Chapter 38

After this battle, Quiwen’s anonymous forum had completely transformed into a highly mystical existence.
Originally, anonymity made people go crazy, made them reckless. Anonymity was a protective cover for filth, giving those with dark intentions the strongest sense of security.
But now, that sense of security was gone!!
Who the hell would dare to talk trash in a place that randomly switches to real names?!
No sooner had he finished his hypocritical act than he got exposed!
No sooner had he finished his sarcastic remarks than he got his face slapped!
Can't handle it, really can't handle it!
And this time, the most humiliated one was Zheng Yu from the senior international class.
After all, Zheng Yu's comments were truly disgusting, and when combined with his previous words and actions, they became even more repulsive.
In the anonymous QQ group, a bunch of people were discussing the incident.
[I'm fucking dying of laughter hahahaha, zy said in the post: Are you all going to lick Chu Yin's boots or what?]
[And it turns out he's the only one in the whole school who actually "licked her boots" for real.]
[Hahahahahahahaha!!]
[Thanks, I'm amused.]
[Sour grapes are truly my source of joy. It's the epitome of sour grapes!]
The forum wasn't fixed for a while, and Zheng Yu's personal comments were publicly shamed in the post. It's a pity the forum doesn't display view counts, or else it would probably be a terrifying number.
Some people took advantage of the repair period to express their admiration in creative ways on the forum.
[I hope the pretty senior isn't affected! Senior is amazing QAQ, from a freshman junior.]
[As a senior, I'm embarrassed on behalf of the senior guy. Don't let it affect your mood, junior!]
The entire forum's atmosphere was surprisingly harmonious, completely different from the toxic environment Chu Yin had experienced in her past life.
But soon, someone noticed something unusual.
[Am I the only one who noticed? Both system glitches happened in posts related to Chu Yin!]
1st comment: Damn, you're right.
2nd comment: Can someone dig up the last post? I remember it was the one discussing the grade list.
3rd comment: Oh my god, is she some kind of mystical child? A child blessed by the gods,
...
15th comment: I've got it! I've cracked the case! It's because both times Song Zhaolin replied! He's the real mystical child!
Having just witnessed the prophetic scene, everyone readily accepted this truth. So, the entire thread began worshipping Song Zhaolin.
20th comment: I bow to the school belle Song Zhaolin [prayer emoji]
21st comment: Bless me to improve my studies this semester [prayer emoji]
22nd comment: This faithful girl is willing to trade ten pounds of her body weight for my husband or my wife to fall in love with me!
Song Zhaolin, who had just been thoroughly beaten up, was scrolling through his phone with a grievance. Seeing the forum filled with believers bowing to him, a silly smile reappeared on his face.
His happiness was back! And it came back so easily! Hahaha!
...
Zheng Yu stayed hidden like a coward until the forum was fixed and never showed up.
He genuinely felt incredibly unlucky. Why was it that when others made sour remarks, nothing happened, but when it was his turn, the system glitched? And it had to glitch right after he said "I don't believe it"! It felt so deliberate, as if someone was intentionally messing with him!
Zheng Yu fiddled irritably with his phone for a while when, suddenly, a new WeChat message came in.
Chu Shi: [Do you still not think you've embarrassed yourself enough?]
[Do you know why my sister looks down on you?]
[Because you don't act like a man at all.]
After reading these messages, Zheng Yu felt as if someone had gripped his heart.
The reason he cared so much and felt so upset seeing others praise Chu Yin was precisely because he himself had failed to win her over.
After this incident, did he completely lose his chance...
…
Chu Shi frowned as he sent the WeChat messages to Zheng Yu, then tossed his phone aside with a look of utter exasperation.
He didn't usually browse forums much. If it weren't for a female classmate telling him, he wouldn't have known that Zheng Yu had done such a disgusting thing again.
Chu Shi was inflating balloons, feeling rather irritable, and ended up popping one with a loud "bang!"
Gu Qiuzhe glanced at him. "Didn't you say you were going to do this secretly to surprise your sister?"
Chu Shi was also startled and quickly glanced at Chu Yin's door on the second floor.
"I'm just pissed off by that idiot Zheng Yu," Chu Shi said, grabbing another balloon. "I'll have to talk to him about it at school tomorrow."
Gu Qiuzhe wasn't much faster than Chu Shi when it came to internet speed. After reading the forum, he felt quite helpless too.
"But honestly, your sister really seems like she's protected by the heavens," Gu Qiuzhe remarked.
Chu Shi chuckled. "Isn't that a good thing?"
Once the balloons were mostly inflated, along with some streamers and other decorations, the two straight guys clumsily decorated the living room of the Chu family villa, trying to create a celebratory atmosphere for the victory party.
After a flurry of haphazard efforts, the two looked at the newly transformed living room.
Gu Qiuzhe: "...Hmm."
Chu Shi: "...Hmm, hmm."
How was the Chu family's last celebration party decorated again??
He distinctly remembered it being similar, so why did their version turn out so tacky??
Chu Shi sighed. "I've let down my sister's prestigious gold medal."
Just as he was about to tear everything down and start over quickly, the door to Chu Yin's room on the second floor suddenly opened.
Both brothers tensed up simultaneously!
Chu Yin, who had thrown herself into a frenzy of studying from the first day of school, poked half her body out like a ghost, her hair slightly messy. "...Did something just explode?"
Gu Qiuzhe couldn't help but laugh. "Your reaction time could circle the Earth."
Chu Yin had heard the noise earlier, but she had been in the middle of solving a problem. Suppressing her curiosity, she finished the question before coming out to ask.
She was a bit puzzled as to why Gu Qiuzhe was there. After walking downstairs and taking in the haphazard decorations in the living room, she fell silent for a moment before hesitantly asking, "Is this... a street stall?"
Chu Shi covered his face.
"We wanted to throw you a victory party to celebrate your gold medal in the competition," he explained.
Chu Yin blinked.
She had thought her brother was just saying it casually, but she hadn't expected him to actually remember.
What makes achieving honors even more joyful is when someone remembers and celebrates your accomplishments.
Although victory parties felt somewhat childish to someone like Chu Yin, who had been an adult for a long time, she deeply cherished her brother's thoughtful gesture.
"Thanks, Brother," Chu Yin said with a smile.
Chu Shi walked over and patted her head affectionately.
Gu Qiuzhe stood to the side, not seeking credit at a moment like this.
Chu Shi had prepared a three-tiered cake. Now that Chu Yin was out, he went to the kitchen and wheeled it out. The servants helped arrange the other snacks and drinks, covering the entire table.
Chu Shi had also brought a bottle of wine from the family cellar. Of course, the wine was for him and Gu Qiuzhe, Chu Yin’s glass was filled with cola.
It was a small gathering of just three people. Though the atmosphere wasn’t particularly lively, the sincerity was palpable.
At Chu Shi’s urging, Chu Yin cut the cake and blew out the candles. The two men clapped and cheered, creating the illusion of a crowd surrounding them.
"Congratulations to Chu Yin, the gold medalist!"
"May you be happy and healthy every day! The country needs talents like you!"
Chu Yin gestured for them to quiet down. "Keep it low-key, everyone."
Her brother was in high spirits tonight, and when he was happy, he tended to drink a bit too much.
"Xiao Yin is really something!" After a few drinks, Chu Shi’s words began to slur. "A gold medal! Even better than Gu Qiuzhe or that Lu Zhen! No one can mess with you..."
Chu Yin sighed. "Brother, you should drink less."
Chu Shi waved a hand dismissively. "I’m not drunk!"
Those who were drunk never thought they were. Her brother’s alcohol tolerance was truly embarrassing.
Chu Yin had no choice but to glance helplessly at Gu Qiuzhe.
Gu Qiuzhe was already looking at her. When their eyes met, he smiled. "It’s fine. This wine won’t give you a headache."
Chu Yin decided not to worry about it. Her brother was an adult, if he wanted to drink, so be it.
As Chu Shi lay nearby, muttering to himself, Gu Qiuzhe struck up a conversation with Chu Yin.
"Xiao Yin, you’re such a good student. Do you have any plans for the future?"
Chu Yin took a sip of cola. "Yes, I plan to take the college entrance exam."
"Not thinking about studying abroad?"
He remembered that Chu Yin had also won the English speech contest last semester. With her level, scoring 7.5 or higher on the IELTS would be no trouble at all.
Chu Yin shook her head. "Not for now."
If her estimation was correct, her college entrance exam results would definitely be a crucial system task, she couldn’t afford to give that up. Besides, she felt perfectly content staying in the country.
For one, she had already studied abroad in her previous life. For another, she wanted to experience the thrill of having her pick of top universities nationwide! How amazing would that be?!
Gu Qiuzhe chuckled.
Chu Yin’s profile was striking, her expression calm, but her peach-blossom eyes were bright and resolute, a clear sign of her unwavering determination.
She only cared about studying; everything else was irrelevant.
Gu Qiuzhe suddenly blinked. "Do you know how many people around here have a crush on you?"
Chu Yin looked at him in surprise. "Why do you ask?"
Gu Qiuzhe grinned. "No reason, I just suddenly thought that no matter who likes you, you probably wouldn’t care?"
Chu Yin wrinkled her nose slightly, pondering his words. In this life, Gu Qiuzhe hadn’t shown any signs of liking her, which she was quite pleased about. His comment didn’t carry any romantic undertones, it didn’t seem like he was referring to himself but rather hinting at someone else.
Noticing her confusion, Gu Qiuzhe smiled and didn’t elaborate.
He just found it amusing to think of a certain arrogant, untamable prodigy being utterly defeated by her indifference.
Everyone received the same treatment from her, no one was favored over anyone else.
Chu Shi, who was nearby, seemed completely drunk, lost in a daze as he waved his arm and muttered, "Yin Yin has suffered so much..."
Hearing this line that felt all too familiar from her past life, Chu Yin Yin’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
Beside her, Gu Qiuzhe chuckled and said, "It really is tough. Every time she competes in a contest, it feels like half her life is drained away."
Chu Yin Yin paused briefly before replying, "...Yeah."
Just then, the Chu family’s front door swung open from the outside, and a group of people walked in, Chu’s father and mother, who had just returned from the Chen family, along with Chu Qiuqiu.
Seeing the scene inside the house, Chu’s mother froze for a moment. "What’s going on...?"
Chu Shi was in no state to answer, so Gu Qiuzhe stepped in to explain clearly, "Xiao Yin won a gold medal in the Hope Cup Math Competition, so we’re celebrating for her."
At these words, a flicker of jealousy appeared in Chu Qiuqiu’s eyes, while the expressions of the two parents turned somewhat awkward, after all, it wasn’t quite right to have outsiders celebrating their daughter’s achievement. When Chu Shi had won an award before, they had thrown a grand celebration banquet.
Chu’s father forced a dry laugh and said, "Right! You see, Dad has been so busy lately that I haven’t even given Xiao Yin her reward yet. Congratulations on winning the gold medal!"
Chu Yin Yin’s expression remained indifferent, completely unfazed by his belated congratulations, which only made the atmosphere even more awkward.
Gu Qiuzhe felt it was inappropriate to stay any longer, so he bid farewell to the Chu family and left.
Chu Yin Yin, along with a servant, helped carry Chu Shi back to his room, feeling as if she were hauling a pig. She broke into a sweat and went downstairs to get some water.
On the way, she happened to pass by her parents’ room. Through the crack in the door, she faintly overheard a bit of an argument.
"Are we just going to keep hiding it like this? Is that really okay?"
"It has to be okay! What else can I do?! This time, we absolutely need the Chen family’s help!"
"But... the New City project..."
Chu Yin Yin suddenly froze, her pupils slightly contracting.
...The New City project?
If she remembered correctly, this was a project the Chu family only got involved with after she started college. And it was this very project that marked the beginning of the Chu family’s downfall.
Was there really something wrong with the Chu family’s business? No wonder they were so desperate to form an alliance with the Chen family through marriage...
But Chu Yin Yin had always believed that the Chu family’s bankruptcy was directly linked to Lu Zhen. She thought it was his doing that brought down the Chu family’s enterprises, stripping her of her already fragile protection and making it easy for her to fall into his hands. Yet now, Lu Zhen was still not fully established, his control over the Lu family was probably even weaker than his uncle’s, and Old Master Lu still held the real power in the Lu family.
Could it be that the Chu family's bankruptcy had nothing to do with that scumbag?
Or perhaps, after the plot changed, this lifetime’s timeline had been moved up?
Chu Yin walked to the kitchen and silently drank an entire glass of water.
Although bankruptcy was a long process, it seemed that aside from studying, she needed to make some other preparations.
For example, saving more money, and protecting her brother.
…
The new semester at Quiwen Private High School School was still filled with many activities alongside the regular curriculum.
Just a few days after the students had settled into their classes, news of the April Cultural Festival spread.
Song Zhaolin, who had never been able to sit still to begin with, became even more restless.
The Cultural Festival meant performing on stage!
As soon as he turned around excitedly, Chu Yin, without even looking up from her problem set, said, "Not interested, not participating, don’t ask."
Song Zhaolin felt like vomiting blood: ...The new semester was just as heartless as ever!!
"But you’re super popular now, sis," Song Zhaolin gestured with his hands, "So many people have been asking me for your WeChat, this many!"
Chu Yin remained unmoved.
Sister is too noble; you have no chance.jpg
But Chu Yin didn’t know that Song Zhaolin wasn’t exaggerating at all. Her current level of attention was overshadowing all the other popular figures in the school.
In Class One, led by Han Chuying, she already had several devoted fans.
"Do you think Chu Yin will perform at the Cultural Festival?"
"I don’t think so. She seems very aloof and focused on studying. She probably wouldn’t want to prepare a performance."
A classmate nearby chimed in, "...Let’s be honest, Chu Yin might not even have any talents to perform, right? I’m not trying to argue, I admit she’s pretty and gets good grades, but she really doesn’t seem like the type to have any special skills..."
As soon as the words were spoken, Han Chuying shot a glare as sharp as a knife.
"What special skills does she need??"
"Just sitting there doing nothing is a performance in itself!!!"
"Exactly!!"
"I’d watch it!!"
...
Chu Yin was completely unaware and indifferent to all of this. Right now, she had something more troubling on her mind.
Ever since winning the gold medal in the competition, the difficulty of obtaining small permissions had increased! Significantly!
Before, completing all her homework would earn her a single-word permission, and solving a difficult problem would grant her a single-word permission. Now, everything had been upgraded!
Chu Yin: Damn it! Is this the consequence of having too strong a buff?
Study System: "Yes, that’s right!"
Now, homework tasks no longer worked. Chu Yin had to solve about four or five difficult problems to earn a single-word permission, and they had to be new types of questions she hadn’t encountered before.
As a result, Chu Yin was now desperate for challenging problems, her curiosity so intense that even the teachers were taken aback.
Moreover, she had become even more frugal than before, carefully counting the permissions in her account and deciding to use them sparingly, cutting expenses and increasing income.
So after class, Chu Yin went to ask her teacher for more problems.
The weirder and more difficult, the better.
As soon as she stepped out into the hallway, many eyes turned toward her. Chu Yin had already grown accustomed to it.
She headed toward the office, and just as she turned the corner, she ran into Lu Zhen.
Lu Zhen raised an eyebrow. "Good morning."
Chu Yin took half a step back and nodded. "Good morning."
Ever since accidentally overhearing her parents’ conversation, Chu Yin had spent some time reviewing the timeline and plot of her previous life. There was a fifty percent chance that Lu Zhen really had nothing to do with the Chu family’s bankruptcy. But as for what exactly had happened, she was still figuring it out.
Seeing Lu Zhen at this moment, she felt a faint, silent curiosity stir within her.
As soon as the two of them appeared together, all eyes in the hallway converged on them. The students’ gazes were like long-range searchlights.
“Oh my god! My husband and my wife are talking!”
“For a moment, I don’t even know who to be jealous of?!”
“I’d pay a fortune for ears that could hear what they’re saying, please!”
Lu Zhen’s gaze swept behind Chu Yin, spotting many boys in their grade craning their necks to peek. Suddenly, he felt a slight sourness on the tip of his tongue.
He tried to hold back but couldn’t resist, “…You’re really popular, huh.”
Chu Yin: “??”
Could it be that what Song Zhaolin said was true, had her popularity already reached the point where even a scoundrel like Lu Zhen felt threatened??
Not gonna lie, it felt pretty satisfying.
But on the surface, Chu Yin was still maintaining her persona, obedient and dull: “Oh, really? I don’t pay attention to that.”
Lu Zhen lowered his gaze to her face, his dark eyes hidden beneath his lashes, deep and intense.
Was she pretending to be well-behaved?
Was she… only pretending to be well-behaved in front of him?
Lu Zhen’s heart tightened slightly, his fingertips curling gently at his sides. He lowered his voice, testing the waters: “Chu Yin, I don’t like… good students.”
Subtle and faint, only he himself knew, even his tone was slightly strained.
But Chu Yin suddenly looked up, putting on a serious and earnest act: “Then I’m really sorry, I’ll leave right away.”
Lu Zhen was taken aback: “No…”
Before he could finish, Chu Yin had already slipped away, her figure even livelier than usual.
That’s right! You heard correctly! I am!!
I am the good student you don’t like!!
It seemed her persona was already starting to succeed, she had to keep it up without stopping!
Go for it! Chu Yin almost felt like raising her arms and cheering.
Lu Zhen watched her retreating figure, only realizing after a long while that his spine had been so tense it had gone slightly numb. Now, he felt a slow, thawing ache.
Leaning against the wall, he let out a helpless laugh after a moment.
Should he make it even more obvious next time?
…
The engagement banquet between the Chen and Chu families was set on Chen Xuanyuan’s birthday.
After all, a business alliance marriage was a significant event, involving numerous interests and entanglements. The two families had negotiated back and forth for over a month before finally settling on the date.
The birthday banquet for the Chen family’s young master, which also served as the engagement banquet for the Chen and Chu families, was naturally an extravagant affair. Invitations were sent throughout the city’s elite circles.
Chu Qiuqiu had been causing less trouble around Chu Yin lately, fully focused on her new identity. On the day of the engagement banquet, surrounded by a room full of elites, she felt immensely proud.
The Chu family had two daughters, yet she was the one chosen for the alliance marriage, her status and position were self-evident, and Chu Qiuqiu felt deeply satisfied.
Moreover, many of the guests were classmates, and she even spotted Senior Zheng Yu, who had once shown interest in her.
Chu Qiuqiu couldn’t help but gloat inwardly, thinking that seeing her officially taken, Senior Zheng Yu must be feeling dejected.
The Chen family, having offended Lu Zhen some time ago, had also sent an invitation to the Lu family, though they knew they weren’t important enough to warrant Lu Zhen’s attendance, they had to show their sincerity.
Chu Yin had checked the script beforehand, and there was indeed a passage describing it.
The invitation had been delivered to Lu Linyuan, who asked Lu Zhen if he wanted to attend. Lu Zhen glanced at it and coldly refused.
The brief exchange didn’t seem to be part of the main plot, and she didn’t know why it had been included.
But since Lu Zhen wasn’t coming, Chu Yin could attend with peace of mind,
To prevent that eccentric Chen Xuanyuan from stirring up trouble at the last minute, she had to stand guard until the very end.
Though she didn’t know the exact state of the Chu family’s company, even if the Chu family were to go bankrupt and the alliance marriage were to fall apart, she wanted nothing to do with the massive headache that was Chen Xuanyuan.
As for this marriage alliance, she, the domineering Boss Yin, would not allow any mishaps!
Chen Xuanyuan and Chu Qiuqiu, you two must be locked together forever!!!
I’ve swallowed the key!!!
Soon, the engagement banquet proceeded smoothly. The engaged couple and their parents were the center of attention, while everyone else watched from the sidelines. On stage, Chu Qiuqiu was dressed in lavish attire, her smile bashful, while Chen Xuanyuan’s gaze seemed somewhat desolate.
Chu Yin had to admire his expressive eyes, which could convey such a complex emotion as "desolation"...
Chu Shi stayed by Chu Yin’s side until the main engagement formalities were over and the food carts were rolled out, at which point he left to get her something to eat.
Under the witness of everyone present, the alliance marriage between the Chen and Chu families was officially sealed.
However, just as Chen Xuanyuan stepped down from the stage, his desolate eyes suddenly fixed on Chu Yin in the corner.
“?” Chu Yin suddenly had a bad feeling.
At that moment, another intense gaze fell upon her.
On the other side, Zheng Yu was also staring at her deeply, as if he had something to say.
Chu Yin: …Two greasy men, making this already terrible plot even worse.
“Let me check the script…” Chu Yin weakly tapped the system.
[Location: Banquet Hall. Characters: Chu Yin, Chu Qiuqiu, Chen Xuanyuan, Zheng Yu.]
[Chen Xuanyuan’s heart ached, was she looking at me like that because her heart ached too? She must be thinking, “Why is it my sister standing by Xuanyuan’s side, and not me!”…]
Chu Yin felt like she was going blind after just one line.
Suppressing the urge to vomit, she forced herself to read a couple more lines.
[Chen Xuanyuan knew it was wrong, he had just gotten engaged to her sister, but if he didn’t speak now, he might never get another chance in this lifetime! He steeled himself and strode over to Chu Yin.]
[Chen Xuanyuan gazed at her, arrogantly and recklessly pouring out the true love and hatred in his heart.]
Due to Chen Xuanyuan’s inappropriate actions, rumors quickly spread among the elite circles about discord between the Chu sisters and two women fighting over one man.
“…” Chu Yin was on the verge of passing out.
Even more astonishingly, another blow was yet to come.
[Zheng Yu also decided to seize this opportunity to make up for his mistake. He walked up to Chu Yin and poured out his feelings with deep affection.]
These bastards!!! Ahhh, these bastards!!!
Chu Yin had previously saved up one sentence permission and one paragraph permission in her account. Now that permissions were so precious, she really couldn’t bear to waste them on these two idiots.
Study System: "There are also item cards! The host has one [Deletion Card] and one [Phrase Card] in her account."
In the distance, the two men had already started moving toward her.
Chu Yin: "Quick, the Deletion Card, "
Without much thought, she deleted the lines Chen Xuanyuan had said to her as he approached. Before she could continue underlining, the system suddenly reminded her that she had reached the word limit.
Chu Yin: "Huh?? Only this much can be deleted?!"
Study System: "It’s already 140 words!"
Chu Yin: Damn it, why does Chen Xuanyuan talk so much???
"After using the Deletion Card, the remaining plot descriptions will automatically connect. To maintain continuity, there is a certain degree of randomness!"
Chu Yin squinted at the randomly generated script.
With the middle content deleted, the beginning and end were seamlessly linked.
It turned into... Chen Xuanyuan and Zheng Yu facing each other, pouring out their heartfelt feelings to one another.
"…"
Sorry.
I’m out. Bye-bye.
…
In the center of the banquet hall, the two men, unable to find that figure, ended up seeing each other instead.
Driven by some inexplicable force, Chen Xuanyuan hoarsely spoke the words in his heart.
Zheng Yu, as if bewitched, also poured out his feelings with deep affection.
After finishing their lines, the two men fell into silence.
When Zheng Yu regained his senses: ...This guy is epically greasy!
When Chen Xuanyuan came to his senses: ...This guy is textbook-level disgusting!
The two stared at each other for a moment.
"Urgh, "
They both threw up.