ATLAS TRANSLATES

This was the grade overview Ren Wanxuan saw in the office.

She specifically looked up Bailian’s ranking.

Nearly 900 students in Senior Year 3. 669 in sciences. Bailian ranked 427 among the science students.

It took Ren Wanxuan a while to locate Bailian’s ranking.

She also breathed out in relief. With the principal’s high praise of Bailian, her grades were merely this much. Nothing to be apprehensive over.

“110?” The boy speaking was extremely shocked. “How is it so low?”

Ren Wanxuan shook her head, disinterested.

But Chen Zheng found a reason. “Her biology and chemistry must be awful. Probably only decent in physics.”

“Ah,” the others were also very surprised. “Can she test into North City University like this…”

Of course, they never considered Bailian’s chances at Peking University either. It was still up in the air whether Chen Zheng and Ren Wanxuan could get in through ability this year, let alone anyone else.

Ordinary students like them only aspired towards North City University at most.

But that line of thought was already beyond Chen Zheng’s considerations.

Since both Bailian and Ning Xiao’s scores were below his, he stopped caring about Bailian’s grades.

After a fleeting glance at Ning Xiao flipping through Peking University’s physics text, he started packing up his things. Then amidst the envious looks of the others, he promptly took his leave.

The two other group members hurried after him.

They knew the one providing Ren Wanxuan answers everyday was a Peking University professor.

**

9 PM, bubble tea shop.

All three were wholly absorbed in questions and assignments.

Jiang He sat beside Bailian. Ming Dongheng poured water for Bailian and Jiang He before placing the kettle at the table edge, signaling Ning Xiao and Tang Ming to help themselves.

Tang Ming thanked him repeatedly and proceeded to pour water for himself and Ning Xiao.

Despite his illustrious schoolmaster status back at his original school, here he ranked dead last. Not to mention that little kid.

It felt like even the brawny dimwit next to the boy surpassed his intelligence!

Hearing the entrance chimes, Jiang He fluidly rose to his feet and relocated behind Bailian.

Jiang Furong entered wrapped in a deep gray overcoat carrying the chill night air. Glancing up, the first thing Tang Ming noticed was the red hardcover book in his hand.

This was—

The Greater Chinese Dictionary?

“Still on particles today?” Jiang Furong passed the hardcover to Ming Dongheng and sat down after lifting his coat hem. Cool fingers picked up the question sheet Bailian left at the side in a distracted manner.

Bailian was working on English reading comprehension.

Lacking enough vocabulary mastery so far, it didn’t go too smoothly.

Glancing up, she mused briefly. “Yeah, kinematic factors. It has a scattering angle so can treat it as 2D collision right?”

She referred to the last sub-question. She could solve the first three parts.

“Correct,” Jiang Furong’s eyes subtly arched. Smoothing out the exam paper, he handed it back to Bailian. “Try explaining your understanding to those two.”

Bailian was very familiar with this material.

Confirming the general direction was accurate, she pulled out a blank sheet and replied slowly, “Alright.”

Ning Xiao had listened to Bailian’s explanations before so wasn’t surprised.

Hearing Bailian’s clear, structured analysis, Tang Ming hurriedly concentrated.

Her speed matched her languid disposition. Often covering questions with Ji Heng caused her to lack Jiang Furong’s habit of breezing past overly simple parts.

Somehow Tang Ming found it very easy to follow. She spoke unhurriedly at a pace perfectly suited for his notetaking. If he missed anything, he dared ask for clarification.

Off to the side, Jiang Furong watched as Bailian sketched the relational diagram between kinematic factors and scattering angles on paper.

She had a very smooth, unrestrained way of rendering graphs. The partitioned distances visibly equal.

That sketching hand was also slender and fair, seemingly haloed in a layer of radiance. With hair casually pinned up, revealing a slender nape. Lazy allure infused the edges of her eyes and lips.

Behind her.

Ming Dongheng knew with a single look who this Greater Chinese Dictionary was meant for.

Seated next to Jiang He, he slid the book towards the boy.

Still fiddling with his Rubik’s Cube, Jiang He didn’t even lift his head. Only coldly shoved it back to Ming Dongheng, refusing outright.

Ming Dongheng: “……”

Silently, he passed the dictionary Jiang He’s way a second time, thinking he didn’t know. “Young Master, your brother got this for you.”

Jiang He heartlessly pushed it away again.

Ming Dongheng sent it back over.

And was rebuffed once more.

Jiang Furong sliced a frigid glance their direction. “Are you two playing Duck Duck Goose?”

Ming Dongheng: “?”

After throwing Jiang Furong a look, Jiang He seemed about to say something but didn’t dare ultimately. Sullenly reaching out his little hand to take back the dictionary Ming Dongheng kept trying to foist on him.

The questions were very thoroughly explained tonight.

Although when Bailian launched into her third cycle of elaboration, Jiang Furong subtly peered Tang Ming’s way—the bone-chilling light threatened flaying him alive countless times over.

Despite placing top 15 this monthly exam, Tang Ming still couldn’t help doubting his IQ.

They finished slightly earlier today at 11 PM.

White draws to mind she hadn’t collected her delivery yet.

“Where is it?” Jiang Furong powered off his laptop. Expression unchanged, fingertips neatly closed the screen.

Bailian still held her pen. Posture relaxed and leaning against the chair back, she tilted her head. “School mail room.”

“Fine,” Jiang Furong rose to his feet. “Continue with your assignment first.”

Bailian relayed her collection code.

Young Master Jiang didn’t partake of mortal affairs. Packages were always received and opened by his steward or assistants before being placed in his hands. This was practically his first time hearing of pick up codes.

Xiangcheng No.1 High School’s self-study room remained open until 11 PM.

So the mail room guard was still on duty this time of night.

Dozing off, he jolted awake when an aloof voice sounded from above. “You there. Collecting a delivery.”

It was like having a bucket of icy water upended over his head, the chill going straight to his crown.

The guard blankly peered up to the sight of cold, pale eyes peering down through the window—fair face far too sharp with an imperious, detached air that compelled averted gazes.

“92-0147,” Jiang Furong coolly glanced away as he tonelessly listed off a string of numbers.

Not many items got delivered to the school.

Soon enough, the guard located the package and passed it over. As he saw the person off, he even bent down and said, “Go slowly.”

Only after sending him away did the guard come back to his senses.

He smacked himself upside the head. “What the heck? Why did I even tell him to go slowly??”

**

After collecting the delivery, Bailian directly tore it open.

It was the public security bureau sending her newly processed household registry now placed under Ji Heng’s name.

Tang Ming and Ning Xiao had just left after finishing their work.

Under the dim bubble tea shop lighting, Bailian turned those two thin pages front and back several times.

The registry remained very sparse, only those two pages filled out. Head of household Ji Heng, granddaughter Bailian.

She didn’t avoid Jiang Furong’s notice.

So he instantly spotted the slim two pages.

From when Jiang He met Bailian up till now, he hadn’t investigated her background. But faint creases lined his brow for a fleeting moment as he glimpsed the registry pages from the corner of his eye.

Bailian’s attention stayed on the registry, lacking her usual laziness.

Quite silent.

Jiang Furong took out his phone and looked up a video to send over.

The vibration alert jolted Bailian out of her thoughts.

Opening it, she saw footage of some fat, dull-looking birds waddling back and forth.

“Dodos,” Jiang Furong explained beside her, seeming distracted. “They’ve gone extinct now because they were too stupid.”

Bailian couldn’t resist a soft laugh.

She naturally overheard his earlier jab.

Involuntarily angling her head Jiang He and Ming Dongheng’s way, the latter hugged himself as he stood by the exit. Spotting her look over, he was rather blank.

Beside him, the dictionary-reading Jiang He heartlessly flipped another page.

11:30 PM.

As always, Ji Heng waited for Bailian at the alley entrance.

He napped midday and sat sewing designs under a lamp at night while expecting her return.

Sometimes he’d make sweet glutinous rice balls for her late night snack too.

“What are you looking at?” He turned on his flashlight, eyeing her. “The lighting is too dim, bad for your eyes. If you need to read, go back and turn the lights on.”

“Mm,” Bailian passed the registry to Ji Heng. Voice lazy, “Household registry. It arrived today.”

Ji Heng’s fingers stilled upon contact.

He lowered his eyes. Rugged fingers gently caressed the registry as he murmured agreement. “Don’t stress yourself out too much over studying. Switching tracks itself is already difficult. Your uncle and I don’t expect you’ll test in next year either.”

After saying his piece, he noticed Bailian quietly reciting vocabulary still.

“Are you even listening to me speak?”

“I heard,” Bailian walked beside him without lifting her head, unhurriedly repeating back, “You and Uncle don’t plan for me to test in next year.”

Ji Heng: “……”

Amazing multitasking ability you’ve cultivated alright.

As Bailian continued seriously reviewing words, Ji Heng by now understood her temperament well. She really nurtured outstanding study habits.

Despite his personal disdain towards the Bai family, he had no choice but to acknowledge they were an outstanding household—having raised Bailian exceptionally.

If Bailian grew up under his care instead, Ji Heng couldn’t ascertain if he could have cultivated her to this extent or not.

All he could do was softly grumble, “As if two years of repeating grades could raise you.”

The flashlight was intensely bright.

Elongating their silhouettes—one elderly and one youthful.

A page was added to Ji Heng’s household registry book. And perhaps that tattered yellow-covered dossier belonging to Bailian no longer contained just herself either.

**

Tuesday there was Biology class.

The Biology teacher shared an office with the Physics teacher.

He knew Class 15 had two students who scored perfectly in Physics. One was Ning Xiao. The other one…

Staring at the “0” marks listed for Bailian’s biology grades, he lifted his head and looked at her helplessly. “Student Bailian, why don’t you do the biology tests?”

Just hearing the Biology teacher say this soured the Physics teacher’s mood. “What are you doing applying so much pressure on student Bailian, Teacher Wang? Don’t you know she just switched to sciences?”

The Physics teacher glanced Bailian’s way again. “Truly. Nothing like me at all. I’m very lenient towards student Bailian’s progress. However you test, I won’t mind.”

Biology Teacher: “???”

He was this close to cussing out his colleague.

She scored perfectly in your subject—what do you have to be concerned over? Concerned her grades are too high?!

The Physics teacher had Class 14 next. Quite satisfied, he left the office clutching test papers.

Bailian was the picture of deference and compliance in uniform. Willowy figure responding to the Biology teacher. “Teacher, because I haven’t studied it yet.”

Physics was leagues harder than Biology. She could ace that while lacking foundation in Bio?

The Biology teacher didn’t believe a single word.

If not for hearing a “0” was also listed for her chemistry score, he might have even suspected the new student held some grudge against him.

“Student Bailian,” the Biology teacher opened his mouth with slight humiliation. “What do you say, could we possibly, just appropriately, a tiny bit, you know…study some biology?”

Bailian already covered the bulk of the physics foundation. And finished copying Yang Lin’s biology notebook as well. The teacher’s line of thought aligned perfectly with hers. “Alright Teacher, I understand.”

“You aren’t…” The Biology teacher still intended to slowly persuade her.

But hearing someone seemingly agree, his spirits instantly lifted. Looking up at her, “Truly?”

“Naturally.” Bailian smiled faintly.

“Good, good,” the Biology teacher nodded. He gave an awkward cough. “Don’t think you can fool your teacher just because you have big eyes.”

Bailian: “……?”

Thursday.

The last training class session.

After watching today’s video, the Class 8 teacher distributed the final questions. Surveying the training class students, he said, “This is the last question sheet. Turn in your responses tomorrow and the school will announce the two selections once they conclude discussions.”

His words caused an uproar.

Despite knowing the slots didn’t belong to them, witnessing the birth of these storied apps at their own school was still incredibly rare.

A timely call from the school rushed him off to a meeting. With no time to linger, the Class 8 teacher simply left these parting words before taking his leave from the training class.

The second he shut the doors, the training class erupted.

“Ren Wanxuan, Chen Zheng,” someone chuckled their way. “The names will be announced tomorrow right? Got the apps downloaded already? Give us a glimpse when it comes out?”

No sooner were the words uttered than nearly every gaze swiveled their way.

“That’s right Wanxuan, let us see tomorrow ba?”

Ren Wanxuan packed up her things. Outwardly composed, inwardly she also brimmed with excitement however.

“Sure, whoever wants to see can ask me then,” she calmly replied, bowing her head to continue tidying up.

Today was the last session. The Ren family invited Professor Gao again. Ren Wanxuan didn’t wish to be late.

Seeing Ning Xiao pass the book to Tang Ming as they got up to leave gave Chen Zheng pause. Lowering his voice, he asked, “She didn’t agree to sell you the book?”

Chen Zheng knew of Bailian’s ties with the Ren house.

He assumed they would want to buy it.

But Ren Wanxuan didn’t mention anything these past days.

“No,” Ren Wanxuan walked to the exit, rather unconcerned. “If she was willing to sell, I was even considering giving her the professor’s answers.”

Her words left the other two group members flabbergasted.

“Wanxuan, you’re too kind.”

For the daily questions, Ren Wanxuan only provided Chen Zheng the full solutions. Yet now she expressed willingness to share with that transfer student?

This training camp was specially created by Peking University this year. They were all competitors. Scoring at the front increased chances of catching the Peking University team’s attention as well.

They understood why Ren Wanxuan only gave them half the answers. After all, it was already greatly appreciated getting anything when Ren Wanxuan provided it freely.

Thinking thusly—

The two involuntarily regarded Bailian’s direction—

Perhaps…was this new classmate even aware just what she passed up?