Chapter 1

In my previous life, my roommate, Song Kehan, complained that the dorm was too noisy and said she wanted to move out and share an apartment with me.

I believed her.

She borrowed money from me, used my designer clothes, and drove my car around pretending to be a rich heiress, partying and living it up.

After failing too many classes and being expelled, she blamed everything on me.

Because I wouldn't keep giving her money.

Because I wouldn't help her cover up the fact that she'd left school.

Because I was selfish and had watched her suffer without lifting a finger.

I was reborn on that very day.

The moment Song Kehan knocked on my apartment door.

Looking at the fake smile on her face.

This time—

Get lost.

**Chapter 1**

Song Kehan stood outside my apartment.

The smile on her face was so familiar it made me sick.

Her long hair was tied back low. She wore silver-rimmed glasses and clutched two textbooks to her chest.

“Wanning, can I come in and talk to you for a minute?”

Her voice was as gentle and harmless as ever.

My fingers tightened slowly around the doorknob.

Countless memories from my previous life flashed through my mind.

The woman standing in front of me had borrowed more than a hundred thousand yuan from me.

Her father had been hospitalized.

Her mother had been in an accident.

Her younger sister needed tuition.

Every time, she cried until her eyes were red.

She had also secretly taken my Mercedes, driven it to nightclubs, and gone out in my dresses and bags, taking photos to post on social media.

She told everyone her father owned a real-estate company.

That the car was a birthday present.

That the luxury apartment where she lived belonged to her family.

In reality—

Every last thing belonged to me.

She was also the one who failed five courses, skipped class over and over, and lost herself in parties, nightclubs, and men.

In the end, the school expelled her.

Yet on the day she received the notice, she stood in the dorm hallway, pointed at me, and screamed through her tears.

“Lu Wanning, are you happy now?”

“If you'd helped me pay my tuition, if you'd talked to the lecturer for me, do you think I would've been expelled?”

“This is all your fault!”

That day, everyone on our floor came out to watch.

Song Kehan cried as she told them I looked down on her because she was poor.

She said I'd promised to help her, then backed out at the last minute.

She claimed I'd deliberately driven her into a corner.

After that, she spread rumors all over campus that the money I'd lent her had actually been hers, entrusted to me for safekeeping.

She claimed she'd contributed to the cost of my car.

She even said I was jealous that so many male students liked her, and had set out to ruin her.

During my senior year, my recommendation for direct admission to graduate school was jeopardized.

My internship recommendation was withdrawn.

A company that had already sent me an offer demanded an explanation about the posts circulating online.

It took me almost two years to clean up the mess.

And Song Kehan?

I heard that after leaving school, she moved to another city.

She changed her social-media account name.

Then she found herself another rich girl to latch onto.

She carried on living off other people.

But now—

I had been given another life.

I was back in my junior year of college.

September 15.

The very day Song Kehan came to ask me to share an apartment.

I looked at her.

She was still smiling.

“The dorm really is too noisy. You know those girls in beds three and four play games every night. I can hardly study at all.”

“I heard you rent a place off campus. Don't you have a spare room?”

“We're such good friends. Why don't I move in? I'll pay half the rent and utilities. What do you think?”

She made it sound perfectly reasonable.

She had packaged herself as a diligent student whose studies were being disrupted by her roommates.

In my previous life, I'd believed every word.

I thought it would be nice to have a roommate.

We could split the rent and help each other out.

And how had that turned out?

In her very first month, she started borrowing money.

First, five hundred yuan to treat an upperclassman to dinner.

Then two thousand to buy reference books.

Before long, it was five thousand, then ten thousand.

Her excuses grew more and more absurd.

Her family had been in a car accident. Her mother was in the hospital. Her younger brother needed tuition.

Every time, she begged me through tears.

Back then, I was softhearted.

I thought that since we were friends, I should help if I could.

It wasn't until she drove off in my car that I learned she had been pretending to be a rich heiress.

By then, it was too late.

I looked at Song Kehan now.

She was still waiting for an answer.

Her eyes were full of expectation.

She seemed certain I would agree.

I took a deep breath.

“No.”

Song Kehan froze.

For a second, the smile on her face stiffened.

“What? Wanning, what did you say?”

“I said no.”

I repeated it, my voice calm.

“I don't want a roommate. I'm used to living alone.”

Song Kehan's expression tightened.

She pushed her glasses up.

“But—but we're such good friends. And the place is sitting empty. It wouldn't make any difference if I moved in.”

“I really will pay my share. I won't take advantage of you.”

She was starting to panic.

There was a pleading note in her voice.

In my previous life, that pathetic look had been enough to make me give in.

But now—

It only made me sick.

“Song Kehan, was I not clear enough?”

I looked straight into her eyes.

“No means no. I don't owe you a reason.”

Then I slammed the door in her face.

Through it, I heard her standing outside.

She didn't move for a long while.

Then footsteps sounded.

She walked away.

I leaned against the door and closed my eyes.

My palms were slick with sweat.

This was the first time I'd seen her since being reborn.

Those memories were so vivid I could still feel the despair I'd lived through.

But this time—

I wouldn't give her another chance.

**Chapter 2**

The next day, when I went to class, Song Kehan sat two rows behind me.

I could feel her staring at the back of my head.

After class, she hurried after me.

“Wanning, about yesterday—did you misunderstand something?”

She still wore that gentle expression.

But I could see through her now.

“There was no misunderstanding. I just don't want to live with you. That's all.”

I packed up my books and got ready to leave.

Song Kehan fell into step beside me.

“But didn't you say before that living alone felt lonely?”

She said it deliberately, loud enough for the students around us to hear.

The implication was clear: I was going back on my word.

I stopped and turned to her.

“Song Kehan, when did I say that?”

“You…” She faltered. “I remember you saying it at the end of last semester, when a few of us went out to eat.”

I laughed.

“That time I said I got bored living at home alone over the summer and missed how lively campus was.”

“What does that have to do with whether I want a roommate?”

Song Kehan's expression changed.

The students nearby were beginning to realize something was off.

A girl whispered, “Isn't she twisting Wanning's words on purpose?”

Song Kehan heard her.

Her face went bright red.

“I—I just thought…”

“Thought what?”

I cut her off.

“That I'd agree, so you could plant the idea in everyone's head that I'd already said yes?”

“And now you're trying to guilt-trip me and make me feel obligated?”

My words were blunt enough.

Song Kehan's face went pale.

“Wanning, how can you think that about me? I just—I…”

“Just want to live in my place for free?”

I stared into her eyes.

“Or use it as an excuse to borrow money from me?”

As soon as I said that, Song Kehan's pupils contracted.

I caught the flash of panic in her eyes.

I knew it.

That was exactly what she had in mind.

The students around us began whispering.

Song Kehan realized things were going badly. She forced a smile.

“Wanning, you've got it all wrong. I really just want somewhere quiet to study.”

“If it's inconvenient, then forget it.”

She turned and walked away.

Fast.

Her retreating figure looked thoroughly humiliated.

I didn't chase after her.

I didn't explain myself, either.

I'd said what needed to be said.

Now I wanted to see what she would do next.

In my previous life, after I turned her down, she quickly found a second target.

A girl named Zhou Jia, whose family was fairly well-off.

She was honest, easygoing, and her family owned a company.

It took Song Kehan less than a week to become Zhou Jia's best friend.

Then she moved in with her.

After that, it was the same old routine.

Borrowing money. Driving her car. Pretending to be a rich heiress.

I hadn't known any of this in my previous life.

By the time I found out, Song Kehan had already fleeced Zhou Jia.

This time, I would watch and see how she walked into the same trap.

But no one would clean up her mess for her.

That afternoon, I went to the library to study. As I passed the sports field, I saw Song Kehan playing badminton with several girls.

Zhou Jia was among them.

Zhou Jia was average in height, about five foot five, and a little chubby.

She had a particularly kind nature and was always laughing.

In my previous life, after Song Kehan's scheme came to light, Zhou Jia's family lost hundreds of thousands of yuan.

Her parents were so furious they ended up in the hospital.

Zhou Jia herself had to take a year off from school.

I watched Song Kehan drape an arm around Zhou Jia's shoulders on the court.

She was laughing merrily.

Disgust welled up inside me.

That girl was always scheming.

To your face, she'd call you her sister.

Behind your back, she'd treat you like an ATM.

I took out my phone and messaged Zhou Jia.

We weren't especially close, but we knew each other.

We'd taken an elective together and once worked on the same group project.

We'd added each other on WeChat.

“Zhou Jia, would you have dinner with me tonight if you're free? There's something I'd like to talk to you about.”

She replied quickly.

“Sure, Wanning. I was actually hoping to chat with you too. I've been feeling a bit stressed about school lately.”

I stared at the screen, thinking about how to approach the conversation.

Should I tell Zhou Jia outright that Song Kehan was a scammer?

No.

I had no proof, and she wouldn't believe me.

Worse, it could backfire and put Song Kehan on her guard.

I had to take my time.

For now, I'd just warn Zhou Jia to be careful.

Then I'd watch Song Kehan reveal her true colors.