ATLAS TRANSLATES

Since Liang Wuyu and Bai Lian first entered school, the Physics Department had been keeping an eye on them.

Both students were frequently mentioned by the physics professors. Even though Liang Wuyu wasn’t in the Tongfeng class, he had already started working in the laboratory. Bai Lian’s perfect score in the science portion of the college entrance exam had caught everyone off guard.

It was somewhat acceptable that she turned in her exam early today.

But as for Ning Xiao and Tang Ming… the professors had never even heard of them before.

Zhou Wenqing pushed up his glasses and looked down at Tang Ming’s test paper. “This handwriting… it’s too messy.”

He shook his head disapprovingly.

Zhou Wenqing had just put down Bai Lian’s answer sheet when another professor picked it up to look at it. After hearing Zhou Wenqing’s comment, he glanced at Tang Ming’s paper. Science students’ handwriting was usually cramped together, and many teachers had to search between the lines to find answers.

Although Tang Ming hadn’t specifically practiced his handwriting, this past year under Bai Lian’s influence, his writing had become quite neat – much more orderly than most science students.

After spending half an hour looking at Bai Lian’s test paper, Zhou Wenqing had become critical of other students’ handwriting.

The professor thought about his own illegible writing.

Never mind, he decided not to agree with Zhou Wenqing’s comment.

—

At Jiang University Affiliated Hospital.

Ji Mulan had undergone major surgery. With her rare blood type and her baby still in the incubator, it would be several days before she could be discharged.

Xu En had gone to handle work matters. In the hospital room, only Grandmother Xu and two nurses hired by the Xu family remained.

These past few days, Grandmother Xu had been watching the baby closely, barely leaving its side, frequently checking on the incubator.

When the Xu family butler mentioned that Ji Shaojun had come to visit Ji Mulan, Grandmother Xu headed back to the hospital room.

Recently, she had been treating the Ji family with more courtesy than usual.

Upon entering the hospital room, she saw Ji Shaojun, Shen Qing, and an elderly person sitting in the room’s small lounge.

“Who is…” the elderly lady asked, leaning on her cane as she looked at the gray-haired Butler Lou.

Ji Shaojun stood up and explained to the elderly lady, “A distant uncle from our family.”

Butler Lou nodded politely to Grandmother Xu, who warmly invited him, “You must come to the baby’s one-month celebration next month.”

They didn’t stay long. After seeing Ji Mulan, Butler Lou followed Ji Shaojun to Mountain Sea Apartments.

“A private room,” Xiao Jie waited for the two outside. After Butler Lou came out, he remarked with surprise, “It seems Mr. Ji’s sister lives much better than Mr. Ji himself.”

Butler Lou approached the elevator without saying anything.

Xiao Jie knew he must be thinking about Bai Lian, so he didn’t disturb him further.

—

Mountain Sea Apartments. First floor, Room 103.

As Butler Lou and Xiao Jie passed by the elevator, their footsteps paused briefly.

Xiao Jie remembered their previous encounter with Principal Shi at the elevator, and suddenly thought of something: “Do you think Principal Shi was looking for Miss Bai last time?”

Butler Lou didn’t answer, just following Ji Shaojun into 103. When they entered, Ji Heng was chopping large bones.

Ji Shaojun and Shen Qing went to help, and Shen Qing smiled as she invited them, “Butler Lou, Xiao Jie, would you like to stay for lunch?”

Usually, Butler Lou would decline such invitations.

But today, Butler Lou didn’t refuse.

Ji Shaojun and Shen Qing took over, so Ji Heng stopped crowding the kitchen. He put down his knife and came out, taking out his pipe and glancing at Jiang He.

There was a sun umbrella set up above the outside courtyard, but because the sun was strong today, Jiang He wasn’t playing outside.

He sat on the carpet by the courtyard’s glass door with a small table in front of him.

On the table was a chess board.

Butler Lou glanced around the living room. Apart from an exquisitely featured child, there was no one else. His gaze fell on the chess board, which had an unfinished game of Five-in-a-Row. He didn’t look further.

“Where is Miss Bai?” Butler Lou had been sitting on the sofa for a while before he finally couldn’t help asking. He hadn’t seen Bai Lian since Mu Yinong returned last time.

Today was Saturday, and Jiang University had just started classes. New students shouldn’t have classes.

With Ji Shaojun and Shen Qing here, and Mountain Sea Apartments being so close to school, Bai Lian should be home.

“Her?” Ji Heng opened the glass door and stood at the courtyard entrance, lighting a cigarette with a muffled voice: “She had an exam this morning, she’s having lunch with her friends, and she’ll be back after.”

An exam in the first week of school?

—

Near Jiang University’s entrance.

Ning Xiao and Tang Ming received Bai Lian’s message to find Jiang Fuli’s car.

He was driving the Jiang family’s business car today, with Xing Jiang district plates, starting with A and ending with 1.

Very easy to find.

When the two got in the car, Yang Lin was already in the back seat.

Bai Lian sat in the passenger seat, hadn’t opened the window, just resting her elbow on the window edge, sitting lazily. Seeing the two get in, she raised an eyebrow at them.

When Tang Ming saw it wasn’t Ming Dongheng driving but Jiang Fuli, he carefully sat down with half his bottom on the seat.

If Ming Dongheng had been driving, his first choice would have been the passenger seat.

Jiang Fuli’s cold eyes glanced at the rearview mirror, his slender fingers resting on the steering wheel. His casual tone carried little warmth: “How was the exam?”

With such a cold tone, he definitely wasn’t asking Bai Lian.

Ning Xiao instinctively sat up straight, his black bangs falling over his brow bone, “I practiced similar problems all summer break, I finished all the ones I knew how to do.”

His knowledge wasn’t as broad as Bai Lian’s, he hadn’t learned everything yet.

“I…” Tang Ming sat beside Ning Xiao, quietly raising his hand, “Same here.”

Jiang Fuli’s light-colored eyes swept over Tang Ming as he drove toward the Yunxiao district.

The Zhang family had reserved a private room at the Yunxiao Hotel.

Upon arriving at the hotel.

Jiang Fuli parked the car at the entrance and got out of the driver’s seat.

The hotel valet hurried over to take the keys.

The valet sat in the driver’s seat. Though he had parked countless luxury cars at the Yunxiao Hotel, he hadn’t often driven ones with such special plates.

Just as he finished parking this car and returned to the main entrance.

Another car pulled up, this time an official vehicle.

The valet looked at the car in surprise. Was there some VIP event at the hotel today? He hadn’t heard anything about it. The hotel general manager came out from inside and was startled to see who got out of the car, “Chi Yu, what brings you here…”

Chi Yundai often moved about in the Xing Jiang district but rarely appeared in public, so not many people recognized him.

Chi Yundai handed the keys to the valet, seeming to be in a good mood, “Just some business.”

—

28th floor private room.

Lu Xiaohan was already inside talking with Zhang Ma. She was supposed to have military training today but had taken the afternoon off with her counselor’s permission.

She patted Zhang Shize’s chest, “Good man, you seem to have grown taller, what’s going on? Too bad Beibei isn’t here, otherwise we could see who’s taller.”

Zhang Shize had been isolated from the world for a long time. He touched his bald head, “Beibei?”

Lu Xiaohan was silent for about a second before laughing, “Oh, right, it’s like this, Wen Qi…”

The two young people put their heads together as Lu Xiaohan explained the origin of Wen Qi’s nickname, then pulled out her phone to show him saved videos.

Beside them, Yan Lu put her bucket hat aside and sat with Zhang Ma.

While the two classmates talked, Yan Lu and Zhang’s parents didn’t interrupt.

Halfway through speaking, Lu Xiaohan suddenly remembered something, “Sister Lu, could you give me two autographs later? My roommate is your fan.”

“Sure.” Yan Lu had been with the Zhang family these past few days and didn’t have any photos with her.

She lowered her head to message Xiao Tian to bring over some photos.

Just then, there was a knock at the private room door.

Zhang Shize, sitting on the sofa, jumped up, “Must be Sister Lian and the others!”

He ran to the door and opened it.

Outside were indeed Bai Lian and Jiang Fuli.

Due to lack of sun exposure, Zhang Shize’s skin was somewhat pale, with a crew cut. Seeing Bai Lian after so long, his eyes lit up, “Sister Lian! Brother Jiang!”

Bai Lian stood in front, wearing a simple white T-shirt, her dark almond eyes slightly narrowed as she listened to his voice.

She reached out and patted his shoulder, just like when she first stepped into Class 15, as if looking at her thousand riders under command. She smiled slightly and said, “Congratulations, Zhang Shize.”

Tang Ming squeezed in to talk with Zhang Shize, while Jiang Fuli stood to the side quietly watching their reunion. No one stays at rock bottom forever, including Zhang Shize.

These people from Xiangcheng finally gathered at the Yunxiao Hotel on September 6th!