My adopted brother stood at the entrance of the welfare institute, his shirt washed so many times it had faded to a sickly white.
My sister—usually a little money-grubber—ran over cheerfully, threw herself into his arms, and sweetly called out, "Brother!"
In that moment, I knew: my sister had been reborn, too.
In our previous life, faced with the choice between the Wen family—the wealthiest in the capital—and the destitute Luo family, my sister had shoved me to the ground and sprinted toward the stretch Lincoln.
"I won't live a hard life of poverty! Sister, you can suffer this hardship for me!"
She got her wish and lived the life of the rich, yet the smile on her face diminished day by day. Five years later, she was cast out of the house and died miserably on the streets.
I, on the other hand, relied on my excellent grades to get into the best schools and went abroad to study with my adopted brother, Luo Huai. With the blessings of our adoptive parents, we married, had children, and lived a blissful, smooth life.
Given a second chance, my sister made the exact opposite choice.
I looked at the adopted brother who had spent a lifetime with me in the past, expecting him to say something.
Instead, he shielded my sister tightly behind him, his gaze cold as he looked at me. "Don't come near my sister."
Under my sister's smug gaze, I turned and walked toward the stretch Lincoln.
Perfect. I wanted to live a different life this time, anyway.
1
"Get in the car, Miss."
The Wen family hadn't sent anyone but a driver. As he drove, he lectured me on the rules I had to follow once we arrived at the Wen residence.
The car arrived quickly. I followed the driver into a villa that was as luxurious as a palace.
"Madam, she's here."
The beautiful woman sitting on the sofa drinking tea looked up. Her eyes assessed me up and down before she beckoned. "Come here."
"You... what is your name?"
"Suian."
The woman nodded. "Very well. From now on, your name is Wen Suian."
"Butler, take her upstairs."
"Yes."
I followed the butler step for step. The staircase handrails were made of rare sandalwood; the floors were paved with expensive marble. Every inch of the place screamed of extravagance.
In my past life, I had obtained all of these things through my own blood, sweat, and tears, so I wasn't particularly curious or awestruck.
The butler glanced back at me, a trace of disbelief flashing in his eyes at my calmness.
He pushed open a door, revealing a massive princess-themed room. "Miss, this will be your room from now on. Rest for a while; I will come back later."
After the butler left, I walked in and surveyed the surroundings.
The environment was excellent. It was clear the Wen family was not stingy with their adopted daughter. The room revealed the exquisite luxury of high society in every corner.
A massive surge of exhilaration welled up deep in my heart.
In my previous life, without the backing of a powerful family, I had to fight with my own two hands, step by step, to live such a life.
In this life, entering the Wen family meant I had their power behind me. I would definitely achieve even greater success.
2
Just as I was thinking, shouting erupted from behind me, and the door was suddenly thrown open.
A basketball flew in unexpectedly, smashing onto my head.
CLANG.
"Hey, you little country bumpkin, bring me my basketball."
An arrogant voice sounded from the doorway.
I turned slowly. A boy, about my age but much taller, stood there. He held his head high, the very picture of domineering pride.
If I remembered correctly, this was the Wen family's only biological child, Wen Xianyu.
He loved extreme sports like racing and skydiving—a typical rich playboy who drifted through life and had zero interest in the family business.
In my last life, he had an accident during a car race. His legs were crushed, leaving him paralyzed for life. His temperament became incredibly violent after that.
"Hey, what are you staring at, stupid? Did you hear me?"
His impatient voice rang in my ear.
I snapped back to reality, picked up the basketball, and handed it to him. Remembering the driver's warnings, I called out softly, "Brother, here."
He froze for a second. "You sure know how to suck up. You don't actually think this will get you a share of the Wen family inheritance, do you?"
He scoffed and walked away.
Over the next few days, I rarely saw Mrs. Wen, and Wen Xianyu was like a phantom, never around. The butler took me around to familiarize me with the estate.
Once we were done, he handed me a schedule. It was densely packed with various business management courses.
"This is your schedule. Starting tomorrow, you will receive one-on-one training in company management. Madam has arranged everything. You just need to study hard; there will be benefits for you in the future."
"Well? Can you endure it?"
These were things I only started learning in my previous life when Luo Huai and I began our startup. To have access to this at fifteen in this life? I was naturally thrilled.
I nodded. "Of course I can."
Surprise flashed across his face, but he said nothing more.
To ensure I didn't fall behind in my regular schoolwork, Mrs. Wen also hired private tutors. But having already learned this in my past life, it was a breeze. In just one year, I absorbed and applied all the knowledge flexibly.
"This child learns incredibly fast. She hasn't just mastered the middle and high school curriculum; she's even absorbing the obscure professional management courses."
The teacher Mrs. Wen hired couldn't stop praising me in front of her. I sat to the side, listening quietly.
"At this rate," he said happily, "she won't even need high school. She can go straight to studying abroad."
But Mrs. Wen's plan wasn't that simple. She wanted me to accompany Wen Xianyu through high school and then go abroad with him.
She claimed it was so we could take care of each other. In reality, she wanted me to rein in that wild horse, Wen Xianyu.
Mrs. Wen gave the teacher a generous bonus and looked at me with newfound approval.
"Come here."
She pulled me to sit beside her and handed me an admission letter.
"You've done well. Xianyu's grades won't go up, so you help him out. I don't ask for much—just make sure he passes."
"Once high school is over, I'll send you both abroad. How does that sound?"
Almost without preamble, Mrs. Wen laid her terms on the table.
I didn't hesitate. "Thank you, Mom."
Her eyebrows raised, clearly pleased. She squeezed my hand tighter.
"Good child."
3
As a reward, Mrs. Wen gave me a card and let me have a free day to play.
This was my most relaxing day since arriving at the Wen house. The driver took me to the bustling city center, and I got out alone.
I hadn't walked far when a familiar figure appeared.
It was Wen Wanning—no, she should be called Luo Wanning now. She was standing by the roadside under the scorching sun, handing out flyers.
The Luo parents were poor and had almost no spare money. It was expected that she would be forced to work.
I had lived that life too. During summer breaks, I had to work three jobs a day while keeping up with my studies. Not only that, but I also had to do all the household chores for my adoptive parents.
On the surface, they claimed to treat us equally, but in reality, they couldn't bear to let their son, Luo Huai, lift a finger. I only found out later that they adopted me not because they wanted a daughter, but because they wanted free labor.
"Hello, would you like to take a look at this—"
A flyer was thrust in front of me.
Luo Wanning looked up, and her voice cut off abruptly when she saw me.
"Suian?"
Noticing the luxury brands I was wearing and my well-maintained skin, a flash of jealousy twisted her face.
She sneered, "You're living quite comfortably now. But don't blame me for not warning you—the Wen family is a place that eats people without spitting out the bones. Mrs. Wen is scarier than you can imagine. You'll find out soon enough."
"Oh."
My flat response annoyed her.
She started bragging about her adopted family. "Uncle and Auntie treat me so well. My days are very fulfilling. Brother even helps me with my studies. By the way, we were specially admitted to City No. 1 High School this year."
City No. 1 High School...
The admission letter Mrs. Wen gave me was also for City No. 1.
Those who got in were either from powerful backgrounds or had exceptional grades. The "specially admitted" ones were usually the top scholars. In the last life, it was Luo Huai and me.
"Our lives will only get better and better," she said with certainty, "while you are destined to die miserably on the streets."
I opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted.
"Wanning!"
"Brother, you're here!"
Luo Wanning's face lit up, and she threw herself into Luo Huai's arms.
Luo Huai held a lunch box out to her. "Mom asked me to bring you food. It's noon, you must be tired. Why don't I take over for a bit?"
"No need, Brother, I can do it."
The Luo parents would rather grit their teeth and pay for Luo Huai's expensive tutoring than let Luo Wanning rest. I had been exploited the same way in my past life.
"You've worked hard."
As he spoke, Luo Huai noticed me standing there.
"Brother, this is my sister Suian. You saw her at the welfare institute," Luo Wanning introduced.
Luo Huai looked me up and down, his cold expression carrying a trace of disgust. He ignored me and turned to Luo Wanning. "Don't associate with shady people. Let's go."
Without giving me a chance to speak, Luo Huai pulled Luo Wanning away.
"Brother, why are you so fierce? What if you scared her?"
"Silly sister, just looking at her, you can tell she's not a decent person. Stay away from her in the future, or who knows how she'll hurt you behind your back."
His piercing words drifted back to me. I didn't understand where Luo Huai's inexplicable hostility came from.
My heart rippled slightly, but not much.
I took the card Mrs. Wen gave me and went on a shopping spree, buying a pile of luxury goods.
4
When I walked out carrying big and small bags, Luo Wanning's face turned green.
"Tch, what are you showing off for? You're going to die anyway. Unlike me and Brother—we're going to open a big company in the future."
I smiled, laughing at her naivety.
I turned and went back to the Wen residence.
Actually, not a single thing I bought was for myself. They were all gifts for Mrs. Wen, Wen Xianyu, and the others in the household.
When I returned, Wen Xianyu was rarely at home.
Seeing me, he sneered coldly. "Yo, you haven't been in our Wen family for long, but you've already learned to haul bags of stuff home. Do you really think the Wen family's money is yours?"
"Xianyu!"
Mrs. Wen called out warningly. "She is your sister."
Wen Xianyu curled his lip. "What kind of sister is she? I don't have a hillbilly sister like this. It's embarrassing to take her out."
Wen Xianyu had always been at odds with me, and I didn't push my luck.
I took the gifts out of the bags one by one.
"Mom, this is for you."
I handed over a gift box containing a scarf with a fine gauze texture.
I also gave gifts to the butler and the servants who took care of me.
I saw a look of relief on Mrs. Wen's face, different from her usual expression. The butler and servants looked flattered and surprised.
Wen Xianyu's face immediately dropped. "Tch, you don't think these little gifts will buy people's hearts, do you? You really think you—"
"Brother, this is for you."
I acted as if I hadn't heard him and took out the last gift.
It was a racing car model.
"I heard Mom say you like racing. I saw this in the mall and bought it."
He froze, muttered something under his breath, and took it.
5
Soon, the first day of school arrived.
I was prepared to take a taxi, but to my surprise, the family car was still parked at the door.
A flash of secret joy crossed my face as I ran over. "Brother!"
"Who are you calling Brother? I told you I'm not your brother." Wen Xianyu looked impatient as he pulled open the car door. "Stop dawdling. Hurry up, this young master's time is precious."
"Oh, oh."
I responded slowly and handed him the breakfast the maid had packed.
"Mom said one portion for each of us."
Wen Xianyu looked a bit unnatural and muttered, "Who wants to eat breakfast..."
But he took it anyway.
I raised an eyebrow. He was quite the duplicitous type—saying no but his body meant yes.
Before getting out of the car, he didn't forget to warn me. "I'm telling you, you are not allowed to say you're my sister at school, and you are not allowed to expose our relationship. Or else... you'll answer to me!!"
After his threat, he got straight out of the car.
The driver comforted me. "Miss, don't mind him. The Young Master has been like this since he was little."
I shook my head, said it was fine, and got out.
As fate would have it, I ran into two familiar figures at the school gate.
Luo Huai was handsome and aloof. He attracted the attention of many female students, and a crowd surrounded him and Luo Wanning.
"Hey, did you hear? That's the top student specially admitted this year. He's amazing. His sister is impressive too, ranked fifteenth in the city."
"I'm so envious. If only I had a brother like that."
Based on ranking, I was placed in Class 1—coincidentally the same class as Luo Huai and Luo Wanning.
Wen Xianyu was placed in the worst class at the bottom.
Luo Wanning walked up to my side with a smug look. "What a coincidence, Sister. I didn't expect us to be in the same class."
"But I guess with the Wen family's power, arranging you in here takes just a minute. Unlike Brother and me, who had to work hard to get in."
"By the way, where is that trash son of the Wen family? Knowing Mrs. Wen's personality, he must have been arranged to come here too."
I frowned, about to speak, but was interrupted.
"Sister!"
Luo Huai walked over, looking at me with that same gaze of disgust.
He pulled Luo Wanning behind him. "I told you not to associate with her."
"Brother, Sister isn't a bad person," Luo Wanning feigned innocence, muttering.
Luo Huai said sternly, "How do you know she isn't?"
The day's classes were packed. I couldn't be bothered to listen to their flirting, so I took out my management materials and started reading.
When school ended, Wen Xianyu and I had agreed to meet at the school gate and go home together.
Over the next few days, although he still looked reluctant, he would bring me various snacks from the school gate every time.
Looking at the small cake handed to me, I paused.
"I saw other girls in the class eating them. What, you don't like it?"
"I like it. Of course I like it."
A secret joy flashed across my face as I took it.
For the next week, it was different snacks every day: french fries, fruit, yogurt... We almost ate through every stall at the school gate.
Over the semester, our relationship gradually improved significantly.
One day, I rushed to the school gate with expectation as usual.
But he wasn't there.
I searched the whole campus but couldn't find him. Just then, I overheard some gossip. "Hey, did you hear? Wen Xianyu agreed to race someone on the back mountain."
"Really?"
"Yeah, the race should have started by now."
My heart skipped a beat. I finally remembered.
In my previous life, Wen Xianyu was egged on by others and agreed to a race.
His sports car had been tampered with. Combined with the complex terrain of the back mountain, it led to a tragic accident. Because he didn't receive timely medical treatment, Wen Xianyu's legs were paralyzed, leaving him disabled for life.
I ran toward the back mountain like a madwoman.
When I arrived, the race had already started. A large crowd had gathered, cheering and screaming deafeningly. Sports cars zoomed past, kicking up dust.
The next second, a massive BOOM rang out. The red sports car lost control right in front of me and flew off the track.
It smashed straight into the rocks.
The crowd scattered like birds.
"Brother!!"
I rushed over. I was so close to pulling him out.
Suddenly, a huge force yanked me from behind, and I was thrown to the ground.
"This is your brother?"
A ferocious, villainous face appeared before me.
"Call an ambulance! My brother is dying!!"
I looked at the driver's seat, at Wen Xianyu crushed into a space with zero chance of survival. My heart pounded wildly.
"Your brother offended me, and you still want to save him? Isn't that a bit too optimistic?"
A massive hand playfully patted my cheek, back and forth.
I pushed him away and slapped him back, screaming, "This is murder! This is illegal! I won't let you get away with this!"
I wanted to intimidate them. I hurriedly took out my phone to call for help.
But the next moment, the phone was snatched away and thrown into the distance.
A violent slap struck me, knocking me to the ground.
"Who are you screaming at, little girl?"
A foot stomped onto my face.
Immense pain washed over me. In my daze, I saw a familiar figure.
It was Luo Huai.
"Brother, save me!!"
I shouted with all my might.
I watched Luo Huai start to walk toward me. But halfway there, his hand was grabbed by Luo Wanning. "Brother, what are you looking at? Let's not meddle in other people's business. Let's go quickly, those people aren't to be messed with."
I watched the expression on Luo Huai's face change from struggle to submission.
He gave me a deep look, then turned and walked away.
The man took a sledgehammer from his car. "I've grown up this big, and no one has dared to hit me. Today, I'll make you taste the price of that slap."
My cries for help were scattered by the wind.
He raised the iron hammer and brought it down.
6
The moment the hammer fell, I closed my eyes.
A muffled groan sounded by my ear. The pain I imagined didn't come. I snapped my eyes open.
My brother was blocking me.
Drops of fresh blood dripped from his mouth, landing on my face.
Panic seized my heart.
"Brother... Brother!!"
"Brother, don't scare me."
I watched helplessly as Wen Xianyu collapsed in front of me.
My heart stopped.
I rushed forward to support him. "Brother, don't scare me. Wake up, quickly!"
"So noisy."
The vicious man grabbed my hair and yanked me up. "Make another sound and see if I don't sew your mouth shut."
"I'll make sure you never speak again in this life!!"
At this moment, urgency overcame fear.
I grabbed his hand tightly. "This is murder. It's illegal. I've already called the police. You better let us go now, or else—"
Before I could finish, my neck was choked by a powerful force. Suffocation washed over me.
I couldn't speak.
I could only watch as his face twisted step by step. "Police? Who are you scaring? Even if you called the police, I'm not afraid."
"Today, I'll show you the end awaiting those who oppose me."
A cruel smile lifted the corners of his mouth.
He threw me aside, and I slammed heavily onto the ground.
My head spun dizzily.
Before I could react, he strode toward my brother and kicked him.
My brother lay on the ground, curled up, struggling in pain.
"Brother!!"
Ignoring the pain in my body, I rushed over and pinned down the man's leg. "Don't hit my brother!!!"
I screamed, using almost every ounce of strength in my body.
But I couldn't withstand his kick, which sent me flying again.
"You say don't hit him, so I don't hit him? Where would I put my face then?"
Saying that, he waved his hand.
His accomplices swarmed up, surrounding my brother.
Countless punches and kicks rained down.
Bright red blood splattered onto the dirt. I spotted an iron bar that had fallen on the ground and charged.
"Get away from him!!!"
If I hit one, it counts as one. If I hit two, it counts as a pair.
Seeing me go berserk, they dodged.
Once I had scattered them, I disregarded everything else and rushed to pull my brother up.
Large mouthfuls of blood gushed from his mouth.
My hands were shaking uncontrollably. "Brother, are you okay? Brother, hold on. You must not let anything happen to you."
"I'm taking you out of here right now."
Thanks to my regular exercise, I somehow didn't find my brother's weight to be a burden in that moment.
I supported him, walking with difficulty toward the exit.
Just get down the mountain to the intersection and hail a car.
I gritted my teeth, moving forward step by step.
"Where do you think you're going?"
A shadow fell over our heads.
The group looked at me with mockery.
"You didn't really think you two siblings could get out today, did you?"
The leader weighed the iron bar in his hand.
"Exactly. You hit our boss and want to leave? Did you ask for our permission?"
A ferocious man stepped out from the side, his muscles bulging terrifyingly.
Even though Mrs. Wen had hired a professional martial arts teacher for me this past year, facing such a behemoth—and more than one—I had no confidence.
"Don't worry about me. Run."
A weak voice sounded by my ear. My brother reached out, trying to push me away.
But how could his strength right now compare to mine?
"No."
7
This was the first time I had disobeyed his order since we met.
I gripped his waist tightly. "If we leave, we leave together."
"I will not leave you behind alone."
"What a touching scene of sibling love."
The sound of clapping rang out, and the man's eyes suddenly turned ruthless.
"But, it's time to end this."
As soon as he finished speaking, he kicked out.
Caught off guard, I was kicked over, and my brother fell to the ground with me.
The men approached slowly, step by step, surrounding us.
Steel pipes dragged across the ground, making a crisp clanging sound.
"Brothers, get them. Whoever hits the hardest gets a heavy reward later."
At his command, they leaped at us like a flood of savage beasts.
"Brother—"
Subconsciously, my first instinct was to shield Wen Xianyu.
I can't let anything happen to him. Absolutely not.
I chanted it tightly in my heart.
BANG!
Accompanying the sound of a gunshot, the iron pipes clattered to the ground.
The pain I anticipated didn't come.
"Stop! Hands in the air!!"
It was the police. The police had arrived.
They surrounded me and my brother tightly. The men who were triumphant just a moment ago scattered like birds in panic.
It was chaotic.
I grabbed the corner of a policeman's uniform, begging them to send my brother to the hospital immediately.
Brother's legs were already traumatized in the crash, plus the secondary trauma just now.
If we were any later, I was afraid...
I didn't dare think further. Chills rose in my heart.
Only when the stretcher arrived and I watched my brother being loaded onto the ambulance did my suspended heart finally land steadily.
I fainted.
When I woke up again, it was the afternoon of the next day.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Mrs. Wen guarding my bedside.
"Suian, you're awake."
Mrs. Wen's eyes were red. She looked anxious as she held my hand.
I nodded. "Where's my brother? How is he?"
Mentioning Wen Xianyu, Mrs. Wen wiped away tears. "Xianyu he... was sent into the operating room. He hasn't come out yet."
Just as she finished speaking, the doctor came in to announce that my brother had been wheeled out.
Mrs. Wen and I rushed over almost simultaneously.
The doctor reassured us. "Rest assured, the patient's legs were saved. It's truly a fortune amidst misfortune. If it had been any later, I'm afraid those legs would have been lost. He just needs to rest now. Also, the patient suffered severe crush injuries to his back."
"Luckily, the spine wasn't damaged."
I let out a sigh of relief. If Wen Xianyu had been crippled because of me...
I would probably never have peace in my heart for the rest of my life.
Wen Xianyu woke up two days later.
Facing Mrs. Wen's scolding, he didn't care at all. Instead, he looked at me.
"Sister, are you okay?"
This was the first time since I came to the Wen family...
That he called me Sister.
Not just me, even Mrs. Wen was stunned. "What did you call Suian?"
"Sister."
Wen Xianyu repeated it.
Mrs. Wen patted my shoulder. I knew what this meant.
They accepted me.
They acknowledged my existence in the Wen family not just as a tool to assist Wen Xianyu, but as a complete, independent individual.
"Good children."
Mrs. Wen covered her mouth, hugging me with one arm and stroking Wen Xianyu's head with the other.
She warned him repeatedly, "You are not allowed to race anymore. Just be honest and study hard with Suian."
"Once high school is over, I'll send you abroad."
Mrs. Wen had mentioned this no less than three times.
Every time before, Wen Xianyu had rejected it impatiently. But this time, he agreed obediently.
"Okay. Together with Sister."
He cast his gaze toward me.
Mrs. Wen held my hand tightly. In that moment, the warmth from her palm flowed endlessly into me.
In that moment, I firmly believed I had a family.
I told the police about the gang tampering with my brother's car.
After an investigation, the truth came out.
Combined with intentional injury, they were sentenced for various crimes.
Brother held my hand, his gaze firm, saying he would definitely protect me.
"Don't be so stupid in the future, charging in alone. Do you hear me?"
He said seriously.
8
"Okay."
I replied.
But in my heart, I thought: whether it's next time, or the time after that...
Faced with the same situation, I would make the same choice countless times.
Brother.
My brother stayed in the hospital for three months.
I applied to the school to study remotely so I could take care of him during that time.
At the same time, I tutored him on the senior year curriculum.
The first month after Brother recovered, we returned to school together.
We made it in time for the first monthly exam.
Coming out of the exam hall, we bumped into two faces we hadn't seen in a long time.
—Luo Huai and Luo Wanning.
Seeing me, Luo Wanning froze.
She feigned surprise. "Sister, when did you come back to school? I heard you were injured. Is it serious? I thought you dropped out."
I saw the schadenfreude in her exaggerated expression.
Ignoring her, I walked past them.
"Suian."
Suddenly, Luo Huai called out to me.
Rarely, he didn't look at me with disgust. "You... are you okay?"
Thinking of my helplessness that day, and his decisive abandonment.
Even to a stranger, one shouldn't be so cruel.
I had not a shred of affection left for him.
"I'm fine."
I spoke coldly and turned to leave.
But he stepped forward again to block me, grabbing my hand. "You..."
"What are you doing?"
Just as I was about to break free, a schoolbag flew over with a whoosh and smashed right into Luo Huai.
He let go of my hand. My brother walked over and picked up his bag. "What are you doing touching my sister?"
"You... Suian, I..."
Luo Huai seemed to want to say something.
"Brother, ignore them. Let's go."
Luo Wanning rushed up immediately, pulling Luo Huai away.
He looked back three times with every step until he disappeared from my sight.
"What kind of people are they? Next time he dares to touch you, tell me. I'll—"
Wen Xianyu mimed throwing a punch.
I laughed despite myself. "Alright, I'm fine. Let's go home."
"Okay."
"Sister, let me tell you, your brother's exam results this time will definitely be unrivaled. I'll surely charge into Class 1 and be your desk mate. Do you believe me?"
My brother looked full of confidence.
"I believe you."
"You're so perfunctory."
"I'm not, I'm serious."
I had never doubted Wen Xianyu's learning ability.
He was smart, just unwilling to study. During the three months of tutoring, I could feel him improving bit by bit.
Facts proved my feeling was correct.
A week later, the monthly exam results came out.
Wen Xianyu really charged from the bottom of the grade to the top thirty.
He met the requirements to enter Class 1.
And my grades remained steadily at number one, without much fluctuation.
What surprised me was that Luo Huai and Luo Wanning, who used to be steadily in the top five...
Actually fell out of the top one hundred.
They were forced into Class 2.
Looking at the glaring numbers on the report card, Luo Wanning gritted her teeth, jealousy practically spewing from her eyes.
"Impossible... how could this happen..."
She looked at me. "Wen Suian, did you cheat? You took time off school for so long yet scored first in the grade? Who would believe that? And that Wen Xianyu—he should have been a cripple! Why? Why is it suddenly like this? Not only is he fine, but he also tested so well!"
"I don't believe it. You guys definitely cheated!!"
Luo Wanning went crazy, insisting on complaining to the principal to have them investigate thoroughly.
No matter how Luo Huai tried to stop her, he couldn't.
Her shrill eyes bored into me. "Cheating leads to expulsion. You're dead, Wen Suian."
"Wanning, stop making a scene."
Luo Huai pulled at her, but she flung his hand away.
9
She roared viciously, "You are my brother! You should be on my side! Why are you siding with that bitch? Do you like her?"
Luo Huai fell silent.
Luo Wanning nodded as if she understood everything. "Fine, just you wait!!"
Saying that, she rushed out.
Before long, Wen Xianyu and I were called to the principal's office simultaneously.
After an investigation, it was confirmed we hadn't cheated.
Luo Wanning, on the other hand, was given a disciplinary record for spreading rumors and disrupting school order.
Luo Wanning went mad. "You—you can't punish me! They clearly cheated! Are you all blind? How is it possible..."
Because she insulted the school leaders, she was ordered to withdraw from school.
The Luo parents came over, giving gifts and begging for mercy, before the expulsion was waived.
She was allowed to continue studying.
However, news of her series of crazy actions had already spread throughout the school.
Gossip about her was everywhere on campus.
Even Luo Huai, who had always doted on her, began to distance himself.
Sensing this, Luo Wanning started acting crazy again.
Luo Huai was mentally and physically exhausted. His grades plummeted, dropping from Class 2 all the way to the worst class.
He was even called in for a talk by the teachers.
They said if he didn't focus on his studies, they would have to discipline him.
He faced the risk of expulsion.
Hearing this news, Luo Wanning went crazy again and went to the teacher to make a scene.
She claimed the teacher had a crush on Luo Huai and was deliberately trying to guide him away from her.
In the end, because she accidentally caused serious injury to the teacher, she was expelled.
Listening to the gossip drifting to my ears, the pen in my hand paused. A cake was extended in front of me.
"Tired of studying? Have one."
I looked up to see my brother looking at me with a smile.
"Thanks, Brother."
I took the cake and ate it bite by bite.
Outside the window, a distinct gaze was cast my way. I turned to look. It was Luo Huai.
Not having seen him for a while, he had changed a lot.
The image of the cool, aloof top student the classmates spoke of was gone.
There was only haggardness and destitution.
I looked away, ignoring him.
After finishing the cake, I continued studying.
Approaching the college entrance exam, under Mrs. Wen's guidance, my brother and I applied to foreign universities simultaneously.
We took the exams.
Mrs. Wen told us we didn't need to take the domestic Gaokao.
Once we passed the exams over there, we could go abroad directly.
But my brother and I took it anyway. No other reason than to experience it one more time.
The night the exams ended, everyone was cheering.
Brother secretly ran out of school and brought back a huge pile of delicious food. "Take it back and share it with your roommates."
After dropping the stuff off, he ran away again.
I carried the big bag of stuff. When I turned around, I saw a familiar figure.
Standing in the shadows.
"Who is it?"
My heart jumped, and I called out.
Hundreds of possibilities flashed through my mind until that figure stepped out of the darkness.
It was Luo Huai.
He had lost a lot of weight, his eye sockets sunken.
He looked exhausted.
"How did you do on the exam?" he asked.
I paused. "Are we close enough to ask about exam grades?"
If I recalled correctly, he had always held an inexplicable disgust toward me.
The air fell into silence.
After a long while, he spoke. "Suian, do you... not remember me?"
His voice was hoarse and carried a trace of bitterness.
In that moment, I finally realized: he had been reborn too.
Or at least, he had memories of the past life.
"You—"
"That day, I wanted to help you. Later, Wanning pulled me away. A few days later, I heard the news that you temporarily suspended your schooling. I was very worried about you. Since then, I started having recurring strange dreams. I dreamed our family adopted you at the welfare institute, and you became my sister."
"I dreamed we went abroad to study together. I dreamed we got married. I dreamed... you told me you wanted to be with me for a lifetime."
His voice became softer and softer until it was inaudible, his eyelids drooping.
Suddenly, he raised his eyes to look at me, his voice rising sharply. "Suian, I wasn't dreaming, was I? Those things really happened, right? We were together once. We started a business, got married, had children. We—"
He became emotional.
"What are you talking about!!"
I interrupted him. "I am Wen Xianyu's sister. I am the daughter of the Wen family. We do not know each other."
"Don't come looking for me again."
Finishing in one breath, I walked past him and hurried upstairs.
"Suian!!"
He called my name. My footsteps paused, but I ignored him and left straight away.
Later, I heard from my roommates that he waited downstairs all night.
"Suian, what's the situation... between you and him?"
"Strangers," I said coldly.
The next day, I packed my things and left.
The Wen family's car drove to the downstairs dormitory to pick me up. Carrying the youth and memories of these three years...
I left that place.
On the day the Gaokao results were released, my brother and I were successfully admitted to the same foreign university.
At the same time, my Gaokao score ranked first in the city, while my brother ranked fifth.
Mrs. Wen was overjoyed and held an eighteenth birthday coming-of-age ceremony for me and my brother.
In September, we embarked on our journey to study abroad.
The day we boarded the plane, I saw Luo Huai outside. His gaze was filled with desperate longing.
I ignored him and walked straight ahead.
I heard people discussing in the group chat that Luo Huai had performed poorly this time and only got into an ordinary university.
Luo Wanning took the exam too. She did terribly, not even reaching the cut-off score to fill out applications.
Everything was developing in a direction that was completely opposite to the previous life, yet strangely similar in its karmic justice.
The plane took off, and I soared toward my beautiful future.
(End)