Zhou Ya’s concerns weren’t unfounded.
During the two years they had taken Xu Yingjia away from Beijing, rumors had already spread throughout elite circles that the Xu family’s eldest daughter had been “poisoned into stupidity.”
In that world, most marriages were strategic—alliances meant to share resources and divide existing power. But the Xu family was different. The Zhou family from the south brought in fresh influence and entirely new opportunities.
At first, many old-money elites in Beijing looked down on the match, even waiting to see it fail. Instead, after the Xu–Zhou marriage, the Xu family’s fortunes soared. Not only did they maintain their existing power, they also expanded into southern markets. Within a few years, Xu Mingzhen ranked among the top three in wealth in Beijing, standing alongside the Shen and Qiao families.
The mockery never came. Instead, it turned into envy.
While people kept up polite appearances, behind the scenes, those once on equal footing couldn’t help but make bitter remarks. Even the leading Shen and Qiao families grew wary of this rising competitor.
And as always, the attitudes of adults trickled down to their children—who expressed cruelty in its most naïve and unfiltered form.
Just two days after returning to school, Xu Yingjia came home in tears and refused to go back. No matter how hard Xu Mingzhen and Zhou Ya tried, they couldn’t get her to explain why.
Zhou Ya’s face darkened. Xu Mingzhen wasn’t much better.
In the end, they made a decision: Xu Mingzhen donated a brand-new sports complex to the school—and conveniently arranged for Gu Nianqing to enroll as well.
A week later, Xu Yingjia finally gathered the courage to return to school. This time, she had a “little tail” following her.
The fact that Zhou Ya had allowed Xu Mingzhen’s illegitimate daughter into the household was no secret. But since Gu Nianqing had left for the south shortly after arriving, most of the children in their circle had never actually met her.
This was her first public appearance.
Everyone had expected a contrast—like a princess and a country bumpkin.
Instead, Gu Nianqing was dressed exactly the same as Xu Yingjia.
Well… that ruined the fun.
With no obvious spectacle to watch, most of the kids lingering at the school gate dispersed.
But not all of them.
Still marveling at the grand school entrance, Gu Nianqing caught sight of a handsome young boy being surrounded like royalty as he approached them.
His finely tailored suit clearly had nothing to do with any school uniform.
Her surprise deepened. Back in the south, uniforms were mandatory—no uniform meant no entry, plus a written self-criticism.
Was Beijing really this… bold?
Before she could think further, the boy had already walked up to them, hands behind his back, trying to look down on them despite not having much of a height advantage.
“So you’re the Xu family’s illegitimate daughter?”
Gu Nianqing remembered Xu Mingzhen’s advice before leaving home: be polite, fit in, don’t cause trouble.
She nodded and answered brightly, “Hello, my name is Gu Nianqing. And you are?”
She thought she was being perfectly courteous.
But the boy looked as if he’d been deeply insulted.
“You don’t even know who I am?!”
His voice hadn’t deepened yet, and in his agitation it turned sharp. “What an ignorant country bumpkin!”
Gu Nianqing froze in shock.
Xu Yingjia flinched at the outburst, her voice trembling. “A-Yu… g-good morning…”
Shen Yu shot her a look of disdain. “Xu Yingjia, why do you talk so weirdly? Did that illegitimate girl’s mother really poison you into stupidity?”
“I—I—ah—” Xu Yingjia stammered, her mind unable to keep up. Her eyes began to redden. “I didn’t—”
Whispers spread among the crowd. The stares from all directions made her feel like she was being pricked by needles.
Her body started to tremble.
Shen Yu seemed amused. “So you really are stupid now. Your dad must’ve given up on you—that’s why he brought this illegitimate daughter home. First time I’ve seen a real idiot—haha!”
Xu Yingjia could only make broken sounds, which made the laughter around them even louder.
Tears trembled on her lashes, ready to fall.
School… was terrifying.
She instinctively turned to run—
—but bumped straight into Gu Nianqing behind her.
“Miss, where are you going?” Gu Nianqing asked, grabbing her hand. She glanced at the large digital clock on the school building. “Wow, isn’t it almost time for class?”
“C-class…?” Xu Yingjia’s thoughts were pulled off track, her earlier panic momentarily forgotten.
“Exactly!” Gu Nianqing tugged her forward. “Don’t you remember? Back then, I had to leave for school at 7 a.m. every day. If I was late, I had to write a self-criticism!”
Xu Yingjia remembered those scenes—Gu Nianqing frowning, biting her pen, struggling to fill out punishment essays.
Those things were terrifying!
Back then, she didn’t even go to school, but just watching was enough to scare her.
Now she’d have to write one herself?
No way!
She shook her head frantically. “No—I don’t want to be late!”
“Right, right!” Gu Nianqing grabbed her hand and started running. “Where’s the classroom?”
“It’s—”
Xu Yingjia started to answer, instinctively following along as she began to run. The confusion in her eyes had already replaced her tears.
The Xu sisters ran off—
leaving Shen Yu and his group even more bewildered than before.
What just happened?
Shen Yu’s little brain spun for a moment before arriving at a conclusion:
He—Shen Yu—had just been ignored by the Xu family’s illegitimate daughter and the “idiot.”
“Xu Yingjia!!”
He shouted in anger, but they were already long gone.
“…Gu Nianqing! I’m not letting this go!”
Class 2, Grade 2’s homeroom teacher, Ms. Yang, had a headache coming on.
At a school like this, teaching ability wasn’t the most important thing—navigating the complicated relationships among these rich kids was.
The transfer student from the Xu family already had a delicate background. Worse, before she had even formally introduced herself, she had offended the young master of the Shen family.
Right now, Shen Yu—who should have been in Class 1, Grade 4—was lounging in the back row, legs crossed, loudly heckling as Gu Nianqing wrote her name on the board.
“Hey, new girl! Are you really the Xu family’s illegitimate daughter?”
Seven or eight of his followers chimed in, chanting, “Illegitimate daughter! Illegitimate daughter!”
Ms. Yang silently lit a candle for Gu Nianqing in her heart.
“Yes, I am.”
Her clear voice cut through the noise with surprising steadiness.
“…?”
The classroom fell silent.
Shen Yu blinked, stunned. “What did you say? You’re admitting it?”
Gu Nianqing nodded openly. “Young Master Shen, why are you asking the same question again?”
“Huh?”
The little girl looked genuinely concerned. “You already asked me that at the school gate earlier, and I greeted you too… Don’t tell me you forgot already?”
The hint of sympathy in her eyes made Shen Yu irrationally irritated. “So what if I did?!”
Gu Nianqing sighed. “When I was in the south with Miss Xu, the doctor said that as people get older, they can develop a condition where their memory becomes very, very poor…”
She blinked at him, her tone full of concern. “But it’s not impossible for younger people to get sick too. Young Master Shen, could it be that you—”
“Who are you calling sick?!”
Shen Yu shot to his feet. “You dare say I’m sick?! Xu Yingjia’s the one who’s sick! She’s an idiot!”
The suddenly mentioned Xu Yingjia was busy playing with the new stationery Zhou Ya had bought her. She looked up in confusion.
Gu Nianqing frowned. “But you did forget. It hasn’t even been that long.”
She turned to Shen Yu’s equally stunned followers. “What about you? We met at the school gate too—do you remember what Young Master Shen asked?”
“I—”
“Uh…”
The kids exchanged looks, unsure how to answer.
Shen Yu exploded, “Who forgot?! I just can’t stand you, you shameless illegitimate daughter! What right do you have to study with us? Your Xu family is disgusting for having someone like you!”
That remark hit more than just her.
In truth, aside from the Shen family, almost every wealthy family in Beijing had its share of hidden scandals—illegitimate children included. Shen Yu had just unknowingly struck a nerve for most of his own group.
But Gu Nianqing straightened her back and fired back clearly:
“You’re wrong. Madam told me that receiving nine years of compulsory education is every citizen’s right!”
Shen Yu: ?
Ms. Yang: !!
For a seasoned teacher used to dealing with cunning little elites, this was the first time she felt genuine admiration for a child.
This girl… is something else.
Seeing Shen Yu momentarily speechless, Gu Nianqing pressed on:
“Your Shen family can’t take away my rights. So you’re really not that impressive.”
Gasps rippled through the classroom.
Ms. Yang: Oh no… this child is doomed…
Shen Yu, furious, flipped over a desk with a loud crash.
“What did you just say?!”