That night, Lin Muci slept soundly.
After all, her medical skills had leveled up to grade two, bringing her one step closer to curing Ling Qianhe's sequelae.
He wouldn't be paralyzed anymore!
Then, the next morning, Lin Muci was greeted with a new "surprise."
When Lin Muci woke up the next morning and came downstairs, Ms. Lin Cuiping was already there, excitedly running up to report the news.
"Xiao Ci, you're now a female celebrity with ten million followers!"
Lin Muci froze.
Ten million?
Followers?
Looking at Lin Cuiping, her first thought was:
"Did you buy me followers?"
Ms. Lin Cuiping quickly shook her head.
"Of course not. Am I the kind of person who would buy followers for Xiao Ci?"
"It's from your continuous exposure."
"Your #1 debut on 'Idol Tomorrow', the release of the TV drama preview, plus the explosive popularity of 'Infinite Slaughter', ten million followers accumulated across the entire network isn't normal?"
"However, although the follower count is real, I've found a public relations company to help you release some press releases and things like that."
"Everyone does it this way. To increase exposure."
"With ten million followers, Xiao Ci, you're now a rising female top star."
Lin Muci said "oh," not too excited.
She just felt like she had vaguely forgotten something important.
But she couldn't quite recall what important thing she had forgotten, so she could only frown and rack her brain.
A moment later, she heard Ms. Lin Cuiping remind her.
"Xiao Ci, aren't you supposed to go to school this morning?"
"Shouldn't you eat breakfast and leave?"
Lin Muci froze.
Damn it, how could she forget that in this identity, she was still a student?
...
A moment later.
When Lin Muci arrived at school for class, she was in a daze.
After a winter break, everything seemed to have changed dramatically.
She was now a rising female top star in the entertainment industry.
The female classmates were secretly looking at her, discussing her variety shows, her group shows, and her movies.
As for Lin Muci's "white lotus" sister, Lin Miaoyu, she was hunched in a corner with her backpack, occasionally casting resentful glances at her.
Her entire demeanor had changed.
Before, she was a delicate and vulnerable white lotus.
Now, Lin Miaoyu had become timid and withdrawn, and it seemed that the sly, flirtatious aura from before was gone.
Her face was haggard, without the luxurious life of fine clothes and food, and the heated apartment.
She could only work part-time, and her fingers were covered in cracked chilblains.
So she didn't dare to hold a pen, and could only hide her hands behind her back.
The system sighed.
"So, you can't be too arrogant. Arrogance inevitably leads to retribution."
Lin Muci looked at her pitiful appearance, feeling like a little stray cat.
It was easy to imagine how miserable she and her brother would be without the Lin family's support.
Oh, right, she couldn't be called Lin Miaoyu anymore; her name was Lu Miaoyu now.
After all, she and her brother had no connection whatsoever to the Lin family.
After the morning classes finished.
Lin Muci packed her bag, intending to go home and rest.
Lu Miaoyu walked up to her, took a deep breath, and spoke threateningly.
"Lin Muci, you're a big star now. If people find out that you've been so heartless to your own father and your younger siblings, do you think your reputation will plummet?"
"Lin Muci, I've found a reliable media outlet. If you're not willing to give your father alimony, then your scandals will be spread all over the place, and you'll never be a big star!"
"We've discussed it, it's only a million a month."
"You can afford this money, can't you?"
Lin Muci chuckled.
"Which media outlet?"
Lu Miaoyu shivered under her cold gaze, her voice trembling.
"I... I can't tell you!"
Lin Muci didn't even look at her, as if she were garbage. "Don't waste your effort, this trick won't work on me."
"Whatever you say. You can try and see if you, Lu Miaoyu, have the ability to ruin me."
"Alimony? He still wants alimony? Lu Yuanhang, that scumbag, I think I should be the one demanding emotional damages instead."
Lu Miaoyu's eyes welled up with tears from anger.
"You, you're going too far! Haven't you heard the saying, 'Leave some room for others, and you might meet them again'?"
"The tides of fortune turn. When I get into a top university and start working, you'll probably be nowhere to be found. This industry changes very quickly, you'll be outdated soon!"
Lin Muci smiled.
"I won't be outdated. And even if I am, I still have the Lin family's billions in assets waiting for me to inherit. What do you have to support two lazy, unproductive elderly people?"
"Lu Yuanhang and your mother, Zhao Jingjing, are a perfect match, a match made in heaven. And your grandparents. Are you sure they're willing to give you money for university instead of selling you off to get a wife for your brother?"
Lin Muci's words struck a chord with Lu Miaoyu's anxieties.
She ran away crying.
Lin Muci watched her retreating back, and the system sighed in her mind.
"Host, you really cursed her fiercely."
Lin Muci remained unyielding.
"She was much more ruthless than me back then. The original owner was pushed down the stairs by her, and her mother wanted to kill Ms. Lin Cuiping. I can't let them have it easy."
She stood up, a shrewd glint of insight flashing in her eyes.
"Just wait. There's still plenty of drama to come from their side. Once they run out of money, all sorts of messes will surface."
...
It was another exam day.
Zhou Yuan'an's mother had been cured by Lin Muci, so he no longer had to work odd jobs and was full of motivation when writing his test papers.
After the exam, the teacher specifically spoke to Lin Muci.
She meant that Lin Muci was very likely to get into Tsinghua University and hoped she would focus on her studies.
"The entertainment industry is, after all, a place of fame and fortune. It's not as stable as diligently studying. You must not give up on your studies. Our school doesn't have many students with the potential to get into Tsinghua. We originally had high hopes for Lin Miaoyu... oh, she's changed her name now, we originally had high hopes for Lu Miaoyu to aim high."
"But now her grades have dropped too much."
"Her brother, Lu Yangbin, also has poor grades. He even cheated on today's exam. If this continues, we'll have to expel him."
The teacher sighed.
"In any case, it's best for you not to give up on your studies."
Lin Muci smiled and said.
"Yes, I know, Teacher. Please don't worry, I won't give up."
She slipped out of the office, and Zhou Yuan'an was waiting for her.
"Xiao Ci, I came in third from the bottom in the class today! I've improved!"
He looked at her as if expecting praise.
Lin Muci glanced at him.
"Go and complete ten sets of 'Tian Li Thirty-Eight Rolls'."
"Memorize three thousand English words."
"I'll check on you next month."
Zhou Yuan'an's eyes widened, and he looked at Lin Muci in disbelief.
"Wh-what?"
Lin Muci raised an eyebrow.
"Aren't you going to hurry up?"
Zhou Yuan'an's head ached. He had been looking forward to meeting Xiao Ci, but now he just wanted to escape.
Lin Muci walked out of the school gate, and Uncle Li was there to pick her up.
Outside the school, there were also some sneaky figures, clearly paparazzi!
She was famous now, and these paparazzi were brazen enough to follow her to school.
Lin Muci intended to ignore them, but some paparazzi were particularly daring and even shouted at her.
"Lin Muci, do you have a boyfriend at school? We just saw you talking to a boy at school!"
"They say you're involved with Ling Qianhe. Do you want to clarify this rumor?"
The paparazzi laughed heartily, and as Lin Muci got into her car, they continued to pursue her.
"They say you're heartless and cruel, forcing your mother to divorce your father and making your father leave with nothing. Don't you feel ashamed of being such a daughter?"
"Your sister has already found us. Do you want to clarify?"
Lin Muci smiled and waved at them through the car window.
Clarify?
She had no intention of clarifying.
Lu Yuanhang, that scumbag, whatever suffering he endured, it was what he deserved!