She’s the School Beauty Side Character in a BL Novel - Chapter 001

001:

“Miss, Madam asked you to come downstairs. Mrs. Rong is here.”

A maid walked to the door of the art studio and spoke to the young girl inside who was holding a paintbrush.

The evening sunlight scattered like crushed gold over Xi Ning’s deep chestnut-brown hair and white T-shirt.

Hearing this, she set down her brush, wiped the residual paint from the tip with a clean tissue, and placed it in the brush-cleaning cup.

Then, she stood up gracefully and continued wiping the paint stains from the back of her hand with the tissue, replying politely to the maid:

“Alright, I’ll change my clothes and come down right away.”

Though the girl’s attire was simple, her every word and action—even under the most critical scrutiny of high-society ladies—still met the standards of a top-tier gentlewoman.

Even after witnessing it countless times, the maid’s lowered eyes still flickered with concealed amazement.

It was hard to connect this radiantly beautiful girl, whose very hair seemed to glow, with the drab, timid child who had first arrived at the Shen family seven years ago.

This was Xi Ning’s eighth year in this world.

At twelve years old, Xi Ning woke up one day to find herself in an unfamiliar environment. A cold, mechanical voice informed her that the original host had died from an asthma attack. Xi Ning, who shared the same age, name, and appearance, was the optimal replacement, and so she had been brought to this new world.

The system told her that her task here was simply to live well in place of the original host—nothing more was required of her.

The twelve-year-old Xi Ning accepted this reality with skepticism.

In her original world, she had been an orphan.

But in this new world, she had parents.

Her father, Xi Xingzhao, was a lawyer at a local firm—a handsome, gentle man who was always busy with work but never forgot to bring her carefully chosen gifts whenever he returned from business trips.

Her mother, Lan Ying, was a retired dancer. Xi Ning had never seen a woman more beautiful than her.

Lan Ying wasn’t just stunning in appearance; her languid, alluring grace left an indelible impression on anyone who met her.

Despite being such a visually perfect couple, Xi Ning gradually realized that their marriage was far from harmonious—and Lan Ying didn’t care much for her daughter, either.

She never asked about Xi Ning’s studies or daily life, rarely spoke to Xi Xingzhao, and their few conversations revolved solely around money. All her energy was devoted to shopping, beauty treatments, and dancing.

When Xi Xingzhao was away on frequent business trips, the two of them—mother and daughter—lived like strangers under the same roof.

But soon, even this mundane existence was shattered.

Half a year later, before Xi Ning turned thirteen, Xi Xingzhao lost a major case and died in a car accident.

By the time the funeral ended, a court summons arrived. Only then did she and Lan Ying learn that Xi Xingzhao had mortgaged their family villa to fund his investigation into that case.

The mother and daughter were left homeless.

Xi Ning had assumed that Lan Ying, who had always been cold toward her, would abandon her without a second thought. But to her surprise, Lan Ying kept her by her side the entire time.

A woman as beautiful as Lan Ying naturally had no shortage of men willing to spend money on her.

Over the next six months, Xi Ning watched as a parade of men cycled through her mother’s life.

Though remarriage would have been simple for Lan Ying, she never chose to enter another marriage.

After mingling with all sorts of people, she began drinking and gambling, indulging in vice. The consequences of her excesses soon manifested, her health rapidly deteriorated.

Lan Ying’s once-beautiful face withered, and the men who had once surrounded her vanished one after another as she fell ill.

With no savings to speak of, their meager funds were quickly drained by Lan Ying’s medical bills. Eventually, they sold anything of value just to survive, and even putting food on the table became a struggle.

Faced with such dire circumstances, the thirteen-year-old Xi Ning had no choice but to find ways to earn money however she could.

For those six months, she rushed to part-time jobs at restaurants after school. Working there meant she could bring home leftover food, saving on meals while earning a little for Lan Ying’s medical expenses.

At the time, Xi Ning was in the middle of a growth spurt—tall and slender, with no noticeable curves. She had a strong sense of self-preservation, so she cut her hair short and, given her height, passed herself off as a boy without raising suspicion.

This hardship didn’t last long. Soon, Meng Kaiyun, a close friend of her late father, tracked them down from afar.

Meng Kaiyun had married into the Shen family in the capital. Though he was now one of the city’s top lawyers, real authority in the Shen household lay with his wife, Shen Lin.

Without Shen Lin’s approval, Xi Ning would never have been allowed to stay with the Shen family for so many years, let alone receive top-tier living conditions, education, and even full financial coverage for Lan Ying’s medical needs.

Lan Ying lived in the capital’s best rehabilitation center, where the monthly fees alone were exorbitant.

Over the past seven years with the Shen family, Xi Ning had never once defied Shen Lin’s wishes.

From the very first day, she spoke not a word more than necessary, took not a step out of line, and meticulously adhered to Shen Lin’s standards to become the universally praised gentlewoman she was today.

Painting was the only thing she had ever chosen for herself.

Fortunately, in Shen Lin’s eyes, oil painting was a suitably refined pursuit for a young lady, so didn’t object.

Xi Ning understood perfectly well how to repay the Shen family’s generosity. To Shen Lin, her value lay in being a pawn for marriage alliances—paving the way for Shen Lin and Meng Kaiyun’s only son, Shen Xi, to rise in society.

Shen Xi was three years younger than Xi Ning. Barring any mishaps, on the path Shen Lin had laid out, he would become a shining star in the legal world.

But according to the future she now knew, she had failed in her role as a stepping stone.

Last night, Xi Ning had suddenly “awakened.” A flood of memories about the future that awaited her poured into her mind.

She was living inside a BL novel.

In the book, her role was minor.

She was nothing more than an obstacle between the male leads, a catalyst for their romance, a supporting female character doomed to a tragic ending.

Soon, she would play her most pivotal role in the story: breaking off an engagement.

The reason for her betrayal was her love for the novel’s proud, unrestrained male lead, Rong Kai.

The man she jilted was the aloof, noble male lead, Gu Xiaobai.

But the love she abandoned everything for was nothing more than a bet to Rong Kai—a game to test a woman’s sincerity, and the perfect excuse to stop Gu Xiaobai from marrying someone else.

She was just a plaything to him.

When she learned the truth and confronted him, pale-faced, all she received was a dismissive, icy smile and a scornful remark from the lofty male lead:

“Xi Ning, think carefully. Did I ever once say I loved you?”

“I never lied to you. You were the one who deluded yourself.”

“Someone like me could have anyone I want. Did you really think I’d be interested in a dull, boring girl like you?”

Her broken engagement humiliated both herself and the Shen family, becoming a laughingstock in elite circles. Naturally, the marriage with Gu Xiaobai fell through.

Yet it was precisely because of her betrayal that Rong Kai and Gu Xiaobai’s relationship took a dramatic leap forward.

Heartbroken by the person she had secretly loved for years, Xi Ning spiraled into mental instability and was eventually sent to a psychiatric hospital.

Her ultimate fate in the novel was summed up in just four callous words: “She disappeared without a trace.”

Recalling that malicious ending, Xi Ning felt a chill run through her as she changed clothes.

She removed her painting attire—the T-shirt and trousers—and quickly changed into a gentlewoman-style white blouse and denim skirt.

Then, she walked to the full-length mirror and touched her cold cheeks, as if confirming she was a real person.

Not some loathsome female character cobbled together from cold, dismissive words.

She curled her cherry-colored lips into a faint smile at her reflection.

Once satisfied with her appearance, she pushed aside all complicated emotions, took a deep breath, and headed downstairs.

According to the novel’s plot, today was the day her engagement to Gu Xiaobai would be set in motion.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, Shen Lin and her cousin Xu Jing looked up at the girl descending gracefully.

Shen Lin had trained Xi Ning in every aspect of high-society refinement. Since joining the Shen family, Xi Ning had mastered aristocratic hobbies like ballet, photography, equestrianism, fencing, tennis, golf, swimming, flower arrangement, and tea ceremonies.

In short, over the past seven years, aside from school, every spare moment of her time had been spent grinding through these lessons.

Though she had received the Shen family’s full support, Xi Ning always felt deeply insecure around them and their relatives, coupled with an unspeakable sense of shame.

Outwardly, she maintained a quiet, polite demeanor, but she knew she was an outsider in the Shen household—both she and Lan Ying depended on the Shens for survival. Even if Meng Kaiyun, as her father’s old friend, genuinely cared for her, the probing gazes of others constantly pricked at her fragile dignity.

Whenever the Shen family had guests, she wanted nothing more than to hide, but Shen Lin always insisted on parading her out.

Like now, the way Shen Lin looked at her—with that proud, satisfied gaze—made Xi Ning feel like nothing more than a meticulously crafted exhibit.

Keeping her smile perfectly steady, Xi Ning approached the two elegantly dressed noblewomen.

She greeted them softly, “Aunt Shen, Mrs. Rong.”

Mrs. Rong was Xu Jing, Shen Lin’s cousin. The two were very close.

She was also the second wife of Rong Kai’s father.

Xu Jing looked at Xi Ning with admiration, stirring her coffee with a delicate spoon. “Ning Ning grows more beautiful by the day. With looks and poise like this, I doubt there’s a second girl in the entire capital who can compare.”

Xi Ning lowered her eyes, her voice clear and demure. “You flatter me, Mrs. Rong. It’s all thanks to Aunt Shen’s careful guidance.”

Hearing this, Shen Lin’s lips curled slightly. She gestured for Xi Ning to sit beside her.

Xi Ning obediently took her seat, posture impeccable.

From Shen Lin’s angle, her profile was exquisitely beautiful—soft, rounded cheeks, eyes shaped like delicate fans when lowered, carrying a cool yet sweet charm.

Her natural chestnut hair shimmered under the sunset, casting a noble glow that made her skin seem almost translucent.

What a stunning girl, uniquely so.

Satisfied, Shen Lin stroked her flawless cheek and said, “Ning Ning, girls in our Shen family traditionally marry young. I was already married to your Uncle Meng at your age. Just now, your Aunt Xu offered to arrange a match for you. The other party is from the most prestigious family in the capital—the Gu family’s youngest son. You must know him; he’s your schoolmate, a year above you?”

Xi Ning kept her eyes downcast, a natural blush of shyness on her cheeks as she replied softly, “Auntie, do you mean Gu Xiaobai from the law school?”

Xu Jing set her coffee cup down gracefully, smiling. “Exactly! I’ve thought it over, and this match is perfect. Xiaobai is practically like my own child—a top student in law school, outstanding in every way, with impeccable character. Only a girl as exquisite as Ning Ning is worthy of him. He’d make the perfect son-in-law for you, cousin. If his older brother Ji Xuan weren’t already engaged, I’d have introduced Ning Ning to him instead!”

Shen Lin was delighted. The Gu family had deep roots in legal and political circles. Gu Xiaobai’s elder brother, Gu Ji Xuan, was an elite in the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, and their father, Gu Jun, was the Minister of Justice. The power and connections behind them spoke for themselves—this marriage would be an invaluable asset for her son, Shen Xi.

Moreover, with Xu Jing—the pampered Mrs. Rong—acting as matchmaker, the engagement was as good as sealed.

As Shen Lin happily discussed the Gu family’s connections with Xu Jing, she completely overlooked Xi Ning’s thoughts on the matter.

Watching them, Xi Ning realized these noblewomen had never once considered she might refuse.

Her face remained shyly smiling, but her lowered eyes were icy calm.

Now was not the time to wallow in self-pity over her dependent circumstances. Instead, she coolly pondered:

How could the “her” in the novel have thrown away a marriage that benefited both herself and the Shen family, all for a fleeting obsession?

Seven years had passed. Rong Kai was no longer the dazzling boy from her memories.

The crush she had harbored since she was thirteen had died last night, the moment she awakened.

She would not repeat that mistake.