Chen Hong led them to the Yunhai Restaurant on the pedestrian street.
The school’s South Mei District and Rose District were adjacent, mainly serving as activity areas for undergraduates. Being close to the West Gate, where a food street lay just outside, they didn’t need to take the school bus – it was just a few minutes’ walk.
The food street was crowded with vendors, with new and returning students filling the paths. Tang Ming spotted a bubble tea shop and went to queue up to buy drinks for everyone.
Chen Hong entered the restaurant first to order. “Wenyao, is the junior switching from arts to science?”
Xu Wenyao nodded. He had first learned about this in Xiangcheng from his assistant.
Chen Hong’s dormitory often came to this restaurant for gatherings, and they knew the owner well. They had reserved a window seat in advance. He handed the menu to Xu Wenyao, letting him order for Bai Lian and the others.
His gaze unconsciously drifted to the entrance, landing on Bai Lian. Her hair was half-tied up, and she wore a beige linen dress that was loose and casual, with a matching belt loosely tied at the waist. She was quietly talking with Yang Lin, her demeanor composed and unhurried, modest yet elegant. Her straight posture revealed an inherent pride.
She turned heads everywhere she went.
Unlike the famous prodigies in the academy, she seemed quite approachable from this perspective.
Bai Lian had kept a low profile at school these past two days. Chen Hong estimated it wouldn’t take long before the buried posts on Jiang University’s forum would resurface.
When Tang Ming and Ning Xiao finally arrived, Chen Hong had them add more dishes.
After the meal, Tang Ming and Ning Xiao headed back to the library to study.
Xu Wenyao needed to return to his club as they were recruiting new members, and as a veteran member, he had to help with some matters.
“By the way, juniors, Old Xu was last year’s debate club president. The new president isn’t very experienced yet, so he’s going to help out,” Chen Hong explained to Bai Lian and the others. “If you’re interested in joining the debate club, you’re always welcome.”
Jiang University’s debate club carried significant prestige and often organized inter-university debate competitions.
Two of their regular members were popular guests on online variety shows.
The debate club and arts clubs were very popular at Jiang University, with many applicants, making it quite challenging to get in.
Tang Ming showed interest and went to discuss details with Xu Wenyao.
Yang Lin bid farewell to Bai Lian, then merely nodded to Xu Wenyao and Chen Hong before turning away gracefully, her departing figure appearing quite aloof and unapproachable.
Chen Hong had noticed Yang Lin reading sophomore-level books that morning. He shifted his gaze and said to Tang Ming, “Why are all your classmates so cool?”
Ning Xiao, Yang Lin – each one cooler than the last.
He had only experienced this kind of attitude with He Wen.
Tang Ming: “Huh?… What do you think about me then?”
“You?” Chen Hong glanced back at Tang Ming’s serious face, let out an “Ah,” then smiled, “Junior, you must be joking, right?”
Tang Ming: “…”
At the West Gate intersection.
There were many students and vehicles passing by.
Jiang Fu got out of an understated car. He parked near the zebra crossing at the school entrance, his eyes fixed on the pedestrian street entrance.
The early September noon sun was intense in Jiang Jing, but it didn’t deter the new students of Jiang Jing University from their activities.
Jiang Fu spotted Bai Lian among the crowd.
Unable to park long near Jiang University, he hadn’t turned off the engine when he pressed the horn.
Bai Lian opened the passenger door and got in, methodically fastening her seatbelt before leaning back lazily against the seat. “Long’an District Central Park, they’re there.”
She gave him an address.
“Why there?” The entire Jiang Jing map was in Jiang Fu’s head; he didn’t need navigation and drove off directly.
“She said the scenery there is nice.” With the air conditioning on, Bai Lian didn’t open the window, slightly turning sideways to lean against the door.
They arrived at the park shortly.
Due to the strong sunlight at this hour, the park wasn’t crowded. The scenery was beautiful, and at this time, many people were there taking artistic photos.
Lu Xiaohan had chosen an artistic photo location.
It was a quiet bamboo grove.
Inside, a stone path led to an ancient-style cabin meant for artistic photos.
When Bai Lian and Jiang Fu arrived, Lu Xiaohan was already standing outside the cabin, discussing with Director Jian while holding a camera. His assistant Old Hu stood nearby.
The two stood by a stone table with a guzheng placed on it.
Seeing Bai Lian and Jiang Fu, she quickly waved, “Sister Lian, over here!”
Jiang Fu wore the silver traditional-style shirt Ji Heng had made earlier, making him appear even more cold and distant.
Lu Xiaohan’s voice naturally lowered. She handed a bag to Bai Lian, “Sister Lian, Grandfather made these clothes according to your measurements. Please go to the changing room inside and change first, then I’ll do some simple makeup for you.”
She led Bai Lian inside to change, leaving only Jiang Fu and Director Jian outside.
The two had little to say to each other.
Even though the young master Jiang had somewhat restrained himself, his aura remained strong. Director Jian chose to chat with Old Hu instead.
The clothing change didn’t take long, but Lu Xiaohan needed to do some simple makeup for Bai Lian, so they emerged after twenty minutes.
Hearing movement, Jiang Fu, who had been leaning against a bamboo stalk, finally looked up.
Bai Lian walked out first, lifting the floral curtain. Her hair was long, too much for a single hairpin to hold up, so she had taken strands from both sides and pinned them at the back of her head.
As she lifted the curtain, the hair at the back fell to her chest.
The crimson Warring States period robe trailed on the ground.
Lu Xiaohan had spent half a month choosing this location, and the lighting was perfect – not harshly bright, nor artificially supplemented, creating a natural, ancient atmosphere.
Jiang Fu stood silently at the entrance, watching.
Even Director Jian and Old Hu beside him forgot their discussion as they gazed at Bai Lian.
She looked like a noble lady from a thousand years ago, casually emerging from behind the curtain. Light filtered through the bamboo grove’s gaps, through the dust motes, shining down on her.
The light dotted her face, her skin fair, long lashes lowered, eyebrows like a painting. Around them were the sounds of insects and wind, with occasional laughter from visitors beyond the bamboo grove.
Everything was harmonious and peaceful.
Lu Xiaohan, wearing sportswear, followed closely behind Bai Lian, pulling everyone back to reality.
“Sister Lian,” Lu Xiaohan had already been inside once but still stared at Bai Lian’s face, “Please sit at this stone table, be careful, your dress is quite long…”
Lu Xiaohan watched Bai Lian descend the steps and warned her.
The Warring States period robe was very long, trailing on the ground. Modern people often step on such dresses.
Just as she spoke, she saw Bai Lian descend the steps as if walking on level ground, the hem of her dress without a single wrinkle. Lu Xiaohan had often heard netizens complain that except for “Da Yong,” few current historical dramas had actors with true grace.
Now seeing Bai Lian, she finally understood what true grace meant.
She swallowed her words and began filming Bai Lian playing the guzheng.
Bai Lian sat at the stone table, casually plucking the strings, appearing completely natural – she was the only person in Lu Xiaohan’s lens who needed no direction.
“Yi Chi Yi Da Wan” was collaborating with Jiang Jing Music Academy to produce a video featuring traditional instruments.
This wasn’t Lu Xiaohan’s first official recording. She wanted to create a blend of ancient and modern, including not just the guzheng but also the pipa and bamboo flute.
Bai Lian’s screen time wasn’t much.
The recording finished quickly.
The entire scene was quiet, with neither Director Jian nor Old Hu speaking.
Instead of playing “Desert Song” as Director Jian had expected, she improvised a segment of “Bai Yi Xing.”
Compared to her previous performance at the Xiangcheng school anniversary, she was now more familiar with the guzheng, and her playing was naturally more skilled. Her fingertips touched the strings as if thousands of horses were galloping forth.
After playing a short segment, Lu Xiaohan was showing Bai Lian the playback when Old Hu finally came to his senses.
This was his first time hearing Bai Lian play.
Previously, he had thought Bai Lian was just Yan Lu’s composer, which was why Director Jian had shown her special regard. Only now, after hearing Bai Lian play, did he understand what Director Jian had meant back then.
Following Director Jian, Old Hu naturally understood music.
This kind of presence – even Director Jian’s three disciples couldn’t match it.
After changing back into her clothes, Bai Lian didn’t leave. Jiang Fu saw a candied hawthorn vendor at the park entrance and led her in that direction.
Watching their retreating figures, Old Hu finally turned to look at Director Jian, “Director Jian, do you know who Miss Bai’s teacher is?”
In the traditional instrument world, there were only so many people. Other schools might have disputes about who was number one, but in the guzheng field, it could only be Jian Zhongyou.
But Bai Lian’s style clearly wasn’t from Director Jian’s school.
Who exactly was her teacher?
“Her?” Director Jian recalled Bai Lian’s mention of “Qin Jiu” and paused briefly, “Probably some master who has withdrawn from society. You know, there are many hidden experts in the Xiangcheng area.”
Director Jian somewhat wanted to hear Bai Lian play “Bai Yi Xing” in its entirety.
However, seeing Bai Lian’s demeanor, she didn’t seem very interested.
So he asked Lu Xiaohan to send him today’s recorded footage.
At Jiang Music Academy.
When Director Jian returned, the dean of Jiang Music Academy was writing his opening ceremony speech.
Director Jian sent all of Lu Xiaohan’s recordings to the dean, “That’s about all of it. I’ve also sent you her video plan. Everything will be edited in the next few days, and she’ll forward it to you then for review.”
“I’ve seen the plan,” the dean nodded, “It’s quite innovative.”
He minimized Word and opened a video clip.
It was Lu Xiaohan’s recent recording of Bai Lian.
“This is ‘Bai Yi Xing,’ why isn’t it complete…” The dean recognized it immediately. The video showed Bai Lian’s profile, but he could somewhat make out her face, “…The girl who came with Yan Lu before, is she one of our new students this year?”
As a music professional, how could he not recognize how well this segment of “Bai Yi Xing” was played? Lu Xiaohan’s video featured pipa and flute players from Jiang Music Academy, so he naturally assumed Bai Lian was too.
“No.”
“No? With her guzheng skills this good, why didn’t she come to our Jiang Music Academy?” The dean looked at Director Jian, “Do you know how long it’s been since we’ve had such a talented traditional instrument student at our academy?!”
Director Jian removed his earphones and shook his head: “You think I haven’t considered it?… But bringing the national college entrance examination top scorer to Jiang Music Academy – have you considered how the Jiang University admissions office would feel?”
They might even worry about Jiang University’s dean joining forces with the University of Political Science and Law to send their Music Academy a lawyer’s letter.
The Jiang Music Academy dean: “…”
At Long’an District Central Garden.
At the main entrance, Jiang Fu took out his phone and opened WeChat. The candied hawthorn vendor nervously pulled out a QR code from his pocket for him to scan.
Jiang Fu lowered his head, the sunlight casting his entire profile in an icy sheen. After scanning the code, he leisurely took two candied hawthorns.
One was for Bai Lian.
The other was for picking up Jiang Xiaoniao from school later, to coax him.
Bai Lian waited for him under the shade of a tree at the entrance, her canvas bag in his passenger seat. She only took her phone and folding fan out, and was on the phone with Ji Heng.
Her other hand held the jade-bone fan, casually opening and closing it.
An elderly man passing by the entrance looked curiously at the folding fan in her hand.
When Jiang Fu came over, Bai Lian had just finished her call. He handed her one of the candied hawthorns.
Bai Lian put away her phone and accepted the candied hawthorn.
She leisurely browsed her phone, where Kong Wei was sending messages in the dormitory group.
Kong Wei: [@Bai Lian @Xu Qian, the counselor wants us to meet at Physics Building 302 at 7 PM tonight, you two come back early~]
Kong Wei, Bai Lian, and Xu Qian were all in Theoretical Physics Class 2. On the first day of school, they needed to gather for a regular meeting.
Yu Simin was in the Plasma Physics class.
Bai Jian: [1]
Xu Qian: [Thanks]
“Let’s go,” Jiang Fu waited for her to finish replying and checked the time, “Jiang Xiaoniao is getting out of school.”
Jiang He hadn’t gone to school in the morning, but after Bai Lian sent him a message saying she would pick him up in the evening, he finally went.
At a certain private elementary school in the Xing Jiang District.
4:30 PM.
Various nanny cars and luxury vehicles lined the road outside the elementary school.
Jiang Fu’s black car stood out among them. He parked at the entrance and walked with Bai Lian to the school gate. Both were tall, with Bai Lian’s beige cotton linen dress perfectly complementing her figure, and Jiang Fu’s shirt custom-made by Ji Heng.
The two stood out like cranes among chickens in the crowd.
The children studying here were all from wealthy or noble families, and people could tell at a glance that Bai Lian and Jiang Fu had extraordinary bearing.
Some parents wanted to come forward and greet them, but Jiang Fu’s unapproachable aura deterred them.
Jiang He was in Class 1, Grade 1.
First grade students were released first. The Class 1 homeroom teacher led a group of children out holding a sign. The children walked in a line with their hands on the shoulders of the student in front of them. Though it was their first day of school, the children were all cheerful.
Very elementary school-like.
Bai Lian was wondering if Jiang He would also look silly with his hands on the shoulders of the child in front of him, when she saw the last child in the Class 1 line.
He wore a backpack and a dark blue British-style uniform.
His hands were in his pockets, chin raised, black obsidian-like eyes coldly watching his classmates with their hands on each other’s shoulders.
He had a “why am I in such a stupid line” expression.
Bai Lian thought of a certain notebook and couldn’t help but laugh.
Hearing the barely audible laugh, Jiang Fu’s lips tightened slightly, his severe chin lowering as he took Jiang He from the teacher.
Seeing Bai Lian, Jiang He automatically walked to her side, holding onto her dress, as if on auto-follow mode.
Jiang Fu held the candied hawthorn for Jiang He with two fingers, looking disdainful.
Seeing Jiang He, he handed over the candied hawthorn.
Back at Mountain Sea Apartments.
After Jiang Fu drove back, Jiang He didn’t need to return to the Jiang family home.
They both preferred living at Mountain Sea.
As soon as the car stopped downstairs.
Bai Lian saw a white local-plate Volkswagen parked in front of the building.
She opened the passenger door and thought the driver’s silhouette looked familiar.
The man in the Volkswagen’s driver’s seat also got out, opening the trunk to get luggage. Seeing Bai Lian, he wasn’t surprised at all and greeted her, “Student Bai.”
Bai Lian closed the passenger door and looked up, quite surprised: “Uncle Zhang?”
She had heard Tang Ming say Zhang Shize’s father was in Jiang Jing, but hadn’t expected him to appear here.
Jiang He jumped out and went to hold Bai Lian’s dress. He was biting the last candied hawthorn while looking up.
“Hi, He He,” Zhang Shize’s father greeted Jiang He, then looked at Bai Lian, “Student Bai, I’ve rented a place here, on the sixth floor. Xiao Ze is getting out tomorrow – I’ll head back to Xiangcheng later, but wanted to drop off the luggage first.”
Wasn’t it supposed to be mid-month? What had Zhang Shize done to get out early?
Bai Lian and Jiang Fu returned to 303. Xu Nanjiu was sitting on the sofa watching TV, and greeted them when they came in, “Sister Ah Lian.”
After greeting him, Bai Lian asked Jiang Fu about Zhang Shize’s situation.
Jiang Fu wasn’t surprised at all. He put her canvas bag in her study and said, “He helped Xing Lihong research a new product, contributing 5% of the scientific work, so got a ten-day reduction.”
Ming Dongbeng finished steeping the tea and packed some for her to take to school.
Finally, he packed three gift boxes for Bai Lian to give to her roommates as welcome gifts.
Beside them, Xu Nanjiu patted Ming Dongbeng’s shoulder, several question marks above his head, “He created a new product while working the sewing machine?”
Seriously, what kind of people were these?
At 6 PM.
After Bai Lian finished dinner, Jiang Fu drove her back to school.
She had to be at the Physics Building at 7 PM for the new student class meeting – she couldn’t be late.
When she returned to the dorm, the other three were already back.
As soon as she entered, she heard Yu Simin’s voice, “I saw President Bai today, he really is handsome! I heard he was receiving new students on the first registration day – if I’d known, I would have come on the first day!”
Xu Qian sat at her desk reading, “If you want to meet him, you can join the student council.”
“I want to, but so many people from our department are applying for the student council,” Yu Simin pondered, “I also want to join the literature society, but the entrance test is so hard. Will anyone come with me?”
New students were always full of enthusiasm.
“A science student joining an arts society? You’d be better off joining the debate club than the arts society. I’m not going,” Kong Wei quickly waved her hand. Seeing Bai Lian return, she pointed to the bubble tea on her desk, “Bai Lian, Yu Simin and I bought bubble tea for you and Xu Qian when we came back.”
“Thank you.” Bai Lian put her canvas bag and a box of ceramic-jarred tea on the desk, then took out three gift boxes from the white paper bag and gave them to her roommates. “I might come back late sometimes, and my desk lamp might be on late too. If it bothers you, please let me know.”
They were ordinary blue floral gift boxes tied with blue ribbons, though the ribbons weren’t tied very smoothly.
There were no brands or markings.
Kong Wei and Yu Simin thought they were from a boutique store and accepted them. “The desk lamp isn’t bright, it’s fine. I often watch TV and play games until 2 AM.”
In the dorm, only Yu Simin and Xu Qian came from well-off families.
Bai Lian’s luggage was simple, and her computer wasn’t the popular Pear brand, so when she gave them welcome gifts, they didn’t refuse, assuming they were just ordinary small gifts.
Xu Qian also thanked Bai Lian shyly.
Bai Lian took things out of her canvas bag, and Xu Qian and Yu Simin saw that it was a computer and several A4 papers with the characters “Zheng Si” written on them, though they didn’t know what kind of writing it was.
Someone knocked on the dorm door.
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