No CP | Friendship | Mutual Redemption | Dong Shi Imitates Xi Shi
[Synopsis]
There were two girls in Shixi Village.
One was called Xi Shi. She was breathtakingly beautiful, and even her frown was considered a sight to behold.
The other was called Dong Shi. So ordinary she was easy to overlook, she became the village's laughingstock after she once tried to imitate Xi Shi's frown.
Their homes were separated by a stream where people washed silk, and by a wall the other villagers called a gulf between heaven and earth.
Then, on the day Dong Shi imitated Xi Shi, Xi Shi found her in a secluded mountain hollow.
"Do you know why I frown? Because my chest hurts. But everyone only ever says I'm beautiful. No one asks if I'm in pain."
"Besides, a person's beauty or ugliness shouldn't be judged by their appearance alone."
[Reading Guide]
1. This story draws on the folk tale of Dong Shi imitating Xi Shi. It is a short, no-CP story focused on friendship.
2. All the setting details serve the plot. Please don't overanalyze them.
Theme: A life that's good enough is better than chasing perfection
