The second lead's story

My hands were shaking as I held the strap of my bag.

I stood outside the big iron gates of St. Jude Academy. Looking up, I saw the school name carved in stone. It looked more like a palace than a high school. Expensive black cars and sports cars drove past me one by one. Students stepped out wearing neat navy blue uniforms that looked brand-new and expensive.

I smoothed down my uniform skirt. It was the standard one given to scholarship students. The fabric felt a bit rougher compared to the custom-made ones everyone else wore.

You earned this, Li Wen, I told myself, holding tight to my acceptance letter inside my pocket. You got the highest score in the whole city. You belong here just as much as they do.

I took a deep breath and walked through the gates.

The courtyard was huge. There were glass study rooms, a shiny marble fountain, and groups of rich kids laughing together. Almost right away, I felt people staring at me. Whispers started moving through the crowd.

"Is that her? The scholarship student?"

"From the poor side of town, right? I heard her family doesn't even own a car."

"How did she even pass the entrance test?"

I kept my chin up and looked straight ahead. I did not come here to make friends. I came here to study and build a future. I walked toward the main building, keeping my head down so I could avoid trouble.

Then, someone stepped right in front of me.

"Watch where you are walking, scholarship girl."

It was Jiang Wei. He was a senior who loved acting like he owned the hallways. He smirked and stuck his foot out to trip me. Before I could catch my balance, my bag slipped, and my heavy math books crashed onto the stone ground. My papers flew everywhere.

A few students nearby laughed out loud. My face turned hot with embarrassment. I quickly knelt down to pick up my papers, fighting hard not to cry.

"Is it really that fun to pick on someone who actually had to study to get here?"

The courtyard went completely quiet.

Jiang Wei’s smile vanished. The air suddenly felt very cold.

Standing a few steps away was Zhou Yichen.

Everyone at St. Jude knew who Zhou Yichen was. He was the grandson of the school's biggest donor, top of our class, and famous for being cold to everyone. He rarely looked at people, let alone spoke to a freshman.

Yet, right now, his dark eyes were locked right on Jiang Wei.

"Y-Yichen," Jiang Wei stammered, looking terrified. "I was just... playing around."

"Your joke is stupid," Zhou Yichen said in a low, cold voice. "Pick up her books."

Jiang Wei did not dare argue. He quickly crouched down, grabbed my notebook, and handed it to me. Then he practically ran away.

I stood up slowly, holding my books tight against my chest. My heart was beating fast. I looked at Zhou Yichen, waiting for him to look down on me too. Instead, he just gave me a quick look and turned around to walk away.

"Hey! Wait up!"

A bright voice cut through the silence.

A boy with a big, friendly smile jogged over and patted Zhou Yichen on the shoulder. It was Xiao Feng. Everyone knew Xiao Feng—he was the friendly, funny guy who talked to everyone.

"You did not have to scare Jiang Wei that much, Ice Prince," Xiao Feng laughed. Then he looked at me and smiled warmly. "Hey. You're Li Wen, right? I'm Xiao Feng. Don't mind Jiang Wei. He is just mad because your test score was higher than his."

A small smile appeared on my face. "Thank you," I whispered.

"Oh, don't thank me. Thank Yichen's bad mood," Xiao Feng joked. Then his eyes widened. "Ah. Here comes trouble."

I turned around.

Walking toward us was a girl who looked like she stepped right out of a magazine. She wore the school uniform, but her hair fell in soft, shiny waves, and she carried a designer handbag that probably cost more than my rent.

This was Lin Xixi. The youngest daughter of the rich Lin family—pampered, bubbly, and loved by everyone.

I got ready for her to say something mean. Rich girls like her usually hated people like me.

Instead, Lin Xixi walked right up to me, blinking her big eyes. She looked me up and down, looked at Xiao Feng, and crossed her arms with a cute pout.

"So," Xixi said, her voice bright. "You're the girl who broke the school math record."

I swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes. I am."

Xixi stared at me for three seconds. Then, a huge, happy smile lit up her face. She grabbed both of my hands so fast I almost dropped my books again.

"That is so cool!" Xixi said happily, ignoring everyone staring at us. "Do you know how hard that math test is? My tutor made me try it and I cried for three hours! From now on, you are sitting with us at lunch. And if anyone bothers you again, tell me. I'll have my dad buy their dad's company and turn it into a parking lot."

Xiao Feng burst out laughing. "Xixi, it has been five minutes and you are already talking about buying companies?"

"I am serious!" Xixi said, locking her arm through mine like we were old friends. "Come on, Li Wen. Let me show you where the good snacks are. This school is boring, but with you here, it might actually be fun."

As Xixi pulled me toward the building, with Xiao Feng laughing behind us, I looked back one last time.

Zhou Yichen was still standing by the pillar. But he wasn't looking at Xiao Feng or Xixi.

He was looking right at me.

And for the first time today, I felt like I might actually belong here.

So you thought.

You probably think you know what kind of story this is.

A poor scholarship student enters a rich school.

She gets bullied.

She meets three people who become her friends.

And eventually, the cold rich boy falls in love with her.

Sounds familiar, right?

Maybe you are already waiting for the part where Zhou Yichen falls completely in love with Li Wen.

Well...

I am not going to stop you from thinking that.

Because, honestly, that did happen.

Every single part of it. She worked hard, she survived the whispers, she made friends, and she got her sweet romance with the Ice Prince.

But there is something you do not know.

You have been watching her story this whole time. You watched her walk through those gates. You watched her get bullied. You watched her make friends. You watched the exact second Zhou Yichen started noticing her.

You saw all of it.

But you completely forgot about the girl standing right next to her.

The girl whose arm was linked through hers. The girl who was ready to buy a company just to defend her.

Me.

I'm Lin Xixi.

And if you thought this was going to be another predictable story about a poor girl conquering the rich world...

Sorry.

You've been reading the wrong story this whole time.

So why don't we start over?

Put Li Wen and her cool boyfriend aside for a moment.

This time...

Listen to mine.