The Cold Beauty's Rebirth

The cafeteria was as grand as the rest of Huaxia Elite Academy, with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and large windows letting in streams of golden sunlight. Students from prestigious families dined at their designated tables, conversations filled with quiet ambition and veiled arrogance.

As Qingxue, Qiuhan, Zhao Lihua, and Li Shen walked in together, whispers trailed behind them.

"Leng Qingxue and Leng Qiuhan… they really are different."

"I heard they got perfect scores on their first test. Even the teachers were shocked."

"Li Shen's talking to them? That's rare."

"They don't seem interested in making connections, though."

Qiuhan barely spared the murmurs a glance, while Qingxue walked with her usual unshakable calm. Lihua, however, smirked. "Looks like you two are already celebrities."

"Unnecessary attention," Qingxue replied.

Li Shen chuckled. "It's only natural. In a place where power and talent decide your worth, you two stand out."

Qiuhan gave him a side glance. "And yet, you're still here."

Li Shen's golden eyes gleamed with amusement. "Because I know value when I see it."

Before Qiuhan could respond, a sickeningly sweet voice interrupted.

"Xue Xue~"

Qingxue stopped mid-step, her silver-blue eyes flickering toward the source of the voice. Leng Ruolan approached with her usual delicate smile, her long lashes fluttering as if she were the picture of innocence.

The cafeteria quieted slightly, curious gazes turning their way.

Ruolan clasped her hands together, tilting her head in a way that made her seem fragile. "I've been meaning to talk to you, but you always seem so busy. Can we sit together today?"

Lihua's expression immediately darkened, while Qiuhan let out a barely audible scoff. Li Shen, watching the exchange with mild interest, leaned closer to Qingxue and muttered, "She's persistent."

Qingxue, unfazed, placed her tray on an empty table and sat down without acknowledging Ruolan's request.

Qiuhan followed suit, his indifference sharp as he casually picked up his chopsticks. "You don't need to pretend, Ruolan. We don't have time for your games."

Ruolan's smile faltered for a fraction of a second before she quickly recovered. She let out a soft, almost wounded sigh. "I don't understand why you two always treat me like this. We're family."

Lihua rolled her eyes. "Family? Since when? I must've missed the part where cousins suddenly became long-lost siblings."

Several students nearby snickered. Ruolan's expression stiffened, but she kept up the act, glancing at Qingxue with a pleading look. "Xue Xue, you—"

"I don't recall giving you permission to call me that," Qingxue interrupted, her voice cool and sharp.

A hushed silence followed.

Ruolan's fingers curled slightly against her skirt, her face barely maintaining its sweetness. But before she could formulate a response, a light chuckle broke the tension.

"Interesting."

All eyes shifted toward the source—Xu Tianyi.

He sat a few tables away with his sister, Xu Yiran, who sipped her tea quietly, her violet eyes flickering with subtle amusement.

Tianyi, ever the picture of mischief, leaned back in his chair with a smirk. "For someone who claims to want peace, you sure enjoy stirring up scenes, Miss Leng."

Ruolan stiffened. It wasn't often that someone directly called her out.

Xu Yiran finally spoke, her voice calm yet cutting. "You should choose your audience more carefully next time."

Ruolan's smile froze.

Qingxue, meanwhile, lifted her teacup to her lips, sipping calmly. She had already seen through the Xu siblings' act of neutrality.

They had been watching.

And now, it seemed, they were ready to reveal themselves—piece by piece.