To be fair, for native English speakers, calling somebody "smart" or "clever" in the context you used is idiomatically derisive. Ironically, your emoji actually hardened the context of the comment as opposed to softening it. Unless you're addressing a 12-year-old child with a school report-card full of A's, a reference to being "smart" or clever is not usually a compliment. We have a host of phrases using those words designed specifically to express derision or belittle somebody - such as smart-a*se, clever-dick, smarty-pants. Hope this helps you to understand the confusion.
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