The uniform was a perfect fit. Not too loose, not too tight—just crisp, clean, and tailored like it was made for this body. Zhao Wei ran his fingers over the expensive fabric, feeling the smoothness of the material. The navy blazer, the white shirt, the neatly pressed trousers… even the school crest embroidered on the pocket screamed money.
So this was what rich kids wore to school.
His lips curled into something that was almost a smirk but not quite. He had never worn something this nice in his old life. Back then, his uniforms had never fit. They were either too small—pinching at his shoulders, straining against his broadening chest—or just slightly too big, hand-me-downs that swallowed him whole. He had hit a massive growth spurt at thirteen, and puberty had been his biggest enemy. His mother used to sigh every time she had to buy him something new, always reminding him that money didn't grow on trees.
But this? This uniform fit like a second skin, hugging his shoulders without suffocating him, sleeves ending at the perfect length. Yihan had never had to deal with itchy collars, tight cuffs, or trousers that barely reached his ankles. He had a wardrobe full of expensive, well-fitted clothes.
Must be nice.
Zhao exhaled and buttoned up the blazer. He caught his reflection in the floor-length mirror across the room. Small, pale, quiet. That's what the old Yihan had been. His dark hair fell neatly over his forehead, his face was slim, and his skin looked like he hadn't seen the sun in years. There were faint shadows under his eyes, a result of exhaustion and… well, whatever torment the kid had gone through before Zhao landed in his body.
It was weird. Wearing someone else's face.
He tugged at the cuffs of his blazer, testing the weight of it on his shoulders.
At least he didn't look completely pathetic.
With a sigh, he glanced around the massive bedroom. He still wasn't used to the ridiculous size of it. It was easily three times bigger than his old apartment, and yet, it felt suffocating in a different way.
His gaze flickered toward the nightstand. His phone sat there, untouched since breakfast. No notifications. No messages. And more importantly—no system pop-up.
And it had been like that after having some couple of breakfast with Yihan parents.
Which meant… he had done something right. Right?
It was hard to tell because he hadn't even done much. Breakfast had been awkward, but he had managed to sit through it without pissing off the kid's parents. After the school discussion, Yihan's father, had barely acknowledged his presence beyond a nod. And the mother, had looked at him with something close to relief in her tired eyes.
Maybe that was enough.
Zhao shrugged, grabbing his school bag from the desk. It was a sleek black leather thing, no doubt ridiculously expensive like everything else Yihan owned. He slung it over his shoulder, testing the weight.
Light.
Which probably meant Yihan didn't carry much. Did he even bother taking notes in class? Or was he the type to just sit there and take whatever was thrown at him?
No matter. Zhao was going to find out real soon.
He headed for the door, but before he could turn the knob, the mirror caught his eye again.
A strange feeling twisted in his chest.
____
The drive to school was quiet.
The chauffeur—yes, because of course there was a chauffeur—didn't say a word as he maneuvered the sleek black car through the city streets. The ride was smooth, the leather seats too comfortable, the air inside the car too still.
Zhao stared out the window, watching the world blur past.
This city was the same one he had lived in before, yet it felt entirely different from inside this car. Everything seemed a little too far away, like he wasn't part of it anymore. He used to walk everywhere, shoulders hunched against the cold, navigating through crowds, traffic, noise. Now, he was sealed off from all of that, locked in this quiet, sterile little world.
Rich people lived in a whole different reality.
He exhaled through his nose. He still hadn't seen any system pop-ups. No quests, no notifications, nothing. That was… concerning. Or maybe a temporary mercy.
Either way, he wasn't going to waste time worrying about it.
The car slowed to a stop in front of the school gates.
Zhao stepped out, bag slung over his shoulder, and got his first real look at the place.
Prestigious.
That was the first word that came to mind. The buildings were sleek and modern, the gates towering and intimidating as hell. Students in identical uniforms walked past in clusters, their chatter a low hum in the morning air. Some glanced his way, but nobody stared.
Good. He could work with that.
Taking a deep breath, Zhao adjusted the strap of his bag and started toward the entrance.
The moment he stepped through the gates, though—
DING!
A screen flashed in front of him, translucent and floating in midair.
[New Quest: Survive Your First Day]
[Objective: Avoid unnecessary conflict. Stay under the radar.]
[Reward: 50 Points]
[Failure Penalty: Increased Aggression from Bullies]
Zhao stopped in his tracks.
The fuck!