If Yunbei No. 1 Senior High had a national religion, it wasn't Buddhism or Christianity.
It was ranking.
Ranking was the reason students walked faster in the hallway when exams were close. Ranking was the reason teachers smiled only at the top row. Ranking was the reason even the school's morning announcements sounded like threats.
Jiang Yue had never belonged to that religion.
He respected it the way you respected an aggressive dog behind a fence: you didn't go near it unless you felt like bleeding.
But after the first day of school as "Wei Nianzhan's stepbrother," he started noticing the fence wasn't just there to keep the dog in.
It was there to keep people like him out.
The next morning, Teacher Gao walked into class carrying a stack of papers and the expression of a woman about to enjoy herself.
The class quieted immediately.
Jiang Yue sat behind Wei Nianzhan, slouched like he was allergic to discipline. He watched Teacher Gao place the papers on her desk with careful emphasis, like she was laying down weapons.
"We have the ranking list from last week's mock exam," she announced.
The room tensed.
Even students who pretended not to care sat straighter, eyes flicking toward the desk.
Teacher Gao continued, voice sharp. "This mock is a preview of the Gaokao reality. If you're still treating this like a game, you'll regret it."
Her gaze swept the class and landed on Jiang Yue for half a second.
Jiang Yue smiled at her like he was innocent.
Teacher Gao began calling names, handing out papers.
Top scorers received theirs with little nods of approval. Mid-level students received theirs like bruises. Bottom scorers received theirs like death certificates.
When she called "Wei Nianzhan," the room practically held its breath.
Wei walked up calmly, received his paper, and returned to his seat without a flicker. He didn't check his score immediately. He didn't need to. The entire school already knew where he stood.
When Teacher Gao called "Jiang Yue," the room exhaled in a different way.
Curiosity.
A few students shifted, whispering.
Jiang Yue walked up lazily, took the paper, and returned to his seat. He didn't look at it right away either, but for the opposite reason: he didn't want to feel it.
He slid it into his notebook like it was a bill he planned to ignore.
Teacher Gao tapped the desk. "Now. We will post the class rankings on the board after class. Anyone who dropped more than ten places will stay after school for a meeting with me."
Groans rippled.
Jiang Yue stared at the chalkboard, eyes half-lidded.
Wei turned a page in his textbook.
Teacher Gao continued. "And one more thing. Since some of you now have… new study partners at home—"
A few heads turned immediately toward Jiang Yue and Wei.
Teacher Gao's mouth curved slightly. "—I expect improvement. Especially from those who have been wasting their potential."
Jiang Yue's jaw tightened.
He leaned forward, voice low so only Wei could hear. "Your fan club leader is really obsessed with us."
Wei's pen paused for half a second. "Ignore it."
Jiang Yue scoffed. "Easy for you. She worships you like you're a saint."
Wei didn't look back. "Saints don't exist here."
Jiang Yue blinked at that. It was almost… cynical.
He didn't get to ask more, because Teacher Gao snapped, "Quiet back there."
Jiang Yue leaned back, hands up in surrender, smiling.
After class, the ranking sheet was posted.
Students crowded the board immediately, necks craning, voices urgent.
Jiang Yue stayed in his seat, pretending he didn't care.
Xu Zhe came bouncing in from the next classroom like a messenger from chaos.
"You looked at the rankings?" Xu Zhe demanded, breathless. "Tell me you beat someone I hate."
Jiang Yue rolled his eyes. "I haven't looked."
Xu Zhe stared at him like he was insane. "How can you not look. It's like looking at your own funeral."
Jiang Yue shrugged. "Surprises are fun."
Xu Zhe grabbed his wrist. "Come on."
Jiang Yue resisted half-heartedly, then let himself be dragged toward the board.
The crowd was thick. Students murmured names, scores, comparisons.
Jiang Yue's eyes scanned the list quickly.
Wei Nianzhan: Rank 1.
Of course.
Then the rest: the usual top ten, the same faces, the same worship.
Jiang Yue looked for his own name.
It was lower than he expected, but not the bottom. He wasn't stupid. He just didn't care enough to perform.
Jiang Yue: Rank 48.
Out of 56.
Xu Zhe let out a low whistle. "Oof."
Jiang Yue stared at the number, expression blank.
He'd dropped.
Not because he'd suddenly become dumber.
Because he'd been too angry to concentrate. Too distracted. Too tired from the wedding chaos and the new house and the feeling that his life was being rewritten without his consent.
Xu Zhe elbowed him gently. "Hey, it's fine. You always bounce back when you feel like it."
Jiang Yue forced a smirk. "Yeah. When I feel like it."
Behind them, a voice said lightly, "Forty-eight?"
Jiang Yue turned.
It was Tang Ruo.
She stood a little behind the crowd, arms crossed, expression amused. She was one of those girls who looked polished even in a school uniform, hair perfect, eyes sharp. Her family had money, everyone knew it, and she carried it like perfume.
She smiled at Jiang Yue. "I thought you were worse."
Jiang Yue raised an eyebrow. "Good morning to you too."
Tang Ruo's gaze flicked past him—over his shoulder, toward the top of the list. "And of course, Wei Nianzhan is first."
Her voice was casual, but her eyes lingered like she was studying a prize.
Jiang Yue noticed. Of course he noticed.
He always noticed when people wanted something.
Tang Ruo tilted her head. "So. What's it like living with him."
Xu Zhe made a little sound like he was about to explode with gossip.
Jiang Yue stepped in immediately. "Boring. He probably sleeps with a textbook."
Tang Ruo laughed softly. "Really? That's disappointing."
Her gaze sharpened. "But I heard he defended you yesterday."
Jiang Yue's smile thinned. "Who told you that."
Tang Ruo's eyes glittered. "Everyone."
She leaned closer, lowering her voice slightly. "You know, if you're smart, you'll use it."
Jiang Yue stared at her. "Use what."
"This connection," Tang Ruo said, like it was obvious. "People respect Wei. If they think he's on your side, they'll back off."
Xu Zhe muttered under his breath, "She's not wrong."
Jiang Yue ignored him.
He looked at Tang Ruo, expression unreadable. "And what do you get out of it."
Tang Ruo smiled, unbothered. "Entertainment."
Then she stepped away, disappearing into the crowd like she'd only stopped by to light a match and watch what burned.
Xu Zhe exhaled. "She's scary."
Jiang Yue watched Tang Ruo leave, feeling uneasy.
Then his eyes flicked back up the ranking list.
Wei Nianzhan: Rank 1.
It sat there like a crown.
And suddenly, Jiang Yue felt something he hadn't felt in a long time.
Not envy.
Not admiration.
Defiance.
He didn't even know why.
He just knew he didn't want to be the person under Wei forever. The person behind him. The person everyone assumed would lose.
Xu Zhe nudged him. "You're thinking dangerous thoughts."
Jiang Yue didn't deny it.
The rest of the day passed in the usual grind, but the ranking list stayed in Jiang Yue's head like an itch.
At home, the itch turned into irritation.
He arrived to find the apartment quiet. His mother wasn't home yet. Wei Chengyu was still at work.
Wei Nianzhan was at the dining table, laptop open, notebook beside him, studying like it was oxygen.
Jiang Yue dropped his bag on the sofa and deliberately made noise.
Wei didn't look up.
Jiang Yue walked to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and took a long drink. Then he leaned against the counter and stared at Wei.
He waited for Wei to ask something. Anything.
Wei didn't.
Finally, Jiang Yue said, "Do you ever stop studying."
Wei's eyes stayed on the laptop. "No."
Jiang Yue blinked. "That's not human."
Wei's voice was flat. "It's necessary."
Jiang Yue scoffed. "Necessary for what. Becoming a machine."
Wei finally looked up.
His gaze landed on Jiang Yue, steady. "Becoming free."
Jiang Yue's sarcasm stalled.
He stared at Wei. "What."
Wei seemed to realize he'd said too much. His eyes flicked down again, fingers moving on the trackpad. "Nothing."
Jiang Yue pushed off the counter, walked closer, and stopped beside the table. "You said 'free.'"
Wei's jaw tightened slightly. "Go do your homework."
Jiang Yue's eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me what to do."
Wei's gaze lifted again, colder now. "Then don't bother me."
Jiang Yue stared at him, anger flaring again, automatic.
He laughed softly. "So this is it. New house rules. 'Don't bother Wei.' 'Be quiet so Wei can study.' 'Don't exist too loudly because Wei might notice.'"
Wei's eyes sharpened. "You're the one making noise."
"Because you're acting like I'm not here," Jiang Yue snapped.
A beat.
Wei's gaze held his, and something flickered behind it. A tiredness. A frustration. Something human.
Then Wei's voice lowered. "What do you want."
The question hit Jiang Yue harder than it should've.
What did he want.
He wanted his old life back. He wanted his mother to still be only his. He wanted to not feel like the villain in everyone else's story.
But he couldn't say any of that.
So Jiang Yue smiled, sharp. "I want to beat you."
Wei stared at him.
Jiang Yue leaned forward slightly, elbows on the table, voice low. "In rankings."
Wei's expression didn't shift, but his eyes changed—just a fraction. Like he'd finally found the shape of Jiang Yue's threat.
"Impossible," Wei said calmly.
Jiang Yue's smile widened. "We'll see."
Wei's gaze stayed steady, unblinking. "You don't even study."
Jiang Yue's eyes flashed. "Maybe I will."
Wei was quiet for a moment.
Then he said, almost casually, "Your rank is forty-eight."
Jiang Yue's chest flared with heat. "I know."
Wei's gaze didn't soften. "If you want to beat me, start by beating fifty-six."
Jiang Yue's fist clenched.
That wasn't just a challenge. It was humiliation wrapped in logic.
Jiang Yue stood up straight, breathing hard. "Fine," he said. "I will."
Wei's eyes followed him. "Don't do it to prove something to me."
Jiang Yue laughed, bitter. "Too late."
He grabbed his bag and stormed toward his room, slamming the door.
Inside, he threw himself onto his bed and stared at the ceiling, breathing.
He hated Wei.
He hated rankings.
He hated that Tang Ruo was right and everyone would treat him differently just because of the connection.
He hated the tiny, dangerous part of him that wanted Wei to look at him like he mattered.
His phone buzzed.
Xu Zhe: Heard you declared war on Ranking God. You okay?
Jiang Yue stared at the message, then typed back.
Jiang Yue: I'm going to ruin his life with math.
Xu Zhe replied: That's the most romantic sentence I've ever read.
Jiang Yue: Shut up.
He threw his phone aside and sat up.
His desk looked the same as always: messy, half-finished papers, pens scattered, textbooks used more as doorstops than tools.
Jiang Yue stared at it for a long time.
Then, slowly, like it was a decision that cost him pride, he pulled out his textbooks and opened them.
If the school wanted a comparison, fine.
If Wei wanted to call him family, fine.
But Jiang Yue refused to stay forty-eight forever.
And whether Wei Nianzhan liked it or not, the war was officially on.