The college entrance exam top scorer definitely had skills.
Give Bai Lian another year or two, and she would be their strongest teammate.
But she hadn’t started school yet, there was still much she hadn’t learned.
Chen Hong thought Bai Lian was joking, and picked up a piece of spare rib: “Alright, if we can’t find suitable teammates, we’ll definitely look for you, junior.”
Sitting beside Chen Hong, Xu Wenyao raised his head slightly. He knew Bai Lian had attended Boyuan’s high school summer camp and must have participated in mathematical modeling. Xu Wenyao pondered this.
Bai Lian leaned back against her chair, casually tapping her straw, completely at ease.
“By the way,” Chen Hong temporarily set aside these troubling matters. After finishing his spare rib, he suddenly remembered: “Junior, how did you get your meal?”
Jiangjing University was on summer break, with only three cafeterias open.
They were at the Yunhe Restaurant on the first floor of the fourth cafeteria, a famous internet check-in spot with diverse, delicious, and cheap dishes, but it only accepted meal cards.
The second floor accepted mobile payments.
During the holidays, most tourists visiting Jiangjing who wanted to eat here had to borrow campus cards from students.
Beside him, Xu Wenyao also looked up. Bai Lian had borrowed books from the library multiple times – how had she entered without a campus card?
At this mention, Bai Lian paused while drinking her lemon water, “Someone gave me a campus card.”
Xu Wenyao looked at Bai Lian, somewhat surprised.
Did Bai Lian know other people at Jiangjing University?
After eating, Xu Wenyao and Chen Hong had work to do.
Bai Lian took Lu Xiaohan to check out other places.
Xu Wenyao and Chen Hong watched the two leave. After the girls left, Chen Hong’s smile disappeared, and he looked at Xu Wenyao with an unpleasant expression.
He pressed his temples, “Let’s go ask Yusheng and the others.”
“Let’s go,” Xu Wenyao turned to walk with him, “Isn’t the registration deadline the day after tomorrow?”
“Yes.” Chen Hong took out his phone from his pocket to contact friends he knew.
**
Meanwhile, Bai Lian took Lu Xiaohan to tour Jiangjing University.
She wanted to film the campus buses arriving at the station. The previous one had just left, so Bai Lian stood waiting in the shade of a nearby tree.
At the intersection, a blue bus decorated with cartoons slowly drove up.
Lu Xiaohan finally got the shot she wanted. She walked over with her camera, “Sister Lian, there shouldn’t be as many people at the Celebrity Statue Plaza now. Let’s go, last stop.”
The Jiangjing University Celebrity Statue Plaza was already popular with tourists, but after “Da Yong” aired, it became even more uncontrollable.
Every character in that drama could be a protagonist, but Yan Lu was the most dazzling. Her gestures, posture, and spear techniques all epitomized that era.
The historical figure of Bai Xianjun was already popular, but through her portrayal, the character became everyone’s ideal.
Now online, if you weren’t watching Yan Lu’s edited clips, you were criticizing Emperor Jiang Wen.
Historical views on Emperor Jiang Wen were mixed. Although he became suspicious and paranoid later in life, historians still rated him highly.
It was also peak summer holiday season. Even with Jiangjing University’s appointment system limiting visitors, the plaza was still packed.
Lu Xiaohan saw the crowds as soon as she got off the bus.
Her gaze immediately fell on the bronze statue on the left of the first row. Among all the statues in the plaza, only this one held a spear, standing against the wind with battle robes billowing behind.
Under the noon sun, the spear pointed diagonally skyward. Facing thousands of troops, the young woman stood against the wind, like a sword blade breaking through countless storms with a piercing cold light.
It unconsciously gave people a sense of pressure.
Many people were taking turns taking photos with this statue.
After paying respects, Lu Xiaohan instinctively looked at Bai Lian beside her. Under the strong light, she began to feel dazed – this commanding presence and heroic spirit really seemed similar.
**
Bai Lian had been here before; she didn’t look much.
She just stood to the side, taking Ji Shaojun’s call.
She pressed the answer button and held the phone to her ear: “Uncle.”
“Ah Lian,” on the other end, Ji Shaojun paused, thinking about his words, “Did your grandfather tell you about Butler Lou’s matter?”
“He did.”
Ji Shaojun sighed in relief, that saved him from explaining, “Do you want to come see the Mu family? Butler Lou said to find a time for you all to go back.”
“Go back for what?” Bai Lian was estimating her own affairs – she hadn’t finished her music theory books yet, and she wasn’t sure if Xu Wenyao’s mathematical modeling would need her.
“Don’t know, the Mu family has relented,” Ji Shaojun stood on the balcony, looking out the window, “Maybe it’s related to the family genealogy.”
When Ji Shaojun mentioned the genealogy, Bai Lian raised an eyebrow.
Previously, Old Madam Xu had said, as if bestowing a favor, that she could let Bai Lian onto the Xu family genealogy.
The Bai family had even expelled her from their genealogy.
Bai Lian knew they had long traditions and strong clan concepts, but now any genealogy meant the same to her – this wasn’t feudal times anymore.
The old genealogies were for facilitating guilt by association.
“Not going,” Bai Lian refused without much thought, “If you need anything, just find me.”
Though it was summer break, Bai Lian was still very busy – just learning music theory was enough work.
Ji Shaojun had already guessed her answer and wasn’t surprised.
He hung up and opened the balcony door to enter the hall, telling Butler Lou about Bai Lian’s response.
“She’s not coming?” Butler Lou looked up in surprise, but didn’t think much of it. He continued asking indifferently: “What about the other one?”
The other one was Ren Wanxuan.
“Her? Should be on her way.” When mentioning Ren Wanxuan, Ji Shaojun’s expression became much colder.
Butler Lou wasn’t surprised by this speed either, “Mm, wait until she arrives before I tell the master.”
Old Master Mu’s willingness to let the two juniors come was because Ji Shaojun had performed well in the Mu family, and they were preparing to introduce him publicly.
Formally introducing Ji Shaojun to the Mu family members.
Whether Bai Lian came or not wasn’t important.
**
At Shanhai Apartments.
Bai Lian brought Lu Xiaohan inside.
As soon as Lu Xiaohan entered, she flopped onto the living room sofa. The sofa was bought by Xuechun and was very soft, perfectly matching Bai Lian’s casual and lazy personality.
She buried her head in Jiang He’s pillow, which still had a faint milk scent.
“Why does Bird Brother drink milk every day.” Lu Xiaohan raised her head, putting that pillow aside and switching to a silk one.
She looked toward Bai Lian.
Bai Lian walked to the small guest room next to the bedroom, opened the door to reveal a deep gray single bed that had been made up, and jerked her chin at Lu Xiaohan, “You’ll stay here.”
Lu Xiaohan reached for the remote on the coffee table, giving Bai Lian an “OK” gesture.
She turned on the TV.
The screen lit up to Jiangjing TV channel where Jiang He had left off last time, playing episode 30 of “Da Yong”.
[A pale-faced woman painfully held onto the doorframe. The camera gave a detail shot – her fingers gripped the frame so tightly her knuckles turned white.
She wore undergarments, with some color in her cheeks, plain clothes, no decorations in her hair, her black pupils appearing scattered.
Her gaze only looked toward the north.
This was Madam Bai, Bai Li’s wife.
At the courtyard entrance, a maid carried in medicine, exclaiming happily, “Madam, you can get out of bed! Your complexion is much better too.”
She quickly put the tray on the doorstep beside her and reached out to support Madam Bai, “Why didn’t you wear more clothes…”
Before she could finish speaking, Madam Bai’s body slowly slid down.
She didn’t speak, just kept looking in the same direction as before. The maid’s trembling fingers reached for her breath.
At the same moment, the scene cut to the Xiangcheng battlefield.
It was Yan Lu’s scene. The camera moved from far to near as she wore silver armor, her eyes containing the cold light of weapons, holding the reins as she rode her horse from distance to the city tower, finally stopping before the tent, her horse’s front hooves raised high as she dismounted.
One continuous shot.]
Lu Xiaohan had already watched it all. Seeing this scene for the second time, the impact wasn’t as strong.
But she still sniffled.
“Da Yong” exploded across the internet as soon as it aired, not just because of the production team, but more because of the director’s casting.
When a drama crew uses all real locations, no green screens, actors not riding fake horses, no body doubles… everyone putting their all into this drama, actors training to professional levels in spear techniques, horseback riding and archery also reaching professional standards.
What could be more moving than all this?
The entire crew from maids to horses became wildly popular, and netizens developed an even deeper filter for Yan Lu.
Lu Xiaohan got up, just about to check out the guest room when she saw Bai Lian standing behind her, arms crossed, leaning against the table, seemingly watching TV.
But those pitch-black eyes had no focus.
Bai Lian had always been strong in front of Lu Xiaohan.
Class 15 students had a cohesion that other classes couldn’t compare to, and Bai Lian was the center of these people. She understood the class better than Lu Lingxi, from Lu Xiaohan to Zhang Shize to Yang Lin…
Their trust in Bai Lian had long surpassed others.
Bai Lian was like someone commanding armies, wielding authority with ease.
This was the first time Lu Xiaohan had seen such an expression on Bai Lian, cut off from this world, yet seeming as if there was no one behind her.
“Sister Lian…” She unconsciously took two steps forward.
“Mm?” Bai Lian came back to herself, raising her head to look at Lu Xiaohan, returning to her usual casual manner, calmly pulling a tissue from the table and passing it over, “Here.”
Lu Xiaohan took the tissue and wiped her eyes and nose, “Oh.”
Bai Lian stood straight, gesturing for Lu Xiaohan to move freely as she took two music theory books to the study.
**
In the study, Bai Lian put the books on the desk, then opened the right drawer where there was a box of cigarettes Xuechun had left.
She casually pulled one out.
Taking a lighter too, she came to the window, opened all the windows, and lazily rested her arm on the windowsill, the slim cigarette between her fingers, smoke blurring her face.
People kept coming and going on the first floor.
From this direction, she could just see the small garden of several square meters on the first floor, where workers were jointly carrying out a stone table.
On her phone, Xiao Qi sent a message.
Bai Lian lowered her head to look.
Xiao Qi: [Someone is checking information about Xuechun]
The place with the most complete information in Jiangjing was undoubtedly the Qinglong Bar, a place outside the law.
Anyone wanting to check up on them would naturally go through Xiao Qi’s hands.
Bai Lian could guess who would want Xuechun’s information.
Bai Lian: [Give them a little]
After replying, she casually put the phone aside, hand lazily propped on the windowsill, cigarette between her teeth as she watched people busying themselves below.
**
Outside the door.
Lu Xiaohan was video chatting with her parents while watching TV, letting them know she had arrived in Jiangjing.
There was a sound from outside the door. Lu Xiaohan stood up with her phone, “I think Sister Lian has guests, I’ll hang up first.”
She hung up the phone and was about to open the door when it opened automatically.
Outside was a tall figure, still wearing scholarly frameless glasses on his nose bridge, lowering his left hand as his cold gaze looked at Lu Xiaohan through the lenses.
With inherent nobility, even wearing the simplest black clothes couldn’t hide it.
Lu Xiaohan, who hadn’t seen Jiang Fuli for several days, unconsciously took a step back.
Behind Jiang Fuli, Jiang He slipped in.
Seeing Bird Brother, Lu Xiaohan finally relaxed, greeting Jiang Fuli: “Brother Jiang.”
“Mm.” Jiang Fuli casually responded as he entered, his gaze falling on the TV playing in the living room. His hand paused on the door handle before he withdrew his gaze.
He closed the door and looked toward the half-closed study, where music theory books were open on the desk, but no one was in the seat.
In the study, Bai Lian’s cigarette had burned out, the butt held between her fingers.
By the window, only a faint tobacco smell remained.
The most recent hot novels are at 6.9* Book Bar!
Her left hand lazily propped on the balcony in a relaxed posture as she turned her head to look at Jiang Fuli.
His gaze fell on the cigarette butt between her fingers.
Bai Lian very openly flicked the butt into the nearby trash can, hand supporting the window as she raised an eyebrow: “As expected of Jiangjing University, even meal cards can be used to buy houses.”
Miss Bai’s thought process was unusual.
Jiang Fuli instantly knew what she meant – she was talking about him topping up the campus card.
He reached out to close the laptop on the desk, his light eyes falling on her face as he suddenly said: “Come.”
“Huh?” Bai Lian leaned to the side lazily, “Where to?”
“Next door.” Jiang Fuli stood straight, unhurriedly removing his glasses and placing them on the desk.
Next door?
Bai Lian jolted, following Jiang Fuli out. Next door was 302, the wooden door tightly closed. Jiang Fuli casually placed his finger on the fingerprint lock.
The door opened with a light sound.
It was already fully furnished inside. Jiang Fuli hadn’t renovated, just changed a set of furniture, laying brown carpets all over the floor and switching to his usual Chinese-style furniture.
He walked straight to the room on the left and opened it.
It was a music room.
The room was large, with wooden flooring, a guzheng stand in the middle holding another guzheng, and a display shelf on the right with various instruments including flutes, erhus, pipas and others.
Near the floor-to-ceiling windows was a small bookshelf holding sheet music and music theory books.
Jiang Fuli walked closer, unhurriedly straightening a crooked music theory book before turning his head slightly, “This room has soundproofing panels installed, you can practice anytime.”
He stood by the window, sunlight slanting through to fall on his sharp side profile, reflecting a cold light.
His long, pale fingers rested on the book, elegant yet casual.
Bai Lian walked closer, lightly running her hand across the guzheng strings.
From top to bottom.
The clear notes of the guzheng rang out.
At Ji Heng’s place, afraid of disturbing the neighbors, she wouldn’t practice after 8 PM.
Here there was no mother, but there would still be someone making clothes for her by hand, embroidering her favorite yumeiren flowers, and someone preparing a music room for her.
**
The next day, at Xu Corporation.
Xu Wenyao stood by the window making a phone call.
He was officially on summer break and would occasionally come to Xu Corporation to learn some things.
Behind him, Xu En and Xu Shujie were discussing issues. Seeing Xu Wenyao finish his call, Xu En casually handed signed documents to his assistant, “You didn’t eat with Ah Lian today?”
These past two days Xu Wenyao had been helping Bai Lian get familiar with Jiangjing University.
“Her friend came.” Xu Wenyao spoke.
Beside them, Xu Shujie looked up, “What friend?”
“High school classmate.”
Bai Lian’s high school classmate – must be one of those students from Xiangcheng First High.
So not Director Chen’s group. Xu Shujie looked away, remembering something as she sat up straight, “Brother, us and the Qi family, really…”
“Don’t mention this matter again.” Xu En cut her off.
He stood up to go to the conference room for a meeting.
Xu Shujie stopped the assistant, leaning back against the sofa and narrowing her eyes, “What’s really going on with them?”
Qi Shuyun had now entered the Xu family’s circle through that Miss Liu. Breaking ties with them wasn’t a good thing.
“Young Miss,” the assistant remained expressionless, “I don’t know anything.”
Xu Shujie watched the assistant’s retreating figure, her gaze falling on Xu Wenyao as she cut straight to the point, “Problems at school?”
“Someone left the team.” Xu Wenyao said lightly.
Xu Shujie sat up straight, “Big impact?”
She didn’t understand modeling. Xu Wenyao was brief and clear: “I can do modeling, just not as professionally as him. Even without him, Chen Hong and I can still complete it.”
Just that first prize might be out of reach now.
Xu Wenyao’s fingers tapped his phone. Director Huang had hinted at him participating in mathematical modeling.
“Because of the Qi family?” Xu Shujie spoke.
This time Xu Wenyao didn’t respond.
Xu Shujie picked up her coffee. The phone beside her lit up.
She picked up her phone from the tea table, opening the information Butler Xu sent her—
It was about Xuechun.
The information was just one page, investigated by private detectives hired by Old Madam Xu. Didn’t finish high school, always hanging around bars, bartending, selling alcohol…
Nothing particularly special stood out.
Bai Lian’s friends were quite unique – didn’t even finish high school. How did Xu Wenyao, a top student at Jiangjing University, have topics to discuss with Bai Lian’s friend who hadn’t even finished high school?
Xu Shujie was surprised. Besides Xu Zhiyue, others in the family had some barrier when talking with Xu Wenyao.
**
After Bai Lian took Lu Xiaohan around the neighborhood, it was two days later when they went to borrow books from Jiangjing University again.
Lu Xiaohan went out herself to check out Jiangjing’s scenic spots.
At noon, Bai Lian took a pile of books to the third cafeteria.
Xu Wenyao and Chen Hong were already there.
The two had gotten their food, with Xu Wenyao’s laptop in front of him.
Others were sitting at the table. Bai Lian immediately recognized one as the black-rimmed glasses from last time, Qi Jun.
A sunny youth sitting two seats away from Xu Wenyao raised his glass to Qi Jun, his tone full of envy, “Qi Jun, does your group have a third-year student from the Tongfeng class?”
The Tongfeng class was probably Jiangjing University’s ceiling.
Qi Jun glanced at him, didn’t raise his glass, just ate his last bite of rice, then picked up his meal card beside him and stood to leave, only responding: “Mm.”
Everyone at the table knew each other.
After Qi Jun left, Chen Hong looked at the sunny youth, “Yu Sheng, since you’re free anyway, want to join our mathematical modeling team?”
Yu Sheng put down his drink, very apologetic: “It’s not that I don’t want to help you guys, but you know I still have a paper to write.”
Catching sight of Qi Jun’s retreating figure, Yu Sheng quickly stood up, hastily saying goodbye to the two before chasing after him.
All of Xu Wenyao’s classmates left.
Chen Hong wasn’t surprised, listlessly waving at Bai Lian, “Junior’s here.”
Bai Lian sat next to Xu Wenyao.
Xu Wenyao wore a white shirt, sitting properly in his chair, his long fingers resting on the black keyboard of his notebook, refined and cultivated.
He gestured for Bai Lian to eat first, raising his head to talk with Chen Hong, “My modeling isn’t as good as his but it’s presentable. Two people on the team is fine, we’ll choose Topic C, just not aim for first prize this time.”
“That works,” Chen Hong perked up, “I’ll handle the data.”
Bai Lian ate leisurely, knowing they had decided not to find a new teammate. Her gaze casually fell on Xu Wenyao’s computer screen showing the Boyuan summer camp homepage, “Why are you chasing first prize?”
Xu Wenyao clicked into the homepage, arriving at the registration page. He explained softly to Bai Lian, “First prize has weighted scoring for graduate school admissions, better chances for recommended admission, and most labs value it too.”
The registration page showed successfully formed teams.
Below was the registration entrance.
Xu Wenyao was filling in his and Chen Hong’s information.
Registration would close at 1 PM.
Bai Lian was casually looking at the registration page until she glimpsed a name in the middle—
Bai Shaoke.
Her fingers paused briefly as she vaguely recalled – this was the original owner’s half-brother, son of the mistress, Bai Shaoqi’s brother.
Xu Wenyao had finished entering his and Chen Hong’s names, his finger hovering over the “enter” key, about to press it.
A chopstick blocked him.
Bai Lian held her chopsticks, her gaze falling on a line of text on the computer screen. Under Xu Wenyao’s surprised look, she spoke: “Do you have any thoughts about first prize?”
“First prize?” Across from them, Chen Hong sighed. Who participating in the summer camp wouldn’t have thoughts about first prize? “But junior, this Boyuan base summer camp has third-year Tongfeng class students. Even with Qi Jun we wouldn’t have much chance…”
Bai Lian withdrew her chopsticks, moving her gaze from the screen to look at Chen Hong: “What position are you still missing?”
Her tone sounded professional.
Chen Hong spoke, “Need someone good at advanced math and linear algebra who can do modeling.”
Teammates were very important for mathematical modeling. Having reliable teammates halved the work. The three of them had collaborated more than once before, even winning second prize in the national competition.
Their three were a perfect team that could evenly split the work – building models, calculating and programming, writing.
Xu Wenyao excelled at programming.
Chen Hong collected data and wrote papers.
And Qi Jun was very good at advanced math and linear algebra, with solid mathematical knowledge and strong modeling ability.
Advanced math was studied in first year, linear algebra in second year.
Hearing Chen Hong’s explanation, Bai Lian nodded, jerking her chin at Xu Wenyao.
Her tone unhurried, “Then add me.”
If Xu Wenyao’s team lacked programming, Bai Lian couldn’t help – she wasn’t familiar with modeling software.
But—
When it came to mathematical knowledge and familiarity with literature, even He Wen would discuss these topics with Bai Lian.
This was her domain.
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