just been vomited on by Qian Tong and was looking for an outlet for her frustration. Now this kid had the nerve to step up and she wasn't about to let him off without a scolding.

"All I did was throw a few sarcastic remarks your way. Are you really going to hold onto that with everything else that's going on? The class president is unconscious right now, and I'm not in the mood to bicker with you."

Qin Fen was taken aback, then replied with a scornful look, "And where do you plan to take him? The infirmary? Can they handle poisoning? This is a case of food poisoning, and if it's not addressed promptly, it could be fatal. Do you understand the gravity of the situation?"

Seeing their bewildered faces, Qin Fen realized they had no idea how serious food poisoning could be.

"Then let's rush the class president to the hospital and call for an ambulance," suggested Zhang Yun, the study committee member, urgently.

The teacher was about to dial for emergency services, but Qin Fen interjected, "Wait, Professor. Isn't it a bit late to call an ambulance now? By the time the doctor gets here, the class president might not even be alive."

Zhang Ning shot him a glare and retorted, "You're talking about life and death, spouting all this doom and gloom. You don't want us to go to the infirmary, nor do you want us to call an ambulance. What exactly do you propose?"

Qin Fen, with a grave expression, offered, "How about you let me give it a try?"

At his words, both the teacher and the students turned to Qin Fen in astonishment. They hadn't expected him to volunteer to treat the ailment.

"Can you actually heal people?" the teacher asked, her skepticism evident.

The other students shared her dubious expression.

Some of the more astute students began to wonder if Qin Fen had an ulterior motive. There had been a recent spat between him and the class monitor, Qian Tong. Could it be that he was looking for a chance to get even? However, he should be mindful of the context. If he mishandled the situation, Qian Tong's life could be at risk, and Qin Fen wouldn't be able to avoid the fallout.

"Do you really know how to heal?" The teacher eyed Qin Fen with suspicion, not recalling any medical expertise on his part.

Qin Fen smiled and shook his head, "No, I'm not a healer, but I do have a special potion in my space that's effective against food poisoning. It just has a few side effects."