Chapter 1: The School Bully

In a haze, Xi Ning slowly opened her eyes, only to find herself surrounded by the most barren landscape imaginable. There was no water, not even a single plant—not a blade of grass, not a patch of moss. The world was utterly lifeless, suffocated by desolation. Where was she?

She looked up at the sky: a black expanse overhead, devoid of clouds, scattered with countless stars, as if she had landed on some forsaken planet.

Raising her hand, she saw it was as transparent as mist. Through her palm, galaxies shimmered in the distance.

How could this be? Was she dead? Only souls were supposed to be transparent, weren’t they?

But who was she?

Xi Ning searched her memory, but found nothing. It was as if she had lost all recollection; all she knew was her own name—Xi Ning. No matter how hard she tried to recall, everything else eluded her.

Her age, whether she had family, her past—every detail was a terrifying blank.

Suddenly, a beeping sound broke the silence, followed by a cold, emotionless voice: “Awake?”

“Huh? Who’s there?” Xi Ning looked around, but all she saw were rocks of various sizes and a fine layer of powdery dust.

A dismissive snort came from the voice, now unmistakably male, tinged with disdain and impatience. “If you’re awake, go do your task. Go on, get out of here!”

Before Xi Ning could make sense of it, she felt a sharp kick to her waist. She barely managed a yelp before the world spun around her and everything went dark.

When sensation returned, she found herself lying face down, arms folded under her head, eyes closed.

A rhythmic knocking echoed on the desk beneath her.

She opened her eyes, still dizzy, rubbing them to clear her vision.

“Li Qingyu, are you finished with your nap?” The voice belonged to a middle-aged woman, dressed in a stiff, old-fashioned suit. Glasses perched on her nose, her face as severe as her choice of clothing.

Xi Ning glanced around. She was surrounded by students in school uniforms, each at their own small desk. Several classmates were grinning at her misfortune.

How did I end up in a classroom?

Still muddled, Xi Ning could only reply, “Sorry, I’m not feeling well. My stomach hurt last night, and I couldn’t sleep.”

Hearing her speak weakly about her health, the teacher’s stern expression softened slightly. “If you’re not feeling well, stay home. Don’t sleep in my class.”

“Yes, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.” Xi Ning bowed her head quickly. She knew attitude was everything.

Seeing her contrite, the teacher picked up her book and continued pacing the aisle, reading in a monotone that threatened to lull everyone back to sleep. The blackboard was covered in mathematical formulas that looked utterly alien.

Suddenly, the plot of this world surfaced in Xi Ning’s mind, as if the original owner’s memories had been unlocked.

This was an elite academy, attended by the children of business tycoons. An ordinary girl named An Xiyan stood out as the exception. No one questioned how she could afford a school where tuition alone was a hundred thousand per month and the uniform twenty thousand, but the protagonist always had her own aura.

The principal had accidentally killed An Xiyan’s father. When he visited her home, he found only bare walls; her mother had died of illness, leaving nothing behind. Orphaned and destitute, An Xiyan was admitted to the school by the principal as an act of atonement.

An Xiyan, true to her name, was as delicate as an evening primrose, radiating innocence. Blessed with the protagonist’s halo, every misstep seemed forgiven or even justified, drawing the attention of the school’s four most popular boys: the taekwondo prince Long, the icy and stoic Leng Heming, the gentle student council president He Yuxuan, and the notorious playboy Hua Zeyun.

All four were smitten, even the flirtatious Hua Zeyun, who abandoned his usual games to vie for her affection. Though they bickered and competed daily, they never fell out—any hint of jealousy was smoothed over by the protagonist herself. By graduation, they were still the best of friends, just short of joining her to wish upon a meteor shower.

Thus, these four tirelessly circled An Xiyan, while rumors and scandals followed her everywhere. Graduation came with no resolution. The female supporting characters were left bereft—forced to watch their beloved school idols fall under An Xiyan’s spell, some even reduced to mere cannon fodder.

Li Qingyu was the first among the casualties. In a school where every student was wealthy, her host was a second-generation rich kid who had always disdained the impoverished An Xiyan. Though she never bullied An Xiyan, everyone believed she did, earning the four school idols’ disapproval. With witnesses lining up, the principal expelled her.

The host never saw the outcome—after being expelled, her family sent her abroad, as tarnished reputations could only be cleansed by studying overseas.

The host felt wronged. She was a proper young lady, never having bullied An Xiyan, yet she always took the fall. Branded a campus villain, she was expelled.

Mission objectives:

1. Bully An Xiyan.
2. Avoid expulsion.

What on earth was going on? Xi Ning had inexplicably been sent to this place, then just as inexplicably booted into a new world and given a task. She was still completely in the dark!

The bell rang, signaling the end of math class. After a ten-minute break, English would begin.

First, she needed to see what sort of person An Xiyan was.

Following her host’s memories, Xi Ning turned her head. An Xiyan was seated right beside her. At that moment, An Xiyan happened to glance toward the window, and their eyes met.

Xi Ning frowned slightly. The girl was unremarkable, her features pleasant but far from beautiful. At eighteen, youth lent her a certain freshness, with skin fair and appearance at most delicate. Her eyes were clear and bright, with an elusive mistiness, and her slender frame and orphaned status gave her an air of vulnerability. Yet her lips pressed together with stubbornness, a noble determination not to yield to misfortune.

Just one look, and An Xiyan seemed to grow anxious; the mist in her eyes thickened, and it was as if tears were welling up. She stammered in a small voice, “Qingyu, I—I’m sorry, about your birthday party. I didn’t mean to cause trouble.”

Birthday party? Xi Ning searched her memories. Last month, on her eighteenth birthday, her family had thrown a lavish coming-of-age celebration, inviting business associates and classmates alike.

She hadn’t expected An Xiyan to attend, but not only did she come—she arrived in a stunning gown, like Cinderella stepping into the light. No one questioned the source of such finery; in a school like this, connections abounded.

She stole the spotlight. No one knew where Cinderella’s custom dress came from, but it was even more glamorous than the host’s.

Four school idols, sons of her parents’ friends, were also present, each visibly dazzled by An Xiyan’s entrance.