Even within Northern City, there was a disparity in resources between Northern City First High and other schools, let alone compared to schools in Xiangcheng.
But Northern City didn’t care about that.
They made the test questions as difficult as they wanted, not caring whether other places could keep up. Every joint exam had even Tang Ming complaining.
The top 100 in Northern City were, without exception, basically all from Northern City First High.
But that was before-
Tang Ming looked at Bailian and muttered, “I feel like there might be a surprise this time…”
“Song Ming?” Bailian was surprised. Even people in Xiangcheng had heard of this guy.
Ning Xiao had obviously heard of him too, and explained to Bailian, “He’s a top contender for the Northern City Number One Scholar in our year.”
“A hexagonal warrior with no shortcomings,” Tang Ming added, then looked at Bailian. “Jian God, if only your chemistry was a bit better, you should be able to compete with him.”
Bailian nodded and continued working on practice questions.
**
When Jiang Fuli arrived, Bailian had just finished the newly released practice questions on the Jiangjing University app and uploaded the answers.
“You’re not busy today?” Bailian put down her pen, lazily leaned back in her chair, and casually massaged her wrist.
Jiang Fuli placed his laptop on the table. His expression was as noble and aloof as ever. His eyes were already light in color, and when the sunlight shone on them, the cold light refracted, making him appear even more lofty and pure.
He sat down, elegantly crossing his legs. “It’s alright, it’s Sunday.”
Bailian couldn’t feel it.
But across from her, Ning Xiao’s writing speed had slowed down a lot.
Tang Ming didn’t even dare to raise his head, wanting to escape. He gritted his teeth and found an excuse, “I’ll go downstairs and buy milk tea for everyone. What do you all want to drink?”
Ning Xiao was very calm, “Coffee.”
Bailian lazily propped her chin with her hand and opened a book on machine consciousness that she had taken from the bookshelf. She flipped through it and said, “I’ll have the same cherry fruit tea as Little Bird Jiang.”
With that said, she slightly tilted her head and asked Jiang Fuli on behalf of Tang Ming, “What would you like to drink?”
Tang Ming had originally wanted to leave, but now he didn’t go.
But in his heart, he was drumming.
No, does Young Master Jiang look like someone who would drink this stuff?
Jiang Fuli’s pale white fingertips pressed the power button on the laptop. Without looking up, his tone was light as a breeze, “I’ll drink Yupei.”
“?”
What?
Not to mention Tang Ming, even Bailian was momentarily at a loss.
“Ah? Oh, okay… okay.” Tang Ming stood up in a daze, as if fleeing. He didn’t really like milk tea, and thought this was some kind of new milk tea, so he hurried downstairs.
How did he feel like those three words from Jiang Fuli seemed to mean “You’re dead”.
“I’ll go with you.” Ning Xiao had a strong sense of crisis and made a decision on the spot.
When they got downstairs, Ning Xiao and Tang Ming looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief.
It felt like coming back to life.
But when Tang Ming mentioned the “Yupei” milk tea, the shop staff were even more confused than him.
Tang Ming knew then that it was bad.
He quickly took out his phone and sent a WeChat message to Bailian for help.
“No, wait,” Bailian held the pen between her middle and index fingers and spun it between her fingers. She crossed her legs and raised her eyebrows to ask, “What milk tea did you actually want? You scared Tang Ming to death.”
Jiang Fuli glanced at her. The setting sun outside the window had no warmth as it outlined his tall nose bridge from the side. He looked at Bailian, his light-colored eyes quite deep, not saying anything right away.
Alright then.
Bailian watched him spin the pen and was about to reply to Tang Ming the same thing.
Young Master Jiang withdrew his gaze and continued staring at the computer desktop with intricate graphics. He asked very politely, “Did you find your ex-fiancé’s jade pendant? Do you need me to help look for it?”
His face remained cold and beautiful as always, without much expression.
Bailian: “…?”
“Thanks,” she was stunned for a moment and replied cautiously, “It should be fine, it’s already been returned.”
“Oh.” Jiang Fuli kept his handsome face cold.
Bailian rubbed her chin, took out her phone, and typed a few words to Tang Ming. After thinking for a bit, she showed it to Jiang Fuli, “So this is okay?”
Jiang Fuli glanced at it. The unsent chat box from Bailian read:
[Cherry fruit tea, add double sugar for him]
Double sugar?
Jiang Fuli swept his eyes over this line of text and silently looked at Bailian again, his gaze lingering on her face for a while.
What on earth gave her the misconception that he liked double sugar?
“It’s fine.” He nodded and withdrew his gaze.
Bailian sent this line to Tang Ming, who quickly showed his urgent request to the shop staff.
Tang Ming and Ning Xiao came back with a bunch of things.
First, they gave Bailian her drink, and finally, with both hands, presented Young Master Jiang with his double sugar drink.
Of course, as to why Young Master Jiang, such a lofty person, actually liked adding double sugar—
This was a jab Tang Ming didn’t dare make.
Young Master Jiang took the milk tea with one hand and casually inserted the straw. His expression was extremely calm, but that hand holding the milk tea was so pale and cold that it looked even colder than the iced milk tea.
Bailian took a sip and observed him for a while, then pulled out the test paper Ning Xiao was writing and slapped it in front of Jiang Fuli, “Teacher Jiang, can you take a look at this question?”
Jiang Fuli’s expression returned to that neither-cold-nor-warm look. “Mm.”
He lowered his head to look at the question.
Then he explained it to Bailian.
Across from them, Ning Xiao maintained his posture of holding a pen, “…?”
Shouldn’t he not be here?
**
After finishing the questions, Bailian went to see Shen Qing in the evening.
She always avoided running into Ji Mulan and Xu En.
She didn’t conceal this point, so Ji Heng and Ji Shaojun pretended not to know. Sometimes when she was going to run into those two, they would tell Bailian in advance.
But today, when Ji Mulan and Xu En had come once in the morning, Bailian didn’t expect to run into them just coming out when she went in the evening.
Because of what happened last time, when Ji Mulan ran into Bailian, her eyes were complicated.
Xu En, on the other hand, greeted Bailian generously.
Bailian pulled at the corners of her mouth, acting especially perfunctory.
Mao Kun had been squatting at the hospital entrance waiting for Bailian. He didn’t care about Xu En at all. As soon as he saw Bailian, his eyes lit up, “Sis, the things you wanted are ready!”
He took out a cloth pouch and handed it to Bailian.
Bailian opened it and saw the plum blossom needles1 she wanted neatly arranged inside.
When Ji Mulan saw Mao Kun’s head of blond hair, her brows subconsciously furrowed. She wanted to say something and also wanted to ask how today’s matter with the Song family was resolved, but this time she didn’t dare speak up.
Xu En glanced at her before stepping forward, surprised, “Silver needles? What do you want those for?”
“Dr. Lance wants to try our acupuncture.” Bailian put away the silver needles and replied perfunctorily.
She didn’t talk much with these two and turned to head towards the inpatient department.
Mao Kun stood in place. After Bailian left, he pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, while looking fiercely at Ji Mulan, “What are you looking at? Do you want to die?!”
To be able to be closely watched by the police and still dare to provoke two local police officers, Mao Kun only showed restraint in front of Bailian.
Other people?
You think he cares about them?
Not to mention Ji Mulan, even Xu En was startled by him.
After Mao Kun left, Ji Mulan frowned, “How come even after coming to Xiangcheng, she’s still making friends with this kind of person?”
Xu En didn’t say anything, but remembered that on that night, among the group of youths riding motorcycles, the one leading seemed to also be this blond kid…
In Shen Qing’s hospital room, when Bailian arrived, Lance had also just arrived not long ago.
He was talking to Ji Heng.
“The Meaning Lake, it’s very beautiful,” Lance pointed at Ji Heng’s robe, constantly talking to him. “I also want to try it.”
“This wine…”
Bailian came in carrying the silver needles.
She felt Shen Qing’s pulse again. Shen Qing’s ventilator hadn’t been removed yet, with a tube inserted into her nostrils, so she still couldn’t speak, but it could be seen that her spirits were good.
Bailian felt relieved.
Lance was still chattering away. Bailian got annoyed listening to him.
“Grandpa, just make one for him.”
She was a bit puzzled. Ji Heng shouldn’t refuse this kind of request. He should be happy.
Beside her, Ji Shaojun wanted to laugh a little. He lowered his head and pointed at Dr. Lance’s gaudy floral shirt, explaining to Bailian, “Dr. Lance wants a robe with that kind of floral pattern.”
Bailian: “……”
Lance’s aesthetic sense was crazily stepping on Ji Heng’s landmine.
Bailian really couldn’t imagine a robe made from this kind of floral fabric.
She didn’t try to persuade Ji Heng anymore.
“I’ll make it for you when I go back,” in the end, Ji Heng still agreed to make this garment that might ruin his lifelong reputation, “it will probably take a week.”
“Fine!” Lance clapped his hands.
Ji Heng couldn’t understand English. Lance spoke in broken Chinese. When he spoke to Bailian, he switched to English.
Because Ji Heng wouldn’t mock him.
But Bailian would seriously tell him that his accent sounded a bit like a gorilla.
“Acupuncture today?” Lance saw the silver needles in her hand.
Bailian took one out and methodically gestured with it above his head, raising an eyebrow, “But I haven’t needled in a long time. Are you scared?”
Lance thought Bailian was joking and was very brave, “Not scared.”
He sat on the sofa, waiting for Bailian to needle him.
Bailian took the needle and stood behind him, looking for a spot on his head. Under the light, the plum blossom needle shimmered with a cold glint, very dazzling.
Ji Heng was startled by her, “Ah Lian, what are you doing?”
Bailian unhurriedly found the right acupoint and needled it, mouthing to Ji Heng–
[Doing an experiment]
Ji Heng: “……”
Every five minutes, he would go ask Lance, “Dr. Lance, are you still okay?”
“Okay, fine.”
“Dr. Lance, are you still……”
Lance anticipated: “Okay!”
“Dr. Lance……”
“‘Kay!”
“Lan……”
“One.”
After confirming that Dr. Lance was still alive after receiving Bailian’s experiment, Ji Heng finally breathed a sigh of relief.
** Monday.
The first class was still Lu Lingxi’s. Zhang Shize, one of the three giants of tardiness, arrived at 8:01 as usual today.
Lu Lingxi threw a piece of chalk at him, “The joint exam is the day after tomorrow, and you’re still late? Look at you, your physics teacher has to take fast-acting heart pills from grading your exam papers!”
Zhang Shize subconsciously replied, “No way, I didn’t guess a single question right?”
Lu Lingxi: “…Go stand outside and wake up properly!”
After Bailian finished a Chinese class, it was break time.
The classmates were all wailing about the joint exam.
Bailian’s phone in her desk lit up.
She tapped it open and saw it was from that dog friend–
Dog friend: [They say this is you???!!]
Dog friend: [Video]
Bailian glanced at it. It was a video posted by Lu Xiaohuan.
Dog friend: [Is this you? Although it’s blurry, your beauty can still be seen]
Bailian: [1]
Dog friend: [You’re giving me a 1 again?]
Bailian: [.]
On the other end of the phone,
North City No.1 High International Class,
Bailian’s dog friend cursed and showed the video to the person behind her, “Pay attention, this woman’s guzheng playing is too good.”
“Really?” A bunch of people crowded around, “Who is it?”
Because this dog friend really didn’t often praise people.
Most people looked over.
Song Min and Bai Shaoqi, who were discussing a question, also looked that way. Both of them were very sensitive to the guzheng.
Especially Bai Shaoqi.
The dog friend had her legs crossed and raised an eyebrow, “Classmate Bai Lian ah, I’ll send you the video…”
Hearing the words “Bai Lian”, Bai Shaoqi lost interest and withdrew her gaze, looking at Song Min.
Song Min also frowned slightly and retracted his inquiring expression.
Bai Shaoqi took out her phone, and a message popped up. She froze, “Song Min, it seems I…passed Dean Jian’s first hurdle!”
“What?” Song Min quickly took Bai Shaoqi’s phone and lowered his head to look.
On Bai Shaoqi’s phone was a message–
[Hello, Classmate Bai Shaoqi, your video has passed the preliminary audition. Please bring your ID to Jiangjing Art University on October 27th…]
“It really passed,” Song Min raised his head and looked at Bai Shaoqi, calculating the time, “After the joint exam, I’ll accompany you to Jiangjing.”
After saying that, he took out his phone to send a message to Mrs. Song.
“An academician from Jiangjing?” Song Min’s deskmate exclaimed, “Classmate Bai, you’re so terrifying!”
Others also rushed over after hearing this.
Listening to Song Min’s deskmate’s explanation, they exclaimed in surprise.
They didn’t understand the situation in Jiangjing, after all they weren’t from Jiangjing and didn’t know what this Academician Jian meant.
Only Song Min who had stayed in Jiangjing knew how terrifying this matter was.
Fortunately, Song Min was a bit relieved that he had gotten the jade pendant back from Bai Lian yesterday.
Bai Shaoqi was quite calm about the praise from others.
There was no complacent look on her face. She only looked at Song Min, “My brother is also in Jiangjing, you don’t need to trouble yourself. As for this joint exam, you need to be careful. My math has improved very quickly recently.”
“I’ll be waiting.” Song Min put down his phone and raised an eyebrow.
He really liked this feeling of being equally matched.
“You two, stop being pretentious,” Song Min’s deskmate turned his head and joked about them, “Anyway, for you two in math, it’s always either first or second place. Can’t you score a bit less to give others a way to live? This time I bet Song Min will be first!”
Hearing this, the two looked at each other and smiled.
That was indeed true.
The students in the class all had extremely good qualifications. These two were the ceiling in math. Before each exam, some students in the class would place bets, guessing whether Song Min or Bai Shaoqi would be first in math.
It was the same this time. Some people bet on Song Min for math.
Others bet on Bai Shaoqi.
Anyway, these two were always either first or second.
As for the others? They never even thought about it.
** Xiangcheng No.1 High.
Lu Xiaohuan took out her phone and flipped through the private messages.
Her video had gone viral, and there were many who sent her private messages. She couldn’t read them all. When she opened it today, she happened to see a private message–
Jian Zhongyou: [Hello, do you know the girl playing the guzheng?]
Jian Zhongyou: [Can you give me her contact information?]
Jian Zhongyou: [Please!]
Lu Xiaohuan raised an eyebrow. She tapped open this Jian Zhongyou’s homepage, wanting to see which ill-intentioned person dared to make a pass at her classmate behind her.
Until she clicked it open and saw the homepage–
[Username: Jian Zhongyou 1.12 billion likes
12 Following 16.289 million Followers Verified: Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, President of the Music Association, Dean of the School of Music at Jiangjing Art University]
- Plum blossom needles are a type of acupuncture tool used in traditional Chinese medicine. Regular acupuncture needles are single and thin, but these ones are small and short clusters (that, when arranged, look like petals of plum blossoms). ↩︎
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