Yuan Pan had stayed here for two days before she left, saying someone would come to pick her up. Believing she could bring benefits to the family, her father began to treat her well. Full of hope, she waited, anticipated, and finally, the person Yuan Pan had sent to fetch her arrived. She put on beautiful clothes she had never seen before, rode in cars and airplanes that she had only seen on the black-and-white TV in the village chief’s house, and went to a city that was colorful and bustling, like something out of a dream. Two aunts took care of her and protected her well, but Yuan Pan never came to see her. Once, while she was sleeping, she overheard a conversation between the two aunts saying Yuan Pan had found a better candidate and was planning to send her back to the mountain village. The dream ended as quickly as it began, and before she could react, she was back in that small mountain village. Yuan Pan had given her family a sum of money, but this did not satisfy her father. Upon discovering the reason from the staff—that she had been replaced by a better child, unable to bring benefits or change the family’s circumstances—her father’s daily beatings followed. From that moment, she harbored a grudge against that person. She didn’t know what she looked like, only that the staff had mentioned her name... Ji Yunya, a girl who lived like a princess. Did she know that a mere whim of hers had changed the destiny of a girl living like a dog? She was so high above, while she was as wretched as an ant. As Yun Ya basked in the praise and affection of everyone, she hid in a dark corner of the mountain village, silently shedding tears. She had taken away her only chance to change her destiny. She couldn’t reconcile herself with it, truly, she couldn’t. At the age of seven, her father died in a drunken fall off a cliff. By ten, her grandmother passed away from illness, and she was sent to an orphanage in a nearby town. At eleven, she was adopted by a kind couple who were not wealthy but unable to have children of their own. The year after she was adopted, her foster mother suddenly became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter, which made her position in the home become awkward. Despite this, for many years, she was clothed and fed without worries. Her foster parents were decent to her. Later, her foster father went into business and made some money. The family moved to Jiangzhou, and she made an effort, getting admitted to Jiangzhou’s best private high school with excellent grades. Only by doing so could she avoid being kicked out by her foster parents. One day, she saw the name Ji Yunya in the newspaper, a nightmare hidden in her heart for more than a decade. It dropped her into a terrifying abyss. She struggled and wandered, but could never find a way out. When the light of dreams shone into the harsh reality, the result was like looking through a magnifying glass ten times over—the cruelty was infinitely magnified. She watched the TV station’s entrance every day, followed Yuan Pan, learned his home address, and arranged an "accidental" encounter. She made it seem like Yuan Pan recognized her "casually". She described her tragic background, hinting that it was because of his failure to keep his promise that her family fell apart and died. Sure enough, Yuan Pan felt guilty. Seeing her voice and appearance were decent, he suggested she sign up for his music talent show, promising to do his utmost to make her famous and make up for the past. Yuan Pan was indeed good to her, giving her all the resources at his disposal, even signing her to Donghui in an unprecedented move, just wanting her to have an easier time under his patronage. Furthermore, there was insider news that he was about to be promoted to head of the station. With him at the helm, no one inside the station would dare to offend him. With the backing of the TV station head, her path in the entertainment industry surely would be stable. Of course, this was provided she didn’t encounter someone named Ji Yunya. Her future as a star was bound to be smooth sailing. "I’ve finally understood," said Yun Ya, finally grasping the source of Xue Chengcheng’s hatred toward her. Yet she found it laughably absurd. Indeed, she had always been on a pedestal, getting whatever she wanted with a mere gesture, completely unaware that for others, it was the only chance to change their fate. Even knowing this, should she pity her, sympathize with her, and then go easy on her? "It’s ridiculous to blame me for not being born into a better life. Your grievance is ludicrous. It was because of me that Yuan Pan had the idea to do the show; I was the first one he approached. But my family objected, so he had to settle for you as a backup. When my family agreed to let me join the show, you, the spare, were naturally kicked aside. No matter how hard a vile person tries, they can never change the vileness deep in their bones. It’s hilarious that a Cinderella dreams of being Snow White, when reality will tell you, there’s never a prince to awaken you. As long as I, Ji Yunya, am here, you will never have a place to stand." Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on novel•fire.net Yun Ya’s cold, mocking voice rose like a curse in Xue Chengcheng’s ears.