: Basking in Glory

The experiences of being treated as a pushover in my past life flashed before my eyes. I closed my eyes and clenched my fists tightly.

Seeing me not speaking, Lily thought I was hesitating. She approached and tugged at my sleeve while pretending to cry.

"Sister, Mom's words might sound harsh. Allow me to apologize to you on her behalf. However, what Mom said does have a point. Your grades are outstanding, and even if you study for an extra year, you can still get into a good college. However, if I delay my studies for another year, I'm worried I won't even make it to this school."

I shook her hand off and turned calmly to my parents.

"Dad, Mom, I haven't said anything about your favoritism toward Beatrice before, but this time, I must go to this university."

Beatrice was stunned.

She never expected that I, who had always been accommodating and sacrificed everything for her, would take such a firm stance this time.

She suddenly stood up and stared at me fiercely.

"Lily, I've begged you this much, what else do you want from me? How does it help you if I don't go to college?"

I stared at her coldly, without wavering.

"Why should I sacrifice myself to fulfill your dreams? Haven't I sacrificed enough for you since young?"

I could never quite fathom why our parents consistently favored Beatrice so much. Was it solely because she was pretty, had a charming demeanor, and was told by talent scouts when she was young that she would surely become popular in the entertainment industry?

Beatrice was never tasked with any household chores. She could study or play as she pleased, and our parents never objected.

All of the family's attention and resources were focused on Beatrice, even to the extent of sending her to music and dance lessons.

However, she found the lessons too difficult and tiring and was unwilling to learn.

On the other hand, I refused to give up on myself.

During my last year of high school, I requested to stay in the dorms on campus. I'd rise before dawn each day to study, and even when the dorm lights were turned off at night, I'd continue reading with the help of a flashlight.

My grades steadily improved, and by the time of the college entrance exams, I performed exceptionally well, with scores high enough to get into a top-tier university.

As for Beatrice, in the first semester of her senior year, she began an online relationship and used the supplementary study funds our parents provided her to spend every day chatting with her boyfriend at an internet cafe. As a result, her grades continued to plummet.

It was no surprise that she didn't perform well in the college entrance exams.

In the face of my questioning, there was a hint of hesitation on our parents' faces. They had consistently viewed Beatrice as the family's potential breadwinner, attempting to secure her opportunities in commercial gigs and advertisements.

However, considering the multitude of attractive individuals available, and the fact that Beatrice struggled with adversity, she hadn't really contributed much financially to our parents.

Meanwhile, I had already been accepted into a prestigious university, and as long as I studied diligently and didn't make any mistakes during my college years, I was sure to have a bright future.

My mom and dad exchanged a glance, and it appeared that my mom had something to say but was interrupted by my dad.

Dad lit a cigarette and tried gaslighting me. "Lily, I know this isn't fair to you. Over the years, your mom and I have been a bit more lenient toward your younger sister because she's the youngest.

"However, your sister does have a valid point. The reality is that our family's financial situation doesn't permit both of you to go to college simultaneously. Additionally, her academic performance isn't as good as yours, and there's a chance she won't even achieve passing grades this year.

"Lily, I am asking you to consider giving your sister a chance one last time. For the next year, you can focus on your studies, and your mom and I will wholeheartedly support you."

Mom quickly nodded and added, " Yes, I looked into it, and although this school specializes in certain fields, its performing arts department has a good reputation. If your sister gets accepted, it's likely she'll gain recognition, and if that happens, won’t you benefit from it as well?"

Benefit?

I gave Beatrice a sarcastic glance, remembering how she took away my life in the previous life.

Seeing Beatrice in tears and my biased parents, I had no desire to continue arguing. I stood up and coldly said, "I won’t study for another year, and I won't give up on going to college."

For over a decade, I had been silent and obedient. Whenever I faced unfair treatment, my parents would silence me with the phrase, "You're the older sister; you should be more accommodating to your younger sister."

They had never seen me so assertive.

Beatrice appeared to momentarily forget her tears, but soon she grasped the situation and burst into even louder sobs as she rushed into my mother’s arms.

"Mom, why has my sister suddenly changed like this? I'm scared..."

My dad put down his cigarette with an unpleasant expression. "Lily, if you continue treating your sister this way, you will lose all expectation from us. If you insist on going to college, we won't support you financially.”

I wasn't surprised by this outcome. "I don't need your money, and I won't blindly sacrifice for Beatrice anymore."

: Making Money

Because of my refusal, Beatrice locked herself in her room and cried bitterly. My dad glared at me fiercely, as if I were their enemy.

My mom passed by me, deliberately scolding me loudly, "Now that you've grown independent and ruthless, it seems you've forgotten all the years of care and support you've received. It's truly unfortunate to have nurtured someone like you who hides your true nature and aims to block your sister's path to success."

If this had happened in my previous life, I would have felt miserable and guilty, and I would have given up the opportunity to go to school.

Unfortunately, the previous Lily, who had no boundaries when it came to accommodating them, was gone.

I returned to my room in silence, listening to the commotion outside.

My dad knocked on Beatrice's door and comforted her, "Darling daughter, don't be sad. I promise you that we'll do our best to secure your opportunity to go to college, alright?"

My mom also tried to soothe her, "Sweetie, don't compare yourself to Lily. What would you like to eat? I will make it for you, okay?"

Beatrice's response was, "What's the point of eating when I can't even go to school?"

Dad and Mom coaxed Beatrice at her door with food for a long time before finally getting her to come out.

They didn’t prepare or leave any food for me even after they were done eating.

I touched my empty stomach and quietly planned my future. I was sure my parents wouldn't provide me with tuition fees, so if I wanted to attend college, I had to work and save up enough money for the first semester during the summer break.

As for living expenses, I could take on part-time jobs, and if I had enough time, I could even work two jobs. This way, I could save up for the tuition fees for the following semesters.

I entered the realm of dreams with boundless anticipation for the future.

In the middle of the night, I heard noises from the next room.

I knew that Beatrice had sneaked out to call her online boyfriend.

I opened the window slightly, and Beatrice's voice drifted in intermittently.

"I don't know what's gotten into my sister. It's like she's become a different person. Our parents wanted her to study another year, but she insists on going to that lousy university this year."

I listened silently.

Her voice became sharper, "This is infuriating; she's actually competing with me."

A man's voice came from her phone, " Don't get upset, my dear. If she's not using your parents' money, just let her go to college. You're still their favorite princess, you know."

Beatrice, feeling wronged, bit her lip. "If she goes to work, she can give me more pocket money, and then we can go out together."

The man continued to console Beatrice, "It's okay, dear. Today, my parents mentioned that they will be selling their house soon. When that happens, I can take you to whenever you want to go…”

"They are going to sell their house? Is it true?"

Beatrice's voice suddenly rose, filled with joy.

I chuckled softly and closed the window gently.

Beatrice's boyfriend was in his thirties, yet he idled around without doing anything productive. The story about selling the family house was just a lie fabricated to lure young girls into sleeping with him. His only redeeming quality might be his mediocre talent for drawing.

In the past life, approximately a year later, the short video industry started booming. Beatrice used the money I had earned through hard work to hire someone to improve Shawn Kaur's artwork and hired professional photographers for editing. Through a series of actions and Shawn's moderately attractive appearance, she turned him into a brooding artist. Shawn soon gained popularity.

As Shawn gained fame, he became arrogant and reckless, even causing a hit-and-run accident. In order to keep him out of jail, Beatrice moved all the money from my account. During that period, I was in the hospital, disoriented.

When the moment came to settle the hospital bill, I was shocked to find that my card had no funds left. I angrily called Beatrice, but she said, " Sis, I consulted with the doctor, and they said your illness can't be cured even with money. Why go through unnecessary suffering?"

She cried as she continued, "Sis, you have no idea how heartless those people are. It was just a minor accident, but they're demanding twenty thousand dollars for a settlement. Otherwise, Shawn will go to jail.

"Sis, I have no choice. I beg you, please save Shawn!"

Because my hospital expenses had been diverted, I was discharged soon after.

Not long after that, I passed away at home, and Beatrice didn't show any remorse. She told our parents, "Sis had mentioned before she passed away that her illness couldn't be treated, so instead of wasting money in the hospital, she wanted me to have it.

"Mom, Dad, you're aware of Shawn's current popularity. His monthly salary is comparable to our past annual income. I can't let him get ruined in this situation."

Our parents seemed convinced and no longer questioned the cause of my death. Meanwhile, Shawn's scandal didn't escalate because the incident happened at night, and with a substantial settlement, the victims didn't pursue it further.

His short video career continued to flourish.

Beatrice seized the opportunity to market their relationship, and their commercial value soared. They took on advertisements, appeared on TV shows, and made a significant amount of money. I listened to their voices outside the window, envisioning their bright future, and clenched my teeth in frustration.

Just you wait, in this new lease on life, I'll ensure that both of you face the consequences you deserve.

There was a supermarket near my house that needed cashiers, so I went for an interview the next day. The owner initially wanted to hire cashiers who could commit for a long term, but when he learned about my circumstances, he made a special exception and hired me.

One of the main reasons I chose this supermarket was that it was located next to the postal express service. I was afraid that Beatrice might tamper with my acceptance letter, so I wanted to take precautions.

After working at the supermarket for a month, I got to know the employees at the nearby postal express service. I confided in one of them, sharing a secret plan: if my acceptance letter arrived, he should discreetly deliver it to me, and I'd treat him to drinks.

In our small town, people were well aware of each other's affairs. The employee likely deduced the situation as soon as he heard my name, and he willingly agreed to help me.

My hunch was correct. One day, as I was cleaning the cashier counter, Beatrice walked in confidently. She placed a file folder in front of me and said, "Take a look, sis. This is my acceptance letter from my college. Read it carefully, as this might be the last time in your life that you see an acceptance letter for college.

"Our parents will never agree to let you go to college. Give up on that dream," she continued. "Oh, speaking of which, my dear sister who got into a prestigious university, where is your acceptance letter? Let's take a look and compare it to mine."

I replied calmly, "It probably hasn't arrived yet. When it does, I'll show it to you."

Beatrice was taken aback and left in a huff.

Later, a coworker informed me that Beatrice had sneaked into the employee break room and searched through my locker.

She came up empty-handed and left in frustration. I observed her departure, quietly applauding my intelligence. I understood that Beatrice wouldn't be easily deceived by my words alone; she required visual proof of my acceptance letter before relenting. Fortunately, I had concealed it well in advance.

After that, Beatrice came looking for me several times, but she never found my acceptance letter. She assumed that I had failed to get into that prestigious university.

During the summer break, I worked long hours, and my parents thought I was earning money for Beatrice's tuition. They also didn't come across my acceptance letter, thinking that I had given up as well.

Two days before the school year began, I left for work just like any other day. However, what I had actually done was buy a train ticket and travel straight to the city where my university was situated.

Interestingly, my university was right next to Beatrice's university. However, Beatrice didn't care about that. Her only goal in coming to Houston was to be with Shawn.

I heard that on the day of registration, Shawn showed up outside the school with disheveled hair, a cigarette in his mouth, and his motorcycle, attracting the attention of many onlookers.

Beatrice, seeing several girls sneakily eyeing her boyfriend, felt a sense of vanity and satisfaction. She happily rushed towards Shawn and embraced him tightly.

I didn't care about Beatrice and her boyfriend; my main focus was on earning money. I had used all the money I earned during the summer to pay for my tuition, and in order to survive, I had to make money during any free time I had.