“Don’t touch me.”
The boy student didn’t look at her, only using a tissue to carefully wipe his hand that she had touched, casually tossing it into the trash bin, his voice indifferent.
Leaning against a tree, Bai Lan kept replaying this scene in her head.
Ink wet hair clung to her pale neck as she pulled on a black windbreaker, lazily yawning. Then, she signaled to the elderly man beside her.
The elderly man, supporting his glasses on the bridge of his nose, watched as she finally remembered a number, then took out his phone and dialed it out. The call was quickly answered, “Hello, is this classmate Song Min?”
“It’s me.”
The elderly man was very polite, “Well, Bai Lan accidentally fell into the water at Ming Tai Mountain Villa by the lakeside. Could you come and pick her up?”
There was silence on the other end for a moment before the person recalled who that name belonged to, then said in a restrained and annoyed tone, “Don’t call me again.”
The call was disconnected.
The elderly man was stunned, “He…”
Bai Lan was still sitting on a rock, “He? My fiancé.”
Falling into the water, she should appear downcast, but instead her hands were crossed over her chest, leaning against a tree. In the depths of her dark eyes, there was a hint of confusion, like a white tiger taking a quick nap in haste, lazily getting up again and not knowing where she was.
“What about your other family members?”
She pondered for a moment and replied, “Holding a banquet for the mistress’ daughter to celebrate her birthday.'”
The elderly man looked at the seemingly lovely girl student, unsure of how to comfort her for a moment.
“It’s okay,” Bai Lan tilted her head, giving a light smile. “Thank you for saving me. I’ll just sit down here for a while longer.”
He had other matters to attend to, and rescuing the drowning Bai Lan was just a coincidence. He had initially thought the girl had a strong determination to die, but to his surprise, after her heart had stopped for two minutes, she woke up. Judging by her current demeanor, there seemed to be no intention of attempting suicide again.
“Don’t sit for too long; you might catch a cold.” He left his phone number for Bai Lan, glanced at her black windbreaker, and hurriedly went to catch his flight.
Bai Lan folded the paper, watching him disappear into the distance.
She stood in the same spot for a while, then adjusted her uniquely styled clothes, sat back on the rock, rested her elbows on her knees, and propped her chin in the palms of her hands.
This body was also called Bai Lan.
She looked at her reflection in the lake–identical in appearance.
Her mother divorced her father two years ago upon discovering not only his extramarital affair but also the existence of two illegitimate children. Her mother left without claiming custody of her, choosing a carefree departure.
The original owner of this body was not academically inclined, and this time, she was caught cheating during the preliminary exams.
While being criticized by the teacher in the office, Bai Lan noticed Song Min, who had come to submit his assignment. The original owner instinctively grabbed the hand of her fiancé, but he coldly and disdainfully pulled away, uttering the words, “Don’t touch me.”
Recalling this, Bai Lan propped her chin with her hand, and her well-defined fingers lightly touched her cheek. Tsk——
What was the original owner doing with her pretty face?
She tightened the coat with the scent of silver grass.
It’s not too strong, with a bit of a chill.
Bai Lan looked at the solar street lights lighting up in the distance, stars shone brightly in her eyes. She sat on the rock, quietly observing this astonishing world.
After what seemed like a while, a glaring car light approached.
She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the light.
“Miss.” The driver stepped out from the driver’s seat and opened the back door of the commercial vehicle.
As the door swung open, a graceful young lady sitting on the outer side came into view, wearing an exquisite dress.
After standing up, Bai Lan noticed that the back seat not only had Bai Shaoqi but also an elegant young man sitting side by side with her, bowing his head and looking at his phone.
Oh, Song Min.
“Elder Sister,” Bai Shaoqi glanced faintly at Bai Lan, offering her the seat in front, and took the last row of the three seats for herself. “You can sit up front.”
The young man who was originally looking at his phone furrowed his brows.
Seeing Bai Shaoqi sit at the back, the young man silently pocketed his phone and squeezed into the rear seats.
The driver gave Bai Lan an awkward glance, as every time he witnessed this scene, the young miss would go crazy as if possessed, “Miss, Young Master Song…”
Bai Lian flicked her hair floating in front of her forehead and organized her memory, didn’t sit at the back, and gestured for the driver to open the front passenger seat.
The car headed towards the Bai family residence.
“Brother Min,” in the midst of silence, Bai Shaoqi suddenly spoke from the back seat, “Did you log into my account?”
“Hm, that problem, did you use the Fourier transform? It doesn’t work, I’ve tried.”
“Looking down on people. What if I solve it?” She reached for Song Min’s phone.
Song Min quickly protected his phone. He would wipe clean any place the original owner had touched, yet he showed no aversion to Bai Shaoqi. “Then I’ll take care of your duty for you.”
Bai Shaoqi, “Ah, duty again?”
“You don’t like it?”
“……”
Both of them were in the international class of No.1 Middle School, this year’s focus for talented individuals. They often participated in various competition courses together, and Bai Shaoqi was no less capable than any of the boys in the science field.
(t/n: The abbreviation “No. 1 Middle School” refers to the first middle school in various places. XX No. 1 Middle School is referred to as XX Middle School. For example: Changli County No. 1 Middle School is referred to as Changli No. 1 Middle School.)
The two of them spoke as if there was no one else, and no one else could get in.
The driver glanced at the quiet and well-behaved Bai Lan sitting in the front passenger seat, feeling a bit awkward. He explained to her, “Second Miss and Young Master Song were discussing the software for the Jiangjing Preparatory Camp. There are ten spots available this year, and they…”
Mid-sentence, the driver remembered that Bai Lan had cheated to secure one of those spots and promptly fell silent.
****
The Bai family mansion.
Bai Qiming sat on the sofa in the living room, waiting for Bai Shaoqi and Song Min to return.
“Song Min and I came back to get elder brother’s notebook,” Bai Shaoqi said with a smile to Bai Qiming.
Ignoring their greetings, Bai Lan sat directly on the sofa, casually tapping the coffee table with her fingertips, signaling the butler to pour her tea.
As the butler handed her the tea, she casually blew on it.
“You’re studying intensively and also need to practice the Guzheng; don’t overwork yourself,” Bai Qiming handed an apprenticeship letter to Bai Shaoqi, speaking gently. “Practice ‘Bai Yixing’ well these next two days. Dean Jian really likes it.”
(t/n Guzheng is a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument. It is made of wood, flat and rectangular, with strings on the top.)
(t/n: “Apprenticeship Letter.” It is a formal document or invitation used when someone wishes to formally study or apprentice under a teacher or mentor.)
Song Min looked visibly surprised, “You know ‘Bai Yixing’?”
Bai Shaoqi modestly replied, “Just learned some basics.”
Bai Lan half-leaning on the sofa, tucked her semi-dry black hair behind her ear, and stared at the apprenticeship letter for a while. Then, lazily tapping the cup rim, she interrupted their conversation, “That apprenticeship letter was my birthday gift from two years ago.”
Bai Shaoqi paused, and she squinted at Bai Qiming’s apprenticeship letter.
Then, with a smirk, she said, “Elder Sister, you’ve learned the Guzheng too?”
Upon hearing this, Song Min, who was standing nearby, raised his head.
No one in the northern city who didn’t know, that Bai Lan was not well-versed in anything.
Bai Qiming, with a soothing look at Bai Shaoqi, when turning his gaze towards Bai Lan, his tone became cold, “Dean Jian is a professor at Jiangjing University. She has strict criteria for teaching. If you’re not musically inclined, having it won’t be of any use. Shaoqi is more suitable than you.”
“Hm,” Bai Lan held the tea cup, looking very innocuous. “Not musically inclined?”
She chuckled.
Quite amusing.
She’d now occupied this body at present.
“Did I say something wrong?” Bai Qiming’s gaze was heavy, thinking she was trying to defend herself. “You drove away three teachers and even slept in Teacher Li’s music room. After a year of learning, tell me, do you even know how many strings a Guzheng has?”
So that’s how it is.
Bai Shaoqi withdrew her gaze. “Dad, if Elder Sister wants to learn, just let her. I’ll go upstairs first.”
With lowered eyes and a mocking expression on her face, she smoothed her sleeve, thoroughly disgusted by Bai Lan’s behavior. Yet, it was just really—
Parroting.
In a somewhat sour mood, she went upstairs, and Song Min followed as he saw her leave.
He walked past Bai Lan indifferently, not giving her a glance.
Since childhood, Song Min knew that Bai Lan was his fiancée. Others often complimented her looks, but for him, Bai Lan was merely a label, a “fiancée.”
She had no presence in his eyes, leaving no impression on him over the past decade and a half.
The Bai Lan praised by others for her “very good looks” didn’t spark even the slightest interest in him.
****
After the two left, Bai Qiming’s face darkened. He handed the apprenticeship letter to the butler.
He looked at Bai Lan without any waves in his eyes and said, “Why did you cheat?”
Bai Lan countered, “I didn’t.”
It was Miss Bai who cheated.
What does she have to do with Miss Bai Lan?
Bai Qiming almost sneered. “So, are you going to tell me that you got into the top ten in the school based on your own merits?”
“Why, is it impossible?”
Bai Qiming felt she was beyond redemption, refusing to admit her actions. “Come with me to the ancestral hall.”
In the ancestral hall with many memorial tablets, Bai Qiming took three incense sticks, performed a solemn ritual, and then said to Bai Lan, “Bai Lan, you’re eighteen, not eight. When your elder brother was your age, he had already won several awards and handled several cases.”
He wasn’t being sarcastic, just stating the facts.
Back when Bai Lan was in her first year of high school, Bai Qiming had put in a lot of effort to arrange for her to be in the same class as Song Min to foster their relationship. However, Bai Lan didn’t keep up with the curriculum of the international class and dropped to the regular class after the first exam.
On the other hand, Bai Shaoqi made progress, and through her own abilities, she earned a place in the international class and participated in various extra-credit competitions.
Bai Lan looked at the memorial tablets behind him, and every word seemed to hit her minefield.
“Don’t talk nonsense. Does the son from an extramarital affair also count as my elder brother? Do you not have your own family tree yet you still want to rub it against me?” She hadn’t changed her clothes yet, and her black hair clung to her slender, fair neck.
Gathering her windbreaker, she leaned against the door frame and smiled lightly at Bai Qiming.
The Bai family’s butler watched with a startled heart. He looked at Bai Lan’s highly distinctive and recognizable face, yet her smile truly resembled that of a high-intelligence, eccentric criminal.
With a tinge of a bloody smell.
“You…” Bai Qiming had never been so openly defied, especially by Bai Lan, the daughter whom he despised the most. His face turned red with anger. “You ungrateful child, you’re simply ignorant!”
He then inserted the incense sticks.
“Not to mention Shaoqi, even if you had one-tenth of Shaoqi’s qualities! But in the two hundred years of the Bai family history, there has never been someone like you,” he scrutinized Bai Lan from head to toe, defining each word, “Cheating in exams, devoid of any skills!”
“Reflect on your actions in front of our ancestors. Come out when you’ve realized your mistake. Otherwise…” He looked down at Bai Lan from his elevated position, as if assessing an inconsequential commodity. “Go back to Xiangcheng, and never set foot in my Bai family’s door again!”
