Shift! The Side-Character Heroine

 Why dont you just act as your own girlfriend, if you dont have one?

After all, within Han Leng’s heart, he was still resisting Zhao Youyue. He had enough experience of crushing on someone. It was so uncomfortable. It turned him into someone he was not.

He had always considered himself a free-spirited and prideful person. No strings could hold him, until the period of time when he had a crush on the Zhao Youyue of his imagination. He would end up hesitating for almost half a day to even send her a message. That wasn’t him!

He had managed to overcome the situation with the help of Goddess Chu. He recognized the true colors of Lady Zhao, and the mist was cleared from his eyes. His love for her vanished, only respect remained.

However, when he noticed the shadow of Goddess Chu from Lady Zhao, his first reaction was not that of ecstasy and the desire pursue the ‘Goddess Chu’ in reality. His heart naturally fought against those emotions. He thought that he was once again looking at the Lady in his own, biased perspective

Perhaps Han Leng was fated to forever fall in love with 2D characters. He would never get anywhere close a 3D girl. He was destined to be alone forever.

The other classmates did not share his distrust and inner conflict. After the official dissolution of the class, some outgoing classmates sent their praises in succession to Zhao Youyue about her well-played violin performance. Zhao Youyue who had the Goddess Chu card switched on, responded passionately to them. She was glad that they liked her music.

Han Leng observed her in silence. More questions arose in his heart. Since when was Lady Zhao able to respond to others in such a sincere and passionate way? In the past, she did carry a courteous, pleasant expression at all times, but was limited to giving extremely perfunctory responses to others.

Finally, Zhao Youyue switched off the Chu Luoxun card. Her expression turned icy again. She spoke to Han Leng, “Follow me today, fulfill your promise.”

Han Leng slightly shivered. The sliver of doubt within his heart vanished with a poof. His mind was now flooded by the word ‘drag’.

There was nothing much to talk about during the dinner party. Although everyone came from different classes, at least they were from the same school. No one drank alcohol. They were still minors.

After the dinner, some of them suggested to go for karaoke. Some of them suggested to play KoG at places like KFC or Mcdonalds. Some wanted to go home, thinking that it was more comfortable to stay in an air-conditioned room for the day.

However, Zhao Youyue left the scene, lugging along Han Leng. She had a grand scheme planned out ahead.

Only one person noticed them leaving. That person was Chen Haoran.

Zhao Youyue led Han Leng to a beauty salon that she frequented. She had her personal VIP room there. Every time when she has something interesting to do, she would be full of motivation.

For now, turning Han Leng into a girl was something that interested her very much. It satisfied her desire to engage in things.

Han Leng was like a lamb sent to the slaughter. Yet, he felt responsible for lying to Lady Zhao about his identity and more importantly, his gender. Moreover, the Goddess Chu’s temperament exuded from Lady Zhao. It stopped him from resisting, because he felt similarly guilty towards Goddess Chu.

If Goddess Chu wants him to crossplay, he can never refuse it

Zhao Youyue started working on the makeup. All the necessary equipment was available for her disposal, and not one of them wasn’t a flagship product.

She helped Han Leng throughout the makeup process, from applying sunscreen isolation cream, to the rest of the steps.

In short, Zhao Youyue’s actions were very professional, as one would expect from a good-looking senior complex[1] who apparently has been conducting thorough research on fashion and beauty.

Han Leng was dumbfounded throughout the whole process. Staring helplessly, he actually saw himself turning from a delicate, pretty boy into a cutie!

Zhao Youyue finished Han Leng’s makeover with a black, straight long wig. She looked at her finished work with satisfaction. Then, she took out her phone and snapped photos of the ‘cutie’ Han Leng who was still in men’s clothes from different angles.

Han Leng was in a daze, while Zhao Youyue took out an EGL style[2] high school girl uniform for Han Leng to wear on. It was a uniform that imitated the 2D-style, with a short skirt, knee socks, and the rest of it.

She personally disliked such styles, but her instinct told her that Han Leng would probably rock it. ‘Cutie’ Han Leng would look ravishing in it.

Zhao Youyue left Han Leng alone and left the room, trying not to laugh as she went. Cross-dressing is the best punishment towards writers who have lied to their readers about their own gender!

Fortunately, a delicate, pretty boy like Han Leng could actually pull it off. He was a talented rarity. Zhao Youyue did not expect Han Leng to turn into such a cutie, when all was said and done!

Han Leng was certainly gifted. Puberty had yet to find him, so his legs were hairless and smooth. His legs were straight and slim, dazzling and fair. Boys usually have straighter legs than girls…

He looked at his drag self. He took his time staring. His heart was deeply moved by his own cuteness in the mirror!

Something seemed to have been awakened within him. He quickly put on the EGL style high school girl uniform. After that, he looked into the mirror once again. At that moment, he felt all the other girls disappearing from his mind, even Lady Zhao and Goddess Chu!

He suddenly remembered a sentence that he had once ignored——Why don’t you just act as your own girlfriend, if you don’t have one?

Han Leng finally realized that the perfect female in his mind, the one that he had been searching in vain for, was actually right in front of him!

It was not Lady Zhao, but himself!

That’s right. Han Leng could fall in love with his drag self without any reservations. He will never need to worry about his female self rejecting his feelings. He need not worry about him ignoring himself. He would never again need to hesitate sending a Wechat message to himself. He is the greatest person in this world, he is perfection incarnate!

Compared to Leng Zi, Lady Zhao is nothing!

Right at this moment, he suddenly burst with inspiration. He wanted to write something to praise his perfect self in the mirror right now. This was a very successful and insightful burst of inspiration!

He might have to consult Lady Zhao further on makeup techniques. This…is definitely for his writing inspiration as well!

That’s right. Material extraction is something essential for all writers. To produce better work, writers would have to do what ordinary people would never even consider. Han Leng had already prepared himself for such petty sacrifices.

Han Leng felt lucky to be living in a time where freedom of speech is supported, and minds were far wider. He believed that there would be more traps in the future. There’s nothing abnormal about this. It’s called fashion!

It was also a symbol for gender equality. No one ever criticized female cross-dressers. What right do those old-minded people have, to criticize male cross-dressers?

These old-minded people must probably consider females the inferior race, as if males would be putting themselves down when they cross-dress. Such prejudice had no place in this world!

We’re now in the era of gender equality.

Males can become females, and vice-versa!

Han Leng felt a halo of enlightenment hovering over his head. ‘Leng Zi’ grew even more pleasing to his eyes.

By this time, Chen Haoran was in a coffee shop outside the beauty salon. He stared at the beauty salon anxiously. He saw it with his own eyes. His good brother Leng Zi had entered the beauty salon with Zhao Youyue…

What were they up to?

Chen Haoran, the innocent, straight-minded male, was clueless. He could only observe the situation and act accordingly.

Translation Note:

[1] Good-looking complex – Complex refers to a person having a great preference towards something. The Good-looking complex refers a person who has great preference in being good-looking.

[2] EGL style – Acronym for Elegant Gothic Lolita, a style popularized by the teens in Harajuku and Mana, the guitarist for the band Moi Dix Mois and Malice Mizer. Typical EGL clothes consist of things worn hundreds of years ago (such as petticoats, frilly shirts, stockings, etc) only in more dark colors and styles.

Tonicquill (ED): Ah. Visual Kei. I did not read the Translator’s note when the term came up and left it as it is in the chapter. Tell us what you think. Keep it as EGL, or go with Visual Kei which is IMO, more widely known? Btw. I love Miyavi.