“What are you laughing about?”
Chen Ru was puzzled, seeing Wen Ying’s face lit up like she’d found a wallet after visiting the classroom.
“The school environment is great, and I love it, so I’m happy!” Wen Ying replied.
Her words caught Chen Ru off guard, but she quickly seized the chance to nudge Wen Ying. “This is just a provincial key school. If you work hard, you could attend a top university later. Every prestigious campus is beautiful.”
It was true—centennial universities carried an aura, and the better the school, the more government funding they received, making their campuses stunning.
Wen Ying nodded eagerly. “I know, I’ll definitely work hard to get into a good university.”
Xie Qian had gifted her a laptop, which she adored but couldn’t bring home yet. Without a perfect excuse, she left it with Xie Qian for safekeeping.
Claim she bought it herself? Impossible. She’d just given her mom 20,000 yuan, and the numbers wouldn’t add up. Even if she had earned money, buying such an expensive item without consulting Chen Ru would likely provoke her. Having won their bet, Wen Ying wanted to focus on studying and her ventures, not argue with family.
Saying Xie Qian gave it to her was worse. Her family wouldn’t let her accept such a costly gift. To Chen Ru, there was no pure friendship between boys and girls—close contact meant dating or heading that way.
Wen Ying was confident she could repay Xie Qian with a gift of equal value, but Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong wouldn’t believe it. If she brought the laptop home, they’d likely unite, setting aside their disputes to give her a “mixed doubles” scolding.
When Wen Ying mentioned storing the laptop, Xie Qian realized his gift was problematic.
For Xie Qian, buying a laptop was trivial, his allowance far exceeding that of typical students. In his circle, friends exchanged gifts of this value regularly.
But Wen Ying’s modest background made it different. A laptop from a “friend” would be hard to explain to her parents.
Understanding her concerns, Xie Qian promised to handle it. Wen Ying, recalling her mom’s suspicion of her and Xie Qian dating, feared lingering in the classroom. If Chen Ru showed up, it’d be awkward. After a brief chat, she slipped away.
Xie Qian had transferred to Chengdu half a year earlier than in her past life, becoming her classmate sooner. They saw each other daily except during holidays, so she wasn’t worried about missing chances to talk. She left without hesitation.
Her initial shock at seeing Xie Qian had given way to joy.
Happiness, like wine, grew richer with time. Her promise to Chen Ru to strive for a top university was heartfelt.
With Wen Ying no longer arguing, Chen Ru felt at ease. Mother and daughter walked side by side toward the school gate, the atmosphere warm. Chen Li chimed in occasionally, adding to the harmony.
Wen Dongrong and Deng Shangwei trailed behind. Wen Dongrong, still in a cold war with Chen Ru, their marriage tense, felt bitter seeing the mother-daughter bond strengthen.
“All talk is useless. You got into the experimental class thanks to Teacher Lin’s help. If you can’t keep up, we’ll lose face in front of him!” he said, shattering the cheerful mood.
Chen Ru ignored him, and Deng Shangwei thought his brother-in-law must have a head of iron.
Opposing your wife brought no benefits—family discord affected work and career. Cold war with your wife was bad enough, but alienating your daughter too? Who’d mediate?
Wen Ying knew her limits. Her father’s jab, while harsh, wasn’t baseless.
Her current grades lagged behind the experimental class’s standard, where most students scored over 600 on the high school entrance exam.
Of course, China’s society valued connections. Wen Ying wasn’t the only one with subpar scores in the experimental class. In her past life, Li Mengjiao, a singer and dancer with middling grades, still joined the science experimental class… Wait, she forgot to ask Teacher Lin if Li Mengjiao was in Class 16.
Li Mengjiao hadn’t shown up for registration today—she was competing in the Super Girl Chengdu finals tonight!
From what Wen Ying knew, only each division’s champion could advance to the Hunan provincial Super Girl annual finals. The top five in Chengdu were vying for that single spot, making the competition fierce. In her past life, during the 2004 Super Girl finals, not only champions but also runners-up attended. A Mango TV program director later explained at a press conference that the initial claim—only champions could compete—was to motivate contestants.
Why Mango TV changed the rules, Wen Ying didn’t know, nor was she sure if they’d change this time.
She only knew this Super Girl season had diverged significantly from her memories.
Xu Mei and Li Mengjiao both made the Chengdu top five, scrambling her recollections of the lineup.
In 2004, Chengdu produced a sweet, adorable Super Girl who starred in the 2005 promotional video, skyrocketing to fame. Her career should’ve shone, but she faced years of online harassment, rumors, and slander, dimming her star.
Li Mengjiao, also sweet and cute, might have overshadowed that contestant, who hadn’t emerged this year.
For that girl, it might be a blessing. But Wen Ying worried Li Mengjiao, on a similar path, might face the same fate after winning.
Li Mengjiao dismissed Wen Ying’s concerns: “If anyone spreads lies, I’ll fight back. Who’s scared?”
The talent show was crucial, but Li Mengjiao never considered quitting school for a championship. Her parents wouldn’t allow it. Though she already had a small fan club, she hadn’t grasped that the show’s fervor would peak next year.
A high school girl turning into a celebrated star wasn’t easy for everyone to handle. As a friend, Wen Ying would keep an eye on “Silly Li.” Li’s family wasn’t helpless either—they’d protect her.
As for Xu Mei, Wen Ying had no sway over her.
Unlike Li Mengjiao, Xu Mei was 18, an adult.
Not even Qin Yi, her boyfriend, could control her choices. Adults bore responsibility for their paths, sweet or bitter—Xu Mei’s life was her own.
Xu Mei and Li Mengjiao had strong fan support, making them favorites to win Chengdu’s crown. As Wen Ying thought about the night’s competition, Qin Jiao called.
Qin Jiao said Xu Mei had invited Qin’s parents to the event.
She also shared a dilemma: close with Li Mengjiao, Qin Jiao naturally supported her, but Xu Mei’s classmates argued she should back Xu Mei, as Xu was Qin Yi’s girlfriend, and Qin Jiao shouldn’t be disloyal.
Confused, Qin Jiao asked Wen Ying, “I’m me, my brother’s him. We’re siblings but individuals. Is it wrong to support Mengjiao over Sister Xu Mei?”
