As Xia Lan returned home, the old front gate creaked slightly under her hand.
She paused.
Outside, a small crowd of neighbors had gathered along the sidewalk—some leaning on bicycles, others pretending to sweep while stealing glances her way. Their whispers floated through the air like smoke.
"Did you hear? That loud, flashy woman who lived here—she got arrested."
"No way. Really? That showy woman? What for?"
A third woman chimed in, her voice hushed but eager, "They say she was abusive to her niece. The poor girl finally reported her."
Gasps followed. Some eyes turned toward Xia Lan.
She met their gazes without flinching.
The slap mark on her face had faded slightly, but the cold steel in her eyes had not. She didn't say a word. Just pushed open the gate and walked inside.
The whispers continued behind her, but she didn't care.
Let them talk.
For once, the story wasn't twisted by someone else's lies.
As Xia Lan stepped into her room, the air felt still—quiet, like the aftermath of a storm.
She closed the door gently behind her and glanced around. The familiar, worn furniture. The dust that clung to untouched corners. The faint trace of her childhood still lingered here.
Her eyes landed on something lying crookedly on her desk.
A bright, glossy flyer.
She picked it up.
"Nationwide Auditions – Become the Next Star! Open Casting for Trainee Idols and Actors!"
The bold letters gleamed beneath the afternoon sun pouring through her window. For a long moment, Xia Lan simply stared at it.
Then, like a tide crashing in, her memories returned.
A younger version of herself—hopeful, wide-eyed, clutching a similar flyer with trembling hands, dreaming of a stage, of lights, of music. Of applause.
But fate had offered her something else.
Pain. Blood. Silence.
It had taken that innocent dream and buried it beneath years of survival.
Her lips curled into a cold, ironic smile as she dropped the flyer back onto the desk.
"Destiny really does like to play with people's hearts, huh?" she murmured, her voice low.
She sat down, leaning back in the chair, eyes still locked on the flyer.
This time, though...
Maybe she would be the one holding the pen.
She stared at the flyer in silence.
An audition. A chance. A new beginning.
"Should I... apply for it?" she muttered, tilting her head slightly as if waiting for someone to answer.
Of course, no one would.
She sighed, rubbing her temples.
"Yeah... I guess yes. I don't have any backing right now, and I need money to survive." A bitter chuckle escaped her lips. "What a headache..."
Her fingers trailed over the edge of the flyer.
Even if it wasn't the dream she once had, it was a step forward. A chance to escape the shadows of the past—and maybe, just maybe, to carve out a life on her own terms.
She glanced at the bottom of the flyer.Auditions Begin: Two Months From Now.
A small smile tugged at her lips. Two months.
Her gaze dropped to her arms—thin, soft, untrained.
"I'll need to train this body," she murmured. "Can't be collapsing on stage like a weakling."
The Next Morning – 5:00 AM
The air outside was crisp and biting, but Xia Lan was already jogging through the quiet neighborhood streets.Each breath left her lips in a puff of fog. Her legs trembled with effort, and her chest burned—but she didn't stop.
She pushed herself, step by painful step, the sound of her footsteps echoing between silent buildings.
After the run, she moved into light calisthenics—push-ups, squats, stretches. Her arms wobbled, her form broke often, and her breathing was ragged.
Her body, unused to this, protested with every movement.
But she gritted her teeth and kept going.
"This pain… it's nothing," she whispered, sweat dripping down her brow. "Compared to what I've been through… this is easy."
After finishing her training, Xia Lan returned home to shower and change. She slipped into her neatly pressed school uniform—simple, but freshly cleaned.
Downstairs, she sat at the small kitchen table, picking at a modest breakfast. A cold bun, a boiled egg, and a glass of water.
She stared at it silently.
I really need money.
Her fingers tightened around the chopsticks as an old instinct stirred in her mind.
Why don't I just hack a bank? Or drain funds from some criminal? It wouldn't be the first time...
The thought lingered for a moment—tempting, familiar.
But she quickly shook her head.
"No," she muttered under her breath. "I may have the memories, but not the instincts. Not in this body. I can't even type fast enough right now…"
And worst of all—she didn't even own a laptop. Not yet.
She exhaled and took a bite of the cold bun.
Guess it's the honest path for now.
After finishing breakfast, Xia Lan grabbed her bag and left for school.
The streets were quiet, but as she neared the school gates, a familiar voice called out behind her.
"Xia Lan!"
She turned.
A girl with a bright, slightly messy ponytail was running toward her, waving enthusiastically.
For the first time in what felt like ages, a faint, genuine smile touched Xia Lan's lips.
The girl reached her, panting a little but still full of energy.
"There you are! I was looking for you yesterday after school. Why didn't you tell anyone where you went?" Her brows furrowed. "And what about your aunt? How many times have I told you to report her? It's for your own good, you know!"
Xia Lan just looked at her, her expression softening.
Lu Zhi.
Her only friend. The one person in her previous life who had stood by her without expecting anything in return.
In the future, she'd become a legendary hacker… and she'd teach me everything she knew.
Her lips curved slightly.
Some things—some people—were worth holding onto.
With a soft smile, Xia Lan reached out and gently placed a hand on Lu Zhi's shoulder, stunning her into silence.
"Oh, about that…" Xia Lan said calmly, her eyes steady. "After school yesterday, I reported my aunt to the police. I guess I finally took your advice."
Lu Zhi blinked, stunned not just by what Xia Lan said—but by how she said it. Confident. Calm. Like a different person.
"You… you really did?" she asked, wide-eyed. "Wait… are you really Xia Lan? I'm not dreaming, right?"
Then she grinned, eyes lighting up with genuine pride and relief.
"My little scaredy-cat finally grew a backbone, huh?"
Xia Lan chuckled lightly, her voice soft. "Maybe. Or maybe I just got tired of being scared."