ATLAS TRANSLATES

“Da Yong” was holding open auditions.

The entire crew took every role very seriously. This opportunity was rare but also challenging.

Last week, Sister Xin drank with the martial arts instructor all night, just to secure a fifth supporting role.

Now hearing Bailian’s words,

She pinched Yan Lu hard, frantically signaling with her eyes.

Yan Lu was still hesitating.

“Miss Bai, then I’ll thank you on behalf of Xiao Lu!” Sister Xin threw Yan Lu aside and started chatting with Bailian herself. “Tomorrow I’ll bring Xiao Lu here on time.”

As a manager, Sister Xin naturally had her own judgment.

Not to mention that young Master Jiang, that Lawyer Chi…

Just looking at Xu En, it was clear Bailian was no ordinary person. In all her years in the entertainment industry, Sister Xin had never seen anyone who could match Bailian in presence and looks.

As she spoke, Sister Xin looked at Bailian with that kind of gaze.

“Hey Sister Xin,” Wenqi pushed through the crowd, took a sip of his ice-cold cola, and said with a serious expression, “Don’t get any ideas about our Sister Lian. Otherwise, our principal and head teacher will hang themselves in front of your house overnight.”

Sister Xin: “…”

She hadn’t even said anything yet.

Bailian couldn’t stand it anymore. She reached out, grabbed Wenqi by the back of his collar, and pulled him back. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

She frowned.

Her long curled eyelashes cast a faint shadow under her eyelids.

Wenqi: “…”

His Sister Lian really didn’t go online.

Who understands?

His “hanging” was just a figure of speech.

The group of youths came noisily and left just as noisily after the evening breeze blew past.

“Sister Xin,” Yan Lu came to her senses and turned to look at Wang Xin, her voice very soft, “I think I…”

Not clean enough.

“Stop right there,” Sister Xin made a pause gesture. She looked at Yan Lu, serious and solemn, “Back when I was backstabbed, several artists left, but only you stayed. You said if the heart yearns for something, why fear a long and difficult path? Now I’m giving these words back to you.”

Who would have known that the current A-list star Manxi was also discovered by Sister Xin?

Sister Xin had thought that if Yan Lu was blacklisted, she would also quit the entertainment industry and honestly find a job to work.

“But Yan Lu,” Sister Xin looked at Yan Lu, “You have to climb over this mountain yourself and walk out of it.”

** Bailian finally found time to visit the Calligraphy Association.

A bus route had just been added here, and now many children came to learn calligraphy. There were even a few small vendors setting up stalls on the once quiet street outside.

As soon as Bailian got off the bus,

She saw an old man sitting on a carrying pole by the bluestone path. His hair was graying, and he wore a black jacket.

He was holding a few transparent white strings, controlling a wooden puppet dressed in a red robe with a red official’s hat. The puppet had two very lifelike small mustaches and held a brush in its hand. The old man manipulated the puppet to write the character “Xiang” on a piece of white paper spread on the ground.

A few children squatting nearby let out exclamations of amazement.

“Grandpa, you’re so amazing! The puppet can even write!” These children were all learning calligraphy here.

The old man’s clothes were worn, with some frayed edges, but the puppet’s clothes were bright and clean. He was biting an unlit hand-rolled tobacco, his expression animated, “Of course. You go study first, come back tomorrow to watch. Tomorrow I’ll perform the Monkey King wielding his golden cudgel for you.”

“Yay!”

The children cheered.

Bailian stood to the side watching for a while, lost in thought.

Her phone lit up with a message from Mao Kun:

[Sis, I have a fighting competition this weekend. Want to watch?]

In most cases, Bailian didn’t watch.

Because she had to study.

But lately there had been a lot of pent-up issues. She couldn’t hit kids, couldn’t hit students, and couldn’t reach Liu Xinming.

Bailian: [We’ll see]

This was the first time Bailian had said this, and Mao Kun was greatly encouraged: [Sis, I’ll send you tickets!!!!!]

Next to the Calligraphy Association, the martial arts gym was still closed.

“Sis,” Jian Zhe knew Bailian was coming and had been waiting at the entrance. “This week four more kids and three elderly gentlemen joined.”

The atmosphere at the Calligraphy Association was good, and the children learning calligraphy were very well-behaved.

Many elderly people were willing to come here to watch the children being taught. Sometimes Jian Zhe wanted to help but couldn’t find an opportunity.

“Oh right, the information you asked me to find out about Master Jin next door.” After reporting on the Calligraphy Association’s situation, Jian Zhe started talking about the martial arts gym next door.

The Xingyi Martial Arts Gym still had students over a decade ago.

Besides people coming to learn martial arts, there were also many sports students and those applying to martial arts majors who came to study.

But later, for some unknown reason, it was shut down for rectification for two months.

The old master fell ill from worry and passed away after that.

The Xingyi Martial Arts Gym fell from grace because of this, and all the students flocked to the Jingfeng Taekwondo Gym.

After finishing, Jian Zhe scratched his head, “But Master Jin is now working at a construction site. People around say Master Jin is very skilled, a sixth dan in martial arts. He could be an instructor at any martial arts gym, don’t know why he’s doing manual labor.”

“So what if he’s sixth dan? What’s wrong with manual labor?” Bailian glanced at him, commenting leisurely, “Pedantic.”

Jian Zhe was stunned for a moment, then pondered, “I guess you’re right.”

But if it were him, he probably couldn’t swallow his pride like that.

“We have a relative who didn’t study well before and went to learn the guzheng,” Jian Zhe recalled, “My great-grandfather scolded him for being effeminate as a boy, so his mother took him and moved out…”

Bailian nodded along, very much approving of his mother’s actions.

“Now, my grandfather and the others want him to enter the ancestral hall, but they can’t even get an appointment to see that relative.” Jian Zhe raised his eyebrows.

** The next day, Friday.

After school in the afternoon.

Bailian arrived at the Zhang house. Two students from Class 15 were helping Mrs. Zhang move some goods at the front door. There wasn’t much left, as Wenqi, Bailian, and the others had taken care of most of it yesterday.

Bailian went straight to the backyard.

In the backyard, Yan Lu sat on the steps, reading a book about “Da Yong”. The director hadn’t given out scripts or character descriptions. During the audition, they would draw character scenes randomly to perform.

Understanding the historical figures would help better portray the characters.

“Miss Bai,” Sister Xin stood up from the steps and looked behind Bailian, not seeing anyone else. “Just you?”

Bailian walked in and put her backpack on the step next to Yan Lu. “Yes.”

Yan Lu also put down her book and stood up.

The book happened to be open to that page, with the black title:

[The Death of Bai’s Mother]

“Then… where’s the teacher?” Sister Xin opened her mouth.

Bailian gently shifted her gaze to the long spear leaning against the corner of the wall.

The black spear shaft was about four feet long, with a silver diamond-shaped spearhead. There was a red tassel tied below the spearhead.

In the sunset, the spear shaft cast a long, lazy shadow across the courtyard.

“Teacher?” Bailian casually picked up the spear and tilted her head at Sister Xin. Her dark pupils reflected the sunset, a lazy smile on her lips. “There’s no teacher. I’ll teach her.”

As she spoke, she handed the long spear to Yan Lu. “Hold it properly.”

Yan Lu, like Sister Xin, had thought Bailian knew a teacher who could teach spear techniques.

She took the spear in a daze.

“Stand up straight,” Bailian pressed her left hand against Yan Lu’s waist and raised an eyebrow at her. “Don’t look at me, look at the spear. Left hand on the butt, right hand in front.”

Yan Lu straightened her back, somewhat flustered.

“Left foot forward, right foot back. Move your right hand to the middle of the shaft,” Bailian extended a cold white finger and slowly pushed Yan Lu’s misplaced fingers up. “The spear is a long weapon. Its advantage is its length. You must grip it in the middle to utilize its strengths.”

This was the offensive starting position.

Yan Lu was very smart. Although she lacked strength, she could learn the showy moves.

In five minutes, she could already wield it with ease.

As soon as she picked up the spear, she could reflexively assume the attacking stance.

Bailian didn’t read her book today. She stood beside Yan Lu with her arms crossed, giving instructions.

Only when Yan Lu’s movements weren’t quite right did she reach out to correct her posture.

“Not bad,” seeing that she had learned the starting position, Bailian reached out her hand. “Give me the spear. I’ll teach you a set of combination moves.”

Yan Lu handed the spear to Bailian.

She and Sister Xin retreated to the steps.

Bailian was wearing a blue and white school uniform. Her right hand held the spear, the shaft casually standing on the ground. She stood in the middle of the courtyard, slightly raising her head. The moment she took the spear, all the laziness in her ink-black eyes dissipated.

Sister Xin was about to smile and say something to Yan Lu, but now she couldn’t utter a word.

As Bailian began her stance, her left arm rotated inward, her right hand suddenly pressed down on the spear. The shaft was flexible, and the body of the spear clung to her abdomen.

Her right leg stepped forward, crossing over the front leg in a covering step. Her left foot followed, stepping forward into a bow stance. At the same time, her left hand loosened slightly—

Her right hand gripping the spear thrust forward with all her might in a level stab!

“This is the ‘Level Heart Spear Thrust’.”

With Bailian’s voice, the spear tip stopped in front of the flower pot. Following the airflow caused by the spear’s movement, the yellow chrysanthemum petals trembled slightly twice.

She suddenly raised her head.

The evening breeze blew, gently scattering a few strands of her bangs, revealing her pitch-black eyes that now seemed deeply cold.

After about ten seconds, she loosened her left hand grip, retracted the spear with her right hand, stood up straight again, and casually tossed the spear to Yan Lu: “Your turn.”

Behind her. That yellow chrysanthemum trembled and dropped four petals.

Yan Lu and Sister Xin hadn’t yet reacted.

She instinctively caught the spear.

“Is it like this?” She rotated her left arm inward, then looked at Bailian worriedly. “Can you move a bit towards Sister Xin? I’m afraid I might accidentally hit you.”

Bailian reached out to adjust her posture.

Hearing this, she looked up, her voice extraordinarily calm and indifferent: “Maybe in your next life.”

“Huh?”

“At this rate,” Bailian lazily withdrew her hand and stepped back five paces, commenting, “You might have a chance of touching me if you practice until your next life.”

Yan Lu: “…”

Afterwards, Bailian demonstrated once more for Yan Lu, letting her record it on video to practice later.

Only then did Bailian pick up her backpack and leisurely walk out.

After Bailian left, Sister Xin finally closed her jaw. She grabbed Yan Lu’s hand, “I think… you really are… lucky.”

Sister Xin even felt a bit envious of Yan Lu.

She had searched for videos of Teacher Hu. Wang Xin didn’t understand spears and had never learned martial arts, but just in terms of visual impact, when it came to wielding a spear…

That Teacher Hu seemed to be no match for Bailian at all?

This time it seemed they really had found someone.

She felt a bit dazed.

** Diagonally across from the Zhang house.

Ming Dongheng parked the car at the intersection waiting for Bailian.

Tonight Ji Shaojun was treating Xu En to dinner. Xu En had helped a lot while Shen Qing was in the hospital, so Ji Shaojun owed him this meal.

Not being that familiar with Xu En, who was also a big boss, Ji Shaojun specifically chose a high-end, clean restaurant.

Ji Heng went too.

Bailian was going to Chi Lu’s house to mooch a meal.

When she and Jiang He arrived, Jiang Fuli hadn’t arrived yet. Chen Ju originally wanted to help Chi Yundai wash vegetables, but because he put something in the wrong place, he was chased out by Chi Yundai.

Chen Ju had a long face. Miss Bai’s uncle was much easier to get along with.

“Mr. Ming,” Chen Ju looked at Ming Dongheng, remembering something important, “Are you going to the fighting arena this weekend?”

Ming Dongheng bent down to hand Jiang He his puzzle: “For Mr. Bai’s No.1 duel, I’ll definitely go watch.”

White Tank Top had charged fiercely, gaining countless fans in the fighting arena. Clearly, Ming Dongheng was one of them.

“Yu Shen will be there tomorrow too.” Chen Ju told him this news.

Ming Dongheng’s eyes were clearly surprised. He turned back, “She’s coming?”

Bailian was sitting at the table doing exercises – biology questions from Jiangjiang Affiliated University.

But she was always able to multitask. When she heard Ming Dongheng mention “long spear”, she looked up towards him.

Although these two were chatting,

They were constantly paying attention to Bailian.

Seeing her look over, Chen Ju excitedly explained before Ming Dongheng could: “Yes, the long spear. Yu Shen… oh Miss Bai you probably don’t know, it’s Yu Hongyi. She’s been learning martial arts since childhood, started learning the long spear at nine years old, and reached seventh dan at twenty! But most importantly, last year, the Dongwu Club personally invited her to join!”

Although Chen Ju didn’t practice martial arts, he had heard of the famous Dongwu Club.

Everyone in it was a top talent in the martial arts field.

Ming Dongheng and Chen Jingyu both really wanted to join Dongwu, but they hadn’t met the review requirements.

Chen Ju finished excitedly.

He found that Bailian’s reaction was ordinary. She smiled and went back to doing her homework.

“Huh?” Chen Ju scratched his head, thinking he should restrain himself next time.

Miss Bai was in Xiangcheng, she definitely hadn’t heard of the Dongwu Club. Why did you show off! Chen Ju felt like slapping himself.

He had just quietly slapped himself when he saw Ming Dongheng coldly staring at him beside him.

Chen Ju: “…?”

What did he do wrong now?

** When Jiang Fuli came back.

Chi Yundai’s dishes weren’t ready yet.

Bailian was sitting at the table in the living room, holding a black pen, leisurely doing exercises. The cold light enveloped her face, infusing her originally lazy expression with a hint of loneliness.

Jiang Fuli first glanced at Ming Dongheng.

Ming Dongheng was a bit confused.

Chen Ju was more obsequious. He lowered his voice, “Miss Bai was like this when she arrived, but she went to the Zhang house first today.”

That Zhang classmate seemed to have quite an impact on Bailian’s mood.

Jiang Fuli glanced at Chen Ju, his expression slightly relaxing.

He walked to Bailian’s side.

Ming Dongheng glared fiercely at Chen Ju again, then looked a bit sad. The Chen family was so annoying.

Chen Jingyu threatened his position beside Young Master Jiang.

Chen Yongkun threatened his position beside Miss Bai.

Knives, all knives.

Thinking this, Ming Dongheng stared at Chen Ju’s neck.

Chen Ju, who had slipped into the kitchen as soon as Jiang Fuli arrived, felt a chill on the back of his neck. He couldn’t help but reach back to touch it.

Jiang Fuli stood on Bailian’s left side, lowering his head to look at her solving a problem.

It was a genetics question.

Bailian rarely did rough work when solving problems. She clearly hadn’t finished reading this one yet. Jiang Fuli put one hand in his pocket, his light-colored eyes glancing up, “9:3:3:1.”

He calmly stated the answer.

Bailian’s hand paused.

She just dropped her pen, looked up with her hand on the chair back, and turned to Jiang Fuli, “No, when you were in school, did a lot of people want to punch you?”

Jiang Fuli raised an eyebrow, not ashamed but rather proud: “Even when I wasn’t in school, many people did.”

“How many groups from your class went to the Zhang house?” Jiang Fuli pulled out the chair beside her, casually closing her workbook and asking.

Bailian rubbed her wrist, pulling herself out of her mood. Right now she just wanted to knife Jiang Fuli, “Ten groups. Ning Xiao divided them. I have to go see Yan Lu every day.”

Hearing this, Jiang Fuli tapped his fingers on the table, but didn’t ask further. Yan Lu, he pondered thoughtfully.

Bailian also stopped doing exercises, sitting on the carpet and leisurely helping Jiang He with his puzzle. Jiang He looked up at Bailian. His sense of smell was keen, and only now did he dare to speak to her, “Sister Bailian.”

At 9 o’clock, Qingshui Street.

Ming Dongheng stopped the car, and Bailian saw Mao Kun crouching at the intersection.

As he was about to drive away, he glanced once more at the head beside Bailian, feeling a bit familiar?

** Jiangking.

Xu family.

Old Mrs. Xu frowned as she flipped through a file. After a moment, “They’re both surnamed Yu, but this brother is far inferior to his sister.”

She threw the file onto the tea table.

She was clearly unsatisfied with this person’s profile.

The housekeeper smiled beside her, but sighed inwardly. This Yu family was valued by that Chen family, holding an important position in the capital.

Many people wanted to connect with them.

The Xu family simply wasn’t good enough. If that Young Master Yu was as outstanding as his sister, would it be the Xu family’s turn?

“Madam,” the housekeeper thought for a moment before speaking, “Miss Zhiyue is at a critical time in her senior year. All the bets placed in Jiangking this year are on Liang Wuyu. We shouldn’t disturb Miss Zhiyue with such matters.”

“But…” Old Mrs. Xu really didn’t want to give up such a good resource as the Yu family.

Although that Yu Hongshu was a scoundrel, his sister was too outstanding.

Being valued by the Chen family, their Xu family could also benefit by association.

Xu Zhiyue was raised by Old Mrs. Xu herself, and her expectations for her were no less than for her own grandson.

Hearing this, the housekeeper smiled and softly said in the old lady’s ear: “Madam, although Miss Zhiyue won’t do, don’t forget, the Xu family can have another young lady.”

Without the housekeeper saying more,

Old Mrs. Xu understood his meaning.

She raised her hand, “Give me the phone.”

The housekeeper quickly handed her the mobile phone.

Old Mrs. Xu reached out and dialed Xu En’s number.

After two rings, Xu En answered. The sound of clinking glasses came from the other end of the phone, “Mother?”

Xu En was very surprised by the old lady’s call.

“Is that woman by your side too?” Old Mrs. Xu spoke.

Xu En frowned, “Mother, you…”

“Alright,” Old Mrs. Xu interrupted him. She picked up the file again, her cloudy eyes staring at the three large characters “Yu Hongshu” on the file. Her tone was somewhat condescending as she spoke calmly: “I can let that mother and son enter the family, and even let her daughter change to the Xu surname.”