Chapter 18: 18

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

The warm spring sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtains and landed on a white bedsheet. The person on the bed was slightly pale. Her hair soaked the fine sweat on her forehead, and it stuck onto her face.



Jian Ai’s eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and she was in a daze. She felt as if some lead had filled her head. Her nerves were throbbing, and she felt as if they were about to explode. Her back, which was on a mattress as hard as a rock, was in pain. Her sweat-soaked undergarments stuck to her body, making her feel extremely uncomfortable. Her eyelashes trembled slightly and only then did Jian Ai slowly open her eyes with difficulty.



In a daze, the first thing she saw was an old-fashioned closet with yellow paint peeling off. There was a green glass vase on the shabby handmade bedside table next to the bed. A wilted daffodil was on the verge of collapse, and an alarm clock that looked like a cherry ball was staring at her with wide eyes.



Jian Ai only felt a flash of white light in her mind. Her dispirited spirit was instantly stimulated back into her body, and her weak body sat up from the bed.



Surveying her surroundings, she realized that this was not her high-class apartment in the capital. However, the white bedsheets, the light muslin curtains, and the furnishings in the room were all very familiar to her.



This was not her house or even the capital. It was her home in Baiyun City, where she grew up!



Unbelievable! Jian Ai looked at everything in front of her with a dazed expression. Why was she here? Wasn’t this old house demolished a long time ago?



As for herself…



Jian Ai closed her eyes and tried her best to recall everything that had happened. She had lived in this old house until she was seventeen years old and entered a university in the capital. At nineteen years old, her mother passed away due to cancer, and her elder brother went out to work in the construction team to earn money for her studies. However, he unexpectedly met with an accident and left the world. From then on, the two most important family members in Jian Ai’s life left her one after another, leaving her in her third year of university.



However, this did not wholly defeat her. After being immersed in sorrow for a while, Jian Ai decided to face the future alone.



The construction team provided monetary compensation for her brother’s death. Jian Ai also managed to get a large sum of money from the demolition of the old house. With this money, Jian Ai started her business in the capital with her unique wisdom and skills. It was as if she had a natural sensitivity to doing business. In just a few years, Jian Ai made a name for herself in the capital’s real estate industry and became a female boss worth tens of millions.



The scene froze at the last frame in her mind. The driver was driving her to sign a contract with her business partner. At an intersection, a truck driving beside her suddenly turned sideways…



So… was she dead?



She opened her eyes and looked at everything that made her feel dazed yet familiar. Or could it be that her real-life was just a dream?



Getting off the bed, Jian Ai skillfully went to the closet and opened it. There was a mirror on the inner side of the door. In the mirror, her face was pale, and her body was thin. It was obvious that she had not yet recovered from a severe illness. But this was also how she used to look!



She raised her hand and carefully touched her face. It felt so real that Jian Ai couldn’t help but tear up.



Stacked at the top of the closet was her high school uniform. It was old-fashioned and had friendly colors.



At this time, the sound of the door opening suddenly came from outside. Jian Ai’s heart thumped, and her body involuntarily trembled.



She rushed to the door and opened it. In the small living room, Wang Yunmei was putting down the fruits in her hands. When she heard the voice, she couldn’t help but turn around. When she saw her daughter standing at the door with a worn look on her face, she exclaimed, “Oh, Xiao Ai, why did you get off the bed so quickly? Go back and lie down. Don’t catch a cold.”



As she spoke, Wang Yunmei quickly walked over to Jian Ai. Just as she was about to help her into the room, her daughter suddenly hugged her.



“Mom!”



Jian Ai seemed to have used up all her strength to call out ‘mom.’ She could no longer control herself as she threw herself into her mother’s arms and started crying.



In Jian Ai’s memory, her mother worked as an escort at a nightclub for as long as she could remember. This was an indecent job in the eyes of others, and because of this, the neighbors criticized her mother. Even her maternal grandparents and uncles never made extra contact with her family.



Other than that, her mother rented a small stall on the street not far from her house. Every morning, she had to wake up early to fry some fried dough sticks and sell breakfast. Her mother had repeated such a life for more than a decade, just to support herself and her brother.



Jian Ai and her brother did not know anything about their father. Since her mother did not say it, they did not ask. In her heart, only her mother and brother were important.



However, when she was nineteen years old, God made a joke with her once again. Her mother was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and passed away in just two months. This made the already difficult family even worse. She did not even get to see her mother for the last time as she was in a university in the capital.



Feeling the familiar fragrance on her mother’s body, Jian Ai cried until she almost went limp. If this was all a dream, she was willing to exchange everything she had for this dream and not wake up.



On the other hand, Wang Yunmei was startled by her daughter’s sudden hug. When she regained her senses, she quickly patted her daughter’s back in a comforting manner. “Alright, my dear daughter, what are you crying for? Quickly go back and lie down. Your fever just subsided. Don’t catch a cold again.”



Looking at her daughter’s red eyes from crying, Wang Yunmei couldn’t help but smile dotingly. “The doctor said that you were frightened, so your emotions might fluctuate. How would I know that your emotions would fluctuate so much? This is the first time Mom has seen you cry so hard.”



She wiped her tears. Although she could not calm down quickly, Jian Ai still pretended to be normal and said, “Mom, I want to take a shower first. My body is sticky and uncomfortable.”



“Alright, take a shower first. I’ll change the bedsheets for you. It’s probably drenched in sweat.”



Wang Yunmei assumed that her daughter had been frightened, so she didn’t think too much about it.



In the bathroom, the simple showerhead sprayed water intermittently. Jian Ai’s heart gradually calmed down.



It was the beginning of spring in 2002. It had been twelve years before her accident. All of this was not a dream. She had returned to twelve years ago when she was fourteen!



However, if she could not change anything in this life, what was the use of this opportunity? Hence, Jian Ai clenched her fists and swore to herself. This time, she must save her mother and brother and change the life of her family.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

The evening of early spring was still a little cold, especially in Baiyun City, an economic city located at the northern end of China.



Jian Ai sat on the sofa in the living room with a blanket draped over her shoulders. On the coffee table in front of her was a steaming hot meal: fried eggs with tomato, sweet and sour pork, and a bowl of soup with fish head and tofu.



There were two clean red apples next to the dishes, and it was evident that they were the most expensive ones at the fruit stall. Her mother always treated her like this. Even if her family background was not good, her mother always tried her best to give her the best when it came to eating and learning.



At this time, Wang Yunmei had already gone out for work. After Jian Ai finished eating, she changed into a clean set of clothes and tied her hair into a ponytail. She looked at herself in the mirror before putting on her shoes and leaving.



In April and May, Baiyun City was as wet and cold as of late autumn. Jian Ai wrapped her coat tightly around her and looked around while recalling everything that she was familiar with during her childhood.



Baiyun City was a provincial capital located in the Jin Province in the north. It was considered an important trade hub and an economic city divided into five major districts: Haicheng District, Zhonglou District, South City District, North City District, and Wanbao District.



The most prosperous city center was Haicheng District, while Jian Ai’s home was in the South City District, also known as the slums. Most of the South City District residents lived in poverty, and they could count the number of tall buildings in the entire district with one hand. Most of them were flat houses or two or three stories tall residential buildings. In the bustling Baiyun City, this place seemed out of place.



After walking for more than half an hour, Jian Ai stopped in front of Starlight Bar in Zhonglou District. Many young men gathered in groups at the bar entrance, where a deafening noise came from. Jian Ai was a little nervous, but she was more excited and expectant because her brother, Jian Yu, worked here.



To earn more money to finish her university studies, her brother had gone out with the construction team to do construction work in her previous life. He had done hard work and spent all his youth. It was unexpected that a falling object took away his life at the construction site. Until now, Jian Ai still did not dare to think about the scene of seeing her brother’s body.



“Little girl, are you looking for someone? We can’t let children in here.”



As soon as she reached the main entrance, a blond with a cigarette in his mouth looked up at Jian Ai and asked. The blond didn’t look like a good person, but his tone was decent.



Jian Ai paused and looked at the blond before nodding. “I’m looking for someone.”



The blond stood up and sized up Jian Ai. He took a puff of smoke and raised his eyebrows. “Who are you looking for? There are no customers here yet!”



“I’m not here to look for a customer. I’m looking for Jian Yu. He’s here as a security guard,” Jian Ai quickly said.



“Oh, you’re looking for Jian Yu!” The blond couldn’t help but look at Jian Ai meaningfully. Then, he smiled and said, “Wait at the door. I’ll go in and call him for you.”



When the blond entered the bar, Jian Ai exhaled deeply.



Starlight Bar was considered the best bar in Zhonglou District. Young people liked to come to such places, and many out-of-school youths nearby were willing to work in such places. Their jobs were only at night, and they could earn eight hundred or a thousand yuan in a month. For a person in his twenties, this was considered quite an income.



Her elder brother, Jian Yu, was four years older than her and had just turned eighteen. He had been working as a security guard at Starlight Bar for almost a year. Her elder brother loved her the most. Jian Ai still remembered that whenever he received his salary every first day of the month, her elder brother would secretly give half of his money to her as pocket money. The rest of the money would be given to his mother, leaving him with only a few dozen dollars.



“There, that girl in the white sweater!”



As soon as he walked out of the bar, Jian Yu saw Jian Ai. He raised his hand and slapped the back of the blond’s head. “Girl, damn you. That’s my sister!”



As soon as he finished speaking, Jian Yu ran up to Jian Ai. He looked at Jian Ai up and down worriedly before saying, “You ran out after you recovered! And you came here…” Jian Yu looked around and asked, “How did you get here? Did you walk here?”



Jian Yu was 1.8 meters tall, he had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and he looked very energetic. When he spoke, he frowned. His eyebrows were filled with concern for Jian Ai.



Looking at her elder brother, Jian Ai once again felt as if it was a lifetime ago. Her heart warmed, and she felt a lump in her throat. She almost wanted to cry.



“What’s wrong, Xiao Ai? I’m asking you a question!” Jian Yu was even more nervous now that Jian Ai was silent.



Jian Ai quickly recovered from the trance and said, “I’m fine, Brother. I just came out for a walk. I just wanted to see you.”



Their home was in South City District, and the place she was at now was in Zhonglou District. By foot, it would at least take half an hour to get there. Hearing that Jian Ai walked over, Jian Yu couldn’t get angry. He was worried, and his heart ached.



“Er Zi, I need to send my sister home. Help me ask Brother Dong for leave.” Jian Yu suddenly turned around and shouted at the blond who was watching from afar.



The blond made a hand gesture to indicate that he had received the message. Seeing this, Jian Ai smiled in embarrassment. “Sorry to trouble you, Brother.”



Hearing this, Jian Yu smiled helplessly. “It’s okay. Anyway, it’s not the weekend yet. The bar isn’t busy. I’m worried if you walk back by yourself.”



Jian Ai immediately went up and hugged Jian Yu’s arm. Her brother was tall and strong, making her feel safe. She and her mother used to like to walk with him like that.



“This is for you.” Jian Yu suddenly took out a small object from his pocket and handed it to Jian Ai.



Jian Ai looked up and saw a pair of hairclips with a Little Ball character.



“Thank you, Brother.” Jian Ai received them with joy. She looked up and grinned.



Jian Yu smiled and said lovingly, “I saw it at the night market by accident. Didn’t you like Little Peach? Don’t stand on ceremony with me for two yuan.”



“What Little Peach? Her name is Little Ball.” Jian Ai smiled.



“Sure, sure. Little Ball.”



The siblings walked towards Jian Yu’s motorcycle.



On the way back, Jian Ai sat in the backseat with her arms around Jian Yu’s waist. The night wind of Baiyun City blew on her face, and it was cold and wet. However, at this moment, Jian Ai’s heart was exceptionally and unprecedentedly warm.



Before going to bed that night, Jian Ai packed her school bag, took out her school uniform, and ironed it. She had a high fever a few days ago and hadn’t been to school for a few days. Now, she was no longer feeling unwell. Although Jian Ai still remembered the things she had learned in her previous life, she still planned to return to school tomorrow.



Perhaps it was a psychological effect, but lying on the bed, Jian Ai could not fall asleep for a long time. It was as if she was worried that everything would disappear once she woke up. She would become a successful businesswoman again, and she could no longer see her mother and brother.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

At night, Jian Ai had a very realistic dream.



In the dream, she could see no one, and there were no scenes at all. All she saw were words. I seemed to be an ancient legend or a lost sect.



Suddenly, a clear voice rang out in her mind. “In the Primordial World, the founder of the spiritual sect, Yu Jiang, pursued lifelong learning in his lifetime. He chose the people who defied fate and integrated himself into their bloodlines. He decides all things..”



This voice was vast and mighty, distant and ethereal as if it were the call of an older man from another time and space. The sleeping Jian Ai suddenly woke up to find that words had filled the space above her.



Defied fate?



These were the first words that appeared in Jian Ai’s mind. In her dream, she remembered the words she heard. It said that those who defied fate, he would integrate his bloodline into them.



She had somehow been reborn from twenty-six years old and back to fourteen years old. Could this be the so-called defying fate?



She raised her eyes to look at the golden words in front of her. It was a secret manual of an ancient sect. It recorded the twelve sets of mental cultivation techniques of the founder, Yu Jiang. Before Jian Ai could read the contents carefully, thousands of golden words jumped up as if they had a life of their own. Then, as Jian Ai was dumbfounded, they all flew into her brain.



The sudden surge of cognitive energy made Jian Ai’s brain burn as if it were on fire. She felt her brain swell and heat up, and she felt awful. It took less than two minutes for the energy to fade until it was gone.



At this moment, Jian Ai could say out the twelve sets of mental cultivation techniques easily, as if they had already been engraved in her mind.



Jian Ai sat up on the bed and looked at the Little Ball alarm clock. She raised her hand, and the alarm clock on the bedside table flew towards Jian Ai.



Jian Ai was both surprised and delighted. She had thought that her rebirth was the greatest blessing from the heavens, but who would have thought that she would receive such a gift of a set of skills from an ancient sect? It was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise.



Rebirth was already hard for her to believe, and now she had learned the twelve sets of mental cultivation techniques. If all of this had not happened, Jian Ai would never believe such a thing would happen in this world.



When she woke up in the morning, it was already 6 am. Jian Ai quickly washed up, put on the school uniform that she had not seen for a long time, carried her school bag, and went out.



At this time, her mother and brother were already busy at their breakfast stall. Jian Ai would eat breakfast at the stall every morning before going to school.



“Xiao Ai!”



As she was walking, someone called her name from behind.



Jian Ai stopped and looked back. A girl who was about the same age as her, wearing the same uniform, was running after her.



Guan Tao was Jian Ai’s classmate and best friend. The two of them grew up together. From kindergarten to high school, they lived in the same place. When they reached university, they applied for different schools because of different ideals but were still best friends.



Guan Tao married a rich second-generation heir in her previous life and gave birth to twins. Both of them were sons. She could straighten her back in her in-laws’ house and lead a comfortable life.



“You’re going to school after you have recovered? Why didn’t you rest at home for a few more days?” Guan Tao went up and asked with concern.



Suddenly seeing Guan Tao when she was young, Jian Ai couldn’t help but be stunned for a moment. Then, she said, “I’m fine. I haven’t been to school for a few days. If I don’t go now, I won’t be able to catch up.”



When Guan Tao saw that Jian Ai’s expression had indeed improved, she was relieved. Then, she sighed and said, “Don’t provoke Li Yunmei and the rest in the future. They are rich and powerful. They pushed you into the pond this time. What if they do something more out of line next time?”



Jian Ai was stunned. She remembered that she had a fever because she fell into the water. Why didn’t she remember that this had something to do with Li Yunmei?



Erzhong was one of the top high schools in Baiyun City. The students there were roughly divided into two types. One was those who were rich and powerful, and the other was those who were good at studying and could get scholarships based on their abilities.



Jian Ai and Guan Tao belonged to the second type. Otherwise, ordinary families would not be able to afford the expensive school fees.



However, those who received scholarships were the minority. Since adolescent girls liked to form cliques, Jian Ai and Guan Tao, who lived in the slums of the South City District, would naturally be isolated or even bullied by their classmates.



However, Jian Ai had no impression of Li Yunmei pushing her into the school pond. It had never happened in her previous life.



Perhaps after rebirth, many things had changed?



“Xiao Ai, I’m talking to you.”



“I understand.” Jian Ai regained her senses and quickly replied.



Their family’s breakfast stall was located at the end of the street. Since the location was not bad, they were not the only breakfast stall nearby.



“Auntie Mei, Xiao Ai and I are sitting outside,” Guan Tao called out to the busy Wang Yunmei.



“Alright, please wait a moment. I’ll be right there.” Wang Yunmei answered while busying herself.



The business of the breakfast stall was more or less the same every day, and they had a fixed customer flow. Because Wang Yunmei’s fried dough sticks were delicious, those who liked eating fried dough sticks enjoyed coming to their stall for breakfast.



“Beautiful ladies, what would you like to eat?”



Just then, Jian Yu came to the table and asked with a smile.



As soon as she saw Jian Yu, Guan Tao’s eyes lit up. But before she could say anything, Jian Ai spoke first, “Soy milk, fried dough sticks, and two tea eggs. Brother, hurry up. We won’t make it in time.”



“Okay.” Jian Yu raised his eyebrows and went back into the stall.



Guan Tao opened her mouth but didn’t say anything. Her eyes followed Jian Yu inside.



“Alright, stop looking. Your eyeballs are flying out.” Jian Ai looked at Guan Tao with amusement.



Guan Tao pouted and rolled her eyes. “Auntie Mei is really good at giving birth. You and your brother are both so good-looking.”



Jian Ai was fair and had an oval face. Her facial features were not exquisite, but she was a classic beauty.



On the other hand, Jian Yu had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and big white teeth. When he smiled, he looked like a little sun. Not many girls could resist him.



“But that’s true. Auntie Mei is also good-looking. You two have good genes,” Guan Tao added.



She was right. Wang Yunmei gave birth to Jian Yu when she was seventeen years old. She gave birth to Jian Ai when she was twenty-one years old. Now, she was thirty-five years old. It was hard to believe that she had two children of this age.



A thirty-five-year-old middle-aged woman’s job was a nightclub hostess. If word got out, people would probably laugh at her.



However, Wang Yunmei was different. She was born beautiful, and even though she was thirty-five years old, her skin was still tight, and her figure was sexy. She was even more charming than young girls.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

After a while, Jian Yu came out with two bowls of soy milk. He walked to their table and put them down gently. “Drink it while it’s hot. I’ve added sugar.”



“Thank you, Brother Yu.” Guan Tao smiled and wanted to show Jian Yu her gums.



Jian Yu said, “Don’t stand on ceremony.” He pulled a stool and sat down beside Jian Ai. Then, he felt around in his pocket and took out the rolled-up ten yuan. He handed it to Jian Ai and said, “Xiao Ai, have some good food at school.”



Jian Ai stopped drinking the soy milk and looked at the ten yuan. She blinked and said, “I have money. Brother, keep it for yourself.”



After entering high school, her mother would give her two hundred yuan as her living allowance at the beginning of every month. Two hundred yuan might be enough for an ordinary high school, but in Erzhong, a typical lunch would cost around five yuan. If she wanted to have a good meal every few days, she would spend two hundred yuan before the end of the month.



Fortunately, her brother would secretly give half of his salary to her every month. Their mother did not know about this. She always thought her brother kept half his salary as pocket money, but he gave all of them to her in reality. He knew what kind of school Erzhong was and was afraid that her classmates would look down on her.



This way, Jian Ai would have a living allowance of five to six hundred yuan every month, which was more than enough for an ordinary high school student like her. However, Jian Ai did not spend money extravagantly because of this. Every day, she ate the cheapest lunch and secretly saved up the rest of the money.



“Take it. I will receive my salary tomorrow.” Jian Yu stuffed the money into Jian Ai’s hands. Before Jian Ai could say anything, he stood up and said, “Finish your food and go to school. I am going to get busy.”



“Oh my, Big Brother Yu is too good to you!” Red hearts formed in Guan Tao’s eyes, and she had exaggerated her expression. “When I grow up, I must marry a man like Big Brother Yu.”



“Stop!” Jian Ai looked at Guan Tao and said, “You can like anyone, except my brother!”



Jian Ai poured a bucket of cold water over Guan Tao’s enthusiasm. “I know, I know! If I can’t, so be it. Who are you trying to scare?”



Looking at Guan Tao’s expression, Jian Ai wanted to laugh. She didn’t mean anything else. It was just that Guan Tao’s life in her previous life had been smooth sailing. She didn’t want Guan Tao to waste any more energy on her elder brother. It would save her a lot of detours.



Erzhong was located at the junction between Zhonglou District and Haicheng District. Every morning, they would take the bus from the bus stop at the street entrance and arrive at school about half an hour.



At this time, it was time for the students to enter the school. Jian Ai followed the crowd and walked through the main gate of Erzhong. Looking at everything she was familiar with in the past, she tried her best to remain natural but could not help but feel excited and nervous.



“Look, isn’t that Jian Ai?”



“Ah? Really? Didn’t she die from drowning?”



“Don’t talk nonsense. She was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment.”



“How many days has it been? Why is she here so soon?”



As soon as she entered the school, she heard many whispers around her. Although the other party deliberately kept their distance and lowered their voices, Jian Ai could still hear them. Perhaps this had something to do with her mental cultivation techniques.



However, Jian Ai did not seem to have heard these discussions. She did not remember the details of her falling into the water at all. Guan Tao said that Li Yunmei pushed her. As for why she had to slowly understand.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Jian Ai couldn’t help but stop in front of the classroom for Year One, Class Three. The students were talking and laughing in the classroom. Everything made Jian Ai feel unreal yet real at the same time.



She pushed the door open and entered. When the students saw Jian Ai standing at the door, they all stopped talking. It was the kind of reaction that instantly isolated one. Some of them didn’t even have time to retract their expressions.



Jian Ai could not help but smile bitterly in her heart. She was too familiar with this scene. In the entire three years of high school, she was like an outsider who had never really integrated into it.



After a while, the students went back to their own business. No one asked Jian Ai about her condition.



For Jian Ai, there was no need for unimportant people to show false concern.



“If you’re not entering, move aside! Are you standing at the door to be a door god?”



At this moment, an impatient female voice sounded behind her. Jian Ai turned around and saw a pair of disdainful and mocking eyes.



Although they hadn’t seen each other for more than ten years, Jian Ai recognized the person in front of her at a glance. It was Li Yunmei, the culprit who had pushed her into the pond.



Li Yunmei was tall and thin. She had a small face and big eyes. She was as delicate as a doll. However, those who knew her knew that Li Yunmei was a violent soul under her princess-like appearance.



Moreover, she liked to take the initiative to provoke others. Jian Ai still remembered that there was once a girl from another class, who Li Yunmei and her companion taunted just because the girl glanced at her in the corridor.



When she was in high school, she tried her best to avoid this person. At that time, she was a nobody and only knew how to immerse herself in her studies. It significantly reduced her presence, so she did not have any conflicts with Li Yunmei.



However, after her rebirth, she did not expect that the first person she would meet was the famous ‘female tyrant’ in this class!



Jian Ai looked away and walked straight to her seat without any expression.



Li Yunmei’s expression froze. She could not accept that Jian Ai ignored her. If it were in the past, Jian Ai would bury her head in her collar and walk. Why did she not react just now?



Jian Ai had just put down her bag and sat in her seat when Li Yunmei caught up to her. She stopped beside Jian Ai’s seat and deliberately raised her voice. “Jian Ai, don’t be smug just because Lin Yi wrote you a love letter. You probably don’t know that the reason why Lin Yi wrote you a love letter was because he made a bet with Yan Tian and the rest. They were betting on whether a nerd like you likes Lin Yi.”



“That’s right. Did you really think you could be with Lin Yi? You even went to confess to Lin Yi. What a joke,” another girl chimed in coldly.



Jian Ai stopped tidying the desk. Hearing this, everything she couldn’t remember became clear.



Lin Yi. Jian Ai would probably never forget this name because Lin Yi was the only person she had ever had a crush on in her entire youth. However, Jian Ai had never told anyone, including Lin Yi.



Of course, Lin Yi was handsome, played basketball well, studied well, and had a cheerful personality. Many girls liked him, including Li Yunmei.



However, this was all in the past for Jian Ai. She couldn’t deny that she once had a crush on Lin Yi for three whole years in high school. But now, her heart was completely unmoved, and she even felt like laughing.



The fact that Li Yunmei pushed her into the pond probably had something to do with the love letter Lin Yi gave her.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Jian Ai slowly raised her head and looked at Li Yunmei emotionlessly. Then, she said to Li Yunmei in a voice just loud enough for everyone in the class to hear, “Whether Lin Yi gave me a love letter or not, or why he gave me one, what does all of this have to do with you?”



Without waiting for Li Yunmei to speak, Jian Ai let out a cold laugh through her nose and continued, “Could it be that you like Lin Yi? Was that why you were so angry? Did you push me into the school pond because you were jealous?”



Everyone knew that Jian Ai fell into the pond, but not everyone knew that Li Yunmei pushed her. Now that Jian Ai had said it so casually, even Li Yunmei felt a little embarrassed. She immediately blushed and shouted, “Jian Ai, stop slandering me. What has it got to do with me that you fell into the pond?”



When the surrounding students saw this, their expressions changed, and they started whispering.



“Did Li Yunmei push Jian Ai?”



“You still don’t know? I heard it from someone two days ago.”



“I heard about it too. I thought it was fake, but it turned out to be real.”



“That’s too much. That pond is more than three meters deep. What if something happened?”



Because of her poor family background, most of Jian Ai’s classmates isolated her, not because she was annoying. Although the students who knew the truth didn’t like her, they felt that Jian Ai was innocent and pitiful in this matter.



Li Yunmei had never been talked about like this before. Usually, no one dared to speak to her like this. Yet today, Jian Ai rebuked her inconspicuously. She immediately felt that her self-esteem had been hurt and wanted to reach out to grab Jian Ai’s hair.



“Jian Ai!”



Just when everyone thought that Li Yunmei would teach Jian Ai a lesson, a clear voice came from the classroom door.



When Li Yunmei heard this voice, her hand suddenly stopped in mid-air. The rest of the class also looked at the door in unison.



Outside the door of Class Three, a fair-skinned, energetic-looking boy stood there.



The boy was fifteen years old but was almost 1.8 meters tall. He had short hair, and his fringe covered his eyebrows, revealing only a pair of bright eyes. There was still a thin layer of sweat on the tip of his nose. He was holding a basketball in his left hand. It was obvious that he had just finished playing basketball in the courts.



The morning sun shone on his back. There was a circle of reddish-yellow light that made him look even better.



It was none other than Lin Yi!



Jian Ai instinctively looked over and met Lin Yi’s gaze.



“Can you come out for a while? I have something to tell you!”



Lin Yi’s expression didn’t change much as he directly raised his head at Jian Ai.



Everyone turned to look at Jian Ai with different expressions on their faces. They didn’t think that Lin Yi would come to Class Three’s door to look for Jian Ai. Didn’t he write a love letter to Jian Ai because of a bet?



Jian Ai didn’t argue. She stood up, walked around Li Yunmei, and walked out of the door.



When Jian Ai left the classroom, everyone exploded again!



“Damn, what’s going on?”



“Does Lin Yi really like Jian Ai?”



“That’s impossible, right?”



“Why not? Jian Ai is pretty!”



“That’s true…”



On the other side of the corridor, Jian Ai stood in front of Lin Yi. Due to the height difference, Jian Ai had to tilt her head slightly to meet his eyes.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Lin Yi was still the same as before, but Jian Ai was no longer as passionate as before.



“What is it?”



Jian Ai was the first to speak. Not much fluctuation was in her tone, as if the love letter incident didn’t affect her at all.



Lin Yi frowned slightly, making him look like a young adult. He sized Jian Ai up before saying, “I saw it just now. Li Yunmei is looking for trouble with you again, right?”



Sighing softly, Lin Yi continued, “I didn’t think that there would be so much trouble in the beginning. I also know that you were pushed into the pond, and it’s all my fault. Hence, you are being bullied like this.”



“If you know it’s all because of you, then why don’t you stay away from me? So that we won’t be seen by petty people, lest they cause me more trouble.” Jian Ai’s tone was indifferent. Lin Yi couldn’t tell if Jian Ai was angry.



However, Jian Ai’s reaction surprised Lin Yi. She had never dared to look him in the eye before, much less speak loudly to him. Every time they met in school, she would sneak a few glances at him before quickly leaving his sight.



Her tone and attitude just now made her seem like a completely different person. Lin Yi felt a bit surprised and unfamiliar.



After coming back to his senses, Lin Yi nodded lightly and said, “I know. I just wanted to apologize. If not for me making a bet with Yan Tian and the rest to tease you, you wouldn’t have been pushed into the pond.”



“So, did you win the bet?”



Jian Ai suddenly asked Lin Yi.



Lin Yi was stunned, and it took him a while to react, but he still nodded dumbly. “Yes…”



Jian Ai suddenly felt that it was funny. She thought of her crush on Lin Yi. Comparing it to this scene, it was pretty funny.



Jian Ai pursed her lips indifferently and said, “How about this? I’ll give you a chance to apologize. You won the bet, so I’ll have to take half of the credit. Revenge was taken against me by your admirers because of this. This is hard work. Taking into account all the credit, you have to treat me to lunch in the cafeteria for a month.”



“Huh?” Lin Yi didn’t seem to follow Jian Ai’s train of thought. He looked confused.



Didn’t she tell him to stay away from her just a second ago to avoid causing trouble for her?



“Didn’t you tell me to stay away from you…” Lin Yi asked with a frown.



Jian Ai blinked. “I’m going back on my word. I jumped into the pond for nothing. I got tricked and even got sick! Besides, aren’t you here to apologize? Are you going to apologize verbally? You have to do something so that I can see your sincerity!”



Lin Yi didn’t know why Jian Ai would suddenly make such a request, but he felt that her words made sense. He was a boy, after all, so he had to be responsible.



Lin Yi nodded and said, “Alright, it’s just a month’s lunch. You can have whatever you want. It’s on me!”



Only then did Jian Ai look at Lin Yi with satisfaction. “Alright, if there’s nothing else, you may leave. Class is starting soon.”



As soon as he finished speaking, Jian Ai turned around and walked into the classroom with her back facing Lin Yi.



Lin Yi stood in the corridor and stared blankly at the door of Class Three for a long time before slowly letting out a sigh of relief and leaving.



In fact, Lin Yi felt guilty ever since he found out that Lin Yunmei pushed her into the pond. It was fine if nothing happened to Jian Ai, but he would be the one to blame if something did happen.



Now that Jian Ai had asked for compensation, it meant that she was willing to forgive him, and Lin Yi felt relieved.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

News of Lin Yi going to Class Three to look for Jian Ai spread like wildfire. Almost everyone in the school knew about it. Rumors started flying everywhere, but no one knew what they were talking about.



At noon, in the school cafeteria.



The cafeteria of Erzhong was situated on the right side of the school. It was a two-story building that covered a large area, and the dishes were very comprehensive. Besides rice, stir-fried vegetables, steamed buns, and noodles, there were also various local specialties, such as roujiamo, mala soup, and so on. The taste was also delicious.



Lin Yi stood at the entrance of the cafeteria and saw Jian Ai in the crowd from afar. Just like before, she wore a neatly ironed school uniform with a simple ponytail.



However, in Lin Yi’s eyes, Jian Ai was completely different from before. She no longer lowered her head and submerged herself in a sea of people like before. Instead, her entire body exuded a different temperament from others. Her sparkling skin was glowing. Her face was expressionless, but people could see her at a glance.



Jian Ai also saw Lin Yi and quickly walked up to him. “Are you waiting for me?”



Lin Yi nodded. “Let’s go in.”



The two of them entered the cafeteria together and attracted everyone’s surprised gazes. The rumors in the morning reduced to gossip, and everyone started to talk privately in groups of three to five.



“Damn! Are they really together?”



“What’s going on? Jian Ai? Lin Yi likes Jian Ai?”



“She looks like a dumb person. Fools have fortune.”



“Tsk… Just wait and see. It won’t be for long.”



“That’s right. There are at least eighty girls in school who like Lin Yi. I think Jian Ai is going to have a hard time.”



In high school, it was nothing new for male and female classmates to fall in love. It was just that the status of these two protagonists was too different in everyone’s hearts.



Lin Yi was the vanguard of the school basketball team, and he was a top student. His family owned a famous fashion brand in the country with a market value of over a hundred million yuan. He was one of the most famous people in school.



However, Jian Ai was a Cinderella from the slums. She placed all her attention on her studies every day. She was the typical example of a child from a low-income family who treasured her learning opportunities. She did not interact much with others and did not participate in gatherings with her classmates. She was like a nobody and had never provoked others. Other people did not take her seriously.



These two people who couldn’t get along at all that had gotten together? Anyone would be unable to accept this!



Jian Ai and Lin Yi naturally heard everyone’s discussion. Lin Yi immediately said in a low voice, “Aren’t you afraid that someone will find trouble with you?”



“Compared to getting into trouble, I still think a month’s free lunch is more attractive to me.” Jian Ai said lightly, without any embarrassment from being discussed.



Lin Yi found it even more strange. Although he hadn’t interacted much with Jian Ai and didn’t know much about her, he felt that Jian Ai was completely different from before. It was as if no one around her could enter her eyes, and there was a barrier around her that prevented strangers from entering. Even though they were standing together and talking, Lin Yi still felt an invisible barrier between him and Jian Ai that he couldn’t cross.



Was this still the same Jian Ai who received his love letter and ran up to him with a flushed face and said, “Lin Yi, I like you too?”



When they finally reached the window, Lin Yi looked at Jian Ai and said, “Find what you want to eat. You don’t have to stand on ceremony with me!”





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Jian Ai wasn’t going to stand on ceremony. If she were, she wouldn’t have asked Lin Yi to treat her to lunch for a month.



Without even thinking, Jian Ai said to the auntie, “Auntie, give me a serving of beef with roasted potatoes, braised meatballs, stir-fried potatoes, and fried eggs with tomato.”



Beef with roasted potatoes and braised meatballs were the most expensive meat dishes in the cafeteria. A fist-sized meatball was sold for three to five yuan each. Jian Ai had never been willing to eat it before. Even after a few years, she was still very curious about the meatball taste in high school.



Now that a person was paying the bill for her, Jian Ai naturally wanted to make up for the regret from her previous life and have a taste of this braised meatball.



Lin Yi didn’t say anything and paid the bill generously.



Jian Ai picked up her plate and left. It was obvious that she had no intention of having lunch with Lin Yi.



“Xiao Ai, over here!”



Guan Tao had already taken a seat and waved at Jian Ai from afar.



When Guan Tao saw the meatball on Jian Ai’s plate, she couldn’t help but widen her eyes in surprise. “Wow, Xiao Ai. You’re finally willing to buy this!”



A smile appeared on Jian Ai’s face. She used her chopsticks to split the meatball into two and placed one half on Guan Tao’s plate. “I can’t eat such a big one by myself. Let’s split it equally.”



Guan Tao looked at half the meatball on her plate and then at the indifferent Jian Ai. She couldn’t help but say in surprise, “Xiao Ai, is something the matter? You can usually save two to three hundred yuan a month, but you can’t even bear to buy a meatball!”



Jian Ai couldn’t help but smile. Guan Tao was indeed her best friend.



She nodded. “I didn’t buy it. Lin Yi paid for it.”



“Ah?” Guan Tao’s mouth opened exaggeratedly. Then, afraid that people would notice, she quickly lowered her voice and leaned forward to look at Jian Ai. “Really? Are the two of you really…”



“It’s fake!” Jian Ai denied Guan Tao’s words and then ate a piece of beef. Then, she continued to explain, “It’s about the love letter. Lin Yi went to apologize to me in the morning, so I asked him to treat me to lunch for a month. He said, eat whatever you want. He’ll treat me. What else do you want to eat tomorrow? I’ll help you order.”



“Damn. No way, Xiao Ai. You’re too bold. You let Lin Yi treat you to lunch for a month. If his admirers find out about this, they’ll skin you alive.” Although Guan Tao had exaggerated her tone of voice, her words were filled with worry for Jian Ai. After all, the incident at the pond was because of Lin Yi.



However, Jian Ai didn’t react to Guan Tao’s worry. Instead, she smiled and said indifferently, “I’ve been to a three-meter deep pond before. Why should I be afraid of them? If they want to find trouble, go ahead. I’m poor anyway. He who is down needs fear no fall.”



In her three years of high school of her previous life, she did not compete with others and was careful in everything. However, she did not gain any respect. Instead, she was looked down upon by others, and they treated her pride as nothing.



Now that she was reborn, was she going to replicate her previous life?



Impossible! In this life, Jian Ai would never be a coward in the eyes of others. If anyone dared to bully her and the person she loved, she would return the favor tenfold.



“Then, I want to eat pork ribs,” Guan Tao said with a smile.



Jian Ai raised her eyebrows and nodded. “No problem. With such a huge free meal ticket, it would be a waste not to use it.”





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

On the other side, Lin Yi couldn’t help but look at Jian Ai while eating.



Three people were sitting at the same table. One of them was a tall and thin boy who wore glasses and looked very refined. His name was Gao Yang.



One of them had bronze skin and short and neat hair. He had a strong build and was called Yan Tian.



There was another girl who had short hair and was exceptionally pretty. Her name was Xia Qinghuan, and she was Yan Tian’s girlfriend.



The three of them were Lin Yi’s classmates and were practically inseparable in school. They were all relatively famous people in school.



Lin Yi focused his attention on Jian Ai in the distance, and the three of them couldn’t help but look at one another.



Yan Tian knocked on Lin Yi’s plate with his chopsticks. “Hey, hey… what’s with you? Don’t tell me you’ve really taken a liking to that silly girl!”



Lin Yi came back to his senses. He looked at the three of them and shook his head. “No, I just think she’s different from before.”



“Hah, I think she must have lost her mind when she fell into the pond,” Yan Tian said with a look of disdain. “How dare she ask you to treat her to lunch for a month just like that!”



“This whole thing started because of me. I have to apologize to her, right?” Lin Yi frowned and whispered.



Gao Yang pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and said, “Although you’re right, Li Yunmei was the one who had pushed her into the pond. Even if it’s compensation, Li Yunmei should be the one to compensate. Although you don’t lack three to five hundred yuan, I have a feeling that she is extorting you.”



“I say, are you guys more or less done?!” Xia Qinghuan couldn’t bear to listen anymore. She put down her chopsticks and said unhappily, “If you guys didn’t make that bet, would she have been pushed into the pond? Look at what happened now. You want to completely remove yourself? Let me tell you, Jian Ai is fine now. If she really drowned to death, you’ll all be held responsible! And I’ve always thought that Jian Ai was the type to submit to adversity. Yet today, she asked Lin Yi to compensate her. I, Xia Qinghuan, really think highly of her.”



Xia Qinghuan looked at Lin Yi and said, “Lin Yi, don’t think you’re at a disadvantage. This is your fault. You should treat her.”



“Tsk, who are you siding with? Why are you still speaking up for others!” Yan Tian glared at Xia Qinghuan.



Xia Qinghuan picked up her chopsticks and continued eating. Her tone was casual as she replied, “I’ll help reason, not kin. Jian Ai doesn’t have a temper, but you guys can’t just pick on the weak and bully her.”



Yan Tian wanted to say something, but Lin Yi interrupted him. “Qinghuan is right. I already feel sorry for her in my heart. I would feel better if I made some material compensation to her. That joke of ours went overboard. It was our fault in the first place.”



“Alright, alright. Between the two of you, one is willing to fight while the other is willing to suffer. We won’t bother about that anymore. It’s not like you’re lacking that bit of money, anyway.” Yan Tian shrugged and leaned back in his seat, looking like he did not care at all.



After lunch, Jian Ai went straight back to class. However, as soon as she sat down, the girl in front of her quickly turned around and whispered to Jian Ai, “Jian Ai, are you really with Lin Yi?”



The girl’s name was Xu Jiaojiao, and she usually didn’t have much interaction with Jian Ai. At this moment, she was afraid that she couldn’t control the burning fire of gossip in her heart, so she couldn’t help but ask Jian Ai.



As Jian Ai tidied up the textbooks for the afternoon, she replied calmly, “No.”





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Seeing Jian Ai’s attitude, Xu Jiaojiao couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She secretly mocked Jian Ai for pretending to be aloof but pretended to be friendly. She said to Jian Ai, “What’s so hard to admit? We all saw Lin Yi buying lunch for you. Don’t be too embarrassed to admit it!”



Initially, Jian Ai didn’t want to explain these things to others. After all, if it was a yes, it was a yes. If it was a no, it was a no. However, on second thought, instead of letting others spread false rumors and create gossip, it would be better to use Xu Jiaojiao’s mouth to spread the truth. She would feel relaxed as well. After all, Lin Yi had quite a few admirers. It was annoying to deal with them.



With this thought in mind, Jian Ai stopped what she was doing and looked at Xu Jiaojiao seriously. “You’re really overthinking this matter. Lin Yi bought lunch for me just to apologize to me. It’s not as exciting as you think. I’m sorry to disappoint you.”



Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment before snapping out of her daze. “So that’s how it is! Oh, I knew it! No matter how I look at it, the two of you aren’t compatible. After all, you’re not from the same world…”



Halfway through, Xu Jiaojiao pretended to say something wrong and quickly covered her mouth to stop herself. However, the meaning behind her words was clear. She secretly mocked Jian Ai for not being good enough for Lin Yi, and Lin Yi definitely wouldn’t fall for Jian Ai.



“Jian Ai, I’m not good with words. I don’t mean anything else. Don’t think too much about it.” Xu Jiaojiao pretended to be apologetic, but she had fixed her eyes on Jian Ai’s expression. She wanted to see how Jian Ai would react when she was hurt.



However, Jian Ai disappointed her. Jian Ai smiled and nodded indifferently. “You are right. I am not the same type of person as him, so you better not mix me with him in the future.”



Seeing Jian Ai’s reaction, Xu Jiaojiao muttered in her heart. She thought Jian Ai deliberately put up a strong front and probably cried eight hundred times in her heart.



However, it was just as Jian Ai had thought. Xu Jiaojiao, who knew the truth, could be said to be an artificial transmission machine. In just one afternoon, she had already made known about the matter between Jian Ai and Lin Yi to everyone. Everyone also understood that Lin Yi had bought Jian Ai a meal just to apologize, and he had no other intentions.



After school in the afternoon, Jian Ai and Guan Tao talked and laughed as they walked towards the bus stop. However, they were stopped halfway.



Li Yunmei was the leader, and there were four girls that Jian Ai did not know. They were Li Yunmei’s followers.



The five of them stood in a line and blocked the path for the two of them. It was obvious that they were looking for trouble.



Jian Ai stopped in her tracks and instinctively pulled Guan Tao behind her. Li Yunmei saw this and couldn’t help but sneer. She said to Jian Ai, “Jian Ai, you can’t even protect yourself. Don’t think about protecting others.”



“What do you want?” Jian Ai’s eyes darkened. She was not frightened by the scene in front of her.



“Hah, what do I want?” Li Yunmei raised her eyebrows and said disdainfully, “Of course I’m teaching you a lesson! Jian Ai, you are too shameless. You actually had the nerve to ask Lin Yi to treat you to lunch for a month. Why don’t you take a look at yourself? Are you even worthy?”



Jian Ai smiled instead of being angry. She looked at Li Yunmei and replied provocatively, “I’ll have to thank you properly for that. If you didn’t push me into the pond, Lin Yi wouldn’t have come to apologize to me. I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy free lunch. After all, half of the credit for this free lunch is yours, Li Yunmei!”





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Li Yunmei did not expect that Jian Ai would dare to go against her and even ridicule her. She immediately felt that she had been insulted. No one in the entire cohort dared to talk to her like that.



“Jian Ai, I think you are tired of living. Today, I will let you understand the consequences of offending me!” Li Yunmei flung her bag and instantly transformed into a gangster. She waved her hand.” Beat her up!”



The four girls rushed forward without a word. However, Jian Ai had no intention of running away. Instead, she advanced instead of retreating. Her eyes turned cold as she rushed forward.



Because they had just left the school, they instantly attracted many students from Erzhong who had just finished school when the two groups started fighting.



Li Yunmei and two of the girls ran towards Jian Ai while the other two girls aimed at Guan Tao behind Jian Ai.



Li Yunmei raised her leg and was about to kick Jian Ai’s stomach while the other two girls spread their fingers and pounced to pull Jian Ai’s hair. However, just as Jian Ai was about to go all out and not let the other party bully her for no reason, a scene that shocked even Jian Ai happened.



When Li Yunmei’s leg was about to kick her, Jian Ai instinctively turned to the side and quickly avoided her attack. Li Yunmei did not expect Jian Ai to be able to dodge so quickly. As she used too much strength, she was unable to control it due to inertia. She lifted her right leg and pounced forward.



“Ah…”



Li Yunmei could not help but scream. Then, under the crowd’s gaze, she made a huge split on the ground. It was a standard split.



Hiss…



The onlookers sucked in a breath of cold air when they saw this. They subconsciously clamped their legs together. Just looking at it made them feel pain.



At the same time, Jian Ai raised her fist and punched the chest of the second girl. She raised her leg and kicked the stomach of the third girl.



The strength of her punch and kick was extraordinary. The two girls retreated a few steps before sitting on the ground. At that moment, they felt as if their bodies were overturning seas and rivers. The impact instantly drained their strength that they would not be able to get up for a while.



This scene happened in the blink of an eye. Jian Ai’s movements were natural and smooth, and she easily knocked the three girls to the ground.



Everyone widened their eyes in shock and couldn’t say anything. Even Jian Ai was stunned. All of her reactions just now could be said to be instinctive. There was no thinking process at all.



Initially, she thought that even though the other party had more people on their side, she could just go all out. At the very least, she could not let people like Li Yunmei feel that she was a doughnut that others could easily squash. Even if she could not defeat them, she had to let them suffer a loss so that they would not dare to provoke her in the future.



Unexpectedly, the moment she moved, it was as if a god of war possessed her. As soon as the other party moved, she could predict their next moves, which made her retaliate so easily.



Could this be… related to the mental cultivation technique she had just learned?



“Ah… Let go…”



While she was still in a daze, Guan Tao’s scream came from behind her. Jian Ai snapped back to reality and turned around, only to see Guan Tao pulling a girl’s hair. Another girl also grabbed her hair, and the three people’s legs were also kicking and fighting.



Seeing this, Jian Ai quickly stepped forward and kicked the girl who was holding Guan Tao’s hair to the ground. Guan Tao felt that the force that was restraining her was no longer there, so she pushed the last girl to the ground.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Everything happened too quickly. Before the onlookers were even ready, everything had already ended. The entire process didn’t even take a minute, and Li Yunmei and the others had already lost their ability to fight.



“Damn. This girl is a martial arts practitioner. Her moves are nimble.”



“That girl’s name is Li Yunmei. She’s quite famous in Year One. It seems like there’s someone outside the school supporting her, so no one dares to offend her.”



“Haha, isn’t she still being dealt with now? Two people beat up those five people until they couldn’t stand up! What a joke.”



“They must have provoked the wrong person. They took advantage of their numbers to bully others, but didn’t expect the other party to know martial arts. Didn’t you see those moves just now? They were fast and accurate. How satisfying!”



Not everyone in Erzhong recognized Jian Ai. Some senior students were excited. They did not expect this pretty junior to be so powerful. She had taken care of the bullies in school in a few moves.



Seeing that more people were joining in on the fun, Jian Ai didn’t want to be a panda being watched. She immediately pulled Guan Tao out of the crowd.



After jogging to the bus stop, Jian Ai stopped and looked at Guan Tao with concern. “Tao Zi, are you hurt?”



“I’m fine!” Guan Tao panted as she waved her hand. She didn’t forget to check Jian Ai’s body. “What about you? Are you okay?”



Jian Ai smiled and shook her head. “I’m fine.”



“How did you do that just now? Why did they all fall to the ground when I turned around?” Guan Tao was surrounded by two girls just now, so she naturally didn’t see Jian Ai’s smooth moves. She couldn’t help but feel puzzled.



Jian Ai explained, “My brother taught me a few self-defense moves while I was recuperating at home. I didn’t expect to use them just now.”



Guan Tao had always admired Jian Yu, so she naturally wouldn’t doubt Jian Ai’s words. But now that she thought about it, she felt a bit scared. She couldn’t help but say worriedly, “It’s a good thing that Brother Yu taught you. Otherwise, we would have suffered today. After all, there were five people on the other side.”



“If something like this happens again in the future, you should stay back. I will handle it myself.” Jian Ai felt a little guilty. After all, the conflict between her and Li Yunmei had nothing to do with Guan Tao. It was because of Li Yunmei that she got beat up. As her friend, she could not help but feel heartache for her.



Unexpectedly, Guan Tao had a disapproving look on her face. “How can I do that? Although I don’t know how to fight, I can’t abandon you and run away on my own. If we want to run, then we’ll run together. If you don’t run, then I won’t run either. At worst, I’ll just get beaten up. We grew up together. If we haven’t even fought together, then it would be so boring.”



Guan Tao’s expression was solemn, but her words immensely touched Jian Ai. People would often say true love could be found in adversity. Guan Tao being able to face this matter with her today was enough to show their relationship.



“Then I’ll teach you a few moves when I have time, in case you only know how to pull people’s hair.” Jian Ai suddenly laughed.



“Huh? I only know how to pull people’s hair?”



“Yeah, you were screaming for someone to let go just now. Didn’t you know?”



“No way! Did I scream? Was it that bad?”



“That’s right. It was so lousy!”



“Hahaha…”



The two girls were laughing so hard at the bus stop that they were rocking back and forth. Jian Ai’s first day back to school was also fulfilling and exciting. The trajectory of this day was completely different from her previous life. As for Jian Ai, she knew in her heart that what she wanted and wanted to pursue was a completely different life from her previous life!





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

When she reached home, Wang Yunmei was cooking in the kitchen. When she heard the door open, she knew that her daughter had returned.



“Xiao Ai, school’s over! Mom bought you some grapefruit. Have some. Dinner will be ready soon. Your brother is also coming back for dinner.”



Jian Ai threw her school bag on the sofa and went into the kitchen in her slippers. Wang Yunmei was cleaning a carp. Jian Ai leaned forward to take a look. “Mom, are you making braised fish?”



Wang Yunmei nodded with a smile. “That’s right. It’s what your brother asked for. I also bought pork ribs. How do you want to eat them? With sugar and vinegar?”



“Sure,” Jian Ai answered happily.



“Go out and wait. Your brother will be back soon.”



Jian Ai returned to her room and glanced at the clock. It was six pm. Her mother usually went out to work at the nightclub around 7 pm with her makeup done. If the night ended early, she could be back around midnight. If not, she would reach home around two am or three am.



There was never an accurate time for such an escort job. They would not be able to get away from demanding customers.



In her previous life, her mother had passed away due to liver cancer. Jian Ai understood that the cause was her mother’s consumption of alcohol. Drinking alcohol hurt her liver. The more she drank, the more injured she became. In this life, she would not let the same thing happen again.



But now, she couldn’t possibly ask her mother to quit her job at the nightclub because the income of this job contributed to a large part of the family’s expenses. Her mother would not agree to it. Therefore, Jian Ai understood that if she wanted her mother to leave the nightclub, she would have to work hard to change the family’s financial situation personally. When money was no longer what her mother was worried about, everything else would naturally happen.



Therefore, Jian Ai was very clear about what she needed to do now. That was… earn money!



She opened the closet and took out a pink wallet. She took out all the money inside.



She had been reborn with her memories of the future. She knew the trajectory of this world twelve years in advance. Hence this was her unique advantage.



In the future, the most profitable industries would be real estate, food and beverage, nightclubs, and cultural and creative industries. In her previous life, Jian Ai relied on herself to work in the capital for several years and gradually stabilized her footing in the real estate industry. It was also the industry that she was most familiar with.



But when Jian Ai saw all her savings, she couldn’t help but wipe off sweat. All the money she had saved up… when added together… was only… one thousand and three hundred yuan!



One thousand and three hundred yuan was not a small sum for an ordinary high school student like her. With her mother’s monthly living allowance of two hundred yuan, one thousand and three hundred yuan was equivalent to half a year’s living allowance. However, if she wanted to start a business, this one thousand and three hundred yuan was too much of a joke. If she invested it into the business world, it would probably not even cause a splash. Furthermore, she had no business opportunity now, so this amount of money could not do anything.



Looking at the money on the bed, Jian Ai had a headache, but her brain was still working hard. What could make her multiply the money by tens or even hundreds of times in a short time…



Buying lottery tickets?



No, the probability of winning was zero. It was completely unreliable.



Jian Ai thought of investing in stocks again, but she immediately rejected the idea. She needed an identity card to open an account at the securities company. She was only fourteen years old and had yet to apply for an identity card. Secondly, investing in stocks was too risky. Although she had experience in this area, she could not guarantee that nothing would go wrong. If she lost, it would be a complete failure.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

For a moment, Jian Ai couldn’t think of a good solution. She felt defeated, but the money she had was limited. If she spent it, it would be gone, so she had to hit the jackpot.



Jian Yu’s voice came from the living room. Hearing that her brother was back, Jian Ai quickly kept her thoughts and put away the money on the bed.



“Brother!”



Jian Ai came out of the room and went up to him. However, before she could say anything, Jian Yu dragged her to the living room.



Jian Ai looked at Jian Yu curiously. “What’s wrong, Brother?”



Jian Yu revealed a mysterious smile. Then, he took out a handful of money from his pocket and stuffed it into Jian Ai’s hand. “I’ve received my salary. You can keep these.”



Jian Ai was stunned. “Didn’t you say tomorrow…”



She looked down and saw that there were eight one hundred yuan bills.



Startled, Jian Ai looked up at her brother and asked, “Brother, why is there so much money? Why give them all to me?”



Jian Yu’s monthly salary was about eight hundred yuan. At most, it was only one thousand yuan. Then, he would split the amount into two, half for his mother and the other half for his sister.



At that moment, Jian Ai had eight hundred yuan in her hands, which was Jian Yu’s monthly salary. Hence why she was so surprised.



Faced with Jian Ai’s reaction, Jian Yu revealed a smug smile handsomely and said in a low voice, “I am promoted as the head. I will be recieving one thousand and five hundred yuan a month now.”



When Jian Ai heard this, her face lit up. “Really?”



Jian Yu nodded. “Of course.”



Jian Ai was happy for her brother. Although he was only the head of a bar, it was easier for him than for the waiters, and his salary increased.



However, Jian Ai didn’t put the money away. Instead, she quickly counted out five bills and handed them to Jian Yu. “Brother, keep these for yourself. I’ll just keep three hundred yuan.”



“I don’t need money!” Jian Yu looked at Jian Ai and said, “You can keep it. If a classmate buys something that you like, you can buy it too. Don’t always be reluctant to spend money. Erzhong is full of rich kids. I can’t let my sister be looked down upon.”



Her elder brother had always doted on her since she was young. In her previous life, Jian Ai was already used to it. But now, it was different. Jian Ai cherished her mother and brother even more. She did not want to be the person who always asked for things and let others give them to her blindly.



“I have money. I saved up more than a thousand yuan from what you gave me before. I don’t need this much.” Jian Ai insisted that her brother keep five hundred yuan for himself.



While they were pulling at each other, Jian Ai suddenly smelled a faint perfume scent.



Jian Ai was very knowledgeable about perfume. This perfume had a woody scent and was very light and elegant. From its scent, one could determine the concentration of the fragrance essence. This perfume did not have any fragrance essence added and was purely extracted from plants. One could tell that it was expensive from just one sniff.



Jian Ai paused and looked at Jian Yu in surprise. “Brother, why do you have perfume on you?”



As if he did not expect his sister to change the topic all of a sudden and expose the scent on him, his handsome face instantly turned red.



This reaction caught Jian Ai’s eyes. Although her brother had never been in a relationship before, he was good-looking and had a good figure. It was reasonable for a girl to pursue him. Looking at his brother’s red face and that he had a girl’s perfume on his body, it seemed that he was already attached.



“Are you dating?!” Jian Ai smiled. It was not a question but a statement!





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Jian Yu blushed and stammered. He didn’t admit nor deny it.



Jian Ai became more certain, but she was also curious about what kind of girl her brother liked.



“Xiao Ai, get the bowl and chopsticks.”



Wang Yunmei’s voice came from the kitchen. Jian Yu took advantage of the situation and wanted to go to the kitchen, but Jian Ai pulled him back. Jian Ai stuffed the five hundred yuan into Jian Yu’s pocket and said, “Now that you have a girlfriend, you need even more money with you. I can’t let my brother spend a girl’s money!”



Jian Yu didn’t know what to do. After all, this was his first time dating. He didn’t expect his sister to expose him the moment he got home. He didn’t know what to say as he held the five hundred yuan in his hand. By the time he reacted, Jian Ai had already entered the kitchen.



During dinner, the family of three chatted as they ate.



Wang Yunmei placed a piece of pork ribs into Jian Ai’s bowl and asked, “Xiao Ai, is the monthly examination coming up?”



Jian Ai nodded. The form teacher reminded the students that the monthly examination would be held on the following Monday so they could revise during the weekend.



“Mom, don’t worry. I can score well,” Jian Ai said calmly.



Seeing how confident her daughter was, Wang Yunmei couldn’t help but nod. “It’s good that you’re confident.”



It could be said that Wang Yunmei had placed all her hopes on Jian Ai, and her daughter had never disappointed her. Since she was young, her grades had always been outstanding.



Jian Ai also knew that her mother did not have too many expectations for her. She only hoped that she could get into a good university and have a promising future. In her previous life, she had fulfilled her mother’s expectations but left behind many regrets.



After dinner, Wang Yunmei put on her makeup and changed into a new set of clothes. The thirty-five-year-old woman changed her looks in an instant. In Jian Ai’s eyes, this made her feel even worse.



Her mother had sacrificed too much for her and her brother that alcohol had consumed her entire youth. With this, she could not wait any longer. She had to think of a way to earn money as soon as possible.



The next day, Jian Ai and Guan Tao felt a strange atmosphere as soon as they entered the school.



Everyone was looking at the two of them, and there was no lack of whispers among them. The topic was none other than the fight yesterday evening.



Jian Ai was already mentally prepared. After all, the incident had happened at the school gate. Since they couldn’t stop the gossip, they could go and talk it out.



When they returned to the classroom, the students looked at them as if they were looking at a monster. Jian Ai acted as if she did not see them and went straight to her seat.



At this moment, Xu Jiaojiao, who was sitting in front of her, turned around with a gossipy expression. Her attitude was more excited than yesterday. “Jian Ai, I heard that you beat up Li Yunmei after school yesterday?”



Jian Ai raised her eyes to look at Xu Jiaojiao, who was waiting for her to nod and admit it.



Sneering in her heart, Jian Ai said expressionlessly, “Does it have anything to do with you?”



Xu Jiaojiao’s expression stiffened as if she didn’t expect Jian Ai to have such an attitude. However, when she saw Jian Ai’s icy cold gaze, Xu Jiaojiao swallowed her words and resentfully turned around.



Jian Ai could not help but roll her eyes, but she sighed helplessly in her heart.



Although she did not want to live as a nobody as she did in her previous life, she did not want to be watched like a monkey every day like she was now. It could be said that she appeared on stage repeatedly, putting on an act one after another.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

The morning bell rang, and the noisy crowd instantly calmed down. However, the sharp-eyed students noticed that Li Yunmei’s seat was still empty.



Jian Ai naturally saw it too. She thought that Li Yunmei would find trouble with her again today. Jian Ai guessed that she had injured herself after that split yesterday. Hence, she did not expect her to appear since her legs probably haven’t recovered yet.



“Jian Ai, come out for a moment.”



While the students were studying, the form teacher, Teacher Li, appeared at the classroom door and called for Jian Ai.



Jian Ai was the focus of attention in the class now. After Teacher Li mentioned her name, the students instantly turned their attention to Jian Ai.



Jian Ai was stunned for a moment before putting down the book in her hand. She then left the class under her classmates’ gaze.



“Teacher Li, you were looking for me.”



In the corridor, Jian Ai came to Teacher Li and spoke softly yet respectfully.



Teacher Li’s expression was a bit grave. Jian Ai knew in her heart that it was probably something bad.



“Yesterday at the school gate, did you fight with Li Yunmei?” As expected, the first thing Teacher Li said was about the fight yesterday.



Jian Ai didn’t argue but nodded indifferently. “Yes.”



There were surveillance cameras at the main gate of the school, and there were so many witnesses. Jian Ai knew that it was impossible to hide this matter, so she admitted it.



Teacher Li could not help but take a deep breath. In her eyes, Jian Ai had always been the most obedient and sensible child in the class. Her learning attitude was also earnest. As the form teacher, she liked this kind of student the most.



When she heard what had happened that day, she thought it was a rumor first because she didn’t believe that Jian Ai would fight with anyone.



However, at that moment, the most obedient student in her eyes admitted it. This made her momentarily speechless, but she was even more disappointed.



Jian Ai naturally knew Teacher Li’s expectations for her. She quickly explained, “Teacher, Li Yunmei was the one who started the fight yesterday. She hit us first. There were five people on the other side. If I didn’t retaliate, I’m afraid I would be beaten up.”



Teacher Li nodded gently when she heard that. “Of course, I believe that you wouldn’t fight with others for no reason. But even if you were defending yourself, you were too harsh on her. Li Yunmei’s thigh muscles are injured. She wouldn’t be able to recover in less than half a month. Her mother went to the principal’s office. She insisted on the principal to expel you. Follow me to the principal’s office and sincerely apologize to Li Yunmei. I’ll help you put in a good word as well.”



Teacher Li looked a little worried. Although Jian Ai’s family background was not good, her results were outstanding. If she were expelled from school because of fighting, it would affect her future significantly.



However, Jian Ai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at Teacher Li’s worry.



Did Li Yunmei’s mother go to the principal’s office? Was it because Li Yunmei’s thigh muscles were injured, and she blamed that on her?



However, Li Yunmei was injured because she did the split herself. What did it have to do with others?



“Teacher, you might not know this very well. I did fight with Li Yunmei, but I hit the other two girls. As for Li Yunmei, I didn’t even touch her!” Jian Ai said to Teacher Li innocently.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Teacher Li was stunned. She didn’t understand what Jian Ai meant. “You didn’t touch her? How did her leg get injured?”



Jian Ai wanted to laugh when she thought of the scene yesterday. However, Teacher Li was concerned about her situation now, so Jian Ai controlled her expression and emotions and told Teacher Li everything that had happened yesterday.



Finally, Jian Ai said, “Teacher, in that situation, dodging is human instinct. I can’t just stand there and wait for her to kick me, right?”



When Teacher Li heard this, she could not help but heave a sigh of relief. If what Jian Ai said was true, then Li Yunmei’s injury was caused by her extreme actions and had nothing to do with Jian Ai.



Although Jian Ai hit the other two girls, fortunately, only Li Yunmei’s parents came to the school today. As long as they settled Li Yunmei’s matter, Jian Ai would not be punished.



“In that case, go to the principal’s office with me and explain everything,” Teacher Li said to Jian Ai.



Jian Ai nodded and followed Teacher Li to the principal’s office.



“What kind of school is this? My daughter is here to study! She’s not here to be bullied by her classmates! Isn’t Erzhong one of the best high schools in Baiyun City? Is this how you educate your students?”



The principal’s office was located in the administrative building behind the school building. As soon as they reached the second floor, they heard a woman’s shrill voice coming from the room at the end of the corridor. The volume was so loud that it almost lifted the entire roof.



“Don’t be afraid. Teacher is here.” Teacher Li had interacted with Li Yunmei’s mother a few times and knew that the other party was not a kind person. She was afraid that Jian Ai would be frightened and might need to comfort her.



Jian Ai nodded and smiled at Teacher Li. There was no trace of fear on her face. Instead, she looked exceptionally calm.



When she arrived at the principal’s office, Teacher Li raised her hand and knocked on the door. As soon as she finished speaking, the door was pulled open. The person who opened the door was Headmaster Feng from the school’s disciplinary office.



Jian Ai followed Teacher Li into the principal’s office and looked around instinctively. It was lively.



People now filled the originally spacious principal’s office. There was the principal, the vice-principal, headmaster of the disciplinary office, the dean of the year ones, the school’s security chief, and Guan Tao and her form teacher.



Had it been any other girl or Jian Ai from her previous life, they would probably be so scared that their legs would go weak.



But looking at Jian Ai’s expression, it was clear that she was calm and indifferent.



Jian Ai’s gaze landed on Li Yunmei, and she almost laughed out loud. This Li Yunmei was exaggerating. She came in a wheelchair. Those who didn’t know would think that she had broken her legs!



“It’s this girl, isn’t it? It’s her, isn’t it!”



When the woman standing in the middle of the room saw Jian Ai, she immediately directed all her anger at Jian Ai. As she spoke, she rushed forward, wanting to seek justice for her daughter.



Seeing this, Teacher Li hurriedly shielded Jian Ai behind her. “Madam Liu, calm down. We haven’t figured out what happened…”



“What is there to figure out!” The woman screamed and interrupted Teacher Li. Then, she pointed at Li Yunmei and said, “Can’t you see? Can’t you see how my daughter is like now? She can’t even walk now! Let me tell you, if you don’t give me and my daughter an explanation today, I will go to court to sue you and hold the school accountable!”

You are reading story Rebirth of the Best Businesswoman at Scho at novel35.com

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

The warm spring sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtains and landed on a white bedsheet. The person on the bed was slightly pale. Her hair soaked the fine sweat on her forehead, and it stuck onto her face.



Jian Ai’s eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and she was in a daze. She felt as if some lead had filled her head. Her nerves were throbbing, and she felt as if they were about to explode. Her back, which was on a mattress as hard as a rock, was in pain. Her sweat-soaked undergarments stuck to her body, making her feel extremely uncomfortable. Her eyelashes trembled slightly and only then did Jian Ai slowly open her eyes with difficulty.



In a daze, the first thing she saw was an old-fashioned closet with yellow paint peeling off. There was a green glass vase on the shabby handmade bedside table next to the bed. A wilted daffodil was on the verge of collapse, and an alarm clock that looked like a cherry ball was staring at her with wide eyes.



Jian Ai only felt a flash of white light in her mind. Her dispirited spirit was instantly stimulated back into her body, and her weak body sat up from the bed.



Surveying her surroundings, she realized that this was not her high-class apartment in the capital. However, the white bedsheets, the light muslin curtains, and the furnishings in the room were all very familiar to her.



This was not her house or even the capital. It was her home in Baiyun City, where she grew up!



Unbelievable! Jian Ai looked at everything in front of her with a dazed expression. Why was she here? Wasn’t this old house demolished a long time ago?



As for herself…



Jian Ai closed her eyes and tried her best to recall everything that had happened. She had lived in this old house until she was seventeen years old and entered a university in the capital. At nineteen years old, her mother passed away due to cancer, and her elder brother went out to work in the construction team to earn money for her studies. However, he unexpectedly met with an accident and left the world. From then on, the two most important family members in Jian Ai’s life left her one after another, leaving her in her third year of university.



However, this did not wholly defeat her. After being immersed in sorrow for a while, Jian Ai decided to face the future alone.



The construction team provided monetary compensation for her brother’s death. Jian Ai also managed to get a large sum of money from the demolition of the old house. With this money, Jian Ai started her business in the capital with her unique wisdom and skills. It was as if she had a natural sensitivity to doing business. In just a few years, Jian Ai made a name for herself in the capital’s real estate industry and became a female boss worth tens of millions.



The scene froze at the last frame in her mind. The driver was driving her to sign a contract with her business partner. At an intersection, a truck driving beside her suddenly turned sideways…



So… was she dead?



She opened her eyes and looked at everything that made her feel dazed yet familiar. Or could it be that her real-life was just a dream?



Getting off the bed, Jian Ai skillfully went to the closet and opened it. There was a mirror on the inner side of the door. In the mirror, her face was pale, and her body was thin. It was obvious that she had not yet recovered from a severe illness. But this was also how she used to look!



She raised her hand and carefully touched her face. It felt so real that Jian Ai couldn’t help but tear up.



Stacked at the top of the closet was her high school uniform. It was old-fashioned and had friendly colors.



At this time, the sound of the door opening suddenly came from outside. Jian Ai’s heart thumped, and her body involuntarily trembled.



She rushed to the door and opened it. In the small living room, Wang Yunmei was putting down the fruits in her hands. When she heard the voice, she couldn’t help but turn around. When she saw her daughter standing at the door with a worn look on her face, she exclaimed, “Oh, Xiao Ai, why did you get off the bed so quickly? Go back and lie down. Don’t catch a cold.”



As she spoke, Wang Yunmei quickly walked over to Jian Ai. Just as she was about to help her into the room, her daughter suddenly hugged her.



“Mom!”



Jian Ai seemed to have used up all her strength to call out ‘mom.’ She could no longer control herself as she threw herself into her mother’s arms and started crying.



In Jian Ai’s memory, her mother worked as an escort at a nightclub for as long as she could remember. This was an indecent job in the eyes of others, and because of this, the neighbors criticized her mother. Even her maternal grandparents and uncles never made extra contact with her family.



Other than that, her mother rented a small stall on the street not far from her house. Every morning, she had to wake up early to fry some fried dough sticks and sell breakfast. Her mother had repeated such a life for more than a decade, just to support herself and her brother.



Jian Ai and her brother did not know anything about their father. Since her mother did not say it, they did not ask. In her heart, only her mother and brother were important.



However, when she was nineteen years old, God made a joke with her once again. Her mother was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and passed away in just two months. This made the already difficult family even worse. She did not even get to see her mother for the last time as she was in a university in the capital.



Feeling the familiar fragrance on her mother’s body, Jian Ai cried until she almost went limp. If this was all a dream, she was willing to exchange everything she had for this dream and not wake up.



On the other hand, Wang Yunmei was startled by her daughter’s sudden hug. When she regained her senses, she quickly patted her daughter’s back in a comforting manner. “Alright, my dear daughter, what are you crying for? Quickly go back and lie down. Your fever just subsided. Don’t catch a cold again.”



Looking at her daughter’s red eyes from crying, Wang Yunmei couldn’t help but smile dotingly. “The doctor said that you were frightened, so your emotions might fluctuate. How would I know that your emotions would fluctuate so much? This is the first time Mom has seen you cry so hard.”



She wiped her tears. Although she could not calm down quickly, Jian Ai still pretended to be normal and said, “Mom, I want to take a shower first. My body is sticky and uncomfortable.”



“Alright, take a shower first. I’ll change the bedsheets for you. It’s probably drenched in sweat.”



Wang Yunmei assumed that her daughter had been frightened, so she didn’t think too much about it.



In the bathroom, the simple showerhead sprayed water intermittently. Jian Ai’s heart gradually calmed down.



It was the beginning of spring in 2002. It had been twelve years before her accident. All of this was not a dream. She had returned to twelve years ago when she was fourteen!



However, if she could not change anything in this life, what was the use of this opportunity? Hence, Jian Ai clenched her fists and swore to herself. This time, she must save her mother and brother and change the life of her family.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

The evening of early spring was still a little cold, especially in Baiyun City, an economic city located at the northern end of China.



Jian Ai sat on the sofa in the living room with a blanket draped over her shoulders. On the coffee table in front of her was a steaming hot meal: fried eggs with tomato, sweet and sour pork, and a bowl of soup with fish head and tofu.



There were two clean red apples next to the dishes, and it was evident that they were the most expensive ones at the fruit stall. Her mother always treated her like this. Even if her family background was not good, her mother always tried her best to give her the best when it came to eating and learning.



At this time, Wang Yunmei had already gone out for work. After Jian Ai finished eating, she changed into a clean set of clothes and tied her hair into a ponytail. She looked at herself in the mirror before putting on her shoes and leaving.



In April and May, Baiyun City was as wet and cold as of late autumn. Jian Ai wrapped her coat tightly around her and looked around while recalling everything that she was familiar with during her childhood.



Baiyun City was a provincial capital located in the Jin Province in the north. It was considered an important trade hub and an economic city divided into five major districts: Haicheng District, Zhonglou District, South City District, North City District, and Wanbao District.



The most prosperous city center was Haicheng District, while Jian Ai’s home was in the South City District, also known as the slums. Most of the South City District residents lived in poverty, and they could count the number of tall buildings in the entire district with one hand. Most of them were flat houses or two or three stories tall residential buildings. In the bustling Baiyun City, this place seemed out of place.



After walking for more than half an hour, Jian Ai stopped in front of Starlight Bar in Zhonglou District. Many young men gathered in groups at the bar entrance, where a deafening noise came from. Jian Ai was a little nervous, but she was more excited and expectant because her brother, Jian Yu, worked here.



To earn more money to finish her university studies, her brother had gone out with the construction team to do construction work in her previous life. He had done hard work and spent all his youth. It was unexpected that a falling object took away his life at the construction site. Until now, Jian Ai still did not dare to think about the scene of seeing her brother’s body.



“Little girl, are you looking for someone? We can’t let children in here.”



As soon as she reached the main entrance, a blond with a cigarette in his mouth looked up at Jian Ai and asked. The blond didn’t look like a good person, but his tone was decent.



Jian Ai paused and looked at the blond before nodding. “I’m looking for someone.”



The blond stood up and sized up Jian Ai. He took a puff of smoke and raised his eyebrows. “Who are you looking for? There are no customers here yet!”



“I’m not here to look for a customer. I’m looking for Jian Yu. He’s here as a security guard,” Jian Ai quickly said.



“Oh, you’re looking for Jian Yu!” The blond couldn’t help but look at Jian Ai meaningfully. Then, he smiled and said, “Wait at the door. I’ll go in and call him for you.”



When the blond entered the bar, Jian Ai exhaled deeply.



Starlight Bar was considered the best bar in Zhonglou District. Young people liked to come to such places, and many out-of-school youths nearby were willing to work in such places. Their jobs were only at night, and they could earn eight hundred or a thousand yuan in a month. For a person in his twenties, this was considered quite an income.



Her elder brother, Jian Yu, was four years older than her and had just turned eighteen. He had been working as a security guard at Starlight Bar for almost a year. Her elder brother loved her the most. Jian Ai still remembered that whenever he received his salary every first day of the month, her elder brother would secretly give half of his money to her as pocket money. The rest of the money would be given to his mother, leaving him with only a few dozen dollars.



“There, that girl in the white sweater!”



As soon as he walked out of the bar, Jian Yu saw Jian Ai. He raised his hand and slapped the back of the blond’s head. “Girl, damn you. That’s my sister!”



As soon as he finished speaking, Jian Yu ran up to Jian Ai. He looked at Jian Ai up and down worriedly before saying, “You ran out after you recovered! And you came here…” Jian Yu looked around and asked, “How did you get here? Did you walk here?”



Jian Yu was 1.8 meters tall, he had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and he looked very energetic. When he spoke, he frowned. His eyebrows were filled with concern for Jian Ai.



Looking at her elder brother, Jian Ai once again felt as if it was a lifetime ago. Her heart warmed, and she felt a lump in her throat. She almost wanted to cry.



“What’s wrong, Xiao Ai? I’m asking you a question!” Jian Yu was even more nervous now that Jian Ai was silent.



Jian Ai quickly recovered from the trance and said, “I’m fine, Brother. I just came out for a walk. I just wanted to see you.”



Their home was in South City District, and the place she was at now was in Zhonglou District. By foot, it would at least take half an hour to get there. Hearing that Jian Ai walked over, Jian Yu couldn’t get angry. He was worried, and his heart ached.



“Er Zi, I need to send my sister home. Help me ask Brother Dong for leave.” Jian Yu suddenly turned around and shouted at the blond who was watching from afar.



The blond made a hand gesture to indicate that he had received the message. Seeing this, Jian Ai smiled in embarrassment. “Sorry to trouble you, Brother.”



Hearing this, Jian Yu smiled helplessly. “It’s okay. Anyway, it’s not the weekend yet. The bar isn’t busy. I’m worried if you walk back by yourself.”



Jian Ai immediately went up and hugged Jian Yu’s arm. Her brother was tall and strong, making her feel safe. She and her mother used to like to walk with him like that.



“This is for you.” Jian Yu suddenly took out a small object from his pocket and handed it to Jian Ai.



Jian Ai looked up and saw a pair of hairclips with a Little Ball character.



“Thank you, Brother.” Jian Ai received them with joy. She looked up and grinned.



Jian Yu smiled and said lovingly, “I saw it at the night market by accident. Didn’t you like Little Peach? Don’t stand on ceremony with me for two yuan.”



“What Little Peach? Her name is Little Ball.” Jian Ai smiled.



“Sure, sure. Little Ball.”



The siblings walked towards Jian Yu’s motorcycle.



On the way back, Jian Ai sat in the backseat with her arms around Jian Yu’s waist. The night wind of Baiyun City blew on her face, and it was cold and wet. However, at this moment, Jian Ai’s heart was exceptionally and unprecedentedly warm.



Before going to bed that night, Jian Ai packed her school bag, took out her school uniform, and ironed it. She had a high fever a few days ago and hadn’t been to school for a few days. Now, she was no longer feeling unwell. Although Jian Ai still remembered the things she had learned in her previous life, she still planned to return to school tomorrow.



Perhaps it was a psychological effect, but lying on the bed, Jian Ai could not fall asleep for a long time. It was as if she was worried that everything would disappear once she woke up. She would become a successful businesswoman again, and she could no longer see her mother and brother.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

At night, Jian Ai had a very realistic dream.



In the dream, she could see no one, and there were no scenes at all. All she saw were words. I seemed to be an ancient legend or a lost sect.



Suddenly, a clear voice rang out in her mind. “In the Primordial World, the founder of the spiritual sect, Yu Jiang, pursued lifelong learning in his lifetime. He chose the people who defied fate and integrated himself into their bloodlines. He decides all things..”



This voice was vast and mighty, distant and ethereal as if it were the call of an older man from another time and space. The sleeping Jian Ai suddenly woke up to find that words had filled the space above her.



Defied fate?



These were the first words that appeared in Jian Ai’s mind. In her dream, she remembered the words she heard. It said that those who defied fate, he would integrate his bloodline into them.



She had somehow been reborn from twenty-six years old and back to fourteen years old. Could this be the so-called defying fate?



She raised her eyes to look at the golden words in front of her. It was a secret manual of an ancient sect. It recorded the twelve sets of mental cultivation techniques of the founder, Yu Jiang. Before Jian Ai could read the contents carefully, thousands of golden words jumped up as if they had a life of their own. Then, as Jian Ai was dumbfounded, they all flew into her brain.



The sudden surge of cognitive energy made Jian Ai’s brain burn as if it were on fire. She felt her brain swell and heat up, and she felt awful. It took less than two minutes for the energy to fade until it was gone.



At this moment, Jian Ai could say out the twelve sets of mental cultivation techniques easily, as if they had already been engraved in her mind.



Jian Ai sat up on the bed and looked at the Little Ball alarm clock. She raised her hand, and the alarm clock on the bedside table flew towards Jian Ai.



Jian Ai was both surprised and delighted. She had thought that her rebirth was the greatest blessing from the heavens, but who would have thought that she would receive such a gift of a set of skills from an ancient sect? It was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise.



Rebirth was already hard for her to believe, and now she had learned the twelve sets of mental cultivation techniques. If all of this had not happened, Jian Ai would never believe such a thing would happen in this world.



When she woke up in the morning, it was already 6 am. Jian Ai quickly washed up, put on the school uniform that she had not seen for a long time, carried her school bag, and went out.



At this time, her mother and brother were already busy at their breakfast stall. Jian Ai would eat breakfast at the stall every morning before going to school.



“Xiao Ai!”



As she was walking, someone called her name from behind.



Jian Ai stopped and looked back. A girl who was about the same age as her, wearing the same uniform, was running after her.



Guan Tao was Jian Ai’s classmate and best friend. The two of them grew up together. From kindergarten to high school, they lived in the same place. When they reached university, they applied for different schools because of different ideals but were still best friends.



Guan Tao married a rich second-generation heir in her previous life and gave birth to twins. Both of them were sons. She could straighten her back in her in-laws’ house and lead a comfortable life.



“You’re going to school after you have recovered? Why didn’t you rest at home for a few more days?” Guan Tao went up and asked with concern.



Suddenly seeing Guan Tao when she was young, Jian Ai couldn’t help but be stunned for a moment. Then, she said, “I’m fine. I haven’t been to school for a few days. If I don’t go now, I won’t be able to catch up.”



When Guan Tao saw that Jian Ai’s expression had indeed improved, she was relieved. Then, she sighed and said, “Don’t provoke Li Yunmei and the rest in the future. They are rich and powerful. They pushed you into the pond this time. What if they do something more out of line next time?”



Jian Ai was stunned. She remembered that she had a fever because she fell into the water. Why didn’t she remember that this had something to do with Li Yunmei?



Erzhong was one of the top high schools in Baiyun City. The students there were roughly divided into two types. One was those who were rich and powerful, and the other was those who were good at studying and could get scholarships based on their abilities.



Jian Ai and Guan Tao belonged to the second type. Otherwise, ordinary families would not be able to afford the expensive school fees.



However, those who received scholarships were the minority. Since adolescent girls liked to form cliques, Jian Ai and Guan Tao, who lived in the slums of the South City District, would naturally be isolated or even bullied by their classmates.



However, Jian Ai had no impression of Li Yunmei pushing her into the school pond. It had never happened in her previous life.



Perhaps after rebirth, many things had changed?



“Xiao Ai, I’m talking to you.”



“I understand.” Jian Ai regained her senses and quickly replied.



Their family’s breakfast stall was located at the end of the street. Since the location was not bad, they were not the only breakfast stall nearby.



“Auntie Mei, Xiao Ai and I are sitting outside,” Guan Tao called out to the busy Wang Yunmei.



“Alright, please wait a moment. I’ll be right there.” Wang Yunmei answered while busying herself.



The business of the breakfast stall was more or less the same every day, and they had a fixed customer flow. Because Wang Yunmei’s fried dough sticks were delicious, those who liked eating fried dough sticks enjoyed coming to their stall for breakfast.



“Beautiful ladies, what would you like to eat?”



Just then, Jian Yu came to the table and asked with a smile.



As soon as she saw Jian Yu, Guan Tao’s eyes lit up. But before she could say anything, Jian Ai spoke first, “Soy milk, fried dough sticks, and two tea eggs. Brother, hurry up. We won’t make it in time.”



“Okay.” Jian Yu raised his eyebrows and went back into the stall.



Guan Tao opened her mouth but didn’t say anything. Her eyes followed Jian Yu inside.



“Alright, stop looking. Your eyeballs are flying out.” Jian Ai looked at Guan Tao with amusement.



Guan Tao pouted and rolled her eyes. “Auntie Mei is really good at giving birth. You and your brother are both so good-looking.”



Jian Ai was fair and had an oval face. Her facial features were not exquisite, but she was a classic beauty.



On the other hand, Jian Yu had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and big white teeth. When he smiled, he looked like a little sun. Not many girls could resist him.



“But that’s true. Auntie Mei is also good-looking. You two have good genes,” Guan Tao added.



She was right. Wang Yunmei gave birth to Jian Yu when she was seventeen years old. She gave birth to Jian Ai when she was twenty-one years old. Now, she was thirty-five years old. It was hard to believe that she had two children of this age.



A thirty-five-year-old middle-aged woman’s job was a nightclub hostess. If word got out, people would probably laugh at her.



However, Wang Yunmei was different. She was born beautiful, and even though she was thirty-five years old, her skin was still tight, and her figure was sexy. She was even more charming than young girls.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

After a while, Jian Yu came out with two bowls of soy milk. He walked to their table and put them down gently. “Drink it while it’s hot. I’ve added sugar.”



“Thank you, Brother Yu.” Guan Tao smiled and wanted to show Jian Yu her gums.



Jian Yu said, “Don’t stand on ceremony.” He pulled a stool and sat down beside Jian Ai. Then, he felt around in his pocket and took out the rolled-up ten yuan. He handed it to Jian Ai and said, “Xiao Ai, have some good food at school.”



Jian Ai stopped drinking the soy milk and looked at the ten yuan. She blinked and said, “I have money. Brother, keep it for yourself.”



After entering high school, her mother would give her two hundred yuan as her living allowance at the beginning of every month. Two hundred yuan might be enough for an ordinary high school, but in Erzhong, a typical lunch would cost around five yuan. If she wanted to have a good meal every few days, she would spend two hundred yuan before the end of the month.



Fortunately, her brother would secretly give half of his salary to her every month. Their mother did not know about this. She always thought her brother kept half his salary as pocket money, but he gave all of them to her in reality. He knew what kind of school Erzhong was and was afraid that her classmates would look down on her.



This way, Jian Ai would have a living allowance of five to six hundred yuan every month, which was more than enough for an ordinary high school student like her. However, Jian Ai did not spend money extravagantly because of this. Every day, she ate the cheapest lunch and secretly saved up the rest of the money.



“Take it. I will receive my salary tomorrow.” Jian Yu stuffed the money into Jian Ai’s hands. Before Jian Ai could say anything, he stood up and said, “Finish your food and go to school. I am going to get busy.”



“Oh my, Big Brother Yu is too good to you!” Red hearts formed in Guan Tao’s eyes, and she had exaggerated her expression. “When I grow up, I must marry a man like Big Brother Yu.”



“Stop!” Jian Ai looked at Guan Tao and said, “You can like anyone, except my brother!”



Jian Ai poured a bucket of cold water over Guan Tao’s enthusiasm. “I know, I know! If I can’t, so be it. Who are you trying to scare?”



Looking at Guan Tao’s expression, Jian Ai wanted to laugh. She didn’t mean anything else. It was just that Guan Tao’s life in her previous life had been smooth sailing. She didn’t want Guan Tao to waste any more energy on her elder brother. It would save her a lot of detours.



Erzhong was located at the junction between Zhonglou District and Haicheng District. Every morning, they would take the bus from the bus stop at the street entrance and arrive at school about half an hour.



At this time, it was time for the students to enter the school. Jian Ai followed the crowd and walked through the main gate of Erzhong. Looking at everything she was familiar with in the past, she tried her best to remain natural but could not help but feel excited and nervous.



“Look, isn’t that Jian Ai?”



“Ah? Really? Didn’t she die from drowning?”



“Don’t talk nonsense. She was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment.”



“How many days has it been? Why is she here so soon?”



As soon as she entered the school, she heard many whispers around her. Although the other party deliberately kept their distance and lowered their voices, Jian Ai could still hear them. Perhaps this had something to do with her mental cultivation techniques.



However, Jian Ai did not seem to have heard these discussions. She did not remember the details of her falling into the water at all. Guan Tao said that Li Yunmei pushed her. As for why she had to slowly understand.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Jian Ai couldn’t help but stop in front of the classroom for Year One, Class Three. The students were talking and laughing in the classroom. Everything made Jian Ai feel unreal yet real at the same time.



She pushed the door open and entered. When the students saw Jian Ai standing at the door, they all stopped talking. It was the kind of reaction that instantly isolated one. Some of them didn’t even have time to retract their expressions.



Jian Ai could not help but smile bitterly in her heart. She was too familiar with this scene. In the entire three years of high school, she was like an outsider who had never really integrated into it.



After a while, the students went back to their own business. No one asked Jian Ai about her condition.



For Jian Ai, there was no need for unimportant people to show false concern.



“If you’re not entering, move aside! Are you standing at the door to be a door god?”



At this moment, an impatient female voice sounded behind her. Jian Ai turned around and saw a pair of disdainful and mocking eyes.



Although they hadn’t seen each other for more than ten years, Jian Ai recognized the person in front of her at a glance. It was Li Yunmei, the culprit who had pushed her into the pond.



Li Yunmei was tall and thin. She had a small face and big eyes. She was as delicate as a doll. However, those who knew her knew that Li Yunmei was a violent soul under her princess-like appearance.



Moreover, she liked to take the initiative to provoke others. Jian Ai still remembered that there was once a girl from another class, who Li Yunmei and her companion taunted just because the girl glanced at her in the corridor.



When she was in high school, she tried her best to avoid this person. At that time, she was a nobody and only knew how to immerse herself in her studies. It significantly reduced her presence, so she did not have any conflicts with Li Yunmei.



However, after her rebirth, she did not expect that the first person she would meet was the famous ‘female tyrant’ in this class!



Jian Ai looked away and walked straight to her seat without any expression.



Li Yunmei’s expression froze. She could not accept that Jian Ai ignored her. If it were in the past, Jian Ai would bury her head in her collar and walk. Why did she not react just now?



Jian Ai had just put down her bag and sat in her seat when Li Yunmei caught up to her. She stopped beside Jian Ai’s seat and deliberately raised her voice. “Jian Ai, don’t be smug just because Lin Yi wrote you a love letter. You probably don’t know that the reason why Lin Yi wrote you a love letter was because he made a bet with Yan Tian and the rest. They were betting on whether a nerd like you likes Lin Yi.”



“That’s right. Did you really think you could be with Lin Yi? You even went to confess to Lin Yi. What a joke,” another girl chimed in coldly.



Jian Ai stopped tidying the desk. Hearing this, everything she couldn’t remember became clear.



Lin Yi. Jian Ai would probably never forget this name because Lin Yi was the only person she had ever had a crush on in her entire youth. However, Jian Ai had never told anyone, including Lin Yi.



Of course, Lin Yi was handsome, played basketball well, studied well, and had a cheerful personality. Many girls liked him, including Li Yunmei.



However, this was all in the past for Jian Ai. She couldn’t deny that she once had a crush on Lin Yi for three whole years in high school. But now, her heart was completely unmoved, and she even felt like laughing.



The fact that Li Yunmei pushed her into the pond probably had something to do with the love letter Lin Yi gave her.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Jian Ai slowly raised her head and looked at Li Yunmei emotionlessly. Then, she said to Li Yunmei in a voice just loud enough for everyone in the class to hear, “Whether Lin Yi gave me a love letter or not, or why he gave me one, what does all of this have to do with you?”



Without waiting for Li Yunmei to speak, Jian Ai let out a cold laugh through her nose and continued, “Could it be that you like Lin Yi? Was that why you were so angry? Did you push me into the school pond because you were jealous?”



Everyone knew that Jian Ai fell into the pond, but not everyone knew that Li Yunmei pushed her. Now that Jian Ai had said it so casually, even Li Yunmei felt a little embarrassed. She immediately blushed and shouted, “Jian Ai, stop slandering me. What has it got to do with me that you fell into the pond?”



When the surrounding students saw this, their expressions changed, and they started whispering.



“Did Li Yunmei push Jian Ai?”



“You still don’t know? I heard it from someone two days ago.”



“I heard about it too. I thought it was fake, but it turned out to be real.”



“That’s too much. That pond is more than three meters deep. What if something happened?”



Because of her poor family background, most of Jian Ai’s classmates isolated her, not because she was annoying. Although the students who knew the truth didn’t like her, they felt that Jian Ai was innocent and pitiful in this matter.



Li Yunmei had never been talked about like this before. Usually, no one dared to speak to her like this. Yet today, Jian Ai rebuked her inconspicuously. She immediately felt that her self-esteem had been hurt and wanted to reach out to grab Jian Ai’s hair.



“Jian Ai!”



Just when everyone thought that Li Yunmei would teach Jian Ai a lesson, a clear voice came from the classroom door.



When Li Yunmei heard this voice, her hand suddenly stopped in mid-air. The rest of the class also looked at the door in unison.



Outside the door of Class Three, a fair-skinned, energetic-looking boy stood there.



The boy was fifteen years old but was almost 1.8 meters tall. He had short hair, and his fringe covered his eyebrows, revealing only a pair of bright eyes. There was still a thin layer of sweat on the tip of his nose. He was holding a basketball in his left hand. It was obvious that he had just finished playing basketball in the courts.



The morning sun shone on his back. There was a circle of reddish-yellow light that made him look even better.



It was none other than Lin Yi!



Jian Ai instinctively looked over and met Lin Yi’s gaze.



“Can you come out for a while? I have something to tell you!”



Lin Yi’s expression didn’t change much as he directly raised his head at Jian Ai.



Everyone turned to look at Jian Ai with different expressions on their faces. They didn’t think that Lin Yi would come to Class Three’s door to look for Jian Ai. Didn’t he write a love letter to Jian Ai because of a bet?



Jian Ai didn’t argue. She stood up, walked around Li Yunmei, and walked out of the door.



When Jian Ai left the classroom, everyone exploded again!



“Damn, what’s going on?”



“Does Lin Yi really like Jian Ai?”



“That’s impossible, right?”



“Why not? Jian Ai is pretty!”



“That’s true…”



On the other side of the corridor, Jian Ai stood in front of Lin Yi. Due to the height difference, Jian Ai had to tilt her head slightly to meet his eyes.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Lin Yi was still the same as before, but Jian Ai was no longer as passionate as before.



“What is it?”



Jian Ai was the first to speak. Not much fluctuation was in her tone, as if the love letter incident didn’t affect her at all.



Lin Yi frowned slightly, making him look like a young adult. He sized Jian Ai up before saying, “I saw it just now. Li Yunmei is looking for trouble with you again, right?”



Sighing softly, Lin Yi continued, “I didn’t think that there would be so much trouble in the beginning. I also know that you were pushed into the pond, and it’s all my fault. Hence, you are being bullied like this.”



“If you know it’s all because of you, then why don’t you stay away from me? So that we won’t be seen by petty people, lest they cause me more trouble.” Jian Ai’s tone was indifferent. Lin Yi couldn’t tell if Jian Ai was angry.



However, Jian Ai’s reaction surprised Lin Yi. She had never dared to look him in the eye before, much less speak loudly to him. Every time they met in school, she would sneak a few glances at him before quickly leaving his sight.



Her tone and attitude just now made her seem like a completely different person. Lin Yi felt a bit surprised and unfamiliar.



After coming back to his senses, Lin Yi nodded lightly and said, “I know. I just wanted to apologize. If not for me making a bet with Yan Tian and the rest to tease you, you wouldn’t have been pushed into the pond.”



“So, did you win the bet?”



Jian Ai suddenly asked Lin Yi.



Lin Yi was stunned, and it took him a while to react, but he still nodded dumbly. “Yes…”



Jian Ai suddenly felt that it was funny. She thought of her crush on Lin Yi. Comparing it to this scene, it was pretty funny.



Jian Ai pursed her lips indifferently and said, “How about this? I’ll give you a chance to apologize. You won the bet, so I’ll have to take half of the credit. Revenge was taken against me by your admirers because of this. This is hard work. Taking into account all the credit, you have to treat me to lunch in the cafeteria for a month.”



“Huh?” Lin Yi didn’t seem to follow Jian Ai’s train of thought. He looked confused.



Didn’t she tell him to stay away from her just a second ago to avoid causing trouble for her?



“Didn’t you tell me to stay away from you…” Lin Yi asked with a frown.



Jian Ai blinked. “I’m going back on my word. I jumped into the pond for nothing. I got tricked and even got sick! Besides, aren’t you here to apologize? Are you going to apologize verbally? You have to do something so that I can see your sincerity!”



Lin Yi didn’t know why Jian Ai would suddenly make such a request, but he felt that her words made sense. He was a boy, after all, so he had to be responsible.



Lin Yi nodded and said, “Alright, it’s just a month’s lunch. You can have whatever you want. It’s on me!”



Only then did Jian Ai look at Lin Yi with satisfaction. “Alright, if there’s nothing else, you may leave. Class is starting soon.”



As soon as he finished speaking, Jian Ai turned around and walked into the classroom with her back facing Lin Yi.



Lin Yi stood in the corridor and stared blankly at the door of Class Three for a long time before slowly letting out a sigh of relief and leaving.



In fact, Lin Yi felt guilty ever since he found out that Lin Yunmei pushed her into the pond. It was fine if nothing happened to Jian Ai, but he would be the one to blame if something did happen.



Now that Jian Ai had asked for compensation, it meant that she was willing to forgive him, and Lin Yi felt relieved.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

News of Lin Yi going to Class Three to look for Jian Ai spread like wildfire. Almost everyone in the school knew about it. Rumors started flying everywhere, but no one knew what they were talking about.



At noon, in the school cafeteria.



The cafeteria of Erzhong was situated on the right side of the school. It was a two-story building that covered a large area, and the dishes were very comprehensive. Besides rice, stir-fried vegetables, steamed buns, and noodles, there were also various local specialties, such as roujiamo, mala soup, and so on. The taste was also delicious.



Lin Yi stood at the entrance of the cafeteria and saw Jian Ai in the crowd from afar. Just like before, she wore a neatly ironed school uniform with a simple ponytail.



However, in Lin Yi’s eyes, Jian Ai was completely different from before. She no longer lowered her head and submerged herself in a sea of people like before. Instead, her entire body exuded a different temperament from others. Her sparkling skin was glowing. Her face was expressionless, but people could see her at a glance.



Jian Ai also saw Lin Yi and quickly walked up to him. “Are you waiting for me?”



Lin Yi nodded. “Let’s go in.”



The two of them entered the cafeteria together and attracted everyone’s surprised gazes. The rumors in the morning reduced to gossip, and everyone started to talk privately in groups of three to five.



“Damn! Are they really together?”



“What’s going on? Jian Ai? Lin Yi likes Jian Ai?”



“She looks like a dumb person. Fools have fortune.”



“Tsk… Just wait and see. It won’t be for long.”



“That’s right. There are at least eighty girls in school who like Lin Yi. I think Jian Ai is going to have a hard time.”



In high school, it was nothing new for male and female classmates to fall in love. It was just that the status of these two protagonists was too different in everyone’s hearts.



Lin Yi was the vanguard of the school basketball team, and he was a top student. His family owned a famous fashion brand in the country with a market value of over a hundred million yuan. He was one of the most famous people in school.



However, Jian Ai was a Cinderella from the slums. She placed all her attention on her studies every day. She was the typical example of a child from a low-income family who treasured her learning opportunities. She did not interact much with others and did not participate in gatherings with her classmates. She was like a nobody and had never provoked others. Other people did not take her seriously.



These two people who couldn’t get along at all that had gotten together? Anyone would be unable to accept this!



Jian Ai and Lin Yi naturally heard everyone’s discussion. Lin Yi immediately said in a low voice, “Aren’t you afraid that someone will find trouble with you?”



“Compared to getting into trouble, I still think a month’s free lunch is more attractive to me.” Jian Ai said lightly, without any embarrassment from being discussed.



Lin Yi found it even more strange. Although he hadn’t interacted much with Jian Ai and didn’t know much about her, he felt that Jian Ai was completely different from before. It was as if no one around her could enter her eyes, and there was a barrier around her that prevented strangers from entering. Even though they were standing together and talking, Lin Yi still felt an invisible barrier between him and Jian Ai that he couldn’t cross.



Was this still the same Jian Ai who received his love letter and ran up to him with a flushed face and said, “Lin Yi, I like you too?”



When they finally reached the window, Lin Yi looked at Jian Ai and said, “Find what you want to eat. You don’t have to stand on ceremony with me!”





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Jian Ai wasn’t going to stand on ceremony. If she were, she wouldn’t have asked Lin Yi to treat her to lunch for a month.



Without even thinking, Jian Ai said to the auntie, “Auntie, give me a serving of beef with roasted potatoes, braised meatballs, stir-fried potatoes, and fried eggs with tomato.”



Beef with roasted potatoes and braised meatballs were the most expensive meat dishes in the cafeteria. A fist-sized meatball was sold for three to five yuan each. Jian Ai had never been willing to eat it before. Even after a few years, she was still very curious about the meatball taste in high school.



Now that a person was paying the bill for her, Jian Ai naturally wanted to make up for the regret from her previous life and have a taste of this braised meatball.



Lin Yi didn’t say anything and paid the bill generously.



Jian Ai picked up her plate and left. It was obvious that she had no intention of having lunch with Lin Yi.



“Xiao Ai, over here!”



Guan Tao had already taken a seat and waved at Jian Ai from afar.



When Guan Tao saw the meatball on Jian Ai’s plate, she couldn’t help but widen her eyes in surprise. “Wow, Xiao Ai. You’re finally willing to buy this!”



A smile appeared on Jian Ai’s face. She used her chopsticks to split the meatball into two and placed one half on Guan Tao’s plate. “I can’t eat such a big one by myself. Let’s split it equally.”



Guan Tao looked at half the meatball on her plate and then at the indifferent Jian Ai. She couldn’t help but say in surprise, “Xiao Ai, is something the matter? You can usually save two to three hundred yuan a month, but you can’t even bear to buy a meatball!”



Jian Ai couldn’t help but smile. Guan Tao was indeed her best friend.



She nodded. “I didn’t buy it. Lin Yi paid for it.”



“Ah?” Guan Tao’s mouth opened exaggeratedly. Then, afraid that people would notice, she quickly lowered her voice and leaned forward to look at Jian Ai. “Really? Are the two of you really…”



“It’s fake!” Jian Ai denied Guan Tao’s words and then ate a piece of beef. Then, she continued to explain, “It’s about the love letter. Lin Yi went to apologize to me in the morning, so I asked him to treat me to lunch for a month. He said, eat whatever you want. He’ll treat me. What else do you want to eat tomorrow? I’ll help you order.”



“Damn. No way, Xiao Ai. You’re too bold. You let Lin Yi treat you to lunch for a month. If his admirers find out about this, they’ll skin you alive.” Although Guan Tao had exaggerated her tone of voice, her words were filled with worry for Jian Ai. After all, the incident at the pond was because of Lin Yi.



However, Jian Ai didn’t react to Guan Tao’s worry. Instead, she smiled and said indifferently, “I’ve been to a three-meter deep pond before. Why should I be afraid of them? If they want to find trouble, go ahead. I’m poor anyway. He who is down needs fear no fall.”



In her three years of high school of her previous life, she did not compete with others and was careful in everything. However, she did not gain any respect. Instead, she was looked down upon by others, and they treated her pride as nothing.



Now that she was reborn, was she going to replicate her previous life?



Impossible! In this life, Jian Ai would never be a coward in the eyes of others. If anyone dared to bully her and the person she loved, she would return the favor tenfold.



“Then, I want to eat pork ribs,” Guan Tao said with a smile.



Jian Ai raised her eyebrows and nodded. “No problem. With such a huge free meal ticket, it would be a waste not to use it.”





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

On the other side, Lin Yi couldn’t help but look at Jian Ai while eating.



Three people were sitting at the same table. One of them was a tall and thin boy who wore glasses and looked very refined. His name was Gao Yang.



One of them had bronze skin and short and neat hair. He had a strong build and was called Yan Tian.



There was another girl who had short hair and was exceptionally pretty. Her name was Xia Qinghuan, and she was Yan Tian’s girlfriend.



The three of them were Lin Yi’s classmates and were practically inseparable in school. They were all relatively famous people in school.



Lin Yi focused his attention on Jian Ai in the distance, and the three of them couldn’t help but look at one another.



Yan Tian knocked on Lin Yi’s plate with his chopsticks. “Hey, hey… what’s with you? Don’t tell me you’ve really taken a liking to that silly girl!”



Lin Yi came back to his senses. He looked at the three of them and shook his head. “No, I just think she’s different from before.”



“Hah, I think she must have lost her mind when she fell into the pond,” Yan Tian said with a look of disdain. “How dare she ask you to treat her to lunch for a month just like that!”



“This whole thing started because of me. I have to apologize to her, right?” Lin Yi frowned and whispered.



Gao Yang pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and said, “Although you’re right, Li Yunmei was the one who had pushed her into the pond. Even if it’s compensation, Li Yunmei should be the one to compensate. Although you don’t lack three to five hundred yuan, I have a feeling that she is extorting you.”



“I say, are you guys more or less done?!” Xia Qinghuan couldn’t bear to listen anymore. She put down her chopsticks and said unhappily, “If you guys didn’t make that bet, would she have been pushed into the pond? Look at what happened now. You want to completely remove yourself? Let me tell you, Jian Ai is fine now. If she really drowned to death, you’ll all be held responsible! And I’ve always thought that Jian Ai was the type to submit to adversity. Yet today, she asked Lin Yi to compensate her. I, Xia Qinghuan, really think highly of her.”



Xia Qinghuan looked at Lin Yi and said, “Lin Yi, don’t think you’re at a disadvantage. This is your fault. You should treat her.”



“Tsk, who are you siding with? Why are you still speaking up for others!” Yan Tian glared at Xia Qinghuan.



Xia Qinghuan picked up her chopsticks and continued eating. Her tone was casual as she replied, “I’ll help reason, not kin. Jian Ai doesn’t have a temper, but you guys can’t just pick on the weak and bully her.”



Yan Tian wanted to say something, but Lin Yi interrupted him. “Qinghuan is right. I already feel sorry for her in my heart. I would feel better if I made some material compensation to her. That joke of ours went overboard. It was our fault in the first place.”



“Alright, alright. Between the two of you, one is willing to fight while the other is willing to suffer. We won’t bother about that anymore. It’s not like you’re lacking that bit of money, anyway.” Yan Tian shrugged and leaned back in his seat, looking like he did not care at all.



After lunch, Jian Ai went straight back to class. However, as soon as she sat down, the girl in front of her quickly turned around and whispered to Jian Ai, “Jian Ai, are you really with Lin Yi?”



The girl’s name was Xu Jiaojiao, and she usually didn’t have much interaction with Jian Ai. At this moment, she was afraid that she couldn’t control the burning fire of gossip in her heart, so she couldn’t help but ask Jian Ai.



As Jian Ai tidied up the textbooks for the afternoon, she replied calmly, “No.”





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Seeing Jian Ai’s attitude, Xu Jiaojiao couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She secretly mocked Jian Ai for pretending to be aloof but pretended to be friendly. She said to Jian Ai, “What’s so hard to admit? We all saw Lin Yi buying lunch for you. Don’t be too embarrassed to admit it!”



Initially, Jian Ai didn’t want to explain these things to others. After all, if it was a yes, it was a yes. If it was a no, it was a no. However, on second thought, instead of letting others spread false rumors and create gossip, it would be better to use Xu Jiaojiao’s mouth to spread the truth. She would feel relaxed as well. After all, Lin Yi had quite a few admirers. It was annoying to deal with them.



With this thought in mind, Jian Ai stopped what she was doing and looked at Xu Jiaojiao seriously. “You’re really overthinking this matter. Lin Yi bought lunch for me just to apologize to me. It’s not as exciting as you think. I’m sorry to disappoint you.”



Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment before snapping out of her daze. “So that’s how it is! Oh, I knew it! No matter how I look at it, the two of you aren’t compatible. After all, you’re not from the same world…”



Halfway through, Xu Jiaojiao pretended to say something wrong and quickly covered her mouth to stop herself. However, the meaning behind her words was clear. She secretly mocked Jian Ai for not being good enough for Lin Yi, and Lin Yi definitely wouldn’t fall for Jian Ai.



“Jian Ai, I’m not good with words. I don’t mean anything else. Don’t think too much about it.” Xu Jiaojiao pretended to be apologetic, but she had fixed her eyes on Jian Ai’s expression. She wanted to see how Jian Ai would react when she was hurt.



However, Jian Ai disappointed her. Jian Ai smiled and nodded indifferently. “You are right. I am not the same type of person as him, so you better not mix me with him in the future.”



Seeing Jian Ai’s reaction, Xu Jiaojiao muttered in her heart. She thought Jian Ai deliberately put up a strong front and probably cried eight hundred times in her heart.



However, it was just as Jian Ai had thought. Xu Jiaojiao, who knew the truth, could be said to be an artificial transmission machine. In just one afternoon, she had already made known about the matter between Jian Ai and Lin Yi to everyone. Everyone also understood that Lin Yi had bought Jian Ai a meal just to apologize, and he had no other intentions.



After school in the afternoon, Jian Ai and Guan Tao talked and laughed as they walked towards the bus stop. However, they were stopped halfway.



Li Yunmei was the leader, and there were four girls that Jian Ai did not know. They were Li Yunmei’s followers.



The five of them stood in a line and blocked the path for the two of them. It was obvious that they were looking for trouble.



Jian Ai stopped in her tracks and instinctively pulled Guan Tao behind her. Li Yunmei saw this and couldn’t help but sneer. She said to Jian Ai, “Jian Ai, you can’t even protect yourself. Don’t think about protecting others.”



“What do you want?” Jian Ai’s eyes darkened. She was not frightened by the scene in front of her.



“Hah, what do I want?” Li Yunmei raised her eyebrows and said disdainfully, “Of course I’m teaching you a lesson! Jian Ai, you are too shameless. You actually had the nerve to ask Lin Yi to treat you to lunch for a month. Why don’t you take a look at yourself? Are you even worthy?”



Jian Ai smiled instead of being angry. She looked at Li Yunmei and replied provocatively, “I’ll have to thank you properly for that. If you didn’t push me into the pond, Lin Yi wouldn’t have come to apologize to me. I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy free lunch. After all, half of the credit for this free lunch is yours, Li Yunmei!”





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Li Yunmei did not expect that Jian Ai would dare to go against her and even ridicule her. She immediately felt that she had been insulted. No one in the entire cohort dared to talk to her like that.



“Jian Ai, I think you are tired of living. Today, I will let you understand the consequences of offending me!” Li Yunmei flung her bag and instantly transformed into a gangster. She waved her hand.” Beat her up!”



The four girls rushed forward without a word. However, Jian Ai had no intention of running away. Instead, she advanced instead of retreating. Her eyes turned cold as she rushed forward.



Because they had just left the school, they instantly attracted many students from Erzhong who had just finished school when the two groups started fighting.



Li Yunmei and two of the girls ran towards Jian Ai while the other two girls aimed at Guan Tao behind Jian Ai.



Li Yunmei raised her leg and was about to kick Jian Ai’s stomach while the other two girls spread their fingers and pounced to pull Jian Ai’s hair. However, just as Jian Ai was about to go all out and not let the other party bully her for no reason, a scene that shocked even Jian Ai happened.



When Li Yunmei’s leg was about to kick her, Jian Ai instinctively turned to the side and quickly avoided her attack. Li Yunmei did not expect Jian Ai to be able to dodge so quickly. As she used too much strength, she was unable to control it due to inertia. She lifted her right leg and pounced forward.



“Ah…”



Li Yunmei could not help but scream. Then, under the crowd’s gaze, she made a huge split on the ground. It was a standard split.



Hiss…



The onlookers sucked in a breath of cold air when they saw this. They subconsciously clamped their legs together. Just looking at it made them feel pain.



At the same time, Jian Ai raised her fist and punched the chest of the second girl. She raised her leg and kicked the stomach of the third girl.



The strength of her punch and kick was extraordinary. The two girls retreated a few steps before sitting on the ground. At that moment, they felt as if their bodies were overturning seas and rivers. The impact instantly drained their strength that they would not be able to get up for a while.



This scene happened in the blink of an eye. Jian Ai’s movements were natural and smooth, and she easily knocked the three girls to the ground.



Everyone widened their eyes in shock and couldn’t say anything. Even Jian Ai was stunned. All of her reactions just now could be said to be instinctive. There was no thinking process at all.



Initially, she thought that even though the other party had more people on their side, she could just go all out. At the very least, she could not let people like Li Yunmei feel that she was a doughnut that others could easily squash. Even if she could not defeat them, she had to let them suffer a loss so that they would not dare to provoke her in the future.



Unexpectedly, the moment she moved, it was as if a god of war possessed her. As soon as the other party moved, she could predict their next moves, which made her retaliate so easily.



Could this be… related to the mental cultivation technique she had just learned?



“Ah… Let go…”



While she was still in a daze, Guan Tao’s scream came from behind her. Jian Ai snapped back to reality and turned around, only to see Guan Tao pulling a girl’s hair. Another girl also grabbed her hair, and the three people’s legs were also kicking and fighting.



Seeing this, Jian Ai quickly stepped forward and kicked the girl who was holding Guan Tao’s hair to the ground. Guan Tao felt that the force that was restraining her was no longer there, so she pushed the last girl to the ground.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Everything happened too quickly. Before the onlookers were even ready, everything had already ended. The entire process didn’t even take a minute, and Li Yunmei and the others had already lost their ability to fight.



“Damn. This girl is a martial arts practitioner. Her moves are nimble.”



“That girl’s name is Li Yunmei. She’s quite famous in Year One. It seems like there’s someone outside the school supporting her, so no one dares to offend her.”



“Haha, isn’t she still being dealt with now? Two people beat up those five people until they couldn’t stand up! What a joke.”



“They must have provoked the wrong person. They took advantage of their numbers to bully others, but didn’t expect the other party to know martial arts. Didn’t you see those moves just now? They were fast and accurate. How satisfying!”



Not everyone in Erzhong recognized Jian Ai. Some senior students were excited. They did not expect this pretty junior to be so powerful. She had taken care of the bullies in school in a few moves.



Seeing that more people were joining in on the fun, Jian Ai didn’t want to be a panda being watched. She immediately pulled Guan Tao out of the crowd.



After jogging to the bus stop, Jian Ai stopped and looked at Guan Tao with concern. “Tao Zi, are you hurt?”



“I’m fine!” Guan Tao panted as she waved her hand. She didn’t forget to check Jian Ai’s body. “What about you? Are you okay?”



Jian Ai smiled and shook her head. “I’m fine.”



“How did you do that just now? Why did they all fall to the ground when I turned around?” Guan Tao was surrounded by two girls just now, so she naturally didn’t see Jian Ai’s smooth moves. She couldn’t help but feel puzzled.



Jian Ai explained, “My brother taught me a few self-defense moves while I was recuperating at home. I didn’t expect to use them just now.”



Guan Tao had always admired Jian Yu, so she naturally wouldn’t doubt Jian Ai’s words. But now that she thought about it, she felt a bit scared. She couldn’t help but say worriedly, “It’s a good thing that Brother Yu taught you. Otherwise, we would have suffered today. After all, there were five people on the other side.”



“If something like this happens again in the future, you should stay back. I will handle it myself.” Jian Ai felt a little guilty. After all, the conflict between her and Li Yunmei had nothing to do with Guan Tao. It was because of Li Yunmei that she got beat up. As her friend, she could not help but feel heartache for her.



Unexpectedly, Guan Tao had a disapproving look on her face. “How can I do that? Although I don’t know how to fight, I can’t abandon you and run away on my own. If we want to run, then we’ll run together. If you don’t run, then I won’t run either. At worst, I’ll just get beaten up. We grew up together. If we haven’t even fought together, then it would be so boring.”



Guan Tao’s expression was solemn, but her words immensely touched Jian Ai. People would often say true love could be found in adversity. Guan Tao being able to face this matter with her today was enough to show their relationship.



“Then I’ll teach you a few moves when I have time, in case you only know how to pull people’s hair.” Jian Ai suddenly laughed.



“Huh? I only know how to pull people’s hair?”



“Yeah, you were screaming for someone to let go just now. Didn’t you know?”



“No way! Did I scream? Was it that bad?”



“That’s right. It was so lousy!”



“Hahaha…”



The two girls were laughing so hard at the bus stop that they were rocking back and forth. Jian Ai’s first day back to school was also fulfilling and exciting. The trajectory of this day was completely different from her previous life. As for Jian Ai, she knew in her heart that what she wanted and wanted to pursue was a completely different life from her previous life!





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

When she reached home, Wang Yunmei was cooking in the kitchen. When she heard the door open, she knew that her daughter had returned.



“Xiao Ai, school’s over! Mom bought you some grapefruit. Have some. Dinner will be ready soon. Your brother is also coming back for dinner.”



Jian Ai threw her school bag on the sofa and went into the kitchen in her slippers. Wang Yunmei was cleaning a carp. Jian Ai leaned forward to take a look. “Mom, are you making braised fish?”



Wang Yunmei nodded with a smile. “That’s right. It’s what your brother asked for. I also bought pork ribs. How do you want to eat them? With sugar and vinegar?”



“Sure,” Jian Ai answered happily.



“Go out and wait. Your brother will be back soon.”



Jian Ai returned to her room and glanced at the clock. It was six pm. Her mother usually went out to work at the nightclub around 7 pm with her makeup done. If the night ended early, she could be back around midnight. If not, she would reach home around two am or three am.



There was never an accurate time for such an escort job. They would not be able to get away from demanding customers.



In her previous life, her mother had passed away due to liver cancer. Jian Ai understood that the cause was her mother’s consumption of alcohol. Drinking alcohol hurt her liver. The more she drank, the more injured she became. In this life, she would not let the same thing happen again.



But now, she couldn’t possibly ask her mother to quit her job at the nightclub because the income of this job contributed to a large part of the family’s expenses. Her mother would not agree to it. Therefore, Jian Ai understood that if she wanted her mother to leave the nightclub, she would have to work hard to change the family’s financial situation personally. When money was no longer what her mother was worried about, everything else would naturally happen.



Therefore, Jian Ai was very clear about what she needed to do now. That was… earn money!



She opened the closet and took out a pink wallet. She took out all the money inside.



She had been reborn with her memories of the future. She knew the trajectory of this world twelve years in advance. Hence this was her unique advantage.



In the future, the most profitable industries would be real estate, food and beverage, nightclubs, and cultural and creative industries. In her previous life, Jian Ai relied on herself to work in the capital for several years and gradually stabilized her footing in the real estate industry. It was also the industry that she was most familiar with.



But when Jian Ai saw all her savings, she couldn’t help but wipe off sweat. All the money she had saved up… when added together… was only… one thousand and three hundred yuan!



One thousand and three hundred yuan was not a small sum for an ordinary high school student like her. With her mother’s monthly living allowance of two hundred yuan, one thousand and three hundred yuan was equivalent to half a year’s living allowance. However, if she wanted to start a business, this one thousand and three hundred yuan was too much of a joke. If she invested it into the business world, it would probably not even cause a splash. Furthermore, she had no business opportunity now, so this amount of money could not do anything.



Looking at the money on the bed, Jian Ai had a headache, but her brain was still working hard. What could make her multiply the money by tens or even hundreds of times in a short time…



Buying lottery tickets?



No, the probability of winning was zero. It was completely unreliable.



Jian Ai thought of investing in stocks again, but she immediately rejected the idea. She needed an identity card to open an account at the securities company. She was only fourteen years old and had yet to apply for an identity card. Secondly, investing in stocks was too risky. Although she had experience in this area, she could not guarantee that nothing would go wrong. If she lost, it would be a complete failure.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

For a moment, Jian Ai couldn’t think of a good solution. She felt defeated, but the money she had was limited. If she spent it, it would be gone, so she had to hit the jackpot.



Jian Yu’s voice came from the living room. Hearing that her brother was back, Jian Ai quickly kept her thoughts and put away the money on the bed.



“Brother!”



Jian Ai came out of the room and went up to him. However, before she could say anything, Jian Yu dragged her to the living room.



Jian Ai looked at Jian Yu curiously. “What’s wrong, Brother?”



Jian Yu revealed a mysterious smile. Then, he took out a handful of money from his pocket and stuffed it into Jian Ai’s hand. “I’ve received my salary. You can keep these.”



Jian Ai was stunned. “Didn’t you say tomorrow…”



She looked down and saw that there were eight one hundred yuan bills.



Startled, Jian Ai looked up at her brother and asked, “Brother, why is there so much money? Why give them all to me?”



Jian Yu’s monthly salary was about eight hundred yuan. At most, it was only one thousand yuan. Then, he would split the amount into two, half for his mother and the other half for his sister.



At that moment, Jian Ai had eight hundred yuan in her hands, which was Jian Yu’s monthly salary. Hence why she was so surprised.



Faced with Jian Ai’s reaction, Jian Yu revealed a smug smile handsomely and said in a low voice, “I am promoted as the head. I will be recieving one thousand and five hundred yuan a month now.”



When Jian Ai heard this, her face lit up. “Really?”



Jian Yu nodded. “Of course.”



Jian Ai was happy for her brother. Although he was only the head of a bar, it was easier for him than for the waiters, and his salary increased.



However, Jian Ai didn’t put the money away. Instead, she quickly counted out five bills and handed them to Jian Yu. “Brother, keep these for yourself. I’ll just keep three hundred yuan.”



“I don’t need money!” Jian Yu looked at Jian Ai and said, “You can keep it. If a classmate buys something that you like, you can buy it too. Don’t always be reluctant to spend money. Erzhong is full of rich kids. I can’t let my sister be looked down upon.”



Her elder brother had always doted on her since she was young. In her previous life, Jian Ai was already used to it. But now, it was different. Jian Ai cherished her mother and brother even more. She did not want to be the person who always asked for things and let others give them to her blindly.



“I have money. I saved up more than a thousand yuan from what you gave me before. I don’t need this much.” Jian Ai insisted that her brother keep five hundred yuan for himself.



While they were pulling at each other, Jian Ai suddenly smelled a faint perfume scent.



Jian Ai was very knowledgeable about perfume. This perfume had a woody scent and was very light and elegant. From its scent, one could determine the concentration of the fragrance essence. This perfume did not have any fragrance essence added and was purely extracted from plants. One could tell that it was expensive from just one sniff.



Jian Ai paused and looked at Jian Yu in surprise. “Brother, why do you have perfume on you?”



As if he did not expect his sister to change the topic all of a sudden and expose the scent on him, his handsome face instantly turned red.



This reaction caught Jian Ai’s eyes. Although her brother had never been in a relationship before, he was good-looking and had a good figure. It was reasonable for a girl to pursue him. Looking at his brother’s red face and that he had a girl’s perfume on his body, it seemed that he was already attached.



“Are you dating?!” Jian Ai smiled. It was not a question but a statement!





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Jian Yu blushed and stammered. He didn’t admit nor deny it.



Jian Ai became more certain, but she was also curious about what kind of girl her brother liked.



“Xiao Ai, get the bowl and chopsticks.”



Wang Yunmei’s voice came from the kitchen. Jian Yu took advantage of the situation and wanted to go to the kitchen, but Jian Ai pulled him back. Jian Ai stuffed the five hundred yuan into Jian Yu’s pocket and said, “Now that you have a girlfriend, you need even more money with you. I can’t let my brother spend a girl’s money!”



Jian Yu didn’t know what to do. After all, this was his first time dating. He didn’t expect his sister to expose him the moment he got home. He didn’t know what to say as he held the five hundred yuan in his hand. By the time he reacted, Jian Ai had already entered the kitchen.



During dinner, the family of three chatted as they ate.



Wang Yunmei placed a piece of pork ribs into Jian Ai’s bowl and asked, “Xiao Ai, is the monthly examination coming up?”



Jian Ai nodded. The form teacher reminded the students that the monthly examination would be held on the following Monday so they could revise during the weekend.



“Mom, don’t worry. I can score well,” Jian Ai said calmly.



Seeing how confident her daughter was, Wang Yunmei couldn’t help but nod. “It’s good that you’re confident.”



It could be said that Wang Yunmei had placed all her hopes on Jian Ai, and her daughter had never disappointed her. Since she was young, her grades had always been outstanding.



Jian Ai also knew that her mother did not have too many expectations for her. She only hoped that she could get into a good university and have a promising future. In her previous life, she had fulfilled her mother’s expectations but left behind many regrets.



After dinner, Wang Yunmei put on her makeup and changed into a new set of clothes. The thirty-five-year-old woman changed her looks in an instant. In Jian Ai’s eyes, this made her feel even worse.



Her mother had sacrificed too much for her and her brother that alcohol had consumed her entire youth. With this, she could not wait any longer. She had to think of a way to earn money as soon as possible.



The next day, Jian Ai and Guan Tao felt a strange atmosphere as soon as they entered the school.



Everyone was looking at the two of them, and there was no lack of whispers among them. The topic was none other than the fight yesterday evening.



Jian Ai was already mentally prepared. After all, the incident had happened at the school gate. Since they couldn’t stop the gossip, they could go and talk it out.



When they returned to the classroom, the students looked at them as if they were looking at a monster. Jian Ai acted as if she did not see them and went straight to her seat.



At this moment, Xu Jiaojiao, who was sitting in front of her, turned around with a gossipy expression. Her attitude was more excited than yesterday. “Jian Ai, I heard that you beat up Li Yunmei after school yesterday?”



Jian Ai raised her eyes to look at Xu Jiaojiao, who was waiting for her to nod and admit it.



Sneering in her heart, Jian Ai said expressionlessly, “Does it have anything to do with you?”



Xu Jiaojiao’s expression stiffened as if she didn’t expect Jian Ai to have such an attitude. However, when she saw Jian Ai’s icy cold gaze, Xu Jiaojiao swallowed her words and resentfully turned around.



Jian Ai could not help but roll her eyes, but she sighed helplessly in her heart.



Although she did not want to live as a nobody as she did in her previous life, she did not want to be watched like a monkey every day like she was now. It could be said that she appeared on stage repeatedly, putting on an act one after another.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

The morning bell rang, and the noisy crowd instantly calmed down. However, the sharp-eyed students noticed that Li Yunmei’s seat was still empty.



Jian Ai naturally saw it too. She thought that Li Yunmei would find trouble with her again today. Jian Ai guessed that she had injured herself after that split yesterday. Hence, she did not expect her to appear since her legs probably haven’t recovered yet.



“Jian Ai, come out for a moment.”



While the students were studying, the form teacher, Teacher Li, appeared at the classroom door and called for Jian Ai.



Jian Ai was the focus of attention in the class now. After Teacher Li mentioned her name, the students instantly turned their attention to Jian Ai.



Jian Ai was stunned for a moment before putting down the book in her hand. She then left the class under her classmates’ gaze.



“Teacher Li, you were looking for me.”



In the corridor, Jian Ai came to Teacher Li and spoke softly yet respectfully.



Teacher Li’s expression was a bit grave. Jian Ai knew in her heart that it was probably something bad.



“Yesterday at the school gate, did you fight with Li Yunmei?” As expected, the first thing Teacher Li said was about the fight yesterday.



Jian Ai didn’t argue but nodded indifferently. “Yes.”



There were surveillance cameras at the main gate of the school, and there were so many witnesses. Jian Ai knew that it was impossible to hide this matter, so she admitted it.



Teacher Li could not help but take a deep breath. In her eyes, Jian Ai had always been the most obedient and sensible child in the class. Her learning attitude was also earnest. As the form teacher, she liked this kind of student the most.



When she heard what had happened that day, she thought it was a rumor first because she didn’t believe that Jian Ai would fight with anyone.



However, at that moment, the most obedient student in her eyes admitted it. This made her momentarily speechless, but she was even more disappointed.



Jian Ai naturally knew Teacher Li’s expectations for her. She quickly explained, “Teacher, Li Yunmei was the one who started the fight yesterday. She hit us first. There were five people on the other side. If I didn’t retaliate, I’m afraid I would be beaten up.”



Teacher Li nodded gently when she heard that. “Of course, I believe that you wouldn’t fight with others for no reason. But even if you were defending yourself, you were too harsh on her. Li Yunmei’s thigh muscles are injured. She wouldn’t be able to recover in less than half a month. Her mother went to the principal’s office. She insisted on the principal to expel you. Follow me to the principal’s office and sincerely apologize to Li Yunmei. I’ll help you put in a good word as well.”



Teacher Li looked a little worried. Although Jian Ai’s family background was not good, her results were outstanding. If she were expelled from school because of fighting, it would affect her future significantly.



However, Jian Ai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at Teacher Li’s worry.



Did Li Yunmei’s mother go to the principal’s office? Was it because Li Yunmei’s thigh muscles were injured, and she blamed that on her?



However, Li Yunmei was injured because she did the split herself. What did it have to do with others?



“Teacher, you might not know this very well. I did fight with Li Yunmei, but I hit the other two girls. As for Li Yunmei, I didn’t even touch her!” Jian Ai said to Teacher Li innocently.





Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Teacher Li was stunned. She didn’t understand what Jian Ai meant. “You didn’t touch her? How did her leg get injured?”



Jian Ai wanted to laugh when she thought of the scene yesterday. However, Teacher Li was concerned about her situation now, so Jian Ai controlled her expression and emotions and told Teacher Li everything that had happened yesterday.



Finally, Jian Ai said, “Teacher, in that situation, dodging is human instinct. I can’t just stand there and wait for her to kick me, right?”



When Teacher Li heard this, she could not help but heave a sigh of relief. If what Jian Ai said was true, then Li Yunmei’s injury was caused by her extreme actions and had nothing to do with Jian Ai.



Although Jian Ai hit the other two girls, fortunately, only Li Yunmei’s parents came to the school today. As long as they settled Li Yunmei’s matter, Jian Ai would not be punished.



“In that case, go to the principal’s office with me and explain everything,” Teacher Li said to Jian Ai.



Jian Ai nodded and followed Teacher Li to the principal’s office.



“What kind of school is this? My daughter is here to study! She’s not here to be bullied by her classmates! Isn’t Erzhong one of the best high schools in Baiyun City? Is this how you educate your students?”



The principal’s office was located in the administrative building behind the school building. As soon as they reached the second floor, they heard a woman’s shrill voice coming from the room at the end of the corridor. The volume was so loud that it almost lifted the entire roof.



“Don’t be afraid. Teacher is here.” Teacher Li had interacted with Li Yunmei’s mother a few times and knew that the other party was not a kind person. She was afraid that Jian Ai would be frightened and might need to comfort her.



Jian Ai nodded and smiled at Teacher Li. There was no trace of fear on her face. Instead, she looked exceptionally calm.



When she arrived at the principal’s office, Teacher Li raised her hand and knocked on the door. As soon as she finished speaking, the door was pulled open. The person who opened the door was Headmaster Feng from the school’s disciplinary office.



Jian Ai followed Teacher Li into the principal’s office and looked around instinctively. It was lively.



People now filled the originally spacious principal’s office. There was the principal, the vice-principal, headmaster of the disciplinary office, the dean of the year ones, the school’s security chief, and Guan Tao and her form teacher.



Had it been any other girl or Jian Ai from her previous life, they would probably be so scared that their legs would go weak.



But looking at Jian Ai’s expression, it was clear that she was calm and indifferent.



Jian Ai’s gaze landed on Li Yunmei, and she almost laughed out loud. This Li Yunmei was exaggerating. She came in a wheelchair. Those who didn’t know would think that she had broken her legs!



“It’s this girl, isn’t it? It’s her, isn’t it!”



When the woman standing in the middle of the room saw Jian Ai, she immediately directed all her anger at Jian Ai. As she spoke, she rushed forward, wanting to seek justice for her daughter.



Seeing this, Teacher Li hurriedly shielded Jian Ai behind her. “Madam Liu, calm down. We haven’t figured out what happened…”



“What is there to figure out!” The woman screamed and interrupted Teacher Li. Then, she pointed at Li Yunmei and said, “Can’t you see? Can’t you see how my daughter is like now? She can’t even walk now! Let me tell you, if you don’t give me and my daughter an explanation today, I will go to court to sue you and hold the school accountable!”

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