Ch 19: After My Mother Returned to the Rich Family

With the hypnotic “Let me run laps!” echoing in the background, Lin Ling crossed her arms and looked at Ruan Cha on the podium with a faint smile. “I have a question: have you already finished previewing senior-year math?”

“Preview senior-year math?” Ruan Cha shook her head. “No.” She barely had enough time to review the key points from sophomore year, let alone preview senior-year material.

And honestly, things like previewing weren’t something a lazy fish like her would ever bother doing.

Hearing this, Lin Ling gave a knowing smile, as if confirming her suspicions. “But the bonus question in math can only be solved with senior-year knowledge. Even Fu Chen couldn’t solve it. How did you manage to do it?”

When news of Ruan Cha’s 160 in math spread, rumors began circulating that she must have cheated. Among the few students who scored full marks on the bonus question, most were either prepping for advanced math competitions or had already started senior-year material. Ruan Cha, by contrast, was an anomaly.

“First off, your statement has two mistakes,” Ruan Cha replied calmly. “First, that only senior-year students can solve it. My perfect score proves that as a sophomore who hasn’t previewed senior-year material, I could solve it too.

“As for Fu Chen not solving it, that’s irrelevant. Does his decision not to do it mean no one else can? Maybe Fu Chen just chose not to do it on purpose.”

“And honestly, if we’re comparing, Fu Chen has been first in the grade all along. Why haven’t we managed to take his spot?”

Lin Ling: “…”

Are you implying some of us just aren’t smart enough?

Seeing that Lin Ling had no response, Ruan Cha glanced around the room. Aside from Huang Jiajia, who asked a few questions, no one else raised their hands. Taking that as her cue, she returned to her seat, leaned back, and relaxed against the chair.

The essence of a lazy fish must always lean back properly.

Liao Lan had already noticed the tension between Lin Ling and Ruan Cha. With a faint frown, she turned to Lin Ling. “Let me answer your earlier question.”

“Ruan Cha’s problem-solving approach was particularly clever. She derived the solution using just a few basic sophomore-level formulas. After a unanimous decision by the math department and with Ruan Cha’s agreement, her approach will be included in the updated answer key.”

Her words left Lin Ling both furious and humiliated, her fingers clutching her sleeves tightly.

The teacher was openly defending Ruan Cha!

As Liao Lan finished speaking, the class erupted into chatter. Even Xu Shen, who had been dozing off in the back row, looked surprised.

Ruan Cha seemed to be breaking every preconception about her.

“Oh my god, are you saying that not only did Ruan Cha score the only perfect 160 in the entire grade, but she also rewrote the standard answer key?”

Liao Lan nodded. “Exactly.”

Class Ten: “!!!”

They suddenly felt an immense sense of pride. This was incredible!

---

Ruan Cha’s sixth-place ranking caused a huge stir across the sophomore grade. Previously, her stint on the school broadcast had made her name known to many students—but they also remembered her as being from Class Ten, a class infamous for producing slackers and troublemakers.

Now, however, Class Ten had produced someone who ranked sixth in the grade—and not just that. Ruan Cha had three perfect scores!

Among the top ten, only one other person had managed three perfect scores: Fu Chen, with full marks in all three science subjects.

That same day, motivational phrases in some classes underwent a shift:

“If Ruan Cha can rank sixth in the grade with three perfect scores while being in Class Ten, what’s your excuse for not doing well?”

“Evening self-study must be extended! One extra period? No, make it two!”

The school administration was equally shocked by Ruan Cha’s results. Having previously reviewed her academic record from her previous school, the contrast in performance left them utterly astonished.

Jumping from 340 points to over 700 in just one month—what does that say?!

That afternoon, all the sophomore homeroom teachers received notice: to better prepare for junior year, all 23 sophomore classes would add an extra evening self-study session. After a ten-minute break, school would end uniformly at 8:30 p.m.

After praising Ruan Cha, Liao Lan casually dropped this “bombshell” about the evening self-study. Then, she glanced at Ruan Cha, who wore an expression of stunned (read: what the heck) surprise, and smiled with satisfaction.

“The applause you all gave earlier made me realize your enthusiasm and hunger for academic success! Look at Ruan Cha—she’s so happy she’s speechless! We should all learn from her dedication. Let’s thank Ruan Cha for helping the school recognize the importance of sophomore evening study!”

Ruan Cha: “…”
Teacher, are you trying to make everyone hate me?

Class Ten: “…”
*We were only celebrating *her* scores, not the self-study session, okay?!*

With the school arts festival just two weeks away, the sudden addition of evening self-study squeezed the rehearsal schedule for all performances. After much back-and-forth negotiation between class monitors, teachers, and school leadership, students participating in performances were exempt from evening self-study. The rest had to attend.

Class Ten, known for its freewheeling attitude, surprisingly had no one interested in performing, except for Xu Shen. The rest obediently sat in the classroom for self-study. Since they would’ve just wasted time at home anyway, they figured studying together in the classroom wasn’t so bad.

As for Xu Shen…

After Ren Qingqing finished her thirty laps that afternoon, she collapsed on the track and promptly developed a fever. Ruan Cha heard from Huang Jiajia that Xu Shen personally went to Class Two to take her away.

This sparked heated discussions across the grade about the relationship between Xu Shen and Ren Qingqing.

Ruan Cha felt uneasy but couldn’t pinpoint why. In the original novel, Xu Shen and Ren Qingqing had their closest interaction after the monthly exam. However, with her intervention, Ren Qingqing didn’t rank second in the grade, and Xu Shen still scored zeros. Naturally, the plot’s supposed tutoring sessions didn’t happen, and their interactions were practically nonexistent.

Yet the narrative seemed determined to bind the male and female leads together, leaving Ruan Cha feeling a sinking dread.

Lowering her gaze, she realized escaping the story’s trajectory wouldn’t be so easy. Not even for a moment could she let her guard down.

---

During the break halfway through evening self-study, someone knocked on the door. Before the student sitting near the front could answer it, the entire class watched in surprise as Ruan Cha, who had been diligently studying, got up and went to the door herself.

Class Ten: “???”

A few minutes later, ponytailed Ruan Cha returned, carrying two large bags. Noticing her classmates’ curious stares, she smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, everyone. Because of me, we’ve been made to have this extra self-study session.”

In her opinion, if this had been her previous high school, she would’ve been upset at the sudden news. After all, lying on the couch at home, sipping juice, snacking, gaming, or watching TV was far more enjoyable than sitting in a classroom.

“I ordered some desserts. If you’re hungry, feel free to take one.”

She placed the bags on the podium, their bright orange seven-pointed star logo immediately catching everyone’s eye and dazzling a few students.

Xie Chang’an, his curly hair already a mess, darted forward like a flash, his excitement evident as his eyes lit up like light bulbs. “Ruan Cha, are these desserts from Seven Star?!”

The classroom buzzed with whispers at his words.

Seven Star was a well-known private restaurant in Nanshi, famous for its signature dishes and creative desserts. Their Boiled Cabbage dish alone had earned endless praise.

Let’s not even mention the price of Seven Star desserts—just the limited availability alone makes them hard to get. Even if you go to the store in person, you might not be able to buy them, let alone take them to-go. And Seven Star doesn’t even offer delivery service!

“Huh?” Ruan Cha was momentarily stunned by the question. After a pause, she hesitated and shook her head. “No, I asked an uncle to help make the desserts.”

She glanced at the Seven Star logo on the bag and tilted her head slightly. “As for the bag, maybe he just found it to use at the last minute.”

The bag drooped slightly, revealing simple paper boxes inside, nothing like Seven Star’s usual upscale packaging.

Seeing this, Lin Ling sneered. “What do you take us for? Do you think we’ll just eat desserts made by some random person? What if we get food poisoning?”

And eating desserts so late at night—wasn’t she worried about getting fat?

Ruan Cha blinked at Lin Ling’s words, suddenly realizing the problem.

Back in her hometown, whenever her family inconvenienced their neighbors, they’d express their thanks with homegrown cabbages or cookies baked by her mom. But now that she wasn’t in a small town anymore, her classmates seemed to have higher standards—after all, the school cafeteria had six floors, offering global cuisines.

Besides, someone like Lin Ling, who was always at odds with her, might eat the desserts and then claim a stomachache, leaving Ruan Cha with no way to clear her name.

Looking at Lin Ling, Ruan Cha nodded sincerely. “You’re right, even if we’re not on good terms, I should thank you for pointing that out. Apologizing with desserts might not have been the best idea.”

Lin Ling: “…?”

I was mocking you for being cheap! And you’re seriously thanking me?

Lin Ling suddenly felt like she’d punched a pillow, a wave of frustration washing over her—worse than when Ruan Cha had twisted her wrist last time.

“What do you mean not good? They’re delicious!” Xie Chang’an had already grabbed two gem-like chocolates and stuffed them into his mouth. His cheeks puffed out as he chewed, and unlike most boys, he had a natural love for desserts.

Wait a second!

Xie Chang’an suddenly froze, then looked up sharply. “Ruan Cha, when you came back from dinner earlier and asked me what I’d like to eat during self-study, did you hear me say desserts and decide to buy them?”

“Yep,” Ruan Cha replied matter-of-factly. Seeing Xie Chang’an’s wide, round eyes, she added nonchalantly, “If you get a stomachache, I’m not responsible.”

In Class Ten, with a boy-to-girl ratio of 3:1, Ruan Cha had thought to ask Xie Chang’an what most people might like.

Xie Chang’an, overwhelmed with joy, was practically dizzy. Chewing the chocolate, he mumbled, “Don’t worry, you’re not responsible! Ahhh, I’m so happy I could faint!”

“Move over!” Huang Jiajia shoved Xie Chang’an aside with a scowl, then grumbled at Ruan Cha before pulling out an almond cookie. She took a big bite, almost aggressively. The moment she bit down, her eyes lit up. “Ruan Cha! You liar, this is definitely from Seven Star!”

Lin Ling crossed her arms, clearly skeptical. “Really? Huang Jiajia, you’d say anything for Ruan Cha.”

Hearing this, Xie Chang’an quickly swallowed his chocolate and retorted, “No, no, no! I was about to say the same thing. The taste is exactly the same!” He turned to the back of the room and waved. “Wang Xu, come try it. Didn’t we line up for these last time?”

With Xie Chang’an and Huang Jiajia’s testimonies, a handful of students who were fans of Seven Star’s desserts rushed to grab a taste during the ten-minute break.

“I can’t tell if it’s really from Seven Star, but it’s delicious!”

“I’ll vouch for it too. The almond cookies from Seven Star have a very distinctive flavor.”

Some of the students who weren’t eating desserts, seeing how everyone else vouched for them, couldn’t help but turn to Ruan Cha. “Ruan Cha, do you really know Seven Star’s pastry chef?”

Seeing the certainty in her classmates’ expressions, Ruan Cha hesitated. “What’s the name of Seven Star’s pastry chef?”

“He Wu Wei! They say he changed his name when he became a pastry chef. Everyone thinks he’d be wildly successful if he opened his own dessert shop, but he’s stayed in that private restaurant.”

Ruan Cha: “…”
Uncle Wu Wei, didn’t you say you weren’t talented and could only scrape by with side jobs?

Xie Chang’an, noticing her expression, seemed to piece it together. “Ruan Cha, is your uncle really called He Wu Wei? Is he your relative?”

“No,” Ruan Cha shook her head, recalling their first meeting. She then replied in a tone that sounded like an ad promotion, “He loves my family’s cabbage. He says eating it transformed him on a spiritual level.”

Song Mengyu, who had remained silent until now, let out a mocking laugh and spoke softly. “Cha Cha, did you have Auntie build a greenhouse in the villa courtyard to grow cabbage and sell it? Our Liang family isn’t short on money.”

“As for your ‘uncle,’ I’ve never heard Grandpa mention him. Are you sure you didn’t just hire Mr. He—”

“Holy crap!!!” Wang Xu, a boy who was close friends with Xie Chang’an and equally obsessed with desserts, suddenly shouted. “He Wuwei just updated his Weibo! Guys, look! Our Class Ten is on there!”

The students immediately pulled out their phones and opened Weibo.

He Wuwei, known for his good looks and his habit of posting dessert-making videos, had over three million followers. Within minutes, his post had already gathered thousands of comments.

He Wuwei V:
So proud of my niece for ranking sixth in her grade in her first month at her new high school! 👏👏👏 But she somehow managed to get the entire grade an extra self-study session and became everyone’s enemy. 😂 I made some desserts to bribe her Class Ten classmates. Please take good care of my Cha Cha~ [Image][Image]

The comments were predictably filled with people envying He Wuwei’s niece, and even Class Ten for being included in his affection.

10-Story Tower: Class Ten students, please protect my niece.

Ice Cream Fairy: Class Ten students, please protect our beloved Wuwei’s niece.

The queue of similar comments stretched into the hundreds.

After scrolling through the post, Xie Chang’an raised his head in a daze and looked at the classmates who had just eaten desserts. “Brothers, sisters… don’t your shoulders feel heavy?”

Ruan Cha raised a brow. “Why would they feel heavy?”

Hearing this, Xie Chang’an exchanged a glance with Huang Jiajia before they answered in unison, “Because we… have a great responsibility!”

Ruan Cha: “…”

While the other students were busy asking Ruan Cha about her connection to He Wuwei, Song Mengyu sat frozen, her fingers trembling. The memory of her earlier comments left her feeling utterly humiliated.

And yet—

Ruan Cha really knows He Wuwei???

How could it be possible? She was just a girl from a small town. Her family had never even heard of the Westgate Hotel before. How could she possibly be on friendly terms with Seven Star’s He Wuwei?

And what’s with him liking their cabbage?!

Do you really think your family grows divine, otherworldly cabbages?

No matter how much Song Mengyu refused to believe it, Ruan Cha had already been publicly recognized by He Wuwei as his niece. On Weibo, He Wuwei even replied to one of her classmates, saying that when Ruan Cha dines at Seven Star, she doesn’t even need a reservation!

Even in her own Song family, no one had the privilege of skipping reservations.

Lin Ling, catching sight of Song Mengyu’s expression, couldn’t help but find it amusing. Carrying the title of “sister” but knowing nothing about Ruan Cha at all—how pathetic.

Though Lin Ling and Song Mengyu often stuck together, their relationship was no deeper than a fragile alliance. There was no genuine friendship, and they both secretly relished each other’s missteps.

Lin Ling lowered her head and typed a message on her phone: “Wait at 8:30 tonight. I’ll send someone over—two of them.”

Not long after, a reply came: “Understood.”

Lin Ling glanced at Ruan Cha again, her eyes dark and cold. Even if Ren Qingqing is here now, I’ll still make sure someone teaches this girl who keeps embarrassing me a lesson—and settle the score for my wrist.

Her grandfather’s connections were plentiful, so why not make use of them?

---

At 8:30 p.m., as evening self-study ended, Ruan Cha packed her bag and left the classroom with Huang Jiajia, planning to head to the school’s back gate to catch a private car back to the Liang residence.

“Ruan Cha!”

She turned around to see a short-haired girl with a shy demeanor calling her. The girl rarely stood out in class.

“What’s up?”

The girl, Zhou Xiaoran, came from a well-off family but was often overshadowed by her parents’ preference for her brothers, which made her timid by nature. She nodded hesitantly, nervously fiddling with her uniform, “I have a math problem I don’t understand. Can I ask you for help?”

“It’s so late. Why not ask tomorrow?” Huang Jiajia, as the class monitor, often interacted with Zhou Xiaoran and found her quiet but slightly better academically.

Since Ruan Cha had a private car waiting, she wasn’t concerned about being late. Helping with a question wouldn’t take long anyway. “You go ahead, Jiajia. I’ll help her and then leave.”

Huang Jiajia shrugged. “Alright, I’ll message you when I get home.”

“Okay, take care on the way.”

After Huang Jiajia left, Ruan Cha spent about ten minutes in the classroom explaining the problem to Zhou Xiaoran. She broke it down step by step until Zhou Xiaoran finally understood.

By then, the campus was eerily quiet, with the senior students still in their second evening study session. The glow from the streetlights cast faint pools of light on the ground as they walked toward the back gate.

As they reached the gate, Zhou Xiaoran tilted her head toward Ruan Cha. “There’s a shortcut up ahead. It’ll take just five minutes to reach the opposite street without having to cross the pedestrian bridge.”

The school was massive, with a 1,000-meter track encircling the grounds. It was located at the edge of the city near the suburbs. While the main gate was bustling but not accessible for parking, the back gate was quieter, with private cars parked across the pedestrian bridge.

“Really?” Unfamiliar with the area, Ruan Cha readily agreed, appreciating the shortcut. “Lead the way, then.”

Three minutes later, they reached a dim, narrow alley. Another 200 meters would take them past the bridge to the main road. Noticing Zhou Xiaoran walking with her head down and silent, Ruan Cha asked, “Are you scared? Don’t worry, I have—”

“Don’t be so quick to say there’s nothing to worry about, little miss.”

From one side of the alley, a tall youth with dyed blonde hair crushed his cigarette against the wall. Under the moonlight, the intricate tattoos on his arm were visible, along with his black workwear tank top, which hinted at well-defined chest and abdominal muscles beneath.

A moment later, he stepped fully into the light. His ordinary looks, combined with the sleazy way he leered at them, made Ruan Cha feel an overwhelming sense of disgust.

Zhou Xiaoran, who had stayed silent the entire time, shrank back when she saw the muscular man. Her shoulders trembled, and it was unclear if she regretted her actions. “S-Sorry!” she stammered, clutching her backpack tightly before turning to flee.

Ruan Cha grabbed her arm, her lips curving slightly in a faint, lazy smile, though no warmth reached her eyes. “Why are you running?”

Almost simultaneously, another figure appeared behind them—a bald, burly man with broad shoulders, clearly waiting for his moment.

As Ruan Cha yanked Zhou Xiaoran back, the beige backpack in her arms dropped to the ground, scattering dust everywhere. Despite the chilly air, Zhou Xiaoran felt an even colder chill sink into her bones as her gaze met Ruan Cha’s eyes.

“Infighting between the little sisters?” The muscular man chuckled, his grin lewd as he sized them up. Damn, the young miss really sent some fine student girls this time. Faces and figures like these, combining innocence and allure—it’s enough to drive a man wild.

Though the young miss had instructed them to go easy—just scare them and rough them up a little—he wasn’t one to follow rules. Wiping the corner of his mouth, he thought, Guys like me, with lives already on our hands, don’t care about formalities. Finish the job and leave Nanshi—that’s all.

“How about both of you keep me company?” he leered suggestively.

Hearing the man’s implication, Zhou Xiaoran’s eyes widened in terror. She glanced at the bald man with his obscene grin and screamed hysterically, “Lin Ling told me to just bring her here!”

“Too late,” the muscular man sneered.

The two men cracked their knuckles, circling Ruan Cha and Zhou Xiaoran. As for the young miss being implicated, it wasn’t their concern. What evidence could some teenage girl provide? No one would believe her anyway.

Ruan Cha met the lecherous gaze of the muscular man and felt a wave of disgust. Letting go of Zhou Xiaoran, she took a slow step back, one hand moving behind her.

At that moment, a robotic system notification sounded in her ear.

[Ding! Bonus task: Within one hour, label 30 skeletal structures, including the spine, on a human anatomy chart. Completion rewards 1 point. No penalty for failure.]

Zhou Xiaoran screamed as the bald man grabbed her, tearing at her clothes. Despite her struggles, she couldn’t escape. Her voice, shrill and panicked, was drowned out by the music blasting from a nearby bar at the alley’s entrance.

“Don’t bother struggling, little girl. It’s useless,” the muscular man sneered, rubbing his fists together with a wicked grin.

Ruan Cha suddenly chuckled. From behind her, she drew out an object resembling a pen. With a flick of her wrist, it transformed into a thin baton. “Alright, let’s play a little.”

In one swift motion, she turned and swung the baton heavily against the bald man’s chest and abdomen. A crackling surge of electricity shot through his body, causing his limbs to spasm violently as if he were having a seizure. His face contorted in terror before he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

The entire ordeal lasted less than a minute.

Zhou Xiaoran, sprawled on the ground: “…”

The muscular man, frozen mid-step: “…”

Without sparing Zhou Xiaoran a glance, Ruan Cha casually twirled the baton in her hand, her gaze shifting to the muscular man. Her smile was unsettlingly gentle. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you enjoy this.”

Facing Ruan Cha’s calm demeanor, the muscular man suddenly felt a deep sense of dread.

---

A few minutes later, the alley echoed with wails and screams, though the voice had changed.

“Ahhh!”

“My spine!”

“Ow!”

“My ribs!”

“Aaaaahhh!”

“My wrist bones!”

Faintly, someone outside the alley overheard the fragmented cries. They scratched their head and muttered, “What kind of parents are giving their kid a double dose of punishment tonight?”