Chapter 388: Shocking Beicheng High School, Ren Family Extends an Olive Branch_2
She thanked the librarian and then complained to Jiang Fulai.
In the end, she found two more of the ancient texts she wanted, went to the front desk to check them out, and the librarian was surprised to see such vastly different styles of books.
After getting the books, she took bus 12 straight back to Purest Street.
Mao Kun, with a cigarette in his mouth, was helping his boss sell holiday goods at the shop when he saw Bai Lian approaching; his eyes lit up, and he stood up from the small stool: “Sis.”
Bai Lian had returned home but hadn’t had the chance to see Mao Kun and the others yet.
Mao Kun immediately began to report the recent events to Bai Lian.
At the same time, at the intersection of Purest Street.
A car slowly stopped, Ren Qian and his group got out, Ren Wanxuan sat together with Ren Qian, her brow furrowed tightly; this was the first time Ren Qian was visiting the Ji Family for the Lunar New Year.
Ji Shaorong and Ren Jiawei got out of the car in front.
Ji Shaorong immediately spotted Bai Lian in front of the small convenience store, talking with a blond guy.
“Your niece?” Ren Jiawei saw Bai Lian following Ji Shaorong’s gaze.
As soon as Ren Jiawei spoke, Ren Qian also saw Bai Lian, “What’s she doing over there?”
“You guys go ahead, I’ll wait for her,” Ji Shaorong walked towards Bai Lian, “and meanwhile, I’ll buy some tobacco.”
Ren Jiawei earned a lot, but Ji Shaorong always lived a simple life, even the branded clothes Ren Jiawei bought him he wore just like any other clothes.
Ren Qian looked at Ren Wanxuan, and Ren Wanxuan pursed her lips: “It just rained the day before yesterday.”
She was wearing new clothes today, and the stone-paved streets of Purest Street could be so muddy that one wrong step would cause dirty water to splash; she was already annoyed being here and did not want to stay with Bai Lian even a second longer.
“Forget it,” Ren Qian glanced at the blond guy beside Bai Lian and didn’t pressure Ren Wanxuan, “Did you say someone from Beicheng was coming today?”
“My senior brother said the Jian Family will come today,” Ren Wanxuan told Ren Qian, “Master Jian was the former president of the Beicheng Writers’ Association.”
Xiangcheng is an unremarkable city among the vast Beicheng.
Hearing Ren Wanxuan say this, Ren Qian was quite surprised, “The Jian Family from the three big families of Beicheng?”
“Right,” Ren Wanxuan carefully avoided a stone slab, “My senior brother is good friends with Master Jian’s grandson.”
The three old families of Beicheng, Bai, Song, and Jian—the Jian Family is known for its scholarly heritage, while it’s said the Song Family even has connections with Jiangjing; the Bai Family is nouveau riche.
These families might be slightly inferior to the Xu Family, but are incomparable to Xiangcheng; the combined GDP provided by both the Ren Family and the Chen Family is not even one-tenth of just one of those families.
Just thinking about the name Bai, Ren Wanxuan frowned.
Why are there so many with the surname Bai?
“What are they doing in Xiangcheng?” Ren Jiawei asked in shock.
Beicheng should not be aware of Director Chen’s demotion; how could their reach extend through Jiangjing to Xiangcheng?
“Jian Rong said something about the Jian Family…” Ren Wanxuan was about to continue when she heard Bai Lian talking to Ji Shaojun from behind.
She stopped talking and said no more.
Ren Qian did not urge Ren Wanxuan to continue, as this was not information just anyone could be privy to.
In other words, the news of the Jian Family coming from Beicheng, Ren Wanxuan and Qiu Boqing were the first to know; even Chen Zhu and the others would have to exchange favours to inquire about it.
However, upon hearing Bai Lian’s voice, Ren Qian also turned back and greeted her warmly.
His gaze fell on the four books Bai Lian was carrying, the outermost one being classical literature, “Aren’t you studying science? Why are you looking at classical literature?”
Ren Qian knew that Bai Lian had previously been in a training class.
And because of this, there had been unpleasantness with Ren Wanxuan.
Bai Lian did not speak, and Ji Shaorong raised his head slightly, explaining for her, “The child wants to expand her knowledge.”
Ren Qian nodded approvingly, “But as a high school senior, you should still focus on your studies.”
**
Ren Qian had not notified Ji Heng in advance that he would visit for New Year’s greetings.
Ji Heng was also caught unprepared.
He wanted to call Ji Shaojun and Shen Qing back home to prepare a meal.
As soon as Ji Shaorong entered, he went straight to the storage room to help clean.
Ren Qian stopped Ji Heng who was about to make a call: “I’m just here to pay a New Year’s visit, and I have to get back to other things later,” he said, shifting the topic, “So President Xu is not coming back for now?”
Ren Qian looked at Ji Heng’s courtyard, no major new additions had been made.
Neither Ji Shaojun nor Ji Heng had bought a car yet.
“He’s busy,” Ji Heng said gruffly, as indeed the Xu Family had enough on their plate—due to events in Xiangcheng, Xu En gained most of the decisiveness in the Xu Family, and also because of the Chen Family, the Xu’s received many offers.
“Is that so,” Ren Qian changed the subject—he looked at Bai Lian, “Do you have time to come over to the Ren Family for a meal on the fifth day of the New Year?”
Bai Lian: “No time.”
This was not a lie either.
According to President Jian’s words, they would fly to Beicheng on the fourth day of the lunar year, and should be in Xiangcheng by the fifth.
As she said this, Ren Wanxuan did not believe her and just glanced at Bai Lian’s back.
Starting from the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Ren Family had a stream of subordinates coming to pay New Year’s greetings to Ren Qian; today’s visit to the Ji Family was just a spare moment for Ren Qian.
As for the Ji Family…
Looking at this desolate courtyard, who would come here to pay a visit?
“Indeed, no time,” Ji Heng also looked up at this moment, speaking on Bai Lian’s behalf, “We have guests visiting on the fifth, and preparations today are rushed. If you have time on the fifth, you can come over for a meal.”
Aside from a few neighbors, the visitors to the Ji Family would be Ji Shaojun’s students…
And then there was Director Chen.
With Xu En temporarily unable to return, Ren Qian would not come over for a meal either; he smiled but did not echo the offer.
**
When Bai Lian returned to her room to put away the books, her phone rang just as she put them down; it was a contact saved as “王”—
[My godmother’s phone can’t go through, and I’m not at Backter Street. Do you have time to help me see what’s going on?]
She had added this contact at Granny Wang’s place.
The two of them rarely contacted each other. Seeing this message, Bai Lian frowned and stood up. She replied with a “1,” put on her coat, and left.
Ji Heng never asked where Bai Lian was going.
But as soon as Ren Qian saw her, he greeted her warmly: “Where are you going? Do you want Wanxuan to accompany you?”