Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: 148 Ma Institute Fellow's favorable view, hit her strong suit now_3

Chapter 384: 148 Ma Institute Fellow’s favorable view, hit her strong suit now_3

Ever since Qiu Xuezheng joined the Xiangcheng Calligraphy Association, Qiu Boqing and Ren Wanxuan had almost no contact with him.

It was only at the end of the year that Qiu Boqing returned, marking the first time both of them visited the Calligraphy Association.

Qiu’s father knocked on the half-open door.

It wasn’t until a voice came from inside that the three of them entered.

Upon entering, Ren Wanxuan and Qiu Boqing caught sight of Jian Zhe reading in the courtyard, quickly losing interest and turning their gazes away.

They then observed the Calligraphy Association. The Xiangcheng Calligraphy Association wasn’t as large as the Beicheng Writers’ Association, but the facilities were quite new, though not as luxurious as those in Beicheng.

The two quietly scoped out the place before bowing their heads to greet Qiu Xuezheng. After all, their calligraphy had been enlightened by him.

Qiu Xuezheng was holding a tea cup, lazily lounging in a sun chair, basking in the sun, “Mmm, want some tea? Help yourselves.”

He gestured towards a teapot placed on a table beside him.

“No, thanks.” Ren Wanxuan glanced at the teapot and teacups and refused. She wouldn’t even drink the tea Ji Heng poured, much less be impressed with the tea here.

Qiu Boqing didn’t drink any either.

Qiu’s father chatted with Qiu Xuezheng, mainly about the development of the surrounding area.

Ren Wanxuan and Qiu Boqing stood to one side, listening.

It was not until there was a soft knock at the door a second time.

The two instinctively looked towards the door where a girl, dressed in a black and gold horse-face skirt, entered. The sunlight sifted through the gaps in the leaves leisurely, casting soft speckled light on her soft black hair. As she moved, the play of light and shadows flickered carelessly over her black dress and face.

It was Bai Lian, and Ren Wanxuan’s face stiffened.

**

Bai Lian did not look at Ren Wanxuan and the others.

Qiu Xuezheng’s home was in Xiangcheng, so he wasn’t in a hurry to return, whereas Jian Zhe’s family was in Beicheng. Despite that, he hadn’t left either.

He sat in the courtyard at the small table Jiang He often used, immersed in reading.

With her hands lazily tucked into the large pockets of her horse-face skirt, Bai Lian curiously inquired, “Aren’t you going home for the New Year?”

“Oh no—,” mumbled Jian Zhe, seriously engrossed in his study.

The sudden appearance of a voice startled him, causing him to lean back involuntarily, tilting his chair backward until Bai Lian grabbed the back of the seat to stop it from wobbling.

It was midday.

The sun overhead was blazing. Bai Lian lightly lifted her eyelids, looking down at him from above, “What’s the rush?”

She spoke unhurriedly.

Once Jian Zhe steadied himself, he stood up to face her and scratched his head, “You were so quiet, Teacher Qiu didn’t even warn me!”

He turned to look at Qiu Xuezheng.

“She’s rather large; I thought you would have seen her,” Qiu Xuezheng said.

Jian Zhe: “…”

“Whether I go home or not, it’s all the same,” he closed his book and shrugged, “My family probably wouldn’t even notice I’m not there. I have time to read books now.”

The Jian family knew about his trip to Xiangcheng—if he really went home for New Year’s, everyone would ask him how Xiangcheng was. If not, they’d nag in his ear about how Jian Rong had won another award or which university she was preparing to apply to for her PhD…

“Right, he’s preparing for grad school,” Qiu Xuezheng interrupted his conversation with his son.

“Teacher Qiu, please don’t say any more…” Jian Zhe was incredibly embarrassed.

“Grad school?” Bai Lian already knew what that involved.

Qiu Xuezheng gave Jian Zhe a glance, “Right, his whole family knows he’s preparing for grad school.”

Coincidentally, one of Jian Zhe’s cousins was also applying for a grad program in calligraphy. If Jian Rong got in and he didn’t…

Bai Lian took out her phone that briefly flashed, it was from Dean Jian—

[[Picture]]

Dean Jian’s plane ticket, he was arriving in Beicheng on the 24th, which was the fourth day of the lunar new year.

Bai Jian: [?]

As she replied, she turned to Jian Zhe, “Are you applying to Jia Yi?”

With his hard work, he should be aiming for Jiangjing Art University.

Her words prompted a glance from Ren Wanxuan and Qiu Boqing.

Jian Zhe felt even more self-conscious as he tugged at Bai Lian’s sleeve, whispering, “Sis, I’m not even sure I can get into Beicheng University’s grad program, let alone Jia Yi.”

“Isn’t your calligraphy practice going really well?” Bai Lian was surprised.

“You might not know,” Qiu’s father laughed as he explained to Bai Lian, “he needs knowledge of ancient literature theory, and Boqing is just trying for a PhD at Beicheng University.”

“Right, it’s very hard to get in,” Jian Zhe murmured to Bai Lian, “Sis, please stop mentioning it.”

Bai Lian: “…Very hard?”

“Do you know what they examine in literary classics?” Qiu Boqing finally couldn’t hold back, as everyone in calligraphy was aware that grad school required knowledge of literary classics. He said evenly, “Not to mention others, just take the two major pieces of tedious ancient text you’ve never studied—would you say it’s difficult or not?”