ATLAS TRANSLATES

When the car stopped, Bai Lian was still talking with He Wen.

“When I was young, I admired those passionate teachers in documentaries wearing isolation suits doing research,” He Wen glanced at the sports car, not recognizing who was inside, and continued talking to Bai Lian: “But now that I’m actually doing my PhD, it feels useless. Everyone around me is a doctor, honorary professor, outstanding youth scholar or project leader. Their papers are complete and beautiful, while most of mine still need Teacher Jiang’s polishing.”

Previously when he entered Jiang Fuli’s lab, even honorary professors competed with them for positions.

Who were the people around He Wen? Jiang Fuli, Academician Ma, Professor Huang…

There were no ordinary people in top labs. Often those recording experimental data alongside him were industry experts. With one mountain higher than another, even He Wen had self-doubt.

Bai Lian wore only one earphone, with a female voice still reading lengthy original text.

Hearing this, she tilted her head to look at him, “But your social circle is already different from others.”

Bai Lian was in high school now, surrounded by energetic high school students. When she went to university later, she’d be surrounded by university students, and it would keep changing.

He Wen thought about it and raised his eyebrows, “You’re right.”

As the two talked, Xu Nanjing lifted his chin and parked the car there, opening the door to walk around to Bai Lian’s side.

He glanced at He Wen. He Wen was a rising star in recent years, an outstanding honorary alumnus at university who became famous after being deliberately suppressed by his advisor.

Xu Nanjing had heard his name and seen his photos more than once.

“Little Sister Bai Lian,” Xu Nanjing hooked his sunglasses with his hand, speaking to Bai Lian first before turning to He Wen, “Hello.”

He Wen politely looked at Xu Nanjing, “Hello.”

“But that paper did prove that small half doesn’t have this zero point,” after greeting Xu Nanjing, He Wen took out his phone and ordered a taxi back to the dorm, “…bringing 2024 down will still need effort.”

Xu Nanjing stood aside listening for a while, not understanding.

Was it really He Wen? Not just the Xiao family, the Xu family also wanted to bring He Wen to their team, but He Wen lived in seclusion and stayed in the lab. Even Xu Jueling couldn’t find a suitable opportunity to communicate with He Wen.

Who would have known that He Wen, whom he was discussing with Xiao Bingwen yesterday, would appear before him today?

Xu Nanjing tilted his head to stare at his car. He had specially driven this newly transported sports car today to show off, but now felt somewhat regretful.

Though the sports car was nice, it only had two seats.

This was a tourist attraction with many cars. Seeing He Wen’s taxi stopped by the roadside, Bai Lian bid him farewell.

“Boss, since you’re in your final year, you’ll be going to Jiangjing in the second half of the year, right?” He Wen remembered this and stuck his head out from the back seat window, “Then we’ll talk more later.”

**

The taxi left.

Nearby, many young people were secretly photographing Xu Nanjing’s car. Xu Nanjing stared in the direction the taxi had left, lost in thought.

Seeing he hadn’t moved for a while, Bai Lian turned around, resting her hand on the passenger door, “Not going?”

“No,” Xu Nanjing came back to his senses and pressed the key, walking back to the driver’s seat, feeling quite incredulous: “Was that really He Wen just now? How do you know him?”

Logically, those who communicated with He Wen should be figures like Professor Huang, right?

“I collaborated with him on a mathematical modeling project,” Bai Lian opened the car door and sat down lazily, “That’s how we met.”

“Oh, I see. No wonder.” Xu Nanjing nodded.

He started the car.

Suddenly he realized something and turned his head slightly, “Wait? Modeling?”

“Yes, is that not allowed?” Bai Lian nodded, there was nothing to hide. She put the other earphone in her ear and glanced at him.

The usually composed Xu Nanjing finally couldn’t hold back from cursing. His mouth twitched: “If I remember correctly, Little Sister Bai Lian, you’re in your final year of high school, right? How are you doing mathematical modeling with He Wen? Do you know who he is?”

He started the car, driving very slowly, “Those who can do research with him are all honorary alumni of Jiangjing University.”

Collaborated on a modeling project, and then just met like that.

No, how could she say it so casually? Forget collaboration, even Xiao Bingwen and others found it difficult to meet He Wen now.

Although Jiangjing University now had hundreds of honorary alumni, considering China’s huge population, one could understand how rare this was.

Xu Nanjing only had two honorary alumni friends – Jiang Fuli and Jiang Xiju.

“Is that so.” Bai Lian nodded, her right elbow casually propped on the car window, her expression lazy as she idly played with her phone.

In the convertible, the wind scattered her loose hair.

How could she maintain such a calm and casual tone? Xu Nanjing stole a glance at her, completely impressed.

Of course, about honorary alumni…

Xu Nanjing wouldn’t know that, let alone honorary alumni, if you really counted, Bai Lian was the senior sister to all honorary alumni of Jiangjing University.

After all, Jiangjing University’s first president was her direct teacher.

**

West City, in the apartment buildings.

“You’re about to take the college entrance exam,” an elderly grandmother with white hair held Yang Lin’s hand with her wrinkled hand, her gaze gentle, “When you get to university, you’ll need money.”

She took out a square handkerchief from her blue jacket pocket and placed it in Yang Lin’s hand.

Yang Lin’s grandparents lived in the countryside. When Yang Jianping was in debt, he would go back to make trouble and demand money from them, even beating the elderly couple.

Hearing he was now imprisoned, the elderly couple finally dared to come find Yang Lin.

“No need, I have money.” Yang Lin didn’t accept the money. She went back to her room and took out an iron box from under the bed containing two thousand yuan she had withdrawn earlier.

She counted out five hundred to give to them.

“Don’t work part-time jobs anymore, focus on studying first,” Yang Grandfather, who had been silent standing aside, finally spoke, “The village is collecting Chinese herbs, your grandmother and I sold quite a lot. We’ve planted more, they’ll keep buying, so take this money without worrying about us.”

Yang Lin insisted on giving them money.

Yang Grandmother accepted the five hundred yuan and asked about other matters, “Have you found your sister?”

Yang Lin shook her head.

“Ah,” Yang Grandmother looked out the window, staring blankly: “Hope she’s alright.”

The couple left after lunch.

After seeing them off, Yang Lin returned to her room to change clothes for her part-time job. She had two part-time jobs on weekends.

Opening the wardrobe, she found the money she had given grandmother under the clothes, next to grandmother’s usual black checkered handkerchief, which had been used for many years with loose threads.

Yang Lin looked at it for a long time without speaking, then put the money away safely.

Tuition, living expenses, rent – university would require even more expenses. She had no time for sentimentality.

She closed the door and left.

On the windowsill, a white lily in a vase swayed gently in the wind.

Downstairs.

Yang Mother’s family walked by. She was holding a boy’s hand who was carrying a toy gun, shooting at passersby. Behind them was a girl holding bubble tea – this was Yang Mother’s stepdaughter Yu Shanshan.

Seeing Yang Lin, the boy shot a plastic bullet at her but missed. Yu Shanshan, knowing Yang Lin’s identity, drank her bubble tea and looked at Yang Lin, “Hey, you know Senior Bai Lian and Senior Tang Ming?”

Yang Lin didn’t reply and walked straight past them.

Yu Shanshan rolled her eyes at Yang Lin’s back.

“Shanshan,” Yang Mother looked at her stepdaughter, “Who are Bai Lian and the others?”

“They’re seniors in the final year, big shots at No. 1 High School,” Yu Shanshan glanced at Yang Mother, “Your daughter has no manners. With a father in prison, how good could she be?”

The boy beside them repeated “no manners.”

Up ahead, Yang Lin got on the bus.

Her phone rang – it was Bai Lian.

She took out her phone, a second-hand model that was very laggy, but it worked fine with just WeChat and payment apps installed. WeChat was for receiving payments, as she helped others with homework at school.

“Yang Lin,” Bai Lian’s voice was always casual and accommodating, “Someone needs your help copying three workbooks of practice problems. I’ll have her add you, market price is fine.”

Yang Lin nodded, realized Bai Lian couldn’t see, and said very quietly, “Okay.”

Just after hanging up, she received a friend request.

An iris flower avatar—

The message was from Yan Lu.

Yan Lu: [Thank you classmate, this is for Zhang Shize]

Yan Lu: [[Transfer 1000]]

Yang Lin typed: [Don’t need so much]

She knew about Zhang Shize’s situation. Most of the notebooks and exercise books Zhang Shize used in prison were copied by her at Bai Lian and Ning Xiao’s request. Bai Lian had even asked her to give a discount.

Yang Lin was smart – after copying these notebooks and workbooks once, she pretty much understood them herself.

Realizing these were helpful to her and that Zhang Shize was a classmate, she wanted to copy them for free, but Bai Lian said even close brothers should be clear about money.

Yan Lu: [[Transfer 600]]

Yan Lu: [Three books this thick, others won’t copy even for five hundred each. Thank you, classmate]

Yang Lin looked at Yan Lu’s avatar, knowing roughly who she was, and accepted the payment.

After receiving it, she leaned against the bus window, thinking about buying a basic phone. With Yang Jianping in prison, everything was getting better.

**

Evening.

In the Zhang family kitchen, which wasn’t large but filled with daily necessities showing signs of regular life.

Several cameras had been set up at different angles.

Yan Lu and Mei Yi were cooking, chatting familiarly about “Da Yong” and past trivial matters while cooking.

Bai Lian and Lu Xiaohan’s group came in to see the two laughing and talking, and she paused at the doorway.

“These two play siblings in ‘Da Yong’ and are good friends off-screen too,” beside her, Sister Xin lowered her head to talk to Bai Lian, “Don’t you think they really look like siblings?”

Bai Lian put her backpack on the sofa, lowering her eyes and nodding slightly.

To avoid making these students uncomfortable, only one cameraman remained in the hall, with other footage relying on pre-installed cameras.

The directing team watched the footage from a small room outside.

Most of these students wouldn’t show their full faces.

“Strange,” in the small room outside, the director watched Bai Lian, Lu Xiaohan and the others on screen, “Are all of Yan Lu’s friends this natural in front of cameras? Especially this boy,” he pointed at the gloomy-looking Ning Xiao, who had found a spot to read as soon as he arrived, “How is he so natural?”

Bai Lian was understandable – she could calmly do homework even in Black Water Street’s bar.

At this point, even if she walked in front of him carrying a sniper rifle, the director wouldn’t be surprised.

But—

How were Lu Xiaohan, Ning Xiao and the others also so relaxed? The biggest worry in variety shows was poor camera presence or appearing overly deliberate, but none of Yan Lu’s guests appeared forced or constrained – they were all incredibly natural.

Mei Yi’s manager was also watching Ning Xiao on screen, eyes slightly narrowed: “It is strange indeed.”

**

Inside.

Bai Lian took out workbooks from her backpack and set them aside. She let Yan Lu give them to Yang Lin herself, then walked to the table to pick out and trim a lily from the bunch.

Her phone rang – it was Chi Yundai.

“Chi Lu?” Bai Lian cut off excess leaves and handed them to Lu Xiaohan beside her. She walked to the window, hearing a “ding” sound on the other end of the phone.

It was clearly the sound of an oven timer.

But Ming Donghen had said Chi Lu was very busy and wouldn’t return until next month.

“Miss Bai, I’m at the school,” Chi Yundai explained, then remembered something, “Has Zhang Shize’s study progress dropped?”

Bai Lian leaned against the windowsill, with a mini camera above her head. She explained for Zhang Shize, “Too many people are looking to fight him, the books can’t keep up with how often he has to replace them.”

Like this vocabulary book, for instance.

Chi Yundai gave a cold laugh.

Bai Lian remained silent, only lighting an incense for Zhang Shize in her heart.

“There are some details about the Jiangjing shop I need to discuss with you in person,” Chi Yundai got to the point, “When are you free? I’ll show you the contract.”

Xue Chun and Xiao Qi had already arrived in Jiangjing.

Xiao Qi had also found a new shop location, and Chi Yundai wanted to personally review the company contract. He insisted on drafting these contracts himself – his colleagues all believed there must be a super wealthy family backing “Xuan Kang.”

“I’m at the Zhang house.” Bai Lian turned around.

On the other end, hearing that Yan Lu and others were cooking, Chi Yundai took off his chef’s hat, “Perfect, I’ll come find you.”

“Wait, Yan Lu is recording a show here,” Bai Lian walked outside to find Sister Xin, “Let me ask them.”

In the courtyard, Sister Xin had just found the director and was telling him to protect these third-year students’ images at all costs.

Internet users could be troublesome – she worried about anonymous people attacking Ning Xiao, Lu Xiaohan and the others.

Hearing Bai Lian’s words, the director was very surprised. At the beginning of the show, Sister Xin had said Yan Lu didn’t have many friends, but now they kept appearing one after another, each more mysterious than the last.

“Who is it?” the director asked.