Reborn, my online friend is the real me.

Over the next month, Su Yu noticed something strange: the online friend named Anxi seemed to have a lot of free time.

It's not just ordinary leisure; it's the kind of leisure where you can reply to messages instantly anytime, anywhere.

Su Yu had just gotten out of bed when An Qian's message arrived: "Good morning, you lackey, what are we reviewing today?"

At noon, Su Yu did a math test and picked up his Nokia 7610 to take a look. Anxi then sent him a message: "Liu Yifei has a new set of photos. Do you want to see them? I'll send them to you, and you can find some things to criticize."

Just as Su Yu finished his afternoon nap, An Qian's message arrived on cue: "I'm sending you a clip from 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.' Look at Wang Yuyan's look, doesn't she resemble Guanyin Bodhisattva? Hahahaha."

At 10 PM, Su Yu was getting ready for bed when An Qian sent him her last message: "Goodnight, you lackey, good luck on the college entrance exam!"

Su Yu sometimes couldn't help but wonder: Doesn't this person have to go to work? Doesn't he have to go to school?

Even if she really is Liu Yifei's assistant, it's impossible for her to be on QQ all day long, right?

He didn't ask, but having taken 10,000 yuan for a chat service, he should have been prepared to provide it.

If the client wanted to chat, he would chat with them. If the client wanted to complain about Liu Yifei, he would complain along with them. What is that called? That's called professional ethics.

.....

In late May, local television stations in Hubei Province began broadcasting "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils".

Su Yu saw it during dinner. His father, Su Jian'an, was holding a bowl, his eyes glued to the TV. When Wang Yuyan appeared, his chopsticks stopped in mid-air. "This girl is really beautiful."

His mother, Li Xiulan, rolled her eyes at him: "Can being good-looking put food on the table?"

Su Jian'an chuckled: "It looks good and makes you want to eat more."

Su Yu almost spat out his food; he hadn't expected his contractor father to have such a sense of humor.

That very evening, Anxi sent a message: "Did you watch 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils' on Hubei TV? Wang Yuyan appeared!"

Su Yu leaned back in his chair and typed a reply: "I saw it. He's a hopeless romantic."

Anxi sent a question mark.

Su Yu continued, "Think about it. Wang Yuyan grew up in Mantuo Manor, immersed in martial arts classics, her mind filled with the secret techniques of various schools. Such a clever person, instead of thinking about how to roam the martial world and achieve something great, her mind is completely occupied by her cousin Murong Fu. If Murong Fu tells her to go east, she won't go west; if he tells her to stand, she won't sit; what is this if not being love-struck?"

Anxi was silent for a few seconds, then sent a message: "...What you said makes so much sense, I can't even refute it."

Su Yu, now energized, continued his rant: "And look at her cousin, always dreaming of restoring his kingdom, swindling and cheating everywhere. To put it bluntly, he's a political fanatic. What does Wang Yuyan like about him? Does she like his good looks? Or does she like that he's mentally unstable?"

Anxi sent a long string of "hahahahaha".

Su Yu added insult to injury: "If you want my advice, tell her to find an honest man to marry as soon as possible, like Duan Yu. Although Duan Yu has his flaws, he is at least a prince, his family is rich, and he is a normal person."

Anxi sent a facepalm emoji: "Duan Yu isn't quite normal either, okay? He falls in love with every girl he sees."

"That's because Mr. Jin Yong didn't write it well. If I were writing it, I would just let Wang Yuyan and Xu Zhu get together. Although Xu Zhu is not good-looking, he has good character, high martial arts skills, and became a prince consort. Isn't he a hundred times better than Murong Fu?"

Anxi was laughing so hard she spat out more than a dozen "ha"s.

Seeing that the atmosphere was good, Su Yu decided to add fuel to the fire.

He recalled some gossip he had seen online in his previous life, saying that Liu Yifei had feelings for Lin Ziying when filming "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", and that the two fell in love on set.

Although most of these gossips are false, they should be quite amusing to tease Anxi, this "veteran fan".

So he typed: "But to be honest, after watching a few episodes, I think Wang Yuyan and Duan Yu have pretty good chemistry. Lin Ziying is handsome, and Liu Yifei is beautiful; they look very well-matched together."

Anxi replied with an ellipsis: "..."

Su Yu continued, "And I heard that Liu Yifei seemed to have a crush on Lin Ziying when she was filming 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.' Were they having an affair?"

This time, Anxi didn't reply immediately.

About a minute later, she sent a message, her tone noticeably different: "Who told you that? That's complete nonsense."

Su Yu was stunned for a moment, not expecting An Qian to react so strongly.

He assumed it was just fans being overly protective of their idol, so he continued to tease her: "That's what everyone's saying online. Besides, Liu Yifei was sixteen back then, and Lin Ziying was barely 30. The age difference wasn't that big. What's wrong with them dating?"

Anxi replied even faster: "Liu Yifei was only sixteen when she filmed 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils'! Sixteen! She was still a child!"

Su Yu didn't take it seriously: "There are plenty of sixteen-year-olds dating at my school, what's so strange about that?"

Anxi was really anxious this time, and sent several messages in one go:

"Absolutely not!"

"Even if it were possible, Liu Yifei's mother wouldn't agree!"

"How could it be that the other person is so much older?"

"At most, it's admiration. I think the senior actor is a good actor and easy to get along with, but it's not liking him at all!"

Looking at the dense messages on the screen, Su Yu suddenly felt that something was wrong.

This reaction is way too intense! Would a normal fan react like this?

He tentatively replied, "Why are you so excited? I didn't say it was definitely true; it's just gossip I saw online."

Anxi was silent for a moment, then sent a message: "This kind of gossip is too outrageous and bad for a girl's reputation. Liu Yifei was only sixteen years old at the time and didn't understand anything. Don't spread such rumors."

Su Yu thought about it and realized that what she said made sense.

In his previous life, he had seen many malicious speculations about female celebrities online. Back then, as a bystander, he just watched the spectacle. But now, after what Anxi said, he really felt it was inappropriate.

"Okay, okay, it's my fault, I won't say anymore. But seriously, why are you acting like someone's mother, being so protective of your own?"

Anxi sent an angry emoji: "I just can't stand this kind of fabricated gossip, so what?"

Su Yu smiled and didn't continue the topic.

......

From that day on, he began to have more doubts about Anxi's identity.

This person is either a die-hard fan of Liu Yifei, or... someone close to her.

Which possibility is more likely?

Su Yu thought about it and decided that the former was better.

After all, how could the people around Liu Yifei chat with a hater every day? Wouldn't that be pointless?

He dismissed the thought and continued studying.

June arrived in the blink of an eye.

In June, Jingzhou was as hot as a steamer, with cicadas chirping incessantly in the trees and the air filled with the fragrance of gardenias.

Su Yu leaves early and returns late every day, living a very simple life between school and home.

In his previous life, he dropped out of school at the age of sixteen and struggled in society for more than twenty years, suffering countless losses due to his lack of education.

When he was an internet celebrity, although he had millions of followers, he couldn't even speak a proper sentence during his live streams, and was ridiculed by haters as a "fish that slipped through the net of nine years of compulsory education." Later, when he encountered problems with counterfeit goods and taxes, he couldn't even understand the financial statements himself, and relied entirely on a half-baked accountant for help, which ultimately led to his downfall.

In this life, he is determined to continue reading no matter what.

So Su Yu has really been working hard these past few months.

I get up at 5:30 in the morning to memorize English words, do math and Chinese practice tests in the morning, do science tests in the afternoon, and review until 11 pm.

He went through all the notes left by the original owner of the body, and did the past three years' college entrance examination questions three times.

The homeroom teacher, Mr. Zhou, said in class, "Su Yu has changed a lot lately. He used to be carefree and irresponsible, but now he's more serious than anyone else."

The students also found it strange; in the last few months of their senior year, everyone was working incredibly hard, and no one was having an easy time.

Sometimes when Su Yu got tired of doing his homework, he would open QQ and take a look.

Anxi's messages are always there, sometimes a few words of encouragement, sometimes a new photo of Liu Yifei, and sometimes just a simple cheering emoji.

He replied "Received," and then continued to bury himself in solving coding problems.

........

June 6th, the day before the college entrance examination.

Su Jian'an went to the market to buy a large grass carp and asked Li Xiulan to cook a whole table of dishes.

During the meal, Su Jian'an, unusually, poured himself a glass of baijiu and also poured a small glass for Su Yu.

"Come on, son, have a drink." Su Jian'an smiled and raised his glass. "Do your best on the exam tomorrow, don't feel pressured. It's okay if you don't pass, you can come back and work on the construction site with me, you can still earn some money."

Li Xiulan glared at him: "You jinx! My son will definitely pass the exam!"

Su Yu picked up his glass, clinked it with his father's, and took a small sip. The liquor burned his throat, and he choked, coughing twice.

Su Jian'an laughed heartily, while Li Xiulan patted his back and scolded him, "Look at you, what kind of wine did you give the child!"

Su Yu wiped his mouth and said with a smile, "It's okay, Dad, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

He was confident in his abilities. The original owner of this body had a good foundation to begin with, and with the intensive tutoring he had been doing for the past few months, passing the academic exams shouldn't be a problem.

The photography department at Beijing Film Academy is an arts-related major, and its academic score requirement is much lower than that of regular undergraduate programs. He just needs to perform normally.

June 7th, the first day of the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao).

At seven o'clock in the morning, before Su Yu even got out of bed, he heard clanging sounds coming from the kitchen. He got dressed and went out, where he saw Li Xiulan frying eggs and porridge cooking in a pot.

"Mom, why are you up so early?"

"Today is your college entrance exam, so Mom has to cook you a good meal." Li Xiulan put the golden-fried eggs on a plate and cut a sausage. "Eat more, you'll have the energy to take the exam if you're full."

Su Jian'an didn't go to the construction site today either. He wore a clean shirt and his hair was neatly combed.

He was standing at the door smoking when he saw Su Yu come out, so he put out his cigarette and said, "Let's go, I'll drive you there."

Su Yu was taken aback: "Dad, will you take me there?"

"Of course it is, what day is it today?" Su Jian'an picked up his car keys. "Your sister called specifically to tell me that I absolutely have to take you there, saying it's a matter of ceremony."

Su Yu smiled; he recalled the only "major exam" he had ever taken in his previous life, when he was sixteen and went to work in Shenzhen, where he waited in line at the entrance of the job market for a whole morning.

No one saw him off, no one cheered him on. He stood alone under the scorching sun, sweating profusely, carrying a snakeskin bag on his back.

Now, he has parents, an older sister, and a complete family.

It felt strange, like a puzzle piece that had been missing for a long time had finally been put in place.

Su Jian'an drove his silver-gray van and dropped Su Yu off at the entrance of Jingzhou Middle School.

The school gate was already crowded with people, including parents seeing their children off to the exam, traffic police maintaining order, and volunteers holding signs.

Before getting off the bus, Li Xiulan straightened Su Yu's collar and checked his pencil case again: "Did you bring your exam admission ticket? Did you bring your ID card? Did you bring your 2B pencils?"

"Yes, yes, I brought them all."

"Did you bring your water bottle? It's hot, drink plenty of water."

"Mom, we're not allowed to bring water bottles into the exam room."

"Oh, right, right, then have a sip outside before you go in."

Su Jian'an put a cigarette in his mouth and patted Su Yu on the shoulder: "Go on, call me after the exam and I'll come pick you up."

Su Yu nodded, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and headed towards the school gate.

He took a few steps and glanced back. Su Jian'an stood beside the car, his cigarette already stubbed out, craning his neck to look towards the school gate. Li Xiulan stood beside him, one hand on his arm, the two of them just staring at him.

Su Yu suddenly felt a lump in his throat; he turned around, took a deep breath, and strode into the examination room.

The two-day college entrance examination went more smoothly than Su Yu had imagined.

The topic of his Chinese composition was "Believe in Yourself." He wrote a lengthy 800-word essay, using a story he had heard in a previous life as material.

The math was easier than he expected; he finished all the major questions and had ten minutes left to check. His English and combined science scores also went as expected, without any unexpected problems.

When the last exam ended, cheers erupted in the examination hall.

Su Yu walked out of the examination hall and saw Su Jian'an already waiting at the school gate. His father hadn't smoked today and was holding a bottle of iced tea, waving at him from afar.

"Son! Over here!"

Su Yu walked over, took the iced tea, unscrewed the cap, and took a big gulp.

"How did the exam go?" Su Jian'an asked.

"good."

"What does 'not bad' mean? Do you think you'll pass the exam?"

"It's not a big problem."

Su Jian'an grinned and patted the back of his head: "Come on, let's go home. Your mom has prepared a whole table of dishes and is waiting for you."

Su Yu returned home, took a shower, ate a meal, and then collapsed onto the bed, sleeping for a full twelve hours.

.........

On the first day after the college entrance examination, Su Yu was woken up by the sun.

He opened his eyes and looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was 9:30 in the morning; this was the first time in four months that he had woken up naturally.

He lay on the bed in a daze for a while, then picked up his phone.

Anxi sent him three messages yesterday, all asking how his exam went.

The last message read: "No matter how you do on the exam, you'll always be the Su Yu I know. Good luck!"

Su Yu smiled and replied, "The exam is over. I feel it went well. Thanks for your concern, little rich lady."

After sending the message, he didn't wait for a reply, washed up, and went out.

He was going to do something big. Su Yu's greatest advantage in this life was not his admission letter to Beijing Film Academy, his complete family, or even his young body, but the memories of the next twenty years that he had in his mind.

In his previous life, when he was working in Shenzhen, he shared an apartment with a fellow worker from Henan for a period of time.

That coworker was a die-hard football fan, and he talked about the European Cup with him every day.

During the 2004 European Cup, that worker bet on Greece to win, lost over 8,000 yuan on a 100-yuan bet, and treated all the workers on the construction site to drinks for three days.

Su Yu didn't take it seriously at the time, but his coworker kept repeating it more than twenty times, so much so that his memory of this European Cup was so deep that it seemed to be engraved in his bones.

Greece defeated hosts Portugal in the opening match and then beat them again in the final. Their stunning upset was one of the biggest in European Championship history.

What he needs to do is utilize this memory.

Su Yu pulled out his bankbook from the drawer, glanced at the balance—15,000 yuan.

Of the 15,000 yuan, 10,000 was "chatting fee" transferred by Anxi, and the other 5,000 was the New Year's money he had saved over the years.

He put the passbook in his pocket and rode his bicycle to the Construction Bank.

The woman at the counter glanced at him and asked, "How much do you want?"

"Ten thousand five thousand, take it all."

"Withdraw all of it?" The older woman sized him up. "Young man, why are you withdrawing so much money?"

Su Yu smiled, revealing his white teeth: "Buying things."

The older sister didn't ask any more questions. Su Yu put the money into an envelope, tucked it into his inner pocket, and rode his bike to the sports lottery shop.

There is a sports lottery shop on the outskirts of the ancient city of Jingzhou. It is not a big storefront, but various lottery promotional posters are pasted on the door.

When Su Yu pushed the door open, the boss was reading a newspaper and didn't even look up.

"Boss, I'd like to buy a football lottery ticket."

The shop owner looked up; he was a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing reading glasses. He glanced at Su Yu and asked, "Which one do you want?"

"Euro Cup, 2-leg parlay."

The shopkeeper became interested and put down his newspaper: "Which two shows?"

Su Yu took a deep breath: "In the opening match, Greece defeated Portugal; in the championship, Greece won the title."

The shop owner paused for a moment, took off his reading glasses, and looked Su Yu up and down: "Young man, are you serious?"

"Seriously."

"Greece? Do you know the odds for Greece? The odds for Greece to beat Portugal in the opening match are... let me see..." The shopkeeper flipped open an odds table. "The odds for Greece to win the opening match are around 18 to 1. As for Greece winning the World Cup, the current odds are 92.5 to 1. If you buy a 2-leg parlay, that's the odds multiplied, so it's about 181 to 1."

Su Yu smiled and nodded: "I know."

The shop owner stared at him for a few seconds: "Fifteen thousand for everything?"

"Buy them all."

The boss was silent for a moment, then picked up a calculator and pressed a few buttons: "Fifteen thousand multiplied by 180, that's two million seven hundred thousand. Young man, have you thought it through? Don't blame me if this money goes down the drain."

"I've made up my mind, let's issue the tickets."

The shop owner shook his head, muttering as he printed out the tickets, "These young people nowadays are really daring. Greece winning? They wouldn't even dare to dream of that."

Su Yu took the lottery ticket, carefully folded it, put it in an envelope, put the envelope in a plastic bag, and then stuffed it into his inner pocket.

When I walked out of the lottery shop, the sun was high in the sky, making me feel dizzy.

Su Yu rode his bicycle home, whistling.