It's just The Sims, how did it become my ideal love story?

Chapter 123 That Home (Please vote!)
Finally, evening self-study ended.

Gu Huai waited in vain for the simulation to end as expected.

Today's simulation seemed to last exceptionally long, from the afternoon until the evening.

As the crowd of students eager to leave school surged to the school gate, Gu Huai seemed somewhat lost.

Is there nothing else? Both Cai Yan's and Lin Jiang's matters are temporarily resolved, so what else could it be?
Standing at the school gate, with the cold wind blowing against his face, Gu Huai didn't shiver. His physique had completely improved, and he was no longer so thin and afraid of the cold. Instead, he wanted to light a cigarette to dispel this inexplicable feeling of confusion.

But I still didn't buy it. I already said I was quitting smoking, so let's not take this as a joke.

Self-discipline is indeed a difficult thing, even something that goes against human instinct, but it seems that this is what makes people enjoy the sense of accomplishment when they see results.

But now is not the time to think about these things.

The lack of a notification that the simulation was over made Gu Huai realize that he really had to go home in the simulation.

Just thinking about this makes one want to sigh.

The last bus was parked not far away, and the driver was urging those who hadn't boarded yet to hurry up and get on.

In fact, most of the buses in Jicheng stop operating at this time. It's just that because this is the No. 1 Middle School, there are special buses that will take the last batch of students who do not live on campus home after evening self-study ends.

This is the same car that Gu Huai rides in almost every day.

Seating on the train was limited, and only those who got on first could sit down, but Gu Huai didn't care about that at the moment.

He still got on the bus and joined the crowd.

"Move over a bit, if there's no room, grab the handrails! Let's go!"

As the carriage swayed slightly, the familiar sound of the old engine began to roar, and Gu Huai temporarily cleared his mind.

Even when squeezed by the people around me, I don't feel much discomfort; I'm practically numb, like a zombie.

Looking at the unfamiliar yet familiar scenery outside the car window, he felt a sense of absurdity.

Why do I have to go home? Is this system designed to tell me that running away won't solve anything, and that I have to face what I have to face?
Why do we have to face it? Can't we just run away and let it pass by in a lifetime?

Of course not, Gu Huai knew that too.

I don't know how much time passed, but the number of people in the carriage gradually decreased, and the point where I was to get off was getting closer and closer; it was the next stop.

"We've arrived at the glass factory workers' residential area! Don't miss it!"

The driver even kindly reminded him loudly.

Gu Huai arrived at the doorway and grabbed the handrail.

I felt the bus slow down until it stopped. Then I watched as the doors slowly opened, and familiar darkness flooded my vision, along with a few buildings in the distance.

Even in a small city like Jicheng, this neighborhood is considered old, but no matter how old it is, you can still draw some warmth from it, and it's impossible to really hate it.

Because that's my home.

get off.

Wearing my school uniform and carrying my schoolbag, I walked towards my residential area.

I didn't forget the building number, and I certainly wouldn't go to the wrong unit, because there weren't many floors and the price was cheap, so there was no elevator at all. I climbed up the stairs, one step at a time.

The third floor is too short.

Gu Huai felt that he hadn't been mentally prepared at all before arriving at this familiar doorway.

The large red "福" (good fortune) character was still pasted upside down on the door, and there were red couplets on both sides that were about to fall off. Everything was very familiar.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar bunch of keys, some of which were starting to rust.

He inserted the key, turned it, and opened the door. It was easier and simpler than he'd expected. With a mix of emotions, Gu Huai walked in.

There were slippers to change into at the doorway. He bent down to change his shoes, not quite ready to look into the living room, or perhaps subconsciously choosing to avoid it again.

He then heard the sounds coming from inside.

"You came back without even saying a word?"

Gu Huai paused for a moment, then quickly put on his slippers and stood up.

He looked at the familiar living room, everything was so familiar, as if it hadn't changed for many years.

The TV was on, and on the coffee table were a container of fried peanuts and a half-finished glass of baijiu (Chinese liquor).

A middle-aged man, lounging on the sofa with peanuts in his mouth, was watching TV and didn't even glance in my direction. He wasn't very tall, slightly overweight, and his somewhat square face was flushed from drinking.

He suddenly didn't know how to start the conversation, or rather, he didn't know what to say.

"Long time no see?" is just an ordinary, common phrase.

Hearing no reply, Gu Jiang frowned and looked over. "Are you so tired from school that you can't even speak?"

A familiar feeling washed over him; it seemed that he could only look at himself with the same dissatisfaction as he did now, as if he were full of flaws and weaknesses that he could exploit.

"No. Is Mom already asleep?"

"Nonsense, she has to go to work tomorrow. Does she think everyone is like you, carefree and just going to school without having to worry about anything at home?"

".oh."

Gu Huai suddenly realized that he didn't actually have anything to say.

Because everything is the same; it won't change because of what you do, it will only get worse because of what you don't do.

"I'm going for a rest."

He picked up his backpack and prepared to walk to his room.

"Wait a minute, I have something to ask you."

"what?"

Gu Huai stopped and looked at Gu Jiang.

The man sat up slightly, picked up the glass of white wine on the table, took another sip, and then looked at Gu Huai.

"I ran into Lin Jiang's parents today. I heard you were tutoring Lin Jiang?"

By the way, Lin Jiang mentioned that it was her uncle's birthday party, and he was probably someone her father knew.

Judging from this, they didn't drink enough at the dinner table, so they came back for another round of drinks.

Lin Jiang was taken to dinner by her mother, and her father didn't seem to have thought about it at all. That's normal, because in his mind nothing is more important than her studying hard right now.

Why blame yourself for not recognizing your relatives during holidays?
"Yes, help her with her academic subjects."

"Don't you know how bad your grades are? You're tutoring others? Wouldn't it be better to use that time to improve your own grades?"

"I actually did pretty well on the recent exams."

Gu Huai offered a helpless explanation.

The man, however, seemed to have already accepted certain facts, or perhaps he didn't think that Gu Huai's "still can" was anything to brag about, because he never liked the word "still can."

His voice rose in pitch as a result.

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking all day! Mind your own business and stop thinking about things like puppy love. If I find out, I'll break your legs!"

"."

Gu Huai thought he had become numb to such words, after all, they were always good at being self-righteous and prejudiced, and never listened to his explanations. Then they would put more pressure on him without thinking.

Gu Huai thought he no longer cared about these things.

But for some reason, there was still an undeniable surge of anger, even more intense than when facing Teacher Wang's questioning.

Because he is his father?
He turned his head away.

"I know."

I'm too lazy to explain, too lazy to argue. Do you think showing him his last exam results will make him admit his mistake?
Gu Huai had not forgotten.

When I was in junior high school, at the teacher's request, I excitedly wrote what I thought was a pretty good modern poem and showed it to Gu Jiang.

Gu Jiang didn't even finish reading the paper before tossing it aside, his words casual and full of disdain.

"What kind of nonsense is this? It's utter rubbish. Your teacher is really something, assigning such a disastrous task. What's the point of writing this? Do you want to be a poet? Starve yourself to death?"

From then on, Gu Huai lost the ability to prove himself.

They were even more afraid of being discovered by those they secretly wrote.

He just wanted to get back to his room immediately and end the simulation as soon as possible.

But seeing the boy leave behind such a simple three words and then go inside, it seemed as if he was still not satisfied.

"By the way, your class placement exam is coming up soon, right? Do well on it. Also, stay away from Lin Jiang. Don't let your grades affect her! Otherwise, she might blame our family for her poor grades and say that I raised a meddlesome and self-conscious son who will embarrass me."

"."

"Did you hear me?! Don't ignore what I say. Who are you trying to fool with that complaining look on your face all day? Who doesn't live a tiring life? We've raised you, sent you to school, fed you, and put you to sleep. Can't you see how exhausted your mother and I are? Don't you have any conscience? Did I raise you just to suffer?"

……

(End of this chapter)