Su Ning ascended the marble staircase slowly, each step echoing softly in the stillness of Villa One. Her heart was steady, but her mind raced with thoughts.
Inside her bedroom, she sat at the edge of her bed and carefully opened the envelope again. The sleek, gleaming cards seemed to shine under the warm light. She plucked one out, a simple gold card, elegant yet commandingand slipped it into her purse. The rest, she placed neatly into her drawer, locking them away for later.
"System," she whispered in her heart, her eyes narrowing, "transfer ten million yuan into this card."
[Transfer initiated.]
A soft chime followed almost immediately. Her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen.
[Bank Alert: Your account XXXXXXX has been credited with 10,000,000 yuan.]
Her fingers tightened around the phone as her heart beat wildly against her chest.
Ten. Million.
For a long moment, she simply stared at the glowing numbers on the screen. Her reflection flickered faintly against it—wide eyes, lips slightly parted, as though the girl staring back couldn't believe it either.
She exhaled slowly, setting the phone down. So this is what true wealth feels like. It still feels like a dream… yet the reality is right here in my hands.
Her stomach rumbled softly, dragging her back to the present. She stood and drifted toward the kitchen. The villa's kitchen was vast and sparkling, stocked with the finest appliances and ingredients.
She thought briefly of hiring a maid, but her expression hardened.
'No. Not yet. The fewer people who know of my life, the safer I am. Power attracts envy, and envy breeds betrayal. Until I can protect myself fully… I'll trust no one.'
Opening the fridge, she took out fresh pasta, butter, garlic, and chicken. Her movements were practiced, efficient. The aroma soon filled the air—rich, savory, comforting.
When the golden pasta and tender chicken sat steaming on her plate, she had loved it ever since she was little, her mom had always cooked it on her birthdays. She carried it to the dining table. She ate slowly, savoring each bite. Each taste was a quiet reminder: she no longer needed to starve, no longer needed to beg for scraps of kindness.
After finishing, she washed the dishes herself and returned to her desk. The worn notebooks lay open, ink still faded, handwriting still clumsy. They were relics of the old Su Ning, the powerless girl who had bowed her head to scorn.
But tonight, her eyes burned with focus. She picked up her pen, her posture straight.
'Tomorrow, I'll crush them all with my results. Let the teachers, the students, Shen Luoluo's clique—let every last one of them choke on their disbelief. Not because I need their recognition… but because I want to watch their faces when the tables turn.'
Her lips curved into a faint, sharp smile as she bent over the notebook. The quiet scratch of her pen filled the villa, a sound more powerful than any declaration.