I turned reality into a romantic comedy.

"You said it yourself, brother!"

Gu Lingguo quickly grabbed his arm and repeated very seriously:

“I’ve written it down.”

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Chapter 93: Reality is about leaving no regrets (4k6)

As Chen Junqian and Gu Linguo stepped side by side into the huge venue of this year's Animation Culture Festival, the convention, which started at nine o'clock in the morning, was welcoming its first wave of bustling crowds.

Inside the venue, the familiar heat and air conditioning mingled, and countless colorful anime characters moved between booths and aisles. However, when the two of them passed through security and officially entered the public photography area illuminated by sunlight and overhead lights, the surrounding air seemed to freeze briefly, followed by a rapidly spreading commotion.

"Your Lie in April" had only ended a month ago and was at the peak of its popularity. Even just hearing the opening theme of "The Goose House" could bring tears to the eyes of countless fans. And now, the two in front of them were not only a couple but also extremely good-looking. They were like the male and female protagonists of a manga that had just stepped out of an art book. It can be said that they attracted everyone's attention as soon as they appeared.

In fact, Chen Junqian felt that Gu Lingguo's handmade cosplay outfits also played a significant role. Although he knew that every cosplayer was passionate about the character, some were limited by time, money, and energy, so the final result was rather ordinary. Just like the saying goes, it's not scary to wear the same clothes as someone else, it's embarrassing if you look worse. Among all the Japanese school uniforms, Gu Lingguo's two sets were particularly exquisite.

The garment is impeccably tailored with exquisite stitching. From the spacing of the stripes on the tie to the drape of the pleated skirt, everything perfectly replicates the design from the anime. Paired with Gu Lingguo's striking long, golden curly hair and the violin case she carries, along with Chen Junqian's own charisma, the visual impact is nothing short of explosive.

"Holy crap, it's those two guests from yesterday! They actually did a duo cosplay of 'A Lie in April' today. I thought they left after yesterday's event."

"Putting aside whether it looks good or not, the quality of the cosplay outfit is really good; it's the kind of outfit you could wear as everyday clothes."

"There's such a handsome Arima Kousei. He's more than capable of cosplaying a white-haired Kaneki Ken."

"Didn't you see that his girlfriend cosplayed as Kaori Miyazono? He must have done it with her. But he's got a really good foundation, he looks ridiculously handsome in anything."

In less than two minutes, a group of photographers with long lenses and tourists had surrounded the two of them.

The first to muster up the courage to approach were several photographers carrying DSLR cameras and wearing badges around their necks:

"Excuse me, teacher, your Kaoru cosplay is incredibly accurate. Could you take some photos of you separately? The venue and props are all free, as are the retouching and post-production!"

When the photographers requested a pose, Gu Lingguo didn't strike a pose as casually as she had on stage the day before. Instead, she instinctively moved closer to Chen Junqian, grabbed the cuff of his left suit jacket, and hid most of her body beside his tall frame. Then, she gave the photographers an apologetic smile, her eyes crinkling but revealing an unyielding determination.

"Thank you for the compliment! But I'm so sorry, my boyfriend and I came together today, and he gets jealous easily, so he didn't want to take any photos, including group photos. I'm sorry."

She quietly gripped Chen Junqian's sleeve, raised her chin, and added:

"In short, today I'm only accepting couple photos with my partner, or solo photos taken by him. I won't accept any other forms of photos, sorry!"

Upon hearing this, a chorus of heartbroken wails immediately erupted from the surrounding area.

"Waaaaah, even though I got rejected, it feels like I've been force-fed a mouthful of dog food!"

"Brothers, let's unfollow the official Bilibili account. Some people can find girlfriends who are willing to cosplay with them just by watching anime, while others can only come to anime conventions with their buddies."

"What did I do to you, bro? How about I dress you up as Hideyoshi in women's clothing next time?"

Although the photographers were disappointed, they still gave a thumbs-up with great manners to indicate that they had bumped into something, and then stepped back a circle, only daring to take a few candid photos of the two standing side by side from a distance.

Chen Junqian lowered his head and looked at the female lead who was clinging tightly to his side as if she were asserting her territory. Through his thick black-rimmed glasses, the smile in his eyes was as gentle as a warm lake in spring.

However, just as Gu Lingguo had initially predicted, the scene did not return to calm as a group of people were frustrated and dispersed. On the contrary, the ecosystem of the comic convention is all about looks, so when the female tourists and female cosplayers discovered that the beautiful and unapproachable Kaori Miyazono had completely closed off the possibility of one-way interaction, their eyes, like radar locking onto a new target, all focused on Chen Junqian.

As someone who gets bombarded with "I like you," "hehe," and "Happy April Fool's Day" from a bunch of girls every April Fool's Day, Chen Junqian, even with the rumors of a relationship with Zhu Wenyun, is still considered by everyone to be the one who got the better deal. Mu Mu, who's always by his side, has been subjected to countless AOEs (Area of ​​Attention) attacks. Today, with a little makeup, he looks like a male protagonist from a romance novel has stepped into reality. His quiet, focused, and even slightly fragile melancholic aura, accentuated by his black-rimmed glasses, is exactly what all the anime girls want to hear.

A female cosplayer dressed in a gorgeous kimono from Touken Ranbu was the first to break through the defenses, her cheeks flushed with excitement:

"Ziqian! You look so handsome today! Since Lin Guo isn't taking solo photos, then... can I take a picture with you?"

This statement is like toppling the first domino.

"I want me too!"

"Ziqian, could you please put your hands in your pockets and look at me on camera? You're so cold! Please, this is a once-in-a-lifetime request!"

"Hey, could we add each other on QQ or WeChat to discuss video editing later?"

"I'm a man, I'm a man, please don't worry, Lin Guo!"

Hmm... what the heck is the last one?

In a flash, seven or eight girls surrounded Chen Junqian. Some held up their phones and made peace signs next to him, while others held up autograph boards and wanted his autograph. Even more surprisingly, a cosplayer dressed in extremely revealing clothing, presumably a ship girl, not only pressed her entire body against Chen Junqian's arm but also looked up at him in a coquettish manner.

Gu Lingguo, who was originally holding tightly to Chen Junqian's sleeve, obviously did not have the one-on-one defense experience of a certain classmate Youyou. Because she was not big enough, she was squeezed a step away by this group of enthusiastic female fans and two male fans.

Gu Lingguo stood on the outer circle, still holding the heavy violin case in her hand. She was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted. With an inexplicable anger shooting from the bottom of her heart to the top of her head, she quickly put down the prop violin case and rushed into the circle of people again. Her fair face, which had been deliberately made to look sickly, was now flushed red, and her golden hair swayed, making her look like a little golden lion whose tail had been stepped on and whose fur had stood on end.

"Excuse me! Please make way!"

Gu Linguo, with a strength she didn't know she possessed, managed to pry open a passage with her hands and angrily squeezed back to Chen Junqian's side.

Just as the scantily clad female cosplayer was about to raise her phone and lean her head on Chen Junqian's shoulder, Gu Lingguo finally completed her defense. She took a step forward and, without hesitation, spread her arms wide, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, domineeringly blocking Chen Junqian's path and effectively isolating the female cosplayer.

"Excuse me! This lady, and everyone else!"

The surrounding air fell silent instantly, and all the girls stared in astonishment at "Kaori Miyazono," who had suddenly started to lash out.

Chen Junqian, standing behind her, watched the show with great interest. It was mainly because Xu Youwei had always been in charge of this kind of thing before, and it was refreshing to see someone else doing it today. However, compared to his ex-girlfriend, Xiao Gu was indeed a bit less confident, mainly because she wasn't facing a shy middle school student.

"He's not accepting any individual photos today! I made this outfit myself, and I styled every single strand of his hair! As I said before, we're only doing couple photos today!"

Seemingly feeling that this wasn't enough, or perhaps suddenly realizing that someone might be observing her through a mysterious live stream camera, Gu Lingguo decided to recklessly assert her dominance:

"Because...because I'm his girlfriend! The real one! How can you let your girlfriend take so many photos with her boyfriend in front of her? So, no one's lending her their photos today. Go take photos with someone else!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire photography area fell into a deathly silence.

A full three seconds passed.

"boom--"

A burst of screams and whistles erupted from the surrounding area, even drowning out the main stage's sound system.

"The most domineering Kaori Miyazono in history has arrived!"

"Regarding food protection."

"Did you make the clothes yourself? Did you take all the necessary measurements?"

Feeling that the conversation was starting to veer off in a strange direction, Chen Junqian smiled and pulled Gu Linguo back. After briefly explaining that he wouldn't take photos with her, he helped her take the violin case and left. He casually mentioned that they would be having a piano performance on the main stage of the anime convention later, and that she could come and watch if she was interested. He also hoped that if she took any good photos, she could send them directly to their Bilibili account email address.

"Seriously, we're even having a performance on the main stage?"

After walking quite a distance, Gu Linguo belatedly asked this question.

"Well, this isn't the first time we've played a four-hand duet. Lin Guo has been practicing piano for so long, so why would she be afraid? I think it will be quite romantic."

Upon hearing Chen Junqian's words, Gu Linguo was stunned for a moment, then her eyes shone brightly. She took a deep breath, and her cheeks, which had been flushed with shyness, were now filled with eager excitement.

"What's there to be afraid of? When?"

"I think it was the first one, because we still have to go and help out at a stall later. Actually, we could go report now."

He took Gu Linguo to the backstage of the main stage yesterday to register. Soon it was their turn to perform. Amid thunderous applause, Chen Junqian led his leading lady up the steps of the main stage. The hems of their uniforms fluttered slightly as they walked, and the sight of blonde and black hair intertwined was so beautiful that it was almost unreal.

Walking up to the black grand piano that had been placed in the room, Chen Junqian very gentlemanly pulled out the piano bench. Although it was a two-person bench, it still felt a bit crowded when the two of them sat down side by side.

Gu Linguo's pleated skirt spread gently on the piano bench, and the two of them pressed their thighs tightly together. The warmth transmitted through the fabric instantly enveloped Gu Linguo's nerves, which had been tense from going on stage, with a strange sense of security.

Chen Junqian turned his head to look at Gu Linguo. The bright stage lights shone on her face, casting a sacred halo over her sickly pale makeup. He couldn't help but reach out and naturally tuck a stray strand of golden hair behind her ear.

Once again, Gu Linguo had the thought in her heart, "I've been learning piano for so long just for this moment, to achieve this scene with the person in front of me."

"Don't be nervous, just follow my rhythm, like we practice."

Chen Junqian gently comforted her.

"Yes, I'm not afraid, because my brother is here with me."

Gu Linguo turned her head and gave him a smile a hundred times brighter than the lights were on.

The two of them turned around at the same time, facing the black and white piano keys.

Chen Junqian slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and placed his hands above the piano keys. Gu Linguo was right next to him, her arms slender, her fingers gently touching the high notes.

The next second, Chen Junqian suddenly opened his eyes, and his slender fingers, as if they had come to life, heavily struck the first chord on the piano keys.

This is not slow, melancholic classical music, but a fierce, brilliant prelude that seems to burn away all passion and vitality in this moment—

The opening theme of "Your Lie in April," a four-hand piano arrangement of "Hikaru Nara" (If You Can Shine).

The moment that most familiar melody poured from the piano, the hundreds of audience members below the stage seemed to be collectively struck by some powerful electric current, their bodies covered in goosebumps.

In this extremely challenging four-hand piano duet, Chen Junqian steadily controlled the most complex bass chords and rhythmic progressions, truly resembling the incredibly talented Arima Kousei from the anime. Gu Linguo, on the other hand, completely transformed into the free-spirited and unrestrained Miyazono Kaori, who rampaged through the world of music. Her slender fingers leaped and danced lightly in the high register, as if performing a magnificent waltz on the black and white keys.

Their bodies swayed in perfect harmony with the music, and when they encountered complex melodies, Chen Junqian's left hand even had to reach behind Gu Linguo to play. At that moment, he was practically holding Gu Linguo in his arms, their breaths mingling in the intense playing, and when they occasionally turned to look at each other, all they could see was each other's reflection.

The audience was completely mesmerized.

For fans of "A Lie in April," while Arima Kousei in the anime healed his childhood trauma, he forever lost the girl who played the violin. That April, when cherry blossoms fell, became a scar that no one dared to touch.

But at this moment, on this stage before them, Kousei Arima had not lost his girl, and Kaori Miyazono was not lying on a cold hospital bed. They were wearing their familiar uniforms, sitting at a piano, their fingers flying across the keys, their movements perfectly synchronized.

The girl's smile was vibrant and radiant, while the boy's eyes were gentle yet firm.

A female middle school student in the front row, watching this scene, seemed to have thought of something, and tears suddenly streamed down her face like a burst dam. She covered her mouth and cried out.

Someone in the audience started it, and many tourists, even those who were tone-deaf or couldn't pronounce Japanese clearly, seemed to be bewitched and began to sing the original Japanese lyrics of the song loudly along with the piano melody.

Countless cell phone flashlights lit up below the stage, along with the scattered orange glow sticks, converging into a warm, orange-yellow sea of ​​stars belonging to Kaori Miyazono.

Then, the last key was pressed.

The intense pace suddenly slowed down, and the lighting technician expertly turned off all the cool-toned spotlights, leaving only a soft, warm orange halo, like the sunset, enveloping the two people beside the piano.

They are the real-life male and female protagonists of anime.

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Chapter 94: Mu Mu's Physical Test (Part 2)

With the end of Chen Junqian and Gu Linguo's trip to the comic convention, a major achievement related to it in his mind, called "The Dressing Doll Falls in Love," finally met all the conditions and became another romantic comedy achievement that he unlocked in reality.

Upon returning to Guoning, Chen Junqian was first faced with the physics and chemistry test before the high school entrance examination. This test was so easy that it was practically nonexistent; 99% of the students could easily score all 20 points. What really put pressure on everyone was the physical fitness test that followed.

Just like every year during Guoning's middle school entrance exams, the physical fitness test is conducted at the same time and place by all the middle schools in the city. This time, the city's sports center's large stadium was coordinated, and dozens of buses brought students from various schools here, which looked quite spectacular.

That's why, after arriving at the scene, Chen Junqian quickly spotted Zhu Wenyun's school uniform from Hejin Middle School. However, because there were so many people, he couldn't immediately see where she was or whether the physical test was over.

It has to be said that the magnificent stadium, the huge stands, and the professionally textured synthetic track added a touch of solemnity to the physical test, making it feel completely different from running on the school playground. Students in different school uniforms were everywhere, creating a noisy yet solemn atmosphere, which made Chen Junqian a little worried that his childhood sweetheart might start to get nervous.

Looking back, Lin Mu's expression didn't reveal anything, but the moment his eyes met Lin Mu's, he instinctively flinched and his body visibly trembled.

"Don't be nervous. Just like in regular training, take two steps in and out, and follow my rhythm."

Seeing this, Chen Junqian stepped forward and whispered a few words of comfort, but unexpectedly, he was met with a rather unusual remark from the other party: