"Scram! Jiang Zhiyu, you've mooched off my parents for so many years. Considering you still have clothes on your back, they've been merciful!"
Jiang Zhiyu woke from the floor only to see a girl standing in the corridor. She wore a plain school uniform, her short, sharp hair impeccably clean under a neat set of bangs. Her big eyes were adorable and brimming with cuteness; however, her face told an entirely different story—it was ruthless!
It seemed like she was the one who pushed her down the stairs, yet there was no hint of remorse on her face, only arrogance.
Looking around, she realized she was in a grand mansion! The colossal crystal chandelier hanging in the living room was a blatant display of wealth!
Her head throbbed like being pierced by a needle. Soon, memories that weren't hers began to surface in her mind.
She quickly realized that she had somehow become a character in a novel!
She was now in a novel titled "The True Heiress Gains Internet Fame with the Help of Her Top-tier Brother."
The story revolved around Fu Mingyao, who despite being the heiress of a wealthy family, got switched at birth. It wasn't until she turned eighteen that she was brought back to her true family. Soon after, she gained nationwide popularity through a survival reality show, with her intimate interaction with her top-tier cousin, Zhang Yunling. Using her golden fingers - unique advantages, she brought many men to their knees.
And she, Jiang Zhiyu, unfortunately, assumed the role of the fake heiress with the same name who was sent back to the slums once Fu Mingyao returned.
Determined to avoid the slums, she clung onto the Fu Family with desperation, weeping and wailing, and even attempting suicide. But in the end, she was still sent back to the Jiang Family, who, having known her past, shunned her.
Unable to bear her impoverished life, she ran away in a fit of insanity and ended up being killed by a psychopath.
And at present, she was witnessing the real heiress, Fu Mingyao, returning to the Fu family, ready to drive out the fake heiress, Jiang Zhiyu.
Fu Mingyao, her gaze cold and imperious, lashed out: "You're sticking around the Fu family, hoping that Cousin will still join you in 'Wildness Action', right? I forgot to mention that on my way home, Mom already called to cancel your participation. If you think you can use my cousin to gain popularity, give it up. You're destined to be a pauper for life!"
'Wildness Action' was the show that made Fu Mingyao and her top-tier cousin, Zhang Yunling, breakthrough stars in the novel.
The person originally contracted for the show was Jiang Zhiyu, but who would have thought that now Jiang Zhiyu has been exposed as a fake heiress, the production team naturally switched to someone else at the slightest hint of trouble.
Jiang Zhiyu was already suffering from a headache, and now this commotion has made her headache even worse. She hardened her cold gaze and started walking towards the staircase.
Fu Mingyao was provoked by her cold gaze, thinking that she was planning to stay in the Fu family home. She asked indignantly, "What are you trying to do, Jiang Zhiyu? I advise you to get out of here now! Or else I will have you thrown out!"
Jiang Zhiyu's expression grows cold, she reaches up to touch her ear, "What's the dog barking for? A good dog doesn't block the road. Miss Fu, please make way."
"You?!" Fu Mingyao, trembling with anger, raised her hand to push Jiang Zhiyu.
But Jiang Zhiyu is quicker, directing a kick at her knee.
Fu Mingyao was completely unprepared and found herself tumbling down the stairs exactly like Jiang Zhiyu had.
"Ahhhh!"
A scream echoed through the hallway.
Having finally rolled to the bottom of the stairs, Fu Mingyao covered her bruised legs with her hand, gritted her teeth and glowered at Jiang Zhiyu.
"You're crazy! How dare you kick me!"
Right now, Jiang Zhiyu's beautiful face was full of innocence, yet her narrow phoenix eyes were cold as ice, like a little demon.
"It was clearly you who slipped and fell. You're accusing me of kicking you, but who saw it? Do you have any evidence? If you make false accusations without evidence, I can sue you for defamation."
Fu Mingyao, with her injured leg, was in so much pain that she could hardly stand. She pounded the floor in rage and shouted, "Jiang Zhiyu!"
Jiang Zhiyu glanced at her disdainfully, walked up to Fu Mingyao, bent down and in a dangerous yet soft voice said in Fu Mingyao's ear, "Is the Fu family that great? Since you put it that way, I'm definitely going to do the show!"
Fu Mingyao's eyes welled up with tears, but she didn't forget to make a menacing remark, "I want to see how someone as poor and hapless as you could appear on a show!"
Jiang Zhiyu left with a gleaming smile decorating her face, not a hint of hesitation as she turned away.
Her departing silhouette was light yet definitive, leaving not a speck of dust behind. She had no desire for any of Fu's possessions.
She left the Fu's mansion directly, took a taxi and returned to her rightful place.
Her gaze, like a gentle stream of water, blankly stared out the window at the scenery passing by. The blood stain on her forehead contrasting with her wind-swept hair made her look strikingly fierce and beautiful.
Fu Mingyao indeed didn't go easy on her.
The fall had outright killed the original host.
However, as per the description in the novel, despite Jiang Zhiyu's brothers' impoverished state now, all of them are exceptionally remarkable individuals.
Unfortunately, the original Jiang Zhiyu in the text didn't know her worth and met an untimely demise, hence all rewards went to the female protagonist, Fu Mingyao.
Wouldn't she be living a happy life if she would just return and reconnect with them now?
Jiang Zhiyu lifted her hand to wipe the blood off her forehead, feeling a little dizzy.
The road was a narrow, desolate, and old one, surrounded by a few ragged lampposts. Ruins of demolished houses loomed on both sides, with old garbage piles spewing untidily by the road.
Jiang's family lived in such a place, originally a slum, now entirely vacated except for their lonely dwelling.
It was somewhat difficult to imagine that on the city's edge, there existed such a precarious little tiled hut, covered in dust. The shack only had one window, draped with a ragged, grey curtain.
The entryway to the home was lower than the street, forcing one to bend their waist on entering, otherwise one would undoubtedly bump their head.
She stood at the door, lost for words, but finally, she raised her hand to knock.
But no one answered after a long time, and she couldn't help but knock harder, "Is anyone there? My name is Jiang Zhiyu."
This time the door opened, and the youth she saw was probably just slightly older than her. His eyebrows were dark, his features were handsome and his posture was slender. He was still clad in a school uniform, clean and refreshing. His long, narrow phoenix eyes were particularly delicate, and the tear mole beneath his eyes added a touch of allurement to his already non-ordinary appearance.
Although she had never seen him before, Jiang Zhiyu recognized his identity instantly from the descriptions in the book.
With a smile, she sweetly greeted, “Hello, Fifth Brother.”
Just as her voice fell, suddenly, a mechanical-sounding alert appeared in her mind.