Bai Qiming had returned to the northern city. Since Song Min was still at the Boyuan Base, Mrs. Song hadn’t gone back yet.
She planned to spend the New Year in Jiangjing.
When she learned that Bai Shaoqi was selected for the school performance, Mrs. Song made time to watch her.
Today, Song Min returned to the Yin family for dinner, and Mrs. Song came specifically to pick up Bai Shaoqi.
At the Jiangjing Music Academy, all students came from notable family backgrounds. Bai Shaoqi’s background was considered relatively modest, so her classmates weren’t very friendly towards her.
This was the first time Mrs. Song had seen another student actively linking arms with Bai Shaoqi.
Bai Shaoqi was also stunned. Looking at Mrs. Song, she steadied herself and said, “I just happened to meet Dean Jian.”
“I saw that too,” Mrs. Song sighed. She had seen Dean Jian leaving when she arrived but hadn’t found a chance to meet him.
The girl in the purple formal dress exchanged contact information with Bai Shaoqi, saying, “When you become Dean Jian’s student, don’t forget about me.”
She waved her phone at Bai Shaoqi before leaving.
“You… Dean Jian’s student?” Mrs. Song’s heart skipped a beat as she stared at Bai Shaoqi in shock. She had thought they were just discussing Dean Jian’s disciples, especially since Bai Shaoqi’s previous attempt to study under him hadn’t succeeded.
“Dean Jian just came over to greet me,” Bai Shaoqi said. Her anxiety about Bai Lian these past few days was finally starting to settle.
Mrs. Song let out a breath, silently pondering.
At the Boyuan Base, Mrs. Song picked up Song Min to return to the Yin family. Song Min was very quiet during the journey, but since he was usually reserved, neither Bai Shaoqi nor Mrs. Song suspected anything.
At the Yin residence, after hearing about Dean Jian, Mr. Yin specially rushed back.
“Shaoqi, very good,” he praised with a smile.
Bai Shaoqi went upstairs to change into formal wear.
“I’ll go watch Shaoqi’s performance the day after tomorrow,” Mrs. Song said. She had been worried about the connection with the Xu family and Bai Shaoqi, since the Xu family was now at a level the Song family couldn’t reach.
Although the Xu family was important, they weren’t as significant as Bai Shaoqi’s current standing in Mrs. Song’s heart.
Fortunately, she had managed to break off the engagement with Bai Lian earlier.
“Mom,” Song Min, who had been quiet, finally spoke, “Bai Lian is also at the Boyuan Base.”
“Oh.” Hearing Bai Lian’s name, Mrs. Song responded indifferently as usual.
After a moment, she realized what Song Min had said, “She’s at Boyuan Base? How did she get in? The Xu family?”
Mrs. Song knew well about Bai Lian’s cheating incident in the liberal arts class.
“Remember what I told you before? The perfect math score – it was her,” Song Min gazed out the window.
“Perfect math score?” Mrs. Song thought this was completely absurd. Bai Lian was famous in the northern city for being academically poor.
When Bai Lian left the Bai family, Mrs. Song had quickly chosen Bai Shaoqi instead.
Now hearing Song Min say Bai Lian got a perfect math score, her first instinct was that it was impossible.
But…
Boyuan Base wasn’t just any place. If Song Min wasn’t certain about Bai Lian’s perfect score, he wouldn’t have mentioned it.
“Perfect score? So that’s higher than yours?” Mrs. Song asked, stunned.
Song Min’s face remained cold as he added, “But her comprehensive science score isn’t as good as mine.”
He was second in comprehensive science, Ning Xiao was first, so Bai Lian definitely couldn’t have scored higher than him.
“That’s good then,” Mrs. Song, like Song Min earlier, felt slightly relieved. “There are only about a hundred days until the college entrance exam. Aming, work hard, and don’t be careless next time.”
Before today, hearing about Bai Lian’s score might have made Mrs. Song regret her decision.
But now that Bai Shaoqi had caught Dean Jian’s attention, Mrs. Song felt that comparatively, Bai Shaoqi was still worth investing in.
Being Dean Jian’s disciple meant standing above others in the art world.
She could even compare with Bai Shaoke then, but… Mrs. Song felt some regret. A perfect math score – good thing the comprehensive science score was lower, otherwise she would have been heartbroken. She wondered if Bai Qiming knew about this…
** The Jiangjing Music Academy wasn’t far from the Science Museum.
Dean Jian knew she was at the Science Museum and sent her an address – an old restaurant also in Chang’an District.
Bai Lian started searching for directions on her map.
Before she could find the route, Assistant Xu called. His voice was very respectful: “Miss Bai, do you have time this evening?”
“No,” Bai Lian explained, “I have plans with someone.”
Assistant Xu heard the Science Museum’s speaker announcement, “You’re at the Science Museum? I’m nearby, just a few minutes drive away. Where are you heading? I can give you a ride.”
Bai Lian looked at the bus – it would take at least an hour.
Worried about keeping Dean Jian waiting, she didn’t refuse.
On the other end, in the car.
Xu Shujie, sitting in the back seat, was already quite irritated. Now she looked at Assistant Xu in shock, “You’re going to give her a ride?”
The day after tomorrow was Xu En’s wedding.
Xu Shujie’s usual car was being cleaned and maintained. Tonight Xu En was gathering the whole family for dinner, and since Xu Shujie was going too, she had taken a ride with Assistant Xu.
She hadn’t expected Assistant Xu would detour to give Bai Lian a ride.
“Yes, if you have something to do, you can get out. I can have someone else pick you up,” Assistant Xu replied politely.
Xu Shujie hadn’t met Bai Lian yet but had heard about her many times from Xu En. She didn’t have much impression of Bai Lian, but she knew Assistant Xu – he was Xu En’s confidant and rarely showed such respect to others.
Even his attitude towards her was just properly formal.
Now he was so respectful to Ji Mulan’s daughter?
Xu Shujie found it bewildering.
She raised her hand, saying casually, “No need, I’ll go along.”
Now she was finally curious about Bai Lian, wanting to know why Assistant Xu was so respectful to her.
Within a few minutes, the car reached the edge of the Science Museum.
The Science Museum was a famous landmark in Jiangjing. Xu Shujie thought Bai Lian must be there for sightseeing.
Her eyes scanned the surroundings and immediately spotted a young woman standing by the road. She wore a snow-white layered wool coat, her black hair loosely pinned up with a hairpin, with a few strands swaying in the wind near her ears.
She was wearing bluetooth earphones.
Her eyes were lowered, left hand holding a phone, right hand casually swiping the screen.
Was she playing a game?
The car stopped, and the young woman lazily looked up against the sunlight.
Her whole face was revealed, with the sapphire-like Science Museum behind her instantly becoming mere backdrop.
Xu Shujie had heard about Bai Lian from Old Madam Xu, and Xu En had wanted Bai Lian to come to Jiangjing to repeat a year, but her grades weren’t good. Ji Mulan had also mentioned Bai Lian briefly, leading Xu Shujie to have a very ordinary impression of her.
But seeing her now, she realized that indeed, few could resist beauty. Her impression of Bai Lian improved.
Assistant Xu quickly got out of the car and very subserviently opened the front passenger door as Bai Lian raised her hand, “Miss Bai, watch your head.”
His voice was respectful. However, he didn’t introduce Xu Shujie to Bai Lian.
After all…
Even Xu En didn’t dare to be too casual with Bai Lian, and it wasn’t certain whether Bai Lian would acknowledge the relationship with the Xu family now. Assistant Xu didn’t dare to make introductions casually.
Xu Shujie, who had been waiting for an introduction to ask Bai Lian a few questions: “…”
Assistant Xu returned to the driver’s seat, “Miss Bai, where are you heading?”
Bai Lian fastened her seatbelt without removing her bluetooth earphones. She leaned back casually against the seat, tapped open the address Dean Jian had sent, and said casually, “Qingxin Building.”
There was only one Qingxin Building in all of Jiangjing, membership-only.
Assistant Xu had been there before – Xu En sometimes met important guests there, so he wasn’t surprised that Bai Lian was going there.
However, Xu Shujie in the back seat gave Bai Lian another look.
Bai Lian sat in the front passenger seat, still focused on listening to English professional terms, occasionally recalling the key points that Academician Ma had just mentioned.
She knew someone in the back seat was watching her.
But having been noticed often, Bai Lian didn’t mind, just leisurely swiping her phone screen.
Twenty minutes later.
The car stopped at Qingxin Building.
Bai Lian unfastened her seatbelt and got out, bending slightly to thank Assistant Xu, “Thank you.”
“No need to be polite,” Assistant Xu said something that would make Director Chen want to hit him, “If you need a ride back later, just call me directly.”
“Okay.” Bai Lian closed the front passenger door and walked into Qingxin Building.
Qingxin Building was considered a private club.
The heating inside was adequate.
The receptionist, wearing an elegant qipao, saw Bai Lian and approached with a smile, bowing to ask, “Hello, do you have a reservation?”
Bai Lian held her phone and stated the room number: “Winter 08.”
Winter 08 was a VIP private room.
The receptionist became even more respectful, “Are you Miss Bai?”
“Yes.” Bai Lian nodded.
“Miss Bai, this way please,” the receptionist led her to the elevator and gently reminded, “Watch your step.”
** Outside.
After Bai Lian left the car.
Xu Shujie looked at her retreating figure, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully: “She’s not having the reunion dinner, what’s she doing here?”
Who was she meeting here? Did the Ji family know anyone in Jiangjing?
“Don’t know.” Assistant Xu refused to say more about Bai Lian, and just then his phone rang.
It was Xu En calling, his voice cheerful, “Pick up Uncle Ji and the others, and after dinner, have Uncle Ji go through the rehearsal.”
There was a reunion dinner tonight.
“Okay.” Assistant Xu hung up and called Ji Shaojun, while checking the rearview mirror, “I need to pick up Mr. Ji and the others, it might be quite far, you…”
Xu Shujie knew Ji Shaojun’s group had gone fishing.
The fishing spots in Jiangjing were mostly in the suburbs.
It would take one or two hours to drive there.
Having accompanied Assistant Xu to Qingxin Building, Xu Shujie’s patience was exhausted. She opened the car door and got out, “Fine, you go ahead, I’ll have someone else pick me up.”
Assistant Xu gave Xu Shujie an apologetic look.
Then continued to call Ji Shaojun.
Xu Shujie: “…”
So, why was Assistant Xu so respectful to the Ji family?
Xu Shujie stood there, pondering slightly. Xu En and Xu Wenyao could be said to be polite.
But Assistant Xu was usually good at reading the situation, he was quite experienced.
** In the car.
Ji Shaojun sent Assistant Xu the address.
Assistant Xu opened it, originally planning to navigate, but when he saw the address, he suddenly felt dazed, rubbed his eyes, thinking he must have seen wrong.
Looking again, the map still showed those five characters—
[Jiayu Lake Back Gate]
The area shown was Xingjiang District.
Assistant Xu calmly started the car.
When the car drove onto Jiangjing Avenue, then onto a small road, and finally stopped at Jiayu Lake’s back gate, Assistant Xu looked up at the gate, thinking blankly—
It really was here.
The front half was a popular tourist spot open to the public, the back half was private.
Growing up in Jiangjing, Assistant Xu felt for the first time that he lacked experience – could you ice fish here?
Assistant Xu got out of the car and messaged Ji Shaojun, saying he had arrived.
Then he quietly stood at the back gate waiting for the Ji family to come out.
Within ten minutes, a group of people came out noisily.
Director Chen was holding a big fish, giving it to Ji Shaojun, saying regretfully, “I need to deliver fish to the old master, no time, otherwise I would definitely drink more with you today.”
Ji Heng blew out a smoke ring, holding a fish basket in his other hand, squinting, “Drink the day after tomorrow.”
He seemed to be in a very good mood today.
“Right.” Director Chen’s eyes lit up.
He remembered Xu En’s wedding the day after tomorrow, “It’s a joyous occasion the day after tomorrow, I must drink plenty with you!”
At the gate.
Assistant Xu’s mind was instantly blank, with only two thoughts—
- Director Chen had actually returned to Jiangjing.
- Director Chen… he was going to attend Xu En’s wedding the day after tomorrow!
The Chen family – rarely seen in these districts, the wedding the day after tomorrow… should be the most explosive news in Mingfeng District this year, right?
Assistant Xu thought blankly.
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