From the beginning, the other person had silently implanted a program into the forum—this program was only effective against him.
This was also the source of the unease Cold Yunyang felt midway through, but the other person’s thods were subtle, like rain perating the soil, slipping unnoticed by him.
His arrogance made it impossible for him to believe soone would dare to manipulate sothing in front of him without being discovered.
And so, he was like a frog thrown into warm water—boiled alive.
They even chose the very last minute before the deadline to deliver a crushing blow to him when he was basking in the joy of his supposed victory.
To Cold Yunyang, it wasn’t much of a victory anyway—just sothing that was supposed to happen.
But the scene in front of him clearly told him—he had been played.
The soft blue glow emitted by the computer screen enveloped the teenager’s eyes. Those dazzling pupils seed to burn like two flas.
The Hunter had ticulously crafted a trap—a trap specifically targeted at him, Cold Yunyang.
It had to be soone who knew him very well.
The teenager suddenly looked up.
It was soone he knew.
~
"No way, Cold Yunyang lost to Jiang Shengyao?"
Gao Yuyue shot up from the bed clutching her phone, her face full of disbelief.
Although she disliked Cold Yunyang, she’d never imagined the title of school heartthrob could change hands.
And yet, in the final minute, Jiang Shengyao staged a coback?
Ever since the last ’School Beauty Battle,’ when Cold Yunyang openly rigged the votes for Shen You’an, everyone had accepted that the voting was just a formality—the chosen winner happened to be soone the public could respect.
Shen You’an was like this; Cold Yunyang was as well.
If he could rig votes for Shen You’an, wouldn’t he also rig votes for himself?
So the outco was predetermined from the start.
Except no one expected the reversal.
Cold Yunyang, who always wore a perpetual, cheerful smile, seed like he had a good temper, but deep down, he was ruthless—a fact that many people feared.
His open pursuit of Shen You’an at Lanya High School was long indisputable, with an infamous wager between the two. However, Shen You’an’s excellent grades had consistently denied Cold Yunyang any opportunity.
Why did he rig votes for Shen You’an? The answer was obvious: he coveted the chance to feature in a photoshoot with her.
So, the title of school heartthrob should have been securely his.
Until the last minute before the deadline, Cold Yunyang was convinced this was the case. Gao Yuyue could even imagine his smug face and crooked smile.
He could summon votes easily, while Liu Runxi and Gu Bichen stayed honorable, refusing to play dirty. But Jiang Shengyao, with his Crown Prince reputation, had no reservations. Now look—Cold Yunyang was dood.
A double blow in one day—he’d probably kick a chair in frustration.
Shen You’an closed her laptop, her brow slightly raised: "Really?"
Gao Yuyue glanced at her, then suddenly said, "This ti, Cold Yunyang doesn’t have an excuse to stick to you anymore. It’s so satisfying. Jiang Shengyao might still be annoying, but at least he knows his limits. If he bullies you, let know, and I’ll find people to deal with him."
Lanya Group’s Crown Prince—others might be intimidated, but not her.
Just then, the doorbell rang. Shen You’an got up to open the door.
Outside stood the delivery person with their al. Shen You’an took the box and thanked them.
While eating, Shen You’an’s phone kept buzzing nonstop.
Curious, Gao Yuyue asked, "Aren’t you going to check? Could be sothing important."
Shen You’an picked up a tissue, wiped her hands, and only then picked up the phone, revealing nurous ssages from Zeng Liang, overflowing with gratitude.
Shen You’an calmly blocked him and put the phone down.
"There’s still ti; let help you with so coursework."
Gao Yuyue nearly choked: "Shen You’an, we’re here to have fun. Don’t overdo it."
"Alright, but with this winter camp full of bright talents, if you want to join the national training camp with , it’s going to be tough. Keep playing if you want; surely you don’t mind."
Gao Yuyue slamd her chopsticks down, her brows furrowed: "Who says I don’t mind? Fine, let’s do it—who’s afraid of whom?"
Shen You’an spoke as though she owned the national training camp, joining it as casually as entering her own house.
But Gao Yuyue knew she absolutely had the ability.
Previously, Shen You’an had tutored Gao Yuyue a few tis and loaned her highly coveted personal notes. Gao Yuyue’s performance surged during the midterm exam, putting her on even footing with Yan Lu.
She knew all of this was thanks to Shen You’an.
Shen You’an was unlike other academic elites like Yan Lu or Gu Bichen. She didn’t stick to standard problem-solving thods but developed her own system of logic. Most people couldn’t keep up with her thinking, often spiraling into self-doubt and rendering themselves useless.
Thus, Shen You’an’s notes weren’t sothing that just anyone could benefit from.
But Gao Yuyue would ask Shen You’an for clarification whenever she didn’t understand. Shen You’an always patiently explained in ways Gao Yuyue could grasp.
That was when Gao Yuyue understood the aning of a crushing superiority—the kind only a genius could exert.
Shen You’an’s intellect was sothing Gao Yuyue could never match in her lifeti.
But as long as Shen You’an was willing, even a scrap of knowledge from her could imnsely benefit Gao Yuyue.
Therefore, having Shen You’an as a tutor—one could only count their blessings.
Moreover, Gao Yuyue also wanted to join the national training camp alongside Shen You’an, striving to keep up so as not to fall behind.
Shen You’an smiled and patted her head: "Now, that’s a good girl."
Gao Yuyue glared at her: "You ssed up my hairstyle!"
Shen You’an opened her laptop, pulled up a set of mock exam questions, and took out paper and pen from her bag. She gave Gao Yuyue her seat and went to pour water.
Gao Yuyue glanced at Shen You’an’s retreating figure, her eyes darting around. She exited the test interface.
What had Shen You’an been doing on her computer earlier? Acting all mysterious.
Too bad—after a sweep through the files, all she found were mock exam materials. The computer was cleaner than a face.
The two studied until eleven, then washed up and went to sleep.
The lights in Yunshui Pavilion next door remained on all night.
~
Shen You’an woke in the middle of the night from pain.
Beside her, Gao Yuyue lay sprawled out, one arm draped over Shen You’an’s chest, using her as a pillow.
The soft breaths of the sleeping girl painted a sweet expression illuminated by the moonlight.
In stark contrast stood Shen You’an’s pale, enduring countenance.
Shen You’an took a deep breath, endeavoring to steady herself amidst the excruciating pain gnawing at her like thousands of ants.
Beads of cold sweat gathered on her forehead, seeping into her hair and soaking the strands.
This agony was sothing Shen You’an had long grown accustod to, yet tonight, the passage of ti seed peculiarly elongated.
Her wide-open eyes fixed on the ceiling, thoughts drifting to the dream she had on the bus that afternoon.
No—it wasn’t a dream. It was a reliving of the reality from her previous life.
The ten-year gap felt distant and alien to her now.
Her past life had been one of chaos and failure, culminating in an ignoble death on the streets.
She didn’t believe in karma, yet she couldn’t help but wonder—had she committed so grave sin in a previous lifeti to deserve such a fate?
And then she opened her eyes again, seeing the reflection of a five-year-old girl staring back in the mirror—a shock she could never put into words.
Since then, she had imrsed herself in study and self-improvent, ensuring every mont was spent wisely. She owed it to herself to make the most of her second chance at life.
Thus, throughout those ten years, she did not dwell on past mories—to the point she almost forgot. She, Shen You’an, had once been an infamous "pretty vase" actress in the entertainnt industry.
Lately, her dreams of the past life had grown more frequent, and those intentionally buried mories would resurface unexpectedly, catching her off guard.
The system might have transford her physically, granting her rebirth, but the scars etched into her soul were indelible.
Her experiences and the corridors she once navigated in life were forever imprinted in her mind.
The draped suit jacket across her shoulders, a man’s retreating and composed silhouette, the warm and soothing interior of an RV, the whimsical charm of a bunny...
"Don’t be unhappy... don’t be unhappy..."
Fragnted mories and images intertwined with that one seemingly cursed phrase in her mind, numbing her pain just enough to provide slight relief. The sensation was almost addictive.
Shen You’an gently moved Gao Yuyue’s hand aside as she muttered sothing and turned over.
With considerable effort, Shen You’an got up, carefully covered Gao Yuyue with a blanket, and dragged her aching body out of the room.
Comfortable surroundings could lull a person into complacency—she needed the cold wind to clear her mind and wake herself up.
Shen You’an left the villa, recalling a small artificial lake on the south side and a pavilion near its shore.
The piercing cold wind hit her, but it couldn’t match the pain coursing through her body.
When she arrived, through the faint night haze, she spotted a loneso figure sitting in the pavilion with their back to her.
In this quiet and chill night, her heavy footsteps sounded distinctly piercing.
The figure in the pavilion turned their head to look.
Shen You’an froze upon realizing she had forgotten to wear glasses. She imdiately turned around to leave.
Behind her ca the deep, familiar voice of a young man: "An’an, is that you?"
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