I turned reality into a romantic comedy.

"Actually, I didn't quite understand it at first. Back then, we were probably just kids, and we hadn't even developed feelings of liking each other yet. Is it because seeing something with your own eyes would be more impactful? Lin Guo said it's an adaptation of a game, so what is this part of the story like in the game? Is it explicitly stated?"

When Chen Xi asked her this question, Gu Lingguo, who had indeed played the original visual novel, thought for a moment before giving her answer:

"As for the game, it's actually quite simple: you feel that one of your good friends hurt your brother, or rather, stole your brother away? Then you spread this news, and it's also Sora herself who wants to keep her away from your brother. In the end, there's even a scene where she tries to drag your brother away from the other person and even the town. But in my opinion, the visual impact is probably a big part of it. After all, it's the girl who takes the initiative, so from the perspective, it feels like she's being forced. And to be honest, there's also a hint of coaxing and deceiving in it. It's normal to dislike someone because of this."

As Gu Linguo spoke, she kept an eye on Chen Xi's expression. After she finished speaking, she saw her friend's face show an "I knew it" look, and then she suddenly threw out a question at her out of the blue:

"By the way, Lin Guo, the distance from Guoning to Lin'an should be shorter than the distance to Nanjing, right?"

"Ah, um, no, you don't mean you're planning to go to Lin'an to find those two, do you?"

"I do have that thought, because according to Lin Guo, my brother is going to be taken away too, so the sister should definitely act differently, right? But I'm so calm now, maybe it's because I didn't see that scene with my own eyes, is that a fair interpretation?"

It's fair to say that last September I was the one encouraging her to go to Nanjing, but this year it's Chen Xi rushing to Lin'an overnight. Gu Lingguo was trying to stop her best friend's actions. She took a deep breath and then seriously confessed Chen Junqian's thoughts to Chen Xi:

"wrong."

"Because the senior is not a player who only plays one route, there will be no situation where choosing one person's route will end the stories of other people in the common route."

"From beginning to end, his goal was to achieve a complete collection in the real world, a path where there is no saving or loading."

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

Chapter Three: Of course I can do that kind of thing too.

The bell rang precisely at 9:50 p.m., and the entire teaching building seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. The incandescent lights in the classrooms were still on, but the sounds of desks and chairs being moved, the zipping of backpacks, and the students' hushed laughter had already spread from each classroom, blending together and surging along the long corridor toward the stairwell.

Almost everyone in Class 9 had left, but Xu Youwei was still sitting in her seat, slowly stuffing the last workbook into her bag. This was completely different from how she used to rush out as soon as the bell rang after evening self-study, which surprised the students on duty who stayed behind to clean.

There was no other way. She used to be so eager to run around because someone would be waiting for her outside on a bicycle. This was the only precious time the two of them could spend together each day. But now that Chen Junqian hadn't come back at all, Xu Youwei naturally didn't need to rush around like that anymore.

But just as she was thinking this, she suddenly caught sight of another familiar figure in the hallway outside the classroom. She quickly hurried to pack her things, slung her bag over her shoulder, and rushed out, calling out the other person's name as she did so.

"Mumu, what brings you here?"

This was probably the first time Lin Mu had waited here. He leaned quietly against the railing in the corridor. In the dim light of the night, his complexion seemed a bit darker than usual, but upon seeing her, he managed to muster his spirits and force a smile that was similar to his usual one.

"I'm here to pick up Weiwei. After all, Qianqian used to take you home, but he's not here today. I was thinking you might not be used to going home alone, and I also have something I want to talk to you about, so let's go home together today."

Xu Youwei was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, but then nodded in agreement.

"Okay, let's go then."

And so, the two walked downstairs side by side. The stairs after evening self-study were always crowded, with students coming down like waves. On weekdays, Xu Youwei would usually wait for Chen Junqian under the sycamore tree in front of the teaching building. His bicycle was parked in the innermost row of the bicycle shed, but today that familiar bicycle was not there. She glanced at it unconsciously, but quickly moved away and did not say anything more.

Lin Mu noticed this detail and suddenly felt a little strange. It wasn't because Xu Youwei's face showed obvious disappointment, but rather because the other party didn't say anything. She didn't know if it was because of her personal experience, but she always felt that Xu Youwei seemed to be very used to Chen Junqian's presence, but also very used to hiding her discomfort when he wasn't around. This made her seem like the clingier childhood sweetheart.

...But so what if she's clingy? It's more like she's always clingy when Qianqian is around, and it would be strange if she suddenly stopped being clingy when he wasn't around.

The two left the school gate and walked slowly along the sidewalk. She had already contacted her mother by phone to explain the situation. Xu Youwei's house was originally bought for her to attend high school, so it wasn't far from Guoning High School. It was usually only a few minutes' ride by bicycle, and a little longer on foot. However, the streetlights were quite bright because the area was full of students leaving school, parents picking up their children, and late-night food stalls catering to students. There was nothing to worry about.

Lin Mu had prepared a lot to say, but when they actually walked together, she suddenly felt a lump in her throat and remained silent for a short while. Xu Youwei spoke first.

"Has your class been talking about Qinqin's absence all day?"

"Has it already reached your class?"

"Yeah, they've been talking about it since morning reading. Almost everyone in our class knows him, especially the girls...you know, and probably because I'm in Class 9, Qinqin comes here quite often and has a good relationship with many students in our class."

As she finished speaking, there was a hint of helplessness in her voice.

After all, someone like Chen Junqian is someone who will always be remembered, even if he doesn't deliberately try to get to know anyone. He has been in charge of too many activities, appeared in too many places, and helped too many people. Some people like his face, some admire his achievements, some simply think he is reliable, and some have only seen him a few times from afar, but have hidden that vague goodwill in every unintentional glance when passing by the door of Class 1. That is why today, just because someone didn't come to class, it has touched the hearts of all the teachers and students in the school.

"Weiwei must have been asked that by them too, right?"

"Yes, I said I didn't know. Did Mumu tell them?"

"No, but what I meant was that I know, I just can't say."

"I was going to answer like that at first, but it felt a bit too pretentious, so I decided against it. It would have made me sound like I knew everything."

Hearing Xu Youwei's answer, Lin Mu herself felt a little dazed. She remembered that a few years ago, their attitudes toward Chen Junqian were reversed. He always openly displayed their relationship, and even though they weren't in the same class, he would always come over to visit after class. But now, the one who was proactive had become her. Their mentality had indeed changed.

When Lin Mu reached the second intersection, he suddenly stopped:

"Wait a moment."

Xu Youwei turned to look at her. Lin Mu was taking out her phone from her school uniform pocket and then tapping on Chen Junqian's number in front of her. She had actually called him once after school that afternoon. The red missed call marker stood out in the call log, making it easy for Xu Youwei to spot.

"Did you call him this afternoon?"

"Yeah, but no one answered, and they haven't replied yet, whether it's a message or a phone call. Qianqian definitely knows we've already finished our evening self-study session."

Although she speaks lightly now, Lin Mu knows very well what she was really thinking when she received the electronic message, "Hello, the number you dialed is currently switched off..." To put it simply, she really had the idea of ​​skipping evening self-study and rushing to Lin'an. She even had a reason ready: "Why didn't you answer the phone? You made me worry."

After all, since they met, Chen Junqian has rarely turned off his phone. His phone battery is always above 60%, and he carries a power bank when he goes out. Especially when he takes leave to go to other places, he would never allow himself to be completely out of contact. Even if the signal is bad on the high-speed train, he would at least let them know in advance.

As he spoke, Lin Mu dialed the number again. Xu Youwei stood quietly to the side, also looking at her phone screen. Lin Mu had saved Chen Junqian's contact as "Qianqian," which inexplicably reminded her of the days two years ago when she had saved him as "Dear."

But just a few seconds later, the same mechanical female voice, identical to that of hours before, rang in Lin Mu's ears again:

"Hello, the number you dialed is currently switched off..."

Lin Mu, holding his phone, hung up the call with a somewhat irritated expression.

"Should I turn it off?"

"Ah."

"Maybe the power is out, or Qinqin is busy?"

Xu Youwei would still try to cover for Chen Junqian, even though she knew in her heart that Mu Mu was completely different from a year ago. In fact, a girl who was already seventeen years old could not possibly think that a boy and a girl were just playing Ludo when they were alone in a room. Otherwise, the other party would not have asked that question, "What are the two of them going to do?" and would not have called her every night for the past few days.

Lin Mu didn't immediately answer Xu Youwei's subconscious explanation. She assumed it was because Xu Youwei had already experienced that kind of physical intimacy, so she simply pursed her lips and replied:

"Yes, Qianqian is not someone who would cause worry."

Just when Hsu Yu-wei thought the topic would be dropped, her childhood sweetheart added:

"But now he's making me worry, so it's his problem, right?"

Before Xu Youwei could answer, she looked down at her phone again and started working on it.

"I'll call Shen Nianqiu again."

Unlike the numerous call records between Lin Mu and Chen Junqian, although Shen Nianqiu's phone number was also in Lin Mu's contacts, the two of them hadn't actually called each other very often. After all, they usually chatted on QQ. Neither Lin Mu nor Shen Nianqiu could imagine taking the initiative to call each other, especially after this year.

After finding Shen Nianqiu's phone number, Lin Mu dialed it again. This time, the electronic voice made them wait a little longer, and the content was different:

"Hello, the number you dialed is currently busy..."

I don't believe you.

Everyone knows that when you hang up a call, the other person's phone will receive a notification. Lin Mu didn't believe that Shen Nianqiu was actually on the phone. Her background had already been completely exposed by Zhu Wenyun's book, "Dearest Forever." She only had one contact in her address book, meaning that very few people knew her phone number. So, normally no one would call her. All work-related matters were handled by a different phone and a different number.

Xu Youwei also heard the voice coming from the receiver. Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed unconsciously as she looked at Lin Mu and asked in a low voice:

"Is she not answering the phone?"

"Ah."

"Did something happen to them?"

"It's less about what happened and more about what they were doing."

She spoke quickly, as if answering Xu Youwei, or as if forcing herself to calm down.

"For example, I'm out shopping right now. After all, I just finished the college entrance exam today. If we finish the exam in two years, I'll ask my parents if I can go out all night. They'll definitely feel at ease with Qianqian with me. Hmm... Will Qianqian still be around then?"

The sudden turn of events caught Xu Youwei off guard, but compared to the question Lin Mu had asked her a few days ago, which she genuinely didn't know how to answer, she could at least nod confidently to this one:

“He will definitely be there; Guoning is his home.”

“Shen Nianqiu’s home can also be in Guoning, or rather, it’s already in Guoning, since it already has a room.” Seemingly feeling that it wasn’t appropriate to discuss the next topic on the street, Lin Mu quickened his pace. After arriving at Xu Youwei’s house, he stared blankly at the dark security camera at the door for a while, then subconsciously redialed the number again. This time, even Shen Nianqiu’s phone was switched off.

"If I told you I wanted Weiwei to come to Lin'an with me now, would you be willing?"

Xu Youwei, who had just entered and was about to get Lin Mu a drink, paused again upon hearing this. A sentence that Zhu Wenyun had once written suddenly flashed through her mind, and she quickly used it on the spot:

"Actually, when you ask a question, it means you already have the answer in your heart, right?"

"Well... so actually, I wanted to go, but I was too afraid to go to Lin'an."

Sitting on the sofa, Lin Mu subconsciously curled up her knees, burying her head between them, and her voice became somewhat muffled:

"Just like after school in the afternoon, I still obediently went home for dinner and then obediently went back to school for evening self-study."

Those who loudly proclaim "I'm going to be a bad kid!" are often the ones who don't actually do anything rebellious. Lin Mu always felt that if it were Zhu Wenjun or Xu Youwei, they might have already taken action, and then she could also muster up the courage to join in. But the fact is that since neither of them has taken any action, all she has accomplished so far is repeatedly dialing these two numbers that seem destined to be unanswered today.

"I thought Mu Mu was already mentally prepared."

"I wouldn't be mentally prepared for this at all. It's Weiwei and Wenyun who are the strange ones. Don't you like Qianqian or understand him? This is completely different from the kind of relationship between ordinary students. After doing something like this, you definitely have to take responsibility. He will definitely, Qianqian will definitely take responsibility for her. If he doesn't take responsibility, I won't like him. Isn't that the case?"

Towards the end, Lin Mu's tone sounded somewhat broken, her eyes were red, and her body, made even smaller by her curled-up posture, was trembling. As if in despair, she blurted out the words she hadn't truly spoken to her best friend back then:

"I don't want to be treated like a clueless kid by Qianqian anymore. Even if we have to do that kind of thing, of course I'm willing and able to. He'll definitely take safety precautions, right? So it doesn't matter at all, does it? Do I have to be an adult to do it? But even before we get to the last step, I haven't experienced any of the earlier parts. Isn't that the most unfair thing? I'm the same age as you guys, aren't I?"

It was almost like a scene from elementary school, when faced with a question from the teacher, immediately raising your hand, half your bottom already off your seat, your face beaming with anticipation, "Pick me! Pick me!" "Let me do it!" Only this time, the girl was displaying a different, somewhat contradictory and chaotic sentimentality, biting her finger and murmuring:

"...I had already thought that Qianqian would do this himself."

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

PS2: Okay, we'll be able to see Chen Junqian's (graduated) version tomorrow.

Chapter Four: Newlyweds (Confirmed)

The morning of June 10, 2016, seemed to arrive slowly for many, especially in Lin'an. After all, many graduates who had just finished their college entrance exams the day before were probably spending their first all-nighter in three years that wasn't for studying, or perhaps they simply stayed up all night in internet cafes or at home, with a vengeful mentality of wanting to catch up on all the things they had missed in the past.

In this respect, Shen Nianqiu might actually be the same.

But no matter how much someone wishes the night could last a little longer, the sun will still rise. At first, only a hint of gray shines through the edge of the curtains, as if the night has not truly left, but has simply let go. The room remains dim, but the air is no longer the stillness of the dead of night. Occasionally, a car drives by downstairs, and further away, it seems someone has opened a window. A few early birdsongs drift in through the gaps in the city that has not yet fully awakened, and sunlight seeps into the room.

Chen Junqian woke up to such sounds.

He didn't open his eyes immediately, but felt a warm, soft person pressed against his chest. Shen Nianqiu was facing away from him, half her face buried in the soft pillow, her breathing even and long. She wasn't sleeping very properly; the thin blanket that had covered her had been mostly kicked off, leaving her shoulders and half her back exposed. Her long hair was scattered across her neck and arms, like a thick, dark, and quiet patch of waterweed.

Noticing this, Chen Junqian subconsciously moved, trying to pull the blanket closer to her shoulder. But as soon as his hand touched the corner of the blanket, Shen Nianqiu seemed to sense something, her brows furrowed slightly. She didn't wake up, but leaned back as if in a dream, accurately snuggling into his arms, and groped for his wrist with one hand.

His sister's fingers were still slightly warm. Before yesterday, he had held her hand before. When they were shopping, crossing the street, or afraid of getting lost in the crowd after a movie, she would give him her hand. Sometimes she would take the initiative, and sometimes he would reach out first. Even now, in the early morning when no one could see and there was no reason to explain, it was not the first time that she had subconsciously grabbed his hand, but the feeling was still completely different.

It was as if she knew he was beside her even when she was asleep, and didn't want him to leave even in her sleep.

The pleasantly tipsy feeling of satisfaction that came from both the physical and psychological levels made Chen Junqian suddenly reluctant to move. Sure enough, there was a reason why the emperor stopped holding court in the morning. At least he didn't want to get up at all now.

Many fragments from yesterday afternoon and last night slowly surfaced in his mind. Although it was only a dozen hours ago, recalling it now felt like looking through a layer of warm, lamplit fog. At first, his sister pretended to be an older sister, but then at one point, her eyes reddened and she called his name. Even when she was too tired to do anything else, she still held his fingertips tightly and wouldn't let go. In the end, she leaned against his chest, speaking haltingly, but still whispering to ask him how he was feeling.

He didn't give a particularly eloquent answer at the time; he simply held the other person tighter in his arms. Now, thinking back on it, he still feels an indescribable tenderness in his heart.