As soon as he said that, everyone gathered around, and a chorus of teasing voices rose and fell once again.
"You know what, we used to say that the school's reward was useless and even called them stingy, but now it seems it's actually quite useful."
"Hey! Class monitor, I remember our class has an Outstanding Student Award and a Scholarship for Students from Impoverished Families, right? Nobody wanted them before, but now that we finally have a student from an impoverished family, shouldn't we arrange for them to receive them?"
"My God, I can actually see Meng Wan become a student receiving financial aid. I finally have something to brag about in front of her."
"Sister Wan! Please, be my tutor! I'll pay you double... no, five times the market rate!"
Everyone's tone and actions were incredibly exaggerated, which made Meng Wan both amused and helpless. "Alright, alright, don't you ask me many questions? That's enough, it's impolite to keep teasing me."
The classroom was so noisy that no one noticed the arrival of the homeroom teacher for a moment.
"Making a racket on the very first day, what kind of behavior is that!"
Everyone immediately fell silent and swiftly returned to their seats. Although it was a prestigious academy, it didn't mean these students were any different from those at ordinary schools. They were still afraid of their teachers, but they didn't look down on them or oppose them because of their family background.
The college has extremely strict penalties for students who disrespect teachers and staff. In an ordinary school, students might not take it seriously, but the founder of this school is rumored to be a top-tier elite. Before each student is sent to the school, their parents will repeatedly tell them not to cause trouble.
Of course, some people didn't believe in such superstitions, and their fate was to completely disappear without a trace. Once is a coincidence, but twice, three times... that's truly frightening. Being expelled is a minor matter; if it implicates the entire family, that's the end for them.
Other schools, unaware of the situation, assumed that their elite academy was full of rich kids who just wanted to coast through life. Only they knew how incredibly competitive they were. For ordinary people, grades were their only path to success, but for them, they also needed to master multiple subjects, including finance, politics, and foreign languages.
Being the top student in their grade has a different significance than being the top student in other schools. It's not just about the regular college entrance exam subjects, but also includes multiple subjects such as equestrianism, aesthetics, and economics.
For them, a city-level ranking is far less valuable than a school ranking. And those who go abroad may not necessarily attend the top universities in the country, but they are sure to become top figures in various fields in the future.
The fact that Meng Wan still has supporters after her bankruptcy is enough to prove that in this school, ranking is far more important than family background. Two-thirds of the students in this class are future heirs to their families, and right and wrong, as well as personal gain, must be carefully considered. Accumulating more and better connections is beneficial to both oneself and one's family.
"It's the first day, so I won't hold it against you. We've all been friends for a long time, let's support each other and get through this last year well, okay?"
"No!"
"Very good. Also, we have a new student transferring to our class this semester, Tang Zhiyi, please come in."
The crowd exchanged varied glances, their expressions shifting before finally settling on the podium. Lan Xing gave Meng Wan a look, who returned a faint, enigmatic smile.
"Hello everyone, my name is Tang Zhiyi. I was switched at birth, but I have just found my biological parents." As she said this, Tang Zhiyi glanced at Meng Wan timidly.
Looking at her like this, anyone would think that Meng Wan had done something to her. If Meng Wan did anything at this moment, she would be branded as a vicious bully of the real heiress.
"I know everyone here is very capable. I... I haven't received a good education, so I hope you won't laugh at me. I also hope to get along well with everyone this year. Thank you."
Tang Zhiyi wore a haute couture white dress, her long hair was loose, and her eyes were slightly red, giving her a rather delicate look.
If it were someone else, they might have turned their anger towards Meng Wan and stood up for Tang Zhiyi. After all, Meng Wan, as a fake heiress, enjoyed the life of a pampered young lady for over a decade, while the real heiress had no idea what she had gone through before returning to the Tang family. Anyone would be angry if they put themselves in the shoes of the real heiress.
Unfortunately, after Tang Zhiyi finished speaking, the class fell silent.
Tang Zhiyi lowered her head, gritted her teeth silently, and clutched the hem of her skirt. To outsiders, she looked like a pitiful, helpless girl. Despite this, an eerie silence still filled the classroom.
"Clap, clap, clap..." A sudden burst of applause rang out.
All eyes turned to Meng Wan, who had a smile on her lips and was staring intently at Tang Zhiyi on the podium.
There was an undercurrent of tension between the two, but their faces remained perfectly calm.
"I didn't expect to see you here, sister. Please take care of me in the future." Tang Zhiyi seemed to only then notice Meng Wan's presence.
Meng Wan raised an eyebrow, pretended to ponder for a moment, and then spoke with a puzzled expression.
"I have three older brothers and one younger brother, but... I don't seem to have a younger sister?"
Tang Zhiyi's expression froze. She lowered her head, and when she looked up again, her eyes were red. Her hands were twisted together, and she looked helpless and pitiful.
Peng Zhe suppressed a laugh and silently gave Meng Wan a thumbs up behind her back.
The people present had seen all sorts of people. Their privileged family backgrounds had allowed them to witness the true colors of people from all walks of life at a young age. They were too lazy to expose Tang Zhiyi's behavior, treating it purely as amusement, and no one cared.
Who is real and who is fake is not important; what matters is whether this person is useful. Clearly, Meng Wan may not have the surname Tang, but if Tang Zhiyi doesn't have the surname Tang, then she is nothing.
These people are all incredibly clever. Among people of the same age, they can basically analyze about 70-80% of the other person based on just one sentence, one action, or even one look. People like Tang Zhiyi, they don't even need to put in any effort to analyze them; they can see right through them.
They respect Meng Wan, not because of the Tang family. Who doesn't know that the two young masters will be the future leaders of the Tang family? So what if Meng Wan is a member of the Tang family? Her strength speaks for itself, and that's far more important than her family background.
Everyone firmly believed that Meng Wan could succeed in any field, making this the perfect opportunity to win her over. If Tang Zhiyi thought that becoming the eldest daughter of the Tang family would allow her to flaunt her power and be fawned over, then how degraded would their family's social standing be?
"Alright, that's enough with the introductions. Find a seat." Seeing the awkward atmosphere, the homeroom teacher waved her away.
"Thank you, teacher." Tang Zhiyi's voice sounded somewhat aggrieved, which solidified her image as a delicate and pitiful person.
Meng Wan actually knew what she was plotting. She wanted to provoke conflict and make others think that she had stolen her life as a rich second-generation and bullied her, thereby gaining their sympathy and admiration.
Meng Wan didn't know why Tang Zhiyi was so hostile towards her. From the time Tang Zhiyi returned to the Tang family until she left, she had been very cooperative. Could it be because she took the gifts she bought and that million?
Logically speaking, the Meng family was once very successful, so their education should be quite good. How come Tang Zhiyi's situation is so complicated? The other children in the Meng family don't seem to have any problems either.
Meng Wan wouldn't dwell on things she couldn't understand, and since Tang Zhiyi wasn't someone she took seriously, she just let her do whatever she wanted.
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