ATLAS TRANSLATES

The production team members exchanged glances with each other.

The director’s heart was racing as he opened Yan Lu’s contact on his phone. The tickets were from Bai Lian, and she had arranged everything. The director knew she was the key to this whole situation.

Yan Lu answered quickly, sounding surprised. “Director?”

“It’s like this, Yan Lu,” the director couldn’t hide anything since it was Director Zhang’s call. “Director Zhang just called.”

He briefly summarized the whole situation.

Yan Lu hung up and thought for a moment. Director Zhang and Sun Dan were family, and Sun Dan was introduced to her by Jiang Fuli. Instead of telling Bai Lian, she sent this information to Jiang Fuli.

Monday afternoon, after school.

Bai Lian lazily walked out with a group of people, earphones in her ears and carrying a black backpack.

She was listening to English.

Her phone rang several times.

It was from both Jiang Fuli and Jiang He.

Teacher Jiang: [Picture] Teacher Jiang: [Landed] Little Bird Jiang: [.] Little Bird Jiang: [.] Little Bird Jiang: [.]

Something must have happened on the plane because as soon as Jiang He landed, he started flooding Bai Lian’s messages. Seeing their messages one after another, Bai Lian couldn’t help but laugh.

She casually replied to Jiang He with a period, then checked the picture Jiang Fuli sent.

It was raining in Jiangjing.

It rarely rained in Xiangcheng. Bai Lian took a picture of the bright sunny day and sent it back. At this time, there weren’t many people near the school gate.

Xu Nanjing was sitting on the curb, talking on the phone with Xiao Bingwen.

He raised his eyebrows, “You say she has a dark background?”

This wasn’t the first time Xu Nanjing had heard Yan Lu’s name, and he was quite surprised by Xiao Bingwen’s information.

“That was her at the fighting arena that day,” Xiao Bingwen’s voice was calm. “In Black Water Street, daring to film with a camera – you think someone without backing would do that?”

Xu Nanjing saw Bai Lian and stood up, waving to her.

“But they say Yan Lu has been in seclusion, no one can contact her,” Xiao Bingwen continued. “I’m waiting for Shuhe – his teacher can definitely contact Yan Lu.”

Liu Shuhe’s teacher was Dean Jian, who was Yan Lu’s music arranger.

Xu Nanjing made a sound of acknowledgment, then asked about another matter: “Did you find that person you mentioned?”

“Not that easy to find,” Xiao Bingwen sighed. “This person is more mysterious than He Wen. Even Jiang University officials can’t find any hidden information. At least with He Wen, we know who he is and what he looks like.”

“So they’re definitely not coming to the new member gathering?” Xu Nanjing found this surprising. “Brother Jiang didn’t go back then either.”

“That’s different,” Xiao Bingwen laughed, then became serious. “After I meet with Shuhe, I’ll go to Xiangcheng. Earlier, Director Chen and the others got invitation cards to the auction.”

“Alright, I’ll look around Black Water Street these days to gather some information,” Xu Nanjing said lazily.

Seeing Bai Lian approach, Xu Nanjing hung up and casually stuffed his phone in his pocket. He smiled at Bai Lian, “I’ll take you home.”

Since the motorcycle incident, Xu Nanjing had been very attentive to Bai Lian.

Bai Lian responded well to gentleness but not force. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me.” Xu Nanjing smiled with raised eyebrows.

With Jiang Fuli back in Jiangjing, he should take on the role of protector.

Bai Lian sat in the back seat.

Xu Nanjing started the car, turned on the music, and slowly drove onto the road.

The music had barely started when it suddenly switched to English reading.

Xu Nanjing was startled by the sudden appearance of complex English. In the back seat, Bai Lian lowered the window, resting her elbow on it, her fingers tapping lazily. She also paused when she heard the reading echoing in the car.

Xu Nanjing was driving Jiang Fuli’s usual car.

When the car started, the Bluetooth automatically disconnected from the earphones and connected to the car. Bai Lian slid down and turned off the Bluetooth. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine, keep playing it, or I might lose my driving privileges when Brother Jiang returns,” Xu Nanjing looked in the rearview mirror, holding back a laugh.

But he wasn’t joking.

Bai Lian quietly lowered her head.

Xu Nanjing turned a corner and smiled again, “Little Sister Bai Lian, won’t you consider my previous suggestion?”

About becoming his godmother.

Bai Lian still didn’t respond.

Xu Nanjing continued: “Then… would you add my mom on WeChat? She’s wanted to meet you for a long time.”

He compromised.

Adding WeChat wasn’t a big deal, so this time Bai Lian didn’t refuse.

She leaned against the car door, the wind blowing her bangs. Just as she was about to speak to Xu Nanjing, her phone rang.

It was Dean Jian.

“What have you been up to lately?” On the phone, Dean Jian raised his hand to stop the music in the classroom, his voice somewhat helpless.

A lot of people had been asking him about information indirectly.

Including Old Mr. Chen.

Dean Jian had never found himself so popular before. When he asked Yan Lu, the source turned out to be Bai Lian.

In the classroom, others heard Dean Jian’s voice and exchanged glances. Dean Jian was usually very serious, even strict with his three disciples. His teaching videos were known for being intense.

Except for the rumor about him greeting a high school senior, this was the first time they’d heard such a gentle tone from him.

The man and woman beside him exchanged looks, hiding their surprise.

Bai Lian raised an eyebrow, putting her backpack aside lazily, “Nothing much. You’ll have to deal with it.”

“…” Dean Jian was speechless, but this was Bai Lian after all. “Fine, I’ll deal with it. But what about your new song? I’ve been waiting for over a month.”

“Soon.” Bai Lian brushed him off with these two words.

“Can’t you respect your natural talent?” Dean Jian was exasperated. Bai Lian was wasting her innate gift, and it pained him.

Bai Lian realized the questioning was fake – he just wanted to pressure her about the song.

She casually brushed him off and hung up.

Dean Jian looked down at his phone: “…”

Never mind. He looked at the five or six people in the classroom, his expression returning to its usual seriousness: “That’s all for today’s lesson.”

He left with his phone.

In the classroom, a woman in a camel-colored sweater stood up, taking her scarf. “Senior, who do you think… teacher was talking to just now?”

“Given teacher’s attitude,” the man picked up his guzheng, his gaze profound, “and the new song… it must be the person he arranges music for.”

Liu Shuhe took a deep breath, “I think so too.”

Meanwhile, Bai Lian had hung up the phone.

At a red light, Xu Nanjing glanced in the rearview mirror and casually asked, “Who was that?”

The tone didn’t sound like Jiang Fuli or a classmate.

“An old friend.” That’s how Bai Lian described Dean Jian.

“You seem close with your old friend.” Xu Nanjing tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. He was just asking out of boredom while waiting for the green light. When it turned green, he started driving.

Soon they arrived at Qingshui Street.

Bai Lian thanked him and got out.

Through the car window, Xu Nanjing saw a yellow-haired man crouching at the street corner.

The yellow-haired man immediately stood up when he saw Bai Lian, handing her something. Because Bai Lian slightly turned to the side, blocking some of the view, Xu Nanjing couldn’t see clearly.

He took out his phone and reported to Jiang Fuli—

[A punk is talking to Sister Ah Lian!]

He described the yellow-haired man quite roughly.

Then he found Bai Lian’s WeChat and opened her profile, recommending her to Gao Yan.

Gao Yan received the message and looked at it, raising an eyebrow: [Who is this?]

No wonder Gao Yan asked – Bai Lian’s ancient tower profile picture really looked like something an elderly person would use.

Xu Nanjing replied leisurely: [Sister Bai Lian.]

Gao Yan couldn’t be bothered to reply to Xu Nanjing and directly opened Bai Lian’s profile, adding her as a friend with the message—

[Hello, I’m Xu Nanjing’s mother]

Friday was Qingming Festival.

There would be a three-day holiday.

Thursday evening, Ren Wanxuan received a call from Ji Shaorong, “Dad.”

“Wanxuan,” Ji Shaorong’s voice was tired, “I’ve been busy lately, no time. Your uncle isn’t here either. Tomorrow is Qingming Festival, go with grandfather to pay respects on my behalf.”

Ren Wanxuan was still doing homework and didn’t want to waste time, “Dad, I still need to go with Grandfather…”

“Wanxuan.” Ji Shaorong’s voice was unusually serious.

Ren Wanxuan responded with an “Oh.”

The next morning, Ren Wanxuan got up early, not in a good mood.

At the dining table, Ren Qian looked at her, “If your dad asked you to go, then go take a look.”

In previous years, Ren Wanxuan had never gone back for Qingming Festival, and Ren Qian wouldn’t let her go. Today, Ren Qian was finally letting her.

After all, the Ren family wasn’t what it used to be, and there was also… the Xu family there. Ren Qian didn’t want these relationships to grow distant.

Ren Wanxuan reluctantly changed clothes and went to the Ji family.

Arriving at Qingshui Street, she got out of the car with disdain, but noticed a black business car across the street. Usually, Ren Wanxuan would wonder why such a car would appear here, but today she wasn’t in the mood to look.

She walked on the stone slabs of Qingshui Street to Ji Heng’s house, complaining about why the Xu family hadn’t given Ji Heng a new place to live.

When knocking on the door, Ren Wanxuan hid her disdainful expression. Ji Heng opened the door from inside.

“Grandfather,” Ren Wanxuan walked in casually, looking at the stone table and chairs in the courtyard but not sitting down. She just said to Ji Heng: “My dad asked me to go pay respects with you.”

She behaved very politely.

Ji Heng was wearing black clothes today, holding a pipe. He stepped to the left, looking at Ren Wanxuan, who was wearing a pink dress with precise tailoring, two red ladybug hairpins in her hair – a well-dressed young lady in elegant and beautiful clothes.

Beside them, Bai Lian came out carrying a zither.

Bai Lian was wearing a linen-colored button-up top and black silk pants today, her hair still tied up with just a natural wooden hairpin, as plain as ever.

Bai Lian saw Ren Wanxuan but didn’t speak. Ji Heng had mentioned last night about going to pay respects on Qingming Festival.

Having been in this world for so long, Bai Lian had only seen Bai Qiming’s ancestral hall.

She had never seen her grandmother’s memorial tablet, and no one in the Ji family had mentioned it, except for the mysteriously appearing and disappearing Ji Shaorong, and the grandmother she had never heard about.

As for Ji Heng, with so many precious fabrics at home that Bai Lian could recognize, he didn’t ask and Bai Lian didn’t ask either, just as Ji Heng never asked much about Bai Lian’s affairs.

Both grandfather and granddaughter knew the other had secrets, and they tacitly understood this.

Bai Lian wasn’t curious about what Ji Shaorong was doing, she was only curious about this grandmother she had never seen or heard about.

Would she finally see her today?

Ji Heng looked back at Ren Wanxuan, striking an old-style match to light his pipe, “The place for paying respects is quite far, and we need to walk a long mountain path. Can you handle it?”

Hearing about the distance and mountain path, Ren Wanxuan’s expression changed.

But she didn’t speak, just gripped her skirt with both hands.

“You should go back,” Ji Heng lowered his cloudy eyes, his voice unclear, “Ah Lian has good physical condition and can climb mountains, your body isn’t as good as hers.”

Meaning she didn’t have to go.

Ren Wanxuan was secretly delighted but outwardly hesitant: “Is this okay… but my dad said…”

“I’ll talk to your dad,” Ji Heng blew out a smoke ring, speaking softly, “Don’t worry, it’s fine.”

“Okay,” Ren Wanxuan took out her phone, suppressing her joy, “Then grandfather… I’ll head back first?”

“Mm, be careful on your way.” Ji Heng waited for her to leave the courtyard, then looked up and said solemnly to Bai Lian: “Get ready, we’re leaving soon.”

He turned back to his room to get the items for paying respects.

“Okay.” Bai Lian nodded, looking thoughtfully at Ji Heng’s back.

At the entrance of Qingshui Street.

Ming Donghen saw Ji Heng and Bai Lian carrying chrysanthemums and other items, and quickly got out of the driver’s seat, the back door opening automatically: “Miss Bai, Old Mr. Ji.”

He didn’t say why he was there, but his meaning was clear.

Ji Heng looked at him for nearly a minute, and finally didn’t refuse: “Thank you.”

He got into the business car with Bai Lian.

“Old Mr. Ji, where to?” Ming Donghen fastened his seatbelt and looked in the rearview mirror.

Ji Heng softly gave an address. Ming Donghen opened his phone to input the address, and when he saw the destination, he froze.