ATLAS TRANSLATES

At Jiahao Hotel. The principal of the Northern Music Academy carried a box of tea, respectfully ringing the doorbell of room 5615.

Simple Zhongyou preferred solitude. He came to visit alone, not bringing the crowd from the Music Association and school.

The room was at the end of the corridor, with soft carpet underfoot. Even with no one around, the Northern Music principal maintained an extremely respectful demeanor.

The door quickly opened from inside.

Seeing the person, the Northern Music principal was very polite, “Assistant Hu.”

“Principal Luo.” Old Hu nodded slightly and stepped aside to let Principal Luo enter.

Dean Jian had booked a small suite, convenient for receiving guests. After finishing his chat with Bai Lian, he had just returned to his room. Walking around the small living room and bedroom, there were only welcome fruits and tea bags, no proper tea.

He pressed the service button to have the hotel send tea.

“Tea?” The hotel customer service was surprised, but they would fulfill whatever the guest requested, “Certainly, please wait a moment.”

Principal Luo saw him hang up the phone, then put down the gift box and respectfully said: “Old Jian, here’s the ticket you requested, in the first row VIP section.”

He handed over a ticket.

In his heart, he wondered who this VIP ticket was for. In all these years, this was the first time Simple Zhongyou had asked for a ticket.

“Thank you for the trouble.” Simple Zhongyou took the ticket.

“It’s already an honor for Northern City that you come perform voluntarily each year,” Principal Luo said sincerely. “Besides this ticket, do you have any other requests?”

Though Simple Zhongyou disliked the Jian family, he still loved his hometown.

He came once every year, the last time was in October last year.

“No, don’t worry too much, I’m not even sure if she’ll go.” Dean Jian felt troubled, Bai Lian might not even attend.

He felt somewhat depressed.

Principal Luo lowered his eyes, surprised internally – who was this “she”? Dean Jian was actually worried whether “she” would attend?

But he didn’t dare ask more. At this time, the server brought up a pot of tea, and Dean Jian took it to look.

Good grief, it was also tea made from tea bags.

Dean Jian expressionlessly put down the teapot.

Beside him, Principal Luo took a sip of the tea the server poured him. Though the hotel used high-quality tea bags, why did Old Jian seem somewhat dissatisfied?

Downstairs.

Bai Lian’s dinner was still specially delivered by the server, along with a pot of tea.

The food cart didn’t have much. Bai Lian glanced at it, casually took a photo and sent it to Jiang Fuli.

Scrolling down her phone screen, it was still showing her conversation with her dog friend.

Dog Friend: [6]

Baijian: [1]

Dog Friend: [Link: //#@!*&…]

This was the link to the “Winter Time Flutters” album. Dog Friend was Yan Lu’s devoted fan, and would always have Bai Lian help grab limited editions whenever Yan Lu released collector’s albums.

But Yan Lu released few collector’s CDs.

Dog Friend had only managed to get two. When “Betting on Wine” was released, it was relatively unpopular, so fewer people tried to get it.

Bai Lian searched through the few memories she had of her. The original owner knew her since childhood. Though they both liked racing cars, fighting and skipping school, her grades were much better than the original owner’s, and she got into the international class.

Bai Lian looked at the chat window, slightly narrowing her eyes.

Ji Heng hadn’t interacted much with the original owner.

As for Ji Mulan, though she spent a lot of time with the original owner, she only force-fed knowledge, never caring about the original owner’s soul.

But this dog friend was different – she was very close to the original owner.

Bai Lian stared at the chat window for a long time before finally typing a line.

Jiang Fuli’s reply came quickly—

[When are you coming back?]

Bai Lian thought for a moment. If things went smoothly, it would take about three more days.

She replied with a number.

Teacher Jiang: [Oh]

At the same time.

Northern City, Rose Color Club private room.

“Sorry, I had family matters yesterday,” Bai Shaoqi smiled at the international class students. “Couldn’t join everyone for dinner. Today everyone can eat and play freely here.”

“Shaoqi, you’re too generous,” Class monitor Kong Yifan held his wine glass, looking around the club in awe. “If it weren’t for you and Young Master Song, I’d never get to come to a place like this in my life.”

Rose Color Club was Northern City’s best club, membership-only, with annual fees in the millions.

Others in the class nodded frantically, some playing board games, some drinking, some playing Werewolf.

Very lively.

But Bai Shaoqi didn’t care. Rose Color might be the best club in Northern City, but she had heard Mrs. Song say that there were several clubs in Jiangjiang where even the Yin family couldn’t cross the threshold.

She withdrew her gaze and walked towards Song Min.

Song Min was talking to the homeroom teacher. Seeing Bai Shaoqi, his eyes brightened slightly. “Your timing is perfect. Have you discussed math problems with your brother these past two days?”

Everyone sitting at Song Min’s table was in the class top ten.

Hearing this, they all looked towards Bai Shaoqi, all knowing her brother was last year’s top scholar.

Only Song Min’s gaze turned to the table opposite, where a girl wearing a black skull shirt with black chains on her chest was playing cards – Wen Zhixia. He knew she was Bai Lian’s only friend at school.

“No, my family is helping us get tickets for the concert.” Bai Shaoqi poured herself a glass of wine, very refined.

Kong Yifan exclaimed in shock: “The concert in Jiangjiang? Right, I remember Shaoqi is great at guzheng. Damn, isn’t Dean Jian there too? I remember he arranges music for Yan Lu!”

For people who don’t study music, Yan Lu’s name carried more weight than Dean Jian’s.

Song Min came back to his senses and glanced at Bai Shaoqi, also surprised. “You got tickets?”

Bai Shaoqi nodded slightly: “Yes.”

“Remember to take photos. We’ve never been to places like that,” Kong Yifan looked at Bai Shaoqi excitedly. “Wonder if Yan Lu’s composer will be there!”

“Not sure,” mentioning the composer, Bai Shaoqi sighed. “I’ve tried contacting many times, but they’re eccentric and won’t compose for anyone except Yan Lu.”

“Artists usually have their quirks.” Song Min said softly.

Opposite.

A long-haired girl beside Wen Zhixia looked at Song Min’s group and also sighed. “This is high society. Why would the great Miss Bai choose to go to Xiangcheng? By the way, Wen Zhixia, don’t you know Bai Lian? Did she really go back to Xiangcheng?”

“Don’t know, Da Wang.” Wen Zhixia said flatly.

“Come on, I played a 9 and you played a King? Won’t even let our small cards through?” The long-haired girl said in disbelief.

Wen Zhixia said nothing, lazily playing her cards.

“Why hasn’t Yan Lu released a new song?” someone nearby asked.

The long-haired girl said: “Ah, even if she did, we couldn’t get her collector’s edition. Wen Zhixia had ten people help grab ‘Winter Time Flutters’ and still couldn’t get it.”

“Too many rivals.” Wen Zhixia commented.

Her phone lit up.

Silly Dog: [[Location]]

Silly Dog: [I’m in Northern City]

Wen Zhixia’s hand paused, and her card playing became much more casual. She raised an eyebrow.

Dog Friend: [I thought Miss Bai had forgotten I was in Northern City]

Wen Zhixia glanced at the location Bai Lian sent – it was at a hotel. She quickly finished playing her cards, then excused herself from the table and left the club.

The long-haired girl looked up: “Leaving so early? This is Rose Color Club, won’t you stay and play longer? You probably won’t have another chance to come here.”

Wen Zhixia shook her head.

She had been unimpressed with this place from the moment she arrived.

After she left, the voices in the private room grew louder.

“Wen Zhixia left?” Kong Yifan sat beside Bai Shaoqi, surprised.

Bai Shaoqi glanced in Wen Zhixia’s direction. There was no Wen family in Northern City, and her family background was ordinary. She had never been on Bai Shaoqi’s list of people to befriend, and she had no intention of getting close to her. “Maybe she has something to do.”

Beside them, Xu Guan from Class 2 Arts liked to flatter some while belittling others.

Remembering seeing Bai Lian at the hotel yesterday, she smiled: “Wonder if she went to see Bai Lian. Shaoqi, do you think Bai Lian can test back into Northern City this time?”

Others at the table laughed: “Haha, don’t know, but she definitely won’t score higher than our Young Master Song and Sister Shaoqi…”

Room 1108.

Bai Lian had originally planned to meet Wen Zhixia somewhere else.

But before she could decide, Wen Zhixia called: “Which room are you in?”

Her voice was crisp and decisive.

Five minutes later.

Wen Zhixia adjusted the exaggerated chain on her neck, looking up at Room 1108. She had ear-length short hair, a tall figure, and wore punk-style clothes.

Her features were androgynous.

Looking at Room 1108, she reached out, about to press the doorbell.

The door opened at that moment.

The person opening it was a girl in white loungewear. Her black hair cascaded completely down her back, flowing over her soft loungewear. Her skin was a cool white, her eyes lazy. Seeing Wen Zhixia, she merely stepped aside slightly: “You’re here? Come in.”

As if she knew Wen Zhixia had just arrived outside.

Wen Zhixia looked at the girl before her.

Very different from her memory. Wen Zhixia’s steps faltered before following her in.

Inside was a small living room with a square table in the middle. On the table was a purple clay teapot with four matching teacups.

An antique-looking zither lay on the nearby sofa.

There was nothing else.

Whether the purple clay tea set or the zither, everything clashed with the Bai Lian in her memory.

Bai Lian opened the mini-fridge door, looked inside, and took out a Sprite, opening the tab with one hand and passing it to Wen Zhixia. “Why come so late?”

Wen Zhixia took the Sprite.

This was what Wen Zhixia liked to drink.

Wen Zhixia leaned against the table, feeling strange. She felt this person wasn’t the silly dog she knew, yet also oddly familiar.

“I was afraid you’d suddenly go back to Xiangcheng tomorrow.” Wen Zhixia lowered her eyes, taking a sip of Sprite.

The living room lights weren’t too dim. The white light fell on Bai Lian’s face as the air conditioning breeze moved her hair. She sat on the sofa, too lazy to move, kicking the trash can aside: “That won’t happen.”

Her casual manner made Wen Zhixia relax too. She played with the Sprite can: “You’ve changed a lot.”

Bai Lian’s fingers touched the zither strings. She raised her head slightly, speaking unhurriedly: “After dying once, everyone changes.”

“So you really jumped in the lake for that Song Min?” Wen Zhixia squeezed the Sprite can, frowning. She looked at Bai Lian with unfriendly eyes.

This was fact.

Bai Lian couldn’t deny it.

Wen Zhixia looked like she wanted to scold more, when suddenly Bai Lian stood up. She was about to ask what Bai Lian was doing.

The doorbell rang, just as Bai Lian opened the door.

Outside was Old Hu, coming to deliver Bai Lian’s ticket. “Miss Bai, the time is day after tomorrow.”

“Thank you.” Bai Lian took it.

Inside, Wen Zhixia had that strange feeling again – Bai Lian seemed to know someone was outside. “Who is it?”

“Uncle Hu.” Bai Lian casually put the ticket on the bar counter by the door, speaking casually before returning to her room.

Wen Zhixia had just asked randomly.

Following Bai Lian into her room, continuing their previous topic: “Song Min just has slightly better grades, and he’s not even as handsome as Mei Yi…”

She was still hung up on Bai Lian jumping in the lake.

Then she saw Bai Lian open her suitcase.

Her suitcase had few things – half clothes, half books. Most were English books, thick and profound. Wen Zhixia couldn’t quite understand the titles. There were also some printed papers she couldn’t understand.

On top were some draft papers covered in characters that looked like writing but not quite, things like “Four Up”.

Wen Zhixia looked at this pile of books.

Her brows furrowed – had the silly dog been that traumatized by Bai Shaoqi and Song Min? Bringing so many books in her suitcase?

She was about to scold Bai Lian when she saw Bai Lian take out a white bag from the clothes section.

The bag had “Darun Duo Supermarket” printed in red characters on the front.

Most international class students came from good families, especially Bai Shaoqi and Song Min. They all went to imported supermarkets and rarely visited Darun Duo. Bai Lian had never gone there before either.

Seeing the plastic bag, Wen Zhixia silently imagined what kind of life she had in Xiangcheng.

“You…”

She was about to say something when Bai Lian handed her the bag.

“What is it?” Wen Zhixia looked down.

Bai Lian: “A gift.”

Wen Zhixia: “…”

She took the bag, not saying anything more this time.

Logically, meeting after so long, Wen Zhixia should take Bai Lian street racing, but having just finished college entrance exams, Wen Zhixia figured Bai Lian was still upset about the exams, so she didn’t mention it.

She also didn’t dare ask where Bai Lian planned to test into.

After seeing Wen Zhixia off, Bai Lian returned to the sofa and poured herself a cup of tea.

This dog friend was different from what she imagined. She wondered how she became friends with the original owner.

However…

Bai Lian finished her tea and let out a breath.

At least she managed to get through the dog friend situation.

Downstairs.

Wen Zhixia’s car was waiting.

A low-key black business car. In the last row, an elderly man’s face was hidden in shadows. He looked at Wen Zhixia sitting in front: “Young Miss has finished seeing her classmate and friend? The Old Madam asks when you’ll return.”

“These few days.” Wen Zhixia crossed her legs, putting the plastic bag on the folded table in front.

The elderly man looked over. The plastic bag seemed out of place: “What’s this?”