A month before the high school entrance exam, I successfully struck a deal with my father, and I became the troublemaker they feared.
Nina would sometimes deliberately trip me up, and my mother would slap my sister, hold her down, and then, with feigned sincerity, say to me, "Sorry, Lucia, Nina didn’t mean to bully you."
There was no real affection, just hollow apologies. But for me, that was enough.
Before the exam, Nina Vance cornered me in the bathroom, her gaze dripping with sarcasm. "You’re so pathetic. Your parents don’t love you at all. Everything you have will become mine."
I didn’t want to engage with her. I just wanted to get out of the bathroom immediately.
Honestly, if she had something to say, why say it in this stinky bathroom?
But she pushed her luck. "Lucia Vance, you’re the outsider! After your college entrance exam, get out. Your parents will never love you. Don’t even think about replacing me."
I grabbed the broom from the bathroom and swung it at her, not with much force, but the broom was stinky.
"Nina!" I shouted hoarsely. "Nina, how can you be so diligent about helping your classmates with their duties?"
"Nina, have you been possessed by something? You never even step into the kitchen at home!" I glared at her and pushed her toward the sink. "Nina, I heard washing your face can fix everything. You can’t be in trouble!"
Nina screamed and cried, protecting her head. "I’m sorry! I was wrong!"
When the exam results came out, I was ranked fifth in the city. My father suggested holding a thank-you party for the teachers. I immediately cursed him out.
"Hold a party?!" I scoffed. "I’ve been here only a month. Who are we thanking? You? Do you even deserve it?"
In my previous life, I did well in exams too. I had a thank-you party where, under the guise of gratitude, my father paraded me like a product, inviting his business partners to show off how clever and well-behaved his daughter was.
He even made me drink with his partners, introducing me to various greasy men.
At not even fifteen, I spent three days recovering after that thank-you party.
This time? He could forget using me to network. I wasn’t playing that game anymore!
My father twitched his lips. "Fine, we won’t do it. Just talk to me properly!"
I was too tired to argue. I called the maid and had her take all my study materials to the Recycling Station to be recycled for money.
When my parents saw this, they suddenly smiled and walked over. "Sweetheart, these are nice things. You should keep them as mementos. Why throw them away?"
"Throw away?" I rolled my eyes. "I’m taking them to recycle for cash!"
Oh, the Recycling Station donates what they collect to children in remote areas.
"Sell what?" My dad pulled out a card and handed it to me. "I’ll buy this. It’s just right for my friend’s kid."
For the sake of the money, I didn’t argue and handed him one of my notebooks. "This one’s enough. Take it."
The notebook was in perfect condition, with neat and organized handwriting.
My mom no longer looked at me with resentment, but with a hint of joy. "Thank you, sweetheart."
I have to admit, under the condition that there’s something in it for them, my cheap parents could be quite likable.
School started, and my dad practically wanted to announce to the world that I was in the city’s top five. He got up early to send me to the best high school, eager to show off to the other parents that his daughter was in the city’s top five.
