Villainous Poor Student (8)
The junior high school that the two attended was very close to He Siyu’s home, so He Siyu chose to be a day student. Worried that Song Xuyi might not adjust well to dormitory life, Song Xuyi’s parents decided to arrange for her to commute as well, with the family driver picking her up and dropping her off. After all, since Song Han, their other daughter, was already in her third year of junior high school, they had to provide transportation for one daughter, so doing the same for two wasn’t a big difference…
But what the Song family didn’t know was that Song Xuyi had already secretly planned out her next three years of junior high school: she intended to use the excuse of not being able to wake up early to frequently stay over at He Siyu’s house, allowing her more time at night to work on starting a business.
“Xuyi, wake up!”
The next morning, He Siyu called Song Xuyi to get up and put on her school uniform. After having breakfast together, they walked to school to report in.
Song Xuyi’s health had deteriorated due to staying up late at night, and at this moment, she appeared groggy and half-asleep, staggering down the road like a lost soul. He Siyu, fearing she might trip and fall, held her hand tightly all the way until they reached the classroom before they parted ways.
The class assignments had already been made: He Siyu was placed in class A1 on the fourth floor, while Song Xuyi was assigned to class F6 on the second floor.
When He Siyu arrived at her classroom, there weren’t many people there yet.
Not wanting to attract attention, she immediately chose a corner seat upon entering and started reading a book. However, He Siyu’s beauty was such that even in her old-fashioned blue and white school uniform, she looked as if she were a beautiful painting, still the most eye-catching presence in the room even seated in a corner.
The freshmen of the first year are at an age of curiosity about everything, and it didn’t take long for the news of a beautiful girl in class A1 to spread throughout the entire school.
“Have you heard? There’s a girl from class A1 upstairs who’s really pretty, even prettier than third-year senior Song Han!”
“Isn’t Senior Song Han the school beauty? If she got into A1 class, her grades must also be really good. Is there really such an outstanding girl in this world? I really want to see what she looks like—”
“Well, let’s go take a look together! Classes haven’t started yet, and the teachers haven’t arrived. She wouldn’t know whether we are from A1 class or not…”
Song Xuyi was awakened by the chatter of the students in the front row.
After entering the classroom, she walked straight to the back and sat down to catch up on some sleep. Now feeling more refreshed, she listened to the conversations of her classmates and knew without guessing that they were discussing He Siyu.
Siyu was both beautiful and well-behaved, and hardworking. From the moment she entered the school gates, she was the campus goddess. A girl who grew up surrounded by love and praise had an almost zero chance of becoming a villain.
Song Xuyi felt vicariously honored, thinking that He Siyu’s potential villainous path had probably come to an end by now. She felt at ease and began working on her plan for after-sales service improvements.
After making a name for herself on the platform, there were now some merchants actively seeking to join. An effective way to ensure merchants handle after-sales service was urgently needed.
Having experienced an almost perfected world of e-commerce, Song Xuyi was naturally able to write an excellent plan while standing on the shoulders of giants. However, now it wasn’t just herself standing behind her efforts. She also needed to report her plans to shareholders and investors. Due to the limitations of the era, many people lacked the necessary foresight. Already at a disadvantage because of her young age, Song Xuyi had to put in extra effort to persuade investors.
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Song Xuyi always dedicated herself fully to her tasks and quickly became immersed in the process of writing her proposal…
“Classmate, classmate…”
It wasn’t until the teacher stood in front of Song Xuyi’s desk that she realized the class had already begun self-introductions, and now it was her turn—
With her face turning red and feeling dejected, Song Xuyi hung her head as she encountered the teacher’s stern gaze directed at the proposal in her hands.
It was the beginning of the school year, a time when teachers typically establish their authority, and Song Xuyi happened to be caught in the crossfire. On the very first day of school, her parents were called in, and the plan she had written was all confiscated.
Song Xuyi’s name also spread throughout the entire school.
“That girl called Song Xuyi talked back to the teacher on the first day. She will definitely be expelled in the future,” a few girls from Class A1 gathered after school and disdainfully discussed the news they had heard: “My mother said that such students will definitely become delinquents. They won’t last a semester before transferring schools, and maybe later they will even end up in detention…”
He Siyu, hearing the discussion ahead, her expression turned grim. She put away her textbook, and the book made a distinct sound as it knocked against the desktop. The few girls turned around at the noise, only to meet He Siyu’s suddenly cold gaze: “I don’t know whether she will become a delinquent in the future, but what you are doing right now, talking about someone behind their back, is what truly defines a gossipmonger—”
By the end of the day, it was silently agreed that He Siyu was the new class belle, and possibly even the belle of the school. She sat there quietly, and during her self-introduction, she merely stated her name briefly, leading many to subconsciously assume that she was a shy and reserved person. However, now facing He Siyu’s dark eyes, the girls felt an obvious sense of fear.
All being junior high school girls with thin skins, they wanted to argue with He Siyu, but indeed, they were the ones who started gossiping first. Moreover, He Siyu’s pretty face naturally carried a kind of aloofness of an unattainable flower. The girls hemmed and hawed as they glared at He Siyu for a long time; in the end, they huffily grabbed their backpacks and left the classroom.
He Siyu slowly lowered her eyes.
Originally, she intended to get along well with her classmates, as she had agreed with Xuyi, but it seemed she had messed things up at the start of the school year…
She actually understood that these few girls just wanted to engage in gossip and, to be precise, didn’t have any bad intentions…
However, the person they were discussing was Xuyi.
He Siyu found that she couldn’t stand hearing anyone speak ill of Xuyi.
With her head bowed, her long eyelashes hid the expression in her eyes, and by the time she looked up again, five minutes had passed. The rest of the students had already gone home, and He Siyu was left alone in the classroom.
It was then that He Siyu began to pack up her backpack, cradling her books as she walked downstairs.
Upon reaching the second-floor staircase, He Siyu paused, just in time to see the wide-open door of the office next to the stairs.
Father Song was talking to a teacher with a smile, explaining the incident of Song Xuyi being abducted when she was young, and clarifying why Song Xuyi, despite her young age, wanted to start a business. Song Xuyi, usually bright and energetic, stood beside her father with her head down, appearing dispirited and incredibly pitiable.
He Siyu unconsciously pursed her lips.
However, Song Xuyi in front seemed to sense He Siyu’s gaze and immediately lifted her head.
“You go home first,” Song Xuyi mouthed to He Siyu, “I probably need to go back to my own home today…”
He Siyu nodded, her eyes filled with concern as she watched Song Xuyi, but she did not move.
Seeing that the teacher was completely captivated by Father Song’s story and had even started to tear up, Song Xuyi knew that He Siyu was worried about her and quietly made a silly face at He Siyu.
He Siyu was startled for a moment, then she shook her head and smiled, finally slowly turning to walk down the stairs.
Once He Siyu’s figure was out of sight, Song Xuyi sighed and continued to hang her head low.
In truth, she was not as nonchalant as she appeared. This was the first time in many years that she had been reprimanded by a teacher and had her parents called in. Song Xuyi felt somewhat embarrassed, but she knew it was her own fault for breaking the rules on the first day of school—she deserved to get caught by the teacher.
Fortunately, after the teacher learned about Song Xuyi’s past experience of being abducted, she forgave Song Xuyi and returned the several days’ worth of reports she had written.
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However, this also blocked Song Xuyi’s option of working during class time.
Song Xuyi had no choice but to work overtime, making use of evenings or after-school hours, and after some time, she appeared visibly haggard.
He Siyu’s attempts to persuade Song Xuyi to rest were in vain, so she did whatever she could to help, such as doing Song Xuyi’s homework for her or taking on more chores at night so she could get some sleep…
But this was only a drop in the bucket. As the platform developed, the burden on Song Xuyi’s shoulders grew heavier, and she became extremely tired, getting caught sleeping in class and having her parents called in twice.
The third time the parents were called in, Father Song was somewhat angry. Unaware that Song Xuyi was sneaking out at night, he thought she was staying up late working on plans again. Ignoring the advice of his wife and two other children, he had a one-on-one talk with Song Xuyi in the study.
“How can I get you to give up your entrepreneurial path?” Father Song was direct, looking at his pale-faced daughter, taking a deep breath trying to suppress his anger and heartache: “Our Song family isn’t so poor that we need a young girl to make money to support us!”
“I’m not doing this to support the family, and I know that Dad won’t abandon me again,” Song Xuyi lowered her head and bit her lower lip; at this point, she had to reveal her true thoughts: “But there are still so many girls out there. They are trapped in dark, sunless villages, uneducated, illiterate, beaten by husbands, and persecuted by society. Dad, I want to work hard to make money, to help them…”
Father Song froze in place. He always thought that his daughter was only seeking security because of her kidnapping experience; however, he hadn’t realized she was concerned with the plight of countless poor women.
His throat moved, but suddenly Father Song didn’t know what to say. Most of his wealth was inherited, and although not a tycoon, he was well-regarded locally. He had never started a business himself, but he knew the hardships and struggles involved. Not to mention the uncertain future of his daughter’s project—even if she could make a fortune from it, as a father, all he wanted was for his daughter to grow up happy, without experiencing any more suffering…
“Dad, I can’t give up my business,” Song Xuyi decided to also be straightforward with her father, looking up at him firmly: “What will it take for you to agree to let me continue?”
Father Song looked carefully at his daughter, who had always been obedient since her return home, not as willful and stubborn as she used to be when she was little. He and his wife had always been relieved to see their daughter becoming determined and sensible. Now, he realized that perhaps having a daughter who was too headstrong wasn’t necessarily a good thing; at this moment, he would have even preferred her to be as naive and obstinate as she had been when she was younger.
Father Song took a deep breath, knowing that his daughter had probably made up her mind and it would be hard to change. He could only ask for the next best thing.
“At your age, learning is the most important thing.”
“If you can consistently rank in the top five of your class, I will allow you to take a leave to start your business,” Father Song sighed deeply, finally conceding: “But if you’re not in the top five, then I want you to study earnestly. You can wait to start a business until university…”
Father Song felt that Song Xuyi might not be able to maintain a top five ranking. Song Xuyi had managed to get into Class F with more than twenty students, and Father Song believed the private tutors’ praise for Song Xuyi was only because he paid them well, not necessarily a reflection of her true academic abilities. But just in case, he added, “If you encounter any trouble out there, you must tell your father. I have lived many years, and I still have the ability to back up my daughter if needed…”
“I know, Dad.”
After Song Xuyi achieved her goal, she reverted back to her obedient and well-behaved demeanor. She had gotten used to coaxing He Siyu during this period, and seeing her father’s furrowed brows made her feel a bit uneasy. Almost without thinking, she instinctively praised her father: “Thank you, Dad. You are the most reasonable father in the world!”
Song Xuyi had an inherently endearing appearance, and when she looked at someone with her earnest eyes, no one would doubt the sincerity of her words.
Father Song was stunned for a moment, not expecting such high praise from his daughter. He tried to maintain a stern face, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily curled up into a smile.
Observing the curve of her father’s mouth, Song Xuyi paused briefly, her eyes widening thoughtfully: Could it be that everyone in the world loves to hear sweet nothings?
The newcomer in the business world, Song Xuyi, suddenly felt as if she had come to a realization at that moment.
He Siyu noticed that Song Xuyi seemed to have changed.
In the past, she would only act coquettishly with He Siyu when she encountered problems, but recently she began to do so more frequently and to flatter her with rainbow farts—phrases like “Sister Siyu, you look super good in that outfit,” “Sister Siyu, you’ve actually previewed junior high school topics, that’s really impressive,” and “Sister Siyu, I heard you recently joined the school’s science club; you’re so smart”…
Yet, when Song Xuyi spoke these words, she did so very naturally. Although He Siyu felt somewhat bashful hearing them, she couldn’t help but be delighted deep down, finding Song Xuyi more adorable by the minute and wishing she could give her her whole heart…
Meanwhile, in their class, because Father Song had specifically explained to the homeroom teacher the bet he made with Song Xuyi about being in the top five, the teacher had started turning a blind eye to Song Xuyi’s occasional daydreaming during class. Both were waiting to see Song Xuyi’s mid-term exam results and had even secretly prepared the scripts to tutor Song Xuyi.
As a result, Song Xuyi had more time to work, and with the care of the informed He Siyu, Song Xuyi’s complexion finally started to look better.
Time flew by, and before long, the mid-term exams were upon them.
The mid-term exams were on Friday, and after the teachers graded the papers over the weekend, the results were announced on Monday.
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Only after finishing the exams did Song Xuyi realize that He Siyu’s birthday was the following day. Remembering the child-rearing books which noted the importance of caring for He Siyu’s mental well-being, Song Xuyi prepared a bunch of beautiful clothes as gifts and also set aside a whole day to spend with He Siyu.
Initially, the two planned to go to the amusement park, but the weather was not in their favor as it began to rain; so Song Xuyi could only stay at He Siyu’s house. Song Xuyi worked all morning and then had longevity noodles cooked by Aunt Wang with He Siyu in the afternoon. She had planned to watch TV with He Siyu, but unknowingly fell asleep…
When she woke up, evening had arrived and the weather had cleared up. Aunt Wang smiled mysteriously at Song Xuyi and said, “Siyu told me she is waiting for you downstairs…”
As soon as Song Xuyi descended the stairs, she saw He Siyu standing there with a bicycle.
“Do you want to come up for a ride?” He Siyu slightly lifted her lips in a small show of pride. “I saved up money and bought it secretly. I’ve gotten quite skilled over the past few days, so now we can ride the bicycle at night instead of rushing for the bus. I’ve calculated it; we can save almost 40 minutes back and forth…”
She couldn’t help Song Xuyi in other aspects, but she was determined to help Song Xuyi save time so she could rest—
Song Xuyi hadn’t expected He Siyu to buy a bicycle for her sake. Over time, Song Xuyi had developed the habit of speaking sweet nothings easily, but looking into He Siyu’s shy yet expectant eyes, Song Xuyi found that those once-easy sweet nothings were suddenly hard to express.
She silently took a seat on the back of He Siyu’s bicycle.
The system in Song Xuyi’s mind wailed, “I want to raise a well-behaved kid too…”
Song Xuyi curved her lips slightly in a challenging manner, intentionally hugging He Siyu’s slender waist closer: “Siyu, I will definitely treat you very, very well in the future…”
Song Xuyi felt she finally understood why the older generations liked to call girls ‘intimate little cotton-padded jackets’! Her current mood was as warm as if she was wrapped in a little cotton-padded jacket in the cold winter…
He Siyu’s body seemed to stiffen for a moment, then after a long while, a voice with a hint of a smile came from in front: “You… you have already been especially good to me—”
……
The wind blew, bringing with it the fresh scent of flowers after the rain. Amid the ‘ding-ling-ling’ of bicycle bells, two girls rode through the city, facing the afterglow of the setting sun. The sky was ablaze with red clouds, the evening glow spreading from the sea level, set against the deep blue sea and the majestic bridge, composing an exceptionally magnificent scene.
Song Xuyi tugged at He Siyu’s sleeve, prompting her to stop and admire the seaside view. He Siyu obeyed and halted, but she quietly turned back to glance at the joyful smile gracing the face of Song Xuyi sitting beside her…
Xuyi’s smile was even more beautiful than the splendid scenery in the sky.
And for Xuyi to be happy, that was the best gift she had received on her birthday, a celebration which had never before been blessed.
The author has something to say:
I really am a sweet writer~ Hehe.
LP: Re-translated on February 28, 2024
Thanks for the chapter Translator-sama~<3
P.S. wonder if the ending to this arc will be like the other two with Xu Yi's death be from overworking herself and he siyu's death being suicide from the bridge.
[…] <TOC> Categories Blame the Villain For Being Too Beautiful Tags Blame the Villain, Blame the Villain For Being Too Beautiful, chinese, gl, yuriBlame the Villain Ch. 43Blame the Villain Ch. 45 […]