After My Rebirth, I Stole Away the School Genius - Chapter 1

“Xiao Lu, I think Li Jingming definitely has feelings for you. He just won’t admit it, men care too much about their pride.”

In the pitch-black darkness, Lu Shinian heard this familiar voice. A flash of white light crossed her mind as her consciousness sharpened, accompanied by a splitting headache. Instinctively, she clutched her head.

When the pain finally subsided, she opened her eyes to see Xu Man’s face filled with concern. “Xiao Lu, are you still upset?”

Upset?

Lu Shinian blinked slowly, her heart brimming with astonishment.

Was this really Xu Man? Why did she look so young?

Her gaze wandered in confusion, taking in her surroundings her high school classroom, classmates in uniforms laughing and roughhousing, desks cluttered with books and test papers, a blackboard covered in math formulas. Everything was both familiar and strange, carrying an air of unreality.

There were no gruesome wounds or sticky blood on her body, though she distinctly remembered being hit by a fully loaded truck. The tremendous impact had shattered her body, leaving her mangled and bloody, a horrific death. So what was happening now?

For a moment, Lu Shinian froze. Recalling the novels she’d read in the past, a thought struck her could this be, rebirth?

How unbelievable.

Seeing Lu Shinian’s odd expression, Xu Man assumed it was a reaction to heartbreak. She reached out and gently grasped Lu Shinian’s hand, her voice soft. “Shi Nian, it’s okay. When Jingming plays basketball this afternoon, I’ll go with you to see him.”

Silently, Lu Shinian withdrew her hand, avoiding the touch. She wanted to ask Xu Man: With acting skills this good, why haven’t you gone to Hollywood?

In her past life, Xu Man had been just as tender and considerate, making Lu Shinian truly believe she’d found a close friend someone she treated like a sister. But beneath that facade of kindness, Xu Man had deceived her at every turn. While Lu Shinian saw her as a best friend, Xu Man not only spread rumors behind her back, ruining her career, but also ended up in bed with her boyfriend.

Afterward, Xu Man even had the nerve to say, “You deserved it. I’ve had my eye on Li Jingming since high school. I’ve let you have him for years, now it’s my turn.”

At the memory, a cold glint flashed in Lu Shinian’s eyes. But even more than Xu Man, what she hated most was that scumbag Li Jingming.

She must have been blind to ever fall for a bastard like him. Young and naive, she’d mistaken it for true love. Lu Shinian was the type to fixate stubbornly on one person, pouring her heart and soul into them. Throughout high school, she’d trailed after him day after day, utterly humiliating herself.

After they got together post-graduation, she defied her parents’ wishes and secretly changed her college application to be in the same city as him. Later, she even gave up a job arranged by her family to support him in building his career.

Back then, Lu Shinian truly believed Li Jingming loved her and that they’d have a bright future together.

But just as his career finally took off and she thought they were about to step into marriage, he turned around and cheated on her with her best friend. And when caught, he had the audacity to beg for forgiveness disgusting her beyond words.

Years of genuine affection wasted on trash. Lu Shinian had broken down, cried, raged those days had been a haze of despair. But she pulled through. Just as she wiped her tears and prepared to start anew, she met a tragic end in that car accident.

On the verge of death, she was filled with overwhelming regret, how had she wasted her short life on a worthless man? If given another chance, she would live entirely for herself.

Memories of her past life flashed vividly before her eyes. Lu Shinian let out a mocking laugh. “Going to find Li Jingming?”

Xu Man noticed the unusual coldness in Lu Shinian’s gaze and felt a pang of alarm. Softly, she asked, “Shinian, what’s wrong? You don’t seem like yourself today.”

Lu Shinian remained silent.

In those brief moments of pause, the class bell rang. Xu Man had no choice but to turn back, leaving behind a reminder, “Don’t forget, we’re going to the basketball court after school.”

Their homeroom teacher, Liang Hongying, entered the classroom right on time, just as Lu Shinian remembered, short bob haircut, golden-rimmed glasses, stern and upright.

Liang Hongying tapped the desk with her book, her voice clear and sharp, “Quiet down, everyone. Class has started didn’t you hear the bell?”

The classroom fell silent within seconds.

Liang Hongying picked up a piece of chalk and glanced at the blackboard. “Why hasn’t last period’s writing been erased? Who’s on duty today?”

Someone from the class answered, “Yu He.”

Hearing the name, Lu Shinian instinctively followed the collective gaze to the front row, where a seat in the very center remained empty its occupant yet to arrive.

“Where is Yu He?” Liang Hongying asked.

Her deskmate shrugged. “Where else? Probably in the teachers’ office asking questions, as usual.”

“Reporting.”

Just as the words were spoken, the person in question appeared at the door. Lu Shinian looked over. The girl was slender, her frame drowning in the smallest size of their school uniform. She carried two books in her arms, her hands pale as jade, her browline striking. Though her features were as gentle and clear as moonlight, an air of aloofness clung to her, radiating an unmistakable distance.

Her voice was crisp yet low, devoid of any emotion. “Apologies. I was in the office after class and lost track of time.”

Yu He was the academic prodigy of Yanning No.1 High School. No matter the exam, her name perpetually topped the honor roll, never once slipping. Yet, in stark contrast to her brilliance was her icy demeanor infamous for her reticence. Beyond asking questions or the occasional brief exchange, she spent her time silently solving problems at her desk, rarely engaging in conversations longer than ten sentences.

Teachers tended to be more lenient with top students, and Liang Hongying was no exception. “Come in. Just be mindful of the time next time.”

Yu He nodded. “Understood.”

She walked to the front, picked up the eraser, and began cleaning the board with unhurried movements, entirely unbothered by the eyes on her.

Lu Shinian’s gaze followed her until she stepped down. Yu He seemed to sense it, lifting her eyes slightly.

For just a moment, those ink-dark irises locked onto Lu Shinian’s vision, sending ripples through her heart.

That cool, detached gaze, unchanged from seven years later.

Lu Shinian quietly averted her eyes, recalling that rainy night when Yu He had wordlessly approached her, offering a tissue, her voice stiff as she said, “Don’t cry.”

It was Yu He. Whether now or in the future, she remained the same silent, apart from others.

Lu Shinian sighed softly. She owed Yu He a debt.

“Turn to page twenty-two. Today, we begin studying The Old Man and the Sea.”

Lu Shinian glanced at the textbook in her deskmate’s hand, then pulled out the correct book from the towering stack in front of her. As she flipped open the Chinese literature textbook, her eyes suddenly stung with tears.

Sunlight streamed gently through the window, falling onto the pages. The handwriting on the first page was neat and youthful, reading,

“Class 5, Grade 11, Lu Shinian.”

The stars had turned, and she, Lu Shinian, had returned.

Her deskmate, a round-faced girl with glasses, couldn’t help but lower her voice to ask, “Why are you crying?”

Lu Shinian wiped the corner of her eye with the back of her hand. “It’s nothing. I’m just, really happy.”

The school bell rang, signaling the end of classes. Teacher Liang Hongying reminded them one last time to go home early and turn in their homework on time when Monday came before dismissing them.

Instantly, the classroom buzzed with excitement as everyone cheerfully packed their bags, ready to embrace the weekend.

Xu Man turned around. “Xiao Lu, let’s go.”

Lu Shinian stuffed a few reference books into her backpack, her gaze briefly sweeping over Xu Man’s face. “Go where?”

Xu Man grinned and pointed at the half-exposed pink envelope tucked inside a book. “To the basketball court to find Jingming, of course. Weren’t we supposed to deliver your love letter?”

Lu Shinian frowned. Back when she had been chasing Li Jingming, she had insisted on writing him a love letter every week to express her feelings. But he had always been indifferent, taking them when he felt like it, ignoring them when he didn’t. Looking back now, she realized how foolish and naive she had been.

Now that she had a second chance, why would she humiliate herself again? “No, I never agreed to that.”

“Then what about your love letter?” Xu Man asked.

Lu Shinian pulled out the letter, tore it into pieces in a few swift motions, and tossed the shreds into the trash bag hanging from the side of the desk. “That’s what I’ll do with it.”

Clean and decisive.

Xu Man’s eyes widened in shock. “Are you out of your mind?”

Their deskmate, Yu Jingjing, also stared at her in surprise. It was common knowledge that Lu Shinian liked Li Jingming so why was she acting so differently now?

Ignoring them, Lu Shinian confirmed the homework assignments with Yu Jingjing before zipping up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder, and walking past Xu Man. She turned her head slightly. “If you want to go find him, go by yourself. Don’t drag me into it.”

Xu Man put on a pitiful expression. “Xiao Lu, what do you mean by that? Did I do something to upset you?”

Every scheme, every betrayal Xu Man had committed in their past life had been real. Even though this Xu Man hadn’t done any of it yet, Lu Shinian couldn’t bring herself to treat her the same way anymore, it just felt disgusting.

Besides, Xu Man’s so-called friendship was never genuine to begin with.

Lu Shinian lifted her chin. “I meant exactly what I said.”

Xu Man froze, a flicker of disdain flashing in her eyes. Why was Lu Shinian acting so strange today? Had Li Jingming really gotten to her that badly?

After leaving the classroom, Lu Shinian bumped into Yu He in the hallway. The girl was holding a rag, looking like she had just come back from cleaning the restroom.

Lu Shinian quickly averted her gaze, while Yu He kept her eyes forward. The two passed each other without a word.

Under her breath, Lu Shinian muttered, “Stupid. I should’ve said hello first.”

Behind her, Yu He suddenly stopped walking. She turned around, her gaze lingering for a few quiet seconds before she continued on her way.

After school, students in uniforms streamed out through the school gates one after another. Lu Shinian relied on her vague memory to locate her electric scooter in the bike shed. She circled slowly a couple of times to get familiar with the handling before daring to ride onto the street.

Lu Shinian’s home was in an old neighborhood in the city center, just two kilometers from Yanning No. 1 High School. Located in the prime area of Yanning, the old residential complex stood out conspicuously among the surrounding high-rises. Logically, it should have been demolished and redeveloped long ago, but since many retired cadres and officials lived there, some with children still holding important positions in various fields, the government didn’t dare touch their homes, let alone any developers.

As Lu Shinian turned into the neighborhood, she spotted a black Volkswagen Phaeton parked at the entrance of her building, with two men chatting nearby. They didn’t notice her approaching from behind.

One of the men said, “Boss, this is my first time visiting in a hurry, so I didn’t bring much. Next time, I’ll come properly to see you and your wife. I heard Judge Lu Hongzhen from the court lives in this building. Is that true?”

“Yep, Judge Lu’s family has lived here for over a decade. When his eldest daughter went abroad two years ago, they even gave us fruit as a farewell gift.”

Lu Shinian glanced at them. The car was blocking the entrance, so she had to carefully maneuver her scooter through the narrow gap beside it.

The man asked, “I didn’t know he had two daughters?”

“You wouldn’t know this, but though they share the same parents, the two daughters are worlds apart. The eldest was outstanding from childhood, following in Judge Lu’s footsteps, studied law, graduated from a top university, then went straight to Harvard. The younger one’s still in high school, and her grades aren’t great, bottom of the class, I hear. Every time I see her, she’s grinning away, probably won’t amount to much. But with her parents and sister backing her, I guess she’s lucky in her own way. Wait, why are you asking about this?”

“I’ve got a buddy who’s gotten into some trouble recently. You think—”

“Don’t even think about it. Judge Lu’s famous for his integrity.” The man suddenly dropped his smile. “A few years back, some CEO’s son assaulted a girl. The CEO came to Judge Lu with piles of expensive gifts, but they were all thrown out the door. Didn’t even get a polite word.”

The other man awkwardly replied, “Just asking.”

Lu Shinian carefully pushed her scooter into the building entrance. Just as she was about to put down the kickstand, a sharp voice barked at her.

“Hey, girl! Watch it, don’t scratch my car!”

Lu Shinian, with her back to the man, simply said, “Oh,” parked her scooter, grabbed her backpack, and hurried upstairs. Halfway up, she suddenly turned back and called out, “Thanks for saying I’m lucky.”

“……”

The man frowned in confusion. “When did I say that?”

His companion froze for a second. “That was me. That girl, she’s Judge Lu’s younger daughter.”

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