I turned reality into a romantic comedy.

From "When will my brother come back?" to "When will my brother come back?", sometimes I even think the latter is not bad either, it's almost like adding a prefix to indicate the person's affiliation.

This is my older brother, um, my brother.

With school starting in a few days, her middle school uniform had already been picked up during registration. In fact, school uniforms in China are generally similar in style and design, but even the most ordinary colors and styles have long been imbued with various other meanings by people, and then attributed to her through the clothes. Whether it's the red scarf that no longer flutters on her chest or the words 'Guoning Middle School' printed on her chest, they all remind her that she is now a middle school student.

Just like the professional clothing you can get by changing jobs after reaching a certain level in a game, when I tried on my middle school uniform, I always felt that the person in the mirror seemed to have grown up a lot all of a sudden, as if they had shot up a lot of height in a single day, but they were still a bit shorter than the older brother in front of them.

However, after a year, they were destined to meet again at the same school.

With this thought in mind, she drifted off to sleep, only to be woken up by the alarm clock she had set in advance. Remembering what Chen Junqian had told her yesterday, the girl quickly got out of bed and ran straight from Wang Hongling's room to her own room in her slippers. She breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that Wang Hongling hadn't gotten up yet, and stood by the bed, yawning and stretching.

The slightly shorter pajamas she wore were lifted up by her raised arm as she moved, exposing her already visible waistline and navel to the morning breeze. So she clearly does have a waist, you know!

The younger sister, with her hands on either side of her waist, thought this, and then lowered her head again.

She always wakes up later during the Lunar New Year, so this is the first time she has seen her brother's sleeping face like this. She wonders if he stares at her face like this every Lunar New Year's Day.

Hmm... I should see my feet first.

Having a waist, it should be natural that she should also have a heart. The girl carefully reached out and gently poked his face with her fingertip.

He did not wake up.

Tap it again.

He didn't wake up.

Finding her brother's behavior somewhat amusing, Chen Xi squatted there playing like this for a while before finally suppressing her smile. She stood up and, as usual, shook his shoulder, saying:

"Get up, brother."

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It can only be said that real-life sisters are not like the imagined ones in those two-dimensional romantic comedies.

Chen Junqian was not woken up by someone riding on his chest or stomach through the blanket, nor was he whispered in the sweetest tone in his ear, "Onii-chan, it's time to get up," nor was he sneaked into his bed to try and take another nap together until he woke up naturally. He was simply woken up by his sister standing by his bedside on this ordinary morning, which once again confirmed the fact that he was indeed living in the real world.

Another ordinary day has begun.

After changing clothes, brushing teeth and washing face, and going to the bathroom, I started making breakfast for him. After all, my mom has already worked so hard, and since he has more free time during summer vacation, I don't want to trouble her to get up early every day to make breakfast.

While preparing the ingredients, Chen Junqian glanced at the messages on his phone again. He and Zhu Wenyun had only exchanged two brief messages yesterday: "Are you back in Guoning?" "Yes." He hadn't received a reply to the emoji he sent to Xu Youwei last night. On the contrary, he had chatted with Shen Nianqiu for a long time in bed last night, saying goodbye before saying goodnight to each other in Beijing during the National Day holiday.

This morning, he was preparing to make noodles for himself and his sister. While frying the eggs, Chen Junqian thought of that dirty joke about "I'll make noodles for you," but it seems that it hasn't been created yet?

After setting out clean bowls and chopsticks in advance, and taking out homemade pickled radishes and chili sauce from the refrigerator, Chen Xi sat obediently at the dining table in the living room, resting her chin on her hand and watching her brother prepare the dish.

She once read a joke recorded in the book "Customs and Traditions":

In the land of Qi, there was a family with a daughter. Two young men were pursuing her at the same time. The young man from the east family was ugly but rich, while the young man from the west family was handsome but poor.

The girl's parents were in a dilemma, so they asked their daughter:

"You decide for yourself. If you're too embarrassed to say it, just show one arm to represent it."

As a result, the girl exposed both arms at the same time. Her parents were puzzled, and the girl replied:

"Actually, I was thinking of eating at one house and sleeping at another."

This is also the origin of the idiom "eating in the east and sleeping in the west," which is used to describe a person who is only interested in profit and is insatiable.

However, Chen Xi has a different perspective on this story. If eating and sleeping represent marriage, then...

She was eating at this house anyway.

I slept in this house.

P.S.: Thank you for reading and subscribing.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: I am great, need I say more? (Two-in-one)

After breakfast, Chen Junqian casually chatted with his sister about things that happened when he was away from Guoning, and then quickly steered the conversation toward her and Gu Linguo.

Although one of the parties involved is currently adopting an ostrich-like attitude, Chen Junqian still feels it is necessary to find out the whole story. After all, he has never believed that Gu Lingguo and Chen Xi really wanted to enter the old house in the wear-resistant factory in order to take pictures of his 'former residence', as Xu Zhiling said on the phone. They must have known something beforehand.

In order to uncover the truth of the matter as much as possible, he did not even choose to ask the two of them when they were together. Instead, he deliberately found a time when he was alone with his sister to ask her first, and then went to ask Gu Linguo alone afterward.

Since Chen Junqian had already stated that he had personally visited the area, Chen Xi felt there was no need to hide anything. She simply explained the whole story, starting with the discovery of what appeared to be invisible handwriting left by Xu Youwei on the glass bottle containing origami cranes and little stars, then the suspicion that she had left more in the old house of the wear-resistant factory, followed by her personal investigation and evidence collection, where she discovered what appeared to be fragments of a graduation photo that had been cut out... and so on. She told everything in one go.

"Hmm—so why did you two suddenly come to my house during the Chinese New Year, and then find something on that glass bottle?"

Chen Xi had originally intended to help Lin Mu conceal the secret of the origami cranes, but Chen Junqian quickly seized upon this unclear oversight after listening to the explanation and singled it out for questioning. Therefore, Chen Xi could only helplessly apologize to Lin Mu in her heart and then reveal the whole thing:

"I came here to play on the computer to pass the time because I was bored during the Chinese New Year, since you weren't home. As for Lin Guo, Lin Mu asked her to do something. The writing on the glass bottle was the first thing she noticed. As for what it was, it was related to the origami cranes inside."

As she spoke, Chen Xi went into Chen Junqian's room and took out the glass bottle that Chen Junqian had taken to Beijing and brought back, which was now back on the bookshelf. After opening the bottle, she poured out two origami cranes and pointed at them, saying:

"There are actually writings inside. It was originally a birthday gift from Lin Mu to her mother. Anyway, she was worried about this, so she asked Lin Guo to check it. After all, there are some things inside that could be easily misunderstood."

"Really? A birthday wish written for mom should be easy to spot, right?"

"What about 'I love you'? It seems like there's one like that in it."

"But honestly, even if I saw it by accident, I think I would know what it was all about."

"Because you know Lin Mu wouldn't do something like that, right?"

"Indeed, this looks more like Youyou's style, both on the outside and inside."

At this point, Chen Junqian picked up the glass bottle again, rummaged through his desk drawer and found an invisible pen that he had bought a long time ago for fun, then turned on the UV light on the back and shone it on the pen.

Compared to the spectacular and unforgettable scene he had witnessed in his old house room just yesterday, the words written on the glass bottle, neither rewritten nor emphasized, had faded and blurred considerably with the passage of time. It still retained the style of a QQ space background wall from that era. Chen Junqian, who had already appreciated it enough yesterday, only glanced at it twice before putting it aside. On the other hand, his younger sister sitting next to him was still staring at it with some lingering resentment, and no one knew what she was thinking.

"So the two of you then decided to sneak in there?"

"Because Lin Guo said that Xu Youwei might be a yandere, and if things continue like this, you might end up being locked up with her one day. So, brother, what did you see inside? Were there any secretly taken photos on the wall? Were there any dolls with your name or brand on them hanging on the bed? Or were there any personal items or underwear?"

"No, your sister Youwei would never do such a thing."

With a hint of annoyance, Chen Junqian reached out and patted his younger sister's head, who was reciting a menu like she was reciting dishes. It can only be said that after yesterday's incident and witnessing Zhu Wenyun's mysterious actions in Beijing, Chen Junqian's attitude towards Xu Youwei has indeed changed a lot. If she can be considered a yandere, then everyone else is doomed. Perhaps his life will have to be renamed 'Oh no, I'm surrounded by yanderes!'

"Did Lin Guo tell you this too?"

"Oh yeah, I don't understand you anime fans, and you still haven't answered my question, brother."

Chen Xi seemed genuinely curious and eager to know what Chen Junqian had seen at Xu Youwei's place. She even brought back the title of "brother" and sat there intently, staring directly into Chen Junqian's eyes.

"Hmm... there are photos, but none of them were taken secretly. There are clothes, but they are all clothes that Youyou wears normally. There are no strange dolls. As for the writing on the wall, you saw it too. It's probably similar to the writing on the glass bottle. If we only consider the overall impression it gives me, I would even think that this is a birthday present that Youyou prepared for me a year ago."

After concealing the part about his confession and summarizing his feelings to tell his sister, Chen Junqian was already thinking about things related to Gu Linguo.

As he had expected in Beijing, the failed "opening of the box" was indeed orchestrated by Gu Lingguo. After all, he knew his younger sister's personality and drive very well. She was the kind of girl who wouldn't actively try to create any big news without someone guiding her. Otherwise, she wouldn't be on par with Mu Mu in terms of how much he felt at ease with her.

"I see, I understand."

After listening to Chen Junqian's answer, Chen Xi nodded thoughtfully again:

"That would definitely be the best, since the yandere personality sounds terrifying."

"Of course, it's not just you who finds it terrifying, I feel the same way."

For Chen Junqian, who had just experienced having his phone stolen, this was undoubtedly another profound experience of what it means to believe that everything in the world of anime and manga is a lie. In a sense, he was a modern-day example of someone who professed to love something but was terrified of it.

No, he was never as good as this dragon from the very beginning... But why do I feel that there are quite a few girls around me who have this tendency? Even if we exclude Youyou, who has now reformed, the remaining three all seem to have unique skills.

While the family circumstances of the three women certainly played a part, perhaps my own mindset and attitude towards them also had an impact? At least in the case of Zhu Wenyun, who had already made a small blunder, it was clear that part of the reason was that the communication between the two of them was not in place.

However, if it were Gu Lingguo, Chen Junqian would feel that it wasn't a communication problem at all, because this child's communication skills were visibly far superior to Zhu Wenjun's. It was just that it was often difficult to judge whether she was expressing her true thoughts at that moment or whether it was a pretense that had become a habit.

However, there was one thing he could actually tell: at least in terms of her love for anime and manga, this girl didn't seem to be faking it. Her interest in this area clearly predated her meeting him, and it could even be said that for a long time, it was the best way for her to temporarily escape this world, just like the significance of books and reading to Zhu Wenyun.

With this in mind, Chen Junqian suddenly came up with an idea.

Or perhaps, the plan, originally scheduled for the next two years, was brought forward a little.

After all, Gu Lingguo could always apply what Chen Xi said to herself. If certain bad personality traits and thoughts were allowed to continue, they would eventually escalate into more serious situations.

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Lin Mu was woken up early in the morning by a phone call from Xu Youwei.

Lin Mu, who had just woken up and was stretching and yawning in bed, readily agreed to Xu Youwei's sudden invitation to visit his home. He wasn't even surprised.

After all, Weiwei has always had such a whirlwind personality, and she, as her friend, is already used to it. Moreover, just two days ago, Weiwei and Qianqian celebrated her birthday in Beijing and then took the same flight back. According to the usual routine, today should indeed be the time for Weiwei to proudly recount these experiences to her. This matter has been quite unremarkable in the past few years.

However, she was indeed willing to listen to what the two of them had to say, since they were her best friends, and she would be happy if they had fun.

Of course, it was precisely because of this attitude, which was less indifferent and more completely unaware, that Xu Youwei used to feel like she was just talking to thin air. So in the end, she was successfully assimilated by the other party, abandoning her original idea of ​​showing off and turning into a simple information-sharing partner.

But Xu Youwei wasn't here to talk about these things today. She started by offering an apology, which left Lin Mu, who was prepared to hear about their trip to Beijing, a little bewildered. He tilted his head in confusion.

"Huh? Why are you apologizing to me?"

"Because I secretly wrote something on the glass bottle that Mu Mu gave to Jun Qian with an invisible pen. Although it happened several years ago, I still feel it is necessary to apologize to Mu Mu."

"A glass bottle? Hmm... Does Qianqian know about this?"

“I’ve already told him that if Mu Mu feels uncomfortable, she can put the contents into a new glass bottle.”

Lin Mu's thought process was completely different from Xu Youwei's apology and suggestion; he simply shook his head.

"No, I don't think it's a big deal. But if Weiwei wants to give me a gift together in the future, she can just tell me in advance. You can draw, and I have studied calligraphy. We can work together like we used to do blackboard newspapers or handwritten newspapers, like birthday cards."

He didn't mention Christmas cards, because Lin Mu subconsciously wanted to include his own castle within his private territory.

When Lin Mu summarized her motivation as 'wanting to give a gift together,' Xu Youwei sat there pursed her lips twice before shaking her head in denial:

"That's not how it is, it's just that I thought it was..."

She couldn't find a suitable adjective in her mind for a while. "Fun" seemed too childish and frivolous, obscuring her true intentions. "Pleasant" seemed too much, since she wasn't really doing this purely for fun. So, after hesitating for a long time, she finally came up with a nonsensical description.

"That way I'll feel like I'm just like Mumu."

"Hmm... I think it's because Vivi doesn't like giving gifts."

Lin Mu, seemingly understanding but not quite, said this while picking up a red Ahri plush toy from his bookshelf and demonstrating:

“I put the glass bottle I gave to Qianqian here, and Weiwei could also buy him a small doll to put there. That way, when he sits there, he can see both of us when he looks up. That would be just like what you said, Weiwei. And Qianqian would definitely feel that we are equally important. So, the reason why Weiwei doesn’t give gifts is because he doesn’t know how to give gifts.”

"That's just... just my feeling—"

“Weiwei just feels that if everyone’s relationship isn’t as good as it is now in the future, seeing these things will only make people feel awkward or even sad, right? But we can’t just leave no memories because of this, right? I recently learned a new idiom from watching Qianqian’s ‘Chinese Character Dictation Competition’, which is ‘to give up eating because of choking’. I think Weiwei is thinking about this kind of thing now, but I think it’s wrong.”

"On the contrary, I think the more memories you have, the less likely your relationship will deteriorate later. For example, let's say, of course, let's say, if I have a falling out with Qianqian and I go back to my room and see these things he gave me, no matter how angry or sad I am, I definitely won't think about throwing them away or tearing them up. At most, I'll just return them to him."

"But, but, returning it means we'll meet again. Often when two people argue, they'll hold a grudge and avoid each other. If we can see each other again, maybe we'll suddenly stop being angry and become good friends again—"

Now that things have come to this, Xu Youwei, who can no longer say "I have already confessed to the other person," has completely entered into Lin Mu's childhood sweetheart theory and subconsciously nodded in agreement.