The principal was still organizing books.
Hearing the sound, he hurriedly put down the book and walked forward two steps.
Seeing Qiu Xuezheng staring at a piece of paper in a daze, he lowered his head to take a look, then smiled: “This is the word written by our Bai student. Compared with Ren student, it is not inferior at all, right?”
The principal knew Ren Wanxuan was Qiu Xuezheng’s closed-door disciple.
So he didn’t over-praise Bailian.
Qiu Xuezheng shook his head, “No, such pen power, not to mention Wanxuan, even my grandson might not…be better than him.”
The principal couldn’t see it, but Qiu Xuezheng could see it very clearly.
Laymen don’t understand what “entering the wood three minutes”1 means, killing into the paper with the pen tip, lifting and pressing the fingertips lightly and heavily, slow and urgent still under control, this shows the skill of the writer.
He subconsciously thought such words should have been written by a boy.
And he remembered what the principal said about this student who was still in high school three, how old was that?
Who was his teacher?
How could there be such an expert hidden in Xiangcheng.
Qiu Xuezheng hurriedly said, “Which student is it? I want to meet.”
The principal was also surprised that Qiu Xuezheng rated Bailian so highly. “You see, you are about to give a speech soon. After the speech, I will arrange for you to meet?”
With luck, maybe they could see Bailian in the auditorium.
“Okay.” Qiu Xuezheng also knew he was too anxious. He still had a speech to give later, and repeatedly urged: “You must arrange for us to meet.”
The principal didn’t understand why Qiu Xuezheng was so urgent.
But he still arranged it and went out to call Lu Lingxi.
Qiu Xuezheng took out his mobile phone and sent a message to the director of the Cultural Tourism Bureau-
?I think there may be hope for Xiangcheng to apply for the calligraphy association in the future?
The other side should have set up a special concern for Qiu Xuezheng. After receiving the message, he called the director in a second.
**
Noon.
Bailian had just gotten out of class when she received Shen Qing’s6 call.
“Alian,” Shen Qing’s voice was a little small, “Your mother suddenly invited me to eat today and told me to call you to come together at Wanhe Building.”
However, Shen Qing did not agree.
She felt that the relationship between Bailian and Ji Mulan was probably not good, so she secretly called Bailian first to confirm.
“The food here is quite delicious,” Shen Qing thought about it, “Do you want to come over?”
Ji Mulan…
After hearing this sentence, Bailian was a little absent-minded.
“Alian?” Shen Qing had been talking for a long time before realizing no one was responding to her.
“Well,” Bailian leaned her arms on the balcony, overlooking below. After two days, her emotions had gradually stabilized, and her eyes were deep and dark: “I’ll be right there.”
Shen Qing sat on the toilet.
She hung up the phone.
Only then did she come out to wash her hands and arrive at the private room.
There was only Ji Mulan in the private room. Xu En had not yet arrived. Ji Mulan lowered her head playing with her mobile phone, and did not speak to Shen Qing.
Shen Qing sat opposite her somewhat cautiously.
Xu En arrived a few minutes earlier than Bailian.
His aura was stronger than Ren Jiawei’s. Shen Qing didn’t know where to put her hands and feet.
She wanted to fawn over Xu En but couldn’t get the words out.
Shen Qing regretted coming a little. She had just heard Ji Mulan say she would have a meal at Wanhe Building, and wanted to try the food ordinary people like her hadn’t eaten before.
“This is my sister-in-law.” Ji Mulan introduced Shen Qing indifferently. She had always looked down on Shen Qing a little.
Xu En was very polite.
Shen Qing could only nod stiffly, finally realizing that this kind of occasion was not suitable for her.
Fortunately, the sound of the doorbell saved her.
Shen Qing hurriedly stood up. Bailian walked in from outside the door. Glancing at the people sitting inside, she pulled open the chair next to Shen Qing and sat down casually, lazily leaning back.
Her school uniform jacket was open, her long eyelashes drooped, lightly covering the pitch-black pupils, casting a layer of shadow under the eyelids.
She lightly greeted Shen Qing.
As for the others, Bailian found it difficult to be polite to them.
Ji Mulan sat opposite her. Seeing her rebellious attitude, she was very annoyed: “Don’t you know to call someone? This is your Uncle Xu.”
Bailian then raised her head quietly and looked at Ji Mulan.
The other party had a very beautiful face, but the expression was noble and domineering. Those eyes—
No tenderness.
It was gradually breaking away from her memory.
Bailian couldn’t help but think of what Jiang Fuli had said about Klein blue, which was the color of human pupils after death2. What color were her mother’s eyes when she passed away?
“Kids are all like this,” Xu En didn’t mind. He just smiled at Bailian, “Although you don’t want to be registered in my Xu family, I am still your Uncle Xu.”
Xu En was good at negotiating, and brought up the atmosphere in a few words.
Shen Qing instantly relaxed and signaled Bailian with her eyes that this stepfather was not bad.
But Bailian did not meet her eyes.
Seeing Xu En’s appearance, Ji Mulan knew that Xu En had a good impression of Bailian. As long as Bailian didn’t make troubles, her face was still very deceptive.
Although she could not take Bailian to the Xu family, she would try her best to let Bailian be in contact with Xu En.
“Your grandpa has told you,” Xu En muttered, “I’m marrying your mother at the end of the year.”
“Um,” Bailian was indifferent about the matter, “Congratulations.”
Ji Mulan’s face relaxed a lot.
Xu En was startled, he still wanted to speak, but the mobile phone on the side rang. He took a look and immediately answered.
“Hello,” Xu En’s voice was serious and respectful, it was obvious that the person on the other end of the phone was not ordinary. “…Ah, yes, I’m in Xiangcheng, preparing to acquire a project.”
Nobody knew what was said on the other end of the phone.
Xu En exclaimed in surprise, and quickly stood up, somewhat excited: “What?!… Okay, I understand, I will do well!”
He waited for the other party to hang up before he hung up himself.
Ji Mulan had never seen Xu En speak to anyone with this kind of attitude. She looked at him in astonishment and paused: “Who called?”
“The Xu family butler,” Xu En tried his best to restrain his joy. He smiled at Ji Mulan, “He said Miss Xu will come to Xiangcheng in person to fetch something and return to Jiangjing. Knowing that I am in Xiangcheng, she asked me to serve her well. Mulan, this trip to Xiangcheng was the right decision.”
Ji Mulan was very clear that the “Xu Butler” and “Miss Xu” he mentioned were definitely not the people from the Xu family she knew.
“Miss Xu?” Ji Mulan had a slightly inquiring look.
“Miss Yajun Xu,” Xu En explained to several people on the table, saying with some sigh and admiration that was rare to see: “She was determined by the China Calligraphers Association3 at the age of 18. Her teacher is the chairman of the China Calligraphers Association.”
Xu Yajun’s father was university mates with him since childhood. Unfortunately, his classmate had skyrocketed because of Xu Yajun, and had a lot of power in the main family.
While he remained stagnant.
Speaking of this.
Xu En sighed. He only hoped his son’s application to the laboratory would go smoother this year.
“Don’t you know the influence of China Calligraphers Association in Jiangjing…” Xu En wanted to continue, but when he looked up, Shen Qing was very confused. Not only Shen Qing, but even Ji Mulan who had just entered Jiangjing was silent.
Xu En stopped halfway through his sentence, suddenly remembering that these people certainly didn’t know the situation in Jiangjing.
Not to mention Xu Yajun and China Calligraphers Association.
Popularizing China Calligraphers Association’s chairman with them was useless.
“Alright, nevermind,” Xu En shook his head with a smile, “Just know that Miss Xu is very important.”
After speaking, Xu En did not continue eating.
He grabbed his cell phone, bid farewell to Bailian and Shen Qing, and hurried back to hold an online meeting with his assistant and executive director.
This meal made Ji Mulan lose her taste.
Distracted, she walked out to settle the bill. When she saw Bailian obediently waiting for Shen Qing, she suddenly stopped and said, “After I get a firm foothold in the Xu family…”
“I made it very clear last time that I share a household with grandpa now,” Bailian lowered her head and slowly zipped up her coat. When she raised her head, her almond eyes returned to calmness, “Don’t mention this again. I can never leave with you.”
Bailian was not the real original owner.
She didn’t know what Ji Mulan was thinking. Even if Ji Mulan was really reflecting and making amends, she could not forgive the Bai family and Ji Mulan on behalf of the original owner.
Because the harm had already been done, and the original owner died alone in that lake.
Bailian could not forgive anyone on her behalf.
Ji Mulan froze on the spot.
Bailian nodded slightly to Ji Mulan and left with Shen Qing.
After entering the elevator, Shen Qing dared to speak to Bailian, “You idiot, missing out on a good deal. Your future stepfather is from Jiangjing…”
Shen Qing said, unable to help but click her tongue.
Nobody knew where Ji Mulan’s blessing came from.
Bailian had her hands in her pockets. Unexpectedly, she wasn’t reciting vocabulary. She just lazily walked forward, “Oh.”
“Foolish child,” Shen Qing had originally wanted to say did you know what Jiangjing meant, but remembered that Bailian was willing to give up even the Bai family, and fell silent again: “…”
**
Bailian had just returned to the classroom.
Lu Xiaohan waved at her from her seat, smiling, “Teacher Lu asked you to go to the principal’s office immediately when you get back!”
The principal’s office again?
Principal’s Office.
“Mr. Qi, Director,” The principal looked cautiously at Qiu Xuezheng and the Cultural Tourism Bureau Director who were sitting there waiting, and tentatively suggested: “Student Bai has gone out. Why don’t you two eat first?”
“No need.” Qiu Xuezheng waved his hand.
His eyes never left the office door.
Beside him, the Director had just arrived not long ago. He was looking at a big word written by Bailian with a wolf brush that the principal had just given them.
The principal only had the photo of that piece of paper that the photographer had taken to supplement the shooting.
“I think you’re right,” the Director said quietly to Qiu Xuezheng, “We really have hope.”
The two were talking.
The door rang lightly. Qiu Xuezheng and the Director immediately looked up. It was a slender figure.
The other person had her head slightly lowered. Her slender, cold white fingers were resting on the door, lazily walking in with the posture of pushing the door open, the cold jade-like glow slowly entered.
It was a female student.
The Director and Qiu Xuezheng took their eyes back.
They both subconsciously thought that such words could only have been written by a boy.
“Principal,” Bailian looked at the principal and narrowed her eyes, “Did you ask for me?”
“Not me,” The principal also glanced at Qiu Xuezheng and the other two. He was surprised that these two were still so calm at this point: “Student Bailian, Mr. Qi asked for you.”
Qiu Xuezheng had originally thought it was a student who had something to deal with the principal.
Hearing what the principal said, he “whooshed” up from his seat, staring closely at Bailian, “She wrote this?”
“Yes.” The principal was frightened by his reaction.
Qiu Xuezheng looked at the Director. After so many years and seven Lanting Awards, only one woman had won the first prize.
He had thought Ren Wanxuan he had seen was a leader among women. He didn’t expect the surging pen power to come from a female student.
The Director was more direct than Qiu Xuezheng: “Student Bai, are you planning to participate in the Lanting Award this year?”
Missing this year, she would have to wait another three years.
Bailian didn’t recognize them. She raised her eyebrows, “Lanting Award?”
Never heard of it.
“…” Not only the Director and Qiu Xuezheng, even the principal felt it was too outrageous. “Student Bai, you don’t know the Lanting Award?”
Bailian looked sincere.
Could she be the disciple of a reclusive grandmaster?
Qiu Xuezheng gave the Director a look. The Director tacitly explained the Lanting Award to Bailian, “If you participate, you will definitely be shortlisted! Not to mention being shortlisted, you may even compete for the third prize this year. Of course, the third prize may be a bit difficult this year, but by then, China Calligraphers Association will definitely invite you to join…”
He went on and on.
All the benefits of participating in Lanting Awards.
Of course, no matter how much he said, he only dared to say up to the third prize, after all, Qi Bokeng only went for the third prize.
“Oh.” Bailian was uninterested. She lowered her long eyelashes, her pitch-black eyes looking lazy. She always spoke with a nonchalant attitude, “Principal, anything else?”
Qiu Xuezheng and the Director had thought of many possibilities, the only thing they hadn’t expected was that Bailian was not interested in the Lanting Award.
After all, no calligrapher was uninterested in the Lanting Award.
Even Ren Wanxuan had always tried to participate.
Seeing the other party walk out, the Director said helplessly, “I was going to say that if you participate in the Lanting Award, you can help us apply for the Calligraphy Association in Xiangcheng and allow more children to learn calligraphy.”
Bailian’s steps halted. She stopped and looked back. The sun shone gently on the side of her face, “Apply for the association?”
“Yes, with the award, it will be easy to apply for the calligraphy association,” Qiu Xuezheng explained softly: “There are many children in Xiangcheng who want to learn calligraphy, but the teaching resources are insufficient and cannot keep up. With the calligraphy association, it will be much easier.”
“I see,” Bailian flicked a strand of hair drifting to the side of her face, her brows and eyes calm, “Then I’ll participate.”
“Ah?”
Bailian also remembered about the third prize. She stroked the iridium on her wrist, pondering: “The higher the ranking, will the benefits I apply for be better?”
- “Entering the wood three minutes” (????) – Chinese expression meaning powerful and forceful brushwork that seems to pierce into the paper ↩︎
- T/N: I was confused here so I did some digging; a bit of a learning for me as well. The color of eyes does indeed sometimes change post-mortem to one that’s bluish/greyish, but it’s not necessarily Klein blue. ↩︎
- China Calligraphers Association (???): One of the largest and most authoritative calligraphy associations in China. ↩︎
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