ATLAS TRANSLATES

In Jiangjing, Xu En walked back to his desk and flipped through some documents.

“The hotel has given me some news,” Xu En said in a deep voice. “I thought they were just business partners. While the hotel didn’t release guest information, people have been secretly investigating these past few days. They might discover your information soon.”

About the incident at Xu En’s wedding banquet, Mrs. Xu and the Qi family would definitely go to the hotel to investigate.

Even Xu’s assistant had received hints, both direct and indirect.

While all of this was within Xu En’s control, there was one force that he couldn’t handle.

Xu En also found it strange – he could understand if someone was investigating Bai Lian, but why would anyone investigate Ji Heng?

Moreover…

The Xu family had no leads at all.

“It’s fine, probably not enemies,” Bai Lian said, turning her pen while thinking.

After half a year together, Bai Lian understood Ji Heng well.

However…

If not enemies, then who?

Jiang Fuli arrived late tonight. By the time he got there, Ning Xiao and Tang Ming had already left, having discussed enough of their problems with Bai Lian.

The black business car’s back door opened.

Ming Dongheng turned off the engine and opened the window but didn’t get out.

As soon as he got out of the car, he saw Bai Lian sitting by the window. The milk tea shop was closed, with only dim lights beside her. Jiang He sat next to Bai Lian, not reading but yawning and resting his head on the table while looking at her.

Jiang Fuli pushed aside the door curtain, entering the milk tea shop with the clear sound of wind chimes.

“Did they all leave?” Jiang Fuli sat across from Bai Lian.

“Yes, you’re a bit late today.”

Indeed, after leading his team members, Jiang Fuli had checked the lab equipment to see if he could design a light storage chip. Looking through materials had delayed him by an hour.

Jiang Fuli wanted to ask more, but his eyes caught the cut on her finger.

He gently pressed her hand, his fingertip touching her palm as he looked down at her index finger. There was a bloody cut – not long, but clearly deep.

Even after a day, the blood hadn’t clotted and was still slowly seeping.

Jiang Fuli looked up at her but didn’t speak.

This cut meant nothing to Bai Lian. She just looked down at Jiang Fuli’s fingers – they were long and clean, with slight calluses on his thumb, and a bit cool to the touch.

“Just a small cut,” Bai Lian lazily propped her chin with her other hand, her dark eyes half-closed as she looked at him. “It’ll heal in… a few days.”

Jiang Fuli looked up, glancing briefly at her shoulder before lowering his eyelashes, saying nothing more.

Back in the car, he took out a medical kit, found a bandaid, and sprinkled some medicine powder on it.

The back light was on.

Bai Lian watched him quietly treating her wound. She wanted to joke that in the military camp, people would laugh at treating such a small injury, but seeing how serious he was, she couldn’t say it.

This person was genuinely concerned about whether she was in pain.

The car arrived at Qingshui Street.

Jiang He was dozing off in his seat.

Jiang Fuli got out to walk her into the alley. Qingshui Street’s alleys, big and small, all had solar lights installed, making them bright even at night.

“I used to be quite afraid of the dark,” Bai Lian rarely talked about her past, but maybe because tonight was particularly quiet, “but I overcame it later.”

“That’s impressive.” He kept looking down at her, sincerely praising.

At the corner, Ji Heng’s courtyard was just ahead.

Bai Lian stopped, adjusted her backpack, and stood there: “You should go now.”

Jiang Fuli stood at the entrance, not leaving. “Bai Lian.”

He suddenly spoke.

Bai Lian waited for his next words.

Behind him was the bright light, casting a dim glow on him, making his stern features even more striking in the shadows as he looked deeply into her eyes: “Can I hug you?”

Bai Lian stood still, somewhat stunned, as the wind gently breezed past.

About two minutes passed.

Jiang Fuli leaned slightly forward, his left hand holding her waist. Her body temperature was slightly higher than his. He held her quietly, as if embracing his moonlight.

The fingers on her back tightened slightly, yet restrained from pressing harder.

Bai Lian could almost hear his heartbeat, surrounded by a faint mint scent.

**

They separated.

Jiang Fuli walked back with his phone.

He wore a black coat, his whole demeanor cold and aloof.

In the driver’s seat, since Jiang He was in the car, Ming Dongheng kept the engine running. When he saw the figure, he opened the back door and suddenly noticed something.

Wait…

Young Master Jiang was walking stiffly just now.

“Young Master, the butler just called and hopes you’ll return his call,” Ming Dongheng said, unconsciously glancing at the rearview mirror.

Jiang Fuli looked up, his eyes as cold as ever. Ming Dongheng didn’t dare peek anymore. His hand shook as he quickly looked away, placing his hands on the steering wheel.

He quickly stepped on the gas.

In the back seat, Jiang Fuli turned off one light, leaving just one for Jiang He to sleep by, and unbuttoned one button.

He picked up the phone from the partition and dialed a number.

“Young Master,” on the other end was an elderly, respectful voice, “you haven’t been to MTR for a long time. The professors there are asking about you.”

“Not going,” Jiang Fuli relaxed against the seat. One light fell diagonally on his right side, half his face hidden in shadow, his voice lazy.

“Your biological indicators…”

Jiang Fuli interrupted him, “I’m taking medicine.”

“Medicine?” The other side was startled.

“Yes.” Jiang Fuli lowered the window halfway, letting in the wind. His lips curved slightly, “Someone prescribed it for me.”

Cold, but with a hint of hidden pride.

“…” Butler Jiang was silent for a long time before saying, “I’ll send MTR’s blood collection team to Xiangcheng then.”

Jiang Fuli casually agreed.

“Young Master,” Butler Jiang reminded, “the clan knows about your association with a young lady, and… your uncle probably knows too.”

At this, Jiang Fuli’s relaxed expression immediately vanished, his face turning icy, “They don’t need to concern themselves with these matters.”

On the other end.

The butler softly sighed.

**

Ji Heng was designing graduation uniforms for Class 15, still drawing designs in the courtyard.

Dean Jian was watching his designs while wearing pajamas.

Ji Heng was drawing designs for the girls first. Lu Xiaohan had collected class opinions – the boys said to let Ji Heng use his creativity, but the girls had many bold ideas.

“Ah Lian,” seeing Bai Lian return, Ji Heng looked up, slightly hesitating: “For your class’s graduation uniforms, can you accept a safflower red color?”

When Bai Lian first came here, Ji Heng had made her bright-colored dresses, but she never wore them.

He had combined Class 15 girls’ opinions – white tops with red skirts would suit these youthful, beautiful girls.

Ji Heng had never asked why she didn’t wear such colors, and even now he was just asking if she’d mind. If she didn’t want to wear it, he would make her a separate piece in the same style but different colors.

Bai Lian closed the door and looked over at Ji Heng after hearing this.

Graduation photos would be in May.

She calculated the time.

“It’s fine,” Bai Lian responded to Ji Heng.

Ji Heng was surprised. He had thought Bai Lian would say no, but hearing her agree made him smile, “I thought you didn’t like clothes in these colors.”

“No,” Bai Lian put her backpack in her room and came out to get water, “I like them all, please make them as you wish.”

After thinking.

She carried the water and crouched beside Ji Heng, “Today Uncle Xu said someone at Jiangjing Yunxiao Hotel was asking about you.”

Ji Heng’s hand holding the pencil paused slightly. After pondering for a while, he shook his head: “It’s nothing.”

Bai Lian observed Ji Heng’s expression – it matched her thoughts, those people didn’t have bad intentions.

That’s fine then. Everyone has secrets, both she and Ji Heng did.

Ji Heng never asked about hers, and she wouldn’t pry into his secrets either.

Bai Lian stood up carrying the water.

Dean Jian saw that Bai Lian had only greeted him briefly from start to finish, and became anxious, “Bai Lian, I see you like the guzheng too, why won’t you accept my suggestion?”

“Where did you see that I like the guzheng?” Bai Lian asked lazily.

“Well…” Dean Jian saw the guzheng on Bai Lian’s table through the door and said, “If you don’t like it, why did you buy a 2.88 million yuan guzheng?”

Guzhengs aren’t as expensive as pianos, but 2.88 million yuan was already at collector’s level.

Dean Jian knew there was such an exhibition at the time. He had struggled for a long time but didn’t plan to go see it, afraid he might give in and bring the guzheng home.

As the dean of Jiangjing Music Academy, he didn’t have that much savings – most went to helping children learn guzheng, and some was donated to charity.

This 2.88 million was a huge sum for him too.

He didn’t expect to come to Ji’s house and see the guzheng he dreamed of right on Bai Lian’s table.

“Ah?” Bai Lian slowly looked up at the cold guzheng on the table, “…2.88 million?”

“You didn’t know…” Dean Jian was saying halfway when he suddenly sneezed.

Ji Heng put away his pencil and looked up at Dean Jian, “Did you catch a cold? You should go back to your room to rest, I need to sleep too.”

Bai Lian returned to her room, poured water into the wooden bucket, casually let down her hair, then picked up her phone.

She took a photo of the guzheng.

Bai Student: [Picture]

Bai Student: [2.88 million?]

Jiang Fuli selected “Bai Student: [Picture]” to reply: [You still take the best photos]

Teacher Jiang: [I’ll take them all for you next time]

Bai Lian: “…”

**

Dean Jian stayed in Xiangcheng for several days.

Because his erhu music went viral, many musicians came to Xiangcheng during this time, all wanting to perform on that public stage in Xiangdong. There were quite a few internet celebrities among them.

Many videos got high views, becoming phenomenal videos.

The heat about Dean Jian was gradually covered by these people, and he could finally step out of Ji’s house to take a good look at the east side of the city.

At Xiangcheng Mansion.

Jian Zhonghai hadn’t found Jian Zhongyou all this time, seeming to have aged several years at once, his eyes very weary: “He still doesn’t want to see me.”

“Great Uncle might not know you’re here,” Assistant Jian comforted Jian Zhonghai.

“It’s been so long, he might have gone back to Jiangjing,” Jian Zhonghai put down his chopsticks, sighing.

This time his spy in Jian Zhongyou’s circle was exposed. It wouldn’t be so easy to get information next time.

The Jian family was also preparing to return to the Northern City.

Outside, Jian Zhe came in carrying two books, knowing his grandfather and father were about to return to the Northern City, coming to see them off.

Assistant Jian glanced at Jian Zhe, “Is Young Master Jian Zhe really preparing for graduate school?”

“Yes,” Jian’s father quickly pulled Jian Zhe over, saying to Jian Zhonghai, “Dad, look at Jian Rong’s teacher…”

Jian Zhonghai didn’t care much about Jian Zhe. He casually glanced at him, “I’ll have someone send you Jian Rong’s class materials.”

Jian Zhe lowered his eyes, not refusing: “Thank you, Grandfather.”

Jian’s father looked at Jian Zhe with exasperation, “We’re leaving tomorrow night, come see your grandfather off then. Your IQ might not be as high as others, but can’t you even learn how to please people?!”

Jian Zhe scratched his head, preparing to leave for the library to study, “Can’t, I’ll probably be at the milk tea shop then.”

He had already developed a habit of going there to study every day.

“What milk tea!” Jian’s father twisted his ear, “You must show up tomorrow.”

**

Meanwhile.

At Northern City First High School, in the principal’s office.

“Shaoke left in a hurry, his advisor urged him to enter the lab,” a gentle-looking woman brought New Year’s gifts to Principal Li, smiling, “He asked me to come see you.”

“He entered the lab?” Principal Li suddenly looked up.

Very surprised about this.

Although Bai Shaoke was the top scorer in Northern City at the time, Principal Li knew he still had a big gap compared to those from Jiangjing Affiliated High School. He didn’t expect that after just half a year at Jiangjing University, he had found an advisor?

Such progress…

“Yes, but he just started, no one else knows except Jian Rong – you should know Jian Rong? He and Shaoke have been close friends for many years,” Guo Yueqing was very polite. She lowered her head, picking up her teacup, “I heard you and Shaoqi’s homeroom teacher went to Xiangcheng?”

The incident with the Bai family wasn’t handled well at the time.

Ji Mulan wasn’t easy to deal with either. Principal Li also knew about the situation with the three Bai children.

Before going, Principal Li didn’t know that person was Bai Lian, who had quite a connection with Bai Shaoqi and Bai Shaoke.

“Went to inspect the school’s situation.” Principal Li nodded.

Guo Yueqing finished a sip of tea, put down her cup, lowered her eyelashes, seeming very casual: “I remember Xiangcheng’s teaching resources aren’t very good, right?”

This was true, but after Bai Lian’s scores came in last time, the Northern City Education Bureau allocated quite a few resources there.

“Well,” Guo Yueqing stood up, slightly bowing to the principal, “You’re so busy, I won’t disturb you anymore.”

After she left, Principal Li looked at the large gift on the desk, breaking out in a cold sweat.

“Are you sure?” The voice on the phone was very surprised.

Principal Li took a deep breath. Guo Yueqing just wanted him to pick a side, “Our school just got Jiangjing’s resources last year with our top scorer. Issue an announcement – from today on, Northern City First High School will not share resources with other schools.”

This would greatly impact other schools, but had no effect on Northern City First High.

Jiangjing allocated teaching resources to lower schools each year based on college entrance exam scores, and Northern City First High almost exclusively enjoyed all resources.

“If this announcement goes out, what if other schools get teaching resources first in the future, we also can’t…” The person on the phone hesitated.

“Don’t worry, even if someone else gets Northern City’s top score, our school will still be better than Xiangcheng overall.” Principal Li was absolutely confident about this – everyone in the international class ranked in the top hundred.

**

The next day, Friday.

Xiangcheng High School usually gave out comprehensive tests and extension papers every Friday, but today there were none.

“Teacher,” after the second afternoon chemistry class, Wen Qi raised his hand to ask the chemistry teacher, “Are there no comprehensive science papers this week?”

The test papers were very important for third-year students.

The college entrance exam paper writers would create some new question types. The paper writers were in Jiangjing, and it wasn’t easy to get their daily test papers. Some were carefully researched exercises by elite teachers from Jiangjing and the four major cities.

Every year, one or two questions would be almost identical.

Tricky yet innovative – this was why all schools had students constantly doing these papers.

But today was strange. It was the weekend, yet not a single paper was handed out.

The chemistry teacher was very cold. He looked at Wen Qi, “You want test papers?”

Wen Qi was shocked, “No… teacher…”

“Come with me to the office,” the chemistry teacher ignored his wailing, turning to leave, “I’ll tear off some papers for you.”

Wen Qi: “…”

Why did he have to speak up?

In the principal’s office, the atmosphere was depressing.

After school in the afternoon, Bai Lian, Ning Xiao, and Tang Ming, after hearing the news from Northern City, found him smoking alone in the principal’s office.

The office was full of smoke.

Seeing the three students arrive, the principal opened the windows to clear the smoke.

He looked at the three students, afraid of disappointing them yet finding it hard to speak: “Starting this week, we won’t have extension papers anymore, and no more joint exams either. You need to…”

These extension papers were extremely important for Xiangcheng High School. Their educational resources were already behind, and this information gap would set them back even further.

“I understand.” Bai Lian nodded casually.

The principal was stunned.

Beside Bai Lian, Tang Ming scratched his head, “Principal, do you have anything else?”

The principal had thought when he brought this up, the three students might be upset, their reactions might be very intense…

But he never expected them to react this way.

“You all,” the principal extinguished his cigarette, sighing deeply, slowly saying: “Without extension papers, you won’t have new question types, you’ll fall behind other schools by quite a bit. We haven’t given you the best…”

He tried to explain this matter clearly to the three.

Bai Lian only heard “no new question types, falling behind other schools,” and looked up, “You… need new question types?”

She reached into her backpack, took out a rather thick exercise book, looked through it, then pulled out an error collection book.

She handed them to the principal.