The atmosphere in Class 3 felt strange the moment Su Ning walked in.
Every eye turned toward her—some wide with awe, others narrowed with jealousy, and some trembling with confusion. Only yesterday, she had been the school's pitiful shadow, bullied into silence. Today, she walked in like a queen descending from her throne, her uniform perfectly tailored, her bag designer-made, her every step exuding confidence that had been sharpened overnight.
The boys couldn't help staring.
"She's gorgeous…" one whispered.
"She wasn't like this before—look at her skin, her hair, her aura!" another muttered.
A few even swallowed nervously, realizing that their past insults toward her might come back to haunt them.
The girls fared no better. Their eyes glimmered with green envy, whispering behind palms.
"She must be faking it."
"Even if she got money somehow, she'll never be one of us."
But though their words were bitter, none dared to mock her aloud. Something in Su Ning's presence made them hesitate—as if their instincts warned them she was no longer the prey she used to be.
Chen Anya sat proudly beside Su Ning, her cheeks glowing as she basked in the reflected admiration. Mu Suying quietly settled nearby, her posture respectful, her eyes steady. Once, she had joined the mockery. Now, remembering her father's orders and her own guilt, she clung loyally to Su Ning's side.
The room buzzed with curiosity, but Su Ning ignored them all. She opened her notebook calmly, as if the storm of attention around her didn't exist.
And then the system's voice stirred in her mind.
'Ding!'
'New Mission
Task: Make enemies bow publicly.
Rewards
– Ownership of Luminous Beauty Spa (a luxury beauty spa chain spread all over the country.
– Hundred Million Yuan.
– Health recovery Pill: restores vitality, heals hidden injuries, and grants ten additional years of youthful vigor.
– 80% controlling shares of Zongsheng Medical Centre, the number one private hospital in the Capital, where even heads of state seek treatment.
Failure to complete mission: loss of host's cultivation.'
Su Ning's hand stilled for a moment. A famous spa, one of the biggest hospital in the capital, a life-restoring pill and fifty million yuan.
It was overwhelming. She , who was once a poor girl now owned a lot of properties those rich heirs couldn't even dream of having, not even the ROYAL 6.
She could almost picture it—the glittering building of Luminous Beauty Spa, where every wealthy wife and heiress in the city competed for appointments. Zongsheng Medical Centre, where even government officials queued for treatment. Both falling under her name? Her lips curved faintly.
With this, even the city's powerhouses will have no choice but to bow their heads before me.
The mission was simple in wording but heavy in implication. The academy was merely her first stage. The city itself would soon become her chessboard.
Su Ning's pulse quickened, but her outward face remained calm. The students whispered, the teacher droned on, and she sat there—her mind racing with new plans, her heart alight with fire.
Classes slipped by like shadows, and before long, the bell signaled the end of the day.
Whispers followed Su Ning as she rose, Chen Anya beside her. Mu Suying walked at a measured pace, ignoring the glares from girls who had once been her friends. To them, her switch of allegiance was shocking, even shameful—but Mu Suying had already decided. Whatever pride she lost now, she would regain through Su Ning.
"Let's go," Su Ning said softly to Anya.
Outside the gates, Uncle Li already waited, the sleek black sedan shining under the sun. His posture was perfectly straight, his respect evident.
"Miss Su." He bowed slightly as he opened the door.
"I'll take you home," Su Ning told Chen Anya.
Anya's face brightened. "Really?" She quickly climbed in, her chest warm with gratitude. It felt surreal being cared for by Su Ning in this way, but she wasn't foolish enough to question her luck.
But before the door could close, a sharp cry broke the air.
"Su Ning!"
The crowd of students stirred as a luxury car pulled up. A woman stepped out, dressed in head-to-toe expensive brands, her jewelry gleaming under the sunlight. The haughty tilt of her chin made it clear she believed herself above everyone present.
It was Madam Shen—Shen Luoluo's mother.
Behind her came Shen Luoluo herself and Mixi, both smirking with cruel delight.
"There she is, Mother!" Shen Luoluo called loudly, pointing at Su Ning. "That's the girl I told you about! She humiliated me in class and dares to act like she's above her status!"
Gasps rippled through the students. A scene was about to unfold.
Madam Shen's gaze locked onto Su Ning, filled with disdain. She marched forward, her heels clicking against the ground like whips of authority.
"So you're Su Ning," she said coldly, her eyes sweeping her from head to toe. "You're the one who dares to mock my daughter? Do you think having a little fancy car and wearing fake jewelry makes you important? Do you think a few tricks will let you step into our circle?"
The crowd fell silent. Everyone was waiting for Su Ning's downfall.
Su Ning didn't flinch. She stood calmly, her expression serene, one hand resting lightly on Chen Anya's shoulder. The faint indifference in her eyes and the light smirk on her lips only fueled Madam Shen's rage.
"You think ignoring me makes you dignified?" Madam Shen sneered. She raised her hand high, as if to slap Su Ning in front of everyone. "Ungrateful—"
"Madam Shen!"
A thunderous voice cut through the air.
The principal himself burst through the gates, his usually composed demeanor utterly undone. His forehead glistened with sweat, his eyes frantic.
"What do you think you are doing?" he barked, rushing between them.
Madam Shen blinked in surprise. "I'm teaching this lowly girl a lesson! She humiliated my daughter—"
"Silence!" the principal roared. His voice cracked like a whip, silencing even the onlookers.
And then, to everyone's shock, he turned—and bowed deeply to Su Ning.
The air froze.
The principal, bowing?
"Miss Su Ning," he said respectfully, his tone trembling with sincerity, "please forgive this disgraceful scene. I will take full responsibility for allowing such disrespect to happen under this academy's name."
The students' jaws dropped. They had never seen the proud principal lower his head to anyone—not even the ROYAL 6 even if he sometimes fawned on them. Yet here he was, bent at the waist before the very girl they had all bullied.
Madam Shen went pale. "Principal, what are you doing? She's—she's just—"
"Enough!" His glare was ice cold. "If you value your family's reputation, Madam Shen, you will hold your tongue. Miss Su Ning is not someone your entire family can afford to offend."
The humiliation was brutal. Shen Luoluo's triumphant smirk shattered instantly, replaced by sheer disbelief. Mixi trembled beside her, her face drained of color.
Meanwhile, Su Ning's eyes gleamed faintly. She tilted her head, regarding the principal without a word, her silence more powerful than any rebuttal. After a moment, she inclined her head slightly, an acknowledgment that made the principal's heart pound with relief.
With elegance, Su Ning turned, guiding Chen Anya into the car. Uncle Li closed the door firmly, and the car pulled away, leaving only stunned silence behind.
The schoolyard erupted like a volcano the moment she was gone.
"The principal bowed to her?!"
"She didn't even say a word—just one look and he caved!"
"Who exactly is Su Ning?!"
Madam Shen stood frozen, her hand trembling midair, her face burning from humiliation she had never suffered before.
The principal, however, was far from finished. His gaze snapped to Shen Luoluo and Mixi, his voice low and cutting.
"You two. From this day forward, you are expelled from Fuyuan Academy."
The girls gasped.
"What?!" Shen Luoluo shrieked. "You—you can't! I'm from the Shen family—"
"Enough!" the principal thundered. "Your family's influence does not extend here. I will not harbor fools who dare bring shame upon this academy or offend people far beyond your comprehension. Collect your belongings and leave immediately."
Shen Luoluo's knees buckled. Mixi's face went ashen. The crowd's whispers grew louder, pity mixing with schadenfreude.
Su Ning, already gone from sight, didn't need to see the rest. She had already won.