Fate.
They say it cannot be defied. That some are born to shine, and some are born to be trampled.
In the novel, the Xu family's eldest daughter was born to be trampled upon. Plain in looks, weak in spirit, forever pressed beneath the glow of her brilliant younger sister, the one destined to marry the male lead, rise to the top, and live the dream.
As for her? She was written to suffer, to be forgotten, to kneel until the end.
Xu Yunying scoffed. Even though they shared the same name. She would never let anyone dampen her star.
"Bullshit." she said "If fate wants me to kneel, it can kiss my ass. I'm the master of my story. Not destiny, not family, not even the author who wrote this mess. If anyone dares script me as a side character, I'll rip the script apart myself."
That night, with those words burning in her heart, her soul crossed into the book.
When Xu Yunying opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the ceiling.
It was cracked. Yellowed. Worse than a cheap motel room.
Her brows knitted. This wasn't the apartment she rented. She'd paid two thousand dollars a month, dammit. Even the shadiest landlord wouldn't dare give her this dump.
She sat up, scanning the unfamiliar room. The peeling wallpaper, the worn furniture, it all screamed poverty.
Her gaze caught on a dusty mirror in the corner. She froze.
A woman stared back at her. Not just any woman, an extraordinarily beautiful one. It was as though someone had stolen all the beauty in the world, and poured it into this face.
Xu Yunying blinked. Then blinked again.
She poked her own cheek. The reflection poked back.
Her lips parted. "Holy shit. I'm… beautiful?"
No. Impossible. She, Xu Yunying, with her plain looks and acne scars, could never be this godly.
Her ugly ass could never achieve this level of divine beauty!
Her existential crisis was interrupted by a harsh knock on the door.
"Xu Yunying! Useless girl!"
The voice was sharp, grating and impatient.
Her expression darkened. Who the hell dared call her name like that? Was this person looking down on her two thousand dollars?!
She yanked open the door. A middle-aged woman stood there, her face stiff from too many surgeries, but still managing to look ugly.
Xu Yunying raised a brow. Who was this bitch? Even with all that money injected into her face, she still looked like a failed before-and-after photo.
The woman's painted lips curled into a sneer. "Why haven't you made breakfast yet? Useless girl! What good are you if you can't even cook?"
Xu Yunying stared at her, incredulous. Excuse me? Who are you to order me around?!
Her mouth opened, ready to unleash a colorful string of curses but suddenly, a sharp pain lanced through her skull.
Memories flooded in. A life that wasn't hers. The Xu family. A despised eldest daughter. The run-down room that had been pushed onto her.
And then it clicked.
She had transmigrated.
Into the novel she was reading.
For a moment, Xu Yunying was stunned. Then her lips curled upward.
Was it because of what I said before bed? Haha… universe, if this is your idea of a joke, I'll play along. If this is a test, I'll pass with flying colors.
The woman's eyes widened when Xu Yunying suddenly smiled at her.
"Sorry, Madam Wang." she said sweetly. "I'll head to the kitchen right after I wash up. I overslept."
Madam Wang blinked, taken aback. This useless girl had always been meek and silent, bowing her head no matter how harshly she was scolded.
When has she ever smiled like that?
Xu Yunying's smile deepened. Let's see how long you last when I'm the one holding the pen to this story.
She pulled open the wardrobe, and her face instantly darkened.
Not a single decent piece of clothing. Everything inside was washed-out, threadbare and just pitiful.
She scoffed. "Poor girl.Just how the hell did you survive living with these bloodsuckers?"
Then her lips curled. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm here now. And I swear, I'll make you the most stylish person in this country. Trust me, I've read hundreds of manhwas. Nobody knows fashion better than me."
Her fingers brushed against a single yellow sundress tucked at the back of the closet. The fabric was old, but still carried a trace of delicacy. Clearly, the original Xu Yunying had been saving it for some "special occasion."
"Well." Yunying murmured with a grin, "what's more special than the day of your rebirth?"
She showered quickly, wincing at the sight of the cheap, half-empty bottles of skincare. "Tch. So much work to do on this body… but it's a start."
By the time she stepped out in the sundress, her beauty was undeniable. A goddess, even in plain clothes.
Downstairs, the maids sneered at her openly, their eyes full of contempt instead of respect.
Xu Yunying laughed under her breath.
Keep looking down on me.
Keep mocking me.
The more you sneer, the harder you'll choke when I make you regret it.
Her heels clicked against the floor as she strolled straight into the kitchen.
They wanted breakfast?
Then she'd give them a meal they would never forget.
An evil grin tugged at her lips. She clapped her hands once. "Out."
The startled maids blinked.
"You heard me. All of you...out of my kitchen."
They hesitated, but her gaze was sharp, commanding in a way they'd never seen before. Grumbling as they retreated.
Yunying smirked. Good riddance. It's not like they were going to help me anyway.
Her status in this house was equivalent to a servant.
That was fine.
She'd play the role.for now.
But today's breakfast?
It would be her opening act.