Shift! The Side-Character Heroine

“Zhao Youyue? Non-existent”.

Zhao Youyue was pretty much aware of her faint presence, still, when she heard such words babbling out from this feller, she was indeed eager to ask him if he had lost his mind.

Anyway, she took a deep breath and responded calmly, “Alright, if you don’t know me, so be it. Let us reintroduce ourselves. I’m Zhao Youyue, one within this class. My dear classmate Han Leng, do you remember me now?”

Han Leng squinted his eyes. The side face of this bobbed-hair girl was bathed right in the middle of the sunset light. She was so beautiful! The way she spoke was in such a placid tone which was unexpectedly calm, not to mention, her voice was fairly tender.

This girl’s temper was as decent as the usual… Meanwhile, Han Leng had even caught a whiff of her fragrance, which smelled light and distant, just like the scent that was once in his memory.

Obviously, Han Leng did not completely forget Zhao Youyue, and deliberately spoken out such words. As for now, he was wondering why a gorgeous and serene like Zhao Youyue, could be so unremarkable in her life.

Perhaps if she was a little more irritable and willful, would her sense of presence come by?

“I’m sorry, but I usually will not remember the names of ordinary people, as it’s meaningless. Well, ordinary people have no life goals nor individual traits, and so, their adulthood will usually be dull and colorless. They live their whole life as if they are not living. What’s the meaning of life? It’s to wander around the world in exile, and seek all sorts of excitements.” Han Leng sneered after yawning again.

“That’s just glossing over the fact that you haven’t found a place you’re willing to stay. What’s with those talks about wandering is the true meaning of life…” Zhao Youyue explained. Her voice was as peaceful as always, as if nothing on earth could agitate her.

Upon hearing Zhao Youyue’s response, Han Leng gazed at her in amazement, and an instinctive feeling rose upon him, that this girl was not that as simple he thought she was.

Zhao Youyue then continued, “It’s okay if you don’t remember my name, I’m used to that. I’m here to ask you, can you help me write a remorse letter of 3,000 words? It’s to reflect the wrongdoings of scrolling my phone in the morning reading class.”

Han Leng’s face became sullen that before, as he had taken Zhao Youyue’s request as a humiliation. Does he look like a person who helps to write remorse letter on behalf of others? He did help out to write love letters previously, but that was a romantic matter. It could also be used as a chance to demonstrate his talent in writing anyways. Well…. It would be better if he could conquer girls via his love letters, should that happen, he would have laid down with all his favorite girls.

Thus, Han Leng declined resolutely, “I’ll rather jump down from the window and die, than write remorse letter for anyone. That’s wasting my life.”

On perceiving Han Leng’s firm refusal, Zhao Youyue’s heart was full of anxiety. Does she really need to write that on her own?

Still, she flew his kite, “300 bucks, what if I offer 300 bucks…”

Han Leng’s cold attitude changed drastically, he even conceded on the dot and said, “I’ll write! When do you need it?”

Looking at Zhao Youyue’s startled face, he coughed once and turned his head slightly. He then explained, “In future, I will be a novelist whose words are worth thousands. But now, I’m still lacking of maturity. For my webnovel in serialization, it has worth up to 50 bucks per 1,000 words. But, the theme of remorse letter is quite different, and you’ve offered me 100 bucks per 1000 words, I consider the price quite reasonable. Anyway, I’m quite confident in writing a remorse letter too.”

Zhao Youyue had a sudden urge to ask, “Hmm… Who was the one that said he would rather die than writing a remorse letter?” In the end, she responded gently with a tranquil smile, “As soon as possible, should you finish it by today, I will pay you 500 bucks.”

“It’s a great deal! Zhao Youyue, I think if you’ve looked up to me since junior high, I’ll definitely remember your name.” Han Leng’s face was no longer cold, and a devious smile was seen instead. He even wanted to pat Zhao Youyue on her shoulder, but looking at her blue-and-white school sports attire which was spotlessly clean, he pulled back his hand.

Not until now, he discovered that Zhao Youyue is different from all the other girls. Her skin is fair and tender; her eyes, big and innocent; and her black bobbed hair is smooth and silky too. He suddenly felt pity for her. Well, to him, if Zhao Youyue has kept a long hair, she will not go through lower visibilities like now, and could even attract men easily whenever she goes.

Some girls are pretty much suitable for long hair, and sometimes, a sole change in their hairstyle will level up their appearance in the eyes of others.

“You took this as a respect? Shouldn’t scholars like you have no worries about money issues?” Zhao Youyue chuckled. She looked even cuter right now.

“Well, not about that, but you respect my dreams.”

“What dream?”

“I’ve always forgotten about the secular world, and the brevity of life, and all the beautiful emotions. Because, I’m thinking….. that I want to live a despicable and shameless life. This is my dream.”

” ‘Bonjour Tristesse’ by Francoise Sagan? ‘The liberty to think, even to think wrongly or not at all, the freedom to choose my own life, to choose myself; for I was only soft clay, but still I could refuse to be moulded.[1]’ Ahh, it’s tiring to speak to a scholar like you.”

At this moment, Han Leng was utterly dumbfounded, you can actually read the “how-could-one-like-you-have-read-her-book” sentence expressed on his face. Undeniably, he would never forget this girl named “Zhao Youyue” again, he had even regretted that he had not known her earlier. Such a girl with depth! How had her entire person not display a single trace of literary temperament? What’s with the old saying “One who reads more books will naturally emits a brilliance aura” [2]?

Paying no heed to Han Leng’s astonishment, she took out her phone and asked in a casual manner, “Did you bring your phone? Let me pay you 300 bucks first, Wechat or Alipay [3]?”

“My gosh, can you don’t act like you’re buying vegetables on the street, keep it low, keep it low please! Anyway, wasn’t your phone confiscated?”

“Yeah, well… I’ve purchased a new one at noon that day.”

“What? Tycoon…can I be your friend?”

“Sure, add my Wechat, or QQ.”

“My phone is left in the dorm…”

“From your cold and arrogant look, I had taken you as a brave man, to think that you’re such a coward…”

“Ouch, that’s heart aching Tycoon. Believe it or not, I’m not going to help you on the remorse letter anymore.”

“Oh really? Then I’ve no choice but to save some money.”

“Don’t mind it Tycoon! Not only my every word is worth a thousand, but my promises too .”

“Nah, stop calling me Tycoon, I’m not eating any sand[4]. Remember my name, it’s Zhao Youyue.”

“For the rest of my life!”

Looking at Han Leng who turned clumsy from grim, Zhao Youyue continue to giggle, right now, one could feel a sensation of a graceful missy coming from her. Wait, she was already a graceful missy at the first place!

She took a pen from Han Leng’s table and wrote her Wechat ID on his notebook, and then walked away without hesitation.

Han Leng took a deep breath and muttered, “Such fragrance.”

Looking at the exquisite handwritings on his notebook, he slapped his own blushed face. All his drowsiness was pretty much gone!

Translation Note:

[1] A famous quote in the novel “Bonjour Tristesse” written by Francoise Sagan.

[2] 腹有诗书气自华 – One who reads more books will naturally emits a brilliance aura, is a Chinese old saying.

[3] In today’s China, the people makes most payment and fund transfer via Wechat (a social application) or Alipay (an online wallet).

[4] “Tycoon” – “土豪” the first word of the original chinese letter, 土 means sand or land. The origin of the word is a rich man who owns a lot of lands.