"You are—Yuan Xiangwan?"

A girl at the table in front of him turned around and asked, her expression a mixture of surprise, doubt, and uncertainty, which made the student's expression quite amusing.

"Mm." Xiang Wan nodded and picked up the book to start reading.

She occasionally received furtive glances, but Xiang Wan didn't care. Now that she had a second chance, she was determined to seize the opportunity and make up for what she had missed before.

After class, many classmates gathered around, trying to talk to Xiang Wan. Some who disliked her openly showed disdain and spoke ill of her behind her back. Xiang Wan wasn't going to back down, so she stood directly in front of them and said bluntly, "Are you jealous that I'm prettier than you, or do you envy that I can easily outshine you with just a change of hairstyle? Some people talk behind others' backs, which makes them despised. So what if you have a good appearance? It can't hide your ugly soul!"

Xiang Wan's words were dripping with hatred. Since there was no goodwill to begin with, why bother hiding it and compromising? Not knowing was one thing, but knowing and not fighting back wasn't in her nature. She seemed to have a vague feeling that if she didn't show some backbone, her school days wouldn't be easy, she'd repeat her experiences in modern times, and in the end, she'd have nothing left, not even her memories.

People who gossip behind others' backs either have psychological problems or have been bullied for a long time and want to vent their frustrations on someone even more cowardly. And often, these people don't have any real ability.

Students are generally quite simple-minded and don't have many hidden agendas. If they are bullied, they should bully back directly, which is much more effective than enduring it and then seeking revenge.

The students blushed slightly after Xiang Wan's words. One wanted to retort, but was stopped by another. Xiang Wan wasn't tall, but her aura completely overwhelmed the group. Having experienced several worlds, she wasn't afraid of such a small matter.

The original owner of this body was practically invisible in class; everyone selectively ignored her. Now, Xiang Wan has a strong presence, making her impossible to ignore.

In the mornings, Xiang Wan is always the first to go for a run and the last to come back. She's always busy taking notes in class, and her handwriting is beautiful. During the break before evening self-study, the exercise area is a one-woman show for Xiang Wan, with people often gathering around to cheer her on.

That's right, Xiang Wan decided to be a good student who is strong and healthy and can balance exercise and study.

Xiang Wan occasionally dreams about her experiences at school these days. She is reminded of her high school days, that missing period of her memory.

During her full-time high school years, she had no hobbies other than studying. Coupled with her low-key and taciturn nature, she didn't have many classmates she got along well with. Her most vivid memory was participating in a class competition, where she single-handedly dragged the entire class down. Her grades weren't great either, and coupled with her somewhat low self-esteem, she sealed those memories away after leaving school. Her past experiences were like compressed files; she'd occasionally open them, only glance at the filenames, and then leave them aside.

Deep down, she felt a little regretful. She hadn't become that shining star, she didn't have a clear goal to strive for, and she didn't have any beautiful memories worth cherishing.

"Xiaoqi, why was my life so miserable before? I was like an ordinary stone, not eye-catching at all, and even I disliked myself."

"Well, actually, if you think about it from another perspective, it's not without its advantages. For example, it's precisely because of this that you had the opportunity to encounter this system and have a chance to start over. Do your best this time, I have high hopes for you!"

The slightly coaxing tone made Xiang Wan's teeth ache. However, the system was right about one thing: at this age of budding adolescence, it would be a shame not to do something.

Suddenly filled with motivation, Xiang Wan decided that before crushing Li Ying and Zhou Ziqi, she should accumulate strength and perhaps gain a bunch of admirers along the way—it couldn't be better!

Although the original owner's parents didn't care about her, they still sent her her monthly allowance without fail. This was a boon for Xiang Wan; she had enough money to live on, dressed herself up nicely, and had all the portraits on the walls taken down and repainted.

When the decorator came in and saw the wall full of pictures, Xiang Wan was shocked and saddened. She wanted to cover her face, but on a whim, she simply said that she was renting someone else's house and didn't like the decorating style.

Of course, if you ignore the fact that her face was completely red, the system would give her full marks for her composure alone.

One semester was enough for Xiang Wan to become famous throughout the entire school. A non-mainstream girl, after turning over a new leaf and focusing on her studies, actually achieved the second-highest score in the entire school. The teachers looked at her as if she were a hot commodity, wishing they could all take a bite. The students were all stunned, taking her as their role model, and worked even harder, wishing they could study 24 hours a day.

One person can ignite the learning enthusiasm of an entire class. As for Xiang Wan, she said: "It's nothing!"

System: ...Shameless! Try getting first place if you dare!

Why not give it a try! Xiang Wan participated in all kinds of sports activities. She won first place in the girls' track and field event, first place in the girls' table tennis competition, and first place in the whole school's painting competition. This adult soul of hers became a star among a group of children, but there was nothing to be complacent about.

"Pretentious!" the system scoffed. "You're an adult, yet you can't even compare to a little kid. How dare you show your face in public?"

"Is this system just itching to teach its host a lesson because it thinks I'm too outstanding?"

"Oh, really not. Since you strive to be the best in everything, why not strive to be number one in your studies? You've already won so many first places, wouldn't it be better to catch up in this as well?"

Don't think that Xiang Wan can't tell that the system is using reverse psychology, trying to pit her against the school's top student.

Xiang Wan truly had no temper with this person.

This guy usually pretends to be low-key, but after Xiang Wan started to stand out, he suddenly blocked her at the school gate one day and said to her with his arrogant face, "Hey, woman, if you get first place in the whole school, I'll reluctantly become your boyfriend."

Xiang Wan was truly defeated by him; he spoke as if she desperately wanted him to be her boyfriend. She wanted to refuse outright, but a group of infatuated girls had already surrounded her. Their excitement, coupled with their screams, made it impossible for Xiang Wan to even hear herself speak, let alone refuse.

Therefore, Xiang Wan had no choice but to compromise and get second place in the exam in order to avoid these troublesome matters.