My sister and I both possessed a Family Selection System. She chose the richest couple in the city to be her parents, the most popular guy in school to be her boyfriend, and the prettiest girl in our grade to be her best friend. I chose a pair of dedicated teachers as my parents, a brilliant scholar as my boyfriend, and a top-ranking nerd as my best friend. My sister laughed at me, saying I picked a bunch of useless, boring bookworms. But she didn't understand. Money and looks can never measure a person's true worth. 1 Chloe and I stared intensely at the system screen, our palms sweating. After sacrificing ourselves to save someone, my sister Chloe and I were both reborn in an orphanage, and we were both granted a System. The system told us we had three chances to choose our "family." We could choose our parents, our best friend, and our boyfriend. Right now, Chloe and I were choosing our parents. Pair after pair of potential parents flashed across our screens: high-ranking politicians, janitors, award-winning actors, Olympic champions, exceptional teachers, billionaires... When Chloe saw the final pair—the billionaire couple—her breathing quickened. She eagerly pointed at the screen, her voice shrill: "I want them! I choose the billionaire parents!" The system turned to me. Chloe immediately shot me a defensive, glaring look. I understood her psychology. She was terrified I would steal them from her. Parents could be chosen simultaneously. If we both chose the billionaires, we would be sisters again, which meant she would have someone competing with her for their affection and wealth. I looked at the massive screen, my eyes slowly moving past the various options, finally stopping on a pair of nationally recognized, award-winning Master Teachers. According to their character profiles, they were gentle, kind, and completely indifferent to fame and fortune. Because they were both exceptional educators, they valued their child's education above absolutely everything else. It was obvious that growing up in that household would guarantee the best possible education. I chose the teacher parents. Chloe let out a massive sigh of relief, followed immediately by a mocking laugh. "Mia, are you actually stupid? What's the point of choosing a pair of broke teachers? At least pick someone with some money!" I lowered my eyes and stayed silent. Having lived a past life, how could I not understand? Wealth can be lost in an instant, but knowledge and skills are yours forever. It's better to have your own capabilities than to rely on rich parents. Once the selection process ended, the orphanage director rushed over, announcing that two different couples were here to adopt us at the exact same time. Chloe's eyes gleamed with greed. She sprinted out to meet her billionaire parents, only to find a single Rolls-Royce waiting. A stiff, formal assistant informed her that her new parents were too busy to come, but the car was a welcoming gift. Chloe stared at the luxury car with pure, unadulterated excitement and greed. My new parents, the teachers, stood off to the side. One held a bag with new clothes, while the other carefully balanced a small cake. I walked over and gave them a bright smile. "Mom, Dad. I'm Mia." They hugged me, overflowing with joy. Chloe looked down on us from her high horse, her face a mask of absolute disdain. "The joy of poor people is so cheap." I thought back to the brief character profile I had read about the billionaire parents. The system balanced the total points for every set of parents. That meant if they excelled in one area, they would be severely lacking in another. For example, my teacher parents could provide me with endless love and a top-tier education, but they lacked massive wealth. Chloe's billionaire parents, on the other hand, could give her an endless supply of money. But they were also both psychopathic, violent, and sadistic. Their favorite way to relieve stress was by torturing their children. Once Chloe officially became their child, her life was going to be a living hell. As Chloe climbed into the luxury car to leave, she shot me a smug, victorious smile. I smiled back. I wondered if she would still be smiling like that after enduring a few rounds of combined abuse from her new billionaire parents. 2 As soon as we got home, my teacher parents immediately drew up a comprehensive, customized study plan for me. They originally assumed that, given my young age, I would hate studying. But to their surprise, I threw myself into my books, studying day and night, forgetting to eat or sleep. "Our daughter is an absolute treasure." They would constantly praise me, beaming with pride. I just smiled. They had no idea how desperately I craved an education. In my past life, my parents blatantly favored Chloe. They gave her the only opportunity to go to school, forcing me to drop out early and work menial jobs to support the family. Because I lacked education and knowledge, I suffered unimaginably in the real world. Reborn into this life, my only desire was to study as hard as humanly possible. I graduated middle school ranked first in my entire school. I had my pick of any top high school in the city, but I set my sights on something much higher: Arwood Academy. If the city's top high schools selected the best students locally, Arwood Academy recruited the absolute best minds from across the entire country. Everyone said that stepping through the gates of Arwood Academy was basically keeping one foot in the Ivy League. Because of this, Arwood's admission standards were brutal. The number of applicants was astronomical, but the number of students actually accepted was microscopic. When I arrived at Arwood Academy for the entrance exams, I realized the rumors weren't exaggerated. The campus was packed with a sea of people. Despite the grueling, multi-stage elimination process, a few hundred students made it to the final round. And among them, I saw Chloe. Chloe looked incredibly haggard. Her bright eyes were heavily bloodshot, and the skin exposed by her uniform was covered in a terrifying crisscross of fresh and fading scars. It seemed Chloe's life these past few years had been exactly as horrific as I predicted. Her irritated, impatient gaze swept over the crowd and landed on me. Seeing my healthy, glowing complexion, her face instantly darkened. She forced a stiff, fake smile. "Mia, you're applying to Arwood too? Keep dreaming. You probably won't even pass the first round." Right then, an admissions officer walked over to me, smiling brightly. "Mia, I reviewed your scores. Don't worry, you are absolutely getting in. You'll be placed in the elite Class 1." Hearing this, Chloe couldn't even maintain her fake smile. The admissions officer then turned to Chloe, frowning deeply. "Chloe, your scores are far too low. You were eliminated in the very first round. Why are you still here? If you don't leave, I'm calling security." Chloe completely dropped the act, grinding her teeth in fury. She quickly turned to the assistant standing next to her and threw a tantrum: "I want to go to Arwood Academy! And I want to be in Class 1!" Her billionaire father ended up donating ten new buildings to Arwood Academy, securing Chloe the right to enter Class 1. Waving her admission letter in my face, Chloe gloated. "See, Mia? Ten years of grueling, bone-chilling studying, and you still can't beat ten minutes of my 'effort'." "Hard work can never beat a wealthy background. It's not my fault I have billionaire parents. Unlike you, stuck with broke teachers, having to fight tooth and nail for everything yourself." Thanks to her ability to buy her way in, Chloe's initial irritation and gloom were completely replaced by smug arrogance. Her resentment over the abuse from her parents seemed to vanish, replaced entirely by the smug satisfaction of being a billionaire heiress. She felt like she had finally beaten me, tying the score. I, however, just stared at the ugly, jagged scars covering her hands. Given her parents' psychopathic nature, the fact that Chloe made them cough up the cash for ten buildings meant they were going to exact payment for it entirely on her body. Chloe's collection of scars was about to grow significantly. 3 As expected, Chloe didn't show up for the first month of school. My classmates whispered among themselves, saying that whenever they walked past the billionaire estate, they could hear Chloe's blood-curdling screams echoing from inside. I paused for a second, then lowered my head and went back to my practice exam. Our class was filled with the absolute best students from all over the country. I was the top student in my city, but here, I was barely average. There's always someone better, always a higher mountain. Even though I studied relentlessly, sheer effort is nothing in the face of raw, natural genius. Every single student at the top of our class was a prodigy. I only had average talent. Even with my Master Teacher parents guiding me, surpassing them would require exponentially more effort. After studying until my brain felt numb, I got up to use the restroom. But as I approached the door, I heard a commotion inside. "So you got first place, huh? Think you're tough? You're still just a pathetic punching bag for us." "If you try to dodge again, I'm shoving this dirty mop in your mouth and making you drink the water." "Look at your hands, they're completely chapped and rotting. You're so broke you can't even afford hand cream. You deserve to be bullied." ... I glanced into the dim restroom and was shocked to discover that the ringleader of the bullies was Sarah Jenkins, the prettiest girl in our class, often called the 'Class Beauty.' And the person being bullied was our class valedictorian, Elara Vance. I had a very strong impression of Elara. Not just because of the incredibly prominent burn scar on her face, but because of her absolute, terrifying genius. No matter the subject, she only had to read the textbook once to score a perfect 100. She was a pure, natural-born prodigy. But she was also incredibly isolated and silent. She was always a lone wolf in class, never speaking to anyone. Seeing the blood seeping from the corner of Elara's mouth, a sudden, blinding rage ignited in my chest. Having been raised by my parents, I knew exactly how rare and precious a genuinely gifted student was. How dare Sarah treat her like this?! I took a few large strides forward, aggressively shoved Sarah and her crew aside, and pulled Elara behind me. "Stop it right now! Bullying is strictly prohibited!" Sarah sneered at me, her voice dripping with threat: "My parents are high-ranking government officials. If you try to stop me, I'll beat you up too." Behind me, Elara pulled her hand out of my grasp, her voice cold and detached: "I don't need your help. Just leave." I grabbed her hand again, smiling brightly. "Don't be scared. I know exactly how to handle this." I turned to Sarah, speaking slowly and deliberately: "I know your parents are high-ranking officials. But if you dare touch a single hair on my head, your parents' careers will be over." Sarah frowned, demanding to know why. I enunciated every single word: "My parents are teachers. Nationally Recognized, Award-Winning Master Teachers." Sarah's face instantly changed. Broke teachers might mean absolutely nothing to someone like Chloe, whose family only cared about money and avoided political power. But Sarah's family was completely different. Government officials care about their public image and reputation above absolutely everything else. They have to be incredibly careful with their every word and action, terrified of giving anyone leverage over them. My parents were poor, yes. But their students were everywhere, working in every industry imaginable. And they held honorary titles bestowed directly by the national government. If the news got out that their child was being violently bullied, I guarantee I wouldn't be the one suffering the consequences. Realizing the massive political risk, Sarah dropped the dirty mop and begrudgingly walked away. I turned and helped Elara up, asking with genuine concern, "If she bullies you again, you can tell the teachers." Given Elara's exceptional grades, if she reported it, the teachers would absolutely intervene and protect her. But Elara just shook her head apathetically. She muttered a quick 'thank you' and turned to leave. After she walked away, I noticed a full bottle of sleeping pills lying exactly where she had been standing. 4 I started paying close attention to Elara, and that's when I realized the sleeping pills weren't just for insomnia. She wanted to commit suicide. After doing some discreet investigating, her backstory became even more horrifying. Both of Elara's parents were police officers who died in the line of duty. Before they died, they entrusted Elara to her aunt and uncle, leaving behind a massive pension—more than enough to comfortably support Elara for the rest of her life. But before Elara even turned twelve, her aunt funneled every single cent of that pension to her gambling-addicted son, using endless, fabricated excuses. Not only did the son gamble away the entire pension, but he also racked up so much debt that he forced his mother to sell their house and flee to this distant city. Once they arrived in this unfamiliar city, where Elara had absolutely no one to turn to, the family officially began physically and mentally abusing her. They forced Elara to work multiple part-time jobs just to pay for her own tuition. And her older cousin—the gambling addict—would constantly steal her meager earnings to fund his habit. When her money was stolen, her aunt would simply blame Elara for being "careless" and refuse to compensate her. Elara's life at school was an agonizing struggle. She pinned every last shred of hope on the college entrance exams, studying with a desperate, terrifying intensity. But all her hopes were brutally shattered the day her aunt announced her plan: she was going to force Elara to marry her older, gambling-addicted cousin. "You are going to marry my son. You can tell the teachers all you want, but don't forget, we are your legal guardians. If you make a fuss, we'll just move to another city. Let's see how long you can keep fighting." "This time it was just a burn on your face. Next time, we'll break your hands so you can never hold a pen again. Let's see you dream about college then." While I was lost in thought, remembering the neighbor's vivid reenactment of her aunt's threats, a thick, heavy notebook suddenly appeared right in front of my face. "The curriculum here has a different focus. I've outlined some of the key concepts and most difficult topics. You should review them." Elara's cold, clear voice brought me back to reality. The sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the grotesque, jagged burn scar on her face, making it look glaringly harsh. For some inexplicable reason, my chest tightened with an overwhelming sense of sorrow. I suddenly grabbed Elara's thin, frail wrist, blurting out impulsively: "Do you want to come hang out at my house this weekend?" Elara's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly refused. I didn't give up. I started following her around relentlessly while she studied. I brought her home-cooked meals every day, and made sure to stick by her side during P.E. class so she would never be the one left out. She never said anything about it, but the amount of time she spent tutoring me grew longer and longer, and my grades started skyrocketing. It took two full months for Chloe to recover enough from her injuries to finally return to class. But she had no idea that the moment she walked into the classroom, she became Sarah's new target. Having lost Elara as her punching bag, Sarah immediately locked her sights on Chloe, cornering her in the restroom and beating her up every single day. Chloe tried telling her billionaire parents, but they completely ignored her. Given their psychopathic tendencies, they probably enjoyed the fact that she was being tortured. Reporting it to the teachers was useless; the teachers couldn't afford to offend either the billionaire or the government official. Chloe tried to deflect Sarah's bullying onto me. "Bully Mia! She's the perfect target to be bullied!" Hearing Chloe's desperate screams, I just laughed. I casually brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "If I get bullied, my parents will tear this school apart to protect me. But your parents are probably just sitting at home, praying you suffer even more." Chloe's face instantly twisted in pure, unadulterated rage. She finally, truly realized that she had chosen the absolute wrong parents. "System! System, get out here! I want to make my best friend selection! I choose Sarah Jenkins to be my best friend!" Chloe glared at me, a sudden, triumphant smirk spreading across her face. "Mia, don't think you can escape your destiny of being bullied! I chose Sarah as my best friend. That means she's completely loyal to me now!" "It's your turn to get beaten." 5 Chloe officially selected Sarah as her 'Family: Best Friend.' However, the system didn't prompt me to make my selection. When I looked at it in confusion, it spoke with a meaningful tone: "You don't need to make a selection. You've already found your family, haven't you?" I froze for a second, then a massive smile broke across my face. The system was absolutely right. I had already found Elara. I didn't need to choose. "The second family member, 'Best Friend,' has been selected. The final family member, 'Boyfriend,' cannot be selected at this time. Due to system regulations, high school students are strictly prohibited from dating. The 'Boyfriend' selection will unlock after the college entrance exams." With that, the system vanished. Riding her high, Chloe couldn't resist mocking me: "Mia, that's what you get for hanging around that ugly freak all day! You really screwed yourself over this time!" "My best friend is the Class Beauty, Sarah Jenkins! Your best friend is a scarred, ugly freak! Let's see how you're going to beat me now!" Chloe and Sarah officially became best friends. Sarah stopped bullying Chloe. Instead, they spent every single day skipping class, scaling the school walls, wearing tailored, customized uniforms, and dancing wildly in local nightclubs. While Elara and I were burying ourselves in textbooks and practice exams, Chloe and Sarah were living recklessly, burning through their youth in dark, chaotic clubs. I finally managed to convince Elara to come home with me. My parents had already prepared a bedroom specifically for her. They smiled warmly and said, "Welcome home." Elara looked at me in absolute shock. I scratched my head awkwardly. "I told my mom and dad last night that they needed to start working overtime because they were about to have another daughter to support." "If you're willing, we can finalize the adoption papers tomorrow. Don't worry about your aunt and uncle. My parents are experts at handling this kind of thing. The police will arrest them for severe child abuse, the pension they stole will be fully recovered and returned to you, and they will never, ever be allowed to show their faces in front of you again." Elara bit her lip tightly, massive, heavy tears suddenly rolling down her cheeks. "I have a home again." I heard her whisper. Elara officially became a member of our family. It was only after my parents started teaching Elara that they realized she was an absolute, once-in-a-generation genius. Her natural aptitude for learning was unparalleled. My parents felt like they had discovered a priceless treasure and poured all their energy into cultivating her potential. Elara, in return, focused all her energy entirely on me. I had the work ethic but lacked the natural talent, so she meticulously broke down her advanced problem-solving methodologies into bite-sized pieces and spoon-fed them to me. Over time, I completely internalized the thought processes of a top-tier academic elite. In this perfect, symbiotic loop, both Elara's and my grades exploded at an absurd rate. We became legendary throughout the school, known as the 'Twin Pearls' of Arwood Academy's history. Chloe and Sarah were equally famous, but for all the wrong reasons. Their reputation was absolute garbage. They constantly skipped class, spent every night in seedy clubs, bullied weaker students on campus, and were constantly drunk off campus. Until one massive event completely shattered their decadent lifestyle. 6 Right before the college entrance exams, Sarah's father was arrested and imprisoned for massive political corruption. Her family went completely bankrupt overnight. Having lost her entire source of income, Sarah immediately locked her predatory gaze back onto Chloe. She started brutally beating and torturing Chloe again. After draining every last cent Chloe had on her, she forced Chloe to go to her billionaire parents and beg for more money. Anytime Chloe showed the slightest hint of resistance, Sarah would threaten to leak the highly explicit, compromising photos she had taken of her. If Chloe stole money from her parents, she would be subjected to horrific, agonizing beatings by them. If she didn't steal the money, she would be subjected to relentless, brutal bullying by Sarah. Every single day of her life was a living hell. They were supposed to be best friends, but now, just the sight of Sarah made Chloe tremble uncontrollably. Meanwhile, Elara, who shared the exact same eligibility for early admission to a top-tier university as I did, officially surrendered the only guaranteed admission slot to me. When the teacher announced that I had received the guaranteed admission, the entire class erupted in genuine, enthusiastic applause for me. Chloe, sitting in the back corner covered in bruises, fanning Sarah like a servant, heard the announcement and her face instantly turned a dark, venomous shade of green. I looked at Elara in shock, feeling absolutely no joy. Based on pure merit, that guaranteed slot belonged to her. After class, I tried to find the teacher to decline the offer, but Elara stopped me with a smile. "Don't. I don't need to take the college entrance exams either. I've already secured a different path." Elara leaned in close and whispered mysteriously into my ear, "I've been recruited by a highly classified, top-secret national intelligence agency for specialized training. I can't say anything more." I was completely stunned. I knew that when a true, once-in-a-generation prodigy appeared, the government would often intervene to cultivate them directly. But to catch the eye of a top-secret agency, raw intelligence wasn't enough. You needed absolute, terrifyingly effective practical execution skills. I suddenly remembered Sarah's father going to prison, and I remembered my parents casually mentioning a few months ago that Elara's uncle and his family had been beaten to death in the streets for failing to pay off massive gambling debts. Sensing my shock, Elara smiled faintly. "I compiled the evidence of his corruption. And I orchestrated the situation with my uncle's family. But they were all guilty, and they all got exactly what they deserved." A sudden chill ran down my spine. Elara smiled, gently taking my hand, her eyes warm and affectionate. "Mia, take the admission slot. Compared to everything you've done for me, a single college admission is absolutely nothing." I walked back to the classroom in a daze, only to run into Chloe at the door. Her face was a twisted mask of jealousy and utter confusion. She glared at me, demanding in a low, furious hiss, "What kind of manipulation did you use?! Why does she treat you so well?!" They were both supposed to be 'Best Friends.' But Sarah spent every waking moment finding new ways to torture and extort Chloe, while Elara had just handed me the only guaranteed admission to a top-tier university on a silver platter. Any high school student understood the absolute, life-changing value of that admission slot. The jealousy in Chloe's eyes was practically boiling over. Seeing my silence, Chloe sneered with bitter resentment. "Mia, don't get too arrogant! So what if I failed with my parents and my best friend? I still have the 'Boyfriend' selection!" "Parents and best friends don't matter anyway. Picking the right boyfriend is the only thing that actually matters! With a powerful boyfriend to rely on, I will definitely live the best life out of anyone!" Perhaps triggered by the massive contrast between her life and mine, the next time Sarah tried to beat her, Chloe finally snapped. They got into a vicious brawl, and Chloe plunged a knife directly into Sarah's thigh. Sarah was permanently crippled. She completely lost her mind, dragging Chloe to court, desperate to see her rot in prison. But she failed. The billionaire parents used their massive wealth to keep Chloe out of jail, and then had Sarah forcibly committed to a psychiatric hospital under the guise of mental instability. After all, they were the system-selected parents. No matter how psychopathic they were, they would never allow Chloe to actually go to prison. They would just handle her punishment internally, significantly increasing the severity of their abuse. Because of the ten buildings her parents donated, Chloe was allowed to continue attending school. But she grew more silent by the day, her face growing paler and more hollow with every passing week. When the college entrance exam results were released, Chloe became the biggest laughingstock in the history of Arwood Academy. Her combined score across all subjects was a pathetic 3 points. When she saw the score, she literally fainted on the spot. My photo was placed at the very top of the Honor Roll. Chloe stared at it every single day, her face twisted in pure, venomous hatred. Elara warned me cautiously, "You need to watch out for Chloe. I can feel her hostility toward you. It feels like she's waiting for the perfect opportunity to make a massive move against you." I just laughed. After the first two massive comparisons, I knew I had long since become Chloe's ultimate enemy. As for what she was waiting for... I knew exactly what she was waiting for. She was waiting for the 'Boyfriend' selection to unlock. I thought the timing was still a while off, but I never expected that on the very first day of university, Chloe would find a boyfriend who would make everyone incredibly jealous.
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