Lu Xiaohan had wrapped the box very tightly. Xu Nanjing had to use some effort to cut it open. Inside was something like a book, still wrapped in protective film. The contents weren’t visible through the film.
Xiao Bingwen greeted Xu Feng from the other side, “Did she send you… a book?”
This seemed like something Bai Lian would do.
Xu Nanjing spent some more time cutting through the protective film, finally revealing the front – “Invitation” in gold text on a red background, with a majestic white tiger below.
“An invitation?” Xiao Bingwen picked up the red wine from the side, standing up to attend to today’s guests, casually glancing over. “What kind of invitation is this, White Tiger… oh, the White Tiger Auction House.”
He said it casually.
Halfway through speaking, his steps suddenly stopped.
Then with a “bang” he put down the wine glass, staring intently at the invitation.
Never had there been a moment when he felt his heartbeat so clearly. His throat tightened as he spoke shakily: “This- this is…”
They didn’t have invitations, but they’d seen them before.
The White Tiger Auction House could sell almost anything they wanted to buy. Sometimes when items were too precious, invitations were hard to get, but most of the time, the Xu and Xiao families could still obtain one through official channels.
So with just one look, they recognized this as the invitation they’d been seeking.
“Miss Bai sent this to you?” Xiao Bingwen looked at the tattered box on the side, then at the understated yet mysterious invitation in Xu Nanjing’s hand, feeling like he was watching a comedy.
Xu Nanjing immediately took out his phone to call Bai Lian.
She answered on the first ring, “Sister Bai Lian, what did you send over?”
Bai Lian had just finished school and was ordering milk tea at a shop. Chi Yundai was handing her a plate of cake.
“An invitation,” she took the cake from Chi Yundai, turning to walk inside, her voice unhurried. “Weren’t you looking for one? What’s wrong?”
Xu Nanjing: “…No, nothing.”
“Oh,” Bai Lian’s tone was casual. “Anything else?”
She had that “don’t disturb my studies” tone.
They hung up.
“She,” Xiao Bingwen had heard the whole conversation and finally recovered, muttering: “Where did she get an invitation?”
He and Xu Nanjing had been busy for half a month, and were about to give up these past few days, when this invitation fell from the sky?
Did Jiang Fuli give it to her? Bai Lian was just a high school student at Xiangcheng First High. Besides Jiang Fuli, Xiao Bingwen couldn’t think of any other explanation.
Bai Lian had been in seclusion studying and didn’t attend the auction.
Saturday.
Jiang Fuli rarely had a break. They had become regulars at the library.
Light streamed through the library windows onto the tables by the window. The library was quite crowded today, with the table on the right fully occupied by Bai Lian’s group.
Jiang Fuli sat on the far right, wearing black headphones, with a thin laptop in front of him.
His slender fingers tapped the keyboard, occasionally turning his head to speak to Bai Lian. Sunlight fell on his face, his eyelashes lowered. His usually cold face seemed somewhat tender at this moment.
Across from them, Tang Ming raised his hand, carefully looking at Jiang Fuli: “Teacher Jiang, we’re having hotpot for lunch.”
Jiang Fuli was naturally cold, his demeanor unlike someone who would frequent casual restaurants with them.
Although they’d had hotpot together many times, Tang Ming still needed great courage to invite Jiang Fuli.
“Fine.” Jiang Fuli nodded casually.
Tang Ming finally relaxed, quickly sitting down.
At lunch, they were at the hotpot restaurant in the neighboring mall.
To let everyone eat comfortably, Tang Ming’s group booked a private room – Bai Lian, Jiang Fuli, Lu Xiaohan, Ning Xiao, Tang Ming and Jiang He, not too many people.
They ordered split pot. Jiang Fuli was indifferent about the dishes.
He held a pencil, scanning the menu, marking several items that Bai Lian ate.
As he scrolled down, Bai Lian reached out to press his finger.
Jiang Fuli’s fingers were always cool – spending too much time in the underground lab, even in Xiangcheng, couldn’t change his constitution. His already pale fingers were like white jade.
Feeling the warmth, he watched as Bai Lian’s finger pressed his hand, then slowly pulled the pencil from his grip.
Bai Lian propped her chin with her other hand, turning slightly, “Teacher Jiang, don’t order more, they’ve ordered too much already.”
She was very experienced with this.
Jiang Fuli released the menu, “Alright.”
He stopped ordering.
Having known each other for so long, except when teaching them when Jiang Fuli easily mocked them, during regular meals Jiang Fuli basically didn’t disturb everyone’s enjoyment, also trying to contain his cold aura.
At the table, Lu Xiaohan was sending pictures in the group chat.
Lu Xiaohan: [Grandfather’s clothes are almost done]
After sending, she looked up at everyone at the table, “Grandfather’s class uniforms are ready, I saved a set for Good Guy, but he can’t take graduation photos with us next month.”
Especially Zhang Shize – in Class 15’s current atmosphere, Zhang Shize and Wen Qi had contributed significantly.
For graduation photos, Lu Xiaohan felt that without Zhang Shize, Class 15 would be somewhat incomplete.
Although they joked when mentioning Zhang Shize, Lu Xiaohan and the others knew they could only maintain this attitude. A year in prison would have too big a psychological impact on a high school student.
“Don’t worry,” Bai Lian watched as dishes arrived and used serving chopsticks to get food, “Xiao Bei said he prepared a banner for Good Guy.”
“A banner?” At the mention of Wen Qi, the atmosphere livened up again. Tang Ming was curious, “What banner? What good can Bei Bei do? Oh, I was thinking I could wear his clothes and take photos with you guys on his behalf.”
Lu Xiaohan slapped the table: “Right, you can print a big picture of Good Guy and stick it on your face…”
The young people ate hotpot, troubles coming suddenly and leaving just as quickly.
Jiang Fuli quietly listened to their conversation, occasionally helping Jiang He get dishes he couldn’t reach, not interrupting their discussion.
Bai Lian also lazily listened on the side.
After eating, Lu Xiaohan called a server to clear the table.
Jiang Fuli sat on the same side as Bai Lian, with her on his left and Jiang He on his right. After eating, the server had cleared away the extra bowls and chopsticks. He had thought Bai Lian would hurry back to the library to do homework.
But Bai Lian didn’t leave. The others at the table were still discussing post-graduation plans, with Tang Ming saying he wanted to take a photo with Class 15.
With Bai Lian still there, Jiang Fuli wasn’t in a hurry either. He leaned back slightly, talking with Bai Lian, “They’re talking about graduation trips, have you thought about it?”
Graduation trip?
“Have you traveled before?” This was the first time Bai Lian had heard this term. She opened a can of cola with one hand and passed it to Jiang He, turning to look at Jiang Fuli.
“No.” Jiang Fuli hadn’t been either.
His life had been nothing but research.
“Then why did you say you’d take me to the snow mountains?” Bai Lian remembered this.
The private room was hot, and Jiang Fuli had taken off his jacket. He wore a white shirt with the collar slightly open. Surprised that Bai Lian still remembered this, he said softly: “We can go in summer vacation if you want, though the snow won’t be as thick then.”
“No rush,” Bai Lian suddenly remembered something and said, “But I kind of want to go to the grasslands.”
She had read through history – there was the Third Princess’s tomb there.
“Grasslands,” Jiang Fuli’s fingers tapped the table as he recalled the map, planning routes, “That works too.”
As he was speaking, the private room door opened and a server brought in the assembled cake.
White cream, red roses lined the middle all the way down the cake base, roses bunched together along green vines in full bloom.
Like a passionate oil painting.
It was eye-catching.
Ning Xiao stood up to take the cake, thanked the server, and placed it on the table.
But the server didn’t leave, instead looking longingly at the cake that resembled an artwork, “Handsome guy, where did you buy this cake?”
“It’s not bought,” Lu Xiaohan smiled at her, “Our friend made it.”
The cake maker was naturally Chi Lu.
Tang Ming gestured for Jiang Fuli to blow out the candles, “Happy birthday Brother Jiang, make a wish and blow out the candles.”
Jiang Fuli looked at the slowly burning candles, for the first time not reacting immediately. Maybe because his family was gone, he didn’t celebrate birthdays, usually staying in the lab to avoid trouble.
If others couldn’t find him, they’d let it go. Even Xu Nanjing and Jiang Xiju would just send him a gift when the time came.
Blowing out candles and making a wish – this was his first time experiencing it.
The windows in the private room were closed. The candlelight illuminated his cold face. Under Tang Ming’s urging, Jiang Fuli slowly closed his eyes and made a wish.
He didn’t have many wishes. If asked before, he might have wanted to find dark matter.
Now.
He thought quietly: Then I wish Miss Bai peace and safety year after year.
Jiang He stood beside him, helping blow out the candles.
In the evening, Jiang Fuli leisurely walked in the sunset.
Taking Bai Lian back to Ji’s house.
Ji Heng invited them back for dinner.
Today he had gone fishing with Director Chen specifically, and the auntie next door helped cook. When they returned, dinner was ready.
The meal was very sumptuous.
At the table, Ji Heng gave Jiang Fuli his set of clothes – silver-gray outer garment, silk fabric that looked very high-end, with frog buttons.
The sleeves and front were embroidered with patterns.
Jiang Fuli seriously accepted this set of clothes, his fingertips touching the cool fabric.
At a glance, the stitching was dense – Ji Heng had put thought into it.
Director Chen and Ji Heng both liked to drink. The two chatted while drinking, taking over an hour to finish dinner. Finally Jiang He found time to bring out his Lego gift from his room.
The Lego was a custom-made tower.
The design was drawn by Jiang He, with many revisions from his teacher. It was thirty centimeters wide and about forty centimeters tall.
You could see the delicate bricks and connecting beams.
Jiang Fuli said “thank you” twice today.
After giving his gift, Jiang He stared at him intently.
Jiang Fuli accepted it, pointing at one spot while looking at Jiang He, saying leisurely: “This part isn’t drawn well.”
Jiang He: “…”
He decided to sleep with Ji Heng tonight.
Ji Heng had drunk too much today.
Bai Lian made an exception to see Jiang Fuli out.
At nine o’clock, Jiang Fuli looked at the long dark alley. Just at the turn by the entrance, he stopped and told Bai Lian to go back first.
Today Bai Lian wore cyan clothes with her black hair half-tied up. She stopped and held out her left hand, palm up. A qilin jade that seemed almost like ice in the light appeared before Jiang Fuli’s eyes: “Teacher Jiang, happy birthday.”
Jiang Fuli was somewhat stunned, probably not expecting her to have prepared a gift for him.
He reached out to take it, his palm still feeling the warmth of the jade.
Late May.
Approaching the college entrance exam, the school took graduation photos.
The location was at the stone in the center of the school. There were five steps below the stone, perfect for students to stand in formation.
Class 15 had prepared uniform clothes.
The girls’ formal wear had standing collars – white base with ivy embroidered on the edges, covered by a red sleeveless vest with delicate vine patterns embroidered on it and matching toggle buttons.
Below was a white skirt embroidered with lifelike rose bushes. Red and pink roses in full bloom were dotted among the green leaves. When the girls walked, rose gardens hidden in the pleats bloomed everywhere.
The boys’ clothes?
Skip that.
Currently Class 14 students were taking graduation photos below. The photographer was shooting as Class 14 students stood on the steps, unconsciously looking at Class 15’s students, their gazes falling on the tall girl at the back.
Bai Lian held her phone, walking lazily with Lu Xiaohan at the back.
Today she still had her hair half-tied up, her almond eyes half-closed. Her hair was very long, and under the wooden hairpin, half her black hair lay lazily on her shoulders.
Bai Lian was used to wearing plain clothes, and this was her first time wearing such bright colors. The traditional-style clothes seemed tailor-made for her, with blue sky and white clouds as backdrop.
The wind scattered her skirt.
A rose maiden, blooming in the wind.
Over half of Class 14’s students were stunned, only coming back to their senses when the photographer reminded them.
“They all say this looks stupid. Sister Lian, Xiaohan, what do you think, is it stupid?” Wen Qi unfolded his custom banner, about seventy centimeters long, with the words—
[Taking photo with Zhang Shize (A Good Guy)]
Red background with white text.
Lu Xiaohan looked up, imagining her beautiful graduation photo with this thing.
No wonder the cultural and entertainment committee member had been complaining.
She refused.
Bai Lian looked at these words and nodded, “I think it works, the color matches our clothes well.”
Wen Qi’s eyes lit up, “Right? I knew Sister Lian would understand me!”
“You really think so?” Lu Xiaohan couldn’t believe it, grabbing Bai Lian’s arm.
Bai Lian was surprised, “Yeah.”
Lu Xiaohan: “…”
First time discovering that Bai Lian was actually quite straightforward.
Class 14’s graduation photo was done, and the principal, vice principal and subject teachers in the front row stood up.
The principal naturally couldn’t leave, as he had to take photos all day today.
“Wen Qi,” Lu Lingxi called Wen Qi, glancing at his banner before saying: “The chemistry teacher hasn’t come yet, he’s teaching Class 9, go call him.”
Wen Qi put away the banner to call the chemistry teacher.
The principal and vice principal walked over, looking for Lu Lingxi and Bai Lian.
Finally reaching graduation and the college entrance exam, the principal looked at Bai Lian, still feeling emotional, “Student Bai, relax. No matter how the exam goes, just try your best.”
“Okay.” Bai Lian nodded.
“Time flies,” Lu Lingxi adjusted Bai Lian’s clothes, looking at the girl before her, “I remember when you first came to take the test, you got fifty points in science. At that time, I thought you’d need to repeat a year.”
On the steps nearby, Lu Xiaohan called Bai Lian to get in formation.
Bai Lian walked over.
The principal watched her leave, “From fifty points to now, who knows how far she’ll go in the college entrance exam. She’s never taken the joint exam, don’t know how much Song Min has improved, I feel this year’s college entrance exam won’t be simple…”
The vice principal had become Bai Lian’s fan, “No need for it to be special, the provincial top scorer will definitely be our Student Bai.”
Speaking softly, he muttered, “Don’t think I don’t know you’ve already ordered the provincial top scorer banner.”
Principal: “…”
The Class 8 homeroom teacher stood beside the principal, watching Bai Lian in the crowd, not saying anything.
Bai Lian stood in the second row, next to Lu Xiaohan. The wind gently blew her bangs, behind her was the stone with Bai Xiangchun’s carved words, radiating youthful spirit and ambition.
Wen Qi brought the chemistry teacher over.
The rest of Class 15 had already lined up. He stood behind Bai Lian and Lu Xiaohan, holding his banner and saying softly: “Just now they were discussing how Sister Lian went from getting 50 points in science to where she is now.”
How did she get to where she is now? Bai Lian turned her head slightly, raising an eyebrow at Wen Qi, her expression characteristically casual but mixed with a spirited confidence that Wen Qi had never seen before.
She didn’t speak, only looking through the gap at the line of poetry on the stone behind them. The Bai family army had won many battles by turning defeat into victory. This was what she was best at—
The game is all about making a comeback from behind, do you understand, young one?
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