To the disappointment of many of her classmates, who were eager for as much drama as possible, Liu Fengying's day didn't stray far from the pattern of an ordinary school day; she seemed completely indifferent to being the center of attention.
She didn't even bother to refute the negative rumors about her, let alone try to boost her popularity. What was the difference between that and outright saying she didn't give a damn about their opinions? It was precisely this attitude that made many even more convinced that Liu Fengying had some tricks up her sleeve, which sparked even more discussion about her.
Well, it can't be said they were wrong: Liu Fengying truly didn't believe she needed anyone's help to carry out her plans. So why should she waste her time with people who only irritate her?
If spiritual energy didn't exist in this world, it would've indeed been difficult for her to reach the top without forming connections with influential people. But since that wasn't the case and she could put to use much of the knowledge from her previous life, she could play by her own rules.
Besides, she didn't believe she could rely on any of them.
Most kids from wealthy families were incompetent, knowing nothing except how to spend the fortunes amassed by past generations. And the competent ones were smiling tigers, the kind who could stab you in the back at any moment.
As for the few students who came from ordinary backgrounds, they had either turned into bootlickers chasing as many advantages as possible, or developed a chosen-one complex, resenting anyone wealthier or more capable than themselves. Liu Fengying found both types equally difficult to work with.
So, by the end of the school day, Liu Fengying had spent almost all her time with Hua Shu — the only one whose loyalty and rationality she didn't doubt and who, as a bonus, was also very cute — without taking the initiative to communicate with anyone else and brushing off anyone who tried to approach her after just three or four lines of dialogue.
Also, in an effort to keep a low profile, Liu Fengying avoided showing any of the abilities she had gained through cultivation and training. So during P.E., she wasn't the star of any face-slapping moment, like scoring 100 points in a volleyball match or breaking a world record, to humiliate those who had mocked her poor physical condition and mobility issues over the past two years. She simply played ping-pong with Hua Shu in a corner, focusing not on winning, but on keeping the rally going as long as possible.
Still, the school day didn't end without something important happening to Liu Fengying — though no one noticed, since it took place after classes in the homeroom teacher's office. More specifically, she became 200,000 ruans richer.
The source of this money wasn't a school prize, but Zhang Mei's mother, who wanted to make peace between Liu Fengying and her daughter.
As an actress nearing 40 with no awards to her name, Zhang Yan was finding it increasingly difficult to land good film roles. She now spent more time at home than on set, enjoying the wealth of her new husband. For that reason, even though it was a Monday, she'd spent the morning lounging by the pool, sipping cocktails, and scrolling through social media. With nearly two decades in the entertainment industry, she was well-connected and naturally among the first to catch wind of the rumors about Liu Fengying.
When her daughter told her about the incident that had led to Liu Fengying's head injury, Zhang Yan wasn't particularly concerned. Even ignoring the fact that Liu Fengying was estranged from her family, Zhang Yan's husband's marketing firm had many lucrative business ties with Fengying's father—so as long as the injuries weren't serious, the incident would likely be swept under the rug to preserve that friendship, chalked up to a simple clash among the younger generation.
And since Liu Fengying no longer spoke to her father, it seemed even less likely she'd pursue revenge against Zhang Mei. What could someone without influence possibly do? All Zhang Yan had to do was drop her husband's name, and both the school and the authorities would rush to play things down.
That's exactly what she did when someone from the school called to inform her of Liu Fengying's threats and recommend a private reconciliation. Was she really expected to lower her head to someone else now, even after her rise in status? Also, Zhang Mei had complained bitterly about the insults Liu Fengying had hurled at her, so Zhang Yan was even less inclined to negotiate.
But after spending hours reading speculative posts about the forces backing Liu Fengying and the powerful alliances she might form through marriage, Zhang Yan grew increasingly uneasy. What if Liu Fengying really did have a way to pressure the school into acting on her behalf? What if she had connections in the state leadership? After all, it was hard to believe the state wasn't somehow involved in the development of the miraculous treatments rumored to have been used on her. In that case, if Liu Fengying filed a police report, Zhang Mei could be arrested without warning. Even if she was bailed out quickly, her reputation would take a serious hit.
As inactivity tends to breed worry, Zhang Yan grew more anxious with every post she read about Liu Fengying, her imagination conjuring up all kinds of revenge scenarios.
Eventually, seeking peace of mind, she contacted the assistant principal she'd spoken to two weeks earlier to check on the situation, deciding it was better to act than wait for an attack.
Since two weeks had passed without incident, the school had already moved on from Liu Fengying's injury, and the assistant principal wasn't thrilled to see someone dredging it back up. Especially not the same person he'd previously advised to settle things privately. Why should he now play the role of mediator?
Once again, the assistant principal tried to keep the school out of it. Since Liu Fengying—the victim—hadn't filed a complaint, the school had no obligation to investigate and could treat the matter as an unfortunate accident. If Liu Fengying wanted to resolve things privately, that was her prerogative. Why stir up a mess?
But Zhang Yan didn't want any uncertainty; she wanted this matter resolved quickly and peacefully. So she pressed the school to persuade Liu Fengying to accept a quiet resolution, believing the girl would be far more obedient in front of her teachers than if approached directly. Plus, this way, she wouldn't have to humble herself.
The assistant principal was reluctant—why risk offending someone potentially powerful? If you don't want to get bitten, best stay out of a shark fight. But once Zhang Yan mentioned her husband, he gave in and decided to catch Liu Fengying off guard by summoning her to the homeroom teacher's office.
His plan worked—partially. Liu Fengying was genuinely surprised when she found out why she'd been called. When told her teacher wanted to see her after class, she assumed it was about the commotion her return had caused. But the misunderstanding didn't put her at a disadvantage. She listened indifferently as the assistant principal droned on, spouting lofty phrases about "classmate camaraderie" and "the school's reputation." It didn't take her long to realize he wasn't speaking as a teacher, but as Zhang Mei's advocate.
"…Let's not forget that the final year is an extremely stressful time for students. When emotions run high, conflicts are inevitable…"
"Excuse me, sir… Not that I don't appreciate your speech, but wouldn't it make more sense to say all this with Zhang Mei present? She's the one who most needs to learn what camaraderie means—not me, her victim...", Liu Fengying finally interrupted. She had better things to do than admire his hypocritical expression.
At first, she couldn't understand why the school had suddenly decided to revisit the incident with Zhang Mei. Given the administration's usual tendency to sweep things under the rug, she couldn't help but wonder if they'd been spooked by the rumors about her.
But it didn't take long to realize this meeting wasn't about doing her justice—it was about ensuring she wouldn't cause a scandal over the injury. Most likely, they wanted to protect Zhang Mei. Otherwise, why was she the only one being lectured?
Unfortunately for them, their actions would have the opposite effect.
Although Liu Fengying had initially threatened to hold Zhang Mei accountable for her head injury, it was mostly to pressure the school into granting her an extended medical leave. But once she discovered that cultivation was real in this world, she abandoned the idea entirely—after all, a cultivator settles scores with their own sword. Besides, as long as Zhang Mei hadn't slammed her into the pavement with her own hands, it would be easy enough to frame the whole thing as a tragic accident.
But now, seeing the administration's attitude, Liu Fengying had no intention of making things easy for them. In fact, she was genuinely curious just how low they'd stoop to protect their interests.