ATLAS TRANSLATES

Ming Dongheng had witnessed Bai Lian’s martial arts technique before.

Although Bai Lian usually appeared lazy and casual, sometimes Ming Dongheng felt she gave him more pressure than his own teacher. Not to mention those few stances she demonstrated – Ming Dongheng had practiced for so long but wasn’t even half as good as her.

His teacher was at the eighth dan, and Ming Dongheng believed Bai Lian must also be at that level. Given her young age but strong abilities, she should at least be at the seventh dan.

“Me?” The car stopped, and Bai Lian looked at the nearby bus stop, answering unhurriedly, “Theoretically, I’m at the eighth or ninth dan.”

“Theoretically?” Ming Dongheng pressed the button, and the back door opened automatically. He didn’t understand what she meant by “theoretically.”

Bai Lian got off the car and explained frankly, “Because I’ve never taken the certification test.”

Ming Dongheng was speechless and somewhat frustrated. Why wouldn’t she take the test?! Looking at Chen Jingyu and Yu Hongyi’s group, they could hardly wait to take the test twice a year.

“What?” Bai Lian stood outside the car window, glancing at her phone in her right hand while speaking. She seemed to be studying vocabulary.

Ming Dongheng maintained his typically cold expression and said indifferently, “I just think it doesn’t match your character.”

Bai Lian was speechless.

The bus arrived just then, and Bai Lian got on. Ming Dongheng waited in his car until the bus left before taking out his phone to report to Jiang Fuli about Miss Bai’s brief visit to print something.

Just as he finished reporting and put down his phone, it rang again. It was Jin Kai, the current master of Yiyi Martial Arts School.

While starting the car, Ming Dongheng put the call on speaker. “Master Jin, you’re only at the fifth dan?”

If Bai Lian didn’t want to take the test, she must have her reasons, like focusing on studies. But Master Jin came from a martial arts family that had run a martial arts school for generations. Why hadn’t he tested further? After knowing him for so long, Ming Dongheng knew Jin Kai’s abilities far exceeded the fifth dan.

“You already know? Yes, I’m only at the fifth dan.” Jin Kai was surprised, then smiled bitterly. “After the martial arts school closed down, I went to work at construction sites and didn’t seriously pursue dan rankings. I only took the test last year and am still at the fifth dan.”

His true abilities were higher than the fifth dan. But to test for higher ranks, he needed to wait six years after achieving fifth dan before attempting the sixth dan test.

Missing over ten years couldn’t be made up in a short time. Now that credentials and reputation mattered, even if Jin Kai had sixth or seventh dan abilities, he couldn’t convince others without the certificates.

Ming Dongheng drove slowly: “Besides you, how are the other instructors doing?”

“Two at fourth dan, one at fifth dan, the rest at third dan,” Jin Kai answered.

They had only taken make-up tests after joining Yiyi Martial Arts School last year. Before that, when the school was declining, everyone was busy making a living. They never thought the school could reopen under Secretary Zhou’s suppression, so they didn’t continue testing.

After “Come On, Friends” became popular, netizens dug up everything. Some students of Yiyi Martial Arts School had already found similar video posts saying that the school’s instructors and master were quite ordinary, without even a sixth dan instructor.

They also said their spear performances weren’t as good as Yan Lu’s.

Many netizens believed Yiyi Martial Arts School was all talk and even inferior to Jingfeng Taekwondo.

Meanwhile, Jingfeng Taekwondo’s people took the opportunity to promote their eighth dan Muay Thai instructor online.

Jin Kai regretted not taking the dan tests seriously back then for the first time.

“This month is recruitment season,” Jin Kai said gravely. “I’m worried that people will be influenced by online opinions and all go to Jingfeng Taekwondo like before. Miss Bai would be very disappointed.”

“Let’s think of another way,” Ming Dongheng narrowed his eyes. “The situation might not be that bad.”

Sunday evening, 5:30 PM.

At Xiangcheng Library, Ning Xiao checked the time and started packing up early. He lowered his voice: “I’m heading home first.”

“Everyone should go,” Bai Lian looked at the others while methodically organizing her files. “You can get home, eat dinner, and be ready to watch the second episode.”

The second episode of “Come On, Friends” would air tonight.

Ning Xiao and Tang Ming walked in front, Jian Zhe was a step behind them, Yang Lin had left in the afternoon, and Lu Xiaohan couldn’t sit still since noon, saying she wanted to go film videos at the internet celebrity street.

Bai Lian moved slowly, strolling leisurely behind everyone.

At the library’s main entrance, it seemed a bit cold. The three people in front slowed their pace, and the usually chatty Tang Ming suddenly fell silent.

Bai Lian, who had been looking down at her phone, sensed something and looked up toward the street.

A car was parked at the entrance, with a tall figure standing beside it. His stance was casual and lazy as he looked down at a child crouching by his feet, his cold, pale fingers holding the corner of a blanket.

His other hand held a phone, showing only his noble and cold profile.

Ning Xiao and Tang Ming’s group stopped. After not seeing him for several days, they seemed even more afraid of Jiang Fuli, their voices very small: “Brother Jiang.”

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Jiang Fuli withdrew his cold gaze from Jiang He and nodded at Ning Xiao’s group.

His gaze fell on the person behind them.

Bai Lian stood at the very back, wearing a black backpack across her shoulder. Her eyes were dark, her skin fair, and her tied-up hair had loosened slightly. The wind gently blew the loose strands around her brows.

The sunset fell on her eyes and white collar, making her entire person more striking.

The bus arrived, and Ning Xiao, Tang Ming, and the others left.

Bai Lian slowly walked toward Jiang Fuli, passing through the light to stop in front of the two. She looked down at Jiang He, “What’s wrong with him now?”

Jiang Fuli put his phone in his pocket and casually brushed aside the black hair on her brow bone. He glanced at Jiang He indifferently and said, “He didn’t bring back his pillow and is sulking about it.”

Bai Lian nodded and looked at Jiang He: “Your grandfather finished making your bag, aren’t you getting up?”

Jiang He finally looked up. He stared at Bai Lian expressionlessly, then stood up and held onto the edge of her clothes.

That evening, the second episode of “Come On, Friends” aired.

At Jiang Fuli’s residence, he hadn’t returned yet.

Xu Nanjing looked outside. “Young Master Jiang arrived in Xiangcheng early, why hasn’t he come back? He knows many people, I wonder if he can get us an invitation.”

“Can’t buy it on the black market?” Ming Dongheng returned from outside.

Xiao Bingwen nodded, “It’s a bit difficult this time. They’re auctioning the last cryptocurrency, you know how many people worldwide are waiting for it. Our country doesn’t have an advantage.”

The White Tiger Auction House was foreign capital, connecting with foreign powers.

As he spoke, Xiao Bingwen noticed it was time.

8 PM.

He placed his laptop on the tea table, opened the webpage, and jumped to the “Come On, Friends” livestream.

The computer played Yan Lu and Mei Yi’s voices.

Along with crowd cheers and arena commentary.

Five minutes later.

“Are you watching that TV show, Yan Lu’s?” Xu Nanjing recognized the match they had watched before. He wasn’t very interested in variety shows and lazily glanced at the computer while holding his teacup: “Can’t find her again, what’s so interesting about…”

Before he could finish, a huge “White Tiger Auction House” logo appeared on the screen.

Then, the camera panned up from below, capturing an imposing giant lion.

Xu Nanjing started coughing violently: “Cough cough…”