Chapter 310: 119 must be because my physics is not good enough. _2
“I remember it was over four hundred once,” Xu En recalled the first parent-teacher conference Ji Heng had with Bai Lian, “Jiangjing University… might be tough. When you go back, see if the affiliated high school accepts repeat students next year.”

Bai Lian’s current scores were indeed not enough to get into Jiangjing University. The two of them were discussing where to repeat the year next year.

When Yu Guang saw Ji Mulan coming back, Xu En shifted the topic and didn’t mention Bai Lian’s situation in front of her anymore, “How is your exam preparation going? Whose research do you plan to pursue?”

He figured that Ji Mulan must disapprove of the idea of Bai Lian trying to get into Jiangjing University.

Xu Wenyao was in his junior year and didn’t yet qualify for direct recommendation for postgraduate studies. He had only participated in two projects in the physics department and was preparing to take the postgraduate entrance exam next year, “It’s about getting in first.”

“I remember you always talking about the dean of your physics department, Academician Ma,” Xu En said. He didn’t understand physics academia, but he had heard a lot about Academician Ma from Xu Wenyao.

Beside them, Ji Mulan was silently listening to their conversation. She understood physics academia even less than Xu En, and she didn’t know much about Jiangjing University either.

But most people inherently respect scholars.

She was no different, offering a compliment, “Wenyao, you’re so smart, you’ll definitely be able to study under Academician Ma.”

“Do you even know who he is, to apply to his research group?” Xu Wenyao responded to Ji Mulan’s words by shaking his head and sighing, “Auntie, just being able to participate in one of his projects would be a glorious achievement on my resume. His team members are all postdoctoral researchers from Jiangjing.”

Xu En was hearing about this for the first time, “Is it that difficult?”

“Of course, as you also know,” Xu Wenyao said softly, “who is behind Academician Ma…”

Xu En was well aware of this.

The two were speaking in riddles, and Ji Mulan only understood half of it; she didn’t know who was behind this so-called “Academician Ma,” but she understood they were not someone they could aspire to reach, especially since even Xu Wenyao found it difficult to enter Academician Ma’s lab.

This was simply not their circle.

For Ji Mulan, the Xu Family itself was already a circle hard to access, and for someone whom even Xu Wenyao struggled to meet like Dean Ma, that was the stuff of legends.

Out of reach.

**

The next day.

After school in the afternoon.

Xiaoqi waited at the entrance of No. 1 High School with an effortless grace. His face still youthful at seventeen, he looked more like a high school student than the actual students, despite not wearing a uniform.

“Who is this…” Pu Xiaohan and others were seeing Xiaoqi for the first time.

With a polite and shy smile, Xiaoqi said, “Hello, elder brothers and sisters, just call me Xiaoqi.”

“Xiaoqi, little brother, my name is Weng Qi,” Weng Qi’s eyes lit up.

He stepped forward to put his arm around Xiaoqi’s shoulder, feeling good about being able to act as an older brother.

Xiaoqi responded with a light and breezy tone, “Brother Weng.”

The group of youngsters laughed and joked as they made their way to Zhang Ma’s flower shop, where Xiaoqi finally found the chance to talk to Bai Lian about finding partners for the Solid Element Paste.

This year’s batch of Solid Element Paste was limited due to insufficient medicinal herbs, only enough for the people of Backter Street.

Now that a new batch of herbs was becoming available and could meet the demand, the Solid Element Paste could be supplied more widely. Ordinary pharmacies now had no way to reach the contacts on Backter Street.

So the families that were now able to get in touch with Xiaoqi were famous and influential at home and abroad.

“I’m planning to hold an auction at the bar and have the boss present. I’ll invite several competitors and,” Xiaoqi said with a sense of justice, “the highest bidder will win.”

He hadn’t even attended personally, leaving it to Mao Kun to sit in for him.

Mao Kun didn’t even have to say much—just maintaining silence and mystery, and quoting a number at the end was enough.

That was the image Xiaoqi had crafted for Mao Kun.

“Chen Family?” Bai Lian heard the surname and had always known that many people approached Xiaoqi for partnerships.

Bai Lian didn’t understand these matters, leaving them all to Xiaoqi.

However, she did pay attention to the surname “Chen” since Director Chen made it to his side in the first step because of his surname.

“Right, a friend of yours?” Xiaoqi asked Bai Lian.

Bai Lian smiled, “It’s nothing, follow your own pace, I don’t really understand these things.”

Although she said so, Xiaoqi took note of the surname “Chen.”

**

When Bai Lian and Pu Xiaohan arrived at Xingyi Martial Arts School, Ming Dongheng was helping Jin Kai with roof tiles.

Jiang He squatted in a corner, twisting a Rubik’s cube while occasionally watching them.

A large practice area had been cleared up at the entrance of the main door. The weeds and stones under the wooden stakes on the right had been tidied, the open space on the left had been swept clean, and more than half of the weapons had already been placed on the two rows of weapon racks.

Pu Xiaohan tapped Jin Kai who was laying tiles and then filmed the practice area and the armory.

Once the martial arts school’s renovation was complete, she would have content for her next video.