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

Tan You: "I wouldn’t say he didn’t like you at all, just that he didn’t like you *enough*."

"Yes, he just didn’t like me enough," Yi Ru said with a small smile. "You know how people are—greedy, especially in love. I liked him so much and my feelings were so passionate, so naturally I wanted something in return."

"I wanted that same sincere and passionate affection, but Zhao Zhao was like a glass of lukewarm water; he couldn’t give me that. His work, his hobbies, his colleagues, and his family were always more important than me."

"I was always put behind all of them, and later... after we had a child, it got even worse." Yi Ru sighed. "But to create a stable and harmonious family atmosphere, I had to suppress all that bitterness inside."

"Because to outsiders, Zhao Zhao was a great guy. He didn’t smoke, drink, or go clubbing, and he never fooled around. He was even wonderful to our child and to my parents. He seemed perfect in every way."

"But only I knew how exhausting it was to be with him. I always had to match his pace. When I told my parents, they didn’t understand at all. They actually blamed me, wondering why I couldn’t be content with a husband like Zhao Zhao." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Tan You thought for a long time. "Matters of the heart are really complicated, but as the more eager party in a relationship, you’re bound to give more. And you gave all of that willingly. Even if the other person didn’t give you the same in return, you should accept it with grace, not wallow in self-pity like you are now."

"After all, this was a choice you made."

"I’m not defending Zhao Zhao. But you’re asking for love from someone else, and that in itself is trying to force things. Whether a person loves you or not shouldn’t be something you have to ask for—it should be something they give willingly."

"Of course, a guy like Zhao Zhao is suited for someone who doesn’t love him. Because she wouldn’t get jealous, wouldn’t start fights, wouldn’t pick things apart, and certainly wouldn’t throw irrational tantrums. She wouldn’t be clingy. She wouldn’t care if he contacted her or not. He could go wherever he damn well pleased, and she wouldn’t even care if he died. It’d be the same with or without him. So understanding, so magnanimous."

Yi Ru laughed. "That sounds nice and all, but there’s a logical flaw. If she doesn’t love him, they wouldn’t be together."

Tan You: "That’s why you should think about it differently. You’re craving romance in a marriage, hoping your partner will love you more each day. But marriage is more about responsibility, and that’s the core of the conflict between you and Zhao Zhao."

"Perhaps. Anyway, it’s all just a tangled mess," Yi Ru said, ruffling her hair into a bird’s nest. What happened to the poised and proper woman Tan You had first met?

"Honestly, when I first met you, I thought you were really putting on an act. So phony." Now that they were familiar with each other, Tan You spoke more freely.

Yi Ru looked a little embarrassed. "It was just a hard habit to break, okay? I’m only now realizing that without those external shackles, I feel incredibly free. So free I feel like I could fly."

"To be fair, Zhao Zhao never left me wanting for anything financially. I can’t pretend otherwise." Yi Ru rolled over on the bed to face Tan You.

"But I always felt he was too guarded. No one could understand what was on his mind. It’s incredibly painful when partners can’t have that heart-to-heart connection."

"When one person is unwilling to open up, the other is left to wander forever outside the gates of their heart. It’s agonizing, really."

Tan You: "I think that when you were with Zhao Zhao, you had a habit of putting him on a pedestal while putting yourself in a very low position. That’s not healthy."

"I realized that later on, but it had already become second nature," Yi Ru said, reflecting on her past relationship and marriage. "I’m only now understanding that you shouldn’t date or marry a man who is overly mature."

"The man is certainly mature and steady, but he can see right through you, while you never know what he’s thinking. That’s the most tragic part. Maybe when I was actively trying to get closer to him, he was laughing to himself about how naive I was."

Yi Ru didn’t cry, but as she thought about the past, her heart was still unsettled. After all, they had been entangled for decades. How could she just let it go that easily?

Tan You: "The wise don’t fall in love, but fools drown in a river of tears."

"True enough. I’m the fool, then." Yi Ru stretched her limbs. "Now that I’m not associated with Zhao Zhao, my reputation online is actually pretty good. You have no idea how happy I am on the inside."

"Being called a ’clinger’ is such an ugly term."

Tan You: "So, after we’ve talked it out this one time, let’s not bring up Zhao Zhao anymore. He left the show a long time ago. Who knows where he is now or what he’s doing?"

"Who knows? Maybe for me, it’s for the best that everything went back to square one, because now I have the right to choose again. And in the future, Zhao Zhao can find someone who he can connect with on that deeper level. I guess we both got what we were asking for."

Yi Ru cupped her face. "It’s just a shame for him, though. He’s destined to regret it, because no one will ever love him as wholly as I once did."

"Yes, that will be his biggest regret." Tan You smiled. "Being loved is always a happy thing."

Yi Ru: "Am I being a bad influence, telling you all this? After all, you’re only fourteen in real age. You’re so young."

Tan You shot her a sidelong glance. "Well, thank you for finally remembering how old I am. Weren’t you enjoying your rant just a moment ago?"

"Hehe, well, who’s to blame for you being so mature for your age? But seriously, men and women have vastly different attitudes about marriage. Many women get married hoping to keep the romance sweet forever, but men aren’t like that. It seems they suddenly think that once you’re married, all that matters is responsibility."

"A difference in mindset, I guess," Tan You said calmly, before a mischievous smile crossed her face. "This topic is too profound; let’s not get into it. Speaking of which, if you were to see Zhao Zhao again, what would go through your mind?"

"What would go through my mind?" Yi Ru mused. "I don’t know. Besides, the world is a big place; it’s not like we’d run into each other that easily. And even if we did, I’d be perfectly calm. By the end, I didn’t even have the energy to talk to him anymore."

"That’s for the best. I’m just afraid you’ll have a sudden lapse in judgment."

Yi Ru: "I won’t. I’m not blind enough to stumble over the same man twice."

"You’d better," Tan You said, not pressing the issue. ’Some people talk a big game about being independent and equal, about living a life of freedom and autonomy, but in reality, they haven’t truly become independent. Deep down, they still want to rely on their other half—a kind of dependency in their very character.’

Tan You didn’t judge whether this mindset was right or wrong. As long as the people involved both accepted it, there was no room for her to comment. At the end of the day, it was someone else’s life and had nothing to do with her.