It's just The Sims, how did it become my ideal love story?

Chapter 3 Cai Yan
"What the hell are you talking about? Are you crazy?! Don't try to confuse me!"

The blond-haired man frowned, his impatience becoming even more apparent.

At that moment, Gu Huai took off his schoolbag and said, "I'll give you the money."

The blond-haired man's expression immediately relaxed. "Wouldn't it have been better if you'd done this earlier? You're wasting my time. Hurry up, give me the money, and I'll protect you in this area from now on. But if you tell anyone about what happened today, I guarantee you won't be able to continue your studies!"

"Okay, here you go."

He slowly unzipped his pants and naturally moved closer to the other person.

His hands were steady, his heartbeat was calm, and the sounds around him became clearer, the casual chatter of the onlookers.

"How pitiful! How can there be such a person? Nobody cares about them."

"Alright, that's enough. Luckily, they haven't been watching us."

"This guy has been causing trouble here for ages, he's not someone you can mess with. I heard last time in the internet cafe he tried to steal someone's computer, and when they refused, he hit them on the head with an ashtray!"

Yes, exactly the same memory.

Amidst these discussions, resentment gradually turned into bitterness. Why was he the one being targeted? Why did he have to choose to keep quiet? Why was he so unlucky?

There was no courage to resist; the silence around them, the indifference of most, and even schadenfreude made everything seem natural.

He loathed those so-called established 'rules,' but he never had the courage to break them, always silently enduring them.

Like now.

The blond-haired man couldn't help but lean closer, even glancing around to see if anyone was trying to meddle.

As the zipper is slowly unzipped.

His pupils dilated little by little.
"boom!"

What Huang Mao saw was not money.

It's not money to allow him to enjoy a good time online.

Instead, it was a fist that should have been weak, but was now incredibly hard.

It slammed into his face, causing the blond-haired man to cry out in pain and stagger back a step, seeing stars.

"Fuck you!"

Because I didn't expect this to happen, my body didn't have time to react, but I instinctively started cursing out loud.

He hadn't had time to readjust his vision or steady himself.

In his mind, this boy, who looked like an obedient student and was easy to bully, had already dropped his schoolbag, picked up a brick from the ground, and pounced on him.

"boom!"

"boom!"

For Gu Huai, the only rational thing to do at this moment was not to smash it on the other person's head.

Although he knew it was a simulation with the power to be addicted, the realism and the overlap with his memories forced him to maintain a certain level of restraint, which was the only restraint he could muster.

The bricks were repeatedly slapped against Huang Mao's shoulders and back.

After three bricks, Huang Mao was already rolling on the ground in agony.

The people around were stunned. People near and far stopped involuntarily and stared blankly at the scene. Just like before when they stood by and watched, they were now at a loss and watched coldly.

Huang Mao, who had never experienced anything like this before, tried to struggle, but Gu Huai straddled him and slapped him repeatedly.

He could only cover himself up while screaming in pain.

"Stop hitting me! Fuck! Stop fucking hitting me, ouch!"

"Clap!"

The brick was smashed.

It's no longer handy.

Gu Huai decisively left the other's body, and Huang Mao, who had gained a little breathing space, was also young and impetuous and couldn't stand this insult.

He stood up shakily, "Damn it. You dare hit me? I'll get my revenge!"

But when he regained his footing and tried to find a target to immediately launch his revenge.

But then he saw that the boy, who should have been weak, submissive, and meek, wearing a school uniform, snatch a metal dustpan from the sweeper and rush towards him.

"Damn, you're insane!"

The blond-haired man immediately pulled back his leg, which had been pointing towards the other man, and turned his toes around and ran away, just like the most popular ghost dance at the moment.

Those who dare to roam the streets, besides being able to bluff enough, also need to be able to run fast.

He is one of the best among them.

Gu Huai is practically insane right now.

What kind of choice was made based on suggestions for a better after-sales experience? What kind of after-sales experience is this if I don't enjoy the game?!
Damn it, why does it hurt when I get punched in the simulation?

Because forces are reciprocal, why did you, you damned Newton, have to appear in my dream?!

Yes, you're already dead!

I'm fucking crazy!

But this immersive experience is absolutely amazing! This is all thanks to the double pressure of life and insomnia.

A sense of freedom never before experienced under the dual pressures of social obligations and life's challenges.

There's no need to worry about the boss, the future, or life itself; it's a time to let loose and go completely crazy.

The only moment.

Gu Huai chased after them with an almost maniacal laugh.

Huang Mao thought he had encountered a madman, especially when he turned around and saw Gu Huai chasing after him while laughing, he ran even more frantically.

I consider myself a seasoned veteran of the streets, having seen many menacing expressions and made many threats. But where have I ever seen someone chasing me while laughing menacingly?

Damn it, this extortion has gone to the point of insanity!

Unfortunately for Gu Huai, although his body was young, it lacked exercise, and he was panting heavily, so he couldn't see the other person's shadow anymore.

The adrenaline rush gradually subsided, and everything around me, which had seemed somewhat blurry, gradually became clearer.

Many people were watching him. Gu Huai, who had always been afraid of being the center of attention, didn't feel anything.

It was just a simulation.

They wouldn't dare go crazy even in a false illusion; they'd probably be people who wouldn't dare call for help even if they were about to die.

The onlookers I remember are exactly the same as the NPCs in the game now. Why was I afraid of their gaze before?

He dropped the dustpan and walked back step by step.

He saw his schoolbag that he had just dropped on the ground, and when he reached out and bent down to pick it up, he realized that his arm was trembling.

Was it a schoolbag I picked up? Or was it an explanation I should have given myself back then?

Even if it's just a simulation.
He picked up his schoolbag again.

But he suddenly felt uneasy.

The way the people around me were looking at me was so real, and it seemed to change with my choices.

And the weight of this backpack—it really does get heavier when you put the books that fell out back in. So realistic.

The discussions around him continued to evolve, reaching his ears.

"That's too brave! He dares to fight back?"

"I thought he had just gone mad."

"Although it seems satisfying, isn't he afraid of retaliation? That blond guy isn't alone."

I don't care about this or that, buddy, I wear a helmet to sleep now and you're still retaliating against me?

But he could only think about it, since he didn't even know his current situation, whether he was asleep, whether it was really just a simulation, or whether his real self was still alive.

With current technology, there shouldn't be any possibility of a "future," right?

Just then, a new clue appeared in his mind, making Gu Huai realize that things were not so simple.

Congratulations on making your first choice.

In your memory, there have been countless moments when you wanted to throw a punch and strike back at the injustices and humiliations that befell you. But you never did.

[Congratulations, Master, for throwing a punch that didn't exist.]

[Reward: The Power of Imagination.]

[Reward: Five freely distributable attribute points.]

"There's a reward too?"

Gu Huai was momentarily confused.

The most urgent task now is to figure out whether this is a dream, an illusion, or some unspeakable force that has pulled me out of the real world. Then we should first find a way back to that damned reality.

That's right, even if the so-called reality is so cruel and blatant, the intimidating power of living in unreality is still too strong.

However, Gu Huai seemed unable to find a solution. He silently chanted "exit," "offline," and "explode on the spot," but there was no response.

Looking at the familiar scenery around me, this is the school route I've walked countless times.

One unfamiliar face after another brushed past me, and the sunlight falling on my face seemed to have the scorching pain of an eighteen-year-old.

Which way should I go?
If this is the legendary time travel, traveling back to my eighteen-year-old self, then I should be in class right now?

but
"Now that I've calmed down, I realize I was panicked and terrified?"

Ok?
Some of the sounds were pleasant to the ear, yet seemed unfamiliar.

He looked towards the side of his right hand.

Her lips were soft and pink like jelly, and her bangs, which revealed the left eyebrow but almost covered her right eye, were straight.

With his schoolbag on his back, he put his hands in the familiar pockets of his school uniform.

A familiar yet unfamiliar feeling, a youthful awkwardness different from the future.

"I'm afraid he'll block the school gate if I go to school, and I'm afraid it'll be too embarrassing to tell my parents? But I guess I shouldn't overthink it. Someone like him will definitely cause you trouble later."

"you are?"

The face and feeling were so familiar, yet I couldn't quite place the name. So, I asked that question instinctively.

"what?"

The girl, who was about 1.7 meters tall and quite tall for her age, walked toward Gu Huai with surprise.

It seemed she was deliberately letting Gu Huai see her face more clearly.

There was none of the foundation and blush that became commonplace later on, only the healthy glow of youth and the delicate skin full of collagen.

She raised an eyebrow slightly. "You're not really scared, are you? Don't you recognize me?"

"Cai Yan?"

The name popped into my head almost uncontrollably.

Accompanied by a vague and innocent memory, there was no story between him and her.

The only thing to say is that she was the object of countless glances and secret admiration from the boys in her class. Gu Huai, an ordinary second-year high school student, was no exception; he hadn't exchanged more than a few words with her, nor did he have the courage to match her. He certainly didn't have the right to secretly harbor a crush or feign deep affection.

Very simple.

After graduating from high school, there was almost no news about this girl.

Even in his own memory, the definition of what kind of girl she was was very vague. He had no recollection of ever having such a conversation.

She gave a somewhat mocking smile.

"They look so pitiful."

"why?"

Once he calmed down, Gu Huai looked into the other person's eyes and realized that those eyes didn't actually have any magic.

When I was young, I could only watch secretly, and I could only take the opportunity to talk to my classmates and sneak a glance in that direction. The nervousness I felt when I looked away immediately when the other person turned their gaze away has now vanished.

It wasn't scary at all after all.

……

(End of this chapter)