After Rebirth, Minor Character Only Wants to Level Up
Chapter 32 - 031: Contradiction

Chapter 32: 031: Contradiction

Bai Xue listened to her daughter’s words and naturally comforted her for a while. She didn’t want to ruin her position in her daughter’s heart, even though she had a lot to say about the elder daughter, Bai Xue forcibly held it in.

As for Ye Ling, she returned home happily after buying a book she liked, while Ye Qian, though smiling, seemed evidently more strained than usual. She directly said she wasn’t feeling well and went into the room with the materials she bought.

Bai Xue hurriedly said a few words to her mother-in-law and then followed into the West Room, closing the door behind her. Old Mrs. Ye wasn’t someone who lacked perception, especially since the eldest granddaughter was the first to return home.

Back in the East Room, Old Mrs. Ye lowered her voice smartly, "Did you argue at the bookstore?"

"No," Ye Ling said, beginning to pack things up after returning from the bookstore. She put the materials she bought into a bag before lifting her head, "Grandma, what’s wrong?"

"I noticed your sister didn’t look happy, and your mother went inside to comfort her."

Ye Ling laughed, "I left first, so I don’t know about their matters."

After all, they are mother and daughter, and she was just an outsider, how could she possibly know what’s going on between them.

Old Mrs. Ye laughed at her granddaughter’s words, "Alright, don’t think too much about it. After all, she is your biological mother, it’s just that you grew up away from her for all these years, that’s why you’re distant, it’ll get better gradually."

"Grandma, you don’t need to comfort me. I know best about how it is, but don’t worry; if they don’t care about me, I won’t care about them either. As long as you’re good to me, that’s enough." Ye Ling linked arms with her grandmother, showing a genuine smile, "Grandma, we’re going home on the fifth day, did you get the tickets? Tomorrow’s the fourth day of the New Year and it’s hard to buy tickets. Let’s ask my dad to pull some strings and get us two sleeper tickets. If we can’t get two, one will do; you’re getting too old for such trouble."

"How much would it cost for that? Besides, asking your dad to use his connections is not right, it goes against the rules, but your dad has already booked the tickets, and this time we have seats." To Old Mrs. Ye, having seats is better than having no seats at all.

Ye Ling rolled her eyes. Grandma was really easily satisfied. Since this was the case, she didn’t say any more. After all, they didn’t bring much when they came; this time going back they just had a few more books.

In the West Room, Ye Qian put the materials on the table and then sprawled onto the bed. Bai Xue followed her in, closed the door, sat by the bed, and quietly said, "Didn’t Mom tell you before? She’s just that kind of person, don’t take it to heart. After the fifth, she’ll go back to the countryside, at most she’ll stay one more day."

Her daughter had never been this heartbroken and disappointed from childhood until now. Seeing it, Bai Xue felt painful, but there was no other way, she could only curse her eldest daughter for being born just to make trouble; otherwise, how could her good daughter be made to feel like this, having only spent a few days together?

Ye Qian lay on the bed, feeling unhappy. She forced a smile, "Mom, don’t say it, I don’t blame my sister, I just blame myself for not knowing how to make her happy."

"You’re such a child, it’s clearly her fault, yet you are siding with her. You can’t be so kind anymore; I see that she takes advantage of your gentle nature, that’s why she’s always making things difficult for you."

"Mom, I’m really tired. I still have to take the dance upgrade test after the second month of the lunar year. I want to use the New Year holidays to rest a bit, and then go practice with my teacher."

"Alright, alright, I won’t bother you. When our family conditions improve, I’ll set up a separate dance practice room for you, so you don’t have to go to the teacher’s house to practice." Bai Xue said no more, got up, and went to the living room.

Even though she herself was unhappy, she couldn’t show it in front of her mother-in-law. Last night, her husband also said that she should make more delicious food these days. Bai Xue didn’t want to make her husband unhappy, so she prepared the meat early, planning to make celery dumplings for dinner.

Making dumplings is naturally lively with the whole family. These days, Ye He Ping didn’t have to go to the company, going to others’ houses by day to play chess with comrades, only returning when it was time to cook.

When he got home, he saw the dough was kneaded and shouted, "Ye Qian, Ye Ling, come out and make dumplings, we’re having dumplings for dinner."

It was clear that Ye He Ping was very happy.

Bai Xue quickly hushed him to lower his voice, "Qianqian isn’t feeling well and is lying in the West Room, why are you shouting so loud?"

"Is she having a nosebleed again?" Ye He Ping’s smile faded from his face.

"No, isn’t she having exams in a few days? She’s just resting now and will go to her teacher to practice in a few days." Bai Xue naturally wouldn’t tell the truth, especially since Old Mrs. Ye and her elder daughter were also out in the East Room.

After hearing this, Ye He Ping didn’t say much more but persuaded his mother, "Mom, you don’t need to make them, we can handle it."

"This isn’t really work, staying idle all day makes me feel uncomfortable." Old Mrs. Ye washed her hands and directly started wrapping with the rolled-out dough.

Ye Ling, though spoiled by Old Mrs. Ye and generally not doing chores, had learned quite a bit in her past life to make Bai Xue happy. So now, she washed her hands and sat down to help make dumplings. Old Mrs. Ye originally wanted to send her eldest granddaughter inside, but seeing her rolling skills weren’t bad, she didn’t say anything.

She was pleased. As for why her granddaughter knew how to make dumplings, Old Mrs. Ye thought it was from watching her usually, and didn’t think much of it.

Seeing her grandmother didn’t dwell, Ye Ling felt relieved and quietly sat beside her grandmother making dumplings. Meanwhile, Ye He Ping chatted with his mother about village matters, making sure the atmosphere wasn’t cold. Bai Xue occasionally glanced back at the West Room.

Her movements were subtle, but with just this few people around, it was hard to go unnoticed. Ye He Ping furrowed his brows, knowing his wife was worrying about their youngest daughter, but didn’t say anything. Old Mrs. Ye was also accustomed these days to her daughter-in-law’s biased ways, and wasn’t surprised, though she was concerned about her eldest granddaughter. But seeing her granddaughter not even twitching an eye, she felt quite gratified.

This meal continued until the dumplings were ready. Only then did Ye Qian come out, looking demure and bashful in front of the family, appearing even more charming. Ye Ling couldn’t be bothered and just focused on eating the dumplings. Such behavior increasingly annoyed Bai Xue.

Without any tact, only knowing how to eat.

Ye Ling didn’t care about this; being full was what mattered.

On the fourth day, Bai Xue began preparing things for them to take back, all while reminding Ye Ling, "Wear these clothes sparingly, once you outgrow them, they can still be altered into shoe covers."

"Mom, I have clothes. Just keep Ye Qian’s old clothes here." Having lived another life, seeing Ye Qian’s old clothes no longer excited Ye Ling like in her past life; it was just an eyesore.

Every time she received the old clothes mailed from the city, Ye Ling used to wear them proudly around the village in her past life. Now, thinking back, Ye Ling felt ashamed, realizing how shallow she had been, driven by vanity.

Bai Xue paused her actions, lifting her head to look at Ye Ling sitting in the chair, her expression becoming serious, "Ye Ling, are you disgusted at picking your sister’s old clothes?"

With nothing to fear, Ye Ling had no qualms about her honesty.

"Yes."

Bai Xue secretly gritted her teeth, "Ye Ling, I know you feel uncomfortable, but aren’t these your sister’s, not strangers’? Our family conditions are what they are; we can’t afford to buy new ones for both of you. Fortunately, your sister is older than you, so picking up her leftovers is just right, isn’t it? Look at how other families have one wearing the other’s clothes."

Bai Xue was on the verge of cursing.

This deadbeat girl, in just half a year’s time, somehow grew a brain, starting to be calculative about this. Bai Xue knew it would only get worse as she grew older, making her increasingly difficult to fool, but she could only bite the bullet and endure it.

"Mom, I understand all of this, but I have clothes now, so don’t give them to me anymore. Besides, once these are worn out, what will you use to make shoe covers?" Ye Ling retorted sarcastically.

Bai Xue felt choked, her face turning red, eyes wide with anger.

"It’s just an old piece of clothing, how long can it last even if you save it?" Ye He Ping thought his wife was too harsh on the elder daughter.

It was originally an old piece of clothing, and she was still told to save it. Plus, in any other family, it’s always the younger wearing the elder’s, not the other way around; this already made Ye He Ping feel he had wronged their elder daughter.

Listening to her husband, Bai Xue knew she had irked him and realized she couldn’t continue, "Whether you have them or not, take them with you; when you don’t have enough to wear, you can use them for a change of clothes. When our conditions improve, Mom will buy you more clothes."

Ye Ling didn’t want to continue this charade and simply stood up and went into the room.

Seeing this, Ye He Ping was also unhappy, feeling that the elder daughter was somewhat unreasonable. If the family conditions were good, would she need to pick up used clothing, yet here she was showing attitude to her parents.

In the East Room, Old Mrs. Ye understood the whole matter, and pointed at her granddaughter’s forehead, "Clearly in the right, yet standing up and leaving makes it seem like you’re at fault again. This child, too careless."

Ye Ling didn’t care about these things. In her past life, she worked so hard, but did she matter in her parents’ eyes? In this life, she wouldn’t endure to please them; as long as she lived comfortably herself, she wouldn’t wrong herself anymore.