ATLAS TRANSLATES

Before Xu Nanjing could react, Ming Dongheng beside him put down what he was holding and started walking outside.

This meant… Had Jiang Fuli and the others returned?

Xu Nanjing sat up straight, ignoring the frequent messages in the Jiangjing small WeChat group, staring intently at the doorway, wanting to see which young lady could tame this otherworldly being.

This wasn’t an exaggeration. Due to their mothers’ relationship, he and Jiang Fuli had known each other since childhood. After the incident with Jiang Fuli’s family, he became cold and distant. Even with their lifelong friendship, it took Xu Nanjing a long time to gain Jiang Fuli’s trust.

People from their type of families were naturally suspicious.

Outside the door, two figures walked in one after another. Walking in front was a girl, tall and slim, wearing a white hoodie with slight traditional elements. Her pure black hair was pinned up with two plain hairpins. Her skin was fair, and she carried herself with lazy elegance.

She was holding a phone, lazily looking down at the screen.

Jiang Fuli fell behind her because of parking. He casually carried a black backpack in one hand and car keys in the other.

After entering, he casually placed the keys on the counter by the door.

Xu Nanjing came to his senses and stood up, his tone somewhat formal, “Brother Jiang.”

Jiang Fuli slightly raised his eyes. He had always been cold in temperament, his noble demeanor tinged with a hint of arrogance. Those light phoenix eyes were especially frigid.

Perhaps it was because he possessed a mind that could overwhelm everyone. The young ladies and gentlemen of their generation in Jiangjing’s social circle all acted like mice seeing a cat when they met him.

“Mm,” seeing Xu Nanjing, he wasn’t surprised and casually introduced, “This is Xu Nanjing.”

Bai Lian finally looked up and greeted him: “Hello.”

She had a face that could stun anyone, perfect from every angle.

“Hello.” Meeting her almond eyes, though her face was nothing but quiet and beautiful, Xu Nanjing inexplicably felt like he was being targeted by a giant predator.

“Jiang He is upstairs.” Jiang Fuli was about to take Bai Lian upstairs to find Jiang He.

But Bai Lian took the backpack from his hand, “I’ll go by myself.”

She walked upstairs with a lazy demeanor, while Jiang Fuli stood at the stairs watching her go up.

Ming Dongheng had already gone back to make tea to send upstairs.

She was clearly very familiar with this place, and also very familiar with Jiang He and the others.

Xu Nanjing belatedly realized – so the bag Young Master Jiang was holding was her schoolbag?

**

Jiang Fuli sat on the sofa with his sleeve rolled up while the family doctor carefully drew his blood. MTR laboratory was urgent, so the doctor’s movements were quick and efficient.

Across from him, Xu Nanjing didn’t dare put his feet up on the coffee table anymore. He leaned back on the sofa, looking down at his phone in a Jiangjing social circle group chat.

Xu Feng: [Haven’t seen Young Master Jiang all year] Xu Nanjing: [Go to Jiang Garden and you’ll see him] Xu Feng: [(terrified) I’m waiting for you to take me!] Xia Ximing: [@Xu Nanjing Third Young Master, not coming to tonight’s gathering? There’ll be motorcycle beauties] Xu Nanjing: [Can’t make it, I’m in Xiangcheng]

Everyone in this group was Xu Nanjing’s friend. Any one of them was a famous second generation from Jiangjing’s top social circle, with deep family foundations. But none of these families could compare to the Jiang family.

A family with a thousand years of heritage, spanning three realms, producing countless famous people – this influence was something other families could never catch up to.

After sending that, Xu Nanjing turned and messaged his mother: [(praying hands) Don’t dare take photos, don’t dare at all, I plan to stay in Xiangcheng longer!]

Then, he sent another message in their four-person small group: [shocked_panda.jpg]

After drawing blood, the doctor held another empty tube, hesitating: “Young Master Jiang, should I draw another tube?”

Xu Nanjing came back to his senses, remembering Butler Jiang had given him two tubes. He sat up straight, looking at Jiang Fuli.

Jiang Fuli’s slender fingers held the cotton swab, casually pressing it against his arm. After waiting a moment, he carelessly tossed the swab away and unhurriedly rolled down his sleeve.

“Just give it to me.” He reached out, took the blood tube, and went upstairs.

After Jiang Fuli went upstairs, Xu Nanjing grabbed Ming Dongheng and interrogated him about Bai Lian, “He was just carrying that Miss Bai’s schoolbag, right? I didn’t see wrong?”

Ming Dongheng didn’t say much, only giving Xu Nanjing a name: “Bai Lian”.

Now after meeting Bai Lian, he was even more curious.

Ming Dongheng remained cool, just nodding and giving Xu Nanjing a look that said “you’re being really stupid” and “what’s there to be surprised about”.

**

In Jiang He’s room.

His desk was too tiny, so when Jiang Fuli came in, Bai Lian was casually sitting on his carpet, looking through a review paper.

She was preparing to go to the lab later.

Jiang Fuli, holding blood drawing equipment, crouched beside her, watching her read the review.

After finishing that page of data, Bai Lian slowly turned to the next page, not looking up, “What are you doing?”

“Mind if I draw some blood?” Jiang Fuli tilted his head slightly, lowering his eyelashes, showing her the equipment in his hand, adding, “Just to check blood count?”

Blood count?

Bai Lian pressed her hand on the review paper, looking at Jiang Fuli. Her eyes were extremely black, like a mist-covered abyss – once you fell in, it was hard to escape.

“Alright, you’ll do it?” After about two minutes, Bai Lian agreed.

Jiang Fuli nodded.

Bai Lian paused, then unhurriedly rolled up her left sleeve, revealing her wrist and elbow. On her left wrist, silver iridium gleamed coldly.

Her skin was white, and her wrist extremely thin, with veins clearly visible.

Jiang Fuli looked down, his slender fingers holding the needle, the vein right before his eyes. He had learned how to do this.

Three minutes later, his cold face showed a hint of defeat, “I’ll have the doctor come up.”

He put down the needle.

**

The next day. Monday.

Jiang Fuli had his regular group meeting. Since Ning Xiao’s grandmother wasn’t feeling well, they didn’t work on problems together, and the group of young people went their separate ways.

Wen Qi wailed, putting his arm around Tang Ming’s shoulders: “Why another test? Tang Ming, how do you actually study?”

Bai Lian and Ning Xiao’s memory was superhuman, so he didn’t want to ask them.

“Just study like this.” Tang Ming was brief.

Beside them, Lu Xiaohan tilted her head, “Tang Ming, you’re strange today.”

Wen Qi looked for a while, then said in horror: “Did you have a stroke?”

Tang Ming: “…”

Yang Lin walked on Bai Lian’s far right. After leaving school, they headed to the milk tea shop.

At the intersection, a cool motorcycle was parked.

Xu Nanjing was tall with long legs, handsome and sunny-looking. His background and the cultured air of a noble family’s son clearly set him apart from the surrounding students.

He always wore a smile, holding a helmet. Seeing Bai Lian, he raised his hand, “Hi.”

Passing students all looked over.

Bai Lian saw the motorcycle and stopped, walking over to him.

“This, I forgot to give you yesterday.” Xu Nanjing reached out, handing her a paper bag that was hanging on the bike’s front.

Bai Lian took it – all books without covers.

“Third-year comprehensive problems.” Xu Nanjing swung his leg over the motorcycle.

Bai Lian looked up. Her persona at school was always very well-behaved: “Thank you.”

In all these years, Xu Nanjing had never met someone like Bai Lian.

Too well-behaved, seeming to lack any personality traits, yet somehow different from yesterday.

He couldn’t quite explain it, so he didn’t dare suggest taking Bai Lian out to see the scene or go to bars. He just put on his helmet: “No problem, study well, I’m off now, sister.”

With a roar, the motorcycle sped away.

Not far away, some Class 8 students walking with Chen Zhu and Ren Wanxuan poked Ren Wanxuan’s shoulder: “Who was the school beauty talking to?”

“Don’t know.” Ren Wanxuan wasn’t doing well lately.

Ren Qian was still affected by Secretary Zhou’s incident. His term was up at this year’s voting meeting. Many in Class 8 knew about this, and their attitude toward her wasn’t as respectful as before.

“When did Xiangcheng get such a rich street racer?”

Ren Wanxuan didn’t understand motorcycles, “What?”

“That motorcycle must be worth a million,” Chen Zhu watched the direction the bike left, slightly squinting his eyes, “And… that license plate.”

It didn’t look like it was from Xiangcheng.

**

Qingshui Street.

Xiao Jie parked the car, frowning, “It’s really inconvenient for them to live here.”

The alley where Ji Heng lived was narrow, cars couldn’t enter, and they had to walk a distance to get in.

Butler Lou got out from the back seat.

The two walked toward Ji Heng’s place. Just as they entered Qingshui Street, they saw a girl in school uniform talking to two thuggish-looking boys near a small shop ahead.

One had yellow hair, the other red.

Xiao Jie glanced casually at first. The girl in Xiangcheng First High uniform was standing sideways, the plain hairpin at the back of her head quite eye-catching. “Is that…”

With such a distinctive style, he quickly recognized her as Bai Lian.

Butler Lou withdrew his gaze, slightly frowning: “It’s her.”

The two weren’t interested in this – they were here to find Ji Heng.

In Ji Heng’s courtyard.

When Bai Lian returned with the practice problems Xiao Wu brought back from Jiangjing, Ji Heng was talking with Butler Lou, while Xiao Jie stood respectfully behind Butler Lou.

“Grandfather.” Bai Lian came in, closed the door, and greeted Ji Heng.

Ji Heng held his pipe, unusually not embroidering. Seeing Bai Lian return, his brow finally relaxed a bit, “Didn’t stay to work on problems today?”

As soon as Bai Lian returned, Butler Lou stopped talking and lowered his head to drink tea.

“Everyone had things to do.” Bai Lian was brief.

She knew Ji Heng was probably discussing something, so she didn’t disturb them. She went back to her room to put down her backpack and took out the problems Xu Nanjing and Xu Wenyao had given her.

On her phone, Dean Jian had sent a message: [Any ideas for your new song?]

Bai Lian found the simplified notation and tried it briefly on the guzheng.

**

Seeing Bai Lian return, Ji Heng went to the kitchen to get her a plate of fruit.

He always put Bai Lian first in everything.

Butler Lou was discussing important matters with him, and Ji Heng’s attitude made him purse his lips slightly. Xiao Jie noticed this behind him and quickly stepped forward to take the plate from Ji Heng’s hands, “I’ll help you take it in.”

He moved quickly – by the time Ji Heng reacted, Xiao Jie was already holding the plate and knocking on Bai Lian’s door.

Three polite knocks.

After getting permission, Xiao Jie entered, knowing this must be Bai Lian’s room. He didn’t look around much, just placed the plate beside Bai Lian’s desk.

“Thank you.” Bai Lian’s pen stopped at a stroke of the character “four”, and she looked up slightly.

Very polite.

“You’re welcome. Do you need anything else? I can bring it all at once.” To save Ji Heng from worrying.

As Xiao Jie spoke, his gaze swept over the things on her desk.

Bai Lian’s desk had many items but was very organized, with a blue crystal glass bottle, a silver pendulum ball, a guzheng on the side, and three lighters scattered in the corner.

On the left was a stack of white books.

Xiao Jie guessed they might be novels that middle school students like to read, with their covers torn off.

Below that, Bai Lian was holding a pen, writing things like “four major principles” – something that looked like numbers but not quite numbers.

He didn’t understand what she was doing.

Bai Lian lowered her head, continuing to finish writing the small “four”, “Nothing else.”

“Alright.” Xiao Jie withdrew his gaze and went out, closing the door.

Thinking quietly, that “four five” was written quite neatly, but while Shen Qing always said her niece studied very hard, he couldn’t see it at this moment.

“I need to take your eldest son back to Jiangjing,” Butler Lou continued their previous topic, “The conditions here aren’t adequate, and… we need him to change his surname back to Mu.”

Ji Heng lit a match, lit his pipe, then shook out the match, “What about his safety?”

That was his only concern.

Butler Lou’s fingers lightly tapped the stone table, looking aged: “Please rest assured about that as well.”

Ji Heng didn’t say anything more. He slowly blew out smoke rings, remaining silent for nearly ten minutes before speaking, “I understand.”

Seeing him finally agree, Butler Lou also relaxed. “Then please let him know, we’ll set out for Jiangjing in a few days.” He stood up to bid farewell to Ji Heng.

After the two left, Xiao Jie asked, “We’re not observing anymore? Are we sure about taking this Ji Shaojun back?”

Butler Lou squinted his eyes, “You just interacted with Bai Lian, what do you think of her?”