ATLAS TRANSLATES

Yan Lu looked through the car window at the large characters on the school gate. It was an old-fashioned gate that had been renovated several times but still showed its historical weight. Six golden characters read “Jiangjing Music Academy”.

This was the best music academy in the country and even Asia. They were very strict in admitting students and would select some to go to the Royal Music Hall each year. Many national-level performance teachers taught there.

Two celebrities in the entertainment industry had graduated from Jiangjing Music Academy and were already famous before their debut.

The bright lights at the gate reflected coldly in Yan Lu’s eyes. The overly dazzling light made everything seem unreal to her.

The driver’s window lowered, and the student driving them greeted the security guard familiarly. “Yes, Dean Jian’s people. Mm-hmm, bye uncle.”

The gate opened and the car drove in, finally stopping in front of an office building. The back door opened automatically.

Yan Lu and Sister Xin stepped onto the ground, feeling as if they were walking on cotton, the experience quite surreal. This was Jiangjing Music Academy, a place they could never hope to enter in their next life.

“Miss Yan Lu, I’ll take you to the recording studio,” the student smiled at them and led them to the third floor by elevator.

It was nearly 6 o’clock. The lights were on in the third-floor studio, with several people inside discussing.

From afar, the student saw Jian Zhongyou with his back to them. “Dean Jian! They’re here!”

Jian Zhongyou was having someone record drum beats and a section of pipa and flute music. As for the guzheng sound, he had recorded it himself. Hearing the voice, he turned to look at Yan Lu and Sister Xin. “Hello, I’m Jian Zhongyou.”

After a brief introduction, he directly told Yan Lu: “Listen to this first. We’ll start recording in half an hour.”

He handed Yan Lu a recorder and headphones. Then he took out his phone and sent a message to Bai Lian: [The person has arrived]

Yan Lu snapped back to attention and took the headphones to listen carefully.

Sister Xin stepped back, feeling out of place in the Jiangjing Music Academy circle. Not knowing Jian Zhongyou, she let out a breath and said to the student who had picked them up, “I originally thought you would take us to Crown Recording Studio.”

Yes, after learning the student was from the Music Academy, she had started using respectful language.

“Crown Recording Studio?” The student was puzzled, then recalled, “Oh, Dean Jian has very high standards. Their equipment isn’t up to par.”

“Dean Jian is…?” Sister Xin humbly asked for clarification.

“Just Dean Jian,” the student glanced at Sister Xin, surprised that the people Dean Jian had him pick up didn’t know who he was. “Dean Jian Zhongyou. You can check our school website to find out more.”

Sister Xin normally wouldn’t dare to search for Jiangjing Music Academy. This school was like the “Jiangjing University” for art students. She took out her phone and searched for the school name. Upon entering the official website, she saw a banner floating at the top:

[Dean Jian Zhongyou’s Apprentice Acceptance Ceremony Concludes…]

She scrolled from top to bottom. Then looked up blankly at Yan Lu, who was discussing with a group of staff.

A guess formed in her mind – this time, Yan Lu might really become famous with just one song!

When Bai Lian received Dean Jian’s message, she was in the yard giving Lansi acupuncture.

“Oh, this is truly amazing!” Lansi exclaimed with silver needles all over his head. “I’m not wearing my glasses today, but I can see much clearer than before.”

Bai Lian put away the extra needles. She looked up at him and said calmly, “If you don’t talk, you’ll recover even faster.”

What? Lansi’s eyes widened. He now had great respect for Chinese medicine and didn’t doubt Bai Lian’s words at all. He even looked at her accusingly, as if she should have told him this earlier.

Grandpa Ji’s embroidery frame was still in the yard. He himself was in the kitchen. Bai Lian went in to help him wash vegetables. “Grandpa, do you want to set up a small stall in the east part of the city?”

Grandpa Ji often set up small stalls, selling to residents of Qingshui Street.

“The east?” Grandpa Ji was surprised.

“They’ve opened bus routes there,” Bai Lian had a vague, unformed idea. “There will be more foot traffic in the future, and more people will see your embroidery.”

Hearing this, Grandpa Ji fell silent for a moment. “Let me think about it.”

The east part of the city was still under construction. The foundations for large shopping malls and the Yongfu residential area’s hotel had just been laid. Bai Lian wasn’t in a hurry.

She glanced at Grandpa Ji, feeling he had deeper concerns. But… she couldn’t figure out what he was worried about.

Bai Lian looked towards the warehouse in the yard, which stored a pile of exquisite fabrics.

Unable to understand, she returned to her room.

Today, instead of doing practice questions, she turned on the light and opened the image Dean Jian had sent her to examine closely.

What Jian Zhongyou sent her was a yellowed simplified musical score, with some parts missing and some only half-recorded. She tried a few notes on the guzheng, attempting to fill in the missing parts.

After completing it, she rewrote a copy and sent it to Jian Zhongyou.

She also replied to Sister Xin’s message. Sister Xin reported that Yan Lu’s recording went very smoothly.

After dealing with these matters, Bai Lian unhurriedly went out to remove the needles from Lansi.

She removed them and then sterilized the needles.

Lansi waited until Bai Lian had removed all the needles from his head before complaining to Grandpa Ji, “She actually didn’t tell me to lie… no, I mean, to drink this tea…”

The next day.

Early in the morning.

Xu En’s car arrived at the entrance of Qingshui Street.

“Is this the place?” The assistant looked at the street entrance, then at the address on the document. “Mr. Xu, we’re here.”

Xu En got out of the car carrying a gift box.

Qingshui Street was quite old. Although there had been several renovations recently, the environment still couldn’t be considered good.

It was also the assistant’s first time in such a place. He thought to himself, no wonder Ji Mulan had been reluctant to come here.

“Mr. Xu, let me carry that.” After parking the car, the assistant hurried forward to take the gift box from Xu En’s hand.

It contained health supplements and tobacco that Xu En had brought from Jiangjing.

“No need,” Xu En avoided his hand and looked up at an alley. “Is it this one?”

The assistant wasn’t sure either. “Should we call Madam and ask?”

Ji Mulan had a beauty appointment today and would arrive later. Xu En knew Bai Lian wouldn’t be home in the morning as she would be at the library studying and doing homework. He had deliberately come early.

How could Xu En not see Bai Lian on his first visit? He was afraid he might miss her if he came later, so he called Ji Mulan to ask.

After confirming it was this alley, he walked in.

After many twists and turns, they finally reached Grandpa Ji’s house.

The assistant looked at the house number displayed on his phone, then at the courtyard. The sound of a guzheng seemed to be coming from inside. He nodded and confirmed to Xu En, “Mr. Xu, this is the place.”

Naturally, the assistant couldn’t take the initiative to knock on the door.

Xu En reached out and knocked.

Grandpa Ji opened the door. He was groggy and still holding a towel. Seeing Xu En, he was very surprised.

“I came especially to see you today,” Xu En handed over the gift box. “The wedding date is approaching, and I wanted to discuss some matters about the ceremony with you…”

Xu En spoke with a smile.

He and Ji Mulan had originally planned to get married at the end of the year, and that date was coming up soon.

The wedding would be held in Jiangjing. He wondered if Bai Lian would attend.

Grandpa Ji stepped aside to let him in. “We can discuss it slowly, no hurry.”

After dropping Xu En off, his assistant left. After all, it was his boss’s family matter, and he dared not get involved.

“Ah Lian.” Xu En entered with Grandpa Ji and greeted Bai Lian.

Bai Lian was wiping the guzheng with gauze. Hearing the voice, she turned her head slightly and greeted lazily, “Morning.”

She showed no curiosity about why he had come so early.

Grandpa Ji went to the bathroom to wash his face, gesturing for Bai Lian to make tea for Xu En.

Bai Lian put down the gauze and went to get a teacup to brew tea for Xu En.

Xu En hadn’t expected Bai Lian to make tea for him. He quickly accepted it and remembered the main purpose of his visit. “Will you come to Jiangjing at the end of the year? When your mom and I get married.”

“End of the year?” Bai Lian picked up the gauze again, remembering that Jiang Fuli had mentioned a special training camp at the end of the year. She replied slowly, “I might not have time.”

Hearing this, Xu En was a bit disappointed. “I see.”

Bai Lian finished cleaning the guzheng and carried it back to her room.

Xu En sighed as he watched Bai Lian’s retreating figure. His phone rang.

It was a call from Ren Qian.

Xu En answered, quite surprised: “Mr. Ren?”

“Mr. Xu,” on the other end of the phone, Ren Qian chuckled, “Do you have time today?”

“No.” Xu En sat on the stone bench under the banyan tree, lowered his head to gently blow on the teacup, and took a small sip.

Ren Qian wasn’t surprised and smiled like an old fox, “That’s unfortunate then. We’ve just invited Miss Yu. Are you sure you can’t make any time?”

Miss Yu? Xu En was startled.

Someone from the Yu family? He knew Yu Hongyi had come to Xiangcheng, but unlike Chen Ju, she wasn’t in charge of Xiangcheng’s affairs. She should be responsible for the Black Water Street area.

How did Ren Qian and his group manage to invite her? If it were any other time, Xu En would definitely attend the banquet, but today he was here to see Grandpa Ji.

“I can’t make it in the morning,” Xu En pondered briefly, “I might have time in the afternoon.”

Ren Qian had thought that after saying this, Xu En would definitely come. He didn’t expect the other party to still say he had no time.

Xu En hung up the phone, surprised and also quite unexpected.

Then he felt regret. Why did it have to be today of all days?

As he was thinking, there was another knock on the tied door. “Uncle Ji, Uncle Ji!”

Who would come so early?

Xu En had just taken a sip of tea. He put down the cup and got up to open the door.

Xu En casually opened the door.

Because the person called “Uncle Ji”, he thought it was Grandpa Ji’s neighbor.

Until he opened the door.

Outside was a middle-aged man wearing a black casual jacket. He was holding a fishing rod and a creel, smiling broadly.

Xu En was stunned: “Di-Director Chen?”