Shift! The Side-Character Heroine

The Illustration has been Uploaded

Su Li no longer gave a damn about being called the "Pan of the generation" or "The Color of Curses."After all, it boosted her fame and income. In the scale of her heart, money weighed so much more than a few gags.

Lady Zhao's concerns for Su Li's wellbeing warmed her heart to the core. Hence, she was more than glad to draw for Lady Zhao. Fortunately, this was not as complicated as "Altair," where even the original author could not properly convey her intentions.

"Bakuman" was a satisfying read for Su Li. It almost felt as if she was reading a fully illustrated manga.

Mangaka were the real Bakuman. They required far more effort to satisfy their readers than writers did. One artist cannot illustrate without the exquisite skill of creative drawing, nor without the fine image of story scripting. How could it be easy to be a Mangaka?

Some people did stumble upon fame by a stroke luck.

Basic literacy was all one needed to write a novel.

That's how it appeared to be from the outside of the novel writers' world. Yet, the reality was not so simple. Except for those who were genuinely talented, most of them had to struggle for some time before they saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Han Leng and Shi Jingnian were both gifted authors. Any of their leisurely scribbles would surpass the lifeblood-letting efforts of anyone else.

There were outstanding novel authors in web domain as well. Every first chapter they wrote would earn over 10,000 subscribers. Their income easily went over 100,000 RMB. It was absurd.

Yes, consistent hard work was a must. Yet, the most crucial criteria that mattered for an art producer was talent.

Su Li finished the latest episode of "Bakuman" and stepped out of its world. It had struck so close to home that she felt that she had been a part of its world, as an illustrator herself. Teacher Ya Jing's outstanding writing had encapsulated the experience. The adorable book-eating female scholar definitely caught Su Li's attention.

Of course, the author managed to portray the rest of the characters well. Yet, they seemed to exist only for Wen Qingyu to review and describe. She was the goddess that gave life to all the other characters in the book. Hence, this was an easy task for Su Li to illustrate the character, Wen Qingyu. Unlike "Altair" who was abstract and distant, every stroke she performed for Wen Qingyu was solid.

As they dined, with a crooked grin on her face, she asked, "How do you think Wen Qingyu would react to my fanservicedrawings, or some of those 18x adult comics? How would they taste like?"

Zhao Youyue rolled her eyes. Su Li was still that same dirty minded person she knew.

As Wen Qingyu in the real world, Zhao Youyue modestly answered, "Wen Qingyu only reads and eats novels. She would only put the most delectable of choices on her tongue. Your drawings are all messed up. They won't even be edible."

Zhao Youyue could not even begin imagining what would happen if Wen Qingyu ate porn comics. Would she get horny right after that?

That's a deadly form of aphrodisiac!

Su Li sneered and said, " It would be fresh and juicy, I guarantee it. I am confident with my 'cooking.'"

Zhao Youyue was still unable to comprehend Su Li's unyielding attitude towards her work. She had achieved so much, yet she still behaved like Wang Li's sockpuppet.

"What about 'The Strongest King' by Rosemary? What flavor would that be?" Su Li asked at random.

"I'm sure it tastes like ordinary soda." Zhao Youyue answered without a pause.

"Hahahaha!" Su Li burst into laughter.

That's right, "The Strongest King" contents were undoubtedly too diluted. There was no flavor left for anyone to continue reading. This was common for web novels. A single match between the protagonist's team and an opponent could last for over 10 chapters.

Due to the minimal details in the storyline, Su Li's comic release soon caught up to the novel. It provided her the liberty to spend a lot of her free time with Lady Zhao, mostly for fun.

"Dear Missy, what should I draw for my next comic? Should I write my own script, or should I once again search for a partnership?" Su Li started to plan her next step.

She had earned a lot of cash due to her involvements with "Pure Romance" and "The Strongest King." Yet it was Su Li's nature to make hay while the sun shines. Apparently, she wanted her next project to be a success.

Zhao Youyue's judgment had never failed Su Li. Her success in "The Strongest King" had converted her into a worshipper of Zhao Youyue.

"You have to make up your mind between that first. There is no need to rush." Zhao Youyue thought it would be better if she started her new project after the procurement of "Wen Qingyu's" character card.

Su Li was tempted to write her own script. She had a stable funding of her own now. Even if she failed, it was not too late for her to seek for commissions.

Su Li was an efficient illustrator. Zhao Youyue sought her help in drawing illustration forWen Qingyu. It only took her two weeks to produce a few remarkable artworks for that character. They were almost mirrored images of the major scenes in the novel.

Wen Qingyu looked largely the same. She wore the iconic three-pronged puppet like a cat's tail, dark bangs obscured her fair forehead, and silky hair flowed from her shoulders to her waist. Her hair, eyelashes, and pupils seemed darker than normal, due to her fair, smooth complexion.

She was not dressed in a generic student's dress, as described in the novel. Her outfit had undergone many changes. Su Li had spent a lot of effort putting it together. Of course, the fashionista Lady Zhao had also provided her with some suggestions.

Su Li's illustrations of Wen Qingyu was nothing lesser than the illustration of Amano Tooko by Miho Takeoka. They did share a similar style. Perhaps, that was the communal perception of exceptional illustrators.

Zhao Youyue had begun her second semester of senior high. Su Li concluded the final touches of her masterpieces. She uploaded it onto Weibo and her album in P station, while conveniently tagging teacher Ya Jing, the author of "Bakuman."

By uploading these illustrations, she triggered explosive reactions from the netizens. Wen Qingyu's popularity had transcended to a higher level!

Zhao Youyue's efforts had not been in vain. Once she stepped out of the stage, she will obtain the "Highly Popular Character Card" of Wen Qingyu!

A genius writer envisioned it, a talented illustrator realized it! This was not just a "sleeping victory," this character had already won in life by simply being born on paper!