Zeng Hongjie looked at Jiang Lin in surprise, “We’re just writing about your real achievements. What’s there to worry about? I’m not asking you to pretend to be a scientist or a dance queen. What’s there that you can’t handle?”

Jiang Lin was speechless.

“Fine, you know best. The pen is in your hands,” she thought.

Zeng Hongjie put a hand on her shoulder and smiled, “Just like Captain Cheng, I’m infatuated with you. I’ll make sure the writing is heartfelt, sincere, and truly moving, with no exaggerations.”

Zeng Hongjie and her team were incredibly efficient. Once they settled on the theme, they quickly began writing.

The first issue of the “Campus Beauty Series” featured the Campus Flower of Architecture.

The second and third issues were planned, and Jiang Ling would definitely not be featured, as she had no distinct personality or achievements.

The campus newspaper dedicated an entire issue to introducing the Campus Flower of Architecture.

Besides the articles written by Zeng Hongjie and her team, there were also submissions from other students, poems from admirers, and even a few small works from the twin children, Dabao and Xiaobao.

The twins were somewhat famous at Provincial University—beautiful, smart, humorous, and excellent dancers.

Their participation in dances always attracted many attendees.

Showcasing their talents in the newspaper earned them waves of praise, and some people even came to Jiang Lin to express their admiration, envious of her outstanding children.

Compared to these talented children, Jiang Ling’s achievements seemed insignificant.

The newspaper’s extensive coverage meant that many people learned about Jiang Lin’s suggestions to the municipal office, and some mothers who benefited from her advice personally thanked her.

Jiang Lin had originally just wanted to attend university, find a good job, and live a happy life.

Now, with Zeng Hongjie and the team pushing her to excel, she felt embarrassed to slack off.

How could she fail to live up to everyone’s praise?

With such a serious and dedicated portrayal in the newspaper, Jiang Lin felt a bit shy, while Jiang Ling was stunned.

Originally, Jiang Ling thought that criticizing Jiang Lin would make her classmates sympathize with her, boosting her own fame while tarnishing Jiang Lin’s reputation.

Instead, the smear campaign against Jiang Lin backfired, with Jiang Ling being criticized as malicious, scheming, and manipulative.

Negative reviews poured in, and even her supporters dwindled.

Not only that, but the additional benefits Jiang Ling enjoyed as a school beauty began to fade.

Previously, people invited her to events, associations, and exhibitions because she was the school beauty and a beautiful painter.

Now, hearing about her unscrupulous behavior, stepping on others to rise, their impressions changed, and they refused her participation.

Soon, Jiang Ling went from being a joint school beauty of the provincial university to becoming a malicious “black flower,” a topic of gossip among classmates.

When she went to the cafeteria, people would watch her and then dismissively say, “Hmph, I thought she was someone special, but she’s just like this!” Her female classmates also ostracized her, excluding her from activities.

She used to look down on them, but now they excluded her, saying, “Isn’t she good at manipulating boys? Let her do everything with them.”

…

After a while, Jiang Ling felt like she was going crazy.

She couldn’t lose everything she had worked so hard for.

She had to find a way to recover.

One afternoon, she rode her bike to the old town.

The alleys there were winding, and the houses stood close together.

She arrived at the door of a house and knocked. After a moment, someone came to open the door.

As soon as the door opened, Jiang Ling started to cry, “Yiyi, please help me.”

The person who opened the door was Meng Yiyi.

She had lost a lot of weight since Jiang Ling last saw her, and the baby fat on her face was completely gone.

Her demeanor was now somber, with a slightly cold look in her eyes.

Her voice, which used to be gentle and sweet, now carried a chilly tone. “How many times have I told you not to act on your own and do something stupid!”

“She pushed me too far. We are both school beauties. Why did she have Lu Hang humiliate me?” Jiang Ling was furious, unable to swallow her anger.

“With your stupidity, you still dream of becoming a nationally famous beautiful painter in ten years? Posting big posters, do you think that’s clever? The Cultural Revolution is over, and the Gang of Four has fallen. Who do you think you’re fooling with that? Are you in a hurry to die?”

“I… I was just so angry and wanted to ruin her reputation…” Jiang Ling had been brainwashed by Meng Yiyi into believing she should trample on Jiang Lin and that she was superior to Jiang Lin.

“I think you should just go back to being a toy for old men!”

“No, no, Yiyi Jie, don’t ignore me. Please ask my brother to help me. I promise I’ll be obedient from now on and won’t act on my own anymore.” Jiang Ling was panicking.

If she were abandoned, she’d have to return to the poor, backward mountain village and might never escape it again.

She didn’t want to go back to that place filled with crime, darkness, and humiliation.

No matter the cost, she wanted to stay in this glamorous world.

Meng Yiyi looked at her with disgust. “You originally resembled her a bit. Using the campus beauty title helped you gain fame quickly. Once you were famous, you should have focused on studying and improving your skills so that your ability matched your reputation. That way, your fame wouldn’t be fleeting, and you could have greater opportunities in higher circles. But now…”

“Yiyi Jie, teach me. I promise I won’t mess up again, ever,” Jiang Ling pleaded.

Meng Yiyi sat silently on the bench.

Jiang Ling’s biggest flaw was her lack of patience.

Having struggled and been insecure since childhood, she finally climbed out to become a university student but became arrogant and dismissive of everyone.

Now that she had fallen, she was learning the hard way.

Even with foreknowledge, success wasn’t guaranteed, especially without patience.

Since being sent to prison by Cheng Rushan and Jiang Lin, Meng Yiyi had learned an important lesson: patience is crucial.

She shouldn’t have rushed to target Jiang Lin or impatiently tried to win over Cheng Rushan.

She shouldn’t have…

She had made many mistakes.

Although her time in prison was painful, it was also an opportunity to reflect and think about her future path.

To ensure Bian Haitao would bail her out, she had confided in him, though she didn’t dare reveal that she had been reincarnated.

She feared Bian Haitao might have other negative thoughts.

To avoid trouble, she said she could see future development directions and parts of the future of those close to her, though this future could change based on different choices.

Her decision was correct.

For Bian Haitao, accepting the idea of altering the future was easier than accepting that he had already died once in reality.

Everything she had predicted came true, so Bian Haitao accepted her explanation and believed it wholeheartedly.

Early last year, he finally agreed to get her out of prison and let her live in this courtyard, focusing on studying and planning for the future.

She knew she could only rely on Bian Haitao.

Besides him, no one would believe her.

Even if she demonstrated her abilities, there was no guarantee that they wouldn’t imprison her for their own use.

Lost in her thoughts, Jiang Ling grew anxious, fearing that Meng Yiyi would give up on her.

In her desperation, she dropped to her knees and clung to Meng Yiyi’s legs, pleading, “Yiyi, I’ll listen to you from now on. Please, help me.”

Meng Yiyi looked down at Jiang Ling kneeling at her feet, feeling a twisted sense of satisfaction.

After a moment, she said, “From now on, stop competing with her, and don’t emphasize that you are the school beauty.

You need to clean up your act, focus on your painting, and improve your skills as quickly as possible.

When the right opportunity comes, you can shine again.”

Jiang Ling nodded repeatedly, “Yiyi, I’ll do as you say.”

“Remember, if you mess up again,” Meng Yiyi said through gritted teeth, “I can have you brought out, but I can also throw you back into the mud!”

In the past, Jiang Aidi failed to get into vocational school and was tricked by her own brother into becoming a sex worker in the provincial city.

Lu Hang had rescued her then.

In this life, Meng Yiyi saw that Jiang Ling’s face resembled Jiang Lin’s, so she had Bian Haitao find a way to get her out of her hometown and trained her to get into the art academy, changing her name from Jiang Aidi to Jiang Ling in the process.

Meng Yiyi pinched Jiang Ling’s arm hard, making her cry out in pain.

“Pain will help you remember not to make mistakes and not to fall back into the mud pit!”

“I know, I know,” Jiang Ling sobbed, holding her face.

“Keep crying like that, be more obedient, and get rid of that arrogant school beauty attitude.”

Once arrogant, now she was meek, gentle, and quiet.

People would notice her change and differences, feel sympathy for her, and pay attention to her again.

Life’s ups and downs create beauty.

When she shined again, she would have a story worth talking about.

“Don’t worry about the trivial matters. Just focus on studying well and make sure you rank in the top fifteen in the final exams. As for the campus beauty competition, it’s not a big deal.

The school hasn’t intervened, which clearly shows it’s just students’ minor disputes. Even if they say you stepped on others to rise, it’s the male students who supported you.

There’s no evidence that you harmed her or caused any real damage, so no one will pursue it further.”

Although Meng Yiyi wasn’t at Provincial University, she was well-informed about the situation.

Someone had already updated her on the details.

With this guidance, Jiang Ling felt more at ease and rode her bike back to school.

As she passed the sports field, she happened to see Jiang Lin and Zeng Hongjie walking and chatting there.

The two beautiful women were so attractive that even other women couldn’t help but admire them.

Jiang Ling glared at them with resentment, feeling as if insects were gnawing at her heart.

Jiang Lin and Zeng Hongjie noticed the unusual gaze and turned to see Jiang Ling standing outside the sports field watching them.

Previously, when Jiang Ling spied on them, she kept her distance or pretended to accidentally pass by, so they didn’t pay much attention.

This time, she was closer and stared directly at them, so Jiang Lin immediately sensed it.

Jiang Ling originally planned to go over and loudly apologize to Jiang Lin to gain sympathy from bystanders, hoping to appear weak.

But remembering Meng Yiyi’s cold gaze, she stopped in her tracks.

She couldn’t afford to offend Meng Yiyi any further; otherwise, she’d face worse consequences.

She quickly got back on her bike and left.

---

Provincial Military District Political Department Office.

In the new era, the government had shifted its focus to economic development, leading to reasonable adjustments in the military. As a result, everyone was busy with meetings.

With each transformation, some rise while others fall.

For some, their prospects end here, while for others, they are just beginning.

The newly established Discipline Inspection Committee had been praised and was highly valued by the leaders.

Additionally, instructions had come to require coordination and supervision among the military, government, and public security departments.

Cooperation departments were to be established, with capable personnel from all parties participating in the work.

Originally, these were opportunities for Bian Haitao, but with Cheng Rushan’s arrival, almost all the opportunities he had hoped for were “taken” by Cheng Rushan, which was infuriating.

Bian Haitao even wondered if his future in the military was over.

Perhaps he should heed Meng Yiyi’s advice and decisively exit the military to seek opportunities in the government, public security, or law.

Given his current position and achievements, he could secure a very good role at the Provincial Public Security Bureau.

Meng Yiyi had told him that the future era is one of economic development.

Decades of peace had made the military primarily a security guarantee, a powerful backdrop, and a deterrent, without the need for active engagement.

Without war, the opportunities for soldiers are limited to training, exercises, disaster relief, and other non-combat roles. Upgrading would require steady perseverance.