The day after the release of the exam results, the atmosphere at Jinling Imperial Academy was electric. Lila Chen had secured the top scorer position, taking first place with perfect marks. Serena Goon came in second, beaming with pride, while Vivian Chen, furious and envious, came in third. The academy was hosting a one-month advanced lesson for Lila and her classmates as they prepared to enter their final year of high school.
Serena whispered excitedly to Lila, "You did it! First place! I'm so proud of you!" Lila smiled faintly, her calm composure unshaken.
Vivian seethed, her face dark with jealousy. Her loyal followers, Zhao Yue and Huang Jia, tried to encourage her. "Don't worry, Vivian… next time you'll show them all," Zhao Yue said hesitantly. "Yeah, we've got your back!" Huang Jia added. Even Lin Mei, who had been expelled and transferred to Starlight International School—far inferior to Jinling Imperial Academy—called Vivian to comfort her. "Don't be upset… you'll still be the center of attention," she said, though her words barely alleviated Vivian's fury.
Lila had quietly collected damning evidence: Vivian's sabotage attempts, including secretly tampering with Lila's water during exams to make her groggy or distracted; Vivian's constant instigations, trying to make Lila slack off and sending fake rumors; cyberattacks on Weibo, including mocking Lila's past poor scores using her secret account Moonlight V, while directing her fans and "water warriors" and friends
Zhao Yue, Huang Jia, and about others to attack Lila online; IP verification linking all these accounts directly to Vivian; and the suspension of some fake accounts, demonstrating Lila's control and legendary hacking skills.
With all this evidence, Lila exposed Moonlight V on Weibo, posting screenshots, IP addresses, and analyses. Mr. Chen, alerted by his assistant Xi Lim saw the posts in the evening. His expression darkened, and he went home immediately.
"Vivian… is this true?" Mr. Chen asked sharply. Vivian froze and stammered weakly, denying it—but the proof was undeniable. Mr. Chen went upstairs angrily and decided to deal with Vivian the next day.
The next day, Mr. Chen called a family meeting. Since Ethan Li was busy at the office, Dun Lin, his trusted driver and bodyguard, was tasked with taking Lila to the Chen household safely.
Lila arrived radiant and composed, wearing a beautiful dress, high heels, and carrying elegant designer bags. As she stepped through the door, Vivian's jealousy nearly blinded her—she froze, her chest tightening, unable to believe how effortlessly Lila carried herself.
During the meeting, Mr. Chen began by praising Lila: "Lila, your results are exceptional. Top scorer with perfect marks—truly remarkable. I'm very proud of you. I'll be giving you a special surprise for your achievement."
Vivian, who had been preparing to assert herself, paled at the praise.
Mr. Chen then reprimanded Vivian harshly, having seen the evidence on Weibo of her sabotage and cyberattacks. He slapped her lightly, and she ran upstairs in tears.
Later, Vivian and Mrs. Chen begged for forgiveness, promising never to repeat their actions, and asked Lila to forgive her. Lila smiled faintly but remained calm and composed. As Vivian pressed her, Mr. Chen intervened sharply: "Enough! Let it be."
Then, Mr. Chen addressed the family warmly: "I love both my daughters equally. I hope you can get along well." Lila, however, was not happy in her heart, knowing she must endure for now to later expose the true nature of her mother and sister.
Ethan arrived for dinner, and Vivian, forgetting she was still formally engaged to Derek, tried to speak to him
"Ethan… it's… um… quite a dinner, isn't it?" she began nervously. "I… I hope the food… is to your liking," she added, trying to smile.
Ethan ignored her entirely, placing food on Lila's plate and focusing on her instead. Vivian felt intense jealousy, her cheeks flushing as she watched Ethan treat Lila with care and attention. Mrs. Chen attempted to salvage the situation, speaking to Ethan to make her daughter look better. Out of respect for Mr. Chen, Ethan replied coldly, acknowledging her words but maintaining his distance. Lila smiled mockingly, observing Vivian's frustration.
Later, Mr. Chen invited Ethan to his study to discuss business and the engagement between him and Lila. Ethan assured him the engagement would occur after Lila graduated from high school and entered university, to which Mr. Chen agreed.
After dinner, Ethan safely took Lila home. They enjoyed a late-night snack and shared a quiet conversation. Ethan kissed Lila deeply, but suddenly stopped and excused himself to take a cold bath, respecting her choice regarding her virginity.
The next day, Lila didn't attend class at Jinling Imperial Academy. Ethan took her to Li Corporation. Some employees and women gossiping about her immediately quieted, fearful of Ethan's authority. Lila moved past them silently. Mr. Han, the senior secretary and assistant to Ethan, greeted her respectfully and instructed Mo Yin to make tea for Ethan and Lila.
During lunch, Ethan ordered meals for everyone except himself, Lila, and Mr. Han, as they were headed to Beautiful Heaven, Lila's secret restaurant and hotel, a top establishment in A City, unknown even to Ethan.
Manager Rani, a close friend, greeted Lila warmly. Lila subtly signaled her not to reveal ownership to Ethan. They were led to a private room and served the hotel's best signature dishes. Ethan paid afterward, and they returned to work. Exhausted, Lila slept in Ethan's private office until evening before heading home.
The next day, Derek arrogantly called Lila: "Lila… I've decided to honor our engagement. Don't be stubborn." Lila replied sharply, "You've made your choice clear, Derek. I don't need you anymore." She hung up immediately. She informed Ethan, who smiled coldly, waiting for Derek's inevitable downfall.
Although school was still in session, Lila arranged a brief outing with Serena Goon. She sat in Serena's Porsche, dressed beautifully.
After their meal, she told Serena she needed to use the restroom. On the way to the restroom at the venue, Derek tried to corner Lila, but she remained calm, ready to handle him on her own terms.