Chapter 1

Morning.

The bell for the end of morning study rang, the noisy reading sounds from each class gradually ceased, followed by the clamor of collecting homework, and the voice of the Class Thirteen homeroom teacher scolding a few students who had been copying homework in the hallway; the nosy ones leaned out of the windows to take a peek.

In the nearby Class Thirteen, Su Li opened her sleepy eyes, staring at the scene before her as if she were a fool.

The entire classroom was noisy; a boy in the front row was bickering with the class representative, attempting to snatch a piece of homework to copy from her hands, a girl turned around with her workbook and pen, asking the person behind her how to solve a problem, and those who had successfully finished their homework were opening their books to preview the content for the next class.

Su Li raised her hand to rub her face, then pinched it; her hand trembled.

It was not a dream.

"Su Li, homework!" The class representative walked to their desk; her desk-mate had already handed hers in, and the two of them were looking at her together.

Su Li was startled by the voice, glanced at the homework book in her hand, then hurriedly searched the desk to find her homework for her; she fished out the workbook, meeting the class representative's slightly impatient gaze—had she actually done her homework?

Su Li hurriedly opened it to take a look; familiar handwriting rushed to meet her eyes, neat and elegant.

Su Li slowly closed the workbook and gave up; she really had transmigrated, and the problems inside were clearly legible to an excessive degree.

The homework was handed in, and the class representative immediately put on a cute and well-behaved expression, then continued to be fierce toward a student behind her who was frantically finishing their homework.

Listening to the wailing sounds from behind, Su Li slowly slammed her head onto the desk; she had just handed in her resignation to Zhao Gouzi, the little golden retriever and kitten she was planning to buy were still waiting for her at the pet store, and her ten years of savings from work were lying in the bank.

Her desk-mate Chen Xue looked sympathetically at the desk-mate who had been decadent for nearly a month, perhaps even longer; it was truly miserable.

The girl in front, Liu Jiajia, also glanced at her, then Liu Jiajia looked at Chen Xue; the two made eye contact and stood up together to go to the restroom.

As they left the classroom, Liu Jiajia said softly, "Is she still like that?"

Chen Xue whispered, "Yeah, although she said yesterday that she was going to study hard and stop thinking about this, looking at her state today, it seems she hasn't recovered."

Liu Jiajia shook her head; they had once been excited about the person at the center of the gossip, only for that person to be transferred to their class the next day. Seeing her lost, helpless, and pitiful appearance, their hearts softened instantly.

"If you ask me, this whole thing is Jiang Xiangnan's fault; if you don't like someone, you don't like them, but he used her for a year before telling her he was doing it to vent for Su Cheng," Chen Xue whispered.

Liu Jiajia nodded; this matter was no longer a secret in their Grade 1 year group.

It was said that Su Li and Su Cheng from Class Eight were biological sisters, but Su Cheng was lost shortly after birth; later, her parents gave birth to Su Li. Su Li grew up under her parents' care, while Su Cheng had a bumpy road, almost unable to even attend school.

It wasn't until Uncle Su came to No. 1 High School to register Su Li that he suddenly discovered Su Cheng, who had come to register herself. It was said that Su Cheng looked very much like Su Li's mother, and she was taken for a paternity test that very day.

No one knew the true situation, but the rumors said that Su Li cried and made a scene at home, really disliking Su Cheng, and then when school started, she attempted to snatch Jiang Xiangnan away from Su Cheng.

What kind of level was Jiang Xiangnan at? There were quite a few rich and powerful people in No. 1 High School; every Friday when school let out, the Mercedes and BMWs at the school gate could block the entire road, but no one's family was as rich as the Jiang Family.

After all, walking on the roads of Z City, one could see real estate projects, hotels, or other iconic buildings developed by Zhengnan Group everywhere.

Although he had a major conflict with his family and was a bit rebellious because his father found him a stepmother less than a month after his mother passed away, and his personality was cold and aloof, he couldn't help that he was tall, handsome, had good grades, and had joined the School Basketball Team as soon as he enrolled.

In a school like No. 1 High School, with someone like Jiang Xiangnan—rebellious, handsome, and strong—suddenly appearing, it was normal for many people to have a crush on him, and for Su Li to like him was normal too.

But the result was that her parents were called in, her grades slipped, and then she appeared in their class.

Liu Jiajia whispered, "Speaking of which, do you really think Su Li knew that Jiang Xiangnan and Su Cheng knew each other before she started chasing Jiang Xiangnan?"

Many people in school felt that Su Li was snatching her sister's person and were making cold, sarcastic remarks.

Chen Xue shook her head, "Hard to say; we haven't been in contact with Su Li for long, but based on this period of time, I don't feel like Su Li is that kind of person."

Liu Jiajia nodded, "I don't feel like it either."

Chen Xue, "If that's really the case, then Su Li is also miserable; it seems her family doesn't believe her either, and they cut off her pocket money for this month and confiscated her phone."

Liu Jiajia nodded, "So, stay away from men and study hard; Su Li is now my motivation for studying."

Chen Xue, "..."

The two returned from the restroom; seeing her still slumped over the desk without moving, Chen Xue felt a surge of sympathy.

"Su Li, let the past be the past; what's important is the future."

Liu Jiajia chimed in from the side, "That's right, let it go."

Hearing this, Su Li raised her head, looking at the two strange yet familiar faces—her desk-mate and the girl in front.

Chen Xue met Su Li's eyes and her heart skipped a beat; she had always thought Su Li was pretty, but now, those already beautiful eyes held a bit more sorrow and grievance, looking somewhat pitiful.

Jiang Xiangnan must be blind; Su Li was clearly so much prettier than Su Cheng.

Liu Jiajia hurriedly sat back down; it was a pity she wasn't a man.

Chen Xue and Liu Jiajia took out their books to preview the content for the next class.

Su Li felt depressed; they weren't wrong. Since she was already here, whether she could go back was hard to say, as she didn't even know how she had arrived; if she couldn't go back, she still had to live her life.

Although it was a pity that her ten years of savings were gone, although she hadn't moved into the large flat she bought, and although she hadn't touched her cats and dogs...

Thinking of this, Su Li's heart trembled twice more; she hurriedly stopped herself—she couldn't keep thinking about it.

Su Li reached into her pocket, wanting to take out her phone; even if she had to start over, she needed to know what month it was. She reached into her pocket, and it was completely empty.

Su Li, "???"

She lowered her head and reached into the other pocket, then pulled out a twenty-yuan bill; the bill was crumpled and wrinkled, as if it had been squeezed over and over again.

Su Li stared at the bill, having a rather bad premonition, for example...

She might be very poor.

She hurriedly picked up her schoolbag and searched through it quickly; in the end, her head slowly slammed onto the desk again.

Chen Xue looked at her desk-mate in confusion; why did the person who had just perked up suddenly wilt again?

Su Li didn't need to look at a phone to know roughly what date it was.

After the National Day holiday in Grade 2.

At this time, because she had been chasing Jiang Xiangnan and had dropped out of the Key Class, her parents had withheld her pocket money and phone.

She remembered that in her previous life, she seemed to have gone to admit her mistakes.

Su Li thought of her past life, her beautiful eyes flashing with a hint of dimness, then she took a deep breath and continued to look at this twenty-yuan bill.

She felt that there was a high probability she wouldn't survive until next month.

At this moment, a person suddenly flashed before her eyes: a man sitting with his legs crossed in the back of a Maybach, his long, fair hands casually tugging at his tie.

Su Li, "!!!"

Gouzi!

I almost forgot.

She hasn't collected her wages for last month and this half-month yet.

Although Zhao Gouzi might not know her yet, if she bluffs a little, she should still be able to get an advance.

After all, back then, when someone tricked her into joining the company, he said he had been abandoned by his family and had to start from scratch; that smile of his was as miserable as it could be, as desolate as it could be.

In the entire team, only she was foolish enough to believe it, and then, because times were hard, people came and went, but she was like a masochist, staying with Zhao Jiu without budging, and even secretly helping him out with her own meager living expenses.

It wasn't until five years later that the elders of the Zhao Family saw that Zhao Jiu had done a good job starting his own business, so they felt at ease letting him take over the Zhao Family assets.

When she followed him back to the Zhao Family, she realized that his so-called abandonment was just a family trial; once the trial ended, he took over the entire family enterprise from his grandfather's hands.

Only then did she realize what that panicked and fearful expression on Zhao Gouzi's face meant when he found out she was using her own meager living expenses to make two meals.

That guy felt guilty, panicked, and afraid, not knowing how to smooth over his lie, so worried he couldn't sleep.

Su Li shouldered her schoolbag, a glint of debt-collecting in her eyes, and said excitedly, "I'm going out for a bit."

Beside her, Chen Xue had never seen her smile so happily; her brows and eyes were filled with smiles, and she looked youthful and full of vitality.

"Huh? Oh."

Su Li hurried out before the class bell rang; she felt relieved again, as her wages were enough to cover her living expenses for the three years of High School, provided she could bluff her way through.

Su Li walked upstairs; their school's teachers' office was located on the third floor, and she scanned the room inside and found her homeroom teacher.

"Teacher, I would like to ask for leave to go home."

Wang Laoshi was stunned when he heard the voice, and looking at the poised Su Li in front of him, he doubted for a moment if he had recognized the wrong person.

"What are you going back for?" he asked.

Su Li: "My vision has declined, I can't see the blackboard clearly, I'm going home to get contact lenses."

Wang Laoshi had only graduated two years ago and was exceptionally lenient toward students; plus, since Su Li had just transferred into his class, he felt embarrassed to ask too many questions, so he took out a leave slip as soon as he heard her, started signing it, and handed it to her once finished.

Su Li successfully obtained the leave slip and walked toward the school gate, while the teachers in the office behind her watched her back.

"Has this Su Li of your class finally come out of her shell?"

"Her mental fortitude is quite good."

Wang Laoshi nodded; he had been worried she was psychologically traumatized, after all, she had suddenly dropped down from the Key Class.