ATLAS TRANSLATES

“Me?” Manager Yan was stunned. “30%?”

He spoke in a very low voice.

Forget about whether people recognized him or would listen to him, how could he negotiate 30%?

The small bar in the corner was a bit low, with fluffy sofas next to it. Bai Lian sat in the middle. Despite her seemingly lazy posture, her innate dignity was unmistakable. “Yes,” she said.

When she lowered her gaze, that casual yet majestic aura naturally flowed out.

Beside her, Director Chen suddenly sat up straight. He turned to Manager Yan with an expressionless face: “If she tells you to go, then go.”

If Mr. Chen and Miss Bai wanted him to do this, they must have their reasons.

Manager Yan stood up, his demeanor instantly becoming calm and steady.

“Young Master Mao,” In the middle, Chang Ye laid out the documents, his small mustache twitching with joy, “It’s a pleasure doing business with you.”

“Young Master Mao, our company also has a proposal.”

His Chinese overlapped with a voice from behind.

Chang Ye turned around. He looked at Manager Yan who had spoken, his eyebrows furrowing like brushstrokes of black paint.

Nearby, Yu Hongyi and Chen Jingyu were very surprised by Manager Yan’s sudden appearance. They exchanged glances but didn’t say anything, only wondering in their hearts what cards Manager Yan had up his sleeve.

Manager Yan nodded elegantly to Mao Kun, then spoke freely.

“30%?” Mao Kun’s gaze was fierce and cold. This question seemed to understand a lot.

Manager Yan’s legs trembled, but his face remained calm. “Young Master Mao, we can create demand, create markets, even open up international markets, in the east…”

Although he was in procurement, his sales skills were miraculous.

He spoke eloquently.

Mao Kun narrowed his eyes, his expression growing colder.

The people around involuntarily took a step forward. Chang Ye frowned even more and looked at Chen Jingyu and Yu Hongyi: “Do you two know him?”

Chen Jingyu was also suppressing his anger.

Although he didn’t understand much about these things, just hearing about the 30% share, how could it compare? Not to mention this was in Black Water Street’s territory.

This wasn’t Jianjing or Chen family territory.

This was Black Water Street, a lawless area, their home base. Even Old Man Chen would have to restrain himself here, let alone them.

How dare Manager Yan?

Receiving a look from Yu Hongyi, Chen Jingyu took a few steps forward, smiled apologetically to Mao Kun, then lowered his voice to warn Manager Yan: “Don’t make a fool of yourself. If you want to die, don’t drag us down with you…”

Before Chen Jingyu could finish, Mao Kun reached out to Manager Yan: “Give me the proposal.”

Manager Yan had finished speaking, prepared for Young Master Mao to throw him out, but unexpectedly, the other party reached out his hand—

Did he believe his grand promises?

He stiffly handed over the document.

Mao Kun sat up straight, slowly flipping through it from start to finish, then looked up. “Sustainable…”

He paused for a moment, then simply said nothing, stood up, and reached out to Manager Yan: “It’s a pleasure doing business with you.”

Manager Yan extended his hand in surprise.

This meant cooperation.

“Bang—”

“Mr. Mao!” Chang Ye’s eyes were like cold stars. He slammed the table hard, the force so great that it cracked the granite tabletop. “You don’t want to cooperate with us from Dongwu?”

“Crash—”

Everyone took several steps back.

Mao Kun didn’t care. He only quickly grabbed Chang Ye’s wrist, then flung his hand back, along with Chang Ye himself, into the crowd.

Chang Ye was thrown back into the crowd in disbelief.

Before this, no one knew the extent of Young Master Mao’s abilities.

Only then did Mao Kun lean back in the boss’s chair, take out a cigarette from his pocket and bite it, grinning at him wickedly: “What kind of thing are you to threaten me?”

He held the cigarette in his mouth, tilted his head and pressed his Bluetooth earpiece: “Take him away.”

In the underworld, things should be handled according to underworld rules. There was no other way; his sister didn’t like the Japanese invaders.

Mao Kun clicked his tongue.

The luxurious private room emptied in an instant. Manager Yan, like everyone else, was afraid blood would be spilled the next second. He took advantage of the chaos to return to the corner, “Mr. Chen, Miss Bai, let’s leave first…”

Before he could finish speaking, someone patted him on the back. “Bro, can you move aside?”

That voice…

Manager Yan turned around to see Mao Kun, who had just been cold and bloodthirsty, now with a lit cigarette in his mouth, grinning at him like a hooligan.

Manager Yan stiffly moved his feet.

This revealed Director Chen sitting on the sofa. Director Chen looked up at Mao Kun.

“Hi, Mr. Chen.” Mao Kun waved at Director Chen, then went to talk to Bai Lian, “Sis, how was my performance just now?”

“Not bad.” Bai Lian was doing homework and didn’t look up.

Mao Kun chuckled, “I thought so too.”

He looked again, “It’s so dark, how are you doing homework? Where are the lights?”

The bartender at the small bar was still showing off his ice skills. He made a cocktail for Mao Kun and answered: “Miss Bai said it’s brighter here than downstairs, no need for lights.”

These people chatted.

Not to mention Manager Yan, even Director Chen couldn’t help but wipe his face, thinking in shock—

Ah, it really is you, little Mao!!!

Bai Lian finished writing an exam paper and went downstairs. Manager Yan silently followed behind Director Chen. “Mr. Chen, why didn’t you tell us earlier that Miss Bai knows Mr. Mao?”

Director Chen: “…”

How could he explain that he had even fought over washing dishes with Mao Kun?

**

Friday.

Evening.

In a courtyard in a lane on Qingshui Street, an old man with snow-white hair coughed several times before looking up. “You… cough cough… you’re going to have dinner at a classmate’s house?” His voice was unusually happy and curious.

Ning Xiao patted her back and poured her a glass of warm water, frowning: “Grandma, I’d better not go. Let’s take you to the hospital for a checkup.”

“Old people are all like this,” Grandma Wang smiled and patted his arm. Her wrinkled face looked like a Buddha statue. “You go have dinner at your classmate’s house quickly. If there’s a chance, invite them to our home for dinner too.”

You could see the gratification in her eyes.

Ning Xiao really disliked her always saying she was old. He stood to the side watching her take her medicine before leaving with some peace of mind, instructing: “Call me or uncle if anything happens.”

Ji Heng’s courtyard was very lively at the moment.

When Ning Xiao arrived, everyone else was already there.

Some were playing Five in a Row, some were in the kitchen watching Ji Heng and Ji Shaojun cut vegetables, some were admiring the unfinished embroidery of a Chinese cabbage on Ji Heng’s embroidery frame…

Shen Qing came out carrying two plates of fruit: “Kids, have some fruit.”

“Thank you, Aunt.”

“Thank you, Aunt!”

“…”

When Wen Qi saw Ning Xiao, he jumped down from the tree. “God of studies, give me some definite news. Who among the three of you can get first place in the final joint exam?”

Apart from not eating well and not having fun, students’ only other worry was about grades.

“Wen Qi,” Tang Ming, who was struggling to play chess with Jiang He, looked up and said seriously: “Don’t drag me into their war, okay?”

“For the joint exam, it depends on the difficulty of the questions.”

Ning Xiao knew the depth of Bai Lian’s chemistry studies. With only one month left, Bai Lian’s chemistry definitely wouldn’t be as good as physics and math, but it wouldn’t be too bad either. If the chemistry questions were a bit biased, her chemistry score might not be too high.

However, Ning Xiao was also looking forward to this joint exam.

He felt that Bai Lian could get 60 passing points in chemistry this time, even if the questions were very difficult.

While thinking about this, Ning Xiao went to the kitchen to help Ji Heng and Ji Shaojun.

Seeing Bai Lian washing vegetables by the sink, Ning Xiao’s brow twitched. He hurriedly and respectfully took the vegetables from Bai Lian’s hands.

OK.

After the tasks of boiling water, making tea, and cutting vegetables were snatched away, Bai Lian’s last task of washing vegetables was also taken.

She stood in the kitchen for a long time.

“Ah Lian, don’t block my way.” Shen Qing said.

Bai Lian made way: “…”

Lu Xiaohan was helping Ji Heng in the kitchen while trying to persuade him, “But your embroidery is really beautiful. Are you sure you don’t want to record videos?”

She really liked Bai Lian’s casual clothes. It was a pity that the school required uniforms, otherwise she could see Bai Lian wearing casual clothes every day.

“You like it? Then after dinner, I’ll take your measurements and make you a couple of pieces too. What colors do you like?” Ji Heng said casually.

Now very few people embroider their own clothes.

Lu Xiaohan didn’t expect she could wear them too. Her eyes lit up, instantly forgetting she was here to persuade Ji Heng: “Really?! I like everything! Thank you!”

She went out smiling to tell the cultural and recreational committee member this news.

Ji Heng continued calmly cutting vegetables.

Bai Lian looked up.

Forget it, everyone in Class 15 except Ning Xiao and Yang Lin had the same IQ.

She took out her phone to check messages.

Dean Jian: [Picture]

Dean Jian: [The little one who eats a big bowl is located in Xiangcheng.]

Dean Jian: [(Embarrassed)]

Lu Xiaohan’s videos all had promotional purposes. There was also a rescue video before, and the location wasn’t turned off. Dean Jian only remembered today while browsing videos that he didn’t need Bai Lian to provide the location.

Looking at these messages, Bai Lian’s first thought was—

Dean Jian’s intelligence is that of a normal person.

Dean Jian: [I know you saw the message]

Dean Jian: [You have the guts to reply to me!]

Bai Jian: [1]

Dean Jian: […]

**

Meanwhile.

At the hospital.

Xu En’s body had recovered quite well, but he hadn’t been discharged yet. After learning he was awake, the police had taken his statement twice.

“Zhou Jian? I don’t have any conflicts of interest with him.” Xu En was thinking about the conflicts between him and Zhou Jian.

“He has collusion with that Mr. Lu,” Xu’s assistant reminded from the side.

That’s the only way to think about it.

Of course, they wouldn’t know that Zhou Jian had always thought Xu En was Bai Lian’s backer.

Xu Wenyao didn’t understand business matters. He only spoke after they finished talking: “Dad, I’m leaving for Jianjing on the weekend. I wanted to go to Old Mr. Ji’s house today, but they’re having guests over.”

Xu Wenyao originally wanted to stay a few more days to tutor Bai Lian.

But Bai Lian didn’t need it, and Xu Wenyao was also focused on his studies, so he didn’t plan to waste time here.

“School matters are important,” Xu En nodded, then remembered something and asked his assistant: “Are the invitations ready?”

He and Ji Mulan had set their wedding date for before the new year, on January 19th, the 28th day of the lunar calendar.

It was already close to the end of the year, and Xu family matters were waiting for Xu En to return and handle.

Xu En and Ji Mulan needed to go back to prepare for the wedding.

Before that, he wanted to personally deliver the invitations to the Ji family members, although Xu En wasn’t sure if Bai Lian would go to Jianjing for the banquet.

“They’ll be mailed tomorrow. After you write them, I’ll distribute them.” The assistant opened his notebook and carefully reviewed all the schedules. He had ordered the invitations, and Xu En had also studied calligraphy, so his handwriting was presentable. Xu En would write the invitations himself.

It was also a sign of how seriously he took this wedding.

Xu Wenyao stood to the side. He could feel that Xu En and his assistant were treating this wedding much more solemnly than before.

**

Xu En was discharged on Sunday.

He also finished writing the invitations on the day he was discharged.

Ji Heng, Ji Shaojun, and Ji Shaorong each got one, while Bai Lian got a separate one.

The time to invite Ji Heng, Ji Shaojun, and Shen Qing for lunch was at noon.

“1.19?” Bai Lian put the invitation in her schoolbag. “I may not have time.”

Because Bai Lian was a student, Xu En had specially moved the time to the end of the year, thinking that even high school seniors should be on vacation by then. He didn’t expect Bai Lian to still say she had no time.

Ji Heng held the invitation, lost in thought.

Compared to Bai Qiming and Ji Mulan, he felt that Xu En and Xu Wenyao, who wanted to tutor Bai Lian, were much more reliable.

“What are you going to do?” Ji Heng asked: “Shouldn’t your school be on vacation by then?”

“It’s vacation,” Bai Lian zipped up her bag, “but I have to take extra classes.”

Jiang Fuli had mentioned there would be a special training camp during the winter break.

She didn’t know the mechanism of the training camp.

“Extra classes?” Xu En quickly spoke up, “That’s simple. I’ll have Wenyao find you a good tutor in Jianjing. You can come to Jianjing as soon as you’re on vacation, finish the extra classes, then go back.”

Xu Wenyao nodded, “I know quite a few tutors. We can book in advance now. Zhiyue and I can also teach you.”

Ji Mulan, who had been silent all along, looked up at Ji Heng.

That look was urging Ji Heng to persuade Bai Lian.

Of course, Ji Heng himself was very tempted.

He picked up the pipe he had set aside and looked up.

Bai Lian immediately stopped them: “…Grandpa, someone is already tutoring me.”

Xu Wenyao had heard Bai Lian mention this last time, so he didn’t comment. But Ji Mulan spoke up, with a hint of envy in her tone: “But Wenyao found tutors in Jianjing, and Wenyao himself is from Jianjing University.”

She didn’t say more, but her meaning was clear.

Ji Mulan could imagine that Bai Lian’s tutor was probably a teacher from Xiangcheng No. 1 High School, not even comparable to those from North City, let alone Jianjing.

“You, you’re from Jianjing University?” Shen Qing, who had been quiet all along, looked at Xu Wenyao, shocked and admiring.

This was her first time meeting a student from Jianjing University.

Xu Wenyao smiled politely at Shen Qing: “Yes, Auntie.”

Ji Mulan really looked down on Shen Qing’s embarrassing reaction. She interrupted Shen Qing and Xu Wenyao’s conversation and said to Bai Lian: “You should learn from Wenyao and the others, try to get into…”

“Oh, that’s too bad then—”

Bai Lian held her chopsticks, speaking unhurriedly: “I only want to be a street punk.”

Shen Qing nodded, “Being a street punk is good too, even as a street punk you need to work hard…”

She realized what it meant after she said it, and quickly shut her mouth.

Ji Mulan gripped her teacup tightly. At this moment, she didn’t have the courage to look at Xu En and Xu Wenyao’s reactions.

With this attitude, she was already imagining Old Lady Xu’s reaction when she found out about this.

Ji Heng, Xu En, and Xu Wenyao, who knew she wanted to get into Jianjing University and was working very hard to study: “…”

Ji Shaojun looked at Ji Heng, finally understanding—

Why Ji Heng said Bai Lian weighed 180 jin, because the extra 80 jin was rebelliousness.

“Ah Lian.” Ji Heng tapped the table with his pipe. He coughed and gestured for her to tone it down a bit.

What street punk.

Bai Lian picked up a bite of food with her chopsticks and put it in her bowl before lazily speaking: “Someone really is teaching me. I’m going to the library with him later.”

After finishing the meal, Bai Lian was going to the library.

This time Xu En had invited Bai Lian and the others to eat at his temporary residence, a separate small villa, which was a bit far from the library.

“He’s coming here?” Xu Wenyao was surprised. He really wanted to know who was tutoring Bai Lian.

So after Bai Lian finished eating, he went out with her, wanting to see who it was.

Ji Heng was still drinking at the table.

Both sides timed it very precisely.

Just as Bai Lian walked out the main gate, a blue car came from the end of the road and stopped in front of them.