Ji Mulan subconsciously remembered that Ji Heng had also gone fishing in the afternoon.
There was someone hanging fish beside him, it seemed…
Didn’t Ji Heng call him Little Chen?
At that time it was too chaotic, Ji Mulan didn’t hear clearly. She thought to herself, what was she thinking about.
How could she connect the Chen Ye that Miss Xu and the others were talking about with those shady people.
She and Xu En knew about Xu Yajun.
However, Ren Qian and Chen Gang were unclear. The two looked at each other in shock. This girl was actually familiar with Chen Ye’s whereabouts?
“You want to treat him to a meal?” Xu Yajun looked at Xu En and pondered slightly. Thinking that after she got the Lanting Award, she should come back, “I’ll ask him for you another day.”
“That would be great!” Xu En’s eyes lit up.
It was difficult for him to even meet Chen Ye once, but not for Xu Yajun.
Across from them, Ren Qian and Chen Gang looked at each other. From Xu Yajun’s tone, she seemed to be very familiar with Chen Ye, and they had new understanding about her identity.
Xu Yajun had no interest in other people. She finished eating early and went back to rest.
After she left, Ren Qian raised a glass to Xu En, “The lady from earlier was…”
“Her?” Xu En didn’t hide it either. Having just arrived in Xiang City, he also wanted to take the opportunity to boost his reputation. “My old classmate’s daughter, student of CWA (Chinese Writer’s Association) Chairman Xue. Miss Xu Yajun, you may not have heard of her in Xiang City, but she has a great reputation in Jiangjing.” As for this Lanting Award, you must know about it. She’s a shoo-in for first place.
Ren Qian and Chen Gang may not know about the CWA or Chairman Xue.
But Ren Qian had heard about the Lanting Award.
This year, Ren Wanxuan had also wanted to apply for a spot as a Lanting Award nominee but was rejected by Qiu Xuezheng. But that Miss Xu was going for first place.
The two were a little bitter inside.
**
On Ji Heng’s side.
Chen Ju and Little Mao both stayed for dinner.
He personally cooked at night, making chopped pepper fish heads, as well as sour pickled fish, and shaped good fish balls to make fish ball soup.
His skills were not superb but very home-style.
Chen Ju took a picture and posted it on Moments—
?Thank you Uncle Ji, it was especially delicious [Picture]?
A little bit of Jiang He was visible in the picture.
He rarely posted on Moments. Most people liked it for him.
Just as Chen Ju was about to put away his phone, a message suddenly popped up in Moments—
?Mr. Jiang has liked your post?
For a moment, Chen Ju felt as if he saw his own bleak life. He looked at the like with trepidation. Had he offended him recently?
But it was not over.
Right after, Jiang Xizhou and Ming Donghang also liked his post.
De: ?This is obviously not as good as what I make. Why don’t you show what I make? And there are so many likes??
Ming Donghang replied to De: ?(Smile)?
De replied to Ming Donghang: ?????
After the meal, Bailian went to wash the dishes. Chen Ju and Mao Kun both jumped up to grab the dishes from Bailian’s hands.
Ji Heng was leisurely packing some tobacco for himself. Seeing Chen Ju get up, he couldn’t help but laugh. He tapped on his tobacco pouch, “Let her wash. She didn’t help me cook just now.”
At home, Ji Heng cooked while Bailian washed dishes. It was natural.
No way would Chen Ju dare.
Not to mention Chen Ju, even Mao Kun’s hair stood on end. His sister washing dishes? Would there be dishes left tomorrow?
He reached out and snatched the dishes from Chen Ju’s hands again, grinning, “No need, I’ll do it, I’ll do it. I love washing dishes the most!”
Mao Kun had great strength. Chen Ju was unable to snatch them from him. “I’ll help you wipe the dishes!”
Having lost the chance to perform, Chen Ju stubbornly followed Mao Kun. Halfway there, he suddenly felt that Mao Kun’s mop of hair seemed very familiar.
Jiang He sat on the side, watching the two squeezing into the kitchen with great speechlessness.
Recently there were often many people around Ji Heng’s yard. He was watching Jiang He solve a Rubik’s Cube.
Seeing Bailian return lightly, he spoke again, “How can you let guests wash dishes?”
“I actually wanted to wash them.” Bailian sat down lazily.
She saw that Chen Ju and Mao Kun were about to cry.
“Did you block your mom today?” Ji Heng thought of this and let Jiang He go farther away before lighting up a cigarette.
Bailian took out her phone and plugged in her earphones. “Mm.”
Ji Heng sighed. He knew about Ji Mulan’s problem. Lowering his head, he took a puff of his cigarette. After a good while, “Add her back. She’s your mother. When I’m gone in the future, she’ll be your only relative…”
He didn’t want the Bailian of the future to be all alone.
“Grandpa,” Bailian suddenly stood up. She interrupted Ji Heng, “I’m going to Jiangjing in a couple days.”
Ji Heng was surprised. He held his pipe and looked up, “Jiangjing? With your mom?”
Bailian raised her eyebrows slightly.
“No,” she looked at Ji Heng before leisurely replying, “The teacher asked me to go participate in a competition. I’m asking for two days off.”
“Oh.” Ji Heng lowered his head to keep smoking.
At this time he didn’t mention Ji Mulan anymore.
**
Qiu Xuezheng asked for leave for Bailian.
There was no airport in Xiang City. She had to take a twelve hour train to Beicheng. GQiuu Xuezheng did not have accompaniment qualifications. Bailian and Qiu Boqing were going to Beicheng to meet up with the people from Beicheng Calligraphers Association.
They would set off under the leadership of Vice Chairman Qian from Beicheng Calligraphers Association.
Early Monday morning.
Bailian was carrying a simple backpack, just arriving at the bus stop.
She saw Jiang He across the street waving at her from the car window.
She walked over in surprise.
In the back seat, Jiang Fuli rolled down the window. He was wearing a slightly soft white home outfit, the cold arrogant aura on his whole body softened a lot. His wrist rested casually on his knees as he slouched halfway against the seat back.
He seemed a bit busy, on the phone with someone. Hearing Jiang He’s movement, he looked out the window to Bailian and waved at her.
Bailian got into the car and sat in the back with Jiang He.
“We’re going back to Jiangjing too,” Jiang He leaned against her, looking out the window, unhappy, “To see the doctor.”
He thought he could avoid it this year in Xiang City.
Not only did he not manage to avoid it, it was moved up by several days.
Bailian nodded. She rubbed Jiang He’s head, “Don’t conceal or downplay illnesses.”
Then she took out her phone and sent a message to the person in charge of this matter to report—
?Vice Chairman Qian, I’m going to Jiangjing myself and will meet up with you when I arrive in Jiangjing.?
Vice Chairman Qian must have been quite busy. He didn’t reply.
Jiang Fuli’s car was not headed for Beicheng but Danping City next door. Danping City was slightly more developed than Xiang City with no mountains, only plains, nice and flat all the way.
The car stopped in a huge parking apron.
Bailian saw the legendary airplane as soon as she got out of the car.
There was no security check or check-in counter in sight.
Bailian had never been on a plane before, but the original body’s memory had. What she saw now was very different from that memory.
The captain, in uniform, jogged over from the distance, respectfully asking, “Mr. Jiang, leaving now?”
Jiang Fuli took off his earphones and nodded slightly to him, his brows and eyes cold. “Mm.”
Ah.
Bailian followed them onto the plane, suddenly realizing—
Mm, private jet.
The plane was huge with an entertainment lounge. There was a table ringed by four sofas in the middle, and on the sofa closest to the window was a large white cabbage pillow.
Jiang He quietly went to sit there and reached out to hug it.
Bailian put down her bag and sat down leaning against the window across from him.
The plane took off, the body shaking.
This was Bailian’s first time on a plane. She unusually didn’t review vocabulary, just quietly watched the plane taking off, the instant sense of heaviness making her a little dizzy.
The plane flew higher and higher. She lazily rested her chin in her hand, her lips pursed slightly.
It had quite an impact for an ancient person who had never been on a plane before.
“Rare to see you not reviewing vocabulary.” After finishing up, Jiang Fuli bent down and gently placed a glass of lemon water in front of her before sitting across from her, leaning casually against the sofa, slightly lazy.
Bailian withdrew her sight from looking out the window.
She slowly took a sip of lemon water to alleviate the discomfort. “I’ll review later.”
“Still a few hours left,” he took a blanket and gave it to Bailian, his bright eyes looking at her quietly. His voice was very soft, “You can sleep for a bit.”
**
They arrived in Jiangjing in the afternoon.
Jiang Fuli asked about Bailian’s hotel and had someone drive directly there.
The hotel was arranged by the Beicheng Calligraphers Association, right next to CWA. After checking in, Jiang Fuli emotionlessly dragged away Jiang He who didn’t want to leave.
There were only so many flights from Beicheng to Jiangjing that day.
When Vice Chairman Qian led the group of students rushing about and finally arriving in Jiangjing, it was already eleven o’clock at night.
Vice Chairman Qian was flipping through the roster at the airport, calling names one by one.
Finally, he placed his pen on the name “Bailian”. Behind everyone else’s names was a long series of awards while Bailian’s was completely blank.
Only the most basic information was filled out.
With the roster in one hand and pen in the other, Vice Chairman Qian called Qiu Xuezheng, “The last flight landed tonight but she hasn’t arrived. If she catches the earliest flight tomorrow, she won’t get here until the afternoon and will miss the competition.”
Bailian was inserted by Qiu Xuezheng’s string-pulling to have Vice Chairman Qian add her to the list of recommended members this time.
Besides this, Qiu Xuezheng didn’t say much. The information provided was so sparse it was lacking. She was young and female as well.
Vice Chairman Qian didn’t pay too much attention to Bailian.
On the other end of the phone, Qiu Xuezheng was quite surprised. “She should have arrived, right? Sent me a message this afternoon that she did. Check with the hotel later.”
“Alright, I’ll ask at the hotel.” Vice Chairman Qian casually agreed.
As long as Bailian was safe, whether she arrived or not made little difference to him.
After arriving at the hotel, he arranged accommodations for the participants before confirming Bailian’s whereabouts with the hotel staff.
He found out that Bailian had already arrived that afternoon.
Vice Chairman Qian was a little surprised. Bailian had just set off in the morning. It took time to get from Xiang City to Beicheng. To fly from Beicheng to Jiangjing took 5 hours. She arrived this quickly?
Could she have set off yesterday instead?
However, Vice Chairman Qian didn’t spend much more time on Bailian either. After sending Qiu Xuezheng a message, he went back to rest.
There would still be an intense battle tomorrow.
**
The next day.
8 o’clock in the morning.
Vice Chairman Qian sent a group message for all participants to gather downstairs.
The hotel was close to CWA so most people who came to participate chose to stay here.
When Bailian came downstairs, many people had already gathered there. She sent Jiang Fuli a message before lifting her head to look among the crowd until finally spotting Vice Chairman Qian on the right side of the hotel entrance.
She was wearing a white top today with a ma mian qun1 embroidered with gold patterns below.
Elegant and striking.
Her complexion was cold white, body slender and tall, her ink black hair casually pinned up. She lowered her head slightly as she walked by and most people around gradually fell silent, quietly watching her.
Bailian went to Vice Chairman Qian to sign in.
Vice Chairman Qian’s countenance was stern without a hint of smile. He marked an X by Bailian’s name and urged, “Don’t run around randomly the entire time. Wait for me at the door after you finish the exam.”
“Alright.” Bailian slightly dipped her head.
She actually looked quite obedient.
Vice Chairman Qian’s expression softened slightly.
“Don’t let Vice Chairman Qian’s attitude towards us fool you,” a male student next to her whispered to Bailian, “He’s much kinder to Jian Rong.”
Bailian glanced at him.
The male student scratched his head, his face a little red. “You’re the only female student this time, right? I heard about you yesterday.”
Just as he was speaking—
Someone suddenly exclaimed from among the Beicheng crowd, “Jian Rong is here!”
“Finally get to see him!”
“That’s him!”
Not far away, Vice Chairman Qian also looked over there. His stern face immediately softened. “Jian Rong, hurry over.”
His voice could be described as gentle.
Bailian looked over too. Not far away, two tall male students walked over side by side.
One was Qiu Boqing. He naturally saw Bailian standing to the side and couldn’t help frowning without greeting her.
The other was Jian Rong they were discussing.
Jian Rong wore a black windbreaker and casual pants. He walked over to greet the vice chairman. “Vice Chairman.”
“Mm, it starts at 10. Don’t be nervous,” Vice Chairman Qian looked at Jian Rong gently. “As long as you don’t make mistakes, you have a good chance of getting second place this time. Understand?”
Jian Rong was the biggest card up their sleeve for Beicheng this time!
There were strict age limits on the Lanting Award this time. There were huge divisions between first, second, and third place.
The four major cities were desperately fighting over second place.
There were the most third place winners with much lower gold content than second place by several levels.
Vice Chairman and the entire Beicheng Calligraphers Association had high hopes that Jian Rong could get second place.
As for first place…
The five first place winners each session were all from CWA. Let alone this year when several masters had sent their students to compete. Vice Chairman and the others never thought anyone could snatch first place from these monsters’ hands.
“I will try my best.” Jian Rong replied seriously.
“Of course, others must try hard too,” Vice Chairman Qian raised his head again with a much colder expression after that. He swept a glance at the 20 plus people present and encouraged indifferently, “Qiu Boqing and Xu Hao have the possibility of getting third place. As for the rest, just work hard to get nominated!”
A line of over twenty people headed for CWA next door.
Most people surrounded Jian Rong to add WeChat and chat. Bailian and the male student from earlier fell behind without anyone paying attention.
“Ah, Jian Rong might get second place now? Then he’ll definitely be able to join CWA this time. I only hope I can get nominated this time,” the male student lowered his voice to whisper to Bailian, “What about you? Do you have confidence in fighting for a nomination?”
- Horse-face Pleated Skirt (????, m? miàn zh? qún) – A pleated skirt originating from the Song dynasty with a distinctive folding pattern, resembling the face of a horse. See more information here. ↩︎
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