Shift! The Side-Character Heroine

Chapter 24: Caught Off Guard

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Zhao Youyue had assumed that her strategy would work out for sure. However, the schemes of humans are inferior to those made by Heaven. She daringly remained optimistic and continued to please herself...

Mr. Qiu suddenly had a slight stomach discomfort when he was walking back to his office. Both office and toilets were at opposite directions, separated by several classrooms in the middle. So he had to turn back. On his way to the toilet, he was going to display his “Mrs Qiu’s ultimate spying skills” once again.

Zhao Youyue’s humanoid radar was completely invalid this time. How could have she thought that Mr. Qiu would turn back after leaving not so long ago?

Zhao Youyue was scrolling through her Weibo on her phone. She had just subscribed to the Weibo of “Mangaka Su Li”. She discovered a recent rapid increase in Su Li’s followers on Weibo. Each time Su Li released a new chapter, she would make a post on her Weibo. The readers who had read the latest chapter, would leave their comments below that. They would either raise their own opinions or praise the contents of the latest chapter.

Starting from the last four chapters of the latest serialization, the number of replies for each Weibo post gradually increased. That was the moment Su Li began to increase the positive appearances of Xu Jing’s character in the novel. One of the Weibo posts having the highest number of replies was regarding how “Xu Jing” dodged the hero’s “godly tripping technique” by wearing safety pants underneath. Quite a number of readers replied like this:

“Master Su Li, please continue to add more Xu Jing’s plots. Ain’t she interesting?! It is so genius of her to be wearing safety pants! Anyway, I would really like to see the hero face-planted himself into ‘Xu Jing’s skirt!”

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“Ever since ‘Xu Jing’ this cutie female character gradually revealed her charm, I’m now full of anticipation towards this novel. Though I had regarded it as a boring one at first.”

“I always feel that the appearance of ‘Xu Jing’ is the presage for the birth of a spectacular character. All the manga’s previous contents seemed to be prominently unveiling this extraordinary ‘Xu Jing’ character. She had even seized on the hero’s gloriousness. To think that her character was so successful that she had stood out from the whole manga! If this manga could have an impressive ending, this ‘Xu Jing’ must be an iconic manga character!”

“Did anyone notice that Master Su Li’s incredible drawing skills was boosted to an even higher level while drawing ‘Xu Jing’s story? Master Su Li seemed to have completely brought a character alive. That was why ‘Xu Jing’ had become so outstanding.”

“Hope to know more about ‘Xu Jing the Tri-no goddess’. For instance, why is she so deeply in love with studies? Can we thoroughly understand the background setting of her character too?”

“Why aren’t there any fan services of my goddess, ‘Xu Jing’? I feel like floating in the sky whenever I imagine her nude scenes. Would Master Su Li release the fan services or erotic scenes of Xu Jing for just once, I gonna tip you a Platinum Sect Master in Qidian manga website. Any readers here who agree with me, please help to click ‘like’ and make this reply appear at the top of all comments!”

...

Zhao Youyue’s face was immediately darkened upon seeing those replies that clamoured for Xu Jing’s fan services. That reply was tremendously “liked” and had emerged as the topmost comment. It could easily be seen by the Weibo blogger now. So, this is the roots of all tragic dramas during the times she shifted into “Xu Jing”. If the culprit was this mangaka, Su Li, then the accomplices would be this bunch of male readers who cried madly for fan services! Just wait, she would make them pay for it someday!

Besides the reply urging for Xu Jing’s fan service, there was another reply which requested more details about the background setting of Xu Jing’s character. It had also received a huge number of “likes”.

At last, Zhao Youyue had completely understood why she had to suffer such tragic events while shifting into “Xu Jing” in the literary world. It was all because of this mangaka, Su Li, who had compromised with her readers without limitation. She would draw whatever they liked, even if she sacrificed part of her rationality, otherwise, how could that preposterous big club of the local government officer possibly exist? It literally torn Xu Jing’s shirt apart upon smashing her body. Ah, it seems that Su Li could only provide fan services to the readers in such a drastic way. At the same time, Su Li could also set up Xu Jing’s character in a miserable way to make her readers take pity on Xu Jing. That was indeed one way to trick most male readers into tipping her.

Basically, to be promoted as the Platinum Sect Master in Qidian manga website, the reader has to spend 10,000 RMB as tips. Obviously, Su Li could not hold back for such a seductive offer. Moreover, Su Li originally started off as drawing Doujinshi books, especially those hard-core or weird Doujinshi books. She tried not to be too expert and even suppressed her capability when drawing the mistreated female character.

To Su Li, it was just a very mild mistreat for how she had drawn “Xu Jing’s” story this time. After all, “Xu Jing” was just a female character. The male readers would usually immerse themselves into “Yang Ming’s” character. As long as Su Li did not mistreat the hero, everything should be fine. The female character could be mistreated as her please. In fact, Su Li had been benevolent. There was another mangaka, “Okamoto Lynn” in Japan with the nickname “Girl-character dementor” (Okamoto Lynn also wanted to draw a neutral manga, but it never became famous. In the end, he had indulged in mistreating his girl characters, as even he could not resist himself). Su Li felt that she was way behind Okamoto Lynn, thus she still had to keep up.

Just as Zhao Youyue was exhilarated by scrolling Weibo, suddenly, she heard Mr. Qiu’s roar coming from her back, “Stand up!”

Zhao Youyue’s darkened face immediately turned pale. Didn’t Mr. Qiu just leave for the office? How could he again show up in the classroom from the back door? Shouldn’t he be coming back only in seven minutes time before the end of morning class? And why wasn’t her humanoid radar effective?

Oh no! This time she was really doomed! The eighth-generation Fruit Phone she had just bought was about to be confiscated, again?

This time, would she be asked to criticize herself by writing another remorse letter of 5,000 words? Or to give a remorse speech in front of everyone this? No... She was not going to build up her sense of presence in such a way!

Last but not least, would Mr. Qiu summon her parents to school? The situation sounded like she was just fooling Mr. Qiu earlier on, and that was awful!

Zhao Youyue was never afraid of her father who pampered her. But in front of her university-professor mother, she acted just like a running mouse which has just met a cat. She revered her mother who had been very strict on her since she was a child.

After thousands of thoughts had flashed across Zhao Youyue’s mind, she was about to stand up hopelessly. Just as Zhao Youyue felt like she would be imprisoned again, she heard the sounds of moving chairs coming from the back of the classroom. A person stood up immediately . At this very moment, Zhao Youyue had seized a chance to stuff her phone into her desk with her astounding APM.

The person who stood up was Han Leng. It seemed that he was caught off guard by Mr. Qiu while slumbering in the morning reading class!

Zhao Youyue breathed a sigh of relief. Damn, she had assumed things were getting crappy just now!

Anyway, she truly felt that she had been blessed with good luck. Had someone not coincidentally taken the bullet for her, she would definitely be exhorted by Mr. Qiu!

...

Being caught asleep during the morning class was less severe than the case of scrolling phones in class. Therefore, Han Leng was merely roared by Mr. Qiu to stand up and carry out his readings. In addition, he excelled in writing essays and obtained the best results in language papers. He was deemed Mr Qiu’s trusted wingman. Obviously, Mr. Qiu’s bark was way louder than his bite towards Han Leng. He would easily let off Han Leng for sure.

Only after making two more turns in the classroom, Mr. Qiu rushed to toilet in a haste. He was so responsible to the point where he was not afraid that his poop would excrete in his crotch.

After Mr. Qiu left, Han Leng’s neighbour cum representative for Mathematics subject, Chen Haoran could not help but to ask, “Xiao Leng, are you stupid? I’ve warned you when Mr. Qiu was coming. Can’t you just persist a little longer and sleep again after Mr. Qiu has left?”

Han Leng yawned with a deadpan expression, “Just take me for a fool.”

“Have you become an idiot after the ‘training to be an immortal’?” Chen Haoran asked with full of concern. He genuinely treated Han Leng as a buddy, and he was a man who would go any lengths to protect his friends. Chen Haoran never slept during the morning class. So he took on the responsibility to keep watch for Han Leng. He was willing to serve as Han Leng’s eyes.

Han Leng was still carrying a sullen face, along with his black-rimmed eyes and chilly appearances. But his tone softened, and his lips slightly quirked up, “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”