Chapter 1: The Awakening of the System

“I am the Beauty and Brilliance System, existing solely in the hosts mind, with no physical form. I have detected that the hosts psychological and physical health is suitable for binding. Please choose: A. Bind the Beauty and Brilliance System. B. Do not bind.”

Who is speaking? The Beauty and Brilliance System? What happens if I bind it?

“I don’t like products without a trial; can I test it for free?”

The system seemed taken aback by the hosts unconventional response and took a moment before replying, “Trial binding in progress. Congratulations, the host has obtained a one-day trial of the Beauty and Brilliance System. Please complete the tasks issued by the system in a timely manner.”

Bang! Bang! Bang! The deafening sound of someone kicking the door jolted Lily Summer back to reality. It wasnt until she felt a sharp pain in her leg that she finally focused on the man in front of her, wielding a broom. Her indifference seemed to provoke his rage, and he swung the broom down hard. The pain in her calf was immediate, and before the broom could strike again, she darted into a corner, warily eyeing her young parents and her sister, Jessica.

Why do my parents look so young? Jessica had become a famous actress, leveraging her childhood connections to land movie roles and gain fame and wealth. Meanwhile, her brother, Jake, had been sent to study in England. Lily, on the other hand, struggled to find a decent job after failing her college entrance exams, leaving her feeling like a failure compared to them.

“Lily, apologize to your father!” her mother, Sarah, said in a tone meant to soothe a child.

Lily felt as if she were in a dream, catching a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. She looked like a typical student, her hair dyed in vibrant colors, wearing thick black-framed glasses, her face dotted with acne, and her body round and plump. Although she had inexplicably gained weight since high school, this level of obesity was reminiscent of her sophomore year. Had she really gone back to her high school days?

“Ding! The Beauty and Brilliance System is online. Side quest activated: Resolve this crisis. Reward: 24-hour Level 1 Sunscreen Card.”

Seeing her youthful parents and Jessica stirred a complex mix of emotions in Lily. She had always lived in the shadows of these three people.

When she heard the systems notification, she slightly regained her focus. Where did this strange Beauty and Brilliance System come from? What is a 24-hour Level 1 Sunscreen Card? Is it a card that protects against sun damage without needing to apply sunscreen? Would completing the quest truly grant her a reward? Intrigued, Lily decided to give it a try.

She regained her composure. “I don’t understand what my mother means. Where did I go wrong?”

Jessica looked at Lily with a face full of regret. “I’m sorry, Lily. I accidentally let it slip that you got into a fight at school and were smoking and dating. Uncle, please don’t blame Lily. She’s just young and doesn’t know better. If you must blame someone, blame me for not keeping an eye on her.”

“Jessica, step aside! At such a young age, learning to smoke and fight! If you hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have believed it! How did I raise such a daughter?” Lilys father, Mark, had served in the military and started a small business after retiring. He had a fiery temper and believed in discipline. In her past life, Lily had suffered greatly due to Jessicas provocations, and similar incidents had occurred many times, so she barely remembered this one.

“Uncle, please don’t hit Lily. Although many girls at her school are misbehaving, I believe she’s not one of them.”

Sure enough, Mark was further enraged, raising the broom to strike Lily again. Having been hit countless times by that broom in her past life, it seemed more like a weapon for punishment than for cleaning. Although he had once doted on her, often taking her out for fun and treating her like a princess, everything changed after Jessica arrived and Lilys appearance declined.

The harsh reality from her parents hurt more than the mockery from strangers.

Lilys expression remained calm. “I admit that I got into a fight.”

Lily had always been stubborn, and Mark was taken aback by her quick admission.

In her past life, Lily would have readily confessed and questioned Mark, but this time, she simply smiled sarcastically, “Don’t you want to know why, Dad?”

Mark was stung by her smile, which seemed to mock his ignorance, deeply injuring his male pride.

“You little brat! Who put a knife to your neck and forced you to fight? You hang out with those delinquents, and you still have the face to speak!”

“Lily, apologize to your uncle. Don’t always go against him. You’re not a child anymore; you need to learn to listen to your parents. Uncle is only teaching you for your own good. Hitting is affection, scolding is love. Don’t make your uncle angry,” Jessica said, her eyes glistening with tears.

“Hitting is affection? If that’s the case, why don’t you try it?”

This remark further enraged Mark, who rolled up his sleeves, broom in hand. “Jessica, don’t coddle this brat! If she had even half your sense, I wouldn’t have to hit her. It’s because she’s so unruly that I need to teach her a lesson. Look at how you’ve turned out, so fat and ugly! How can you expect to achieve anything in the future if you don’t study hard?”

Mark’s words pierced Lily once again, reminding her of the countless times she had heard similar remarks:

“Is this Lily Summer? Oh my god, she’s terrifyingly ugly!”

“I used to like her so much as a child and even bought the cakes she endorsed. How did she end up like this? What a shame.”

“Life is unpredictable; some people are plain as children but become beautiful adults. This Lily, on the other hand, has gone the opposite way. It’s tragic. She was such a cute little girl, and now she’s just an average face. I heard she’s in a vocational school; it seems her life is destined to be like this. What a pity.”

“Looking like this, she’d be embarrassed to go out, especially since she was so cute as a child. Lily should just accept being an ordinary person. I’m afraid that if she doesn’t come to terms with it, she’ll drift through life, unable to accomplish anything.”

Lily had been a child star, bright and beautiful, effortlessly entering the entertainment industry due to her looks. Her family had relied on her earnings to support their household and even buy a villa in the city. Her beauty afforded her privileges that many could only dream of. However, everything changed when Jessica came into their lives.

Lily inexplicably gained weight, her face became puffy and covered in acne, and she could no longer earn money or find work. At that time, Mark brought two children from the countryside, claiming they were the children of his deceased commander. Mark had served in the military and felt indebted to the commander, so he insisted on bringing the two children home despite objections. To make Jessica feel at home and not like an outsider, he allowed her to take Lily’s place in school, changing their last names and adopting them into the family. When Lily entered high school, the policies changed, and she lost her eligibility to attend a prestigious school, relegated to a vocational school instead. She had protested, complained, and resented the situation, but Mark, as if brainwashed, insisted that Jessica and her brother had suffered greatly while Lily had enjoyed many privileges, so it was only right for her to make concessions.

Thus, inexplicably, Lily became an ordinary vocational student, while Jessica and her brother smoothly transitioned into prestigious high schools.

After entering vocational school, Lily gained even more weight, her face was covered in more acne, and her glasses became warped from her nearsightedness, stripping her of any charm. The once doting father who would never lay a hand on her now frequently beat her with the broom. Similar situations had occurred countless times, and Lily had grown numb to it.

Lily stared at Mark’s furious face, speaking calmly, “They say Jessica is your illegitimate daughter, that I’m unloved and inferior to her, and that she’ll step on me in the future while I’ll just be her servant! Dad, tell me, if you were in my shoes, wouldn’t you fight back?”

After saying this, Mark was taken aback, and Sarah turned pale. “Illegitimate daughter? Who’s spreading