4

"I wonder what kind of monster could scare you like that," the boy said, handing a towel to Shuran.

She lowered her head, unsure what to say. Slowly, she wiped the sweat off her face with the towel. Just thinking about Gao Yuanyuan and Fang Junlin together made her sick to her stomach. Before she realized it, her hand was clenched tightly around the towel, the water slowly soaking into the blanket beneath her.

The boy simply stood quietly to the side, watching her. He was genuinely curious—what kind of nightmare could make such a small person explode with that much force? Judging by how lost she looked, the nightmare clearly came straight from her real life.

Shuran's pretty eyes soon welled up with tears. She forced herself not to cry. That man wasn't worth it—crying over him was pointless. If life had given her a second chance, she sure as hell wouldn't live like a doormat again. At the very least, she wasn't going to let Gao Yuanyuan walk all over her this time.

"Why are you crying?" the boy frowned. "Did someone mess with you?"

"This is the last time I cry. I swear, never again," Shuran said coldly, like she was making a vow.

"…"

With the boy's silent approval, she finally let herself cry. But he quickly regretted it—this girl cried like he didn't even exist, loud and unfiltered, like a pig being slaughtered. Thankfully, it didn't last long. Ten minutes tops, and she quieted down.

"Why are you still here?" Shuran asked, surprised, wiping her tears and pulling herself together. She looked up to find the boy still standing next to her.

He rolled his eyes. She didn't even say thank you and was already trying to send him off. With a sigh, he looked at her and said, "You seem a lot better now. You're still running a fever, so get some rest. I'm heading out."

"Oh," Shuran responded softly. As he was just about to reach the door, she added in a gentle voice, "Thank you."

The boy paused, hands stuffed in his pockets, and slowly walked away. A lazy smile tugged at his lips, making his already handsome face even more striking. The sunlight caught in his soft, wavy black hair, casting a glow that made everything else seem dull by comparison.

Shuran flopped back onto the bed. After a long while, she suddenly realized—she never even asked his name. She tried to search her memory, but nothing about his face came up. Total blank.

Lying there, staring at the white ceiling—where cracked paint revealed ugly patches of gray brick—she finally began to settle down. Only now did she fully grasp her current situation.

She had been reborn. Reborn back to when she was twelve.

A bitter smile tugged at her lips.

Given this second chance… could she really change her fate?

She didn't know how much time passed before she heard the click of high heels echoing outside. The school nurse walked in holding a clipboard and jumped slightly at the sight of a student on the bed.

"Where do you feel unwell?" the nurse asked, her concerned eyes warming Shuran's heart.

"I think I have a fever," Shuran said softly, reaching her hand out from under the covers and gently pressing it to her forehead, her voice a little tender and hoarse.

The nurse noticed the flush on her face and quickly placed a cool hand on her forehead. She then stood up and spotted a water basin and towel already sitting in the room.

"You got that water yourself?" she asked, surprised.

Shuran didn't want to explain much. She simply nodded. "Yeah. I used it twice to cool down and felt a bit better, so I got back in bed."

"Not many kids your age know how to use cold compresses for a fever," the nurse said, wringing out the towel and laying it on Shuran's forehead again. "I'll go get you some medicine. Just lie here and rest, okay?"

"Okay."

Hearing how obedient Shuran sounded, the nurse glanced at her again. Despite the messy twin braids and tangled hair hiding most of her delicate features, you could still see her natural beauty if you looked closely.

There's an old saying: children from poor families grow up faster.

This kid knew how to cool a fever on her own. She probably didn't come from an easy background.

The nurse sighed and opened a cabinet, pulling out some fever medicine. She poured some warm water from a thermos and walked back over. When she saw Shuran struggling to sit up, she quickly placed the medicine and water on the nightstand and helped her up.

"Careful, the water's hot," the nurse said as she passed the medicine to her. "Once you're home, keep drinking plenty of warm fluids. Don't eat anything cold."

"Got it," Shuran replied sweetly. She took the medicine and drank all the water, then licked her dry lips. "Ma'am, I'm still thirsty. Can I have more water?"

"Of course." The nurse patted her head and went to refill the cup. Just as she turned around, she saw Teacher Zhou Li walk in with a woman.

"Well, look who's here," the nurse teased. "What brings you to the infirmary, Teacher Zhou?"

"One of my students wasn't feeling well, and her mom came to check on her, so I brought her over," Zhou Li said. When she saw Shuran's flushed cheeks, she was visibly startled.

"Ranran, how are you feeling?" the woman behind her rushed to the bedside, grabbing Shuran's small hand and rubbing it anxiously. "Tell Mom where it hurts."

Zhou Li turned to the nurse and asked, "What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing serious, just a fever. I gave her medicine already. She should be fine after resting tonight," the nurse replied, handing a warm cup of water to the woman by the bed. "Make sure she drinks plenty of fluids."

"Of course. Thank you." The woman gratefully took the cup and said to Shuran, "Be a good girl and drink it all."

Shuran looked at her mother—who appeared to be in her early thirties. Her elegant face now showed traces of fine lines. Taking the cup, Shuran drank the water slowly, like a docile child.

The nurse frowned as she watched the woman. Dressed in designer clothes and glittering jewelry, she clearly came from money. But her daughter looked like she had been neglected for years. The contrast made the nurse's eyes fill with silent contempt.

She tugged Zhou Li's sleeve and signaled her to step outside. In a lowered voice, she asked, "Is that woman really her mother? Like, biologically?"

She wasn't trying to gossip—she was genuinely puzzled. If she were a stepmother, this would all make sense. But judging by how doting and concerned the woman was, she didn't seem like a typical "evil stepmother." It was confusing.

"You know Gao Yuanyuan, right?" Zhou Li glanced at her and whispered.

"That's her?" The nurse's eyes widened in surprise. She turned back to look at the woman's back, her expression growing even colder.