When the Side Character Gets a System and Travels through Difference Worlds

Yi Ru took a deep breath. "I’m just one of those people whose enthusiasm fizzles out fast. How am I supposed to stick with anything? Is that a bad thing?"

Tan You thought for a moment. "That’s up to you. As long as you’re happy, it’s fine. But you want to perform high-level dances without practicing the fundamentals. That’s asking for a bit much."

Yi Ru nodded. "I get it. With dance, it all comes down to practice. I’ll work hard. You’re right. One shouldn’t be too greedy. If you are, you can easily end up with nothing."

"Besides, what I have now is already pretty great."

Perhaps having convinced herself, Yi Ru began practicing diligently. Of course, the response to her videos was fantastic. Every time Yi Ru posted a new one, countless people would soon be imitating it.

"Everyone online is so supportive," Yi Ru said, her mood excellent. She lay sprawled on her bed scrolling through comments, kicking her feet happily. It was a rare day off, so instead of going to her shop, she was cozied up in her little den.

Tan You had moved out of her small apartment long ago and was now living in a small villa with a yard. The villa had three stories and a little garden out front, which suited Tan You’s needs perfectly.

Yi Ru loved it here too. It was very secluded and private—a true oasis of calm in the bustling city.

Tan You was sitting on the chaise lounge by the window, visible only to Yi Ru. "Of course. You’re a good dancer, and people have good taste."

Yi Ru touched her cheek with a touch of vanity. "Alright, fine. I always thought I was pretty good-looking, but it was only after you gave me those ’beauty points’ that I realized I could be even more beautiful."

Tan You just smiled without saying anything. She had no intention of maxing out Yi Ru’s beauty points. She knew Yi Ru. Yi Ru cared about her looks, but it wasn’t the *only* thing she cared about, so the current amount was more than enough.

"Honestly, you’re the one who set the standard. I’m just imitating you," Yi Ru said, propping her chin in her hands. "I used to think dancers had to have a perfect figure to look good, but I realized that wasn’t true when I saw you dance."

"You’re a little chubby, but you’re so flexible, and there’s power in your every move. When you dance, I feel like your whole being is just radiant."

Tan You laughed. "It’s not that exaggerated. Perhaps it’s just that I’m not bound by physical limitations, so it looks like I can pull off a lot of moves with ease."

Yi Ru insisted stubbornly, "No, I just think you’re incredibly skilled. A real professional." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

For a novice who had never taken a single arts class, Tan You was actually thrilled to be called a professional. It meant her hard work had been noticed.

"Let’s talk about something else," Tan You said, changing the subject. "Your high school reunion is on Friday. Are you going to skip it again?"

"You say that as if you went to them all," Yi Ru retorted with a pout. "Honestly, those reunions are so pointless. If it were just a get-together with close friends, we could catch up and have a good time."

"But most high school reunions are just venues for showing off and one-upmanship," she said, sighing. "I went to more than enough parties in my past life. I just can’t muster any interest."

Tan You said, "It’s up to you. Go if you want to, don’t if you don’t. But I heard your homeroom teacher from your second year, Teacher Wang, will be there. I saw her medical report. She has stomach cancer, and it’s already in the intermediate stage."

"She hasn’t told any of her students. It’s just that since her diagnosis, she’s been attending these kinds of gatherings much more frequently. Maybe she just wants to see her former students as much as she can."

Yi Ru fell silent. To be honest, she didn’t have a strong impression of her old homeroom teacher, but hearing she was sick still made her heart ache a little. "Alright, I’ll go. It’s important to honor that teacher-student bond."

Tan You let the matter drop. "Okay. On another note, that dating show you were on is looking for sponsors. Any interest?"

Yi Ru replied, "Let’s see. The show actually used to be pretty popular, but then short-form videos took off, and all sorts of new shows popped up. Plus, that show’s script was way too staged, so it eventually fell out of favor."

Tan You said, "It seems to be doing alright now, popularity-wise. Of course, you could also sponsor the rival dating show. It’s not on the same network, but that’s the one with 24 female contestants on stage."

Yi Ru rolled her eyes. "Getting a sponsorship slot on that one can’t be cheap, right? I remember it was still on the air when I... had my accident. It’s certainly been long-running."

They spoke a few more words in low voices, finalizing their upcoming plans. After the reunion, Yi Ru would fly to G Province. After all, something as important as sponsorship required a personal touch.

Besides, she hadn’t seen Zhou Yan in ages. The thought of her sent Yi Ru drifting into her memories.

"Looking back on it now, I have so many regrets. How could I have gone on a dating show three times for some guy? It got even worse later when I was labeled as desperate. I could never understand it. All I did was persistently pursue someone I liked."

"Youzi, if you liked a guy, would you be the one to make the first move?"

"Impossible. I’ll never like any man," Tan You stated unequivocally. ’She’d have to be out of her mind to get into an intimate relationship with some random man. A wise person doesn’t fall in love—a truth she understood all too well.’

Yi Ru was taken aback. "Hypothetically! We’re speaking hypothetically here."

"Hypothetically?" Tan You mused. "If I really liked someone, I suppose I’d give it a shot. I’d try once, maybe even twice. But that’s it. If they still rejected me after the second time, I’d give up. There would be no third attempt."

"Of course, personally, I wouldn’t even want to try once. There’s really nothing good about men. The moment you get involved with one, your luck takes a nosedive."

Tan You thought of Cheng Wenhui. If Cheng Wenhui had never gotten together with Tan Lin, her life would have been completely different. Not like now, where she depended on Tan You for everything.

Yi Ru burst out laughing. "I’m starting to think you’re a little phobic about this."

"Not phobic, just reflective," Tan You said lightly. "Everyone talks about gender equality these days, but society is undeniably harsher on women. For example, when a man persistently pursues a woman, he’s seen as having a deep and unwavering love."

"But if a woman takes the initiative, she’s barraged with comments—she’s too forward, she’s desperate, she doesn’t respect herself, and so on. And you did set a record on that show. You were the only female contestant to come back twice."

Yi Ru buried her face in her hands. "I can only blame it on being too young. Looking back now, I wish I could just strangle my past self."

"Zhao Zhao..." Yi Ru was silent for a long while before finally bringing him up with Tan You for the first time. Her voice was a little hoarse. "I learned later on that you just can’t force some things."

"Even if you end up married, even if you have kids... if he doesn’t love you, he just doesn’t love you. It doesn’t matter how much you do for him; it’s all useless."