Chapter 5: 004 Purest Street Tyrant: How It's Made_1
——What? She used to be in the international class?? (confused face)
——How did she get in there?
——Listen to me, Class 2 is the real victim here, being dragged down by an aircraft carrier.
——Class 2 class representative: It's so annoying. Our humanities class grades were dragged down by her, and this time it's even better, she scored zero, she cheated alone and our whole class has to face the ridicule.
——Bai Shaoqi replied to Class 2 class representative: Sister has already gone to Xiangcheng.
This is the entire content of the screenshot.
The original owner didn't add Bai Shaoqi on WeChat, nor did they add Song Min.
The friend then messaged Bai Lian: [I'm so pissed, she just deliberately replied to that message from the Class 2 representative, and everyone is spreading it like crazy. What's really going on? Are you actually in Xiangcheng?]
Bai Lian: [As you can see, I'm in Xiangcheng.]
The friend: [Are you a fucking idiot for going to that back-of-beyond place?]
The friend: [???]
Bai Lian: [[Smile]]
The friend: [You send me a smile?]
Miss Bai isn't too familiar with modern people's smiles.
She typed a question mark and went back to the search engine, looking up topics of interest.
Ji Heng doesn't live in a complex; he lives on Purest Street.
In an undeveloped slum of Xiangcheng, there is a large area of bungalows, dark and damp, with a street outside, a no-man's-land, full of bars and black markets at the end of the street, very chaotic.
The river that faces Purest Street from afar marks the boundary between two countries.
This area is particularly chaotic; most of the time, even the police don't dare to interfere.
Today, however, a few patrolling officers can be seen, with small bulges at their waists indicating they are armed.
Ji Shaojun glanced over and was surprised, "Is someone patrolling today?"
"It has been like this for some time now," Ji Heng replied, holding his tobacco pipe as he walked toward an alley.
Ji Shaojun nodded; having patrolling officers around was better, at least it ensured some safety in the area.
After all, Bai Lian's face was quite dangerous in this part of town.
The alleyways here are narrow and dimly lit, with cobblestone paths, and heaps of uncollected trash lying around bends. Stepping on the stones sometimes squeezed out black water, a stark contrast to the brightly-lit Beicheng.
Bai Lian remained quiet throughout, not commenting on the conditions here.
After winding through several alleys, they finally arrived at Ji Heng's residence, with low houses all around. Ji Heng took out his keys to open the gate to a small courtyard.
The courtyard wasn't big; in the middle was a Chinese parasol tree, with a stone table beneath it and a well.
Ji Heng, with his pipe in hand, pointed to the room on the right, "That's where your mother used to live. You'll sleep there. The conditions are what they are; if you're not comfortable, you can head back to the Bai Family."
Having said that, Ji Heng turned and entered his own room.
Ji Shaojun gave Bai Lian a comforting smile, relieved to see she hadn't objected, and then brought her suitcase inside.
The room was old but everything inside had been well-preserved and was clean.
Bai Lian opened her suitcase and took out a pile of books, placing them on the desk near the window.
"Alian, you..." Ji Shaojun thought her suitcase would contain her clothes or women's cosmetics, but it was filled with books. He paused for a while before saying softly, "Don't worry about school. We'll figure something out."
He went out to look for Ji Heng.
Bai Lian sat with her legs crossed at the table, flipping through books, and pulled out a math book that interested her the most.
From math to geography and politics, then to English, which was the language she least wanted to look at. She briefly skimmed it before turning to the last subject—
History.
The original owner studied liberal arts and took history.
After about five minutes, she pulled out one of the history books. A test paper that was tucked inside fell to the floor. Bending down, she picked it up, but her eyes caught on a question from the paper—
[20. Briefly describe Liang Zewen's corvée system and its impact on the long-term stability of the Great Yong Dynasty. Why did his death push the coup of Emperor Jiang Wu to its peak?]
"Snap—"
Bai Lian suddenly tucked the test paper back into the history book.
Her breathing became rapid, her fingertips deforming the book with their grip, the rounded edges of her nails turning white as her long eyelashes lowered, covering her trembling eyes.
**
"Do you want me to accompany you?" Ji Shaojun, seeing Bai Lian about to leave from a distance, came out from inside and then explained, "It's quite confusing around here."
Shen Qing and the others can't remember the way.
Bai Lian stretched her hand to pull on the hood of her sweatshirt and shook her head.
"Alright," Ji Shaojun noticed she seemed somewhat silent and guessed she might be upset because of the Bai Family. He softened his voice, "Don't go far, call me if you can't find the way, and be careful."
"Okay."
Bai Lian walked back the way she came, her memory was excellent; despite the complex routes, she wouldn't forget once she'd walked them.
In the past, she had drawn many of the maps used by the military.
"Two yuan." The middle-aged man at the small street-side shop handed her a bottle of mineral water and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the towel around his neck. "Young lady, you're not from around here, are you?"
Her appearance was striking, and she had a distinctive aura. Her outstanding figure clearly set her apart from ordinary people, and the shop owner could tell she wasn't a local.
Purest Street was part of the old city district, a three-meter-wide bluestone path. At the end of the street were gambling dens, black markets, and bars, a jumbled mess of the good and bad.
A kilometer further on, it got even more complicated—the border between two countries.
A lawless zone where it wasn't rare for someone to disappear.
Bai Lian nodded, she used her Huawei smartphone to scan and pay, her gaze falling on the massive branches of the banyan tree next to the shop.
The banyan tree was in the temple ahead, and its stout branches enveloped the neighboring low-rise houses beneath its canopy.
A three-meter-long street was lazily crossed by one of the tree's branches.
Several strips of red silk hung from it.
"The Tree God is over thirteen hundred years old," the shopkeeper continued moving the mountain of boxes piled up outside his shop and explained when he saw Bai Lian looking at the banyan tree, "It's our guardian deity. If you want to take a look, just walk two steps forward, and you'll see the main entrance to our Tree God Temple."
Bai Lian's long hair fell gracefully to one side as she leaned against the wall to look at the tree trunk, a hint of laziness in her eyes: "Over a thousand years, huh."
She felt several gazes upon her.
The shopkeeper put down a box and turned around, involuntarily tightening his grip on the towel around his neck.
A few people appeared on the street. It wasn't too hot, but the leader wore a white tank top.
The man in the white tank top approached, initially not concerned.
But after glancing at Bai Lian's exquisite face that many would find tempting to conquer, he casually took a box of cigarettes from the shopkeeper's store and asked as he pulled one out and bit it, "Who is she?"
The shopkeeper was stunned for a moment, then nervously said, "She's my niece."
"You don't have a damn niece!" the man in the white tank top scoffed, kicking him aside and getting closer to Bai Lian.
The shopkeeper was kicked away, "There are patrols these days, you, you…"
Several underlings gathered around him; they were obviously quite adept at dealing with such situations, not taking Bai Lian seriously and standing aside, relaxed, enjoying the drama unfold.
Bai Lian glanced at the man in the white tank top. "You're looking for me?"
The man felt a jolt in his chest as he took a big step forward.
He sized up Bai Lian from head to toe, his gaze as slimy as a venomous snake, lighting his cigarette, "Do you know that you have to pay a protection fee to walk on Purest Street?"
"Protection fee?" Bai Lian nonchalantly flicked a leaf off her shoulder.
She turned her head and smiled sweetly, her eyes twinkling like stars.
Sweet and adorable, yet stirring a strong desire to conquer.
"Yeah." The man in the white tank top, unable to hold back, reached out to touch Bai Lian's face.
At that moment, Bai Lian twisted the empty bottle and threw it into the trash can.
As she turned, she grabbed the man's arm reaching toward her, exerting great force to fold it, then grabbed his hair from behind. The man in the white tank top let out an agonized scream just as he tried to resist, but his head was suddenly slammed against the wall behind him!
With a "thud", his head was smashed hard against the wall!
Blood immediately seeped from his forehead.
The man in the white tank top contorted his face in pain, and to his horror, found himself unable to move. He could only widen his eyes in shock as he looked at her, "You…"
Bai Lian held his hair in her hand, lazily smiling as she used massive force to slam his head against the wall again!
"Bang—"
Another sound, more blood flowed out, and the man's vision began to blur as he lost the ability to resist.
He was like a rabbit, helpless in her grasp.
Nobody doubted his fighting skills; he was the toughest in the area which was why he was the boss. The three underlings shrunk back to the side.
Bai Lian withdrew her gaze.
Her attention returned to the man in the white tank top.
She was actually a bit curious about the taste of tobacco that so many in this world seemed to enjoy.
In the frightened gaze of the man in the white tank top, Bai Lian took his cigarette pack, methodically pulling one out.
With her rosy lips gently biting the tip, her eyelashes casually drooped as a nearby underling immediately stepped forward to light it for her.
Her hair slightly disheveled, she exhaled a thin stream of smoke from her mouth, casually holding the cigarette between her clean, slender, and pearly white fingers. With her other hand, she lazily held the man's hair as his blood dripped down his face, drop by drop, to the ground. She lazily flicked the ash, "So—"
"Now, do you still want that protection fee?"
Chapter 6: 005 From Arts to Science, witnessing the deification_1
Bai Lian lazily tilted her head, her left hand grasping her hair faintly revealed a streak of crimson, the smoky haze softly blurring her exquisite and radiant features.
It was a kind of breathtaking beauty.
Yet reflected in the eyes of the man in the white tank top was Bai Lian's quasi-smiling face, and he could no longer harbor any other desires.
He couldn't speak, only shook his head frantically in terror.
"Is that so?"
Bai Lian let go of his hair.
The smell of smoke was not to her liking.
She lazily tossed the cigarette on the ground and stamped it out, "Know how to clean up a scene?"
Her polite demeanor genuinely frightened others.
They nodded obediently.
Bai Lian dusted off her sleeves, glancing at them before leaving, and said lightly, "What are you scared of, it's not like I chopped off your heads."
Her attitude was very laid-back.
Of course, only if she hadn't spoken with the same tone one would use when chopping up cabbages.
Only after she left did the man in the white tank top slump against the corner of the wall, fearfully moving his numb fingertips.
It took his younger brother a long time before he dared to quietly move over, squatting at his feet, and lighting a cigarette to quell the shock, "Why did you provoke her?"
The man in the white tank top: "..."
Fifteen minutes later.
When two patrollers came back around, they stared dumbfounded at the entrance of the small store on Purest Street. The rather troublesome gang leader with some backing was nursing an injury, diligently helping the shopkeeper—
Sweep the floor, move objects around.
The other lackeys were also busily engaged in work.
"What are you looking at?" The man in the white tank top, clutching a cigarette, glanced at the two officers and grumbled irritably, "Damned cops!"
After cursing, he continued moving boxes.
The shopkeeper standing nearby, trembling with fear, was just about to lend a hand.
The man in the white tank top returned the money he owed the shopkeeper for cigarettes, looking fierce and menacing, "Did I ask you to clean up?"
He continued unloading the goods, unable to understand even after a puff on another cigarette.
What, is she crazy??
How can she smile so sweetly and fight so savagely?!
The man in the white tank top thought expressionlessly, she even wanted to chop off his head!
Not far away.
"Hello? Captain." The young officer watched the small shop warily, took out his walkie-talkie with a grave expression, "Yes, request a thorough check on the owner of the small store at 112 Purest Street, no, I'm not joking!!!"
**
It wasn't yet dark when Bai Lian got back, Ji Shaojun was just stepping out to look for her.
He noticed that after a short outing, Bai Lian seemed to be in a better mood again.
Ji Shaojun felt a bit more at ease, knowing life in Xiangcheng Beicheng varied greatly, he truly feared Bai Lian might struggle to adjust.
Bai Lian sat at the stone table, her hand lazily propping up her chin, watching Ji Shaojun make several trips to fill the home's water tanks, then suddenly spoke up, "Uncle."
Ji Shaojun set the water bucket next to the well, startled by Bai Lian's voice, he paused.
Bai Lian had only visited Xiangcheng twice with Ji Mulan before, and this was the first time she had called him uncle.
"Yes," his voice suddenly rose, "what is it?"
Bai Lian blinked her large eyes, looking very docile, "I want to switch to science."
She didn't say I think.
She said I want.
"Ah," Ji Shaojun picked up the rope for drawing water, his thoughts turning over, "Can you tell your uncle why?"
He knew Bai Lian was studying liberal arts. The gap between the liberal arts and science courses was vast. Science was especially brutal with logical reasoning and clearly defined difficulties, where not knowing one thing meant not knowing it entirely.
Bai Lian smiled.
Ji Shaojun and Ji Heng did not talk much, but in their treatment of Bai Lian, there was a distinct sense of caution and probing. This gave her a sense of acceptance and recognition in a strange world.
She didn't dislike it; she even felt a bit of belonging.
Of course, she didn't understand why the original host abandoned such good family members and died in the lake for a few unrelated people.
"No particular reason," Bai Lian titled her head and asked again, "Can't I, uncle?"
Ji Shaojun: "Good, you can... Leave it to me!"
Watching Ji Shaojun's retreating back as he went to find Ji Heng, Bai Lian withdrew her docile gaze and smiled lazily with her chin propped up.
Being alive, seemed not too bad after all.
**
"That's your reason for agreeing?" Ji Heng held a bolt of fabric, looking at Ji Shaojun, his deeply lined face showing a look of incomprehension.
There weren't many people in the courtyard, besides the kitchen to the left, there was also a small storeroom, filled with brightly colored fabric despite being somewhat aged.
Ji Shaojun would help Ji Heng clean whenever he had time.
He let out a sheepish laugh, adjusted a dust cover, and muttered quietly, "But she called me uncle."
"Nonsense," Ji Heng's face tightened with sternness, his authority undiminished, "She's in her third year of high school and knows no better, do you not? Switching from liberal arts to science at this stage, is that a joke?"
Switching subjects in the senior year of high school was quite an absurdity indeed.
His son was highly intelligent, so why be so muddled on this matter?
Ji Shaojun was also puzzled by Bai Lian's sudden change of heart. She had been out, came back in a good mood, and then suddenly wanted to switch subjects.
He silently continued with the task at hand, then suddenly recalling something, he hesitantly spoke up, "The two illegitimate sons from the Bai family, aren't they all studying science?"
Bai Shaoke became the top scholar in the city last year and was admitted to Jiangjing University. The Bai family had made quite a stir online, even here in Xiangcheng the news spread, and people said the illegitimate daughter was exceptionally good in the sciences.
As Ji Heng caressed a piece of fine satin, he heard this but didn't immediately respond.
His hands were already lined with deep, rugged wrinkles. After a long while, he said, "Her temperament..."
"Dad," Ji Shaojun had some regrets about bringing it up, "I think Alian has become more sensible this time, she's thoughtful, a late bloomer. You should give her a chance, let her retake the exam next year, she might still achieve an ideal score."
Of course, he was just casually mentioning it.
He knew what his niece was like; if she could quietly finish her senior year, that would be quite an achievement. Their family didn't expect her to come back with any top scholar honours for them. If she was happy, then they would let her be.
Whether she studied literature or science didn't matter.
Ji Heng turned around and cautiously pulled out a small oil paper package from the cabinet behind him. He then opened the package and drew out a slender needle.
He didn't argue any further.
Ji Shaojun could tell he had agreed when he saw this. As he put away the fabric, he looked at Ji Heng with the needle in hand, "Shall I help you bring out the embroidery frame?"
Ji Heng did not immediately answer.
After a good while, he gave a nearly imperceptible nod, "Go ahead."
Ji Shaojun's eyes lit up, "OK! I'll go right now."
It was already dark; Ji Shaojun called Shen Qing to say he'd be home late and stayed to help Ji Heng tidy up the warehouse. They took out things like the embroidery frame, cleaned them, and then set them out to dry in the courtyard.
He hummed a tune as he wiped down the dark-colored embroidery frame.
The light in Bai Lian's room was also on; he could see her reflection in the window, reading at her desk.
Bai Lian was different, Ji Shaojun felt it. Even today, when she stepped into the dark water on the cobblestones, she didn't frown at all.
She was different from her mother.
Suddenly, Ji Shaojun felt that Bai Lian being sent back by the Bai family might not be such a bad thing after all.
**
Ji Shaojun was helping Bai Lian contact schools and teachers.
Additionally, there was the matter of her household registration, which needed to be transferred to the Ji Family.
These past days, Bai Lian had been in the library; the astonishments of this era were not just limited to mobile phones and computers, but included the library too.
She had never seen a library with such an extensive collection that was also open to the public.
This really was a wonderful era.
There was just one problem—
Bai Lian looked down at the physics book beside her, then at the physics problems. After writing a couple questions, she put down her pen and murmured softly, "Now... am I finally going to start tarnishing my teacher's reputation?"
She wouldn't dare to claim a deep mastery over the refined arts and sciences expected of a scholar as in the past, but at least she had become proficient.
As for the knowledge in the modern era of rapid technological advancement, the original owner of the body had a mind completely empty of information. She had been reading books in the library for a few days now, and could understand most of it.
She felt the books she was reading were not necessarily difficult, but...
The problem was this—
The knowledge and examples she studied: [1+1=]
The questions she was doing: [Prove e(iπ) + 1 = 0]
Bai Lian idly pondered—
Would the teachers forgive her for disgracing them in the modern world if she burnt a few more incense sticks for them when she returned?
The library had a vast collection of books, but there were shortcomings.
For instance, the depth of knowledge and the volume of problem sets were lacking.
She hadn't come across them.
Hearing her sigh, the child next to her with a paintbrush turned his head, looking at her with big, clear, sparkling eyes.
"Choose C."
He suddenly spoke.
Bai Lian paused, she flipped to the answer key; C was correct.
So she turned to him, "Mental calculation?"
On her first day at the library, she had seen this kid, a little friend who had followed her from the train station to the city gates since her arrival in Xiangcheng, quite a fate.
In the days following, both of them would appear right on time at eight o'clock when the library opened. They studied and read together, not much for talking.
The little brat shook his head.
After a pause, he explained, "My brother created a rapid recollection model for these kinds of questions, using a special algorithm."
Whose ordinary kid memorizes rapid recollection models?
Yet Bai Lian accepted this readily, "Really? Do you want some milk tea?"
"No..."
Bai Lian didn't give him a chance to object. She leaned on the desk with a smile light as spring rain, "Oh by the way, I've always considered you a good friend—"
She hesitated for a moment, "What's your name?"
Jiang He: "..."
"Jiang He, as in the crane that leaves for the lone mountain and has yet to return."
"Ah, Jiang He, I've always considered you a good friend." Bai Lian crumpled the piece of paper in her hand and threw it casually behind her, tapping his head, "Come on, let's go outside."
The two left their seats.
The paper ball smoothly landed in a red hollowed-out wastebasket in the corner.
A ring came from the mobile phone in her pocket; an unlisted number. Bai Lian casually answered, "Hello?"
The person on the other end hadn't expected her voice to be so calm; there was a pause before the dispassionate voice said, "It's me."
"Who?" Bai Lian wasn't very patient.
"Bai Lian, I have more in common with Bai Shaoqi. Even without her, our relationship wouldn't change," on the other end of the phone, Song Min didn't believe that Bai Lian didn't have his number, he just thought she was pretending. Pressing the center of his forehead, his voice was cold and exasperated, "You think it's very childish to take the master's token to Xiangcheng because of this?"
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
NO.20 Power
Ranking 
1,228 Power
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