The fake heiress loves to act? The max-level boss isn't interested in playing along.

The windows of Class A were tightly closed, but that couldn't block out the noise coming from the corridor.

Fu Chaochao sat by the window.

Unconsciously, his fingers picked at the edges of the English book pages, making the paper frayed.

"Class Ding Liu really stole the show this time."

The whispers of the girls in the front row drifted into my ears: "When Fu Hua's grades were posted, I was stunned. There were so many questions that I didn't understand at all. Even if you gave me the answers, I wouldn't know where to copy them."

"I heard that four teachers will be personally proctoring the exam? That's quite a big deal."

"That's not all! My sister works in the faculty office, and she heard from the teachers that a professor from Huaguo University at Peking University... sets all the science questions in his office."

Fu Chaochao slammed the book shut with a loud "bang," drawing stares from the surrounding classmates.

She lowered her head, her long hair falling down to cover her face.

The hand gripping the pen was so tight that the knuckles turned white.

Several deep fingernail marks were left on the pages.

Like the turbulent emotions in her heart that she dared not show to others.

The classroom door was pushed open, and Zhou Rong walked in, bringing with him the noise from outside.

She walked straight to Fu Chaochao's desk, deliberately keeping her voice light: "Chaochao, why don't you look at the bulletin board? Your relative is really giving you a lot of face—"

"She's not my relative."

Fu Chaochao interrupted her, her voice as cold as ice.

Zhou Rong's smile froze for a moment, then he sat down next to her.

Lowering her voice, she said, "I heard that Principal Gao knows your dad. Do you think your dad might have used his connections at the Education Bureau to help her?"

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Fu Chaochao suddenly looked up, a look of panic flashing in her eyes. "Principal Gao didn't proctor Fu Hua's exam. The re-examination was proctored by four teachers. What does this have to do with my father?"

Zhou Rong is incredibly stupid.

"I just said it offhand."

Zhou Rong awkwardly touched his nose, but his eyes were still fixed on Fu Chaochao. "But Chaochao, Fu Hua did so well on the exam this time. Will your parents treat her even better than you? Will they value her more?"

The meaning was so explicit that it was embarrassing.

Fu Chaochao's face turned deathly pale instantly.

She recalled everything that had happened since he came to live with them—

No matter how aloof she appeared, her parents and older brother subtly began to pay more attention to her.

The love that once belonged exclusively to her is being gradually taken away.

"My affairs are none of your business."

She stood up, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a screeching sound. "Zhou Rong, watch your mouth."

After saying that, he grabbed his schoolbag and walked out, his steps so hurried it was as if he were running away.

Zhou Rong watched her retreating figure, pursed his lips, and muttered under his breath, "What's with the pretense... So what if she has a soldier father? What's so great about that?"

These words were spoken softly, yet they pierced Fu Chaochao's ears like needles.

This soldier father was not her biological father.

It's nothing to her.

She stumbled at the classroom door and had to grab the door frame to steady herself.

In the corridor, a group of students from Class D were surrounding Fu Hua as she came up the stairs, their laughter as dazzling as the sunlight.

Fu Chaochao immediately turned around and hid in the women's restroom.

On the sidelines of the basketball court for the second-year high school students, Fu Youchuan had just finished a game.

He accepted the soda from his companion, drenched in sweat.

"Brother Chuan, I heard your relative from the countryside got a perfect score again?"

The center playing basketball winked and said, "Really? Should we go check the notice board?"

Fu Youchuan tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful of soda, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times.

He nonchalantly remarked, "So what if you did well on the test? You're just a bookworm."

"That was a re-examination personally proctored by four teachers! And a professor from Kyoto University even set the questions."

Some people exclaimed in surprise, "My dad said Professor Yan is a leading figure at Huaguo University, and Fu might be chosen by him..."

"So what if you like it?"

Fu Youchuan precisely tossed the empty bottle into the trash can in the distance. "What's the use of girls reading so many books? In the end, they still have to get married."

Our Chaochao is different; she understands art and can play the piano—that's what a well-bred young lady should be like.

He said this with his chin slightly raised, exuding a sense of superiority that came with it all.

The boys around looked at each other, and someone who wanted to say something was tugged at by his companion.

"Oh, right."

Fu Youchuan seemed to suddenly remember something, "Chaochao has been in a bad mood these past few days, I need to go back and keep her company. You guys have fun."

He grabbed his jacket, slung it over his shoulder, and turned to leave the field.

The setting sun cast a long shadow on him.

There was a stubborn arrogance in that silhouette, a refusal to see reality clearly.

He hadn't heard about Professor Yan and the research station yet.

Therefore, they had no idea what being chosen by the professor meant.

In his simplistic worldview, good grades were nothing more than numbers on paper.

It's nowhere near as important as a single tear from his beloved younger sister, Chaochao, whom he's doted on since childhood.

Fu Hua and Zhang Wen walked out of the school gate side by side long after the school bell rang.

The results don't mean they can slack off.

I didn't miss my tutoring session today either.

The excitement in front of the bulletin board has subsided.

But students still cast curious or admiring glances at her along the way.

Did you see Lin Bei's expression today?

Zhang Wen gestured excitedly, pointing to the name, "He was standing right there on the bulletin board, his face as white as paper! He used to be so arrogant, he would never even glance at our class when he passed by..."

Fu Hua listened quietly, the brown wooden bracelet gleaming warmly in the twilight.

After Zhang Wen finished speaking at length, she spoke softly, "Xiao Wen, why do you think Lin Bei acted that way today?"

"Because you embarrassed me!"

Zhang Wen blurted it out, then stuck out her tongue sheepishly, "Was I too blunt?"

That's not what I meant.

Fu Hua shook her head. "What I mean is—his shock today is essentially because he realized he was wrong."

It's actually quite rare for someone to admit they're wrong.

Zhang Wen was stunned.

Fu Hua stopped and looked at the streetlights that were gradually coming on in the distance: "I once heard a saying that the hardest thing in life is not looking down on others, but seeing yourself clearly."

The evening breeze ruffled her stray hairs, and her always calm eyes...

There was a wisdom beyond his years: "Lin Bei saw himself clearly today, so he will feel ashamed and shocked. This is much better than simple jealousy or resentment."

Zhang Wen stared blankly at Fu Hua, suddenly realizing that this girl, who was the same age as her,

She harbored a world in her heart that she could not even imagine.

"Then... what about Qin Che?"

She asked cautiously, "When he chose Fu Chaochao, were you also...?"

"Have you also come to understand yourself?"

Fu Hua picked up the conversation and smiled.

The smile was faint, yet it carried a sense of relief: "Yes, I see it clearly—I see that in some people's eyes, blood ties and companionship can be put on a price tag."

I've also realized that I don't need to be anyone's choice.

She turned around and looked at Zhang Wen seriously: "So Zhang Wen, don't waste your time figuring out what kind of guy thinks of you."

Life is long, and when you shine bright enough...

You will naturally attract people who truly appreciate you. But before that—"

She pointed to the half-exposed test paper in Zhang Wen's schoolbag: "There's actually an easier way to solve the last big math problem. I'll explain it to you tomorrow afternoon."