The villa of the ROYAL 6 sat like a throne above Fuyuan Academy's lake—its marbled pillars gleaming gold beneath the sun, its quiet garden heavy with imported lilies and silence. Inside, the atmosphere was suffocating.
No laughter, no idle chatter, only the faint hum of the air conditioner and the slow, deliberate clink of a glass.
At the center of the lavish lounge sat Gu Yingying, the undisputed leader of the ROYAL 6. Her snow-white blouse and super short cream skirt gave her an air of elegance, but her eyes were shards of ice. She swirled the crimson wine in her glass once… twice… and then threw it against the wall.
The sound of shattering crystal rang sharp through the villa.
No one dared breathe.
Mo Lingxue, delicate and soft-spoken, was the first to break. Her voice trembled as she whispered, "Yingying… that girl humiliated us before everyone. The entire school was watching. What are we going to do?"
Her hands still holding on to her expensive handbag which contained the 10 million yuan card that Su Ning had earlier given her.
Even though she hated Su Ning, she couldn't deny the fact that even though her family was rich, the biggest pocket amount she had ever been given by her mom was 3 million yuan.
Across from her, Li Zixuan slammed a fist onto the glass table. "What else can we do? We make her regret it! That girl—she made fools of us all!" His tone was venomous, his pride visibly burning.
Zhao Mingyu, the strategist of the group, spoke in a low, steady voice. "She's not simple. That poise, that arrogance—it wasn't empty. I've met heirs from the most powerful families in City F. None of them carry that kind of pressure."
Xu Jinghan crossed her arms, her expression cold. "Pressure or not, she still humiliated us. I don't care who she is."
And from the corner of the room, Fang Yiren, the group's only entertainment star with over three hundred thousand fans online, let out a sharp groan as he stared at his phone. "My image is in ruins," he muttered, throwing the phone on the couch. "Do you know how many fan edits I've seen of that scene? They're calling me a background extra in Su Ning's debut drama! I can't even go live without being spammed with her name!"
"Shut up."
Gu Yingying's voice was soft but carried the weight of a command.
Everyone obeyed.
She rose slowly from her chair, her heels clicking against the marble like war drums. Her presence filled the room, suffocating and royal. "A new student," she began, her tone smooth and deadly, "dares to challenge us? Dares to humiliate the ROYAL 6 in our own academy?"
Her red lips curled into a cold smile. "Let her taste what it means to offend royalty."
Turning sharply, she fixed her gaze on Li Zixuan. "Find out who she is. Everything. Family, background, finances. I don't care what it takes."
Li Zixuan's confidence returned instantly. "Give me an hour."
But an hour later, when he returned, that confidence was gone. His expression was pale, his voice uneven. "Yingying… I couldn't find anything."
Gu Yingying's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I mean—her record's locked. I hacked into the student database, but the system flagged me out. Even the principal's archives were sealed off. I only saw her name: Su Ning. No address, no guardian, no data. It's like she doesn't exist."
A heavy silence fell.
Even Zhao Mingyu looked up, startled. "Sealed records? At Fuyuan Academy? Only families with government clearance can request that."
Gu Yingying stared at him for a long moment. Her hand, still glistening faintly with wine, clenched into a fist. "So," she whispered, "we're dealing with someone from above."
Mo Lingxue's voice shook. "Then shouldn't we… maybe avoid trouble with her?"
Fang Yiren gave a small, mocking laugh. "Avoid trouble? After she dragged our names through the mud? My career's trending for the wrong reason."
Gu Yingying turned toward the wide French windows, her reflection shimmering against the light. Her expression softened into something dangerously calm.
"Let her enjoy her little moment of glory," she murmured, voice smooth as velvet. "If she wants to play power games…" her lips curved, eyes narrowing, "…then I'll teach her how the royal court truly operates."
Her words slithered through the room like silk dipped in poison. The others exchanged glances—fear, anger, curiosity all blending in their eyes.
Outside, the golden afternoon sun gleamed across Fuyuan Academy, but inside the villa, the storm of vengeance had only just begun to brew.
At the small rented house belonging to the Chen family, Chen Wei sat on the edge of his old couch, his face flushed with excitement. His calloused hands trembled as he gripped his phone.
The moment his wife's voice answered from the other end, his heart burst with laughter.
"Ting! Guess who just called me today?"
Liu Ting, taking a break with the other cleaners in the company's lounge, where she worked, frowned slightly, surprised by her husband's unusually lively tone. "Who?"
Chen Wei chuckled, the sound half laughter, half tears. "Director Mu. Mu Fucheng from Imperial Skies International Hotel. He personally called me for an interview…"
"What!" Liu Ting exclaimed, shocked.
He took a shaky breath, the joy spilling from every word. "And I passed Ting! I'm now the General Manager of the Imperial Skies International Hotel!"
There was silence on the other end. Then Liu Ting gasped, hand flying to her mouth as tears welled in her eyes. "Wei… you're not joking, right? General Manager?"
"I swear!" Chen Wei laughed, his voice breaking. "I thought it was a dream. But it's real! He said I start next week!"
Liu Ting's heart swelled. Around her, the other cleaners turned their heads, wondering why she was suddenly sobbing and laughing at the same time.
"Wei, that's… that's wonderful!" she cried. "After all these years… you finally— you did it!" Her voice trembled with happiness. "I'll go to the market and buy meat tonight! We'll celebrate properly this time!"
The family could not afford meat on daily basis but Liu Ting was so happy and decided to use some of her savings.
Chen Wei blinked rapidly, his throat tightening. "Ting, I'm sorry for making you suffer all these years."
But Liu Ting shook her head firmly, smiling through tears. "We suffered together, didn't we? I don't regret it."
When the call ended, Chen Wei sat quietly for a moment, the sound of her laughter still ringing in his ears. Then, slowly, he leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
For the first time in decades, the heavy weight on his shoulders felt lighter.
After he had passed the interview, he had being taken to his new office. The office of the General Manager of Imperial Skies International Hotel wasn't a mere room, it was a symbol of prestige and power. A panoramic glass window overlooking City F's skyline, marble floors that gleamed like mirrors, and a mahogany desk carved with gold edges. The scent of imported sandalwood would linger in the air, calm yet commanding.
He was told he would receive a car of his own and a monthly salary of 800,000 yuan along with other juicy stipends and a personal chauffeur.
Chen Wei felt like he was in a dream.