Rong Yu looked at He Jingchuan.
Backlit by the hazy light, this boy bore an uncanny resemblance to the Ji family.
She stood up, and as the light shifted, she noticed—somehow—that He Jingchuan’s jawline was nearly sixty percent similar to Ji Zhiyuan’s.
"The evening breeze is picking up. Miss Rong might catch a cold if she sleeps here," He Jingchuan murmured, lowering his head as he retreated to the greenhouse. There, he crouched among the half-wilted flowers, tending to them with quiet diligence.
That night, as Rong Yu slept,
the man who had once shielded her from harm reappeared in her dreams. They had met too late, their time together too brief. He never got the chance to become a father, never got to lay eyes on Yingbao before leaving this world forever...
When she woke at dawn, her lashes were damp.
But by the time she rose, she had already composed herself.
After guiding her elderly son through his morning exercises, she set off for school alongside Ji Zhouye.
At the school gates, a crowd had gathered around Rong Ruoyao.
"Yao Yao, you’ve become the spokesperson for Hai Corporation’s new product! You’re amazing!"
"It’s their latest learning tablet. A product like this deserves a top student like Yao Yao to represent it."
"Hai Corporation is one of the elite conglomerates. The endorsement fee must be huge, right?"
Rong Ruoyao smiled modestly. "Just the standard rate. Nothing extraordinary."
The money wasn’t the point—it was the opportunity.
Hai Corporation stood among the four great families of Haicheng, a titan on par with the Ji Group. At this altitude, she would be seen by far more eyes.
With Hai Corporation’s backing, she would pave a path lined with flowers.
"Since when is Rong Ruoyao a top student? The real genius is Rong Yu, isn’t she?"
"Exactly. Rong Yu won the national physics competition gold medal—only six people in the entire country received that honor. She’s the true academic star."
"Oh, if she’s so brilliant, why didn’t Hai Corporation choose her as their spokesperson? Face it, Rong Yu just isn’t as outstanding as Rong Ruoyao."
Ji Zhouye scoffed, one hand tucked in his pocket as he glared at the critics. "Pathetic. Winning a national gold medal isn’t ‘outstanding,’ but being a spokesperson is? Use your brains! That medal guarantees direct admission to Huaqing University—got it? If not, go wash your minds or crawl back into your mothers’ wombs for a reboot!"
The crowd fell silent.
Huaqing—the nation’s pinnacle of higher education, a dream institution even the top students couldn’t confidently claim entry to.
Yet Rong Yu, from the underachievers’ class, had secured her spot effortlessly.
The onlookers’ faces twisted in discomfort.
Someone muttered, "Rong Yu competed alongside Song Huai from the elite class. She probably just rode his coattails..."
As if summoned, Zhang Haoyu strode through the gates.
Song Huai ranked first in their grade; Zhang Haoyu, second—both were revered as academic legends.
Zhang Haoyu eyed the whisperers. "It wasn’t Rong Yu relying on Song Huai. It was the other way around. Without her, we wouldn’t have won the team gold. Without those bonus points, even Song Huai’s individual medal might not have been enough."
With that, he walked away.
Rong Ruoyao’s lips paled from how hard she was biting them. She turned to Song Huai beside her. "Zhang Haoyu’s always envied your top rank. He’s just slandering you in front of everyone. Why aren’t you defending yourself?"
"Nothing to defend," Song Huai said flatly. "He’s right. I did benefit from Rong Yu."
Even being accepted as a protégé by Professor Liu at Huaqing was thanks to her. He owed Rong Yu a debt.
Rong Ruoyao froze.
Following Song Huai’s gaze, she realized he was staring at Rong Yu’s retreating figure, unable to look away.
She knew how fiercely Song Huai valued academics. Back when Rong Yu’s grades were mediocre, he’d dismissed her entirely. But now that they stood as equals—both gold medalists—was he starting to see her differently?
"Song Huai," Rong Ruoyao called, pulling his attention back. "I previewed today’s training session material, but there are a few problems I don’t quite get. Can you explain them later?"
Her mother was right: Knowledge was the only unshakable foundation.
If she could win a national Olympiad medal, Rong Yu wouldn’t overshadow her anymore. No matter how grueling, she’d push through.
Initially, Rong Ruoyao had wavered—studying halfheartedly between rehearsals for her idol audition. But once resolved, she threw herself into preparation. Yet no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t match the innate talent of prodigies like Song Huai or Zhang Haoyu. The struggle was exhausting.
After days of Olympiad training, on the eve of the preliminary round, she finally broke down in tears.
"You’re just overstressed," Shen Lin soothed. "Don’t study tonight. Rest, and I’ll take you to the venue tomorrow."
Rong Ruoyao shook her head. "I’ll never place. Why humiliate myself by showing up?"
Shen Lin frowned. "The school selected you because you have potential. Withdrawing last minute isn’t wise—"
"Mom, help me," Rong Ruoyao begged, clutching her hand. "The Haicheng exam papers are set by your colleagues at the university. Can’t you... buy the answers for me?"
Shen Lin recoiled. "Yao Yao! How could you even consider cheating?"
"I’m desperate!" Rong Ruoyao sobbed. "I’ve been grinding nonstop—dozens of practice tests daily, skipping idol training—but I’m still not half as good as Song Huai! I’m a humanities student! This math Olympiad is impossible for me!"
Rong Wangtian set down his documents. "Then withdraw."
"No! I have to compete!" Rong Ruoyao hissed through gritted teeth. "I will rank!"
If Rong Yu could claim gold, so would she.
She refused to lose.
Shen Lin saw right through her. With a sigh, she conceded, "Buying answers is out of the question. But... I’ll find out who’s seated near you. If there’s a top scorer, I’ll pay them to... assist you during the exam."
Rong Ruoyao beamed through her tears. "Thank you, Mom!"
Rong Wangtian shook his head in disappointment.
He’d always taken pride in this daughter—yet here she was, resorting to cheating.
Meanwhile, his eldest, Rong Yu, had quietly secured a spot at Huaqing without him lifting a finger.
Perhaps he should host a celebration—let the world know Rong Wangtian raised exceptional daughters. It wouldn’t hurt business either.
