On the first day of school, the teaching assistant called me out in front of everyone, "Erica Contreras, there's an issue with your financial aid application. Come here and fill it out again."

I had heard that the financial aid process was supposed to be discreet out of respect for students' dignity.

I never expected to be called out on the first day in front of all the students and teachers.

With everyone staring, I flushed red and hurriedly filled out the form. The teaching assistant took it from me with a look of disdain on her face. "If your family is struggling, you should be out working to help them. Do you really think someone like you can afford an expensive school like this?"

"Look at you, all scrawny and dark, like a rat. You should find someone to marry while you're still young so you can earn some dowry for your parents...

"People should know their place. Kids these days are so selfish, never thinking about their parents. How many empty bottles do you think your family has to collect to pay for your education..."

Laughter erupted around me.

In my previous life, I was timid and weak because of my poverty, too scared to fight back, so I endured their rounds of humiliation.

I thought my compliance and obedience would grant me peace for four years in college.

Instead, it made them bolder.

I tried my best to please the teaching assistant, but my designs were plagiarized, my thesis was attributed to someone else, and even my internship opportunities were stolen.

I grew more and more self-conscious and timid. Later, I met a jerk who, with a bit of kindness, made me believe I'd found salvation, and my life spiraled into the abyss.

This time, I wouldn't endure it.

Facing the teaching assistant's incessant rant, I clenched my fists.

"You're right, ma'am. With your big heart, I should definitely learn from you!"

I emphasized "big heart," and her face changed immediately.

"Erica, I'm doing this for your own good. Do you still want financial aid for the next few years?" she threatened.

I was no longer afraid. "Ma'am, I was complimenting you. Do you think I shouldn't call you big-hearted or shouldn't say I want to learn from you?"

She was stunned by my retort, and her face turned pale.

If not for the crowd of teachers and students, she might have exploded on the spot.

Sensing the situation was escalating, someone came over and managed to defuse it, persuading her to leave.

I knew we'd be enemies from now on.

After the morning classes, it was lunchtime.

I went to the cafeteria alone, got the cheapest two vegetarian dishes and a bowl of free soup, and found an empty seat.

At the start of the semester, I had little money and needed financial aid to cover my tuition.

Suddenly, someone sat down next to me and pushed a meat dish in front of me.

"Just veggies won't do. Erica, I ordered too much food. Can you help me finish it?"

I looked up to see Joel Stephens, the heartthrob of our department.

Joel sat next to me, his attractive eyes sparkling with a hint of a smile.

I straightened up abruptly, my right hand clenching involuntarily.

In my previous life, Joel stood up for me when others mocked and excluded me, confessing his feelings to the ugly duckling that I was.

Just when I thought I'd found true love, willing to endure the exclusion and mockery, I found out I was just a punishment for a lost bet between Joel and his friends.

The punishment was to pursue the poorest and ugliest girl in school.

And I was that girl.

I vividly remembered the day the bet was revealed. Joel looked at me with utter disdain.

"Erica, do yourself a favor and look in the mirror. You're broke and shabby. How could I ever like you? Every second with you makes me sick!"

Laughter surrounded me, but I only felt my heart shatter.

The memory brought a flash of hatred across my eyes.

I picked up my tray. "Sorry. That's filthy."

Ignoring Joel's stunned expression, I walked away, feeling an incredible sense of relief.

Back from the dead, my first challenge was still the same: I'm broke.

Even with four years of foresight, everything needed money to start.

So, not long after school started, I went back to my old trade—collecting recyclables.

I needed to accumulate my initial capital through recycling.

The amount of recyclables in a university was astounding, and the surrounding shops, stores, and delivery stations provided a huge opportunity. If done right, the profit could be unimaginable.

Thanks to my mom, who also collected recyclables, I knew a bit about it.

I used this semester's living expenses to rent a small room off-campus dedicated to storing the recyclables.

Initially, I only collected around the school.

During that time, I got a lot of disdainful looks.

Whenever the teaching assistant saw me, she would pinch her nose and avoid me.

"Wow, you're really following in your family's footsteps and collecting trash even at school. Erica, why are you even in college? Just focus on collecting junk."

I ignored her every time.

I knew that until I became strong, everything I did would be looked down upon.

My roommates also refused to share a room with me, claiming collecting recyclables was too dirty.

Juliette Hoover, the richest among them and the head girl, threw my things out of the dorm.

"Erica, you better not come back. We don't want to be laughed at for living with someone who collects trash. Besides, what if you bring back germs?"

In my past life, even though I didn't collect recyclables, they still ostracized me.

Especially Juliette and the teaching assistant, who openly plagiarized my designs, stole my thesis, grabbed my internship opportunities, and mocked me like a clown.

I leaned in and whispered to Juliette, "Aren't you into Joel? How about a bet on who he'll end up with? The loser publicly apologizes and calls the winner 'Daddy'."

Juliette laughed, "Erica, have you lost your mind from collecting trash? Fine, I'll be waiting for you to call me 'Daddy'!"

She prided herself on being fair-skinned, beautiful, and rich, confident Joel would never choose me over her.

I smiled and dragged my luggage to my rented room outside.

In my past life, I couldn't even dream of being with Joel.

But now, knowing Joel's bet, I was sure to win.

If he could use me for a bet, why couldn't I turn the tables?

As for Juliette, who stole my designs, thesis, and internship, I couldn't wait to hear her call me 'Daddy' in front of everyone.

Two months later, with some money saved, I expanded my business.

I rented a larger house, bought a tricycle, and started covering a wider area for recyclables.

The profit from recyclables was substantial, and by the end of freshman year, I had saved a significant amount of money.

During the last class of freshman year, everyone discussed their summer travel plans and made plans with friends.

After a speech, the teaching assistant approached and mocked me, "Erica, you've been so self-reliant, collecting trash for a year. I suppose you don't need financial aid anymore?"

This was her way of telling me that if I didn't obey her like the other students, running errands for her, she'd find ways to make my life difficult, starting with canceling my financial aid.

I turned my back on her, giving her no chance to speak further, and she stormed off in anger.

After she left, Joel came in.

In front of everyone, he held a bouquet and approached me.

"Erica, do you have plans later? I'd like to take you out for dinner."

I knew his friends were peeking from outside the door, and Juliette, who had been chasing Joel, was also watching.

Oblivious to the truth, Juliette sneered, "She doesn't have time; she's busy collecting trash. Joel, what's with your taste? Shouldn't you get your eyes checked?"

To spite Juliette, I took the flowers from Joel. "I don't have other plans."

Joel's eyes lit up with joy, and he glanced smugly at his friends outside. "Shall we go then?"

As we left, I hooked my arm through Joel's and said to Juliette, "Jealousy makes you ugly."

Juliette's face turned pale.

This was just the beginning. The real show was yet to come.

I wasn't going to let any of those who caused my downfall in my past life go unpunished.

Once we were off-campus and out of sight, I let go of Joel's hand and changed my demeanor.

"I suddenly have something to do. Let's have dinner another time."

Joel was taken aback by my sudden change but quickly caught on. "You did that to spite Juliette, didn't you?"

I knew that if I immediately agreed to be Joel's girlfriend to win against Juliette, he would lose interest soon.

Just like in my past life, once he made me fall for him and won the bet, he dumped me instantly, holding Juliette's hand the next moment and mocking me for being delusional.

I wanted both Joel and Juliette to lose their bet miserably.

This act had to continue.

I said coolly, "I admit I accepted your invitation just to spite Juliette. I won't just fall in love with anyone. I only like those who are genuinely kind to me. Sorry, even though you're a great guy, I have no feelings for you."

For someone like Joel, a rich boy who was used to getting his way, a challenge was enticing.

I had to strike a balance, not pushing him away completely or making it too easy.

Sure enough, Joel's interest was piqued. "Don't worry, Erica, my feelings are genuine. If you don't believe me, I'll prove it with my actions."

Seeing the determination in Joel's eyes, I knew the fish was on the hook.

During the summer break, I didn't go home. Instead, I embarked on a major venture.

In my previous life, poverty drove me to work harder in my major. My designs were the best in the class, and I even worked part-time at a design company, gaining some experience.

This time, I invested all my earnings from collecting recyclables into starting an advertising design business. I hustled to get clients, did the designs myself, and worked with printing companies, focusing on business with colleges.

Thanks to the knowledge from my previous life, my first project—a promotional booklet for a university—earned me a solid 4,000 dollars.

I quickly built on this success by recruiting a few talented college students specializing in different areas—design, client acquisition, networking, etc. I even bought equipment and worked together with them, leveraging information gaps, and soon took over design and promotion projects for various universities in the area.

Luckily, my frequent part-time jobs in my previous life helped me meet these capable and kind-hearted partners.

This time, I approached them in advance, and together, we formed a small advertising office.

By the time the new semester started, I had made a fortune. I no longer needed to collect recyclables and had successfully transitioned into advertising design.

Earning money wasn't enough; I also needed to improve myself in other ways.

With enough money, I began focusing on my appearance.

Joel Stephens and Juliette Hoover thought I was the poorest and ugliest in the school. I would show them who the real fool was.

In truth, I was never ugly. I had nice features, but working part-time under the sun damaged my skin. Poverty also prevented me from dressing well, making me stand out as the ugliest among the vibrant college students.

In this life, I would play to my strengths and avoid my weaknesses.

During the summer, I enrolled in etiquette classes to cultivate my taste and even squeezed in one-on-one dance classes to learn some routines.

Soon, my taste and temperament improved significantly.

Money gave me confidence. I dressed stylishly and applied tasteful makeup. By the time the new semester began, I showed up on campus, leaving everyone stunned. They barely recognized me.

Joel saw me from afar and was stunned. "Erica, is that really you?"

Juliette, on the other hand, angrily dragged her friend away. "Does a toad think she's a swan just by putting on a coat?"

I'm running my own small advertising business, and with an improved demeanor, along with a generous hand, those who once mocked me quickly flocked to flatter me.

Threads on the school forum even detailed my transformation from a trash collector to a successful student entrepreneur, gossiping about my rumored relationship with Joel.

Many people seemed to only now realize that the girl they once unanimously deemed the ugliest in the school, once stripped of those ill-fitting, dull clothes and unflattering hairstyles, actually had very striking features, even rivaling the most beautiful girl in the class, Juliette. With a bit of grooming, my bright eyes and radiant smile shone through.

Now, my photos frequently appeared on the "campus crush" wall, causing a stir each time.

This truly validated the saying: the harder they mocked me back then, the harder they praise me now.

Despite all this, I didn't let it get to my head.

I knew everything I achieved was due to my own efforts.

Only when you become good enough will the world be kind to you, and better things will be attracted to you.

No one was more upset about my transformation than the teaching assistant.

She despised me the most, and now that I was on par with the rich students she favored, she was even more caustic in her words.

"Erica, don't think you can do whatever you want just because you're now popular on campus. As a student, grades are what matters. If you spend all your time running that ad shop, when will you study? If you fail this semester, I'll make sure you don't get your diploma!"

She was already threatening me. I wasn't going to back down. "What if I pass and even become top of the class?"

She probably didn't expect me to challenge her head-on, let alone aim for the top.

She sneered, "You think you can beat Juliette? If you top the class, you can have my job!"

I scoffed, "That's unnecessary. If I don't top the class, I'll obey you for the next two years. But if I do, you have to publicly apologize for your past actions."

A bystander posted our exchange on the school forum, and everyone was eagerly waiting for the outcome.

Some were waiting to see me fail, while others, fed up with the assistant's bias, supported me.

I ignored it all.

In my previous life, I studied hard to escape poverty and secure a better future, consistently topping my class.

In this life, I downplayed my abilities initially to avoid the same fate of having my designs plagiarized. I kept my grades average on purpose.

Now that I was forced to reveal my true capabilities, topping the class would be a breeze.

Hearing about my bet, Joel came to comfort me. "Erica, we all know Juliette's level. Don't let the assistant get to you. Apologize to her, or you might really not get your diploma!"

Juliette, on the other hand, was smug. Her head was held high all the time.

Last time, I had overshadowed her in the class beauty contest.

This time, she was ready to crush me with her academic prowess, and she was strutting around with a newfound swagger.

I pushed Joel away. "We'll see who has the last laugh."