ATLAS TRANSLATES

Bai Lian turned a corner and stepped aside for two students coming down the stairs. She raised an eyebrow, “Who is this?”

The voice on the phone clearly paused, apparently surprised to hear a female voice. After hesitating for two seconds, they continued, “I’m the main administrator of the Jiangjing University app. Are you the phone owner?”

The app registration only required an invitation code and phone number. That’s all they could see in their backend.

Bai Lian walked upstairs, her tone casual, “Mm, that’s me.”

The voice on the phone grew more curious, “The annual newcomer social gathering is starting soon, held in Jiangjing University’s auditorium. Senior students will be sharing their experiences. We haven’t received your information yet – are you not planning to attend?”

They emphasized “Jiangjing University” and “senior students,” highlighting this as a good networking opportunity.

Few people missed it each year. This year, except for Xu Zhiyue and Liang Wuyu, everyone was curious about this suddenly appearing “Baijian.”

After all…

She had become the answer template now.

Plus with those two people paying attention to her, many wanted to know who this person really was.

Bai Lian politely declined, “Sorry, I don’t have time.”

She said a few more words and hung up.

Meanwhile, in Jiangjing University’s administrative building office, a bespectacled young man still held the phone receiver. Someone next to him couldn’t wait and asked, “How did it go? What did they say? Who is it? Are they coming?”

Everyone in the office looked at him.

The young man came back to his senses and paused slightly, “I don’t know, probably not coming… it’s a female student.”

“Ask her again,” the person next to him grabbed his arm earnestly, “We must get her to come! Do you know how many people are trying to find out about her?”

In the second floor office, when Bai Lian arrived, only Lu Lingxi was there.

Seeing Bai Lian, she smiled gently but didn’t speak right away.

Bai Lian wasn’t in a hurry either, just waiting obediently on the side.

After about two minutes, Lu Lingxi pulled open a drawer and took out a stack of money, “Bai Lian, this is Yang Lin’s medical fees.”

She handed the money to Bai Lian.

Bai Lian put her phone in her pocket without taking the money, only looking at Lu Lingxi. Her eyes were always like a deep pond, unfathomable, “Are you giving this to me on her behalf?”

She knew Lu Lingxi had always cared about Yang Lin, and had even paid Yang Lin’s tuition for a while.

“No, this isn’t,” Lu Lingxi knew she couldn’t hide it from Bai Lian and sighed softly, “Someone else is paying you on Yang Lin’s behalf.”

As for who it was, she didn’t say.

“Yang Lin will pay me back herself,” Bai Lian calmly looked at Lu Lingxi, still very polite, “Is there anything else, teacher?”

Lu Lingxi had probably anticipated this response. She put the money back in the drawer and sighed deeply, “Never mind, I’ll return it to her. You should head home quickly.”

Bai Lian noticed the “her” in her teacher’s words. She returned to class and left with Lu Xiaohan and others.

“What did Teacher Lu want?” Lu Xiaohan curiously asked Bai Lian.

Yang Lin had rushed out right after class – she had a part-time job at the bubble tea shop.

Bai Lian started making things up: “She asked if I was under a lot of pressure.”

“There really is a lot of pressure, only ninety days left,” Lu Xiaohan believed her completely, then became somewhat melancholic, “After the college entrance exam, we won’t be in the same city anymore.”

It was Monday, and Bai Lian packed up her bag after doing homework at the bubble tea shop for a while.

“You’re going home so early today?” Lu Xiaohan looked up.

Bai Lian casually swung her bag onto her back as she stood up. Her bangs fell lazily over her eyes as she replied in a languid tone, “Mm, got something to do.”

At Qingshui Street.

Mao Kun was helping the shop owner move goods. He had dyed yellow hair with a towel draped over his shoulder.

The owner looked worriedly at the bruises on his face while moving beer boxes, “Did you get into a fight? Stop moving things, I’ll handle it.”

“…I fell down the stairs,” Mao Kun silently continued moving the beer inside.

“You think I’m stupid?” the owner clearly didn’t believe him. Seeing Bai Lian strolling over, he said to her, “Fighting every day, and he’s still trying to fool me…”

Bai Lian wore a blue and white school uniform with a black bag slung over one shoulder. She blinked and looked straight at the owner, her expression innocent: “He really did fall. I saw him fall myself.”

Her expression was obedient, her tone sincere.

The owner quickly turned back, “Look how careless you are.”

Mao Kun: “…”

He finished moving the goods dejectedly, then wiped his hands with the towel before picking up a red bag from the ground and handing it to Bai Lian, “I found these at the auction house. But sis, why are you buying such expensive things?”

Bai Lian was usually quite frugal, always taking the bus instead of taxis.

Mao Kun had never seen Bai Lian buy anything big before.

This was the first time she’d bought something so expensive, and two of them at that.

Twenty thousand yuan each.

Bai Lian opened the bag to look – inside were two pieces of jade, roughly four to five centimeters square, with some minor flaws, uncarved.

She took one out and squinted at it under the streetlight. The clear jade with water inclusions made her skin appear pale.

When buying them, Mao Kun hadn’t thought they looked good, but now under the streetlight, he felt his sister had good taste.

“Where are the tools?” she asked.

“Will take a few more days,” Mao Kun drank the milk the owner gave him, squinting slightly, “Our Xiangcheng rarely has these things, they’re all transported from Danping City.”

“Alright.” Bai Lian put the jade back in her pocket, took a box of Want Want milk, and methodically inserted the straw, “Did you sign the contract?”

“Signed it ages ago,” Mao Kun grinned, “Xiao Qi is liaising in Jiangjing. When are you going to Jiangjing?”

Bai Lian replied casually, “After the college entrance exam.”

Throughout March, Yan Lu’s popularity in the entertainment industry remained high.

In mid-March, “Come On Friend” began marketing, scheduled to broadcast simultaneously on Jiangjing TV and online at the end of March.

When the news came out.

People outside the entertainment industry were fine, not understanding the significance.

But industry insiders were extremely shocked – not only would it air on satellite TV, but on Jiangjing TV no less. TV show approvals had become increasingly difficult in recent years.

Who would have thought “Come On Friend” would pass Jiangjing TV’s review?

After learning the positioning of “Come On Friend,” countless artists actively contacted the production team, all expressing interest in joining the show.

Friday.

After school, Bai Lian picked up her bag and looked down at questions on the app.

Lu Xiaohan was introducing good shampoo to Yang Lin.

Nearby, Tang Ming asked Bai Lian, having seen that campus notice for a long time but neither Ning Xiao nor Bai Lian had mentioned it, “Are you going to the social gathering they mentioned?”

Bai Lian didn’t look up, just gave him two words, “Not going.”

This was very much in line with Bai Lian’s style.

Ning Xiao wouldn’t go either, and though Tang Ming kind of wanted to go, with neither of them going he couldn’t be bothered either, “Isn’t Lu-jie’s show broadcasting simultaneously next Sunday?”

“Yes,” Wen Qi’s eyes lit up, somewhat excited, “The production team officially announced it, everyone must watch it as soon as it airs!”

“Beibei,” a tall boy next to them put his arm around Wen Qi’s shoulder, raising an eyebrow, “Weren’t you Manxi’s super fan?”

Wen Qi immediately dropped his smile and expressionlessly removed the boy’s hand.

It wasn’t clear if he was unhappy about being called “Beibei” or about the mention of “Manxi.”

Ning Xiao went straight home after evening classes. Bai Lian knew about his grandmother’s health condition and didn’t ask much.

As soon as she left the school gates, she saw Jiang Fuli waiting at the intersection.

Xu Nanjing hadn’t ridden his cool motorcycle, he sat in the back seat. Things were mostly settled, but he still hadn’t returned to Jiangjing.

Bai Lian walked closer.

Jiang Fuli pressed his Bluetooth earpiece, his brows slightly furrowed, a chilly aura about him in the sunset. Seeing Bai Lian, he casually handed her some printed papers.

“Little sister Bai Lian, you’re… reading this?” Xu Nanjing opened the car door and got out from the back, loosely holding sunglasses in his fingers, somewhat hesitant seeing Bai Lian take the papers.

He had always thought these were professional papers Jiang Fuli was reading.

Bai Lian nodded, “Is there a problem?”

Xu Nanjing came to his senses, remembering the He Wen matter, he shook his head: “…Seems not.”

Jiang Fuli took off his Bluetooth earpiece and put it in his pocket, turning slightly, his eyes briefly scanning over Xu Nanjing before landing on Bai Lian: “Going straight back?”

Bai Lian looked down at messages on her phone, saying lazily, “Not going back yet, I want to buy a TV.”

Many people had sent her messages during class.

Dean Jian was always prompt, as soon as she opened it, his message popped up—

[No new song this month?]

Bai Lian: [Coming soon]

She continued scrolling through messages below.

Jiang Fuli looked down at her, hesitating for the first time: “TV?”

“Mm,” Bai Lian replied to several messages from Mei Yi and Yan Lu, raising her eyes slightly, “Grandfather doesn’t have a TV, I might need to watch TV next Sunday.”

Yan Lu’s show, and later…

Also Da Yong.

Ji Heng liked listening to the radio, there was no TV at home.

Beside them, Xu Nanjing reacted quickly: “Little sister Bai Lian, I’ll take—”

Before he could finish, he saw Jiang Fuli holding car keys, standing tall and elegant, looking at him so casually and indifferently, his expression cold as usual.

But Xu Nanjing could see hints of murderous intent leaking from those light eyes.

He forcefully changed course, “My big brother Jiang is very good at picking TVs.”

Jiang Fuli left without taking him. Xu Nanjing stood alone, watching the black car drive away, touching his chin, “What TV show is on Sunday?”

Not knowing much about entertainment, he opened his phone to ask Xiao Bingwen.

Xiao Bingwen was in Jiangjing and quickly called back, his voice seemingly somewhat tired, “Nanjing, don’t know about any TV show, but Yan Lu seems to have a variety show.”

Xu Nanjing was just asking casually. Spotting the bubble tea shop, he strode across the street, his tone casual, “Something up on your end?”

“A bit,” Xiao Bingwen pressed his brow, saying softly, “A genius has emerged at Jiang University’s newcomer social gathering, supposedly comparable to Liang Wuyu. But I haven’t gotten any inside information, heard Liang Wuyu is also going, going for that person.”

The bubble tea shop was busy, Xu Nanjing looked left and right before getting in line, his expression serious: “Who?”

Meanwhile.

At Tianhuan, in popular artist Li Yang’s studio.

Li Yang had just finished work, but many people in the studio hadn’t left yet.

An assistant tidied up their desk and checked their phone, seeing a notification, “Come On Friend has announced its air date, broadcasting simultaneously on Jiangjing TV and online. Yan Lu’s guest is Mei Yi?”

They spoke without thinking.

Behind them, Li Yang, wearing high-end designer clothes, instantly lost their smile.

The manager knew about the show’s popularity these past days and sighed along: “From Jiangjing Music Academy ah, Jiangjing’s satellite TV, and that composer, we at the time…”

Originally Li Yang was supposed to be on the show with Yan Lu.

Realizing Li Yang’s mood had soured, the manager quickly changed the subject, “But look at the netizen comments, their show’s popularity is high but that’s not necessarily good for them, variety shows need entertainment value, it’s not like filming a TV drama.”

The entertainment industry’s popularity comes in waves, only Yan Lu’s had stayed high this time because of Jian Zhongyou and that mysterious composer. As soon as “Come On Friend” was officially announced, many fans and passersby took notice.

The manager opened “Come On Friend’s” official Weibo, which had posted a preview clip less than a minute long, mysteriously edited, leaving netizens unable to figure out the key points—

[Teacher Mei doesn’t do many variety shows, right? Am I the only one who thinks his variety show sense isn’t good?]

[To be honest, neither of them have good variety show sense.]

[From the preview, besides Teacher Mei Yi, the others are all outsiders, seems there are even some students whose faces aren’t shown.]

[So many outsiders? Then there really isn’t much to see, Yan Lu’s entertainment industry connections aren’t good ah, why didn’t she invite Baijian and Dean Jian, if she could get them wouldn’t the show explode?]

[I also thought Yan Lu could invite @Jian @Jian Zhongyou, a bit disappointed.]

[Anyway since both of Yan Lu’s big shot backers didn’t come, we’ll just watch Yan Lu and Mei Yi for their looks, who cares about the outsiders, they’re not the focus anyway]