C2 2

To be honest, during high school, Qu Menghan was cute and charming but did not really stand out. She was shy and kept to herself, rarely interacting with others, which meant she did not have many friends. Girls like her, who barely registered on anyone's radar, rarely caught the attention of the boys in school. Besides, a person's aura could really affect how they were perceived. It was hard to imagine how someone like me, a slacker with poor grades, became her only friend during those years. In a past life, I felt sorry for Qu Menghan, whose life was full of hardships. I sympathized, lamented, and even regretted not doing more. But now, having been given a second chance, I, Wang Qi, could change Qu Menghan's fate and rewrite both of our life stories. Right now, I had an incredible advantage over others. I had already established a strong foundation in Qu Menghan's heart, and no one else knew that she would grow into someone truly extraordinary. Accepting my reincarnation, I smiled confidently, ready to take action. "Why are you crying? I'm sorry, did I hurt you? It's all my fault for being so careless," Wang Qi said. He released Qu Menghan from his embrace and gently brushed her forehead with concern. "Huh? No... no," Qu Menghan stammered, flustered by Wang Qi's tenderness. "Hold on a sec," Wang Qi said. He quickly jogged back to his seat, grabbed a can of banana milk from his desk, and hurried back to Qu Menghan. "Didn't have time for breakfast? Here, have some milk," Wang Qi said with a soft chuckle as he handed the banana milk to Qu Menghan. "What? I... I don't..." Qu Menghan was at a loss. She had never experienced such kindness from others and instinctively wanted to refuse. "Hmm?" Wang Qi's smile faded slightly, and he raised an eyebrow when he saw Qu Menghan's hesitation. Her hand, which was about to return the milk, froze midair, not daring to move forward. "Oh, th-thank you," Qu Menghan stammered, nervously glancing at Wang Qi, worried about upsetting him. "That's better. Go ahead and drink it," Wang Qi said, smiling again as he playfully ruffled Qu Menghan's hair. Throughout the exchange, Qu Menghan was like a timid kitten, unable to resist Wang Qi's gestures. She could only accept passively, her lively eyes the only part of her that moved.

It was not until Wang Qi walked away that Qu Menghan silently watched his retreating figure, lowering her head with a shy smile. What she did not know was that Wang Qi had been watching her out of the corner of his eye, and seeing her smile like that made his heart race. In his past life, how had he missed discovering this gem of a girl? Clearly, the earlier little incident had put Wang Qi in a great mood. As he sat back in his seat, he hummed a tune and pondered his grand plans for making a fortune. Having been reborn, it was not an exaggeration to call him a prophet. With this second chance at life, Wang Qi felt he might even have a shot at rivaling the world’s richest person from his previous life. This time around, he was determined to become the master of his own world. "Ugh, what were the winning numbers for the Powerball jackpot again? What big events happened in 2003?" At that moment, Wang Qi was frustrated with himself, wishing he had played the lottery or kept up with the news in his past life. Instead, he had spent his time pulling all-nighters at internet cafes or catching up on sleep at his desk. "Wang Qi, where’s today’s lollipop and banana milk?" Just as Wang Qi was scratching his head in frustration, a voice that was both unfamiliar and familiar rang in his ears. Looking over, Wang Qi felt his heart being gripped by an invisible hand. There stood Zhang Wantine, the acknowledged beauty of Yuandu High, and the girl Wang Qi had once longed for but never won over. If Wang Qi was Qu Menghan’s entire youth, then Zhang Wantine was Wang Qi’s. He had done everything a devoted admirer could do, bringing her breakfast, snacks, and saving his pocket money to take her out for fast food. Finally, after graduation, Wantine agreed to Wang Qi’s pursuit, and they both went off to college in the big city. Just as Wang Qi was working hard and planning their future together, Wantine broke up with him. The next time they met was at a class reunion, where Wang Qi learned that Wantine had been dumped by her wealthy husband. She was back in her hometown, raising two kids on her ex-husband’s alimony. She thought about remarrying, but it is tough to go from riches to rags. Having lived the high life, Wantine found herself in a dilemma: those she was interested in were not interested in her, and those who were interested in her did not meet her standards. She even considered rekindling things with Wang Qi.

But by then, Wang Qi had moved on. Because of Zhang Wantine, every time Wang Qi thought back to his high school days, he wished he could slap himself. He questioned why he had wasted so many years on someone like her. "What about the lollipops and banana milk?" Already irritated, thinking about those unpleasant memories only made Wang Qi more annoyed. "You used to bring me banana milk and lollipops every day..." Zhang Wantine said. She had never seen Wang Qi even frown before; he was always smiling brightly in front of her. "Do I owe you something? Move aside, you're annoying me!" Wang Qi waved his hand impatiently, clearly uninterested in engaging with her. Now, where was I? Real estate? Bitcoin? What were the housing prices in the Imperial Capital back in 2003? "Hmph! I'm never speaking to you again!" Zhang Wantine was furious at Wang Qi's attitude. She stomped her foot and turned away with a huff, though her pace was not exactly hurried. Her thoughts were simple. She figured that if she got upset, Wang Qi would chase after her to make amends, giving her a chance to make things difficult for him. Those who are favored often act without fear. But little did she know, with his past experiences, Wang Qi genuinely did not want to deal with her anymore. After a few steps, seeing Wang Qi still sitting there, unmoved, was too much for the proud Zhang Wantine to bear. With her good looks and excellent grades, she was used to being admired everywhere. How could Wang Qi ignore her? At that moment, Zhang Wantine noticed Qu Menghan in the front row, sipping a banana milk drink, just like the ones Wang Qi used to bring her, complete with a heart drawn on it with a marker. Wang Qi actually gave his banana milk to her? How could Zhang Wantine stand that? "Who said you could drink that? It's mine," Zhang Wantine snapped, her voice sharp with irritation. She quickly stepped in front of Qu Menghan, reaching out to grab the banana milk from her hands. "I'm sorry. I..." Qu Menghan stammered, her grip slipping as the banana milk spilled across the desk. Even though it was not her fault, Qu Menghan, who was naturally shy, hurried to apologize. In an instant, the noisy classroom fell silent, and all eyes turned to the two girls. Among them was Wang Qi.

The little girl’s thoughts were simple. She had originally figured that if she got angry, Wang Qi would chase after her and coax her, and she could use the opportunity to make things difficult for him.

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