Jiang Fuli stood lazily to the side, holding Bai Lian’s book casually rolled up in one hand. His slightly lowered face remained characteristically calm, not disturbing their reunion.
“I don’t have much to give you,” Tang Ming handed Zhang Shize his high school error collection workbook, “Here, this is the kingdom your brother has built for you.”
Zhang Shize accepted this heavy inheritance.
Yang Lin handed Zhang Shize a fresh lily, still adorned with water droplets.
Zhang Shize was deeply touched to receive a gift from his formerly cold front-desk classmate who was even more aloof than the study god.
After receiving the two gifts, his gaze suddenly drifted to Jiang Fuli, who was standing coldly to the side. “Brother Jiang…”
Jiang Fuli had one hand in his pocket. Hearing this, his pale eyes swept over to Zhang Shize.
Tang Ming was startled by Zhang Shize’s boldness.
Indeed, spending a year in detention made him different – daring to approach Teacher Jiang. Tang Ming quickly grabbed Zhang Shize’s arm. “Come on, tell us about your legendary year and how you got out several months early.”
“It was thanks to Brother Xing,” Zhang Shize smiled. “Though there’s still one thing I don’t understand about why he…”
Tang Ming casually replied, “Don’t worry if you don’t understand. You’ll forget about it in a few days anyway.”
—
Chi Yundai hadn’t arrived yet, so the young people sat chatting on the sofa.
Bai Lian sat on the far left of the sofa, leaning back slightly with her legs casually bent.
The sofa was small, so Jiang Fuli didn’t squeeze in with them. Instead, he perched on the armrest next to Bai Lian, his right hand elegantly propped behind her, his expression cold yet dignified, in a lazy but composed posture.
Next to Bai Lian was Yang Lin, followed by Lu Xiaohan, Ning Xiao, and Tang Ming.
Zhang Shize sat in the chair opposite them, looking at the group in confusion. “So you’re at Jiang University, you’re at Jiang University, and you’re also at Jiang University?”
His gaze finally landed on Lu Xiaohan, “And you’re at the Media University?”
Having heard some of what happened, Lu Xiaohan consoled him, “Don’t feel inferior, Good Guy Zhang. Aren’t you going to study at the Political and Law University?”
“Ah,” Zhang Shize seemed dazed, “Ten years…”
“What ten years?”
A knock sounded at the door.
Zhang’s parents had only invited these few familiar people.
—
It was Chi Yundai.
Being Saturday, he had just finished giving an open lecture to new students and was still in formal attire.
Chi Yundai greeted Zhang’s parents, Jiang Fuli, and Bai Lian before unhurriedly turning to Zhang Shize.
Zhang Shize stood up from the tea table, appearing somewhat more reserved than before: “Teacher Chi.”
“Mm.” Chi Yundai responded.
Considering Zhang Shize’s parents were present, he refrained from asking about his current studies.
Yang Lin also stood up. Her bangs were somewhat long, half-covering her dark, cold eyes. “Mr. Chi.”
Chi Yundai looked at Yang Lin with surprise: “I heard you also got into Jiang University. Congratulations.”
In Xiangcheng, it was rare enough to have one student make it to Jiang University. Chi Yundai hadn’t expected that girl who worked part-time at the milk tea shop and had been imprisoned would also make it to Jiang University.
—
During this small gathering, Zhang’s parents kept Chi Yundai company drinking.
Meanwhile, Lu Xiaohan, Tang Ming, and the others sat with Zhang Shize, discussing what had happened over the past year.
To Zhang’s family, Bai Lian, Jiang Fuli, and Chi Yundai were Zhang Shize’s great benefactors. If not for them, Zhang’s mother might not have seen Zhang Shize return.
Bai Lian sat next to Jiang Fuli, methodically using her chopsticks.
Beside her, Lu Xiaohan was complaining to Bai Lian and Yang Lin, “It hasn’t rained for a day, and I still have nine days of military training left. I’ve gotten so dark.”
She rolled up her sleeve to show them – the color of her arms indeed differed notably from her face.
Bai Lian hadn’t experienced military training yet, but she recalled White Young Miss’s first-year military training from her memories – mechanical marching and crawling exercises.
She lowered her eyebrows curiously and glanced at Jiang Fuli beside her.
Jiang Fuli never ate much. He held a white porcelain soup spoon, his fingertip lightly tapping it as he raised his eyebrows.
Bai Lian picked up some food with her chopsticks and asked lazily: “Have you done military training?”
“Not military training, but field exercises,” Jiang Fuli replied unhurriedly. “You’ll do that too when the time comes.”
Field exercises?
Bai Lian could roughly understand what this meant from the literal meaning.
After dinner, the main group needed to return to Shanhai Apartments.
Shen Qing had already told Bai Lian she had made soup for these children.
Mainly for Tang Ming and Ning Xiao.
Chi Yundai walked at the back, turning his head to look at Zhang Shize standing nearby. He vividly remembered their first meeting at the detention center – how dejected yet defiant he had looked with bloodshot eyes.
“Starting school tomorrow?” Chi Yundai asked him.
Zhang Shize nodded, then quietly asked Chi Yundai, “Do you think I can get into Political and Law University now?”
They had walked outside the hotel.
The sun shone obliquely through the gap between the Cloud Hotel and the building, casting a hazy light on the young man before him. This year hadn’t dulled the youth’s sharp spirit.
Having gone through such a major event while maintaining such a stable mindset showed Zhang Shize’s strong psychological fortitude.
Chi Yundai was silent for a moment before saying, “I believe in you.”
This sudden praise left Zhang Shize bewildered. He figured Teacher Chi must have had too much to drink, so he turned to chat with Bai Lian and Ning Xiao.
Having drunk alcohol, Chi Yundai hadn’t driven. He stood waiting for the designated driver, watching Bai Lian, Zhang Shize, and their group. He knew Zhang Shize’s foundation – the first dozen or so years spent drifting along, taking things as they came, with extremely poor grades.
Zhang Shize wasn’t like the geniuses Chi Yundai had met before.
He was like a rust-covered sword, stumbling and fumbling his way through the martial world.
Most people would die on this nameless path.
But Zhang Shize—
Chi Yundai looked at the girl in the white T-shirt beside him. She was lazily listening to Zhang Shize speak. On Zhang Shize’s path, someone was guiding him. He would eventually shed the rust from his sword.
The designated driver arrived, and Chi Yundai sat in the back seat.
He watched the group through the rearview mirror.
From the initially scandal-ridden Yan Lu to Yang Lin…
This was the first time Chi Yundai had such a direct sense of the sharp spirit possessed by the young people in Bai Lian’s core team. No one was holding others back, not even the seemingly most unruly Zhang Shize.
—
At Shanhai Apartments.
Sister Xin had been waiting downstairs five minutes early.
She held a stack of photos featuring Yan Lu, standing downstairs with Ah Huang beside her, surveying the surroundings. “Sister Lu’s friends live here?”
They had passed many Jiang University students on their way, making Ah Huang feel pressured.
Sister Xin nodded, her gaze fixed on the end of the road.
Soon, two cars drove in one after another – a business van and a Volkswagen.
Sister Xin immediately spotted Bai Lian getting out of the passenger seat of the business van. She stepped forward to greet her first, “Miss Bai.”
From the driver’s seat, Jiang Fuli removed the car key and bent down to exit.
He appeared very casual.
Sister Xin consciously stood straight and cautiously greeted him.
“Yan Lu asked us to deliver the photos,” Sister Xin turned the stack of photos.
“Sister Lu is so nice,” Lu Xiaohan jumped out from the back seat and explained to Bai Lian, “I asked Sister Lu for two signed photos. Both my roommates are her die-hard fans.”
How popular was Yan Lu now? Even at Jiang University, out of any ten people randomly selected, five would be her casual fans.
Bai Lian nodded, glancing at the photos in Sister Xin’s hand, privately thinking she should also get copies for Kong Wei and Yu Simin, who were also Yan Lu’s devoted fans.
The kind who would curse the Jiang University network for failing to get her album.
“The Chinese Music Awards nominations are out,” taking the opportunity to meet Bai Lian, Sister Xin told her about this, “Best Composition, Lyrics, Arrangement – several songs made the list. What do you and Dean Jian say?”
She looked at Bai Lian, knowing the organizers definitely hoped both Bai Lian and Dean Jian would attend.
The Chinese Music Awards’ influence wasn’t what it used to be, but if industry veteran Dean Jian appeared together with the composition genius who personally arranged music with him, that influence wouldn’t be any weaker than Yan Lu’s. It could even spark a new wave in the Chinese music scene.
Sister Xin got excited just thinking about what an unprecedented spectacle it would be in the entertainment industry.
“Don’t know,” Bai Lian lazily looked at the parasol in Ji Heng’s small courtyard, “Let’s see about the timing.”
The building where Bai Lian now lived had basically no outsiders.
Yan Lu wore a long coat and bucket hat as she got out of the car, not drawing attention from others.
Among Bai Lian’s group, she wasn’t the most striking in presence. Not to mention Bai Lian and Jiang Fuli, even Ning Xiao stood out uniquely. This group exuded too strong an academic air.
Especially Jiang Fuli – just as Zhang Shize had described long ago, one look at him made you question if you were stupid.
Zhang Shize had at least been Xiangcheng First High’s campus heartthrob, and this year’s trials had also notably shaped his presence.
“Alright.” Sister Xin sighed looking at their group, not following them in to disturb them.
After they entered the building, Ah Huang finally dared to speak, “Sister Xin, who was that guy next to Sister Lu just now? Pretty handsome – a new talent entering entertainment?”
He had seen Bai Lian and Jiang Fuli before, but this was his first time seeing Zhang Shize.
There was one question he didn’t dare ask – he seemed to notice Yan Lu and that guy walking quite close together.
“New talent? I wish we could sign him,” Sister Xin returned to the car and laughed, “But if we tried to compete with the Political and Law University for talent, Attorney Chi would probably shut down our entire entertainment industry.”
After “Come On, Friend,” Chi Yundai had quickly become popular online.
Even without appearing in public, netizens had dug up his impressive achievements.
The international lawyer team was led by Chi Yundai’s devil team, and his law firm stood in a league of its own.
Ah Huang sat in the driver’s seat, not understanding, “What does this have to do with Attorney Chi?”
Sister Xin leaned back and said unhurriedly: “That’s Attorney Chi’s chosen disciple.”
Ah Huang: “…”
He looked in the rearview mirror, “Are they all this amazing?”
More than that.
Sister Xin clicked her tongue internally – four Jiang University top students, and one Media University student who secretly had 60 million followers and countless official collaborations on their account.
—
In the Physics Building office at Jiang University, several professors were grading morning exam papers.
Zhou Wenqing stood to the side with his teacup waiting for their results. The matter of Tongfeng class spots couldn’t be taken lightly – every year after scores came out, they had to discuss before determining the spots.
This year was no exception.
He taught general physics and couldn’t be certain about most questions, so he stood watching these teachers discuss the scoring.
Math plus physics had eight questions total, fifty points each, adding up to four hundred.
Most students scored around 240 points, with occasional 290s considered high.
Zhou Wenqing looked at the scores written by the professor, “171 in math? Over 150, let me see… Liang Wuyu, I knew it was him. Add physics, should be over 300.”
Hearing about the 171, several teachers came over to look, “No wonder he was admitted to the lab early. 171 – those few in Tongfeng class got about the same.”
“What about Bai Lian? Where’s her paper?” Someone remembered another highly anticipated student.
Several people looked over there.
Across from them, the calculus teacher stared at the answer sheet in his hand, slightly dazed. This answer sheet had neat handwriting, the test paper clean and beautiful. He had been grading this question, and the steps and logic were very clear to him – one glance told him this student hadn’t made any mistakes.
Though the writing was very orderly, he could sense an overwhelming pressure from it.
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