“It’s very normal for her not to answer your calls, right?” Ji Mulan sneered. “It’s not that she doesn’t want to return it, but that she’s blocked you.”
Bailian even blocked her number, so would she answer the Song family’s calls?
Madam Song was stunned by Ji Mulan’s words.
“You go find her and ask for it yourselves,” Ji Mulan walked into the elevator and gave Ji Heng’s phone to Madam Song. “I can’t control her now.”
After saying that, she hung up the phone with a “click.”
Beicheng, the Song family.
Madam Song looked at the disconnected call in surprise.
Not far away.
Bai Shaoqi was discussing problems with Song Ming.
“She still hasn’t done this problem?” Bai Shaoqi put down her pen and looked at someone’s homepage. “The problem was posted the day before yesterday. How come she still hasn’t done it?”
“What’s wrong?” Madam Song walked over and asked with a smile.
“Auntie, it’s this one.” Bai Shaoqi opened the phone app and clicked on her account to show Madam Song.
Madam Song lowered her head and saw the blue app of Jiangjing University.
Beicheng No. 1 High School had ten spots, and both Bai Shaoqi and Song Ming got them with their own strength.
In the public chat in the bottom left corner, a bunch of top students were spamming–
[Fourth day of not seeing the god White Picked, missing her]
[I wish for the Picking God to come online today!]
[Forget it, you useless bunch, not a single one of you can solve it]
[…]
An old person who had experienced a long history slowly lit a cigarette: [It’s like seeing the scene of L Emperor massacring the app back then]
[…]
“Shaoqi, you actually have over 300 names. You’ll definitely be able to enter Jiangjing University,” Madam Song was very satisfied with Bai Shaoqi. She couldn’t help but see the name that kept appearing in the public chat. “White Picked? Who is this person?”
“She emerged out of nowhere this month. I don’t know why she only ranked in the 100s, but her physics and math are terrifying,” Bai Shaoqi softly explained to Madam Song. “People on the app all call her the Jian God.”
Song Ming also rarely added, “Her physics and math solutions are even clearer than the standard answers. Every time a problem is posted, we all wait for her analysis, but she rarely comes online these days.”
“Is that so?” Madam Song was very surprised. She was very familiar with this app, “Then she’ll definitely be able to enter Jiangjing University.”
Beside the two, Song Ming slightly narrowed his eyes and didn’t answer.
His fingertips lightly tapped on the phone screen.
On the screen was a private message he sent to White Picked a few days ago–
[Hello Jian God, you haven’t been doing problems recently. Are you busy with something?]
It had always been in an unread state.
After Bai Shaoqi went home, Madam Song looked at Song Ming and pondered slightly. “Come with me to Xiangcheng this weekend.”
“What are we going to Xiangcheng for?” Song Ming was browsing the app. Not finding anything, he turned off his phone.
“To gather information about the ore,” Madam Song picked up her coffee. “Also, have you forgotten that the jade pendant is still with Bailian?”
Asking Bailian for the jade pendant was an additional task. After all, Bailian wasn’t worth them making a special trip to Xiangcheng.
Upon hearing this, Song Ming didn’t ask further.
“How is Shaoqi’s guzheng coming along?” Madam Song thought of this matter. “I plan to take her to Jiangjing at the end of the year.”
Madam Song was from Jiangjing.
She knew that Bai Shaoqi had learned guzheng and could even play <Bai Yi Xing>. After that, she made this decision. At that time, based on this, she cut off contact with Bailian.
“Very good.” Song Ming spoke.
“It’s rare to have good grades and still have time to practice an instrument.” Madam Song was quite satisfied. “It would be even better if she could write in the Liangti style. That old master would definitely like it…”
Song Ming shook his head. “This isn’t something everyone can master.”
“That’s true.” Madam Song felt that she couldn’t be too demanding.
** Xiangcheng.
Xu En was having a meeting.
He extended his hand and looked at the two people in front of him, shaking hands with each of them. “President Liu, Miss Yan Lu, here’s to a pleasant cooperation.”
President Liu was a slightly plump middle-aged man with a Maitreya Buddha-like smile on his face. He didn’t look like a businessman, but more like a philanthropist.
Yan Lu had black wavy hair and red lips. She was wearing a black long dress.
Looking at Xu En’s hand, she didn’t shake it.
Xu En was stunned.
“Yan Lu, what are you blanking out for?” Behind her, the agent smiled. “Hurry and shake hands with President Xu.”
She reached out and pinched Yan Lu’s waist.
“President Xu, Yan Lu is a bit shy,” beside her, President Liu also looked at Yan Lu with a smile. “When she was young, she was very obedient.”
Yan Lu lightly shook hands with Xu En.
After signing the contract.
Yan Lu walked out the door with a dark face and found a restroom.
“What’s wrong with you? Didn’t President Liu say that President Xu is a big shot? He shook hands with you and you dared not to return it?” Behind her, the agent scolded her angrily. “It was an opportunity that we finally got. Later, if you participate in the selection for ‘The Great Everlasting Era,’ as long as you grab it, you can get rid of being a third-tier celebrity…”
Yan Lu turned on the faucet without saying a word.
Continuously scrubbing her right hand.
Scrubbing it until it was almost red.
The agent paused, then helplessly said, “This mysophobia of yours has been used to smear you countless times. Can’t you change it?”
“Can’t change it.” Yan Lu took out a tissue and wiped it clean before putting on a mask and going out.
“It’s fine if it’s someone from the same industry,” the agent said seriously. “But this President Xu is not to be trifled with. Even President Liu is flattering him. Didn’t you notice? It’s best not to have this kind of thing happen again.”
Yan Lu nodded. “I’ll try my best.”
** Xiangcheng No. 1 High School, the second monthly exam was on the weekend.
Sunday morning.
The last subject was the science comprehensive.
Bailian finished writing the last word, picked up her pen, and directly left the exam room.
The teacher looked at the exam paper in his hand, then at Bailian, who casually took her pen, folded the school-issued paper that was basically unused, stuffed it into her pocket, and left just like that.
He was particularly confused.
No, classmate, you only brought two pens for the science comprehensive exam?
But there’s no need to be so arrogant.
“You finished early?” Zhang Shize came out of the last exam room and saw Bailian.
Bailian put on her headphones to listen to an English listening exercise. She glanced at him and ruthlessly exposed him, “You don’t know how to write physics, so you turned in a blank paper? You’re done for.”
Zhang Shize let out a “damn” and said, “I wrote it.”
“If only filling in the multiple-choice questions counts as writing, then you did indeed write.” Bailian withdrew her gaze.
Zhang Shize was speechless. “Who would write such abnormal questions besides you!”
As he was saying this, Ning Xiao, who had finished the paper early, came down from the other floor and rarely spoke up, “What?”
Zhang Shize: “…”
He chose to isolate these two people.
Bailian wasn’t going to the library today. She was going to take another bus, so she walked a bit further with the two of them.
In front was a river that split open and circled the city along the city gate.
On the small bridge, a woman wearing sunglasses was leaning against the railing with both hands, looking at the slightly turbulent river.
Her long hair was draped behind her head, curling in a lazy arc.
Her chin was very pointed, her face white as jade. She was wearing a blue long T-shirt, white long boots, and a black leather jacket.
“Yan-jie!” Zhang Shize’s eyes lit up, and he excitedly jogged over.
Yan Lu’s hands paused.
She turned her head slightly and saw Zhang Shize, then took off her sunglasses. “Don’t you have an exam today?”
“…I finished early.” Zhang Shize didn’t really want to answer this question. He unzipped his backpack and took out a snow-white iris flower, handing it to Yan Lu. “Oh right, my mom wants you to come over for dinner tonight.”
Yan Lu reached out and took the iris flower. It was a cluster of pure white flowers.
“Got it,” she touched the petals. “Why do you keep giving me irises?”
“They suit you.”
Yan Lu glanced at him and smiled without comment.
Her gaze shifted to the front, and her eyes paused slightly when they made contact with Bailian, “Are they your classmates?”
“Yeah,” Zhang Shize was very cocky and a bit smug. “Our Ning-shen, and Lian-jie, our school flower, dominating all directions!”
Yan Lu held the flower and looked at Ning Xiao and Bailian who were walking over.
Today was Sunday. Bailian was wearing a white and green long dress with a carefully tailored white duijin top. On the lapel were embroidered green grape clusters and dark brown grapevines.
The white and green gradient long skirt had a wide hem that swayed gently with each step, revealing the green and purple grapes and verdant leaves that Ji Heng had meticulously embroidered on the skirt in a staggered pattern.
It was a very beautiful outfit.
But the girl’s face was even more striking.
Her beautifully-shaped almond eyes were lazily narrowed, and the sunlight shone on her chin, like the light reflected off ice and snow.
“Your classmate is so pretty.” Even Yan Lu, who had seen countless handsome men and beautiful women in the entertainment industry, was stunned for a moment by this sudden invasion of beauty.
“Of course.” Zhang Shize spoke, then introduced Yan Lu to Bailian and Ning Xiao.
Yan Lu held the flower and said to Bailian, “Classmate, if my agent saw you, they would definitely want to forcibly bring you into the industry.”
If she entered the industry, she could become popular no matter where she stood.
After the two sides greeted each other, Zhang Shize wanted to take Yan Lu around. He said to Bailian and Ning Xiao, “Yan-jie happens to be admiring the scenery. I’ll show her around, so I won’t be going with you two.”
Bailian raised her eyebrows. Admiring the scenery?
How come she felt like his Yan-jie wanted to jump down.
**
A coffee shop in the center of Xiangcheng.
As soon as Bailian got out of the car, she saw Ji Heng waiting here.
Ji Heng was wearing a black long robe, talking to Chen Ju. “Wait until they’re discharged from the hospital, then we’ll go fishing again.”
“Is your sister-in-law doing better?” Chen Ju hadn’t gone to see Shen Qing today, only dropping Ji Heng off here. “I see Ji-ge’s mental state has been good these past few days.”
“It’s alright,” Ji Heng lowered his eyes and took a puff from his pipe. Seeing Bailian get out of the car, he said, “She’s here. You don’t need to wait with me.”
“Miss Bai.” Seeing Bailian, Chen Ju straightened his body.
He called Ji Heng uncle and Ji Shaojun brother.
He still called Bailian Miss Bai.
In any case, everyone called her differently.
Bailian stood two steps away. Through the glass, she saw the elegantly dressed Madam Song. She waited for Ji Heng to walk over, listening to English while asking, “Why do you want to see her?”
“Don’t ask.” Ji Heng exhaled a puff of smoke, his voice muffled.
Before entering the coffee shop, he extinguished his pipe.
The coffee shop was by the window. Madam Song was sitting upright. She held a coffee cup, having noticed Ji Heng and Chen Ju at the door long ago.
Ji Heng was wearing Chinese-style clothes he made himself, looking like a very ordinary Xiangcheng person.
Madam Song hadn’t paid attention at first, until Bailian brought Ji Heng in.
Only then did she realize that this person should be Bailian’s grandfather, Ji Mulan’s father.
“Mr. Ji, hello.” Madam Song greeted Ji Heng, very politely inviting the two to sit across from her. She had the waiter bring coffee.
“No need,” Bailian just sat beside Ji Heng like this, tapping her fingertips on the table. “Just say directly if you have something.”
“Song Ming hasn’t arrived yet,” Madam Song was a bit embarrassed. She called Song Ming, lowering her voice, “Ah Lian and her grandfather are both here. Where are you?”
On the other end of the phone, Song Ming paused for a moment. “I was discussing a question with Shaoqi and forgot. Wait for me for ten minutes.”
Song Ming didn’t care much about matters concerning Bailian. Madam Song had known this long ago.
She raised her head and explained to Ji Heng and Bailian helplessly.
Ji Heng had always been taciturn. He placed his pipe on the table and said “Mm” without saying much.
Bailian glanced at Ji Heng. Seeing that he was still waiting, she turned off her reading, reached out to reply to a WeChat message from Lance, then opened an app and took out a pen and folded paper from a pocket hidden in her long skirt.
She began working on questions.
A newly released optics physics question.
The difficulty wasn’t high. She looked at it, drew the refraction angle on the paper, then unhurriedly wrote down the solution.
Ji Heng watched from the side. She never used a ruler when drawing.
When Song Ming arrived, Bailian had just finished writing. She had just written the solution and taken a good photo.
“He’s here,” Madam Song stood up and let Song Ming come over, turning to introduce him to Ji Heng. “This is my son.”
Ji Heng raised his head and looked at Song Ming.
He had heard from Ji Mulan last night that Bailian liked this young man very much.
Today, he wanted to meet him.
Song Ming was tall with long legs. Sitting beside Madam Song, the space seemed a bit cramped. His appearance was cold and stern. He only glanced at Ji Heng. “Hello.”
As for Bailian, he didn’t even look at her.
He just casually took out his phone and lowered his head to open a question bank.
**
Outside the door.
Chen Ju hadn’t left yet.
He stayed here, preparing to send Bailian and Ji Heng back later.
Raising his head, he saw Song Ming sitting across from Bailian. His face greatly changed, and he hurriedly took a photo and sent it to Jiang Fuli—
[Not good, Young Master Jiang. Miss Bai is on a blind date!]
“Song Ming is looking at the Jiangjing University app. He likes doing questions more and is already ranked in the top fifty for the month.” Madam Song looked at Ji Heng, smiling as she spoke.
Song Ming had always been someone they could show off.
However, the two people across from them had no reaction.
Madam Song paused for a moment, then shook her head. Ji Heng probably didn’t know about this thing. As for Bailian… Last time, she wanted to cheat to get this spot, but she didn’t get it, so she naturally didn’t know what this ranking meant.
“It’s like this, Mr. Ji,” Madam Song didn’t beat around the bush anymore. She spoke bluntly, “Previously, the two children were engaged, and we gave Ah Lian a jade pendant. Now that the engagement has been called off, do you think the jade pendant should be returned? I know it’s our Song family’s fault for canceling the engagement. This is the compensation we’re giving.”
She pushed out a bank card.
Now that Bailian had left the Bai family, seeing her and her grandfather’s appearance, they must be short on money.
Ji Heng didn’t speak and didn’t look at the bank card, only turning his head to look at Bailian.
Bailian was uploading the answer she had taken a photo of to the app.
Hearing this, she slightly raised her head. The light shining through the window onto her face added a few hints of color to her snow-jade-like face, but her pair of dark, deep eyes were obviously very confused—
Jade pendant?
She searched for this matter in her mind, trying to recall the jade pendant.
Bailian didn’t speak, and there was no more sound on the coffee table.
Madam Song put down her coffee cup, quietly looking at Bailian. She knew it would be difficult to get this jade pendant back today.
Song Ming finally raised his head, directly looking at Bailian for the first time. “What do you want this time to be willing to take out the jade pendant? Compensate you another million? Or, I will try my best to help you apply for a spot on the Jiangjing University app with the school. How about that? Can you hand over the jade pendant then?”
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