Shift! The Side-Character Heroine

: A Familiar Person

"Approaching you, even on public occasions is an act of deliverance, for when I walk with you, everyone's eyes would be focusing on you, iceberg beauty." Zhao Youyue told Bai Yunshan. They held each other's hands and walked to the classroom, together.

Bai Yunshan was most definitely unaccustomed to being treated so intimately. As it was Zhao Youyue, she had no way of refusing.

Neither could she deny the truth spoken by Zhao Youyue. Before she met Zhao Youyue, she had no clue about beautifying herself. She had no such intentions, either. But after she did "it," out of respect for her friend, she unknowingly became a Goddess-level girl

If Bai Yunshan had any desire of becoming pretty, she might have been ecstatic to be in such a position. Even to most girls, it would be like a shortcut to the counterattack of their lives, to be able to mix with Zhao Youyue. It would change their whole person to be more beautiful, more attractive, and with more temperament.

But Bai Yunshan was indifferent about the whole thing. She had only been going through the motions out of respect for their friendship.

If Zhao Youyue had not cut her hair short, just like the first half of the semester, Bai Yunshan might not have felt so inexplicably nervous, as if God had cheated her of something. No matter what Bai Yunshan undergoes to become a Goddess, she would still definitely pale in comparison to that version of Zhao Youyue. She would only serve as Zhao Youyue's foil when placed beside her.

But now, when walking together with Zhao Youyue, she was an MT,[1] taking all the hits meant for Zhao Youyue. Almost everyone's attention was focused on her. Zhao Youyue had successfully melded into another surrounding object

Zhao Youyue was such a minuscule existence.

Bai Yunshan had been perplexed over the change of things. To her, Zhao Youyue had always seemed to enjoy the limelight very much. Why the sudden change in pace?

"Did you actually cut your hair short to stay close to me in public occasions as well?" Bai Yunshan seemed to have figured out something, and the dawning of a new discovery shone in her eyes.

Zhao Youyue was slightly stunned. She had cut her hair short to alleviate her weariness of being the heroine. She was way too popular on the internet. The paparazzi would sneak in candid shots wherever she went. This was so annoying. Thus, she switched the 'passerby status' on to seek for a refuge. The 'heroine' status switch would always be within an arm's length, to be used whenever she decided to get involved in another wave of affairs.

Zhao Youyue heard what Bai Yunshan said, and responded deftly, "That's right. That's what I was thinking. Shan Shan, you might be worried that your awkwardness around people may affect me. But from now in, you need not worry anymore. You'll be crowned as a monarch, and I'll be hiding in the dark, assisting you."

Bai Yunshan faintly rolled her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to have Zhao Youyue restore all that warm fuzz she had been feeling moment ago. Why couldn't she just talk nicely?

Zhao Youyue must have read some sort of novel again. Nobody spits out such cheezy, pubescent lines at random.

Even so, Bai Yunshan was relieved after figuring out why Zhao Youyue had cut her hair short. Her apprehension died off. She said, "Of course I'd still be awkward. I won't tolerate anything that doesn't fit my mind, and I'm not planning on changing that."

Zhao Youyue spoke from her heart, "So you do know why people avoid you." Bai Yunshan was not asking for much, but she still would not compromise. If she compromised, she would no longer be Bai Yunshan.

"Don't worry. You're now the number one beauty in school. You're the school flower. A school flower can unquestionably choose not to tolerate anything that doesn't fit her mind. Many would admire you; many would recognize and accept every bit of your character, whatever that is unbecoming about you would turn into the source of your charm. They would be willing to change for you!" said Zhao Youyue in a delightful tone.

"Why? I'm still me." Bai Yunshan felt that Zhao Youyue was trying way too hard.

"This is a world that looks at faces. The value of appearance is justice. You were unrighteous, and now you are!" said Zhao Youyue confidently.

"How shallow! There is so much more to that" Bai Yunshan tried to correct Zhao Youyue.

"Then how do you explain this situation we find ourselves in? Everyone has only spotted you, not me. I'm supposed to have superior results and a way with music. I've only changed my hairstyle, and everyone doesn't recognize me anymore. Now, they all want to know you." said Zhao Youyue, a knowing smile on her face.

Bai Yunshan simply could not accept such a fact. But there it was, before her very eyes.

Therefore, Bai Yunshan fell into silence.

Zhao Youyue surveyed the silent girl, and was pleased. She was particularly proud of her stealth and deceptive passerby status. She continued, "If someone really recognizes me at a glance, and totally ignores you, I'd eat"

"Yo, Lady Zhao, nice to see you. It looks like you've changed your hairstyle." Han Leng bumped into them. He looked past the beautiful girl Bai Yunshan, and took the initiative to greet Zhao Youyue. After all, they were former classmates and deskmates.

Despite the flippant nature of that line, it had been a most strenuous exertion for Han Leng. He had almost worked up all his nerves to walk up to Lady Zhao and greet her. He might have become the super popular youth writer Leng Zi, but Lady Zhao still reduced him into jellybeans and marshmallows.

On the other hand, Zhao Youyue's smugness was smashed to pieces. It had left her slightly embarrassed, in front of Bai Yunshan, no less. It greatly displeased her.

Zhao Youyue saw that Han Leng had changed a lot. He had grown a lot taller. He was not in a school uniform, but some very fashionable, well-matched set of clothes that gave her a Deja Vu. Then, she remembered. These were the very clothes that she had suggested Han Leng buy. Not bad. He finally looked like a human. After all, it was upon her suggestion.

Han Leng's innocent, young and handsome appearance was enough to enrapture countless female fans. It did almost no 'damage' to Zhao Youyue. She was the one who had bestowed this power upon him. You see, Lady Zhao's words never bore any ill-will, they were all for your own good.

"Hello, great scholar Han. Congratulations on your new work, I head it's another best-seller!" Zhao Youyue bit back her displeasure and replied with an impeccable smile on her face.

Standing at the sidelines, Bai Yunshan felt that Han Leng was a rather complex character. He had some good taste, too.

Before Han Leng, the two girls had walked past several other former classmates. They had all ended up ignoring Zhao Youyue. Han Leng was the only person who had recognized Zhao Youyue. On top of that, he had even ignored Bai Yunshan.

Bai Yunshan still remembered something that happened at the end of last semester. A senior from the twelfth grade pulled off a grand, confession ceremony. She had driven her sports car to school and confessed to Han Leng. Apparently, she was an actual Lady. A professional dancer. She had been contracted to an agency and would be having her debut as part of an idol group.

In the end, Han Leng the great scholar, the one who earned the ire of all other male students, rejected her outrightly, "I'm sorry, but I don't know you." The senior eventually gave up.

This matter had even become entertainment news, and once gained the third place on Weibo's hot search results. Han Leng gained more fame, and along the way, more female fans. They felt that he was just like his name, so cool, so icy. He was a so-called "Clueless Chick Magnet"[2]. There and then, many passionate female fans had set a life goal. They coveted for Han Leng's heart…

The other men only accused Han Leng of showing off. They barked that Han Leng was doomed to have a lonely life. That girl had already taken things to such an extent, yet he still rejected her. She was an absolutely stunning one, too. What a waste!

Others asked Han Leng, "Who do you actually know, then?"

The world knows me not.

My eyes only know you.

And who are you?

A Goddess.

The one who haunts my dreams and my days, my Aphrodite.

Translation Note:

[1] MT - MT is an acronym for "Main-Tank" or "Monster-Tank." It refers to a central player in an MMORPG game that draws the monsters' aggro towards himself, making himself the monsters' target, and withstands all the attacks.

[2] Clueless Chick Magnet - A character who is his own worst enemy when it comes to love. In fact, he's pretty much his only enemy in this arena. Wherever they go, it seems that for some reason they attract some romantic attention, in theory there is no reason why they couldn't go on to be with a new person every night. The only problem is they are so unfamiliar with the dating scene they don't realize the girl who is hovering around him, batting her eyes, trying every excuse to make physical contact with them and suggesting they go back to her place qualifies as flirting and not simply being friendly. (quoted from TV Tropes, http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CluelessChickMagnet)