The Rich Family's Supporting Female Character Only Wants to Study

Lin Chuge is a sixteen-year-old high school student at Yinghua International School, the only child of a wealthy family. During the summer vacation, she experiences vivid dreams that later manifest as reality, leading her to realize she is living inside a novel titled After Rebirth, I Became Everyone’s Favorite. In this narrative, she is destined to be a vicious supporting character who ruins her family’s business, loses all her friends, and dies miserably on the streets. The novel’s heroine is Shen Xueyao, a transfer student who arrives at Yinghua on a full scholarship. When Shen Xueyao appears in Lin Chuge’s class, confirming the dreams’ accuracy, Lin Chuge resolves to change her fate by studying hard and avoiding the tragic path outlined in the story.

Lin Chuge’s best friend, Xu Luoluo, helps her regain confidence by reminding her that she is the protagonist of her own life regardless of the novel’s plot. Lin Chuge begins studying diligently, though she struggles with subjects like math, where she scores only 37 on an exam. Her childhood friend Song Bonian, a top student and class monitor, notices her distress and warns her about Pei Zhou, a notorious troublemaker in their school. Pei Zhou is known for fighting and comes from a broken home—his mother died early, his father remarried, and he lives alone. Despite Song Bonian’s warnings, Lin Chuge becomes curious about Pei Zhou after dreaming of him in protective roles, including a scene where he visits her grave and another where he expresses feelings for her.

Lin Chuge and Pei Zhou’s first interaction occurred a year earlier when she found him after a fight in an alley and placed a pink piglet band-aid on his cheek. At school, they encounter each other again, and Lin Chuge learns through Song Bonian that Pei Zhou’s family situation is difficult. Determined to help him avoid a dangerous path, Lin Chuge seeks ways to connect with him. She visits her grandparents, where she discovers that Pei Zhou is the grandson of her grandparents’ neighbors. During the visit, Pei Zhou claims he wants to transfer to Lin Chuge’s class to improve his studies, though she suspects he is deceiving the elders. Later, Lin Chuge follows Pei Zhou after school and witnesses a group of armed boys planning to attack him. She intervenes by blocking an iron bar meant for Pei Zhou, sustaining a serious bruise on her back. Pei Zhou carries her out of the alley and insists on paying her medical expenses, but Lin Chuge refuses the money, instead demanding that he study with her as repayment.

Pei Zhou initially refuses, but after Lin Chuge continues to press the matter, he sends her a banner embroidered with the characters “Acting Bravely for Justice, Model for Classmates,” along with his name. Lin Chuge interprets this as Pei Zhou’s reluctant agreement to study with her, and she uses the banner as leverage in their ongoing exchanges. Meanwhile, Lin Chuge’s parents, concerned about her sudden desire to study, hire a tutor and increase her allowance, believing her motivation stems from academic goals rather than romantic interests. Song Bonian helps cover for Lin Chuge by telling her parents she has a university goal in mind. Lin Chuge maintains a secret friendship with Song Bonian, sharing information about her situation while keeping her interactions with Pei Zhou hidden from others. The story establishes Lin Chuge’s determination to alter her fate through education and her growing, complicated relationship with Pei Zhou, who remains an enigmatic figure caught between his rebellious reputation and underlying vulnerability.