Chapter 44 - 21 I’m Just Hiding My Abilities

Translator: 549690339

Ye Xiao spoke with apparent seriousness, but given her perpetually bottom-ranking grades, it sounded like she was deliberately making excuses for herself.

Ye Bingtong couldn’t help but sneer inwardly, yet her face still bore that same gentle and frail expression. “So, Xiaoxiao, you’re a dark horse?”

She couldn’t help it; a hint of mockery crept into her voice.

Ye Xiao nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Of course.”

She had won so many acting awards that her hands were tired. Even if she hadn’t been a ‘dark horse’ before, she would have to become one in the future! Now, all she needed was an excuse.

As she affirmed so confidently, Ye Bingtong couldn’t help but ask, “Oh? And what, may I ask, were you concealing your talents for before?”

Ye Xiao glanced sidelong at Ye Bingtong. “Don’t you know what you’ve done yourself?”

Ye Bingtong was caught off guard, frowning in confusion. “What have I done?”

Ye Xiao looked at her derisively. “You and your lackeys, from the first day of university, have been mocking me as a country bumpkin, laughing at me as a small-town girl, ridiculing me as the bottom of the class. You didn’t know?”

Ye Bolin’s brow furrowed slightly, and he subconsciously glanced at Ye Bingtong.

Panic surged in Ye Bingtong’s heart, and she hurriedly explained, “Xiaoxiao, you’ve misunderstood. They did say things like that, but I stopped them right away!”

She indeed had stopped them.

But to Ye Xiao, it seemed laughable.

The book probably aimed to highlight how beautiful and kind the female protagonist was, and how naturally dark the antagonist was.

Even before their family backgrounds were revealed, it used numerous pages to describe how Ye Xiao kept to herself, always hidden in the shadows, unpopular, and ostracized by the entire class.

At such moments, Ye Bingtong would stand up and sternly tell everyone, “Classmate Ye Xiao is just not fond of speaking. She prefers solitude, but in actuality, she wants to get along well with everyone. Ye Xiao, tonight I’m treating the whole class to dinner, followed by karaoke. Why don’t you join us too?”

The real Ye Xiao, already feeling like a misfit due to poverty, used the last of her mother’s inheritance and worked various jobs just to afford her place here, while her classmates seemed to have everything handed to them effortlessly.

With such a contrast, Ye Xiao preferred to be alone, and given the chance, she would rather work and earn some money.

Facing what appeared to be Ye Bingtong’s friendly invitation, Ye Xiao naturally refused, and quite bluntly so.

Ye Bingtong then showed an appropriately saddened expression.

As a result, everyone comforted Ye Bingtong even more, and their disdain for Ye Xiao naturally increased.

Afterward, similar incidents occurred many times.

For instance.

Ye Bingtong gave Ye Xiao her hand-me-down clothes, which Ye Xiao refused.

Thus, Ye Bingtong was kind, and Ye Xiao was ungrateful.

Ye Bingtong offered to tutor Ye Xiao, which Ye Xiao refused.

So once again, Ye Xiao was ungrateful.

These events repeated over and over.

Ye Bingtong used Ye Xiao as a stepping stone to solidify her image as the beautiful, kind-hearted one.

And what of Ye Xiao?

She was trampled underfoot, becoming the typical example of someone with low emotional intelligence who was antisocial and annoying.

In the book, these events are described from the angle of how kind Ye Bingtong is, and how unappreciative Ye Xiao is, as if to justify that Ye Bingtong bullying Ye Xiao after her return to the Ye Family was utterly unreasonable.

But in reality.

Did Ye Xiao really need that kind of benevolence?

Teenagers at that age often have an excess of self-respect, and Ye Xiao probably would rather wear her own worn-out clothes and lead a life of solitude than accept Ye Bingtong’s endless charity!

At that moment.

Ye Xiao simply looked at Ye Bingtong dispassionately. “You did intervene, but each time you did, it only emboldened them more. Ye Bingtong, your so-called help, its only benefit was to further solidify your reputation for being gentle and kind. Isn’t that right?”

Ye Xiao’s tone was edged with a sharp coldness.

Ye Bingtong’s complexion changed slightly; her eyes welling with tears. “Xiaoxiao, how could you, how could you think of me that way…”

Ye Xiao sneered. “Then how should I think of you? Without my darkness and asocial behavior, how would you showcase your sunny popularity? Only someone without any backing like me could be so wantonly trampled upon and then obediently serve as your stepping stone. In such a scenario, if I were to suddenly excel in some aspect, wouldn’t that irritate you, Ye Bingtong? With your dominating presence at school, I’d have an even harder time finding peace!”

Ye Xiao said coldly.

Ye Bingtong shook her head helplessly, merely repeating, “It’s not like that… It’s not like that…”

Somehow, the argument had drawn Ye Mingcheng and Du Yaru over.

Standing at the doorway, they quietly listened to Ye Xiao’s words, both feeling a twinge of heartache.

Their Xiaoxiao, had she really suffered so much?

So that was why, when she first came back, she had been so antagonistic towards Bingtong.

At that time, she must have thought that she was home, that she had found her family, and that she no longer needed to tread so carefully.

But they…

They had let Xiaoxiao down.

Ye Mingcheng couldn’t help walking over, “Xiaoxiao, so is that why you’ve always pretended to have poor grades?”

He couldn’t help but glance at Ye Bingtong.

Xiaoxiao needed to be so enduring just to make her own life a bit better.

And all of this, wasn’t unrelated to Bingtong.

Ye Xiao simply nodded, “Yes.”

Du Yaru was immediately overwhelmed with heartache; without hesitation, she said, “Xiaoxiao, don’t be so foolish in the future. You are our daughter; you were meant to shine. There’s absolutely no need to endure anything for anyone!”

As Du Yaru spoke, she too glanced at Ye Bingtong.

Tears threatened to spill from Bingtong’s eyes.

This time, she truly felt aggrieved.

Wasn’t she just trying to build a persona based on Ye Xiao?

Now why was every blame being thrown onto her!

Had Ye Xiao really been hiding her true self?

Ye Bingtong found it hard to believe!

She couldn’t be framing her, could she?

Unable to hold back, Ye Bingtong said, “Xiaoxiao, I know you have a big misunderstanding about me, but I really did mean well back then. I didn’t expect to cause you so much misunderstanding. However, now that everything is clear, and Dad and Mom have already said, there’s no need for you to hide anymore. It seems your grades will soar from now on?”

Ye Xiao, without a hint of guilt, declared, “Of course.”

Heh.

She was an actress in her past life; performance courses were nothing to her.

As for academic subjects, she had already self-studied quite a bit in her past life, and this time around, with systematized learning, her absorption was even faster.

Not to say she would jump straight to the top ranks, but with her foundation, making rapid progress was definitely doable.

Witnessing Ye Xiao’s confidence.

Ye Bingtong was somewhat flustered.

Could it be… could it really be true?

Had Ye Xiao been hiding her strength all along?

Ye Bingtong was reluctant to believe it, yet inexplicably anxious, her expression a colorful array.

After a moment, Ye Bingtong stabilized herself, forcing a smile, “Since you’ve been hiding your true abilities, Xiaoxiao, it seems there’s no need for me to deliberately let you win. In this upcoming movie, let’s compete fairly.”

Ye Xiao glanced disdainfully at Ye Bingtong, “Ye Bingtong, no matter how capable you are, just bring it on. I’ll show you what it means to be futile in the face of absolute strength.”

Ye Xiao held her chin up slightly, the epitome of arrogance.

Ye Bingtong was at a loss for words.

She hadn’t seen much of Ye Xiao’s true capabilities, yet her boasts were never-ending.

“Good!” Ye Mingcheng exclaimed from the side, “That’s the spirit of a daughter of the Ye Family!”

Ye Bingtong’s frustration only increased. Grinding her teeth, she said, “Since we’re talking about a fair competition, Brother, if you hear any movie news, you can’t just tell it to Xiaoxiao alone.”