The sudden hush in the classroom felt suffocating. Dozens of pairs of eyes bore into Lian Yue, some with mockery, others with curiosity. The original "Lian Yue" had been a timid pushover, the perfect target for ridicule. But the girl standing here now was not the same.
Ding!
[System Notification: Side Task Generated.– Task: Make the "fake heiress" Lin Xi choke on her own arrogance within three school days.– Reward: 50 points– Failure: Loss of credibility in this world]
Lian Yue's lips curved faintly. So, the game begins.
Lin Xi, the so-called "real heiress," was already smirking. "Oh, look, the country bumpkin finally dares to show her face? Careful—you might trip on your cheap shoes."
The class chuckled obediently.
Instead of shrinking back, Lian Yue stepped forward. "Strange… I don't recall a lady of refinement needing to bark like a street dog just to get attention."
The room went silent. Then—gasps.
Lin Xi's smirk froze, her face darkening like a storm. "What did you say?"
"Do you need me to repeat it more slowly?" Lian Yue's tone was calm, almost lazy, but her eyes were sharp as blades.
The "original" Lian Yue would never have dared. That made today's Lian Yue unpredictable—and dangerous.
At the back of the room, someone chuckled. The sound was low, rich, and amused, cutting through the tension like a spark in dry grass.
Lian Yue's gaze flicked there. A tall boy leaned casually against the window, his uniform slightly undone, sunlight catching the sharp angles of his face. His eyes, dark and fathomless, were fixed on her—not Lin Xi.
Her system pulsed faintly.
[Warning: Unknown energy detected. Proceed with caution.]
The boy's lips quirked in a smile, and for a fleeting second, it felt like he was looking directly into her soul. Protective. Possessive. Curious.
She looked away first. Noted. Dangerous man.
"Teacher's coming!" someone hissed.
The class scrambled back into order, Lin Xi fuming in her seat while Lian Yue calmly took hers. But she could feel that gaze lingering on her, burning, amused.
So this is the male lead? She tapped her desk lightly, her mind racing.
The system chimed again.
[Reminder: Points can be exchanged for skills, items, and information. Current balance: 100 points. Would Host like to browse the Shop?]
"Yes," she whispered in her mind.
A translucent blue panel appeared, filled with dazzling options—'Eloquence Boost,' 'Memory Recall,' even 'Disguise Mask.' For now, she didn't need much. But soon, she'd make this "heiress" Lin Xi eat her own words.
Her lips curved faintly. She had three days. More than enough.
And somewhere in the back row, the boy by the window was still smiling, as if he'd found something… or someone… worth his attention at last.