The only time I cheated with spoilers was to check who the ML was because I really liked MCs dynamic with the 'bad boy', but I didn't actually believe the romance would be between them because he's introduced with vibrant red hair and the opposite of the typical ML personality (he's aggressive, he isn't attentive in class and his grades suck, and he doesn't respect his teachers).

I was surprised that MC's family wasn't actually terrible in comparison to most families in this type of story, and even more so that I actually wanted her to accept her brothers' apologies pretty early on. Its kind of hard to blame the family for treating her differently than the 'adopted' daughter whom they'd known and raised for 15 years.

I'm assuming this is meant as some type of parody to the 'false daughter is treated terribly after the real daughter is found' trope that I also happen to really enjoy LOL.

the last element I'm referring to, is the complete villainization of the adopted daughter. although I do agree that she deserves karma and is not a good person, ultimately, like all CN villainesses she's simply reduced to the one-dimensional character that is a white lotus and everyone turns on her. in my opinion, this trope is overrated and overused -- I want some well-rounded villainesses that have brains, emotional complexities, and the possibility of redemption.

but basically, the idea that adopted children are below biological children is very very heavily supported in this webnovel ; whether for the plot or the author's personal belief, either way, I think it's pretty messed up and made me kind of pity the villainess. her "family" is the one who spoiled her and partially set the example to treat the MC badly, yet they place the majority of the blame on her and basically abandon her for their "real daughter". I get that the villainess was in the wrong, but after seeing how the family easily abandoned her despite treating her like family for 18 years, I understand her anxieties (especially as they were proven right). how can they just throw away their daughter like that, even if she is adopted? adopted or not, they chose to raise her as their daughter, they need to take responsibility for that and not just throw her away because they prioritize the biological daughter all of a sudden. (especially after the biological daughter chose to cut ties with them and did not even want their attention). again, not saying she doesn't deserve karma, what she did was wrong, but her "family" wasn't right either.

some other things I disliked was how the MC got prettier and prettier each day and no one was as pretty as her, so people started liking her more (bro I'm so sick of this trope, like authors please please stop putting so much emphasis on this, we GET IT. it reminds me of me as a child writing a book, imagining I was the MC.) and also how the MC suddenly got so great at studying and became super smart, beating the years of efforts other students made and becoming number 1 in the province..... maybe it's because ik how much you have to work to get academic success being a student myself and the MC just magically studying and easily getting it on the first try... it's just way too unrealistic and again... cliche. however, I get it, it's a typically CN webnovel, OP mc's and overly exaggerated face slappings are to be expected.

the Zhao family. It was left for the future if ever they will make up. It's a pity because it would have been cute for the three brothers to spoil the MC, but it's kinda understandable because she had drawn a clear line and severed the relationship with her family. Again, it's a pity, but it's fine as well.

I genuinely felt bad for the adopted daughter. She was not likable, her original personality and the fact she was made a villain made it impossible to appreciate her. But she went from spoiled and entitled daughter and sister, to learn she was adopted, to be thrown away like yesterday’s tr*sh.

Yes, she was a bully and was not a good person but she was never taught by her family and her family did the exact same thing they did to MC in her first life. The family was the real villain of the story.

But... MC got her second chance and never let them get theirs and participated in the oriFL’s downfall. She obviously realized her brothers were acting very differently but she did not do anything about it. I really enjoyed how she went to live her own life and did not force herself to stay with the people that had already disappointed in her previous life but unless she was s*upid, she should have known that a tragedy would ensue.

I am glad that she was not selfless. Really. But she got her second chance and never let anybody else get one either. I am glad she did not forgive them but I wish there had been some communication instead of ruining so many more lives.

"Fu Yangxi is such a person: even if you don't love him anymore, he would never hate you. He just won't love himself."

No! He got rightfully depressed but recognized he made assumptions. When his friends tried to suggest she was anything but good intentioned, he rebuffed it saying she was still a good person and his friend. He even tried to get over the depression and treat her normally. Once he came to terms with his incorrect assumption, he decided to try and make her fall in love with him.