Chapter 16: “Poor But Pretentious”

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

She was different from Ming An and Yu Ting who were too lazy to clean up their mess.

When Ming Dai was a child who was not even as tall as a person’s leg, she was sensible enough to know how to make the bed, step on the small stool to wash clothes, help adults do housework, and so on.

For example, the old clothes that her cousin discarded would be carefully washed off of their stains after she got them. Then, she would put a bar of soap in the wardrobe. A few yuan could make the clothes smell good.

She had high standards for personal hygiene. Her nails were always clean. No matter how bad her hairstyle was, her hair must be smooth and black. There was not a single stain on her clothes or she would always iron the clothes to remove any wrinkles…

Not only did Yu Ting not appreciate Ming Dai’s help, but she even mocked Ming Dai for being “poor but pretentious”.

If Yu Ting was in a bad mood and saw Ming Dai spending time on these matters, she would directly question her as if she was venting. Did she like to dress up so much because she wanted to seduce men at such a young age?

—Ming Dai was only 12 years old when she heard these words.

Now that she thought about it, it had been a long time.

So long that those grievances no longer bothered her;

It was so long that when she recalled it now, she only smiled faintly.

Ming Dai looked at everything that she had personally taken care of in this room.

Although it was small, it contained all the fantasies and innocence of a young girl.

Later on, it was difficult for her to find such warmth again.

“Welcome home, Ming Dai.”

She whispered to herself.

Her soul, which had been wandering alone in the wilderness for many years, had finally returned to a home that made her feel at ease.

Ming Dai threw her body into bed and buried her head in the familiar fragrance that she had not smelled for a long time. The sleepiness that she had just taken gradually overwhelmed her…

“Ming Dai!” Yu Ting slammed the door open and said angrily, “Didn’t I tell you to go back to school?”

Ming Dai had no choice but to get up. “Got it.”

Yu Ting scanned her from head to toe and looked into her clear eyes.

“Remember to wear your glasses!”

“Okay.”

Ming Dai stood up, picked up the glasses that she had just taken off, and began to pack her bag.

The name tag was on the top right corner of the desk. It read—

Yanjing No. 1 Middle School, Year 3, Class 20, Ming Dai.

* * *

The No. 1 Middle School was one of the top high schools in Yanjing. Everyone wanted to attend it. Entering it was equivalent to having one foot in a reputed university.

The reason why Ming Dai’s grades could be enrolled here was firstly because her grades in junior high school were good. Secondly, a few big questions she revised came out during the quota selection examination… In short, she was lucky!

Unfortunately, Ming Dai’s junior high school standard was too far behind No.1 Middle School’s. Ming Dai, who came here, could not keep up with the pace and her grades gradually decreased. When she first entered the school, she could still be ranked in the middle. When she was in her third year of high school, Ming Dai could only hover around the bottom 100.

As for now…

Ming Dai suspected that she would not even be able to keep up with the bottom ranks!

After staying in the entertainment industry for ten years, she had long forgotten all her high school knowledge!

Something like studying hard in the last year of her third year of high school and turning the tables to study in a good university? She was not the female lead of a novel. How could that happen to her?!

—Ming Dai, who walked into the school, was extremely worried. The joy of being reborn had been diluted, and she did not even notice when she had found the classroom by relying on her muscle memory.

It was lunch break, and students were walking back and forth in the corridor. Occasionally, a few boys would play and run past the place… They were exuding the aura of youth.

Fortunately, not many people greeted Ming Dai, so she avoided the awkwardness of not recognizing her classmates.

Ming Dai adjusted her heavy glasses and walked into Class 20’s classroom.

She looked around and finally found a slightly familiar face.

If her memory was correct, this girl should be her tablemate?

Ming Dai walked over in relief and wanted to take the initiative to greet her, but the other party hurriedly avoided her gaze.

Ming Dai was stunned for a moment. After confirming her name from the textbook on the table, she sat down in relief.

“You…”

The girl sitting at the same table stood up abruptly. Afraid of meeting her gaze, she quickly ran away.

Ming Dai’s head was full of question marks. She could not remember what had happened during the third year of high school.

After racking her brains for a long time, it was finally the boys in her class who personally answered her confusion—

“Yo! Nerd, you’re here? Didn’t you ask for leave? Could it be that you miss Ah Jun so much that you can’t take it anymore?”

The fat, big-eared, and tall boy kept winking at Ming Dai.

The three or four boys standing next to him burst into laughter. Their eyes were filled with ridicule for Ming Dai.

A handsome boy sitting not far away looked up from his book.

“I told you! Don’t associate me with that nerd!”

‘Nerd?’

After listening for a long time, Ming Dai finally associated that ridiculous nickname with herself.

So something like this had happened to her in her third year of high school?

Ming Dai’s eyes behind the lenses were as round as a cat’s.

The boys continued:

“Ah Jun, don’t be shy.”

“That’s right, she’s a good match for you!”

“Sigh, if Ah Jun becomes the son-in-law of the dork family, won’t there be endless fried skewers?”

“Fatty, you’re too mean, hahaha!”

The boy named Ah Jun flew into a rage out of humiliation.

He jumped up, his fierce posture making the boys think that they were going to be beaten up.

In the end, he rushed straight to Ming Dai’s table and looked down at her.

“Nerd! I’ll say it again! Don’t like me! It’s too embarrassing to be liked by you!”

“… Huh?”

Ming Dai was stunned.

“Don’t play dumb with me! I’ll never like you in my life! Why don’t you look at yourself in the mirror? How dare you like me?”

Looking at the male student’s vicious expression, Ming Dai finally recalled the interlude in her third year of high school—

The boy in front of her was called Gao Jun. He was barely handsome and came from a good family. Although he was not ranked in No.1 Middle School, it did not affect his confidence.

During the third year of high school, someone had caused a misunderstanding and spread rumors that Ming Dai liked Gao Jun. At this time, she was a nobody and had no friends. No one would listen to her explanation.

There was once a classmate who met Ming Dai selling fried skewers for Yu Ting on the street of the night market. This matter spread throughout the class, and Gao Jun got the nickname of “fried skewers son-in-law”.

Gao Jun was deeply humiliated and did not dare to retort to the people who mocked him. He only dared to vent his anger on Ming Dai and brought his friends to embarrass her a few times.

Gao Jun was probably the reason why the girl sitting at the same table as Ming Dai did not even dare to speak to her.

As for why this incident did not leave a single trace in Ming Dai’s memory…

It was probably because according to the trajectory of her previous life, Ming Dai should be filming now. She had just stepped into the bizarre entertainment industry and was also experiencing the undercurrents of the production team’s struggles for the first time.

Compared to the cruelty of real society, this small incident in school was not worth mentioning. How could Ming Dai remember it?

“So it’s you.”

Ming Dai was enlightened.

She was about to explain when a girl stuck her head out and shouted at her.

“Ming Dai, Teacher is looking for you!”