ATLAS TRANSLATES

The Education Bureau provided information directly specifying the school and homeroom teacher.

Name: Bai Lian Class: Xiangcheng No. 1 High School, Class 35, Grade 12 Homeroom Teacher: Lu Lingxi Student ID: 20145…

Subject, Score, Ranking Chinese, 150, 1 Math, 150, 1 …

The homeroom teacher of the international class immediately noticed the two first-place rankings in the first two rows.

His gaze returned to the name column—

“Bai Lian.”

“This name,” he frowned, “it’s the same as the one from the Bai family.”

The Bai family had previously used connections to place Bai Lian in his class. On the first day of class, she made a fool of herself. Already in high school, she couldn’t answer basic questions, dragging down the international class.

He couldn’t stand it for even a day and directly sent her to the liberal arts class.

But this must be someone with the same name.

He just didn’t expect it to also be a girl.

Her math score was truly impressive.

“Only 182 in science,” the homeroom teacher glanced, feeling slightly less threatened.

This was nearly a hundred points lower than Song Min.

The international class homeroom teacher didn’t believe this could be the Bai Lian he knew. He was aware that Bai Lian had previously been expelled for cheating. As for where she went after being expelled…

Why would he care about that?

**

Xiangcheng No. 1 High School.

The principal was nearly ready to hang banners to celebrate the two students’ achievements.

“Good, good, continue with the joint exam. I’ll announce this good news to everyone,” the principal said in his office. He finished his call with the Education Bureau, noticing Lu Lingxi, and then hung up the phone.

“Teacher Lu,” the principal’s smile remained, “the ten-school joint exam hasn’t been cancelled.”

This point didn’t surprise either the principal or Lu Lingxi.

Bai Lian’s sudden emergence was likely unexpected by the schools in the northern city. They probably thought the other schools wouldn’t have much impact on the ten-school rankings and were delaying the progress of the joint exam, so they decided to cancel it.

Now, you’re talking about delaying progress? No impact on rankings? Looking at that “150” score, the ten-school officials didn’t dare say a word.

“I asked, and Bai Lian doesn’t want to participate in the Wenzhong Plan,” Lu Lingxi sat across from the principal, pondering slightly.

“Huh?”

Lu Lingxi remained calm, “Bai Lian said she doesn’t like any of the ten majors offered by the Wenzhong Plan.”

Principal: “…?”

Wait, she’s being picky about Jianjing University?

Since meeting Bai Lian, the principal felt he had gained a lot of new perspectives.

Class 15.

Bai Lian pulled out two workbooks and started solving problems. She was still mainly focusing on biology, leaving chemistry to Ning Xiao and Tang Ming. She’d exchange with them after finishing biology.

Making the most of everyone’s strengths.

After school in the afternoon.

Tang Ming, mixed in with a group from Class 15, felt quite nervous, “Jian God, don’t you think you scored a bit too high?”

Bai Lian raised an eyebrow, her gaze particularly sharp: “…Shouldn’t it be that you scored too low?”

Tang Ming: “…”

Lu Xiaohan was filming with her phone for content. Zhang Shize had his arm around Tang Ming’s shoulders, being taller than him, acting like close brothers: “You’re always hanging out with people from our class, why not transfer to Class 15?”

Tang Ming wasn’t in the mood to joke with Zhang Shize, only wearing a bitter expression, “Don’t ask me first.”

When they reached Zhang Mama’s flower shop, Zhang Shize parted ways with Bai Lian and the others.

He stroked his chin, watching Tang Ming and Ning Xiao’s backs, “What’s up with those two? They look like they’re going to their execution.”

Before he could figure it out.

Zhang Mama hit him on the head with the handle of a watering can, “What are you spacing out for? Quickly go deliver the shrimp I made to Xiao Lu.”

**

Library.

Second floor.

Bai Lian sat with her legs crossed, spreading out her books and taking out her error correction notebook. She flicked open her pen cap with one hand, her posture lazy yet casual.

Across from her.

Tang Ming and Ning Xiao weren’t nearly as relaxed.

Jiang Fuli sat next to Bai Lian, his left hand resting on the table, upper body slightly tilted, right hand holding the math and science test papers Bai Lian had given him, scanning from start to finish.

It took three minutes to scan through everything.

He then placed the papers on the deep brown table surface, his slender fingers pressing on the paper. He looked up, his face fair and sharp, “121, 95?”

His tone was neither hurried nor slow.

These were Ning Xiao’s math and physics scores.

Ning Xiao straightened his back, “Yes.”

“Did you take a nap during the exam?” Young Master Jiang asked sincerely.

Ning Xiao: “…I didn’t.”

“Then I really don’t understand,” Young Master Jiang glanced at the test paper, sneering, “How did you manage to lose thirty points on this kind of test? Remember, your brain is meant to be used.”

Ning Xiao: “…”

He could only blame his slow thinking and not calculating fast enough…

Jiang Fuli’s gaze turned to Tang Ming.

Tang Ming immediately sat up straight, anxiously waiting for Young Master Jiang’s criticism.

However, Jiang Fuli looked at him and only sneered, not saying a word.

“Teacher Jiang, I…” Tang Ming weakly began.

Jiang Fuli raised his hand, “For the sake of having taught you before, don’t call me Teacher Jiang.”

Tang Ming: “…qaq”

Wuwuwu, he wasn’t John von Neumann with a super brain, learning math at 3, mastering calculus at 8, and finishing undergraduate studies at 10… He was just an ordinary top student.

There really was a barrier between geniuses.

All day today, Tang Ming had been praised by the homeroom teacher and subject teachers, as he had made rapid progress.

Chen Zhu only scored 110 in math. In the past, Tang Ming wouldn’t have dared to imagine he’d have such a day.

However, here, Young Master Jiang couldn’t even be bothered to scold him.

Of course—

The people Jiang Fuli often scolded were more like He Wen, outstanding alumni of Jianjing University. When it came to Tang Ming, Young Master Jiang truly didn’t know where to begin criticizing.

After all, most of the questions on the test paper were as simple as 1+1 for him.

With Tang Ming’s 111 points, Jiang Fuli just wanted him to disappear from his sight immediately.

If Dean Ma found out that someone he had taught scored this in math…

Thinking of this, his gaze once again coldly swept over Tang Ming.

“Teacher Jiang, Teacher Jiang,” Bai Lian twisted open a bottle of mineral water and handed it to Jiang Fuli, “His math is already ranked third in the whole school.”

Jiang Fuli took the water, instinctively asking, “Were there only three people taking the exam?”

Bai Lian: “…”

Jiang Fuli: “…”

He glanced at Bai Lian, silently took a sip of water, “Weren’t you supposed to go to the hospital to see your aunt?”

Young Master Jiang changed the subject.

Bai Lian unhurriedly looked away, starting to pack up her things, her tone casual, “…Only three people took the exam?”

She asked back.

Jiang Fuli: “…”

On Bai Lian’s other side, Jiang He looked up, seriously looking at Jiang Fuli, “Big sister is first.”

He spoke up.

After the three left, Tang Ming and Ning Xiao finally came to their senses.

Student Tang Ming deeply understood the weight of his responsibilities.

Opposite him, Ning Xiao also lowered his head in reflection. Ever since he learned that Bai Lian only slept five hours a day, he knew he was still too relaxed.

With Jiang Fuli and Bai Lian around, he couldn’t even score better in math than that Song Min.

It really wasn’t acceptable.

**

Xiangcheng Central Hotel.

Zhang Shize was delivering a lunch box to Yan Lu.

Yan Lu was staying in room 1205 of the hotel. When he arrived, Yan Lu wasn’t back yet. Zhang Shize sent a text message to Yan Lu, and Yan Lu told him to leave the lunch box at the door.

She would be back later.

Zhang Shize put down the lunch box but noticed a letter half-stuffed into the door crack, with some bloodstains on the envelope.

He knew Yan Lu had many anti-fans, and frowned.

He took out the envelope, put down the lunch box, and left. After returning to the flower shop, Zhang Mama learned about his test scores and was about to hit him with a watering can. Zhang Shize nimbly retreated to his room and closed the door.

He opened his phone to find people in the class group chat to play games.

While waiting for people to team up, he remembered the anti-fan and took out the envelope from his pocket.

“Plop—”

Four photos fell to the ground.

Zhang Shize looked at the photos that had fallen onto the floor tiles and froze.

Obviously, these photos were screenshots from some videos.

Even though he was alone in the room, he quickly picked up the photos and placed them face down on the table. On the back of each photo was a line of text—

[You think you can escape me?]

[Come here at eleven o’clock tonight.]

[You don’t want these videos to appear online, do you?]

He left an address.

Zhang Shize’s mind went blank with a “buzz”.

“Yi Pi Haoren, why aren’t you ready yet?” From the phone, the voices of Wen Qi and others came through.

Zhang Shize looked up, his usually sunny and handsome face now covered with a layer of gloom, like a clear sky obscured by dark clouds, oppressive and suffocating.

The white, blood-stained envelope was crumpled in his hand.

The veins on his forehead and arms bulged.

He suddenly raised his hand and wiped his eyes.

After a long while, he opened the door and went out.

“I wonder if Xiao Lu has eaten well,” Zhang Mama was trimming the flower pots. Hearing the door open, she didn’t look back, “15 points in physics, wait till your dad comes back and sees if he doesn’t flay you…”

She muttered.

Usually, Zhang Shize would come over to help her trim flowers and ask her not to tell his dad.

Today, however, Zhang Shize was very quiet.

He wore a black baseball cap and took out a bucket of white iris flowers from the container. The snow-white iris flowers were in clusters, with a very elegant color.

Zhang Shize wrapped up a whole large bunch.

Xiangcheng Hotel Room 1205.

Knock knock.

Inside the room, Yan Lu was taking a shower in the bathroom. Sister Xin knew she had obsessive-compulsive disorder and would take a long time to shower.

She opened the door to find a tall, handsome stranger, “Ah, you are… Little Zhang’s brother?”

Zhang Shize was, after all, the face of the Xiangcheng No. 1 High School boys.

Sister Xin recognized Zhang Shize and called out to the bathroom, “Yan Lu, Little Zhang’s brother is here to see you.”

In the bathroom.

Yan Lu’s hand trembled, and the razor blade slipped from her wrist. She quickly stood up from the water, dried herself off, got dressed, and went out.

She was tall with long legs, wearing the hotel’s slippers. While drying her hair, she came out, “Why aren’t you at home doing homework? What are you doing here?”

“Just got a bunch of flowers,” Zhang Shize grinned and took out a large bunch of iris flowers from behind his back to give to Yan Lu, “Brought them over for you.”

Yan Lu paused in drying her hair. She looked down at the snow-white, dewdrop-covered iris flowers.

After hesitating for a long while, she finally reached out to take them.

“Thank you.”

Zhang Shize reached out and, for the first time, gently hugged Yan Lu. His voice was very low, “Sister Yan, it’s going to be okay.”

After saying this, he pressed down on his cap.

Turned and left.

The door closed.

Sister Xin finally turned back to look at Yan Lu holding the flowers, very doubtful: “Your obsessive-compulsive disorder is fake, right?”

Yan Lu ignored her, put the flowers away, and returned to the bathroom to throw the razor blade into the trash.

**

The next day.

Bai Lian arrived at school, and Lu Xiaohan asked her daily question as usual.

After receiving a negative answer, she relayed it to Dean Jian.

“This good person is going to be late again today.” As it was close to class time and Zhang Shize still hadn’t arrived, Lu Xiaohan looked at his empty desk and raised an eyebrow.

Him being late was normal for Class 15.

Bai Lian opened her book, not surprised by this either.

However, today was beyond everyone’s expectations, as Zhang Shize didn’t come all day.

Even Lu Lingxi didn’t know the specific situation.

In the evening after school.

Bai Lian and Lu Xiaohan, along with a few others, decided to go to Zhang Mama’s flower shop to ask.

The Zhang family lived in the flower shop, but today the shop wasn’t open either. There was a courtyard behind it. Lu Xiaohan looked at Bai Lian.

Bai Lian held a phone in one hand and a problem set in the other, raising her chin at her.

Lu Xiaohan received the instruction and started knocking on the courtyard door, “Auntie Zhang, are you home?”

“I’m Lu Xiaohan, a… Zhang Shize’s classmate.”

Zhang family living room.

Yan Lu sat blankly on the sofa. Beside her, Zhang Mama had her head buried in her knees, her expression hidden.

Of the three women, only Sister Xin was slightly more composed. She paced back and forth in the living room, “Yan Lu, you…”

Sister Xin originally wanted to ask Yan Lu about Zhang Shize’s relationship with Mr. Liu.

But seeing Yan Lu’s despairing expression, she couldn’t bring herself to question her.

“I’m going to find the Liu family,” Yan Lu suddenly stood up. She held an unlit cigarette between her fingers, her eyes downcast: “Ask them what they want to do!”

“You’re just going to go over like this? Don’t you know what kind of people the Liu family are?” Sister Xin shook her head, scolding to wake Yan Lu up, “The most important thing now is to try to get an apology letter from them, then find a lawyer to file a lawsuit…”

The sound of knocking on the courtyard door interrupted her words.

She looked at Zhang Mama, “Those outside…”

Zhang Mama’s eyes were somewhat unfocused. She blankly raised her head.

Looking at the door in a daze, she seemed to come to her senses, “It’s, it’s A’Ze’s classmates. The people in his class are very close.”

Zhang Shize hadn’t gone to school all day, so Bai Lian and the others must be here to ask about his situation.

Sister Xin opened the door and saw several people wearing Xiangcheng No. 1 High School uniforms.

“Students, Little Zhang has some matters to attend to and needs to take a leave of absence for a while,” Sister Xin smiled as she spoke.

“Something to attend to?” Bai Lian held her phone, squinting at Sister Xin, a lazy smile at the corner of her mouth.

Sister Xin’s gaze fell on Bai Lian’s face. At any other time, she would definitely ask Bai Lian if she wanted to enter the entertainment industry, but now wasn’t the time.

Sister Xin nodded, “Yes, I’m helping them watch the shop. You all should go home and do your homework first.”

She closed the door.

Letting out a sigh of relief.

That girl just now was beautiful, with a seemingly casual expression, but those pitch-black eyes made one feel exposed.

“I sent them away,” Sister Xin returned to the living room. Her phone finally rang.

The other two quickly looked at her.

Sister Xin answered. It was Time Light Media. Sister Xin had called them earlier, and the three had been waiting for a response—

“Xiao Xin, I can’t handle this matter. Forget about hiring a lawyer, you should find a chance to distance yourself early. Don’t you know what Liu Xinming’s family does? Liu Xinming even met with that Xu family member recently. How dare you mess with the Liu family!”

After saying this, the other party hung up.

When she tried calling back, no one answered.

Sister Xin looked at the nervous Yan Lu and Zhang Mama, giving a bitter smile, “Liu Xinming’s father has already arrived in Xiangcheng. The Liu family’s background was already shady, and now his son is in the ICU… Not to mention, Mr. Xu is also in Xiangcheng.”

“Mr. Xu?” Zhang Mama looked up, hearing Mr. Xu’s name for the first time.

“Mr. Xu is someone even the Liu family wants to curry favor with. His family is from Jianjing, with immense power. Even our boss might not dare to get involved. We compared to them…” Being in the entertainment industry, no one understood these things better than Sister Xin. She shook her head, “You need to be prepared. Little Zhang’s case… we might all be unable to escape.”

That’s why Sister Xin had sent those students away earlier, without saying anything more.

Firstly, enough people were already involved. The few in their circle were trying to distance themselves. Sister Xin feared involving these students.

Secondly…

This matter was complicated. Even Time Light Media didn’t have anyone willing to touch them. Telling those students wouldn’t help either.

Good morning, ah, poor kid…