Chapter 2 002 She was a jealous and narrow-minded person…

Chapter 2 002 She was a jealous and narrow-minded person...

The summer heat was already oppressive, and the last class before lunch was gym.

The trash bin at the back of the classroom was quickly filled to the brim with drink bottles.

As the bell rang for the end of class, the students rushed to the cafeteria for lunch.

Shen Yi naturally looked ahead and called out, "Class monitor, I have an issue with trash..."

She stopped mid-sentence.

The class monitor's seat was empty, and the person had disappeared at some point.

Shen Yi felt a pang of annoyance. By the time she turned around to ask Song Yang to help with the heavy lifting, it was too late. Today, the cafeteria was serving Song Yang's favorite spicy crayfish, and he had already bolted out of the classroom to grab his lunch.

She looked back at the trash bin.

Shen Yi sighed, overwhelmed by a wave of sadness.

Oh well, she’d just have to drag it downstairs slowly. Life was so unfair.

Shen Yi wasn’t the type to bother others easily. Even though some classmates were still around, many would’ve helped if she’d asked.

But Shen Yi didn’t feel close enough to them and didn’t want to owe anyone a favor.

Shen Yi’s spoiled behavior was reserved only for those she considered close.

So Shen Yi slowly cleaned the blackboard, planning to wait until everyone had left before dragging the trash bin by herself.

Finally, the moment arrived.

Just as she was dragging the trash bin to the door, a soft, surprised voice called out from behind her, "...Shen Yi? What are you doing?"

Shen Yi turned around.

As luck would have it, it was Jiang Yue.

Seeing Shen Yi in disposable gloves, struggling with the trash bin, Jiang Yue instantly understood and offered, "Let me help you."

Shen Yi automatically declined, "No, it’s fine. Go eat. I’ve got this."

"Really?" Jiang Yue glanced at the half-meter gap between Shen Yi and the trash bin and smiled, "I don’t think you’re managing too well."

＊

With reluctance, Shen Yi accepted Jiang Yue’s help.

Even with wheels, the trash bin was a beast to move.

Jiang Yue pulled the bin from the front, while Shen Yi pushed from behind, both giving it their all.

At last, they made it to the garbage station.

Luckily, it was mostly plastic bottles, so the two girls managed to toss them in without too much trouble.

They put the trash bin back in its spot and headed downstairs to wash their hands.

Shen Yi lathered the hand soap, lowering her head as she said, "Thank you."

"No problem," Jiang Yue shook her head, then added, "I should be thanking you."

Shen Yi naturally understood that Jiang Yue was referring to the cheerleader position. After hesitating for a few seconds, she still apologized, "I'm sorry, I was grumpy this morning, I didn’t mean to lash out at you."

She had meant it. But since she said she didn’t, it didn’t count.

"...Huh?"

This time it was Jiang Yue's turn to be surprised. She looked at Shen Yi with confusion and asked, "What did you get mad at me for?"

"It was at the very end."

Shen Yi felt a bit embarrassed to admit it, wondering why Jiang Yue had to press further.

"You mean this?"

Jiang Yue thought for a moment, then stomped her foot hard on the ground, imitating Shen Yi's tone at the time, "Hmph!"

Shen Yi’s face flushed instantly.

Although it was indeed true, she often had little quirks like that, but being mimicked like this was still very strange!

"Was that really snapping?"

Jiang Yue's fair little face showed a surprised expression, and she laughed, "I thought you were just being playful."

Shen Yi: "...?"

That’s not what happened at all!

Shen Yi, red-faced, was speechless, but suddenly she heard hurried footsteps behind her.

The person shouted, "Shen Yi!"

Turning around, it was the class president.

The class president was running, sweating profusely, and said to Shen Yi, "I just remembered it’s your turn for duty today, I’ll go ahead and take out the trash for you!"

Shen Yi’s anger faded by about 80%, and she said, "No need, Jiang Yue already helped me with it."

"Jiang Yue?" The class president then noticed Jiang Yue beside her.

It wasn’t the class president’s fault.

Next to Shen Yi’s vibrant and outgoing presence, others tended to fade into the background.

The class president quickly handed the documents in his hand to Jiang Yue, saying, "It’s so lucky you’re here. This is the competition form I just applied for you. The remaining training time might not be long, but the final candidate hasn’t been decided yet. You should participate too, you never know!"

Jiang Yue eagerly took the application form, thanking, "Thank you, class president, I will work hard!"

The two of them chatted happily and actually walked towards the classroom together, leaving Shen Yi alone where she was.

Shen Yi was stunned.

Did the class monitor forget about her today because he was too busy helping Jiang Yue with the competition form?

Never mind...

Just let it go.

In the end, Jiang Yue was the one who helped her, so it’s not right to bite the hand that feeds you.

＊

In the evening, on the way home.

Shen Yu noticed his sister was down and couldn’t help but ask, "It’s my birthday tomorrow, and you’re this upset just because I asked you to wait for me after school?"

Is it really such a big deal?

"I’m not picking on you, don’t be so sensitive."

Shen Yi shot back at her brother, then continued to stare out the window in a daze.

Shen Yu knew his sister well—she had a temper, but she wasn’t one to lie.

So he got serious and asked, "Not me? So who’s got you upset?"

"It’s nothing."

Shen Yi shook her head, finally resting her head against the window and sighing, "This jealousy of mine is just hopeless."

Shen Yi was really annoyed with herself.

If it weren’t for her regular periods, she’d swear her mood swings were hormonal.

Since Jiang Yue had helped her, she’d decided to let it go and stop disliking her.

But then!

That afternoon, Wen Que showed up in their class out of the blue.

With everyone teasing her, Shen Yi, embarrassed, wanted to bolt, but then she heard Wen Que call Jiang Yue’s name.

It was about the competition class, but Shen Yi was too mortified to pay attention, so she just awkwardly pulled a girl to the convenience store.

The whole time.

Wen Que didn’t even glance her way, just kept talking intently to Jiang Yue.

Envy? No, this was pure jealousy!

"Wait, what?"

Hearing her sister say that, Shen Yi was taken aback and asked, "Who are you jealous of?"

Shen Yi didn’t want to get into her messy feelings with her brother, so she just made something up: "I wish everyone better-looking than me would just vanish."

Seeing Shen Yi was joking, Shen Yu didn’t take it seriously, just played along with a mock pained look: "Sorry, it’s my fault for being too good-looking and making you feel insecure. Can I live to celebrate my birthday?"

"Relax, by that standard, even if everyone vanished, you’d still live forever." Shen Yi looked at Shen Yu expressionlessly, then changed the subject: "Where’s my gift?"

Shen Yu was tempted to give her a light smack on the head, saying, "Have you no shame? Tomorrow is my birthday, and I still have to give you a gift?"

"Of course."

Shen Yi smiled and started with her twisted reasoning: "Mom said she only wanted a daughter back then. If I had been born first, there wouldn’t be you. So you should be grateful I came along later, which gave you the chance to be my brother."

Shen Yu was so mad at Shen Yi he felt like his head was going to explode.

Shen Yi said, "Quit playing dumb. You already got me a dress, didn’t you? I heard you on the phone. And this isn’t the way home. You asked me to wait for you after school, didn’t you? You’re taking me to get it, aren’t you?"

Having been showered with unconditional love.

Shen Yi said it with complete confidence.

Shen Yu could only grumble and call her a narcissist, but he didn’t deny it.

As expected.

After driving for a long time, the car finally stopped at the entrance of a mid-range residential area.

Shen Yi was a bit tired: "Couldn’t they just deliver it? It’s such a long way."

Shen Yu blinked at her, putting on a rare display of being a reliable older brother, and said, "Just hang in there. Wen Que will be wearing a suit by this designer tomorrow. I ordered a matching one for you. It’s a suit dress, pretty casual, so it won’t be too exaggerated for you to wear tomorrow, but it will be noticeable."

Shen Yi’s face flushed red again, to her annoyance.

She stomped on Shen Yu’s foot and stammered, "What are you even saying!"

"Ow, that hurt!"

Shen Yu was in so much pain from the stomp that it took him a while to recover. He looked up at the sky and wailed, "What did I even say? Why are you two lovebirds so shy? Can’t you stop getting so flustered every time you’re shy!"

＊

Just when you think nothing’s going to happen, something does.

Shen Yi was too worn out to get out of the car, so Shen Yu went alone to pick up the clothes.

But he returned with nothing.

After waiting forever, Shen Yi had been so excited, and now seeing Shen Yu empty-handed, she was utterly disappointed.

She asked, "Where are the clothes?"

"Listen to me."

Shen Yu smiled apologetically and explained, "Of all the luck. The neighbors were arguing next door. It seems the wife suspected the maid of seducing her husband. The maid looked about our age, quite a pretty girl. The guy had a beer belly and a face full of zits—so gross I couldn’t even look. But she acted like he was some prize! Gross!"

"And then?"

Shen Yi admitted she was curious and decided to let Shen Yu off the hook for now.

Shen Yu went on and on: "And then, as luck would have it, the designer’s place had cameras, so we watched it together. Sure enough, the guy was getting handsy, and when he didn’t get his way, he turned around and accused her!"

"How disgusting, so shameless."

Shen Yi joined in, and the two of them passionately cursed for a while before Shen Yi changed the subject and asked, "So where are my clothes?"

What’s that got to do with anything?

"Cough, cough."

Shen Yu awkwardly rubbed his nose and said, "That girl was in a white shirt, which got splashed with water by that woman. The designer was being difficult and wouldn’t lend me any clothes. I couldn’t just stand by, so I had to..."

The answer was obvious.

Shen Yu immediately apologized, "I swear I’ll get you an even better matching outfit with Wen Que next time. It’s my birthday tomorrow, so please, cut me some slack and don’t hit my face, okay?"

Shen Yi was torn between anger and amusement, not because of the clothes, but because of what Shen Yu had said. She asked, "Do you really think I’m that petty?"

Shen Yu honestly admitted, "Usually not, but when it’s about Wen Que, yeah, you are."

Shen Yi was really hurt.

Why did her own brother see her in such a light? Even if she was more sensitive about Wen Que, she wasn’t the type to deny a piece of clothing to a girl who was being bullied, right?

Even if she had her moments, there’d be plenty of chances later; she wasn’t that petty!

That evening.

The family gathered around the dinner table.

After hearing how her son had upset her daughter, the mother’s soft expression hardened. She first commended Shen Yu for his bravery, then laid into him.

That idiot! She knew her daughter/sister inside out! How could he say something like that!

Shen Yu apologized earnestly to Shen Yi, and that was the end of it.

Even with Shen Yu’s birthday the next day, the parents were more focused on Shen Yi right then, asking her what she wanted for her birthday next month.

Shen Yi just said, "No hurry, we’ll figure it out later."

Maybe it was all the birthday talk that evening.

That night, Shen Yi was haunted by a nightmare.

In her dream.

Her world was a fictional one, where she was the villainess in a novel, the fake heiress in a story of true and false heiresses.

When she turned seventeen.

Everyone found out the truth.

From that moment, she was shunned by everyone.

But her birth family was dirt poor. Seeing this as their golden ticket, they flat-out refused to take Shen Yi back, so the Shen family had no choice but to keep her.

But then.

Of course, her loving parents, her teasing brother, and even her childhood friend Song Yang and fiancé Wen Que were all quickly charmed by the true heiress’s kindness and beauty, increasingly realizing that Shen Yi was a selfish, ill-tempered brat, and they naturally distanced themselves from her.

Until the year she graduated from high school.

Out of jealousy, Shen Yi saw herself pushing the true heiress off a building, and she was eventually sent to a mental institution.

The true heiress got her happy ending, while the fake heiress, who’d done such terrible things, got what she deserved, right?

At the end of the dream.

Shen Yi was so frightened that she broke out in a cold sweat and jolted awake from the dream.

Because she finally saw the appearance of the true heiress.

That person was none other than her self-proclaimed rival, Jiang Yue.

The dream was too real, not like a dream, but more like a memory of something that had already happened.

Late at night.

Shen Yi bundled up in her blanket, and after much hesitation, called Song Yang.

At this hour, he was probably the only one still up.

As expected.

In three seconds, Song Yang answered the phone.

There was still the background music of the game on the other end, along with Song Yang's surprised voice, asking, "It’s late—what’s up?"

"Waaah—"

Shen Yi couldn't hold back and started sobbing.

After nearly seventeen years of life, Shen Yi finally fully recognized herself.

She is a person who’s incredibly jealous and petty.

Her jealousy of Jiang Yue was so intense it spawned this absurd dream.

Was it worth it? Not really!