I turned reality into a romantic comedy.

"Oh... I guess I just enjoy embarrassing others."

The younger sister sitting there fidgeted nervously, glancing at the girl on the other side who had already fixed her wig and put it back on; she was probably cosplaying Madoka.

“When I see them, I can’t help but think that they probably didn’t change into those clothes after they arrived here, so they must have come here in the same clothes. If they come out of their homes, whether by taxi, bus, or walking, they will definitely be seen by other people. What will the adults think of their attire? What will their classmates think? Just thinking about these things makes me feel very uncomfortable and embarrassed, and I don’t want to stay here for even a second longer.”

Chen Xi was never an unconventional child, but she possessed a high degree of empathy, which was quite similar to Lin Mu. However, she lacked the courage to face the public. Before Chen Junqian brought her out of her room, she was the most strictly socially anxious person, even during holidays when visiting relatives, she would bring her laptop and lock herself in her room until it was time to eat.

"But it's also a very happy thing to talk about common topics with people who share the same interests, just like Xiaoxi likes to talk to me about history-related things. It's just that the common topic of people who come here should be anime and manga."

"...but they didn't seem to be having a very pleasant conversation."

"That's a different matter."

After chatting idly with his sister for a while, Chen Junqian saw Gu Linguo finally run back excitedly and pull him up from the ground:

"Brother can come to the scene to cosplay."

"what?"

Completely taken aback by this turn of events, Chen Junqian was momentarily stunned before Gu Linguo pulled him in front of the girl from before and introduced him to her.

"This is the older brother I just told you about. He's currently doing online translation and anime information sharing. What do you think, teacher? Isn't he perfect for cosplay?"

"Brother, this is Sister Fan Qingfan. She is also an anime enthusiast. Not only can she make cosplay costumes, but she can also do makeup. More importantly, she brought a Kirito cosplay costume that she made herself today."

"Ah... hello, I'm Chen Junqian."

Looking at the girl in front of him, who was about twenty years old and a college student with an ordinary face and wearing glasses, and who looked serious as soon as she saw him, Chen Junqian first extended his hand to greet her in a friendly manner.

"You have a really good foundation—"

I almost got transported back to the Douyin comment section ten years later by that familiar phrase, but this time it seemed to be a genuine compliment. As Fan Qing said this, she reached into her large bag and pulled out a neatly folded cosplay outfit, looking equally eager to try it out.

"Want to try it on? The size should be about right. There's a changing room over there. You can keep your makeup simple. The main thing is to fix your hairstyle, but it's not difficult, it'll only take a few minutes."

Chen Junqian was a little confused about how he was suddenly and inexplicably going from a tourist to a cosplayer, but seeing that Gu Lingguo in front of him was looking very expectant, and seeing that he hesitated, she leaned over and whispered, "I will wear it for you in the future, please, brother." In the end, she agreed and was ushered into the dressing room next door by the two of them.

Although Kirito's black-clad swordsman outfit looks quite simple, there are actually quite a few accessories in hand. However, compared to the outfits worn by the other Kiritos outside, Fan Qing's own creation is undoubtedly more refined in terms of fabric and details. The three-pronged metal piece on the chest and the metal ornaments on the shoulders are both more substantial and realistic. In addition to the outer trench coat, even the inner garment was made. Needless to say, the pants, belt, and half-finger gloves are also included. Basically, everything except the weapon is included.

The trench coat was made of leather, which looks better on camera and has a better texture, instead of cloth. Something was stuffed into the collar to deliberately prop it up in a way that defies the laws of physics. Shoulder pads were even prepared in advance for cosplay enthusiasts who couldn't support their shoulders. However, Chen Junqian, whose body proportions were perfect, didn't really need them. After putting on all the clothes and accessories in front of the dressing mirror and assembling them according to the image in the anime he remembered, he knocked on the door to signal that Fan Qing could come in to do his makeup and hair.

As for Gu Lingguo, her consistent belief was that she would wait until everything was over before personally seeing the final result, feeling that it would be more impactful that way. It sounded like a child who would wait until all the birthday presents were received before hiding under the covers and opening them one by one.

Have you ever done cosplay before?

"how is this possible?"

"But you're really quite suitable, at least you're perfect for the role of Kirito."

Unlike her earlier embarrassment when facing the organizers, Fan Qing suddenly became much more talkative and natural when doing something she was familiar with. It would be quite difficult for two people with an age difference of almost ten years to chat so naturally in other situations, but it seemed commonplace at the anime convention. The relationship between like-minded people who genuinely like the same thing is sometimes really that wonderful.

After giving Chen Junqian's face a quick makeover, Fan Qing put all her effort into his hair, trying to style it into the three-pronged topknot style like Kirito's in the anime. Fortunately, Chen Junqian's hair had grown quite a bit over the summer, so there was no problem with the amount of hair, and he didn't really need a wig. Besides, many hairstyles in anime that are too realistic can actually look bad in real life, so it's best to find a balance.

"Mission accomplished!"

Just as Fan Qing had promised, it didn't take much effort for Chen Junqian to complete a completely different look from half an hour ago. Looking at himself in the mirror, Chen Junqian also felt quite refreshed and somewhat empathized with why the system had named one of the several romance achievements related to Cosplay as "2.5-Dimensional Temptation".

This channel has indeed created a subtle connection between the two-dimensional world and the real three-dimensional world, and the so-called 2.5-dimensional world may refer to his current state.

Just as Chen Junqian stepped out of the fitting room cubicle, he bumped into another Kirito who seemed to be changing clothes there. However, the other person appeared to be leaving, as he was taking off his wig and clothes. Upon seeing Chen Junqian, Kirito instinctively exclaimed "Holy crap!" and immediately approached him.

"Damn, you're incredibly handsome! Can I take a couple of pictures of you later?"

"Sure, by the way, could I borrow these two swords? I was in such a rush that I forgot to bring them."

After readily agreeing, Chen Junqian remembered that Fan Qing hadn't prepared an Explainer or a Dark Chaser for him. It would be too awkward for a black-clad swordsman to be without a sword, so he quickly asked this question.

"It's okay, feel free to use it. To be honest, buddy, you're the most accurate and handsome one I've ever seen, and the clothes are great too, top-notch."

When the boy handed him the sword, he gave him a thumbs up again.

Chen Junqian took the sword, thanked her, and then turned and walked out of the fitting room, returning to the lobby of the badminton hall.

When Chen Xi saw her brother walking out from there again, she didn't immediately stand up and greet him like Gu Lingguo did. Instead, she inexplicably thought of a historical story she had read before.

Luo Yin, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, was very talented and his poetry was famous throughout the world. He was especially good at writing about history, but because most of his works were satirical about current events, he failed the imperial examinations. However, he was valued by Zheng Tian, ​​the prime minister at the time.

Although Luo Yin was talented, he was very ugly. Zheng Tian's daughter used to be a big fan of Luo Yin, and she often read and recited his poems, praising them highly.

Zheng Tian suspected that his daughter had feelings for Luo Yin, so one day when Luo Yin visited, he had his daughter secretly observe him from behind a curtain.

After that day, Zheng Tian's daughter never mentioned Luo Yin again, nor did she read any of Luo Yin's poems.

The reason I thought of this story is...

This is because Chen Xi has been constantly complaining about the comic convention ever since she entered.

In that instant, I suddenly regained my interest in anime conventions.

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

PS2: Luo Yin's poems are quite famous, such as "Drink today, for tomorrow we may die," "After gathering nectar from a hundred flowers to make honey, for whom is the toil, for whom the sweetness?" "When fortune smiles, heaven and earth lend their strength; when luck turns, even heroes are powerless." And the lines mentioned earlier by Zhu Wenyun, "I am not yet famous, and you are not yet married," which suggest they are both inferior to him, are also his works.

Chapter 71: I Don't Want a Mom Who's So Tall (Part 2)

As it turns out, unlike the romantic comedy protagonists in anime who can rely on a single "kindness" tactic to succeed, Chen Junqian has always felt that the standard of ability for a real-life romantic comedy protagonist should at least be comparable to the "handsome, wealthy, handsome, and leisurely" ideal described by Wang Po.

Regardless of whether "Jin Ping Mei" can actually be considered a romantic comedy under the system's filter that everything can be a romantic comedy, the book's satirical summary of male attractiveness is indeed true in some respects.

Pan refers to the handsome appearance of Pan An, meaning someone with exceptional good looks.

"Donkey" refers to a large, unbranded donkey, which is more likely to appear in strange and unusual works compared to romantic comedies.

Deng refers to Deng Tong's general wealth, that is, being rich.

The word "小" (xiǎo) means being careful and considerate, which can be seen as being attentive and charming. The word "闲" (xián) means having enough free time to devote time and energy to. Only when these two qualities are combined can one be considered "friendly".

However, just by looking at the order of these five criteria, it's clear that compared to being cautious and gentle, good looks have always been the primary standard throughout history, regardless of whether one is into anime or manga. This has been proven by both Pan An, who was showered with fragrant flowers and fruits, and Wei Jie, who was literally stared to death.

It was precisely because of this that Chen Junqian, who appeared in this new outfit, received even more attention than he had imagined. It can only be said that he, who had never been to a comic convention in his past and present lives, would never have known that more than a decade later, at comic conventions, famous cosplayers would have become a popular and common profession, just like idols in anime works. They would directly and clearly replicate the entire industry chain of various comic conventions, from signing events to taking photos and chatting after receiving money.

Before Gu Linguo could even exchange a few words with Chen Junqian, the photographer, who had been idly sitting in the corner with his equipment, had already come over to ask if he could take a couple of pictures. Countless others, both boys and girls, picked up their phones and asked for photos with him. Several people hadn't even taken a picture yet, but they were already thinking about getting his contact information under the guise of sending him photos later.

Handsome men are a scarce resource, and those willing to cosplay are even more so. It's not just otaku who fantasize about a girlfriend who will cosplay for them and go to anime conventions with them; girls are just as eager. Famous cosplayers not only make a fortune at autograph sessions at anime conventions, but even a strange industry called "cosplayer commissioning" has emerged a decade or so later, where people pay others to cosplay as their favorite characters to accompany them when they go out.

Of course, in 2013, such chaotic situations are still not very common, especially since they are currently in a small county town.

The good news is that Chen Junqian is not as frail and sickly as Wei Jie, who was killed by being watched.

The bad news is that he doesn't seem to have any reason to refuse this kindness from fellow anime and manga enthusiasts.

Let's take pictures then, since there are only so many people at the entire convention anyway.

Thus, it has become a must-visit spot at any comic convention. Chen Junqian, who was later given a central experience hall of the comic convention or a specially invited guest, began his photo tour surrounded by a group of tourists.

Perhaps there was a little bit of embarrassment at first, but they quickly became more and more relaxed. In the end, they didn't care about posing in various ways or even saying "Starburst Stream Slash" in front of everyone. In fact, they were quite enjoying it.

Chen Junqian politely declined yet another college student's offer to cosplay Asuna for him at the next anime convention, citing "I'm not a local." In a sense, this was definitely an old man dating a young woman. After seeing the girl's friend request, who seemed to want him to marry two gold bricks, Chen Junqian, finally putting the matter to rest, sat down on a chair that someone had kindly brought over. Gu Lingguo, who was next to him, then approached with a bag of drinks that someone else had also bought, and offered one to the male protagonist of this romantic comedy who was enjoying the same treatment as Pan An in modern society.

He grabbed a bottle of soda and gulped down two mouthfuls. Only then did Chen Junqian lean back, looking as if he had come back to life. Fortunately, the room was air-conditioned and not too hot, otherwise he would probably be sweating a lot in his clothes. Even so, he was a little tired from maintaining his expression and posture. The way he placed the two swords aside gave off a sense of Kirito's retirement, and it felt like it could be made into a meme with the caption "Let whoever wants to fight this stupid SAO do what they want."

"Wow, he's so handsome! He's definitely born for this job."

Although she had heard similar praise from many people before, Gu Lingguo's tone was noticeably more proud, even suggesting a sense of honor. Even her younger sister, who had never heard of this before, nodded in agreement.

"You were acting like some kind of big star just now."

"I never thought about becoming a big star... but it is quite interesting, well, how should I put it, it feels like a subtle way of temporarily escaping reality."

Taking out his phone and looking through the photos sent to him by photography enthusiasts using professional equipment, Chen Junqian felt a sense of novelty. It was like those photos that hung on his room wall before he moved—photos of himself taken by his parents when he was just a few years old, dressed in various clothes and in various backgrounds, such as "career elite" and "Captain Tsubasa." They showed a completely different side of him from most of the time in reality.

"Will you want to cosplay other characters in the future? This was all a spur-of-the-moment decision, but the result was so good. Next time, I'll do a full make-up look. I can't even imagine how good it will be."

Gu Linguo also presented a different side of herself to Chen Junqian. Chen Xi had never seen her best friend so excited before. After all, this was a small comic convention in Xuancheng, and apart from the two of them, there was no one else she had any connection with in real life. Especially after Chen Junqian made such a splash, the previously stagnant comic convention finally came alive. Even now, many tourists could still be seen and heard casting curious glances in their direction while whispering among themselves.

More importantly, people are finally talking about anime-related things.

Although Gu Linguo herself didn't intend to squeeze over and take a photo with Chen Junqian, whom she already knew, she took the opportunity to chat with the other tourists about "Sword Art Online." They talked about everything from whether everyone would actually be able to play virtual reality games like SAO in 2022 to their favorite plot points. They even discussed with two cosplayers who had actually cosplayed Asuna how to style her rather complicated hairstyle to achieve a realistic and beautiful result. Plus, she got to see Chen Junqian's Kirito cosplay, which made her feel incredibly satisfied in every sense of the word. She even wanted to imitate a character from the January anime "My Girlfriend and Childhood Friend's Tragic Love Triangle" and proudly shout, "Linguo-chan's Great Victory—!"

"Let's talk about it next time. I'll go change my clothes and return them to them first. Oh, and the sword too."

Chen Junqian, who felt he would have to quickly take a picture of his mother and send it to their family group chat after wearing this outfit, didn't immediately agree. After resting for a while, he went to the dressing room to change back into his original clothes. He then washed his hairstyle and makeup back to normal at the sink before returning the C-shirt to Fan Qing, only to be met with a wave of his hand.

"Forget it, I made it myself anyway. I brought it out this time to find a cosplayer I liked to give it to. And now that you've already worn it, it's not appropriate for me to give it to someone else when I get back. You can keep it for yourself, no need to pay. I'm quite happy to see such a realistic Kirito. I'm planning to open a cosplay shop later anyway, so I'll use those photos of you as my promotional photos, how about that?"

"Okay, then I wish you success."

When the topic of opening a shop came up, Fan Qing glanced at the elderly people still selling pirated merchandise not far away, rubbed his chin, and said:

"But coming here today reminded me that opening an online store to sell these domestically made merchandise might be a good idea? I could collaborate with some doujinshi artists to make postcards, badges, pillows, and the like."

"I think it's possible. If you really have this idea, you can also try doing a lottery, no, I mean a lucky bag-style blind box for anime merchandise. Divide it into several tiers and specify what you're guaranteed to get in each tier. For example, 9.9 yuan will definitely get a postcard, 29.9 yuan will definitely get a half-finger glove, and 49.9 yuan will definitely get a small pillow."

Chen Junqian was quite experienced in opening an online store, so he proactively offered a couple of suggestions. Gu Linguo, who was standing nearby, seized the opportunity to add:

"Can I learn to make cosplay costumes with Sister Fan in the future?"

"Sure, it's basically just making clothes. My family owns a tailor shop, so we have all the necessary equipment. But you two are both from Guoning, right? It's not far from Xuancheng, so it's quite convenient for you to come and get your clothes made. No problem at all."

Fan Qing readily agreed to Gu Linguo's request. She genuinely found the girl interesting, and more importantly, she found her very pleasing to the eye. Although the concept of "expanding one's social circle" didn't exist in this era, the group did indeed expand each other's social circles and exchange contact information before waving goodbye.

After all, a small comic convention in a county town without even a stage event can't really offer anything special. If it weren't for Chen Junqian's unexpected arrival, the already small number of visitors would probably have left even faster. Many people just came in, browsed around for a few hours, and left feeling bored in less than half an hour.

After contacting my mother by phone, who was shopping in the vicinity, the group found a restaurant nearby and had lunch before setting off back to Guoning.

This time, Chen Junqian was smarter. As soon as he got close to the car, he got into the passenger seat and left the two girls in the back. He planned to wear his seatbelt and rest for a while on the way home.

Although the first experience at this anime convention certainly didn't meet Chen Junqian and Gu Linguo's expectations overall, the final result was still passable. Even Chen Xi, who originally had little interest in this kind of thing, was enthusiastically dragged by Gu Linguo to look at Chen Junqian's first cosplay photos and original character clips from the anime on the way home. Then, as a complete outsider, she started talking about what character she should cosplay for her brother next time.

Will Lin Guo do cosplay in the future?

Chen Xi was whispering quietly to her best friend in the back seat. She was genuinely curious about this issue, as Gu Linguo's enthusiasm for it was quite noticeable today.

"Yeah, but it doesn't necessarily have to be at a comic convention."

Why?

"I'm telling you, but don't tell anyone else, okay? My brother is actually a bit of a chuunibyou (a person with delusions of grandeur). A long time ago, he told me that he wanted me to cosplay as the female protagonist of an anime, and he would cosplay as the male protagonist. Then we would go and act out scenes from the anime together and say lines from the anime. This is much more embarrassing than posing for photos at a comic convention. So it definitely has to be done by the two of us alone in private."

If Chen Junqian knew that the two sentences he used to pave the way for his achievements had been interpreted this way by Gu Lingguo, he would probably wake up on the spot and give her a good flick on the head. But Chen Xi obviously didn't know, so she just nodded as if she understood. However, she still felt a little awkward about the fact that her brother and her best friend had suddenly made an agreement that she had never heard of before. It was just like how she could only sit there and watch the two of them talk about those topics at the comic convention today, knowing nothing about it.

For Chen Junqian, who was now in a daze, this trip to the comic convention at least allowed him to confirm Gu Linguo's true thoughts, or rather, to see the true side of the other party.

In Chen Junqian's mental list of romantic achievements, there is one titled "I want a mom this tall."

The description of this achievement lists two of the most common female protagonists who could become my mother.

But they are two completely opposite extremes.