I've been reborn.

Beneath me is a familiar, yet strange, soft bedding, and the acrid smell of disinfectant no longer fills my nostrils. I sit up and the tear-like pain on my body is gone, my body is as good as new.

I squint, the calendar placed near the window makes it clear to me that I am seventeen this year.

Seventeen, no longer a pawn in a commercial marriage, no longer to be manipulated.

My new life, everything is still possible.

The calendar shows today is July 2nd, the day of the placement test for Mingli High School.

I walk down the spiral staircase, hearing my stepmother Yu Wan coaxing her son gently, "Mingxi, remember to do well on the test, and don't forget to take your sister with you. Your sister just arrived in B City and knows nothing, you have to help her."

Qi Mingxi mumbled, "She's from the countryside and knows nothing, I'll lose face if I have to bring her with me."

Yu Wan looked like she wanted to scold him, but was stopped by my father Qi Jun, "Ah, forget it, forget it, he's just a child. Besides, in terms of grades, Xiao'an really can't compare to Mingxi. Forget about the education in the countryside, luckily Xiao'an is a girl and can marry into a good family in the future, and help Mingxi, it's not in vain that I brought her back to raise."

Yu Wan smiled gently, Qi Mingxi's face also showed a triumphant smile, the three of them downstairs all seemingly happy, as if they had completely forgotten how they came by their happiness.

Two months ago my biological mother passed away from cancer, and that's when Qi Jun decided to bring me to B City.

Then, I discovered that in this house, there is a younger brother who is only six months younger than me, and a beautiful stepmother.

In my past life Yu Wan was sweet but hurtful, and my younger brother Qi Mingxi was always setting traps for me, and drugged me to miss my college entrance exam, turning me into a pawn for Qi Jun's commercial marriage.

Even when I died from obstructed labor, it was definitely part of this mother and son's plan.

While I was still pondering, Qi Mingxi had already noticed me on the spiral staircase and shouted loudly, "Hey, why don't you come down? What are you standing there looking at, you hillbilly!"

He insulted me so blatantly, but Qi Jun seemed to ignore it, and only Yu Wan made a show of scolding him for a moment.

Perhaps my long silence had also caught Qi Jun's attention, and he impatiently said to me, "You stand there so early in the morning, have you no manners!"

I look at Qi Jun, I inherited a lot of his features, yet he never seemed to see me as his daughter.

In my past life, because of the drugged water, I made a fool of myself in the college entrance exam hall. When I was sent to the hospital, Qi Jun rushed over and, without hesitation, slapped me.

As the slap landed, I saw the affected but excited expression of Yu Wan, and the ruthless, unloving look of Qi Jun.