The Almighty Diva: Reborn to be Worshipped

Ji Chuxing slung her black backpack over one shoulder and stepped out of the door, her face still pale but no longer bearing the timid expression it once did. Her peach-shaped eyes now gleamed with clarity and resolve.

No sooner had she exited than she spotted a boy lurking suspiciously near the doorway. It was Wen Lihyang, the ten-year-old son of Zhou Ru and Wen Huaming—the youngest child who had been spoiled rotten since birth, growing into an arrogant and domineering personality.

When he saw Ji Chuxing, he was momentarily taken aback by her cold, expressionless demeanor. But then he remembered this was the same pitiful girl he'd always bullied, and his fear quickly evaporated. He stuck out his tongue at her and sneered as usual: "Nyah nyah, little wimp! You're not allowed to steal my mom or our family's wealth!"

Ji Chuxing glanced at him. For a ten-year-old to spout such words, it was clear that many servants—and even Zhou Ru herself—had been whispering these things about the original owner of her body behind closed doors.

If this were the old Ji Chuxing, she might have swallowed her anger in silence. But the current Ji Chuxing? Not a chance.

The phrase "swallowing insults" simply didn't exist in her vocabulary. And neither did the idea of sparing children from punishment.

Without hesitation, she snatched the toy gun from his hands and pressed it firmly against Wen Lihyang's forehead. It was a child's toy gun, yes—but it contained steel pellets. While not lethal, they could easily cause serious injury if mishandled.

In her memories, the original Ji Chuxing had suffered permanent eye damage after being shot by one of Wen Lihyang's toy guns following her college entrance exam. Yet to Zhou Ru, it was merely dismissed as childish carelessness. No apology was ever offered.

Wen Lihyang may have been only ten, but he knew full well how much pain those pellets could inflict—that's why he'd used them to torment Ji Chuxing before. What he hadn't expected, however, was for her to dare take the gun away from him.

"Let go! Give it back!" Wen Lihyang shouted, squirming.

"Shut up," Ji Chuxing said icily, her gaze unwavering. "This thing hurts when it hits. Ever been hit by it? Want to find out?"

Wen Lihyang paled, his bravado crumbling. "Y-you wouldn't dare!"

Hearing the commotion, Zhou Ru rushed outside just in time to see Ji Chuxing holding the toy gun to her son's forehead. She understood perfectly well what kind of damage that gun could do, yet she couldn't believe Ji Chuxing would actually use it.

Where did this audacity come from? Was she truly fearless—or just ignorant?

"Ji Chuxing! Stop this at once!" Zhou Ru barked, lunging forward to grab the gun. But Ji Chuxing deftly twisted the weapon in her hand, her movements fluid and practiced. "Don't move."

Her gesture was sharp and deliberate, the kind only someone accustomed to handling firearms could execute. Zhou Ru froze, terrified that Ji Chuxing might actually pull the trigger. Meanwhile, Wen Lihyang trembled uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face. "Mom! Get rid of her! I never want to see her again!"

"She's insane!"

"I want her dead!"

"You want me dead?" Ji Chuxing tilted her head slightly, staring directly at Wen Lihyang.

Zhou Ru looked heartbroken and furious. "Chuxing, Lihyang is just a child. How can you be so cruel? Maybe he accidentally bumped into you. Put that thing down—if you hurt him, won't you feel guilty? He's your brother!"

"A child?" Ji Chuxing let out a bitter laugh. Thirteen years ago, when Zhou Ru abandoned the original Ji Chuxing, didn't she consider her a child too? And after coming to live with the Wen family, wasn't she also supposed to be treated as part of the family?

"Your son doesn't know any better. Perhaps I, as his older sister, should teach him a lesson?"

With that, she moved her finger toward the trigger.

**Bang!**

"No!"

"Waaaah!"

A woman's scream and a child's wail echoed through the villa. Wen Lihyang collapsed, clutching his head and sobbing hysterically. The steel pellet struck his foot, causing sharp pain but leaving no lasting injury.

*Click.*

Ji Chuxing tossed the toy gun aside. "Just a little scare. Too much for you?"

She lightly patted Wen Lihyang's chubby cheek. "If you're so scared, remember to put this thing away next time. If I catch you using it again, I'll break your hand."

Wen Lihyang remained frozen in shock, trembling and crying. To him, Ji Chuxing had transformed into something monstrous—a demon incarnate.

Zhou Ru regained her composure and lunged forward. "Ji Chuxing! Have you lost your mind?"

She clutched her son protectively, glaring daggers at Ji Chuxing. "What more do you want? You've already caused enough chaos for one day!"

Ji Chuxing ignored her completely. Zhou Ru wasn't her mother, after all. Without another word, she turned and walked down the stairs. Just then, Wen Huaming returned home, having heard the commotion. Seeing Ji Chuxing descending the staircase, he frowned. "What's going on here? Why all the noise?"

Something about Ji Chuxing seemed… different. Normally, she was timid and avoided eye contact, keeping her head bowed. Now, she stood tall and proud, exuding an air of quiet authority. Even a single glance from her made him feel uneasy, as though facing some invisible pressure.

Wen Huaming shook off the feeling, chalking it up to his imagination. He knew Ji Chuxing had recently fallen ill, reportedly slipping into the pool and developing a high fever.

He harbored no particular ill will toward his wife's daughter from a previous marriage. After all, the Wen family was wealthy enough to support her—as long as she didn't stir up trouble or tarnish their reputation in Nancheng.

Seeing his father return, Wen Lihyang perked up, leaning over the second-floor railing and shouting, "Dad! She shot me with a gun!"

Wen Huaming frowned deeply. "Dad! Make her leave! I never want to see her again! I—I want her dead!"

Wen Huaming scowled. "Who taught you to talk like that?"

Mrs. Wen, the housekeeper, appeared seemingly out of nowhere, casting a disdainful glance at Ji Chuxing. "Sir, it's not the young master's fault. Miss Ji is completely out of line. How can someone her age bully a child? The young master was merely concerned about her health, and she repaid him by shooting him with a gun."

Mrs. Wen, a respected figure within the household, had always looked down on Ji Chuxing, the country girl, and often covered for Wen Lihyang whenever he misbehaved.

In front of Wen Huaming, Zhou Ru adopted her usual gentle and virtuous demeanor. "Chuxing, you really must control your temper. Apologize to your brother right now."

"I want her to kneel and apologize!" Wen Lihyang yelled furiously.

Wen Huaming, swayed by Mrs. Wen's words, turned to Ji Chuxing. "You've just recovered from a serious illness. Apologize to Lihyang, and we'll call it even."

Ji Chuxing remained utterly indifferent. "He says I bullied him, so I did?"

"Miss Ji, are you denying it? I heard everything! I saw it with my own eyes!" Mrs. Wen retorted sharply.

Ji Chuxing smirked. "Then how about I say he pushed me into the pool and nearly drowned me? Why don't you believe that instead?"

"How could that possibly be true?" Zhou Ru's expression shifted uneasily. "Lihyang is such a sweet boy. How could he do something like that? He's your brother! How dare you slander him like this? Besides, aren't you fine now?"

Ji Chuxing knew exactly how this would play out. Some people refused to see or hear anything beyond what they wanted to believe. She had nothing left to say and continued down the stairs.

Wen Lihyang, still seething, grabbed the toy gun and fired two shots at her retreating back.

**Crack!**

A dull thud followed by the sound of shattering glass filled the air.