ATLAS TRANSLATES

The Boyuan Base was founded by a renowned international mathematician from Jiangjing, Professor Ji Boyuan.

Only top students knew about programs like Boyuan Base and Wenchong Project. Shen Qing and Ji Shaojun, who studied arts, naturally didn’t know about them.

Seeing Shen Qing’s fearful questioning, Xu Wenyao felt confused. Why was Shen Qing so nervous… did she think Boyuan was some illegal place?

“No,” Xu Wenyao turned back and explained gently to Shen Qing, “Boyuan Base is Jiangjing’s most famous summer camp. Usually only top students can get in.”

Top students? When Xu Wenyao mentioned these words, Shen Qing was bewildered.

She remembered Bai Lian’s reputation in the northern city – a frivolous young lady who didn’t study, similar to Ji Mulan. When Bai Lian first came to Xiangcheng, she had looked down on her.

Later she discovered Bai Lian was different from Ji Mulan.

But… what did “top student” have to do with Bai Lian?

Understanding Shen Qing’s confusion, Xu Wenyao calmed down, started the car again, and followed the navigation to the main road. “So, Ah Lian… studies there?”

The Ji family had always said Bai Lian was studying hard.

Xu Wenyao and Xu En both thought she was at the library, since Jiangjing had rich library resources. Xu Wenyao had even considered letting Bai Lian study at Jiangjing Library.

But she was at Boyuan Base instead??

“She studies at Boyuan Base,” Ji Heng lowered the car window slightly to let in cold air, also puzzled, “Is it really only for top students?”

Their family never discussed grades in front of Bai Lian.

Ji Heng and Ji Shaojun always thought Bai Shaoqi and Bai Shaoyi had too big an impact on Bai Lian, making her switch to science. So they tried to avoid mentioning these painful topics.

As for Bai Lian, there was too much modern knowledge. The more she studied, the more superficial she felt her learning was.

They didn’t ask and she never mentioned her scores. Only Jiang Fuli would ask her.

“Yes.” Xu Wenyao nodded.

He quietly looked in the rearview mirror, feeling for the first time that this usually steady family could be unreliable sometimes.

These people couldn’t provide any answers, but Xu Wenyao suddenly remembered what Xu Zhiyue had told him before about a very pretty girl in the special training class.

At the time, Xu Wenyao hadn’t paid attention to this comment.

But now thinking about it…

The museum was on the edge of Shimen District, quite far from Chang’an District. Fortunately, it wasn’t rush hour yet. It took almost forty minutes to reach Boyuan Base.

Just as Xu Wenyao parked by the roadside, he saw Bai Lian coming out of Boyuan Base.

He: “…”

Not just Xu Wenyao, but Ji Heng and the other two were also silent, except for Jiang He who was looking at Bai Lian with sparkling eyes.

Ji Shaojun gave Jiang He’s candy back to him, then quietly handed the candied haws to Bai Lian.

Jiang He had eaten three candied haws, revealing the pointed stick. Ji Shaojun had taken the candy away when they got in the car.

Bai Lian lowered her eyes to look at the candied haws, hesitating for a moment before taking it.

“Not eating?” Ji Shaojun asked.

He had seen candied haws at the memorial service and bought some for the two children when he saw Jiang He wanted to eat them.

Bai Lian came back to her senses, took the candied haws, and looked up at Ji Shaojun with a smile, her eyes unusually gentle: “I’ll eat it.”

It had just been a long time since any elder had bought her anything.

Ji Shaojun pondered silently.

“Ah Lian,” Shen Qing couldn’t hold back, “Wenyao says only top students can come here, is that true?”

“Yes,” Ji Shaojun added from the side, “Wenyao says you have to be especially outstanding. Most students here even have the ability to compete for national exam champion.”

Xu Wenyao nodded.

“No,” Bai Lian was still self-aware about her current abilities, “I’m far behind in biology and chemistry. I can’t compare to them.”

She carefully unwrapped the candied haws packaging.

A very honest answer.

Beside her, Jiang He forgot to bite his candy, looking at Bai Lian in disbelief.

“I knew it,” Shen Qing nodded, somewhat disappointed, “You just switched from arts to science, how could you suddenly become a top student? But don’t worry, Ah Lian, we’ll take it slow.”

Her emotions were like a roller coaster.

These three people didn’t understand, but Xu Wenyao knew Boyuan’s system well, “Though Boyuan’s hardest requirement is getting a recommendation, you still need to reach certain scores to get in, and apply two months in advance.”

“I didn’t meet the standard, my science combination didn’t qualify,” Bai Lian said casually, “but I always got full marks in math, so Boyuan made an exception to let me in.”

Xu Wenyao was shocked: “…Full marks in math? An exception admission?”

Bai Lian looked at Xu Wenyao with surprise, not understanding his expression, “Yes.”

Many students at Boyuan Base were more well-rounded than her, and she was only taking the C-level exam, it wasn’t anything special.

Xu Wenyao: “…”

No, getting Boyuan to make an exception meant at least having the ability to enter Jiangjing University.

Didn’t the Ji family always say Bai Lian’s grades were poor?

Especially Ji Mulan, who was so worried about Bai Lian not getting into university that she wanted to put her in an international high school and arrange for her to study abroad.

You want to send someone who could be recommended to Jiangjing University to a private international high school? Xu Wenyao thought Ji Mulan was being ridiculous.

“If you can enter Boyuan Base, you must know about the Wenchong Project. Have you been recommended to Jiangjing University?” Xu Wenyao couldn’t help asking, as this was what shocked him most.

Talking about Boyuan Base, the three Ji family members could hold back their reactions.

But at the mention of Jiangjing University, Shen Qing couldn’t contain herself, “Jiangjing University? She could be recommended to Jiangjing University?”

This was a school Shen Qing didn’t even dare to dream about. When Bai Shaoqi got into Jiangjing University, the Bai family had media coverage for two whole months, and now Xu Wenyao was saying Bai Lian could be recommended there?

“Oh, that,” Bai Lian understood why Xu Wenyao was shocked and calmly explained, “I didn’t join. I plan to take the college entrance exam.”

“What?” Xu Wenyao frowned, “Didn’t your school tell you about the Wenchong Project?”

“They did,” Bai Lian took a bite of the candied haws and explained unhurriedly, “But I don’t like that major.”

Xu Wenyao, hearing someone being picky about Jiangjing University for the first time: “…”

He couldn’t help but look at the other three Ji family members.

“Ah Lian, you really want to take the college entrance exam?” Ji Heng stayed behind Shen Qing and the others, in a good mood as he lit a cigarette and smoked with narrowed eyes.

Bai Lian turned the candied haws in her hand, “Yes.”

When Bai Lian switched from arts to science, Ji Heng and Ji Shaojun hadn’t stopped her. Now that she wasn’t joining the Wenchong Project, the two still didn’t interfere with her choice.

As for Shen Qing…

She thought everything was fine even when Bai Lian was wandering the streets, what could you expect from her? Xu Wenyao drove back to the Xu family in confusion.

Ji Heng and the others took Jiang He and Bai Lian to tour Boyuan Base, ate dinner at the facility cafeteria, then took the bus back to the hotel.

Bai Lian saw them off at the gate before returning to the classroom.

On the way, she connected her Bluetooth earphones and opened her vocabulary bank to memorize technical terms.

Director Chen’s message popped up on her phone’s home screen.

Director Chen: [Miss Bai, I just got back to Jiangjing]

He managed to return two days before Xu En’s wedding.

Director Chen: [Going ice fishing with Uncle Ji tomorrow, would you like to join?]

She had morning classes and Professor Ma’s lecture in the afternoon.

Bai Lian listened to vocabulary while replying leisurely: [No time] [Have fun]

Director Chen was a bit disappointed: [Alright then.]

**

In Bai Lian’s study group.

Wang Xu finally couldn’t help asking Tang Ming: “Where did Sister Bai go?”

She hadn’t returned since the academic report ended at noon.

Usually people didn’t care what Bai Lian did, but today’s event of Bai Lian working on a math model with He Wen made it hard for everyone to focus on studying, especially Wang Xu.

“Her?” Tang Ming was seriously studying a paper, answering without looking up, “She was practicing piano in the dorm this afternoon, she should be coming over soon.”

Whenever Bai Lian had inspiration, she would quickly write it down. Playing piano and reading reviews were her relaxation courses besides doing practice problems.

“Playing piano?” Wang Xu couldn’t associate this with Bai Lian, “Why is she playing piano?”

Not just others, even Song Min found it bizarre. Aside from wondering how a Boyuan Base student would spend time playing piano, Song Min remembered what Bai Qiming had said.

The story of Bai Lian making her guzheng teacher quit because she fell asleep had become a joke in the Bai family.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open.

All the study group members gathered around two tables “swooshed” their heads up, staring intently at the classroom door.

Bai Lian lowered her eyes while memorizing vocabulary, casually closing the classroom door with her hand.

Seeing Bai Lian return, Wang Xu was the first to speak up, “Sister Bai, how do you know Senior He Wen and work on math models with him? You two actually know each other? Why hadn’t you mentioned this before?”

With his question, everyone’s eyes were on Bai Lian.

Especially Song Min, who quietly watched Bai Lian. Before this, he had always doubted her qualifications for entering Boyuan.

Until today. He Wen was someone even he looked up to immensely.

Even Bai Shaoqi, whom the Bai family praised so much, was just ordinary compared to He Wen.

He never imagined that Bai Lian would know He Wen.

Bai Lian sat between Tang Ming and Ning Xiao, “We’re not really acquainted, just online friends. He had a model and couldn’t find anyone to collaborate with, so he asked me.”

“Oh, I see.” Wang Xu nodded, understanding somewhat.

After all, that was He Wen – not someone you could just get to know if you wanted to.

“Why would he ask you?” Song Min looked deeply at Bai Lian and asked.

Bai Lian ignored Song Min.

Beside her, Tang Ming crossed his legs, his right hand resting on the desk, looking at Song Min, “Sister Lian gets full marks in math every time, why wouldn’t he ask her?”