The morning light bled through sheer curtains as Xiao Yu lay sprawled on his pink bedsheets, a plush bunny squished under his cheek and his phone held dangerously above his face. His eyes were still crusty from sleep, his hair in a full-blown, gravity-defying mess. But none of that mattered—not when betrayal was staring him in the face.
"WHAT. IS. THIS?!" he shrieked.
On the school forum, the new beauty ranking had just dropped.
Rank
Name
#1
Rong Xichen
#2
Zhao Chen
#3
Akari Meilin
#4
Yu Mian
#5
Li Shuang
#6
Xiao Yu
Six.
Six?!
He had been number one just days ago. Xiao Yu sat bolt upright, the phone almost flying from his hand. "I fell five places?! That's not a fall, that's a violent plummet! I've been defenestrated! Assassinated! Where is the justice?!"
He stomped around his room dramatically, dragging his blanket like a funeral shroud. "Shiroi! SHIROI! I'm being erased from history!"
A small sparkle flashed in the air above his bookshelf. Shiroi materialized with his usual bored expression and a slight pop. He looked at Xiao Yu, now half-covered in a blanket and pink rage.
"I was in the middle of regenerating my wings," Shiroi sighed. "What now?"
"I dropped five places! F-i-v-e!" Xiao Yu held up a trembling hand, fingers splayed like the betrayal they represented. "Yu Mian is fourth now! Fourth! She was sixth before! The audacity, the theft! She's climbing my ladder in stilettos she doesn't deserve!"
Shiroi floated down onto the bed and crossed his tiny legs, unimpressed. "Maybe if you didn't post on forums like a mad gremlin, people wouldn't be afraid to vote for you."
Xiao Yu gasped. "I was fighting for justice!"
"You called her a goblin with extensions."
"Well, I was being kind!" He flopped dramatically onto the floor. "Why didn't I transmigrate before all this?! Why couldn't I come into this world with a clean slate?! No drugging scandals! No nudes! No heartbreak! Now I'm trying to clear my name with the grace of a soggy tissue!"
Shiroi leaned over to poke his cheek. "You did help clear Zhao Chen's image. That counted for something."
"Yeah, for about three minutes. He still looks at me like I'm a cockroach crawling across his piano." Xiao Yu sighed, flopping onto his back. "I don't even want to be number one anymore. I just want her below me."
Shiroi deadpanned. "That's literally wanting to be number one again."
"I'm a Leo, Shiroi. I don't lose. I murder with passive-aggressive grace."
The soft chime of the school bell played from Xiao Yu's phone. He groaned and stood, brushing imaginary dust from his outrageously pink hoodie.
"Fine. I'll go to school. But I'm walking down that hallway like it's a revenge arc."
—
The school hallway buzzed with life as students drifted between classes, gossip rippling like wildfire through the crowd. Xiao Yu entered with his head high, chin lifted like a queen returning from exile. His pink hoodie stood out like a neon protest sign, and his hair had been fluffed to the heavens.
He strutted like it was the Met Gala.
And then—like a cursed script—he locked eyes with Rong Xichen.
The hallway seemed to freeze.
Xiao Yu stopped mid-stride. Rong Xichen was standing just a few feet away, leaning against the wall, surrounded by a quiet tension like gravity bent toward him. His cold gaze met Xiao Yu's with the weight of a thousand unsaid things.
Xiao Yu blinked. Then forced a crooked, dramatic smile.
"Oh, if it isn't the reigning emperor of the beauty list. Congratulations on holding your title, Your Majesty."
Rong Xichen didn't smile. "Still obsessed with that?"
"I'm obsessed with justice," Xiao Yu said, flicking a strand of his hair. "Not that you'd understand, since your face was carved by ancient gods and your reputation was born with a silver spoon."
"You think a ranking makes you important?"
"I think falling five places is a war crime," Xiao Yu hissed, then caught himself. He straightened his hoodie with a dramatic sigh. "But whatever. Enjoy your reign. Just know there's a storm coming."
Rong Xichen's lips twitched—was that the hint of amusement? No, couldn't be.
Xiao Yu turned and marched past him with the grace of a scandalized swan.
—
At lunch, things only got worse.
Yu Mian stood by the courtyard fountain, a group of students surrounding her as she laughed like she'd just won the lottery. Her phone screen showed the rankings. Again.
"Oh, number four," she giggled, flashing it at her friends. "I guess the public finally has good taste."
Xiao Yu approached like a petty pink hurricane.
"Wow, fourth place," he said sweetly, "It must be nice to finally see the top five from the inside."
Yu Mian's smile faltered. "Jealousy doesn't look good on you."
"No," Xiao Yu smiled. "But sabotage does."
And then, with the perfect timing of a vengeful sitcom character, he placed his foot slightly in front of hers as she turned.
Yu Mian tripped.
It wasn't a fatal fall—more like a public stumble, but it was enough. Her skirt puffed, her phone flew, and someone gasped. Laughter rippled across the courtyard.
"Oops," Xiao Yu chirped. "Watch your step."
Shiroi facepalmed from his invisible spot on the bench. "You're going to get smited by karma."
"I am karma."
—
Later, by the lockers, the air turned cold again—literally and emotionally. Zhao Chen stood at the end of the hallway, arms crossed, his brows furrowed in disapproval. His gaze locked onto Xiao Yu like a scolding older brother catching you with your hand in the cookie jar.
Xiao Yu froze. Then put on his fakest, brightest smile.
"Zhao Chen! I was just on my way to—"
"To what? Cause another scandal?" Zhao Chen cut him off, voice icy.
Xiao Yu's grin dropped. "Excuse me?"
"I saw what you did. To Yu Mian."
"Oh, please. She's fine. Her ego broke the fall."
"This isn't a joke, Xiao Yu. People still remember what the old you did. You think pranks and petty games are going to fix your reputation?"
Xiao Yu flinched like he'd been slapped. "I'm not that person anymore."
Zhao Chen looked unconvinced. "Then stop acting like him."
The words burned. Xiao Yu stared at him, heart pounding, mouth dry. "I'm trying," he whispered.
But Zhao Chen was already walking away.
—
In the quiet of the soul space—an ethereal place painted in floating stars and shifting light—two figures met in secret.
Shiroi sat cross-legged on a drifting shard of moonstone, pouting. "My host is a disaster. He nearly committed murder by shoelace today."
Akai twirled in mid-air, red hair blazing like fireflies in motion. "Sounds fun! I like him."
"You like everyone."
"That's not true," Akai grinned, floating upside down. "I just think he needs a little… push."
Shiroi blinked. "What kind of push?"
"I'm going to hide something in the world. Something that'll help him if he finds it."
"Like what?"
"A trigger object," Akai said, flipping into a sitting position. "If he gets it, something special will awaken. Not just his memories… but something more."
Shiroi tilted his head. "Isn't that cheating?"
Akai winked. "No. It's encouragement. Don't worry. I'll make sure it's cute."
Shiroi sighed. "Fine. But if this blows up, I'm blaming you."
—
Back in Xiao Yu's room, Shiroi appeared mid-yawn, hovering above the floor like a ghostly housecat.
Xiao Yu was already in his pajamas, buried in a cocoon of blankets, staring at his ceiling like it had answers.
Shiroi dropped onto his pillow. "I have something for you."
Xiao Yu turned his head slowly. "If it's an attitude adjustment, I don't want it."
"No." Shiroi smirked. "There's an object hidden in this world. If you find it, something important will happen."
Xiao Yu blinked. "What kind of object?"
Shiroi grinned wider. "Can't tell you."
"What?!"
"Too easy."
Xiao Yu sat up like a gremlin. "Is it shiny? Dangerous? A portal? A cursed mirror that shows me Rong Xichen's true feelings?"
Shiroi just giggled and zipped away.
"Shiroi! TELL ME!"
But the room was already silent.
Xiao Yu flopped back with a dramatic scream into his pillow.
"I hate you!"
(He didn't.)