ATLAS TRANSLATES

Xu Zhiyue stood at the back of the crowd, speaking softly. Only because she had a decent relationship with Ji Mulan did she dare speak to her.

Though the crowd was noisy, Ji Mulan heard everything she needed to hear.

“She’s in your class?” Ji Mulan had always thought Bai Lian was just touring Jianjing. She paused: “…You need her to teach you math?”

Ji Mulan couldn’t forget what happened with Bai Lian in her first year of high school.

Ji Mulan’s voice was rather loud, unlike her usual gentleness. Xu Zhiyue looked at her carefully, “Yes, she’s at Boyuan Base.”

“Boyuan Base?” The middle-aged woman looked at Bai Lian in surprise.

Her expression was somewhat shocked. Although grades don’t determine everything, they do set the upper limit of a top student’s potential. No one from Boyuan Base was mediocre; they all had certain potential… How could Old Mrs. Xu push such a person out the door?

Ji Mulan didn’t know about Boyuan Base.

But in front of so many people, she wouldn’t show any weakness, only giving a slight smile.

“Zhiyue, I didn’t mean to scold you,” Ji Mulan patted Xu Zhiyue’s back. Unable to talk with others, she spoke to Shen Qing who was sitting down: “This is Zhiyue, she’s at the Affiliated Middle School, ranked second nationally…”

She introduced Xu Zhiyue, saying how obedient and hardworking she was, how she ranked second nationally…

Ji Mulan, who could barely sit together with her own daughter and always criticized her for not living up to expectations, spoke about another unrelated person, Xu Zhiyue, with pride and satisfaction in her eyes.

She wished such an obedient, excellent person was her daughter.

If Bai Lian had shown such personality tendencies, Ji Mulan would probably have stifled her original personality to make her become such an obedient, excellent doll.

Ranking second nationally was indeed something anyone would be proud of.

Shen Qing was also shocked, but Ji Mulan’s words were more unsettling. She gave Ji Mulan a perfunctory look, “Ah yes, yes, yes.”

“Miss Bai, let me see you out.” Chen Ju put down his wine glass and stood up.

To send off Bai Lian and Jiang Fuli.

Shen Min couldn’t say anything, just silently following behind Chen Ju.

Everyone heard him call her “Miss Bai.”

Jiang Fuli also walked beside Bai Lian, always staying one or two steps behind her, not moving forward. His back was to the hall’s lights, his figure tall and slender. Because there were many people, his usually cool and light eyebrows carried a hint of irritated hostility, cold and striking.

Though every feature was exquisite, few dared to look directly at him. The noisy crowd forcibly kept a meter’s distance.

Really very useful.

Bai Lian was quite satisfied.

Even Xu En kept several body lengths away from Bai Lian. Only after sending Bai Lian and the others into the elevator did he slowly let out a breath.

Xu Wenyao stayed behind Xu En, watching the elevator doors close. Xu En turned to look at him, “You know them?”

“Hard to say…” Xu Wenyao seemed lost in thought, “But it also seems… unlikely.”

The two dropped the matter and walked inside.

After Bai Lian and the others left, Chen Ju resumed his stern expression.

Near Shen Qing, the little gentleman Jiang He, wearing a small suit and bow tie, still sat on the high chair, swinging his legs. He hadn’t left with Jiang Fuli.

He had specially gone back last night to pack his blanket and clothes, wanting to go to Xiangcheng with Bai Lian.

** Bai Lian and Jiang Fuli returned to Boyuan Base.

Tang Ming took Ning Xiao to explore an old street in Shimen District. He scratched his head, “Aren’t you buying some souvenirs for your family? The scholarship money from school hasn’t been used much. My family members are all asking me in the group chat to bring back local specialties…”

Ning Xiao just bought a very red ornament to take back.

“That’s all?” Tang Ming looked at Ning Xiao, “Not buying anything else? Study God, we can’t be this cold…”

Tang Ming had many relatives at home – sisters, cousins…

He had a long list on his phone.

Ning Xiao was annoyed by his chatter and said coldly: “My family members have all passed away, only grandmother is left.”

So one item was enough.

Tang Ming’s voice suddenly stopped: “…”

He watched Ning Xiao walk out of the street, then stood in place and gave himself a hard slap.

On the twenty-eighth day of the lunar year, this street was also very lively. The Chen family’s private museum was two streets away. Ning Xiao and Tang Ming walked to the main road to wait for the bus.

A black SUV came from the end of the road.

In the driver’s seat was a woman wearing glasses and a military coat. She had a high ponytail and bright red lipstick, irritably honking her horn trying to drive away pedestrians crossing against the red light.

A large bouquet of sunflowers was placed in the passenger seat.

This road had few cars, and the opposite side was the ancient street with heavy foot traffic. There was only one traffic officer directing, who couldn’t stop some people anxious to cross the road.

Finally, the people cleared.

The woman then stepped on the gas to drive through. On the road, she saw a group of people waiting at the bus stop, and when she spotted two outstanding youths among them, she slowed down a bit.

The car behind carefully honked its horn.

The SUV then continued forward, finally stopping at the Chen family’s private museum.

Today was the museum’s last day open.

Many people with appointments were queuing to enter. The woman pulled out her key, stepped down in leather boots, wore sunglasses and walked straight inside through a side door.

When she arrived, there was a strong smell of blood on her, and the queuing people didn’t dare speak.

After she went in, these people started discussing, “What’s going on, someone doesn’t need to queue?”

“Yeah, everyone should be equal…”

Someone even took out their phone.

The ticket checker lazily looked up, “Why queue to enter your own home?”

“…” That person sheepishly put down their phone.

In the back garden cemetery.

Chen Beixuan took off her sunglasses. Her face was extremely beautiful and cold, her figure tall and slim, her age almost impossible to tell from her appearance. She put her sunglasses back in her pocket and respectfully lit three incense sticks—

“Great ancestor, you blessed me to buy cake the first time, blessed me to pass math the second time, and later blessed me to get into military school…” She started rambling a bunch of things, finally respectfully inserting the three incense sticks, “I promise, I promise this time really, really is the last time I’m asking you. It’s been eleven years, can you bless me to find that damn scumbag? I want to chop him up myself.” A minute later, “Your silence means consent? Okay okay, thank you great ancestor, thank you great ancestor!”

** At the same time.

Bai Lian sneezed in the Boyuan Base classroom.

Jiang Fuli sat beside her, one hand scrolling on the computer while his other hand handed her his coat, “Don’t try to act cool.”

Bai Lian was still wearing that simplest white long dress, pure and pristine. She only slightly raised her eyes, “It’s fine, I’m not you. Do you need me to prescribe some medicine?”

Hearing her words, Jiang Fuli took back the coat, “I haven’t looked at the report He Wen and others submitted.”

But Bai Lian reached out to hold his left wrist pulse.

Jiang Fuli’s pulse was very strange. Bai Lian leaned against the desk, her fingertips pressing his pulse, her brows slightly furrowed.

While Jiang Fuli lowered his head to stare at her luminous white fingertips, leisurely thinking that so she really wasn’t cold.

“No hope?” Jiang Fuli saw her continuing to frown and asked.

Bai Lian: “…”

How could he talk about himself this way too.

She let go of his hand, pulled a piece of paper from the side, and started pondering.

Jiang Fuli quietly withdrew his hand, opening a document, “It’s been like this since I was eight, I wilt easily when it gets cold.”

He described himself like a vegetable.

Multitasking, he replied to someone: [Plagiarism check]

—[Okay teacher, will using their website for plagiarism check leak secrets?]

Jiang Fuli: [Don’t worry about these things you wrote being garbage]

After replying, he sent over his revision comments.

Then Professor Ma’s message came.

Professor Ma: [Is her file sealed?]

Jiang Fuli: [Yes]

Professor Ma: [That’s good]

After asking, Professor Ma started adding personal matters: [Any opinions on this year’s betting pool?]

He was asking about the college entrance exam betting pool. This year it was just Xu Zhiyue and Liang Wuyu. Liang Wuyu would do better in science, while Xu Zhiyue was better at Chinese and English. This time the Jianjing final exam English was simple, giving Liang Wuyu a big advantage.

Every year there was this situation with the college entrance exam, and the academic circle never tired of it.

Jiang Fuli didn’t reply to Professor Ma.

Professor Ma stared at the chat page for a long time, then turned to put his money into the betting pool.

Professor Ma: [When is she leaving?]

Jiang Fuli: [????]

Professor Ma: [Why are you suddenly so friendly?]

Professor Ma stared at this smile. He had always felt this smile was very friendly, but seeing Jiang Fuli send it today, he felt this smile seemed somewhat mocking and cold.

Professor Ma then sent to Bai Lian: [????]

Bai Jian: [????]

This was normal. Professor Ma asked Bai Lian: [When are you leaving?]

With this parting from Bai Lian, it would be 160 days until the college entrance exam, 280 days before she might come to school. Professor Ma felt lost.

Bai Lian: [Tomorrow at 6am.]

This was a bit early for others, but just right for Professor Ma, after all, he liked shopping.

** Afternoon.

After the Jianjing Music Academy’s performance finished, Bai Shaoqi returned to the Yin family.

She and Song Min were also packing to return to Beicheng.

At this time, Bai Shaoqi was video calling with Bai Qiming. Mrs. Song, wearing a cardigan, sat gracefully beside Bai Shaoqi and smiled at Bai Qiming on the screen: “Shaoqi is here, don’t worry.”

Before Bai Qiming could speak on the phone, the Bai family’s great-uncle squeezed over, saying cheerfully: “I heard Dean Jian had a very good impression of Shaoqi, right?”

“Yes,” Mrs. Song nodded, her eyes full of smiles, “I saw it that day too.”

“Bless the ancestors, bless the ancestors.” Great-uncle Bai pressed his palms together, “Shaoqi can make it back too, right? I’ll prepare more offerings for the ancestral worship. You and your brother are the stars this time at the worship.”

Ancestral worship was a big event for the Bai family.

Bai Qiming asked Bai Shaoqi: “Your flight is at 9pm, right? Just in time for tomorrow’s worship.”

Mrs. Song looked at Bai Qiming on the phone, paused, and remembered Bai Lian, “For your worship, should we let Ah Lian…”

Bai Lian was at Boyuan Base now.

“I’ll send someone to pick you up tomorrow.” Bai Qiming darkly interrupted Mrs. Song’s words.

Although Bai Qiming had taken in Bai Shaoqi and Bai Shaoke, he never remarried, but unexpectedly Ji Mulan got married so quickly, and to someone from Jianjing.

At this moment, Bai Qiming didn’t want to hear any news about Bai Lian at all.

Beside them, the Bai family’s great-uncle didn’t speak up for Bai Lian, but instead smiled and reminded Mrs. Song: “You might not know, but Bai Lian has already been directly expelled from our clan.”

“Is that so.” Mrs. Song saw that Bai Shaoqi beside her was also a bit unhappy, so she smiled and stood up, “I won’t disturb your family’s conversation.”

She walked downstairs.

She happened to see Mr. Yin returning from outside. Mrs. Song was surprised: “Big brother, why are you back now?”

Mr. Yin didn’t even change his shoes, walking straight to Mrs. Song to ask: “How was it? When you went to the Xu family banquet, did you see anyone? Did you get the phone number of anyone from the Chen family?”