Translator: 549690339
He silently climbed next to Bai Lian, ignoring Jiang Fulai and Ming Dongheng.
As Bai Lian was quietly reading an English text, a message appeared at the top of her phone, sent by Mao Kun—
[[Picture]]
Mao Kun: [Sis, Xiaoqi and the others have finished the logo design, take a look.]
Bai Lian opened it and glanced at it, the logo was very thoughtful, overall shaped like a gourd lying on its side, with a silver needle stuck upside down at its waist, and the head of the needle was two small leaves.
The overall tone was a soft shade of green.
Fresh, saving the world by dispensing medicine, a silver needle.
A very atmospheric logo.
Bai Lian rarely praised: [Very good]
Mao Kun was excited: [Right? You know, Xun Chun has studied painting before!]
Mao Kun: [And Xiaoqi, he hasn’t studied it, but he’s very good too!]
With that, Mao Kun became somewhat melancholic.
Everyone was talented, except he couldn’t seem to make out anything special.
After dinner, Ming Dongheng drove to Purest Street.
Bai Lian didn’t message Ji Heng, and since Ji Heng didn’t pick her up today, Jiang Fulai got out of the car and walked into the alley with her.
“I can go by myself,” Bai Lian looked at the dark alley.
Jiang Fulai, with one hand in his coat pocket, merely glanced at her upon hearing this, saying nothing as the shadow cast by the streetlight behind him partially covered his face.
Bai Lian truly wasn’t afraid of this stretch of road.
She had traversed even darker paths before.
But Ji Heng would always be here waiting for her, and now with Ji Heng absent, it was another person who accompanied her through this long and dark road that seemed to have no end.
It was as if since coming into this world, she had never been alone.
“Have you ever been to the snow mountain?” Jiang Fulai tilted his head slightly, his voice clear yet not cold.
But not exactly unapproachable either.
Bai Lian shook her head.
Jiang Fulai, usually brisk in his pace, walked with a swift wind even in the lab, but now he walked at a leisurely rate.
Under the moonlight’s cloak, his sharp contours seemed to soften, “Over six thousand meters. When I used to feel down, I’d stay up there for a long time, Sunlit Golden Mountain, clouds billowing and mist rising, purifying everything. If there’s a chance, I’ll take you to see it.”
Ji Heng’s house was just up ahead.
Bai Lian stopped, her white dress immaculate in the moonlight, her smile lazy: “Okay.”
She waved at him.
As a sign that she had arrived.
Jiang Fulai stood still, his figure upright; he didn’t speak, but he visibly seemed in a good mood.
Only when Bai Lian extracted her keys and opened the gate,
did he turn and vanish into the night.
The yard was dark, not a single light on, shrouded in a thin mist.
Ji Heng sat by the stone table, quietly smoking, his attention snapping back when he heard the gate.
Bai Lian was latching the door as she looked back, “Grandpa, why didn’t you turn on the lights?”
Having secured the door, she casually reached for the yard light.
The pitch-black yard instantly lit up.
Ji Heng, still holding the smoking pipe, looked at Bai Lian in surprise, his mouth opening but no words emerging.
“What’s up?” Bai Lian put the book down.
Her eyebrows slightly raised.
“Your uncle told me,” Ji Heng looked down and took another drag of smoke, his voice muffled, “Your mom’s back and she wants to take you to Jiangjing.”
He thought she wouldn’t come back today.
“Oh,” Bai Lian lazily returned to her room, “I had a falling out with her.”
Ji Heng was taken aback.
Then he stood up again, “Why?”
“Because I’m not going to Jiangjing.” Bai Lian’s voice lazily floated out the window.
While Ji Heng was reluctant to see Bai Lian leave, he knew that children eventually need to spread their wings and fly out of the nest, and he would come to terms with it in a couple of days; even he knew Jiangjing offered much better opportunities than here.
“Actually, Jiangjing…” He took two steps forward, pipe in hand, about to explain to Bai Lian.
Then Bai Lian methodically picked up her biology book, “Grandpa, since you’re not sleepy yet, let’s discuss the DNA replication process, ACGT is…”
Ji Heng abruptly halted.
And took two steps back, his demeanor calm, “Never mind, Jiangjing isn’t that great.”
He dejectedly went back to his room with the smoking pipe.
Behind him, Bai Lian leaned lazily against the window, arms crossed, an eyebrow raised.
Sunday.
There was a parent-teacher meeting.
The meeting was at nine, but Bai Lian had gone to the library to read first, and only around 9:30 did Ji Heng arrive at the bus stop.
Waiting to go to school with Bai Lian.
“And this gentleman is…” Chen was looking for Ming Dongheng and saw Bai Lian waiting at the bus stop, so he joined her there.
Upon seeing Ji Heng.
Chen was taken aback.
Bai Lian stood up straight and casually introduced the two, “My grandpa, last name Ji.”