WfDO Chapter 76

Arc 5
The Vicious Supporting Female Is the Real Daughter (3)

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The Vicious Supporting Female played by Ye Wei this time is an easily jealous girl. 

She was supposed to be the Ye Family’s eldest daughter; supposed to be raised in love and pampered. However, because of a single mistake, she was left out of what was supposed to be hers for 18 years. Instead, she grew up as a village girl who couldn’t eat enough, couldn’t wear new dresses, nor could she complete her education. Even in the time when she still went to school, the first thing she did when she came home from school wasn’t do her homework, but her fieldwork. She had no expectations for the future, accepting her fate as a rural woman who spent her life on the field ^[1]. She grew up to be such a girl.

She believed that was the only kind of life that she could live. Yet, one day, someone told her that she actually shouldn’t suffer those hardships. She should have been the eldest lady pampered with lots of love. She should have enough food to eat and new clothes to wear. She should have got to complete her study without any worry. She should be able to learn the piano that she likes. Her future should not be like that of a rural woman. She should have lived a graceful and beautiful life. 

So, her admiration for the kind of girl that lived a good life like Ye Ying turned into jealousy when she discovered that Ye Ying had exchanged fate with her. For her, all the hardships she had suffered should be Ye Ying’s; All the prosperity Ye Ying had enjoyed should be hers. 

She didn’t have a good impression of Ye Ying who occupied her magpie nest. However, she didn’t hate her either. 

It’s just, when she saw Ye Ying, who was loved like a little princess, her jealousy twisted into hatred. 

Just look how good Ye Ying’s life is. She has fair skin, long silky hair, and beautiful dresses. If she didn’t want to eat, her parents and brother would coax her to eat more……

Then, compare it to her. What about her? She often worked in the field, her skin is rough and far from fair, her hands are calloused, and the only reason she can keep her long hair is that the hair could be sold for money. When her hair is long enough, she can tie it up and cut it with scissors. That way, she can get some pocket money. She has sold her hair several times since she was a child. 

During this period of time, she should have cut her hair again to sell it for money. It was her luck that she found her real family in time, otherwise, she would be just like a boy again, with uneven short hair. 

It was the first time she realized the inequality between her and Ye Ying in her heart. Later, she saw with her own eyes how huge the gap between her and Ye Ying was. From her initial jealousy and hatred, to subsequent slander and harm, she tried every means to drive Ye Ying out of the Ye Family. 

Nevertheless, her excessive actions made her parents and brother couldn’t stand her anymore, and she ended up being hated by them. 

When the original owner awakened herself, she did everything to change her ending and took her revenge in the process. She didn’t agree to donate her kidney to Ye Shicheng, she also successfully framed the Female Lead and kicked her out of the Ye Family. And it didn’t stop there. The Male Lead searched for the Female Lead, but he provoked a gang and his leg was broken by them. The main line of the world was absolutely chaotic and the world was about to collapse. 

Hence, Ye Wei arrived in this world. 

————·————·————

Now, Ye Wei had returned to the Ye Family, and she could continue her school. In consideration of Ye Wei’s previous situation, where she was expelled from the school because her family didn’t pay her tuition fees and she continued to work in the field, Ye Shicheng planned to let her start over from the first year of high school. The teachers in the rural area were not comparable to that in the city, and there was little that she could learn there. If she could, Ye Shicheng wanted Ye Wei to be able to get a worthy education from scratch.

Ye Ying herself was now in the third year of high school. She had excellent grades and was preparing for the college entrance examination wholeheartedly.

Ye Wei asked, “Can I be placed with my meimei?”

Ye Tao shook his head, thinking that Ye Wei is delusional and simply whimsical. “Don’t think about it. Yingying is in the Experimental Class^[2]. With your grades, you can only dream of entering that class. Besides, the education you get in the countryside is different from here. Can you keep up with the full English teaching in Experimental Class? It’s useless if you go there.”

Ye Wei sighed in envy, “So it’s like that. I have dropped out of school for a long time, so it’s true that I really can’t keep up with meimei.”

Ye Tao was stupefied, “…You dropped out of school? Why did you drop out of school?”

He had never heard of it. All he knew was that his meimei, whom he had pampered since little, was not his meimei and she was forced to leave the Ye Family to live elsewhere. It was not only Ye Ying that was afraid of that matter, Ye Tao was also afraid. So, when the investigation data came out, he only briefly scanned it. He could not believe that the murky and earthy person in the picture was his own meimei, and she wanted to replace Ye Ying to live with them.

For that, he had been arguing with his parents, demanding they not to send his meimei away; that Ye Wei could come to the Ye Family if she wanted it so much. Anyway, their Ye Family could afford to raise another daughter. 

In short, he knew little about Ye Wei, let alone her life’s trajectory.

But, Ye Shicheng knew. The person he sent to investigate the matter told him all. The Chen Family was so poor that they had no money to pay Ye Wei’s tuition, which led to Ye Wei dropping out of school and working in the field. 

Ye Shicheng explained, “The economic conditions of the Chen Family aren’t that good. I know about this. I arranged for you to study from the first year of high school again. You can keep up with the progress of your studies. so it wouldn’t be that hard for you later. When it’s time for the college entrance examination, perhaps you can get into a good university.”

Ye Wei’s head bounced happily, “Thank you, Papa. It’s okay if I can’t pass the exam, right? After all, I’m going to get married later and I have to teach my son at home. It’s useless to read so many books.”

Her words caused a change in Ye Shicheng’s face. He knew that his daughter was raised in the deep mountain. She had never seen much of the world, and her worldview was a bit shallow. “Weiwei, you can’t think like that. Enriching your knowledge and marriage are two separate things. You study for yourself, not for the purpose of marriage, nor is it to teach your children. Do you understand? Even if you later marry someone, you should have your own value and can stand on your own.”

Ye Wei nodded her head, but still couldn’t truly understand his words, “What is ‘your own value’?”

Ye Tao initially sympathized with Ye Wei for dropping out of school because she was poor. Yet, hearing her say such short-sighted words, it was hard for him to stay sympathized with her. “If you are outside, don’t say such things. Else, people will think our Ye Family raised you crooked.”

Ye Wei still couldn’t understand what was wrong with what she said. She shook her head vehemently, “No, that’s not… That’s what Papa Chen said. He said it is useless for me to study, and that’s why he didn’t want to pay my tuition. He called it a waste of money. I was kicked out of school because my tuition had not been paid for months. Papa Chen said that it’s better for me to get married when I turn 18 at the end of the year because someone from the village next door has kept his eyes on me. I heard that person has a two-story house. Oh, and also lots of pigs! That person may be in his thirties, but life after marriage should be nice for me.”

Ye Shicheng: “???”

Ye Tao: “???”

Ye Shicheng was not amused, “Absolute nonsense!”

He took a good look at Ye Wei, she had a simple, and even longing in her expression. He felt like he was stuffed with stone, the feeling was extremely unpleasant. He had just met her and was still unfamiliar with each other, but regardless of that, Ye Wei is still his, Ye Shicheng’s, daughter. How could she live that kind of life?

Ye Tao didn’t expect that the countryside was that terrible. Married at the age of 18? A nice life in a two-story house with lots of pigs?

More importantly, the Chen Family deliberately refused to pay Ye Wei’s tuition so she got expelled?

“How could it be like that? How can a father refuse to let his daughter study? He even let you marry at such a young age? What is wrong with his mind? Is his brain broken!” Ye Tao scowled.

“Don’t say that,” Ye Wei rebuked, “Papa Chen is very good.”

“He is very good? Where is he good?” Ye Tao was still in disbelief.

“He is very good ah. He let me get married early for my own good. When I get married, I don’t have to work in the field and starve anymore. There is also a lot of money from the betrothal gifts. It can be used for my didi’s tuition, to buy him a house, and give his future wife a dowry. It is for the best of both worlds, what’s wrong with that?”

Ye Tao: ““…………???!!”

Ye Shicheng: ““…………”

After Ye Ying’s mother died in childbirth, Ye Wei was sent out by Chen Weiguo to be taken care of by his mother. Later, Chen Weigou kept working outside for several years. There, he met his second wife. She was lucky and gave birth to one son and one daughter for him. The Chen Family was poor in money, but not in offspring.

This damned Chen Weiguo!!

Father Ye and his son observed the straightforward and honest Ye Wei. The words in their mouth were blocked in their throat. The people in the Chen Family are not only poor in money, aren’t they? Why… Why… Why did they produce such a demon-like younger brother that leeches his older sister?

Ye Shicheng inhaled deeply, pressing down the impulse to condemn the Chen Family, “Weiwei. You must put an end to such ideas. You can’t think like this anymore. If you get married, the reason should only be because you want to spend your life with the person you like. Marriage is supposed to be a happy thing. It is not supposed to happen because of starvation or because your didi needs money! If your didi needs money for his marriage and house, he should have earned that money himself!”

Ye Tao, “That’s right! What is in that Chen Weiguo’s mind! To think that he not only want to hoard your dowry but also denied you education and dared to marry you to an old man! Where is his conscience!”

Ye Wei timidly spoke, “…Gege, don’t say that. Papa Chen did it for my own good.”

Ye Shicheng: “……”

Ye Tao: “…………”

Ye Tao was suffocated with anger. He just wanted to lash out. What’s wrong with Ye Wei’s way of thinking! “How dare you say it’s for your own good?!”

Ye Wei said as a matter of fact, “I dare ah. If that happens, I won’t need to worry about food or money. What’s wrong with that kind of life?”

Ye Tao’s eyes were round, “He doesn’t let you go to school and let you marry an old man way older than you! He is trying to sell you, his daughter, for dowry money! Do you really want to marry an old man who you don’t like?”

Ye Wei stared blankly at Ye Tao. She didn’t speak and seemed to be scared. She couldn’t understand what he meant to say. Her deep-rooted knowledge of life for 18 years was shaken.

Ye Tao also understood that what he said was a bit too much for her. Looking at Ye Wei’s reddening eyes, he couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. He explained stiffly, “My words are a bit harsh, but it is the truth. If he really wanted the best for you, he wouldn’t let you drop out of the school……”

Ye Shicheng glared at Ye Tao, “That’s it. Stop. Weiwei, Ye Tao’s words are indeed unpleasant, but they make some sense. Since you have returned to our Ye Family, we will take good care of you. So, can you stop thinking that way? From now on, just study hard. Don’t think of any weird things.”

Ye Wei nodded obediently, “I know. Papa paid for my tuition and asked me to study well, just like my Grandma. Papa is kind to me. During the times when Papa Chen refused to pay my tuition, my Grandma gave me some money to pay it. Grandma said girls should have an education. At the very least, they should be literate, otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to find their way home if they were sold.”

Ye Shicheng was emotional, “It’s good that your Grandma thinks like that.”

Ye Wei added, “Grandma told me to come here. Grandma said that as long as I can come here, I won’t be tired from working in the field. I don’t have to be afraid of hunger. I also can go to school, do a lot of things, and don’t have to rush to get married. I can discover what the outside world is like.”

Ye Tao had a bad impression of Ye Wei because of her unyielding actions to return to the Ye Family, but now he understood the inside story, and he felt that he could understand a bit why Ye Wei acted like that.

After all, when all is said and done, she is still his biological meimei. They were no different than strangers right now, but, if they never discovered that Ye Ying was not his parents’ biological daughter, they would never find Ye Wei in time. They might never know that their daughter, his meimei, had suffered so much in a place where they couldn’t see. They might have found out too late, when things were a foregone conclusion and irreversible. These possibilities were something they wouldn’t want to face. 

Because of this talk, Ye Tao’s attitude towards Ye Wei softened, at least, he was not repulsive as before. He couldn’t help but understand that children who grow up in that kind of environment were bound to have different ideas than the children who grow up in a city. 

If Ye Ying returned to that house… He couldn’t imagine how much she would have to suffer. 

He then went to Ye Ying in her room to say his mind, “I misunderstood Ye Wei before. I didn’t expect that Chen Weigou to be that kind of man! He doesn’t deserve to be called a human being! He is too patriarchal to the extreme! It is fortunate that we picked Ye Wei back in time, otherwise, I would have a brother-in-law ten years older than me!”

Ye Ying was surprised, “What’s the matter?”

Ye Tao recounted everything he heard from Ye Wei, then said, “In fact, it’s no wonder that Ye Wei insisted on coming back. If it were me, I also don’t want to stay in that kind of place for a second longer.”

Ye Ying’s expression was contorted. She appeared to be scared. Her real father was such a person? She didn’t want to go back even more. Why was she not her parents’ real daughter?

————·————·————

During the night, Ye Shicheng also talked to Wang Hui about Ye Wei’s past experience. Wang Hui was distressed and mad when she heard it, “I was grateful before for the Chen Family because even if they are poor, they still somewhat raised our daughter! To think they actually… actually treat her like that!”

“Chen Weiguo is a person from a rural place. How much can you expect him to be? Weiwei has suffered a lot. She grew up in that environment and is planted with some weird ideas… Take care of her, guide her, and don’t let her go astray.”

“I’m just angry. Even if Chen Weiguo has no education, he should have a conscience not to marry his young daughter to an old man, or give the dowry money to his younger brother to buy a house! He clearly is selling his daughter! It’s too much! I am glad we have taken Weiwei back, otherwise…”

“Well, stop thinking of the past. You should think more about how to take care of Weiwei in the future.”

“I know that. Just, Weiwei is my own daughter. I feel sorry that she has suffered so much.” Wang Hui sighed, “Yingying cried so often these past days and looked not as lively as before, she was so cautious in everything she did. She hugged me and cried, saying she didn’t want to leave us…. Alas, Yingying is also our daughter and has been with us for the past 18 years. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have said that Weiwei should continue to stay in the Chen Family.”

“Now that both daughters are around us, neither can be wronged.”

“Mn, I agree.”

————·————·————

The next day was Monday, Ye Ying got up early and carried her bag to school. Although she was in a bad mood, it was not the time for her to be capricious. She still had to go to school.

She got up early because she didn’t sleep well. There were dark circles under her eyes. She was afraid that her parents and brother were worried so she washed her face and applied an eye mask before going downstairs. To her surprise, when she went downstairs, there were not only her parents and brother but also Ye Wei. Ye Wei got up very early. She wore a pink skirt, which was similar to what she wore yesterday. She sat there for breakfast. A family of three looked so happy.

Ye Ying halted in her steps, but Ye Wei had noticed her long ago. She waved her hand and beckoned, “Meimei, come here. Let’s have breakfast.”

Ye Ying had to walk over and greet, “Papa, Gege, good morning.” and then to Ye Wei, “Jiejie, good morning.”

Ye Wei, “It’s late, you see. It’s already so bright! When I was back home and still in school, I had to wake up before 5 and make breakfast. Now, hurry, have your breakfast. We will go to class after breakfast. Be hasty so we are not late.”

Ye Ying: “……”

She went to sit down and hung her head down and ate her porridge.

She peeked at her father and brother, and discovered that her brother’s focus was on Ye Wei, “You get up before 5 to cook breakfast? That early? No way, you are lying, right? It’s still dark at 5 and you can’t even see the way. How come you go to school at that time? Is the school gate even open at that time??”

Ye Wei answered, “In summer, I can see the way because it’s bright at that time, but in winter, it’s dark and foggy. I can’t see clearly, so sometimes I bring torches. Moreover, my home is far from the school. It took me an hour to walk there. After cooking breakfast, I would go to school. When I arrive, it’s usually during the early self-study session.”

In addition, junior high school did not provide housing, so she must walk to school every day. It was better in high school, she could stay in school from Monday to Friday and she wouldn’t be too tired. 

Ye Tao, “…” Damn, he forgot that Ye Wei lived in the mountain and had to walk for more than an hour to go to school.

He, in a rare act of kindness, stuffed a bun in Ye Wei’s hand, “Eat more.”

Ye Shicheng was also moved by her words. The more he listened, the more he felt guilty. If he hadn’t been ill, he might never have found his own daughter’s misery.

“Eat quickly. After breakfast, I will take you to school.”

Ye Wei’s lips curved up, “Thank you, Papa, Gege.”

Ye Ying watched Ye Wei get taken care of by her father and brother from the side, but they never paid any attention to her. She hung her head in frustration. 

The breakfast consisted of porridge and steamed stuffed buns. However, she had no appetite and wanted to skip it. Then, she recalled Ye Wei’s previous words and bit her reluctance down. She forced herself to finish a bowl of porridge, “I’m done.”

Ye Shicheng hummed, “Today is Weiwei’s first day of school. Yingying, take care of her. Weiwei, if you don’t understand anything, go to find Yingying, okay?”

Ye Ying assured, “Don’t worry, Papa. I will take good care of Jiejie.”

Ye Wei turned it down, “I don’t want to bother Meimei. Papa, rest assured. I will take good care of myself.”

Ye Shicheng put down his chopsticks, took a tissue, and wiped his mouth. “Mn, let’s go.”

————·————·————

Ye Ying studied in a private institution Although it was a private institution, it was very popular all over the country. The school had classes from kindergarten to high school, and the teachers were very knowledgeable. Most of the students who come there to study were rich people.

And currently, the rumor that Ye Ying was not the daughter of the Ye Family has spread in the school, and the real daughter of the Ye Family has been found. 

“I’m sick of Ye Ying. She seduced people here and there and acted like an innocent Virgin Mary. Ha, turns out she is not the real eldest lady of the Ye Family. Who knows where this pheasant came from and occupied the original eldest lady’s position.”

“Say, since Ye Ying is no longer the eldest daughter of the Ye Family, is it still possible for her and Zhang Yu?”

“Heh. Even if Zhang Yu likes her, the Zhang Family won’t let him marry a woman of unknown origin.”

“Zhang Yu won’t like her anymore!”

“Then shall we use that Ye Wei? Let’s use her to deal with Ye Ying.”

“Look, look! Is the one beside Ye Ying the infamous Ye Wei?”

“… So dark?”

A girl in a pink skirt walked beside the fair and soft Ye Ying. Her skin was a little dark, her hair was tied up, and she was carrying a new school bag behind her. A pair of eyes looked curiously left and right, looking like a country bumpkin.

The Ye Wei beside Ye Ying, was really the epitome of the ugly duckling.

A group of boys also eyed Ye Wei. Ye Ying was a popular figure in the school. She was not only good-looking, but also kind, gentle, and had good grades. She was once nominated as the school flower.

“That girl is the real eldest lady of the Ye Family?”

“She’s far worse than Ye Ying.”

“No wonder Ye Ying has been distracted these days. Is it because of that girl?”

Over there, the boys were sneering at Ye Wei.

————·————·————

It was Ye Wei’s first time seeing such a beautiful school. Not only was the school beautiful, but the uniforms issued by the school were also extremely beautiful.

She was assigned to Class 1-8 of High School. The students in that class were the students that did not perform very well. Most of them attended the school thanks to their parents’ money, unlike the Experimental Class where everything was taught in English and all of them were elite that could keep up with the learning progress. She was placed in Class 1-8 so she could familiarize herself with the learning process.

Ye Wei sat in the bright classroom with a brand new fragrant ink textbook in her hand. She was in a great mood and turned a blind eye to the curious glances around. This was not her first time stepping into High School, but it has been so many years that she missed the feeling of going to high school a bit. 

However, she was a bit unhappy when she went to the toilet. This was supposed to be the youthful and pure high school experience. Why did someone have to destroy the beauty in her heart?

She tried to push open the toilet door, which was stuck. She knew that someone locked it from the outside and those people were planning something for her. She could vaguely hear the laughter outside. She smiled harmlessly and pushed the door panel with a little force.

Crack——

The door, which was originally motionless, unexpectedly opened!

With a click, the broom blocking the door fell to the ground.

The beautiful girls in uniforms widened their eyes in surprise at her? The girl in charge of this accident was even more shocked. She merely wanted to give Ye Wei a warning and let her stay in the toilet for a while. How did she open the door effortlessly?

Ye Wei still sported a big harmless smile, she asked naively, “Is something wrong?”

The girl didn’t expect this and could only stare at her. One of them eventually voiced, “What did you just do?”

“Ah, my bad,” Ye Wei apologized. “It’s just that I’ve done a lot of farm work and have a little more strength than ordinary people.”

The girls: “…??”

Ye Wei, “So, can you tell me what’s going on now.“

The girls: “……!!!”

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Footnotes

[1] 面朝黄土背朝天 – miàn cháo huángtǔ bèicháo tiān. lit. face the yellow soil (loess) and turn their backs to the sky.  Generally refers to when farmers are doing farm work in the fields. Yellow soil refers to the land in the Central Plains that is yellow ↵

[2] 实验班 – shíyànbān. Exclusive class for smart (or rich) ppl and ppl who skip grades. More often than not, experimental classes have different tuition fees. In my high school, an experimental class is called a parallel class. Ppl in that class frequently go to overseas or national competitions and get gold medals. Sigh, geniuses. ↵

Ry’s Corner

Zhang Yu is the og!ML in this Arc btw.

Ye Tao probably has a knack for opening boxes he shouldn’t open.

When you start comparing yourself to others, it will be hard for you to be content with your current life. Comparison is a terrifying thing. 

I smell green tea here and there. It keeps getting stronger each chapter. Anw, after 3 chapters of introduction to this Arc, the fun can now begin. 

I remember, when I was in the first year of high school, the youngest person in the parallel class was like, what, 9? Man. I feel like plankton when faced with ppl from parallel classes. The courses in parallel class were all in English, while in the common class, we only needed to speak in English during Wednesday and Friday’s courses, if we didn’t, our points would get deducted. No one followed the rules tho, lmao. After all, it’s not like the teacher would write down our names. Good ol’ days.

Also, imagine my shock when in my uni year, during my forced community service in a remote village, a 15 yo boy is alr married. HELLO? SIR? EXCUSE ME? I don’t even want to know how old his wife is 😭 Though, when I talked with the village chief, it is actually a norm for young ppl to get married early there. They will only study up to high school, then start to work in the field. The more you know, I guess.

————·————·————

Whenever I scrolled the Superchat of “The Memory Lost in Space” on weibo, I see fellow sufferers of Yin Nanzhao. It has been nearly 5 years since MLiS was officially published and the people simping for Yin Nanzhao never stop. I just hope to see a spin-off where my baes is happy, please. Where art thou, fanfiction author.

If you like what I do please consider buying me ko-fi! Who needs sleep, anyway. I don’t offer Advanced Chapters like Lyre yet, but you are free to water this thirsty cat!

Words count (excluding title, footnotes, TL’s corner): 4419