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

Having made up her mind to take Yenching University as a new starting point and temporarily put aside those complicated emotional entanglements, Shen Yao's entire summer vacation became exceptionally pure and fulfilling.

She no longer bothers to figure out how to dress more attractively, nor does she deliberately cultivate those social relationships that require a lot of effort.

She spends her days in the library and language study rooms, systematically reading classic works and cutting-edge papers in the field of journalism and communication, striving to make up for the knowledge gaps caused by her background and insufficient early education.

Shen Yao knew that to gain a foothold in a top university like Yenching University, cleverness and pretty face alone were far from enough; she needed a solid academic foundation.

Spoken English was a particular area she focused on improving.

She insisted on reading the original audio materials every day, simulating dialogue scenarios, and even practicing her speech in front of a mirror.

Over the summer, her spoken English improved dramatically; her pronunciation became more authentic, and her expression became more fluent and confident.

Fluent English is not only a tool for academic research, but also a stepping stone to integrating into higher-level circles.

The days passed quietly in peaceful and focused study.

As the cicadas outside the window gradually faded and a hint of early autumn coolness began to permeate the air, Shen Yao suddenly realized that summer vacation was coming to an end.

Although the final list of exchange students has not yet been officially announced, Shen Yao is already 80-90% confident, based on her excellent GPA, award-winning projects, and Professor Li's strong letter of recommendation.

This sense of anticipation, about to touch her dream, made her feel happy.

When she picked up her phone, the first person she thought of was Xie Yuanzhu, who was far away in Beijing.

This simple and warm-hearted girl was one of the few friends she could easily talk to in that complicated circle.

The call was answered almost instantly, and Xie Yuanzhu's clear and cheerful voice came through immediately:

"Sister Shen Yao! Why did you suddenly decide to call me? Did you miss me?"

Hearing her energetic voice, Shen Yao's lips unconsciously curled up, and her tone was light and cheerful: "Yes, I missed you. I also have some good news to share with you, but it's not finalized yet."

"What good news? Tell me quickly!" Xie Yuanzhu's curiosity was immediately piqued.

"Our school has an exchange program with Yenching University, and I applied. I feel... my chances are pretty good." Shen Yao's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible anticipation. "Next semester, I might have the opportunity to study at Yenching University."

"Wow! Really?! That's amazing!" Xie Yuanzhu's excited scream came from the other end of the phone, almost shattering Shen Yao's eardrums. "Sister Shen Yao, you're coming to Beijing? That's great! You have to come visit me then, and I'll take you to eat all the delicious food in Beijing."

Shen Yao was amused by her exaggerated reaction, and felt a warmth in her heart: "Okay, I'll definitely come find you."

"Oh, right!" Xie Yuanzhu exclaimed, her voice even more excited and tinged with a hint of boasting, as if she had suddenly remembered something. "Brother, brother! Come quick! Sister Shen Yao said she might be coming to Peking University! You need to tell her something!"

Shen Yao was slightly taken aback. Before she could react, she heard a slight noise from the other end of the phone, as if the phone had been handed to someone else.

Immediately afterwards, a deep, familiar voice with a touch of coolness came through the receiver, calm and undisturbed:

"Shen Yao, I hope you can come to Yenching University to study."

It is Xie Yunzhou.

His tone remained concise, revealing no particular emotion, as if it were merely a polite formality.

Shen Yao quickly replied, "Mr. Xie, I will try my best."

She had barely finished speaking when Xie Yuanzhu seemed to snatch the phone back, and the little girl's chattering voice rang out again, full of energy:

"Sister Shen Yao, did you hear that? My brother nodded too. Let me tell you, my brother and cousin were the legendary 'Yanjing Twin Stars' back in Yenching University! Handsome and academically gifted, they captivated countless people. If you come, you might even get to meet my cousin Yunci in person!"

Her tone shifted, carrying a touch of exaggerated sorrow, yet unable to conceal her sense of pride:

"My cousin Yunci is just too perfect. I've never seen him argue with anyone, he's always so gentle and kind, you can't find a single fault with him. Sigh, growing up in their shadow has been so hard for me!"

Xie Yuanzhu excitedly shared the campus legends about her brother and Fang Yunci, her tone full of pride.

Shen Yao listened quietly.

"Yes, Yuanzhu, thank you for telling me all this." Shen Yao suppressed the turmoil in her heart and spoke gently, "I'll tell you again once the news is confirmed."

"Okay, okay, Sister Shen Yao, you have to come!"

After hanging up the phone, Shen Yao held her phone, stood by the window, and looked at the Shanghai skyline in the distance, her heart filled with anticipation for the future.

In the dead of night, Shen Yao often falls into a state of unspeakable resentment.

She curled up in the blankets, asking herself and the ethereal gods and Buddhas over and over again:

Although Shen Yao was selfish and calculating in her life, she could honestly say that she had never committed any heinous acts such as murder, arson, or other immoral acts.

Why...why was fate so cruel to her?

Just when she finally made up her mind to turn over a new leaf and walk a clean path based on her own abilities, it ruthlessly extinguished her only hope and forced her back to that thorny dead end!

Was she born only fit to struggle in the mud, only fit to exchange her body and dignity for the chance to climb up the social ladder?

This feeling of despair, of being toyed with by fate and powerless to resist, washed over her again and again like a cold tide.

Today, that tide has turned into a tsunami.

"I'm sorry, Shen Yao."

The professor's voice, tinged with regret and a hint of reluctance, came through the phone: "I just confirmed with the professor at Yenching University who is in charge of receiving students, and you are indeed not on the final exchange student list."