The realtor had already been contacted, and the arrangements for the house were in motion. Now that she had landed the movie role, financial worries were temporarily behind her. The pay for the project was generous enough to give her breathing room, at least for a while. Everything seemed to be falling into place.

As for the entrance exam, An Ning wasn't anxious. Intelligence had always been one of her strengths. The only reason she hadn't completed the exam in her previous life was because of *her*. Feng Yue. Her so-called sister had manipulated her back then, calling on the morning of the exam with a dramatic lie about breaking her leg and needing help. Naive and trusting, An Ning had rushed to her side, completely unaware that it was all a setup, a cruel trick that cost her the exam.

But now, as she prepared for a fresh start in this new life, An Ning wasn't the same person she had been before. She had learned from her mistakes. Narrowing her eyes, she thought with conviction. There was no room for distractions or deception now. Feng Yue wouldn't be able to ruin her life again.

The morning of the exam arrived, and An Ning left her apartment with all her documents in hand, her backpack slung over her shoulder. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a soft golden glow over the quiet neighborhood. She felt calm, ready. But even with everything going smoothly, a part of her couldn't shake the uneasy feeling lingering in the back of her mind. It was suspicious, almost too quiet. Where was Feng Yue's usual scheming? It wasn't like her to miss an opportunity to interfere.

Still, An Ning didn't let her guard down. As she walked along the street, heading toward the bus stop, she mentally reviewed the subjects she would be tested on, making sure she had everything in order. Her confidence grew with each step.

But then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed three men standing by a nearby alley, their eyes locked on her. Something about their stance felt off, threatening. One of them muttered to the others, "That's her. Get her now."

Fear shot through An Ning's veins. *Feng Yue.* It had to be her behind this. Cursing under her breath, An Ning bolted. "Damn you, Feng Yue," she hissed as she ran, her heart pounding in her chest.

-------

However, at that exact moment, a car drove by, its windows tinted and its pace unhurried. Inside the car, Zhi Hao sat in the backseat, resting with his eyes closed, enjoying a moment of quiet. But just as the car passed the sidewalk, something caught his attention through the window. His eyes snapped open, and his brows furrowed when he saw a girl running frantically, with three men chasing her closely.

Zhi Hao squinted and realized it was An Ning. His expression darkened instantly. "Follow that girl now," he ordered sharply, his voice leaving no room for argument.

The driver, startled by the sudden command, hesitated only for a split second before swerving the car, following the direction where An Ning had run.

--------

The streets blurred past as she sprinted, her legs pushing her faster than she ever thought possible. But the men were gaining on her. Just when she thought she might be able to lose them, she took a wrong turn and found herself trapped in a dead-end alley. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she spun around, realizing with growing dread that there was no escape.

Instinct kicked in. An Ning quickly reached into her bag and pulled out the small knife she always carried for protection. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. She clenched it tightly in her hand, her eyes burning with anger. *"If I make it out of this alive,"* she thought furiously, *"Feng Yue will regret ever crossing me."*

The leader of the men sneered as they closed in on her, his voice dripping with malice. "Nowhere to run, little girl. They paid us a hefty sum to have some fun with you."

Disgust churned in An Ning's stomach. "Screw you," she spat, her voice filled with defiance.

The men chuckled, clearly excited by her resistance. They advanced, ready to grab her, but An Ning wasn't going down without a fight. She braced herself, positioning the knife in her hand, determined to strike the leader first. If she was going to go down, she'd make sure to take one of them with her.

But just as the leader reached out toward her, something unexpected happened. From the corner of her vision, An Ning saw a blur of movement. Before she could process what was happening, the leader was suddenly kicked with such force that he was sent flying backward, crashing into the ground with a grunt of pain.

"You're not laying a finger on her," a cold voice said.

An Ning blinked in shock, her breath catching in her throat. Standing in front of her, shielding her from the men, was Zhi Hao. His presence was commanding, and there was a deadly seriousness in his eyes that made the remaining men hesitate.

Zhi Hao glanced back at her for a brief moment, his expression unreadable. Then, without taking his eyes off the attackers, he stepped forward, ready to fight. "Leave, now," he warned, his voice low and dangerous.

The men, seeing the odds had shifted, hesitated. The leader, groaning as he struggled to his feet, shot a hateful glare at Zhi Hao but decided against pushing his luck. With one last look at An Ning, they turned and fled.

The silence that followed was almost deafening. An Ning stood there, stunned, still gripping the knife tightly in her hand. Her mind raced, trying to process what had just happened. Zhi Hao, of all people, had come to her rescue. She couldn't believe it.

Finally, she found her voice, though it was weak. "Zhi Hao?" she whispered, disbelief evident in her tone.

Zhi Hao turned to face her fully now, his expression softening just slightly. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice gentler than before.

An Ning nodded slowly, still trying to wrap her head around the situation. How had he known to be here? And why had he helped her? She had so many questions, but for now, all she could do was stare at him, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and confusion.

Zhi Hao seemed to read the questions in her eyes but offered no explanation. Instead, he glanced at the documents sticking out of her backpack and the determined look on her face. "You're on your way to your college entrance exam, aren't you?" he asked.

An Ning blinked, momentarily startled. "Yes... I am."

Zhi Hao nodded toward his car, where his driver was waiting. "Get in. I'll give you a ride. You'll be late if you wait for the bus now."

An Ning hesitated, her mind still processing the events of the past few minutes. Should she trust him? But then again, Zhi Hao had just saved her life. And he wasn't wrong—after that chase, there was no way she'd make it to the exam on time by bus.

Reluctantly, she nodded and allowed herself to follow him to the car. Once inside, the driver immediately took off, heading toward the exam center.

Zhi Hao, sitting next to her in the back seat, glanced at her out of the corner of his eye but didn't say anything. The silence in the car felt heavy, but it wasn't uncomfortable. An Ning, still gripping her documents, stole a glance at him and murmured, "Thank you… for everything."

Zhi Hao's lips curved into the faintest hint of a smile, but he didn't respond. Instead, he rested his head back against the seat, closing his eyes as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary.

As the car sped toward her exam, An Ning couldn't help but feel a strange sense of calm wash over her. Despite the chaotic turn of events, she had made it through, and unexpectedly, she wasn't alone. Without either of them realizing it, a new bond had formed between them—a fragile connection that, in its own way, marked the beginning of something that neither of them had anticipated.