The Guide to Rising to Power: The Ultimate Schemes of a Green Tea Beauty

As Shen Yao pushed open the dormitory door, a subtle silence instantly enveloped her.

Li Qian and Zhou Yun, who were chatting and laughing, stopped and looked at her with a complex emotion that was hard to describe.

Lin Weiwei was applying lipstick in front of the mirror when she glanced at her in the mirror. Her eyes held the usual condescending disdain, but also seemed to be more wary.

Shen Yao was already used to this kind of atmosphere.

One reason is Xiang Yuchuan. At Shanghai University, this name is, to some extent, synonymous with "top-tier resources."

Dating him meant that Shen Yao had risen to the top in one step, gaining access to a social circle that they might not be able to reach even after four years of hard work.

Envy, jealousy, and even fawning are all normal.

But what made them even more uneasy and wary was the change in Shen Yao herself.

In just a few months, Shen Yao's beauty had evolved from the earthy innocence she possessed at the start of the school year to an almost frighteningly refined beauty.

Her skin, thanks to expensive skincare products and regular treatments, was radiantly white and so smooth that her pores were invisible; her hair was silky and lustrous, like a piece of fine silk; and her figure, through deliberate dieting and shaping, was even more well-proportioned and shapely.

If she only stood out slightly among a group of well-dressed female classmates when school started, now, even without makeup and wearing the simplest clothes, she exudes an aura that is impossible to ignore, making her stand out from the crowd.

In this bustling metropolis with its bright lights and vibrant atmosphere, in this highly competitive journalism school where beauty itself is a resource, every ambitious young man and woman wants to make a name for themselves.

How could they not be wary of a competitor like Shen Yao, who has access to top-tier boyfriends and whose own qualities are rapidly evolving?

Shen Yao understood this feeling very well.

Just like when she sees Xie Yunzhou and those other men, or women who are more outstanding than her, she feels nervous, anxious, and tries every means to catch up with and surpass them.

She calmly walked to her desk and put down her bag.

Li Qian leaned closer, her tone filled with exaggerated envy: "Yao Yao, what skincare products do you use? Your skin is so amazing! Young Master Xiang is so good to you!"

Shen Yao smiled and said gently, "It's just some basic moisturizing stuff." She wasn't going to share any substantial information.

Zhou Yun glanced at her, said nothing, and continued reading her book, but Shen Yao could sense a faint sense of aloofness emanating from her.

After applying her lipstick, Lin Weiwei turned around, looked Shen Yao up and down, and said in a light tone:

"Oh, you're back? Looks like Young Master Xiang is quite generous; you look much better." The sarcasm in his words was obvious.

Shen Yao didn't reply, but simply gave a faint, emotionless smile in return.

Lin Weiwei's disdain stems from her own sense of superiority, and it does not pose a real threat to her for the time being, nor is there any need to antagonize her.

She walked to the bathroom mirror and looked at herself in the mirror.

This face is indeed becoming more and more perfect.

She has delicate features, a high nose bridge, full lips, and flawless skin. Even she herself is sometimes amazed by her beauty.

But she still felt something was missing.

In the stillness of the night, only the even breathing could be heard in the dormitory. Shen Yao lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, the question still swirling in her mind:

What is missing from the perfect self in the mirror?

Unable to figure it out, she simply stopped dwelling on it.

Some things can't be rushed; they require time and experience to mature.

She turned over and her gaze fell on the thick book on communication theory on the desk.

Choosing journalism and communication as a major was no accident.

This stems from a deep-seated, childlike obsession within her.

In my memory, that dilapidated little house always smelled of mildew.

My mother is still here. On cold winter nights, she would hold me in her thin but warm embrace and we would watch that small, snowy black and white television together.

On the screen, the female host, dressed in a smart suit, speaking clearly and confidently in front of countless viewers, shone like a ray of light into her dark childhood.

So, women can live like this?

She doesn't have to endure her husband's beatings, she doesn't have to worry about her next meal, and she can stand in the light, seen and heard by many people.

That blurry image took root in her heart like a seed.

Although her mother later passed away and her life fell into an even deeper quagmire, the seed never died.

Her mother risked her life to send her to school, and she studied with all her might, because it was the only way she could think of to climb out of that mountain.

She had to get into university and study a major that would allow her to be "seen".

Now, she is actually sitting in a classroom at the School of Journalism and Communication at Shanghai University.

Looking back, she did have opportunities to take shortcuts.

In her previous high school years, and even when she first came to Shanghai, there were several boys from well-off families who expressed their affection for her.

Sending her small gifts or treating her to a few meals might make her university life much easier.

But she refused them all.

It's not that they're arrogant, it's that they look down on it.

She was glad she had been sober and greedy at the time.

If she had stopped for a little bit of profit, how could she have possibly escaped the mountains that had imprisoned her for eighteen years?

How could she possibly witness the dazzling prosperity of Shanghai? And how could she possibly have the chance to touch the world that Xiang Yuchuan and even Xie Yunzhou belonged to, a world she could never have imagined before?

Reading was the only right path for her.

This road gave her the right to choose and the right to see a wider view.

The higher you stand, the farther you see, and the greater your ambition becomes.

Shen Yao knew perfectly well that the so-called "prosperity" before her eyes—Xiang Yuchuan's girlfriend status, an apartment, a luxury car, and the envious or jealous glances from others—was nothing more than the tip of the iceberg.

The true, core power that controls the rules governing the operation of this society is hidden deeper within.

That's the kind of circle that people like Xiang Yuchuan and Xie Yunzhou take for granted; it's a level that even the female host on TV might not be able to truly reach.

What she wanted to see was the whole picture beneath the iceberg.

What she wants is the power to control her own destiny and even influence others.

When she woke up in the morning, she carefully applied a light makeup that was almost invisible, highlighting the sparkle in her eyes and the natural rosy color of her lips, and letting her long, smooth black hair fall softly over her shoulders.

As the weather turned cooler, she chose a high-quality off-white knitted suit dress with a simple and elegant design.

She's going to work at the radio station today.

Joining the school radio station was one step in her plan.

This place brings together many students with good voices or those aspiring to work in the media industry, making it a great platform for socializing and gaining practical experience.

More importantly, this place allows her to reconnect with her childhood dream and let more people hear her voice.

As she entered the radio station, several familiar members were already there. Both men and women were of superior appearance and demeanor, and they greeted her with smiles: "Shen Yao, good morning!"

"Good morning," Shen Yao replied with a gentle and polite smile, her voice clear and melodious.

She sat down in front of the broadcasting equipment, put on her headphones, and adjusted the microphone. When the familiar opening music started, she took a deep breath, and when she spoke again, her voice had lost its usual softness and become clear, articulate, and fluent, carrying a professional composure and approachability.

"...That concludes today's campus news roundup. Thank you for listening, and we'll see you again at the same time tomorrow."

A perfect ending. Taking off her headphones, the senior student next to her couldn't help but praise, "Shen Yao, you broadcast really well. You're just as good as many professional broadcasting students."

Shen Yao smiled modestly: "You flatter me, senior. I still have a lot to learn."

But she knew in her heart that this was the result of her repeated practice and imitation of the tone and rhythm of professional broadcasters in private.

Since that "slapping incident," Shen Yao and Xiang Yuchuan's relationship has entered a strange period of stability.

Xiang Yuchuan seemed to have really toned down a lot, and was more considerate and thoughtful towards Shen Yao, while continuing to shower her with material gifts.

Shen Yao would accept his kindness, but she wouldn't seem impatient; she would occasionally reciprocate his intimacy, but she would always know when to stop, leaving a subtle hint.

She still devotes most of her energy to her studies and work at the radio station, striving to maintain the image of an "independent and excellent girlfriend".

And so, time slipped by unnoticed.

Then, something happened that surprised many people.

Three months—the "curse" period for Xiang Yuchuan's past girlfriends—has actually passed smoothly!

Xiang Yuchuan showed no signs of changing girlfriends; on the contrary, he seemed to be settling down more and more.

The winds on campus changed instantly.

"Wow, did they really break the record? Is Young Master Xiang serious this time?"

"What kind of magic does Shen Yao possess that allows her to tame a playboy like Xiang Yuchuan?"

"It seems I'll have to be more polite to Shen Yao in the future."