Who Would Be the Wicked Female Lead?

When Yu Ersui was five, she unexpectedly became an orphan and was adopted by one of her father's comrades.

When she arrived at the Qiu family home, their younger daughter had just gone missing, and the whole family was in turmoil.

A few days later, news came that the little girl had died.

Rumors outside ran rampant, and Yu Ersui, new to the family, was instantly put in an awkward position.

Yu Ersui didn't understand why people called her so many things: "fake heiress," "imitation," "ungrateful wretch"...

She understood even less why everyone was so certain she would grow up to be a bad person, then be exposed and thrown out by the Qiu family.

But she noticed that people seemed to love meddling in other people's lives.

At five, she was too young to understand what it meant to be a "substitute," but Yu Ersui thought Uncle Qiu and Aunt Hong were good people. If treating her as their deceased daughter would make them a little happier, then that would be nice.

After all, she really had nothing to repay them with.

But they told her again and again, "Keke is Keke, and Suisui is Suisui. No one can take someone else's place."

Her older brother, Qiu Ang: "Keke isn't here, so we can't just touch her toys. But you can play with any of mine."

Her younger brother, Qiu Yupuj: "Yay! I have another big sister! I'm happy, and Keke is happy too!"

Yu Ersui felt awkward and uneasy in the face of love that asked for nothing in return.

Words might be misleading, but there was a long road ahead.

It's okay. Take it one step at a time.

*

Mu You had loved putting on airs since he was little. He wore a pair of fake-frame glasses all day to look cultured, and did it so convincingly that he became the "other people's kid" parents always talked about.

Just as he was congratulating himself on his successful act, a little brat showed up and broke his glasses. Now everyone knew he wasn't severely nearsighted from studying too hard after all.

He'd lost both face and dignity, while she had no idea what she'd done wrong!

Yu Ersui couldn't figure out why her new friend was acting so strangely. Every time he saw her, he gave her a sinister look.

She'd already apologized and even bought him a new pair of frames, but he stuck to her like glue and wouldn't leave no matter how much she tried to get rid of him.

When Yu Ersui ignored him, Mu You: (¬_¬)

When Yu Ersui invited him to play, Mu You: (⦩_⦨)

"..." What do you even want?

Qiu Ang walked in, sweaty and carrying a basketball, then grabbed a bottle of mineral water and gulped it down.

Qiu Yupuj, Yu Ersui, and Mu You came running in one after another.

As he passed Qiu Ang, Qiu Yupuj pinched his nose and said with disdain, showing his brother no mercy: "You stink!"

Yu Ersui was put off by the smell too, and hurried past without mercy. "You stink!"

Mu You kept a straight face and copied them. "You stink."

The mineral water bottle in Qiu Ang's hand crinkled as he squeezed it.

Narrowing his eyes at the three little tykes running off into the distance, he retaliated: "Chubby! Mushroom! Four-eyes!"

Three voices called back in unison from far away: "Whatever!"

*

A friend told Yu Ersui that the cool, top-of-the-class student seemed to have a crush on her.

Yu Ersui replied that they weren't close, and people shouldn't spread rumors.

In high school, Yu Ersui was quiet and indifferent, as if nothing mattered to her. She was just the kind of adopted daughter living under someone else's roof that Xu Mu had imagined.

Xu Mu did like Yu Ersui, but she wasn't his first choice.

He always left what he could get easily until last.

It wasn't until he saw Yu Ersui with her family and real friends that Xu Mu realized her calm wasn't the nervous kind. She was unflappable, the way a child raised in love could afford to be.

Xu Mu felt a sudden panic. They would soon be going to different places for college, so he decided to confess.

Xu Mu arranged to meet Yu Ersui through a high school classmate. As they walked along a lakeside path beneath the hazy moonlight, they unexpectedly came across another group preparing a confession.

While everyone crowded around to watch, the boy tasked with handing flowers to the person making the confession stumbled over something and ended up kneeling in front of Yu Ersui.

The entire crowd fell silent.

After a long moment, Xu Mu watched in shock as Yu Ersui smiled, took the flowers from the boy, and softly said, "Thank you. I really like them."

Qiu Ang, who had actually planned to confess, twitched an eyebrow. Qiu Yupuj, who had been about to hand Qiu Ang a gift, stared in disbelief. And Mu You, still kneeling on the ground, screamed inwardly: Aaaaaah, she really does like me! Aaaaaah!

Only later did Xu Mu learn that the boy that night was Yu Ersui's childhood friend, and that he was now her boyfriend.

*Happy ending, one-on-one romance, childhood friends who bicker like rivals

*Looks indifferent but is secretly calculating × appears proper but is secretly a poser

Theme: Everyone should grow up well.