The overall scores for most people were in this style –
NO2. Jiang Xijia 15789258
NO3. Ma Tongfeng 9987412
……
NO18. He Wen 8547127
……
This was quite normal. Bailian looked at the bottom right corner, at her own name –
NO12589. Bailian 0
She should be number 12589. No matter where it was ranked, it would always be the lowest.
Her gaze moved upwards again –
NO1L. 99999999
Bailian: “…”
Seeing only a speck of dust in the vast mountains.
Looking at the difficult monthly ranking points of others nearby, it was hard to imagine this first place was something a person could write out.
She felt a little doubtful – was the system’s upper limit just 99999999?
This style…
She gently withdrew her gaze.
“What’s wrong?” Jiang Fuluo told Mingdonghang to bring Chen Ju to take a look at the calligraphy, but saw Bailian holding her phone with a thoughtful expression.
He walked over, resting a hand on the back of Bailian’s chair as he leaned over slightly to glance at her phone. At a single look, he could see she had just entered an account –
Username: Bai Jian1
This month’s points: 0
Total points: 0
Followers: 0
Following: 0
Jiang Fuluo stared at that “Bai Jian” for a while, appearing rather silent.
His gaze also calmly swept past Jiang He.
Jiang He’s head was about to fuse with the Rubik’s Cube in frustration. He banged his head on the cube dejectedly.
“Registered, I see.” Jiang Fuluo indifferently withdrew his gaze from Jiang He, leisurely taking out his phone to redownload a certain blue app he had previously uninstalled.
“Mn.” Bailian freely showed him her ID.
She then seemed to recall something and opened WeChat to send a message to Mao Kun –
[Four sandbags each weighing one jin2 ]
Bai Shenxi’s reply was very quick: [Okay big sister!]
**
At 10pm.
Bailian waited until she saw the light in Jiang Heng’s room go out before sneaking out of the alley. Mao Kun had long been waiting at the alley entrance while squatting down for a smoke.
In the darkness, only the faint red glow of the cigarette butt was visible.
“Sister.” Seeing Bailian arrive, Mao Kun immediately stood up.
Bailian wore one earphone listening to words while lazily bending over to lift the cloth bag next to him.
Four one jin heavy sandbags, she weighted them in her hand before tossing it to Mao Kun indifferently, speaking in a faint tone: “Tie them to your hands and feet.”
“Ah?” Mao Kun scratched his head before doing as she said, tying a sandbag to each limb.
He then tried taking a few steps – his feet and hands felt heavy.
One jin sandbag was not much, and though he had trained before, the added weight hindered his movements.
Bailian had never seen anyone so weak. She indifferent shifted her gaze elsewhere.
“Today I’ll teach you two moves.” Although Bailian hadn’t bathed yet, she still wore her white dress from daytime. She handed her phone to Mao Kun.
Shifting her balance back, left leg bending halfway, right leg extended in a false stance. Right fist slightly raising upwards, left fist withdrawing to the waist. Right foot simultaneously forming a bow stance, with full strength rooted in the left hand, she suddenly thrust out her left fist!
“Bang!”
Her slender left hand was clearly visible with knuckles protruding.
Mao Kun looked at the fist less than three centimeters from his face. The punches gust almost blew his blonde hair away. He had no doubt that if it moved another three centimeters, this fist that looked so delicate could shatter his nose ridge!
Bailian’s hair, gently blown back by the punch, softly fell back over her forehead in the moonlight. Her face seemed much gentler than usual.
She elegantly withdrew her hand, a pair of inky dark eyes limpid and lazy in inquiry: “Did you see clearly?”
Mao Kun came back to his senses: “…”
He saw clearly, but didn’t fully comprehend.
It took him ten minutes to barely remember the two moves.
“Punching with sandbags binds can cause great harm to the limbs,” Bailian took back her phone, reciting a herbal prescription, “Dangshen, baizhu, lujiao, danggui, xiangfu each 65g, chuanxiong, dulong, duzhong…grind them all together, leave to cool then add the powder to an ointment and spread where bound. “
Saying so, she saw Mao Kun’s clear foolish expression looking at her again.
Bailian: “…alright, I’ll send it to you typed out.”
Mao Kun looked like he wanted to cry: “Thank you sister!”
“These days, don’t you all learn changquan3? Palming? Or dance long spears?” Bailian watched him repeat the move for a long time, before withdrawing her gaze, speaking in a gentle tone.
She tilted her head up slightly, gazing at the round moon in the sky.
In the cold moonlight, her gaze was also deep and distant.
Mao Kun had seen expressions like this on Bailian before, at the auction house when he saw her on Black Water Street. But this time was a bit different from then.
“Everyone studies martial art moves these days,” Mao Kun thought about it before replying, “Nowadays, more children learn taekwondo. Few children learn changquan or dance long spears. There used to be a wuguan in Xiangcheng but it shut down because they didn’t have students.”
“Is that so…”
Bailian nodded.
She withdrew her gaze, lowering her lashes to veil her emotions: “Come see me at the same time next week. Change the sandbags to two jin iron balls then.”
Mao Kun departed with heavy dragging steps.
When Bailian returned it was already 11pm, and she normally would do exercises at this time. But today she didn’t do exercises and instead opened Qiudu, searching for “taekwondo”.
There were many videos above. There were also many marketing ads for dojos, and she repeatedly observed taekwondo-style videos.
Some from a certain cuisine country seemed a bit showy without much practical use.
Are many people studying this now?
Bailian lifted her head, quietly gazing out the window.
One person alone under the moon.
Suddenly a message popped up from the Jingjing preparatory camp app she had previously logged into.
Bailian clicked in and saw she had gained a new follower. She paused, initially thinking it was an official sub-account, until following the follower’s account –
Username: L
This month’s points: 0
Total points: 99999999
Followers: 1
Following: 12587
Bailian: “…”
As expected, it should be him. She left a like.
Smiled briefly, then exited, closing Qiudu.
In times of great peace, when rivers and lakes are clear, there would no longer be any more bandits or pirates to worry about harm. She only needed to study with peace of mind. These techniques should be enough to make her feel happy.
**
Xiangcheng No.1 Middle School graded papers quite quickly.
By Monday, basically all the scores were out.
In the first class of the morning, which was Lu Lingxi’s class, Zhang Shize and the others unusually didn’t arrive late.
As Lu Lingxi entered the classroom, she passed the test papers to the class monitor to distribute.
This Chinese test was routine. Class 15 students’ Chinese scores were always excellent. Though the test was worth 150 points, their average score reached 106 points.
It was fourteen points higher than Class 8’s second highest average.
After class ended, Lu Lingxi held onto the test papers, looking towards Bailian’s seat.
The girl wore her blue and white uniform, immediately taking out an exercise book after class ended. Long lashes veiling her eyes intent on quietly doing exercises beneath the sunlight streaming in from the window, warming and refined.
Lu Lingxi looked at her for a long time before speaking: “Bailian, come out with me for a bit.”
Bailian was slightly perplexed as she put down her pen and followed Lu Lingxi out to the corridor.
“Bailian,” Lu Lingxi looked at Bailian, “Can you tell me how you thought about the composition?”
“Composition?” Bailian gently raised her head slightly in thought before catching on, “Teacher, I’m sorry.”
She lowered her lashes obediently in apology.
Lu Lingxi was at a loss for words at first, softening her tone: “It’s fine, just be careful next time, especially during the college entrance examinations.”
“I understand, Teacher.” Bailian nodded.
Lu Lingxi smiled and patted her head.
Being a bit taller, Bailian gently lowered her head to let Lu Lingxi successfully pat her head, “Go back now.”
Only after Bailian returned did Zhang Shize and the others gather around, doubts on their faces, “What did Lu Lingxi call you out for?”
“About the composition.” Bailian lazily sat back down, idly curling one leg as she reopened her notebook.
“Composition?” Zhang Shize was surprised, “You went off-topic for the composition? That’s not like you.”
This time’s composition was simple. Meanwhile, he took Bailian’s Chinese test sheet casually left on the table –
Precisely 90 points.
This time’s Chinese test was simple, even Zhang Shize had 109 points.
“How did you only get 90?” Zhang Shize couldn’t believe it, seeing there were no mistakes on her previous test sheets based on how things usually were, so how was it only 90? It was totally incompatible with who she was.
Lu Xiaohan also gathered around to take a look, nodding vigorously: “What happened, did they forget to add points?”
Yang Lin was also listening carefully.
Until Zhang Shize flipped it over.
This time’s composition topic was quite simple –
[Giving Up Can Also Be Beautiful]
The topic was simple. Normally no one would go off-topic, even Zhang Shize scored 40+ high points.
Yet Bailian only wrote one line:
[I will not give up, even through blades and flames I will walk calmly to my death, and my gravestone will have not a single regretful word.]
Clearly neatly written characters, stroke by stroke.
As if imprinted from a book, organized yet pleasing to the eye.
Yet Lu Xiaohan and the others saw unconstrained willfulness within these neat confines through the characters.
Every stroke and dot radiated backbone.
There was only a large “0” in red ink next to it for grading.
Even student Zhou Zhang Shize had never seen anyone dare write a composition this way during a monthly test.
Classmate, wouldn’t writing your composition like this be a bit, too arrogant?
Zhang Shize looked up at the front seat. She was indifferently calculating numbers beneath lowered lashes.
Suddenly he felt this was something she could do.
“Ah.” Lu Xiaohan scratched her nose, borrowing Bailian’s test paper to learn characters.
**
The last class in the morning was physics.
During recess, the results of the theoretical test were distributed.
Zhang Shize glanced at 110 points in front, then his own 186, mixed with surprise but also began boasting to his seatmate behind: “This time the physics teacher can no longer attack me…”
The physics teacher entered rolling the test papers into a tube with one hand while holding a thermos in the other, slowly pacing as he spoke.
He twisted open the thermos as he coldly said, “This physics test had a large disparity between scores. Someone scored 110 for full marks, someone scored 39 points for 110…”
Zhang Shize opened his eyes wide in disbelief and poked Bailian’s shoulder: “Shit, someone got full marks in physics for 110, it must be my classma…”
He didn’t finish a full sentence when the physics teacher coldly swept a glance at him. “I’m talking about you, Zhang Shize! Both your seatmate and front seatmate scored 110, Yang Lin also scored 97 points. Our physics class average is 70 points. Your grade’s lowest scorer with 37 points, are you looking down on my career?”
“And stop disturbing your front seat!” The physics teacher threw a piece of chalk over, “Sit properly!”
Zhang Shize: “…”
He looked at Bailian in disbelief.
No, your total points were just 110, right?
How did you also score 110 for physics?
What about your chemistry and biology?
Eh?!
This was simply more absurd than the composition!
After speaking, the physics teacher also chuckled as he looked at Bailian. He couldn’t help but feel mystified by the difficulty of this physics test – several top scorers did very well.
But he didn’t expect this culture transfer student Bailian to also score full marks.
Thinking of this, the physics teacher felt regretful – if only she had transferred earlier, like in high two, she could still participate in two physics competitions and have a chance to be recommended.
After class ended.
During lunch, Bailian ate with Yang Lin, Lu Xiaohan and the culture committee member.
“Bailian, we’ll go try out the stage after lunch, the student association also wants to see,” the culture committee member said to Bailian, “The longsword arrived this morning. I’ll go to the delivery room after lunch to take it.”
“Okay.” Bailian nodded.
Zhang Shize and the others ate after the girls spoke. He gazed at Bailian in dejection: “So you said you didn’t finish…”
Bailian skillfully divided the food in her bowl in half giving to Yang Lin, hearing this yet speaking indifferently: “Yes, I really didn’t finish biology and chemistry.”
“110 for physics,” Lu Xiaohan’s eyes widened as she looked at Bailian, “How did you score? I heard the whole school only had four students with full marks in physics. Why didn’t you finish biology and chemistry?”
Bailian lowered her lashes while leisurely eating.
After swallowing her food, she raised her head to look at Lu Xiaohan, those doe eyes especially clear: “Haven’t learned it yet.”
The entire table: “……?”
At noon.
The school’s grand hall.
When Bailian and Lu Xiaohan’s group went over, there were many people in the grand hall.
“Lu Xiaohan, you’re here?” The head of the school’s arts department smiled as she greeted them, “Wait a bit, the short sketches are finishing up and then it’ll be your turn.”
Bailian found a seat and took out her earphones and wordbook to start memorizing words.
“There are so many people today?” Lu Xiaohan looked at all the boys sitting in the hall.
The arts department head whispered quietly: “Didn’t you see the forum posts? They’re all here waiting for Ren Wanyuan, she’s coming to rehearse.”
Lu Xiaohan: “…”
The department head glanced at Bailian memorizing words in the back while speaking with Lu Xiaohan: “You really won’t try to get her to join the arts department?”
“The new classmate is busy,” Lu Xiaohan lowered her voice, “She studies very seriously.”
“Alright.”
The two were talking when another group came into the hall from outside.
Lu Xiaohan looked up and immediately saw several boys and girls from Class 8 surrounding Ren Wanyuan as they entered.
The student council president naturally came out from backstage to welcome them.
“Wait,” Lu Xiaohan observed as some students moved a piano onto the stage after the short sketches ended, “Isn’t Class 8 later than us?”
She had heard Ren Wanyuan took second prize for piano playing on the school forums.
This piano must be hers.
Lu Xiaohan knew as she took a look that this was Ren Wanyuan’s piano.
“Hey, stay calm,” the arts department head patted Lu Xiaohan’s shoulder helplessly, “You know Ren Wanyuan is the cash cow for the external liaison department, all the student council’s sponsorship comes from her mother, and she’s also close to the council president.”
With good interpersonal skills and money, the school often made concessions for them.
Ren Wanyuan’s performance was piano.
The entire grand hall stopped what they were doing to seriously watch her performance.
It was clear Ren Wanyuan had been learning piano from a young age. Both her skills and emotions were in place.
After finishing, a wave of applause rose up.
“You can’t say,” Lu Xiaohan didn’t like Class 8’s people but after listening also couldn’t help nodding, “Class 8 aren’t that great but her piano skills can’t be criticized.”
The department head came back to her senses, deeply agreeing, “Alright, it’s your turn now.”
Lu Xiaohan watched Ren Wanyuan descend from the stage, recalling Ren Wanyuan’s professional-level piano performance just now.
She quietly reminded the department head: “Bailian’s longsword skills are average, let your department people know later to help build up the atmosphere when they see, okay?”
The department head knew Lu Xiaohan from before being separated into classes. She was now studying literature.
She thought about it: “Then should we arrange you after?”
“What?” Bailian just finished memorizing a page of words and turned off the app, looking up at the two questioningly.
Lu Xiaohan scratched her nose honestly explaining the situation.
Bailian calmly gathered her earphones, rising with a straight posture in her neat blue and white uniform. Those inky black eyes narrowed lazily, her lips faintly curving: “No need.”
- Bailian’s alias (first seen in Chapter 27). ↩︎
- ? (j?n) is a Chinese weight measurement equal to 500 grams or half a kilogram. Originally depicted as a pair of scales, it’s commonly used in markets. In modern usage, it’s often integrated with the metric system, where 1 ? equals 0.5 kilograms.. ↩︎
- Changquan (??, literally ‘Long Fist’) is a Chinese martial arts style known for its dynamic kicks and acrobatic style for offence and defense. It is considered a long-range fighting style. ↩︎
Leave a Reply