Chapter 1
When the college entrance exam results came out, Hazel successfully got into an Ivy League university. After graduation, she landed a job at a top tech company and married a programmer earning six figures. Meanwhile, I barely scraped by in the exam, disappointing our parents who sent me off to work in a factory. I ended up marrying a good-for-nothing who abused me during pregnancy, leading to my tragic death during childbirth.
After I died, Hazel spoke at my funeral, saying I was actually quite smart but didn’t apply myself to studying. She claimed all my misfortunes were self-inflicted, unlike her who knew from a young age to study hard and change her fate through education.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself sitting in a gaming cafe, in the midst of an intense match with my teammates. I shook my foggy head, grabbed my dirty backpack, and ran home.
Back at the house, Hazel was diligently writing under a desk lamp. Seeing me return, she quickly hid her papers and asked, “Sis, why are you back so early? You left the team one player short, what about your teammates?”
It had always been her who called me to the gaming cafe, while she pretended to be tired and went home to study in secret.
I took out my brand new textbooks and pinned my target university on the wall. Hazel immediately flew into a rage: “You want to get into Harvard? How dare you even think about Harvard?”
Not only would I get into Harvard, but I would also make her understand that natural talent isn’t something she could catch up to with mere hard work.
I looked at the “Pentakill” screen on the computer, smelling the strong odor of cigarettes and sweat, hearing my teammates cursing at our loss.
I couldn’t believe my eyes as I looked around. I had been reborn, back to when I was seventeen, a month before the first mock exam in my senior year.
I picked up my dirty backpack from the floor and ran out, ignoring my teammates’ anxious questions behind me. I had promised to help them reach the top rank, and my leaving meant certain defeat for them.
But my future was far more important than their fleeting victory.
Ignoring everyone, I ran home as fast as I could.
It was already 1 AM, but the light in Hazel’s room was still on. Her shadow was projected on the window, her hand moving rapidly across paper.
I pushed open her bedroom door, startling her. She hurriedly tried to hide the papers under her arm.
I had my phone out, recording the whole scene.
Faking a yawn, I asked, “Weren’t you tired? Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
Trying to appear calm, she said, “I woke up to use the bathroom and realized I hadn’t packed my bag. I’m just packing up and then I’ll go to sleep.”
The light in Hazel’s room went out, and I turned on my long-unused desk lamp.
I took out my textbooks, which didn’t even have my name written in them yet.
In my previous life, I had barely scraped by into high school thanks to last-minute cramming in middle school.
Hazel, shocked at my sudden studiousness, told me that being good at studying wasn’t cool - hanging out with the popular kids was what mattered.
There was an expensive class at our school, full of students from rich and powerful families who got in through money rather than grades.
Believing Hazel’s words, I started skipping classes to game with them every day.
We took pride in who was the best gamer. With a little effort, I became the top player among them.
But what I didn’t know then was that they were all rich kids who would transfer to international programs in junior year and study abroad for senior year. After returning, they would work in their family businesses.
My parents were just ordinary office workers. Without getting into a good university, I could only work in a factory.
I was pretty, so as soon as I started at the factory, a guy named Jake took a liking to me. I told Hazel about it, and she encouraged me to pursue true love. She said love couldn’t be measured by money, and as long as Jake loved me, true love could conquer all.
I believed her and had a child with Jake before marriage, without even a proper engagement. We hastily got our marriage certificate.
But as soon as we were married, Jake started abusing me verbally and physically. Whenever he got drunk, he would say that Hazel and I had the same mother, so why was Hazel so outstanding while I was as dumb as a pig.
I cried as I thought back to the past - I used to be the more brilliant one. I could solve any problem at a glance and had a photographic memory. My middle school teachers couldn’t believe how poorly I did in the high school entrance exam.
Later, when I was in labor, Jake refused to let me have a C-section, leading to the death of both me and the baby.
During labor, I called Hazel countless times, but she always said she was busy. As soon as I died, she showed up immediately.
At my funeral, everyone sighed about how the former little genius had ended up like this.
Hazel pretended to be heartbroken as she told everyone, “My sister was actually very smart, but she didn’t like studying. Everything that happened to her was her own doing. Unlike her, I knew from a young age to study hard and changed my fate through education.”
After everyone left, Hazel gloated and revealed the reason for her deception. It turned out that I had always been smart, and our parents’ attention had always been on me. She was so jealous that she went crazy and used my trust in her to set me up.
This time, I absolutely wouldn’t fall for it again. I wanted to show her that talent is talent, and it’s not something she could surpass just by working hard.
I took out some paper, wrote down my goal of getting into Harvard, and stuck it on my desk.
I took out my freshman textbooks and started reading from the first page. By 3 AM, I had finished two books, the knowledge already taking root in my mind.
I slept for two hours, then got up and was the first to enter the classroom to start the morning reading. By the time my classmates arrived one after another, I had already memorized two volumes of freshman and sophomore English vocabulary.
“Iris is actually studying, how strange!”
“There’s only half a year left until the college entrance exam, no matter how hard she tries now, it’s useless. At most she might get into a community college.”
“With her grades, even a public community college would be difficult. She’ll probably have to pay high tuition for a private one.”
I ignored others’ idle chatter. When the exam results came out, everything would be clear.
Hazel, as usual, entered the classroom just as the bell rang.
As soon as she saw me, she asked, “Sis, why didn’t you wake me up this morning?”
“From now on, I’ll be at school at 5 AM every day. If you can get up, come with me. If not, set your own alarm.”
Hazel asked curiously, “You don’t study, what are you coming so early for?”
Lucas, sitting behind me, excitedly told Hazel, “Your sister came early to memorize English vocabulary. She seems to have memorized two books already. I don’t know what’s gotten into her!”
Hazel was stunned for a moment, then angrily said, “Sis, we’re just here to get a diploma. After graduation, let’s work in a factory together. I’ve already checked, if you work well in an electronics factory, you can earn over $3,000 a month!”
I took out my phone and showed her the video: “If the factory is so good, why are you secretly studying at night?”
Hazel’s face immediately turned pale when she saw the video.
Lucas snatched my phone and pointed at Hazel, shouting, “You little liar, Hazel! No wonder you always run off in the middle of our gaming sessions. So you’ve been secretly studying at home!”
“You study in secret and still only score in the 400s, your brain must not be very good, huh?”
Hazel’s face turned red with anger. She opened her textbook and started memorizing vocabulary.
She repeated one word over and over more than a dozen times but still couldn’t remember it.
After school, I still accompanied the rich kids to the gaming cafe. I wouldn’t cut ties with them - after graduation, they would all be valuable connections for me.
In my previous life, all the relationships I had worked hard to maintain ended up benefiting Hazel in the end.
After leading them to five consecutive victories, I rushed back home.
My parents saw me come home and sarcastically remarked, “Oh, you actually know how to come home early. Didn’t you say you’d rather die in the gaming cafe?”
“If you have the guts, stay there every night and don’t come out. Let’s see what you get in the college entrance exam.”
In my previous life, my parents had tried everything to get me to study properly. But I believed Hazel’s words and just wouldn’t listen. As a result, my parents gave up on me and, apart from not letting me starve, stopped caring about me.
After I died, they were heartbroken for a long time. My mom even stayed in the hospital for an extended period.
I suddenly knelt down in front of my parents: “Dad, Mom, I’m sorry. I was foolish before. I will definitely study hard and get into a good university.”
My mom looked at me in surprise, turning away to wipe her tears.
My dad quickly helped me up: “Good, it’s good that you know to study. Dad always knew you weren’t bad at heart. Although there’s not much time left, just do your best. Worst case, we can always have you repeat a year.”
I nodded: “Don’t worry, Mom and Dad. I can get in on the first try. I’m going to get into Harvard.”
At this moment, Hazel came out of her room with a textbook: “Sis, why are you back? Didn’t you go to the gaming cafe with Lucas and the others?”
She deliberately walked over to me and immediately covered her nose: “Oh my, Sis, the cigarette smell on you is so strong, it’s choking me!”
My mom came over to smell me too, then immediately slapped me across the face: “I knew you couldn’t change your ways. You just came back from the gaming cafe and you’re lying to us about studying hard. With your scores barely over 200 in every test, and still skipping class to game, if you could get into Harvard, even a pig could get into Harvard!”
Dad sighed in disappointment and went back to the bedroom with Mom.
With no one else around, Hazel finally showed her true colors: “Sis, don’t waste your effort. You only have half a year, you can’t surpass me. I’ve been holding back - my real level is definitely not just 400 points.”
I gave a cold laugh and went back to my room to study. Actions speak louder than words. I would use my results to show everyone my true ability.
We had a small test every week. Although I was improving, I still couldn’t pass.
Hazel stopped pretending and showed her true level, directly scoring second in the class and tenth in the grade.
The homeroom teacher praised me for improving, saying I had hope of getting into a public vocational college.
I looked at Hazel’s test paper - she couldn’t solve the most difficult questions. Her brain really wasn’t up to par.
Hazel put her test paper in front of me, deliberately showing me her score: “Sis, look, full marks in English, 129 in math!”
“Let me see yours. Tsk tsk, 59 in math. Not bad, not bad. If the full score was 100, you’d be just one point away from passing. Too bad our full score is 150, and you need 90 to pass.”
“Oh my, you’re a bit unbalanced. You got 60 in language. Hmm, you’re better at liberal arts than sciences.”
Lucas tried to persuade me: “Iris, you’re not cut out for studying. Just give up. You haven’t been pulling all-nighters gaming with us lately. Without you, we keep dropping ranks.”
Hazel pretended to scold Lucas: “How can you say that about my sister? My sister is going to get into Harvard.”
As soon as Hazel finished speaking, the class erupted in laughter: “A total score of less than 400, getting into Harvard? That’s hilarious!”
“Does she think Harvard is run by her family, that she can just go whenever she wants?”
I ignored them and took out practice exam papers to work on. Suddenly, our homeroom teacher burst into the classroom like a whirlwind.
The teacher put a stack of scratch paper on my desk: “Iris, is this your scratch paper?”
I nodded.
The teacher excitedly hugged me: “Genius, you’re a genius!”
“The principal always said I was mediocre and could only teach regular classes. Who would have thought I could produce a student capable of getting into Harvard!”
Hazel looked at the teacher in shock: “Mr. Johnson, my sister has improved in this test, but her total score is only 397. How could she possibly get into Harvard?”
The teacher patted my shoulder: “She can, she definitely can. Your sister is the smartest person I’ve ever seen.”
Lucas muttered quietly: “Has Mr. Johnson gone crazy?”
The first mock exam soon arrived. After the results came out, the school-wide rankings were posted in the corridor.
Hazel ranked 20th in the grade, while I ranked 988th.
Hazel immediately started mocking me: “Oh, our future Harvard student has made quite an improvement. You’ve reached 988th in the grade.”
The students all laughed. The grade director stood nearby and said meaningfully: “Iris should be first in the grade.”
Hazel looked at me hatefully: “Even though you’re doing so poorly, why does everyone still believe in you? I don’t believe you can go from barely over 200 to 700 points in half a year.”
I leaned close to her ear and said, “Let me tell you why they all believe I can get into Harvard!”
I put all my test papers and answer sheets in front of her. Her eyes grew wider and wider.
“This is impossible!”
“It’s absolutely impossible. You must have cheated. I’m going to report you.”
On my answer sheets, I hadn’t done any of the simple, basic questions. But I had solved all the more difficult ones.
And of the questions I had solved, Hazel had only gotten half right.
Hazel ran to the principal’s office with my answer sheets. She burst in without knocking: “Principal, I want to report Iris from Class 12 for cheating in the mock exam.”
Sitting across from the principal were all the subject teachers from our class.
Seeing Hazel and me, the principal beckoned me over: “Iris, you’ve come at the right time. We were just analyzing your situation. Can you explain why you didn’t do any of the simple questions, but solved all the difficult ones, and even used simplified methods?”
“I just started trying hard, and I didn’t want to discourage the average students by immediately scoring first in the grade.”
I deliberately glanced at Hazel and continued, “I wanted to take it slow, so I only did the questions I thought were worth doing. I’ll perform properly in the third mock exam and the college entrance exam.”
The homeroom teacher smiled and said, “See? Iris’s approach is exactly as I guessed.”
The principal immediately decided to transfer both Hazel and me to the advanced class.
We both refused.
I felt I could do well anywhere, while Hazel wanted to stick to her plan of leading me astray.
After school, Hazel brought Lucas and the others to block my way: “Sis, let’s go to the gaming cafe for an all-nighter tonight. I have a ranking match.”
I readily agreed and led them to five consecutive wins. Just as I was about to go home to study, a man who looked clearly seven or eight years older than me stood beside me, bending over to embrace me from behind.
“Your operation still has some problems. Let big brother teach you how to play.”
I quickly slipped out from under his armpit, the strong body odor almost making me throw up.
“Who are you?”
Hazel quickly explained: “Sis, this is Jake. He’s the toughest guy in our area. With him protecting you, absolutely no one will dare mess with you.”
Jake took out a cheap cigarette, lit it in what he thought was a cool manner, and blew out a smoke ring.
“Iris, I’ve taken a liking to you. You’re my girlfriend now. Come on, let’s go home.”
Hazel smiled and handed me my backpack: “Sis, it’s your lucky day that Jake likes you. Go with him quickly. I’ll cover for you with Mom and Dad.”
Jake reached out to grab me, but I quickly dodged: “Don’t touch me.”
Jake grinned, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth, looking very excited: “Why are you pretending? Your sister said you throw yourself at any guy you see.”
Lucas grabbed my hand, letting me hide behind him: “I don’t care who you are, Jake. Get lost. If you dare touch a hair on Iris’s head, I’ll kill you.”
Everyone was looking at Jake. He might have felt his authority was being challenged and became enraged. Cursing, he lunged at Lucas.
In the end, we all ended up at the police station.
Lucas was bruised.
Jake was worse off, with a broken nose, crying and whining at the police station for the officers to help him.
My parents arrived at the police station and immediately started scolding me: “You’re not only ruining yourself, but you’re also dragging your sister down. How many times have I said, you can ruin yourself if you want, but don’t make Hazel become like you.”
My mom was about to hit me but was stopped by the police.
“Mrs. Summers, please calm down. The situation isn’t what you think.”
Afraid that the police would tell my mom the truth, Hazel’s lips quivered and she cried to my mom: “Mom, my sister has improved recently. She even scored over 400 points. I thought as long as she didn’t go gaming, she could keep improving. When I saw her go to the gaming cafe again, I called her to come home. Who knew she had a boyfriend from the streets, and we got into a conflict.”
“Mom, I don’t want to watch my sister ruin herself. Why don’t you send her to an internet addiction treatment center? When she’s cured and comes back, she can take the college entrance exam again. I’m sure she can get into Harvard then.”
My mom looked at me and sighed: “Ah, I guess that’s the only way. Iris used to be so smart. It’s all because of those games that she’s become like this. I’ll contact the center tomorrow.”
Lucas, his head wrapped in bandages, rushed in front of my mom to explain: “Auntie, don’t listen to Hazel’s nonsense. Today it was Hazel who actively called Iris to game. That Jake guy was also brought by Hazel, trying to force Iris to be his girlfriend. Iris didn’t agree, so I got into a fight with Jake.”
Hazel looked at Lucas in horror, her eyes darting around before she burst into loud sobs: “Lucas, I know you have a crush on my sister, but you can’t slander me for her sake! How could I possibly know someone like Jake?”
If my sister hadn’t been hanging around gaming cafes all the time, how would Jake have targeted her? Maybe my sister already had something going on with him.
My mom, without listening to reason, slapped me again: “You’ve disappointed me too much. It’s bad enough that you don’t study well, but now you’re mixing with these unsavory characters. We must send you to the internet addiction treatment center. It’s a good chance to cut ties with that Jake guy too.”
Hazel stood behind my mom, looking at me smugly.