Everyone Thought The Fake Heiress Had Her Reasons Ch. 10
Ming Jiao instinctively glanced toward the entrance, her eyes filled with anticipation, and she truly saw Tang Xiaoyu’s appearance. Although the original host’s memories contained glimpses of her, seeing her in person was far more breathtaking.
At this moment, though Tang Xiaoyu’s demeanor remained cool and aloof, she was nothing like the mysterious and unapproachable figure she appeared when wearing an eyepatch or glasses.
Now, she resembled pear blossoms in March—delicate and captivating.
She wore a snow-white chiffon dress with sleeves, and black ribbon bows adorned her waist and chest perfectly. Paired with her serene expression, she seemed like a handful of moonlight—someone to admire and cherish but never to profane.
【She’s really beautiful.】 Ming Jiao couldn’t help but sigh to the System.
Seeing her eyes sparkling as she stared intently at Tang Xiaoyu, the System felt like a loyal minister admonishing a foolish ruler. 【Host, don’t get lost in her beauty. We’re here to do serious business.】
Although it also thought the protagonist was stunning, if the host was so fond of beautiful people, why not admire Aunt more or even look in the mirror? Not to mention, there were plenty of attractive people at the banquet.
Ultimately, the protagonist was special to the host.
The System felt it had grasped something profound, yet not entirely.
Ming Jiao quickly snapped back to reality. However, since she was staring openly, she wasn’t worried about arousing suspicion. After all, in everyone’s eyes, she harbored both jealousy and hatred toward Tang Xiaoyu and would seize any opportunity to cause trouble. It would be strange if she didn’t even glance at her.
After admiring Tang Xiaoyu, Ming Jiao’s attention was soon drawn to the young girl standing beside her. She appeared to be around thirteen or fourteen years old, with shoulder-length hair, round cat-like eyes, and an overall striking beauty—a kind of beauty with a heroic edge.
She wasn’t wearing a dress; instead, a black denim vest adorned with silver chains gave her a cool look. Her poise was remarkably steady for her age, marking her as a precocious child.
She was Ming Yue, the youngest daughter of the Ming family.
In a way, she and the original host were both adopted daughters of the Ming family. The only difference was that the younger sister’s adopted status was widely known, while the original host’s was discovered later by accident.
As for the original host, she had a rather sharp-tongued side. While living with the Ming family, she often taunted her younger sister about her adopted status. Later, when her own circumstances came to light, it became incredibly awkward.
So now, when Ming Jiao received her younger sister’s cold gaze, laced with hidden vigilance and disgust, she wasn’t the least bit surprised. She even felt lighthearted enough to joke with the System, 【System, I really have this illusion that the whole world is my enemy.】
The System played along perfectly, 【Host, be more confident and remove the word “illusion.”】
·
The moment Tang Xiaoyu entered the hall, she immediately noticed Ming Jiao. Even though Ming Jiao’s attire today was less flamboyant than usual, she still managed to capture everyone’s attention at first glance.
The understated colors she now wore, which she had never chosen before, didn’t make her seem downcast or dull. Instead, they accentuated her like a serene orchid blooming in a secluded valley—elegant and unique.
Seeing her again in this identity, Tang Xiaoyu felt an even stronger sense of dissonance. She was somewhat surprised that Ming Jiao didn’t rush over to confront her like a sworn enemy the moment they met, and for some inexplicable reason, she felt a wave of relief.
Her younger sister also noticed Tang Xiaoyu looking at Ming Jiao. Fully aware of their past grievances, she assumed Tang Xiaoyu was troubled by Ming Jiao’s presence at such an occasion. She resolved inwardly not to let Ming Jiao or Aunt cause any trouble for Tang Xiaoyu.
Without needing to investigate deliberately, she knew that for Ming Jiao to appear at this banquet, it must have been arranged by her aunt. Otherwise, the host of the banquet wouldn’t have deliberately invited trouble by sending her a special invitation.
However, her sister’s worries seemed somewhat unnecessary, as Ming Jiao didn’t come to cause trouble for them. Instead, someone went to Ming Jiao to stir up trouble.
Of course, calling it “trouble” wasn’t entirely accurate.
Ming Jiao listened as Xu Tingting and the two girls accompanying her stood together, chatting and laughing. Though they weren’t standing too close, they weren’t far either, so their words easily drifted into her ears.
“Have you all heard? She was kicked out of the Ming family.”
“I heard. A fake who still doesn’t know her place, always looking for trouble.”
“Still dreaming, thinking she’s a rich young lady.”
“Then why is she here today? If I were her, I’d be hiding somewhere, not rushing to embarrass myself like this.”
Their words were dripping with contempt, their eyes filled with arrogance—a vivid and striking image.
Ming Jiao sighed helplessly and said to the System, [Although I knew Xu Tingting would definitely cause trouble for me or stir up something, I still have to say that novels with the “true and fake heiress” trope always seem to include such a brainless character who loves to mock others. It’s as classic as a banquet inevitably leading to drama.]
The System replied, [Host, are you what they call “complaining on behalf of the readers, leaving them with nothing to complain about”?]
Ming Jiao smoothed the long hair resting on her shoulder, [I just think this plot is so clichéd. Readers must have seen it a thousand times—won’t they find it outdated?]
The System said, [Host, I actually think readers love this kind of thing, especially since you’re now the vicious antagonist.]
Ming Jiao suddenly understood. She had almost forgotten: when the protagonist is mocked, it’s frustrating and infuriating for readers, but when the vicious antagonist is mocked, it’s a satisfying and cathartic moment. She used to love reading such scenes herself.
Xu Tingting and her little followers continued their mockery for a while, but seeing Ming Jiao sitting there calmly and unperturbed, she grew puzzled.
They say the person who knows you best is often your enemy, and Xu Tingting knew Ming Jiao well. She knew that, given Ming Jiao’s fiery temper, she should have jumped up by now to confront them.
But times had changed. She wasn’t afraid of this impostor, especially one who had been cast out of her family.
Yet Ming Jiao remained completely unresponsive, not even changing her expression, making the three of them look like clowns performing a one-sided show.
Xu Tingting grew increasingly irritated. Recalling past grievances, she could no longer restrain herself and was about to stride over openly to cause trouble when she saw someone sit down in the seat opposite Ming Jiao.
Ming Jiao was as surprised as everyone else in the hall at the sight of the newcomer and couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.
The newcomer was a woman around her age, dressed simply and sharply.
How to describe her? Her appearance wasn’t the kind that stunned at first glance, but it was remarkably refined. Her features were well-proportioned, and her brows and eyes carried a sharp, righteous intensity.
“Shi Yan,” Ming Jiao slowly uttered the other’s name. “What are you doing here?”
If Xu Tingting was merely an insignificant rival to the original host—someone she had offended no less than eighty, if not a hundred times—then the person before her now deserved the prefix “mortal” before “rival.” A mortal enemy.
She and the original host came from families of equal status, and their families had long been close friends. Yet the two of them were like fire and water, clashing every time they met.
In short, the original host thought Shi Yan was pretentious and overly rigid, while Shi Yan considered the original host arrogant and brainless.
So when Shi Yan appeared, Xu Tingting and her two companions, who had been standing there hurling sarcastic remarks, immediately stopped their verbal assault and adopted expressions of eager anticipation for a spectacle.
After a brief silence of several seconds, Shi Yan finally said, “I came to see how you’re doing.”
The meaning of a sentence often depends on the speaker’s tone, and to Ming Jiao’s ears, Shi Yan’s stiff delivery sounded extremely provocative.
“Is that so? Well, now you’ve seen me.” Of course, Ming Jiao wouldn’t lose her temper over this. Instead, she smiled with infinite languor. “I’ve fallen from grace, to the point where even dogs bully the tiger when it’s down on the plains.”
Although she directed these words at Shi Yan, she turned her face toward Xu Tingting and her group.
If Ming Jiao could hear Xu Tingting’s taunts clearly, then Xu Tingting naturally caught her veiled insult. Her expression darkened instantly, and she looked ready to rush over and settle the score.
However, Xu Tingting ultimately held back because Shi Yan was still sitting opposite Ming Jiao, and this was, after all, a banquet hosted at someone else’s home. Causing too big a scene would be hard to manage, so she could only grit her teeth and endure it. Still, she glared at Ming Jiao with intense hostility, hoping she would clash with Shi Yan—or that Shi Yan would single-handedly humiliate her.
Shi Yan swept a cold glance over Ming Jiao. “Serves you right.”
Ming Jiao laughed. “That’s why you have no friends.”
Shi Yan quietly watched her for a moment before standing up and leaving, though an involuntary flicker of annoyance passed through her eyes.
The System was utterly baffled. If they were supposed to be archenemies, these few bland and harmless words didn’t fit the bill. Moreover, it hadn’t detected any malice from this person toward its host.
But it didn’t seem like she had come out of concern either.
【Host, what did she come here for?】
A thoughtful glint flashed in Ming Jiao’s eyes. 【Perhaps she isn’t an enemy.】
Shi Yan didn’t appear much in the original novel, often only mentioned in others’ conversations.
She made two direct appearances: one at this banquet, where she argued with the original host, and another later in the plot, before the original host completely descended into ruin. At that time, Shi Yan actively sought out the original host, urging her to turn back before it was too late. She even offered to give her a sum of money to leave the country and escape the turmoil.
Of course, the original host, already lost in her delusions, didn’t listen.
The book briefly mentioned that the Ming and Shi families had been close for generations. The original host and Shi Yan had been good friends as children but grew apart as they got older, eventually becoming irreconcilable.
However, after Tang Xiaoyu appeared, the original host’s hatred was entirely directed at her, leaving no room for Shi Yan.
Now, searching through the original host’s memories, Ming Jiao found that her relationship with Shi Yan matched the book’s account.
They had indeed been very close as children, even spending holidays at each other’s homes for several days at a time. But as they grew older, the Shi family imposed strict demands on Shi Yan, grooming her as the next heir. Her academic workload became heavy, and their interactions dwindled until they eventually deteriorated into their current state.
After hearing her explanation, the System commented, 【She seems like an upright person. It’s highly unlikely she had anything to do with the assassination attempt on you, Host.】
Even in the later stages of the original book, when the two had no connection left, Shi Yan was still willing to lend a hand to her childhood friend, indirectly showing that she cherished old ties. Such a person was unlikely to resort to hiring an assassin to kill someone.
Ming Jiao thought the same. Besides, she and Shi Yan had no conflicts of interest, so she had never suspected her from the start. In fact, she only remembered this person after seeing her face-to-face.
The truth was, although Shi Yan was labeled as the original owner’s rival, their interactions after growing up were fewer than those with Xu Tingting.
Speaking of Xu Tingting, Ming Jiao only now realized the three of them had disappeared. She didn’t pay it much mind, feeling that since most of the guests had arrived at the banquet, it was time to get up and mingle.
As soon as she stood, she noticed Tang Xiaoyu and her younger sister hadn’t gone far—they were standing near the staircase by a dining table, chatting with someone.
Ming Jiao’s gaze swept over the handsome, sunny man opposite Tang Xiaoyu, her eyes gradually sharpening. [That person…]
The System said, [Is your fiancé, Host.]
A flicker of emotion stirred in Ming Jiao’s eyes, as if something was brewing. The System, now a seasoned straight man, continued the conversation, [A fiancé who jumps back and forth between the real and fake young misses—a classic He Shuhuan archetype. Truly a must-have trope.]
Ming Jiao smiled, radiant yet dangerous. [System, you’re quite perceptive. You have the potential to become my confidant.]
The System replied, [The honor is mine, Host.]
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
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