Morning at Liang Manor
Morning sunlight stretched across the quiet grounds of Liang Manor.
Inside the elegant dining room, breakfast had already been prepared: warm steamed buns, fragrant rice porridge, fresh fruit, and delicate pastries neatly arranged on the long table. The aroma of freshly brewed tea filled the air.
Lila Chen walked into the dining room wearing the beautiful uniform of Jinling Imperial Academy. Her long hair flowed smoothly over her shoulders, and a simple backpack rested on her back. She looked elegant and breathtaking.
Ethan Li was already seated at the table. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, his posture straight, and his presence commanding. His sharp features and calm expression made him look incredibly handsome.
When Lila entered, his gaze softened slightly.
"You're awake."
Lila nodded and sat beside him. They ate breakfast quietly.
After finishing, Ethan stood.
"I'll take you to school."
Outside Liang Manor, a luxurious black Rolls-Royce Phantom waited at the entrance. The polished car gleamed under the morning sunlight. As the richest man in A City, Ethan's vehicles always attracted attention.
The driver respectfully opened the door. Ethan and Lila sat inside as the car drove smoothly toward Jinling Imperial Academy.
As they arrived at the school gate, Ethan gently held Lila's hand.
"Don't let anyone bully you."
Lila raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Do I look like someone who can be bullied?"
A faint smile appeared on Ethan's lips.
Before she stepped out of the car, he leaned forward. Their lips met in a soft, brief kiss.
"I'll pick you up later," Ethan said.
Lila nodded before stepping out of the car.
The expensive vehicle immediately caught the attention of nearby students.
"That's a Rolls-Royce!"
"Who owns that car?"
But Vivian's followers had already noticed.
Zhao Yue sneered.
"She was dropped off by some old rich man."
Huang Jia laughed.
"A kept heiress."
Vivian covered her mouth lightly, pretending to be shocked.
"You shouldn't say such things…"
But the mocking smile in her eyes betrayed her true thoughts. Whispers quickly spread among the students.
Lila ignored them completely and walked toward the school building. Serena Goon quickly caught up with her.
"They're disgusting," Serena muttered.
"They're not worth my attention," Lila replied faintly.
The Examination
The classroom was silent except for the scratching of pens.
The preliminary exam at Jinling Imperial Academy had begun. Lila sat calmly by the window, her pen moving smoothly across the paper. The questions were simple… almost too simple.
Across the room, Vivian Chen glanced at her occasionally while writing. Lin Mei, sitting beside Vivian, quietly slipped a small folded note from her sleeve and pushed it toward Lila's desk with her foot.
Lila noticed immediately. She calmly raised her hand.
"Teacher."
The invigilator approached.
"Yes?"
"There is a piece of paper near my desk."
The teacher picked it up and opened it. Inside were tiny handwritten answers to several questions. The classroom fell silent.
"Who wrote this?"
Lila replied calmly:
"I believe it belongs to Lin Mei."
Lin Mei immediately stood up.
"That's a lie!"
The teacher compared the handwriting. They matched. His voice turned cold:
"Lin Mei, you are disqualified from this examination. You may leave."
Lin Mei's face turned pale. She walked out of the classroom.
Lila Finishes the Exam
Lila calmly finished her paper and handed it in earlier than anyone else. Vivian looked up and smiled mockingly, clearly believing Lila had given up.
The Principal's Office
Outside the examination hall, Lin Mei angrily pulled out her phone and called her parents:
"Mom… Dad… come to the academy immediately! They're accusing me of cheating! They're siding with that nobody, Lila Chen!"
Her parents rushed to the academy and stormed straight into the principal's office. Lila had also been asked to come.
Lin Mei's mother sneered:
"So this is the girl who framed my daughter?"
Her father looked Lila up and down:
"She looks like a slacker. Probably a nobody trying to climb up by ruining other people."
Lin Mei pointed angrily at Lila:
"It was her! She framed me!"
Her mother slammed her bag on the desk:
"Our daughter would never cheat! You should expel this girl immediately!"
Lila remained calm.
"She pushed the cheating note herself," she said simply.
Lin Mei's father laughed coldly:
"You think anyone will believe a nobody like you?"
The principal tried to calm them, but the argument escalated.
Then the office door opened. Ethan Li entered.
The room fell silent. Even the principal stood.
"Mr. Li…" Lin Mei's parents froze.
Ethan's cold gaze swept the room before stopping on Lila:
"Are you alright?"
Lila nodded calmly.
Ethan then turned to the principal:
"I believe there are surveillance cameras in the exam hall."
The footage clearly showed Lin Mei pushing the cheating note toward Lila's desk. The room fell silent. Lin Mei's parents turned pale.
The principal declared:
"Lin Mei violated the school's academic rules. She is hereby expelled from Jinling Imperial Academy."
Lin Mei burst into tears, packed all her things, and ran out crying. She did not blame Vivian, nor did she reveal her part in any scheming. Instead, she transferred all her hatred onto Lila, silently promising herself in her heart that she would deal with her one day.
After Lin Mei had packed up and left in shame with her parents, Ethan quietly spoke to Lila.
"You handled everything brilliantly," he said softly.
Lila nodded, her expression calm.
Ethan then left the school, giving her a reassuring look and promising:
"I'll come back later to take you home." he said
Lila nodded happily and went back to class and he left
students gathered in the courtyard. Vivian walked toward Lila with a gentle, mocking smile.
"Elder sister…"
Then suddenly—Vivian fell to the ground by herself. Gasps spread through the crowd.
"Please don't blame her," Vivian said with tears in her eyes. "It was my fault…"
Students immediately turned toward Lila:
"You pushed her!"
"Apologize!"
Lila remained calm:
"I didn't push her. I will not apologize."
Then Serena Goon stepped forward:
"Did anyone actually see Lila push her?"
Silence filled the courtyard. Lila looked down at Vivian with cold eyes. The battle between them had only just begun.
And then she left with Serena and
Nobody stopped her
True to his word, later in the afternoon, Ethan returned to Jinling Imperial Academy. The black Rolls-Royce Phantom gleamed under the sun as he stepped out, waiting to carry Lila home, his presence both protective and commanding.