I turned reality into a romantic comedy.

Many people have already planned that after the college entrance examination, they can proudly tell their relatives that they are the top science student, tied with Chen Junqian, the top liberal arts student. Doesn't that sound very prestigious?

However, compared to the boys who were already preparing to overtake on another track, Chen Junqian received the most mysterious little notes from girls, especially the girls in the top classes. After all, the number of students in the liberal arts special admission class in the second half of the year would definitely need to be brought up to the standard, so naturally the selection would be carried out from below. Many people really chose liberal arts with great enthusiasm, hoping for the only chance to be in the same class in their lives, and were ready to launch an attack. This made Chen Junqian himself start to worry about the male-female ratio in his class next semester.

Old Lu, thank goodness you're here.

Although the other person chose liberal arts because it was easier to pass the civil service exam, it was still enough to move Chen Junqian. However, when he looked over, his childhood friend intercepted him midway, pointing to the space between the two of them. Then, Chen Junqian received a small note from Lin Mu:

【come out】

The message above was just two simple words. Although he felt it would be a bit awkward to go out again after only a few minutes back in the classroom, Lin Mu had already left under the pretext of going to the restroom. Chen Junqian had no choice but to stand up helplessly, whisper to the teacher as he passed the podium that he had something to do, and then followed Lin Mu out of the classroom.

The corridor was generally empty during evening self-study. Apart from a few people occasionally appearing on the way to the restroom, there were hardly any people around most of the time. However, Lin Mu still felt unsafe, so she simply pulled Chen Junqian to the corner of the stairs that Zhu Wenjun loved the most. Then she took two steps down. Chen Junqian thought that the other person was going downstairs, but after he followed her down two steps, he saw Lin Mu taking two steps up... Is this a primary school student?

Although he was thinking this to himself, Chen Junqian still wisely stopped and let Lin Mu keep their height difference at roughly the same level thanks to the stairs.

"What's wrong with Mu Mu?"

"Has Shen Nianqiu come to Guoning again?"

Okay, in the past six months, Shen Nianqiu has stopped being called "Sister Shen" by Lin Mu. But it seems she can't really be blamed, so Chen Junqian decisively ignored the issue of address and nodded in affirmation:

"Yes, I arrived during the first evening self-study session. We tested the equipment in the auditorium and then came back."

As Chen Junqian spoke, he was also observing Lin Mu's expression. In fact, after returning to the class, he had already received a note from his reliable wingman Zhu Wenyun before Lin Mu's note arrived. However, judging solely from the content of the note, it seems that you were the one who started this fire first.

However, compared to what might happen tomorrow at the grand finale of the campus's top ten singers competition, resolving it today might indeed be a good thing. Therefore, Chen Junqian went straight to the point and asked directly:

Is Mu Mu jealous?

"...What do you think?"

Is it true that girls are born with the talent to kick the ball back and make the other party express their attitude first? However, for Chen Junqian himself, his childhood sweetheart, who was turning her head away, biting her lip, and spinning her toes around, was indeed cute enough at this moment. He couldn't help but reach out a hand to poke her slightly puffed-up little face. As a result, Lin Mu herself, as if by muscle memory, just like when she was a child, imitated a pufferfish and exhaled air. However, her beautiful round pupils, like a cat's, were still staring at him.

"Then I'm saying I'm jealous. If my mouth feels sour, I need to eat some candy. Here, take this."

Both having developed this habit since childhood because of their childhood sweetheart, Chen Junqian smiled and took a candy out of his pocket. He even thoughtfully unwrapped the candy for her and held it to her mouth. However, Lin Mu directly put the candy, along with her fingertips, into her mouth in one gulp.

Well, Chen Junqian now agrees even more with Lin Mu's subtle trick of narrowing the height difference between the two. After all, if they were standing together, the difference in perspective caused by the height difference would make the other person's current action look much worse... Mainly, a certain older sister also made some small moves in the auditorium earlier. It can only be said that Zhu Wenyun's theory of "once you've tasted the sweetness, you'll want more" is indeed correct to some extent.

In the mysterious Yilin short stories, it is said that Jews would smear honey on books and let children lick them, so that they would develop the idea from a young age that books and knowledge are sweet. However, for Lin Mu herself, even without that candy, she would feel from the bottom of her heart that she could taste sweetness from the fingertips of her childhood sweetheart. Because of this, including observing the other person's expression and body language, she would find it a sweet thing to do.

She never doubted or worried about the psychological connection and bond between the two of them in terms of memories, spirit, personality, and so on. But the more she did so, the more she wanted to achieve that connection physically as well. For example, the current situation made her feel genuinely at ease knowing that this person was right there with her and that she was still by her side.

"What does Qianqian want to do by calling her back to Guoning to be a judge for the campus's top ten singers competition? I should be able to find out about this, right?"

Because she still had something in her mouth, her tone became somewhat muffled. At the same time, she directly grabbed Chen Junqian's wrist with one hand, making it all the more clear that she did not want Chen Junqian to pull his fingers out.

"My sister returned to Guoning because she no longer needed to stay in Lin'an after finishing the college entrance examination. As for inviting her to be a judge for the campus top ten singers competition, firstly, I thought the atmosphere would be more lively, since many people in the school like her songs, and secondly, I myself would like to see her shining on stage."

As soon as Chen Junqian finished speaking, he felt a slight stinging sensation on the tip of his right index finger, which was enveloped in warmth. But then, as if gently soothed, he felt his tongue repeatedly licking him, which unconsciously reminded Chen Junqian of the scene when the other person said that saliva could disinfect when he was a child.

"Qianqian didn't finish speaking..."

As Lin Mu murmured to herself while looking at him, she finally released her index finger from her mouth. She examined the part of her fingertip that actually had no minor wounds—she had only subconsciously pressed it with her teeth—but still checked it carefully for a long time. Then she nestled into Chen Junqian's arms again, resting her head on his shoulder. This time, she aimed at her childhood sweetheart's earlobe, whispering her secrets into it:

"Don't lie, don't lie to me, don't... I don't want Qianqian to lie to me."

This is probably the first time since Chen Junqian became the male lead in a romantic comedy that he has been completely dominated by a female lead. If this were a visual novel, he would probably already be faced with three identical options:

I can't lie to Mu Mu.

I can't lie to Mu Mu.

I can't lie to Mu Mu.

"My sister will be performing as a guest tomorrow, with both an entrance and a curtain call. If nothing unexpected happens, or based on my understanding of her, she will definitely be at the end..."

"Publicly confess your love to me."

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

PS2: Ugh, I have to revise every plot point involving Mu Mu for ages, but I have to write it to my absolute satisfaction. She's the female lead I envisioned even before the book had an outline...

Chapter Nine: The Blade of Mumu 2.0 (Actually, it's not?)

[Calling out love from the center of the world]

As we all know, contrast is always a classic way to create a female lead in a romantic comedy. Just as a poor scholar will always fantasize about the pure and passionate young lady from a wealthy family, people are often curious about the personality and behavior of idols and stars who shine on stage in their daily lives. This is how the idols, models, singers, actors and other characters in romantic comedies came to be.

The allure of these characters lies in the clash between their glittering public image and their ordinary, private emotions. On a grand, dazzling stage, under the spotlight, they choose to no longer conceal their true feelings, peeling away their masks—a moment akin to a wild beast crying out for love in the center of the world.

[Condition for achieving this: Being publicly confessed to on stage by female protagonists who have public identities such as idols, models, singers, or actresses and are suited for romantic comedies]

This romantic comedy had been flashing through Chen Junqian's mind since he started preparing for the campus's top ten singers competition last month. With Shen Nianqiu's arrival today, it was almost a tangible foreshadowing. Just as Chen Junqian knew Shen Nianqiu, even if he didn't say anything, he believed she would do it anyway. Because public image or other concerns didn't exist for her. In fact, it could be said that in her eyes, this grand stage wasn't for singing from the beginning, but for confessing her love.

Love is always a two-way street. It's not just that the man wants the woman to be the envy of others; the woman, of course, also hopes that the man can become the center of attention because of her, just like the Camus quote that her best friend Zhu Wenyun often quotes in her book:

The young couple on the train were neither good-looking. She held his hand, smiling and flirting, but he was listless and even felt embarrassed to be loved in public by a woman he wasn't proud of.

She didn't want to have that kind of relationship with him.

That's why I strive to become better, so that when I present myself to you, everyone will look at me with envy.

However, expecting the childhood sweetheart in her current state to immediately understand Shen Nianqiu's deeper thoughts is obviously asking too much. Lin Mu's little brain had a very simple thought after hearing Chen Junqian's words: Shen Nianqiu was going to confess her feelings to her childhood sweetheart in front of everyone on her home turf.

Compared to Xu Youwei's secret relationship, this was definitely one of the things Lin Mu found hardest to accept. After all, with the former, she could at least claim it was a private affair between the two of them, a mock romance like playing house. At least on Guo Ning's surface, she was the girl closest to Chen Junqian. But now, this outsider from Lin'an was going to destroy all of that. Just thinking about it made Lin Mu feel unsteady, so she leaned her entire body against Chen Junqian's shoulders and chest, her teeth chattering.

"Will Qianqian agree?"

As she asked the question, the girl's hand slowly wrapped around Chen Junqian's waist, as if only this posture could make her feel a little more at ease facing the answer to come. But as it turned out, even this idea was incredibly naive. As her childhood friend uttered the word "yes" and nodded, she felt all the strength drain from her body in an instant. Her legs gave way and she fell down the stairs, but he still steadily supported her.

But this action instead brought another unfocused thought to Lin Mu's mind. A mix of emotions swirled within him, and the words he finally uttered were broken and fragmented, almost as if they were being forced out of his throat:

Why did Qianqian insist on not letting me be with you that day?

“That way you wouldn’t have met Lin Guo, and you wouldn’t have gotten along better with your sister. And the same goes for Wen Yun. Of course I know Qianqian wants to help others, and I think so too. I could help them in your place, or even with you. If it had been like this from the beginning…”

Well, this is something she herself is unwilling to believe or admit. It's full of delusions and self-righteousness, the most pathetic and self-centered assumption. She herself had told Xu Youwei that, given Chen Junqian's personality, even without these things, he would definitely establish contact with them through other means. But the brain's protective mechanism dictates that people tend to attribute mistakes to just one thing or one detail, as if as long as they make a different choice there, everything afterward will change and move in the direction they want.

Before she knew it, her eyes were filled with glistening tears again. They slid down Lin Mu's cheek and fell into Chen Junqian's collar, leaving a noticeable coolness and dampness on his neck.

Chen Junqian felt that he should be glad that the two of them were embracing in this way, so they could not see each other's expressions. After all, he had never been able to deal with a girl crying in front of him, especially the tears of his childhood sweetheart. Even if he could only feel them through touch and hearing, he would have an urge to press the end button right there.

But reality isn't a dating game where you can save and reload at any time. He can't save here and happily enter his childhood friend's route, then come back after the finale to collect all the CGs from both branching routes. So he can only try his best to provide some comfort to the girl in front of him through his actions and words.

Why does Qianqian like her?

After the most intense wave of emotions subsided, Lin Mu was able to speak again, but she was still choking back sobs. Having lost all her strength, she seemed to find it difficult to even speak, so she pushed Chen Junqian to sit on the stairs again, but she was still lying in his arms, making it look more like she was sitting on his lap.

"I just like it. If I really have to give a reason, Wen Yun's book has already summarized it for me. Actually, liking someone in real life isn't that complicated. That's just how it is for me."

"Me too...me too."

After hearing Chen Junqian's unexpectedly simple answer, Lin Mu began to vaguely reflect on how ridiculous the question he had been repeatedly hesitating and thinking about, trying to convince himself but unable to do so, was. So he subconsciously echoed it.

"I like Qianqian too, and Qianqian must like me too, right?"

Although he couldn't quite understand Lin Mu's thoughts anymore, Chen Junqian still frankly gave the answer to the question:

"Yes, I've always liked Mu Mu."

"So, is your affection for me the same as your affection for her?"

"In this world, there are never the same feelings for two different people, and even liking someone comes in many forms."

If it were Zhu Wenjun, they would probably have continued to explore this topic further, but Lin Mu simply asked in a very student-like manner:

"Does Qianqian's affection for me mean he wants to be with me forever?"

"Correct."

"Is Qianqian's affection for her the kind that allows him to publicly accept her confession?"

"……Um."

"But wouldn't that be strange? If Qianqian accepts her confession, then we can't stay together forever, right? Or does she think that childhood friends are the same as being together? I don't want to be together like that. Xiaoxi wouldn't accept being together like a sister, so I definitely don't want to be together like this, since we're basically just friends. Besides, you two aren't together yet, right?"

As Lin Mu kept saying "together" over and over, she seemed uneasy and deliberately swayed on his legs. The summer school uniforms were almost useless for protection under such intimate contact, not to mention that they were both sweating, not only because of the weather, but also because of the ups and downs in their moods and emotions.

"Should I confess my feelings to Qianqian now?"

Before Chen Junqian could answer, Lin Mu himself showed a regretful expression:

"Maybe my parents are right. They've actually been preparing for this for a long time. If I go back and talk to them now, the scale of the event will definitely be bigger than it was tomorrow. Will they set off fireworks or put on a drone show? Or maybe they'll have the company collaborate with some wedding brand to release some related products. Everyone will bless us, and the whole of Guoning will see it, right?"

"Because everyone knows that we are childhood sweethearts. You can see our posts on the Guoning Forum in 2010. There are photos and videos everywhere. Everywhere we have been and met, from students to teachers, maybe even the breakfast stall owner knows, because she always smiles when I go to her to buy your spicy vermicelli."

"Qianqian, do you know? Actually, I told our homeroom teacher that we are the ones who are engaged. If Xiaoxi knew, she would definitely be angry with me, but it doesn't matter. She is still my sister. I won't hold it against her for something like this. After all, everyone in Qianqian's family likes me, just like everyone in my family likes Qianqian."

"But then again, even though it's such an unreliable thing, Teacher Shen just believed it. Of course, it's because she thinks that even if something like this happened between us, even if we really were going to get married after graduation, it would be perfectly reasonable. I was really, really happy when I realized this, after all, Qianqian's deskmate is Zhu Wenyun, not me. But as a teacher and homeroom teacher, she still thinks that you and I are more like having a puppy love."

"But the term 'puppy love' is strange, isn't it? I've always thought about not having a puppy love since I was little, and because of that, I don't even understand what it means to be in love or to like someone. But everyone, even Qianqian himself, has started having puppy love. So why didn't you tell me? If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have missed out on so many things, and I wouldn't have been sad all by myself."

"But even so, it doesn't matter. I will still pretend that they don't exist, as long as Qianqian is willing to do so as well. After all, if we follow the way domestic youth movies are made, no matter what happens now, everyone will be able to let go at someone's wedding in ten or twenty years. So why not just pretend that they don't exist now? I only want to remember the things with Qianqian, and Qianqian only wants to remember the things with me, okay?"

"Qianqian, don't think I'm just saying this casually, because I've thought about it very seriously. In fact, the experiences between the two of us are already super, super rich. Actually, I've been talking to other classmates about relationship topics recently, and I've learned something. That is, when it comes to relationships, especially for people our age, it doesn't have to be as dramatic as in novels, where it seems like you have to spend a long, long time and a lot of sincerity to fall in love."

"So, so, based on what happened between us, let alone falling in love once, even falling in love ten or twenty times should be enough, right? When Qianqian came to help me when I lost money, I could fall in love with you once. Then when you cooked for me, I could fall in love with you a second time. And when you accompanied me back to school at night to get my homework, that was the third time... No, even ten or twenty times shouldn't be enough. If you count them in the diary, there might be more than a hundred times."

At this point, Lin Mu suddenly stood up from Chen Junqian's back. After speaking her true feelings in one breath, she seemed much more relaxed. Completely ignoring how her childhood sweetheart, who was still somewhat shocked by her long and sharp speech, would respond, she pulled him upstairs on her own.

The upper floor is for the senior students, but since the college entrance examination is over, there are only empty classrooms left. It is completely different from the brightly lit classrooms for the first and second year students who are having evening self-study downstairs. It is dark and quiet, which makes Chen Junqian unconsciously think of the night when he first became familiar with Lin Mu.

Lin Mu led him into Class 4, which was their elementary school class number.

The air was thick with the dry smell of chalk dust. The classroom was completely empty; the desks and chairs that had been packed tightly together had been cleared away, leaving only a few crooked spare chairs scattered about. The bare teacher's desk was completely empty, and the blackboard eraser lay carelessly in a corner.

On the blackboard, the words "Good luck on the college entrance exam! See you at the top!" written by the student on duty on the last day had been half erased, leaving large patches of white chalk marks, which looked somewhat forlorn.

The bright moonlight, no longer obstructed by the curtains, poured in unreservedly from the row of windows, spreading across the marble floor like a thin layer of mercury, reflecting a cool yet gentle luster.

Lin Mu slowly walked in, her shoes rustling in the empty classroom.

"Chen Junqian".

After taking a deep breath, Chen Junqian suddenly heard his childhood sweetheart address him by his full name, a rare occurrence for him.

"Ok?"

"Stand there and don't move. Close your eyes. Don't open them unless I call you."

The girl's voice carried a hint of command, but more than that, it was filled with a rare tension.

Chen Junqian suddenly realized something, but looking at Lin Mu's persistent gaze, he finally smiled helplessly and obediently closed his eyes.

After seeing him close his eyes, Lin Mu let go of his hand, stepped onto a chair under the windowsill, and lightly leaped onto the wide marble windowsill.

The June night wind suddenly intensified, rushing in fiercely from outside the wide-open windows. The two long cotton and linen curtains hanging on the inside of the classroom were instantly billowed high by the wind, like two sails unfurled on a night voyage.