I turned reality into a romantic comedy.

"I understand. In the future, you should tell me about these things sooner rather than later."

"I was planning to tell you today, when I got home from school tonight."

Faced with his sister's pout, Chen Junqian simply continued to add:

"I won't be going back with you tonight, Youyou asked me to go out and play."

Now it was Chen Xi's turn to raise her eyebrows, glance at the sky outside, and then look at him:

"This weather?"

"It definitely won't be outdoors."

"If we were indoors, things would only get worse. You two aren't actually dating, are you?"

"Okay, then please tell me, Chen Xi, what exactly is puppy love?"

"Um..."

To be honest, when Chen Junqian asked her this question so leisurely, Chen Xi's mind was already filled with all sorts of mysterious thoughts like "I want to vent my anger" and "I want to thank the Duke of Zhou" (a figure in Chinese mythology associated with dreams). But saying these things seemed too dirty-minded, after all, the two of them were only in the second year of junior high school. Although this age might not be out of place in ancient times, it was already the 21st century, and the Qing Dynasty had been gone for a hundred years.

"It's like dating, eating together, going out and having fun, and today is New Year's Eve. Being together feels like we've been together since last year, holding hands for a whole year..."

In response to Chen Xi's increasingly hesitant answer, Chen Junqian simply unwrapped another preserved plum and stuffed it into his sister's mouth, effectively silencing her.

"If that's the case, then we're already like that now. Not to mention New Year's Eve, we've been sleeping together for several years during the Lunar New Year. According to you, we've been sleeping in each other's arms for a year now. Okay, I'm going back now, the preparatory bell has already rung."

After saying that, Chen Junqian immediately turned and left. The ten minutes between classes are always precious, especially for a chat between two people who are across a teaching building. They hadn't even exchanged two sentences before the bell rang.

Watching Chen Junqian walk further and further away, the girl left behind just had a sour and sweet preserved plum in her mouth, her hands hanging there, twisted in a knot, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn't.

They're using that same old childish talk again.

These two are definitely different.

After all, as they get older, they will only have more and more freedom with each other, and eventually they will be able to make plans to stay up all night on New Year's Eve without having to report to their parents.

But she was quite the opposite.

As she gets older, the number of times she can take it for granted that she and her partner will sleep in the same bed on New Year's Eve will become visibly less and less frequent.

That's the biggest difference.

The Qing Dynasty anecdotes she had perused included a record of the ten most infamous lies in the capital, which were—

Tea from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, prescriptions from the Imperial Medical Academy, prayers from the Shenle Temple, weapons from the Arsenal, and workshops from the Construction Department.

The money and provisions of the almshouse, the women of the brothel, the laws of the Censorate, the schools of the Imperial Academy, and the articles of the Hanlin Academy.

Now it seems that for her, we should add "my brother's honey" to the list.

Yes, she seemed to enjoy her meal.

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

PS2: The main plot of this volume is about to begin, so I need to think about how to write it.

Chapter 103: Entrustment (Part 2)

Although snowball fights are always one of the most popular recreational activities for children, this is based on the premise that such opportunities are rare. After all, the body heat generated by the excitement can temporarily alleviate the invasion of cold, but after a while, even if you wear gloves, the icy snow water will still seep in through the gaps in the snowflakes, and you will eventually have to go back indoors to warm up by the fire and rest at the shouts of the adults.

In the two days after the snowfall in Guoning, Chen Junqian and the boys in his class played a few games under the school building or near the playground after school. But now everyone's interest has waned. With the New Year's Day holiday approaching, everyone is indeed thinking about going home early with their schoolbags to play computer games. Standing in the corridor waiting for Xu Youwei to pack her things, Chen Junqian looked at the new layer of snow that had piled up outside and suddenly remembered the phrase, "A vast expanse of white has fallen, the earth is so clean."

Snowflakes fell from the sky, turning the sky and earth into a pure white wonderland, burying the gray and yellow earth and unbearable memories beneath. Then they built snowmen and had snowball fights on the pure white snow, covering it with their footprints and traces. This scene had indeed appeared vaguely in Chen Junqian's dreams many times, making him feel somewhat dazed for a moment.

Chen Junqian only came to his senses after Xu Youwei patted him on the shoulder from behind after she finished packing her schoolbag.

Because the weather has been so cold lately, the school has stopped requiring students to wear their school uniform jackets over their down jackets as a formality. So, the students are all wearing their own thick, warm down jackets to school, and Xu Youwei is no exception. The bright red color looks festive and a bit flamboyant, which actually suits her personality quite well. Standing next to Chen Junqian, who is wearing a silver-white down jacket, she doesn't look out of place.

Chen Xi had already been picked up by her mother and taken home. Chen Junqian and Xu Youwei planned to ride in Xu Zhiling's car to the wear-resistant factory. Compared to the small house in the countryside with only an electric brazier and electric blanket, at least the old house in the wear-resistant factory had air conditioning and could be heated. However, Xu Youwei actually preferred to find a hotel room, but this was something that couldn't be done without an adult. Black hotels that didn't require ID cards for check-in were even more unreliable, so she put the idea aside for the time being.

Somewhat surprisingly, it wasn't Xu Youwei's usual driver who came to pick her up today, but Xu Zhiling himself. However, he wasn't too surprised to see Chen Junqian get in the car as well, and simply greeted him and exchanged a few pleasantries.

After Xu Youwei's maternal grandmother's birthday banquet this summer, he, as her son-in-law and biological father, had a heart-to-heart talk with her. The topic of conversation naturally revolved around Xu Youwei and Chen Junqian.

Frankly speaking, if we only consider the time they've spent together or known each other, Xu Youwei's maternal grandmother actually knew Chen Junqian earlier and more than his biological father, Xu Zhiling. After all, Chen Junqian and Xu Youwei spent most of their time in the countryside, so from that perspective, she has watched these two children play together for years.

That's why the banquet during the summer vacation was more than just a birthday celebration for the old lady. In the tradition of the countryside, the person who can organize such a banquet for the elders is either their own child or their son-in-law. This is a straightforward recognition and proof. And the fact is that Chen Junqian did a great job, which is why she asked her granddaughter about it at the birthday banquet.

Xu Zhiling's parents passed away early. After Xu Youwei's biological mother also passed away due to illness, it can be said that she only had her father and maternal grandmother as her two direct relatives in this world. However, it is obvious that her relationship with the former is not very good. The former has already started a new family, while the latter is old and is beginning to approach the end of her life.

However, what they have in common is that their feelings for Xu Youwei are consistent. Even though they still have various disagreements and are unwilling to face them, and seeing each other reminds them of sad things, they are still willing to sit down and talk calmly for Xu Youwei's sake.

Just like when he first encountered Xu Youwei's diary that she deliberately gave him to discover a few years ago, and then learned about Chen Junqian's name from the homeroom teacher, when the two of them openly discussed Xu Youwei, this name once again appeared frequently in their conversations.

Their specific opinions on Chen Junqian naturally differed. The grandmother didn't know what kind of business he was doing outside, and Xu Zhiling didn't know what kind of intimate time the two spent in the countryside. However, they could reach a consensus on one point: if they had to choose someone who could accompany their daughter/granddaughter in the future, it seemed that this child was the most suitable.

This kind of entrusting one's children to another did not suddenly appear. Xu Youwei's maternal grandmother had experienced the great sorrow of losing her husband in middle age and her daughter in old age, and she knew very well that she might also pass away one day. Xu Zhiling, on the other hand, was completely acting out of his own choice. Even if you call it escapism, he was definitely not a qualified father to Xu Youwei. So, to say that he was entrusting her children to another feels a bit like self-pity or overestimating himself. It would probably be more appropriate to say that he was entrusting her children to another.

Once a person has made their choice and decision, they cannot regret it. Since he felt that two people were more important than one at the time, and thus made his lover and illegitimate daughter his legal wife, there is absolutely no need to dwell on this matter. In the end, it will only make everyone feel dissatisfied.

However, he would never engage in the kind of melodramatic family dramas that involve property disputes in a blended family. The fact that Xu Youwei is his biological daughter will not change. Just like his family education principle of dividing everything equally between the two of them so that neither of them is left out, the same applies to property. He has even made a will and divided his property equally with his lawyer long ago.

However, considering that he is now definitely in his prime, Xu Zhiling would rather take out Xu Youwei's share in advance as a father's sentiment and blessing, and also as a statement.

With this in mind, the man, who had slowed down and was driving steadily on the road, took the initiative to start a conversation:

"Winter break is just a few days away, right?"

"Well, after the New Year's Day holiday, there should be another week of classes before the final exams. I don't know if they've been cancelled or not."

Xu Youwei would still have these kinds of casual conversations with Xu Zhiling. She was indeed past the age of being a child who would argue with her father, especially with Chen Junqian sitting next to her.

"After the winter break, you'll be in the second semester of junior high. Next year, you'll be going to high school. Time really flies; several years have passed in the blink of an eye. As for Youyou, getting into the senior high school of Guoning Middle School shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"The special admission class is definitely out of the question, but I should be able to get into the honors class if I try. However, I'll make the regular class my backup plan."

In terms of academic performance, although Xu Youwei is not as good as she was in elementary school, she is still quite excellent:

"I absolutely do not need you to buy me points."

Yes, it's true that you can buy points at Guoning Middle School's high school section, but only if the student is just a few points away from the admission score. Their homeroom teacher has said more than once that this is the first time they've had the chance to save or even earn money for their families through hard work. After all, with one point costing 20,000 to 30,000 yuan, getting into the admission score line would indeed save their families a lot of money.

"We don't need to buy a house, but we do need to buy a house. After all, our home is not too far from the junior high school section of Ningzhong, but the senior high school section is a bit far. The time in high school is also tight, and Youyou definitely doesn't want to live in the dormitory."

"I really don't want to live on campus, no, I absolutely do not want to live on campus."

Upon hearing the word "dormitory living," Xu Youwei immediately shook her head in rejection. Putting aside the dormitory conflicts often seen in various youth novels, the thought of having less time to spend with Chen Junqian was something she absolutely could not accept.

"That's why I'm thinking of buying a new house. There are quite a few houses like that near Ningzhong High School. Many parents rent there for three years and quit their jobs to take care of their children's schooling. But those houses are usually quite simple. The main problem is that many parents specifically look for small places with no Wi-Fi or even a TV, just places where they can cook, eat, sleep, and do homework."

"I don't need anyone watching me like this. Studying and taking the college entrance exam are my own business."

Xu Zhiling just smiled when he heard this:

“That’s how it was supposed to be. After all, I was thinking that since you don’t want to stay at home anymore, if you’re going to high school, you can just move to the new house. Your name will be on the property certificate. You can decide the decoration style and interior design. You can take care of yourself in your daily life, or I can help you find a nanny or a cook. You’re welcome to come home for dinner anytime. After all, you’ll always be my daughter.”

Although it sounds like a prelude to a family split, for Xu Zhiling, it was indeed a decision that had to be made. After all, his other daughter would grow up over time. Unlike Xu Youwei, she was the kind of person who was spoiled and had a rather strong personality. This pattern of four people living in the house but like two families would eventually be broken, so it was better to separate them first. In the end, Xu Youwei herself thought so too, otherwise she wouldn't have gone to such lengths to set up secret bases everywhere like a cunning rabbit with three burrows.

"……what ever."

As for Xu Youwei herself, she did not object to this seemingly heartless approach. In any case, she had already thought it through. She did want to cut ties with her father's new blended family. She had no particular feelings towards her stepmother and half-sister, but she would not cut ties with her father. She would still fulfill her filial duty to support him in his old age. Perhaps this was the best outcome that everyone could accept. After all, the dead cannot be brought back to life, and even if they were brought back to life, the relationship could never be the same again. So, she could only look to the future.

After speaking with Xu Youwei, Xu Zhiling also let out a long sigh of relief. However, his gaze fell on Chen Junqian in the rearview mirror, who had been sitting there quietly listening without commenting on their conversation. Just as they stepped on the brakes and began waiting for the traffic light, he suddenly spoke up again:

“Your dad is doing very well in Tangshan. Next year, he should be able to become the head of the branch factory. He is very capable and has a good eye... Hmm, if it were a few years earlier, I might have wanted to transfer him back to Guoning to be my deputy.”

Why a few years earlier? Because Guoning's heavy industry has been declining in an unstoppable trend in recent years. This trend of the times cannot be stopped by any individual. The sales of steel balls and other chemical products, which are the main products of Guoning's wear-resistant plant, are getting worse and worse. In addition, with the need to create a civilized city in the past two years, slogans such as "green mountains and clear waters are worse than gold and silver mountains" have been posted on the factory walls. As the chairman, Xu Zhiling is undoubtedly the one who can feel the end of his era the most.

Perhaps the wear-resistant factory will continue to exist somewhere in Guoning, but it will never be the same as before. Even though he has made enough money over the years, Xu Zhiling will still feel a little regretful, just like those pecan manufacturers that have been defeated by the Internet trend.

“My dad always tells me it’s all because of Uncle Xu’s appreciation. My dad and mom are both long-time employees at the wear-resistant factory, and I was born and raised in the factory’s employee dormitory. But I heard that the old houses there might be demolished next year?”

"There are indeed rumors about this. After all, these are old buildings from twenty years ago. The government's resettlement housing is definitely much more comfortable to live in than the old tenement buildings."

Before Xu Youwei's face could turn pale at the sudden news, Chen Junqian had already spoken:

“There are a few construction teams in Guoning that work with our company. Can I contact them? We want to preserve some things inside and move them away. It would be a shame to just demolish them like this. Youyou thinks so too.”

"Ah, yes, Qinqin is right."

Xu Youwei quickly nodded in agreement. Two years ago, the alleyway she and Chen Junqian often walked through was demolished by excavators, which had already been a huge blow to her. She couldn't bear to go through it again now.

Seeing this scene, which resembled a husband and wife in perfect harmony, through the rearview mirror, Xu Zhiling couldn't help but chuckle. He recalled the memes he had seen online during the summer vacation, one of which was now his daughter's social media profile picture, with the caption "Qinqin is right? (°?‵?′??)"

He suddenly remembered his past with Xu Youwei's mother, but that memory no longer belonged to them. It belonged to two teenagers who had disappeared. Those two people were old enough to be his children now, about the same age as Chen Junqian and Xu Youwei sitting in the back seat at this moment.

Then, Chen Junqian suddenly heard Xu Zhiling say this:

“When your father returns to Guoning this year, invite your mother over so we can all have a meal together.”

"Okay, I'll just tell my mom when I get back."

After all, he was his father's mentor and superior. Even though Chen Junqian's own wealth was now almost exceeding that of the wear-resistant factory itself, Chen Jun was still willing to stay and work in the factory where he had spent half his life. So, let it be.

However, Chen Junqian's casual thoughts were quickly shattered by a flash of achievement in his mind.

【engagement】

[Words that seem to appear only in fairy tales and plays.]

Because it can serve as both a guarantee that lovers will eventually be together, and a dramatic conflict that breaks up couples to unfold the story.

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

Chapter 104: Three Times, Three Times (Part 2)

Having already experienced the impact of the achievement called [0721], Chen Junqian was now completely unfazed when he noticed the seemingly impressive system called [Marriage Contract] starting to flash.

After all, the system's idiocy judgment mechanism hasn't changed much over the years. For a mysterious system that could almost judge washing feet together as an achievement of "childhood sweethearts should of course take a bath together," he certainly didn't think that this achievement could be achieved smoothly. After all, as its own description said, this was a phrase that seemed to only appear in fairy tales and dramas.

If one really had to find a similar-sounding alternative in reality, the term "arranged marriage" from a few years ago might be a barely acceptable substitute. But in fact, even if one were to trace the origins of this term, Chen Junqian would think that perhaps only his younger sister could be found, or rather, something artificially created later in life. After all, such joking agreements only existed before the two were born or when they were just a few years old, and at that time, the only person who could have such a connection with his family was Chen Xi.

Now they are all grown up. Although they are fourteen years old, they can't be called adults yet, but they are definitely not children either. Moreover, Chen Junqian's parents will respect his thoughts. So even if the system's judgment is correct this time, if Xu Youwei's father really tries to reach a marriage agreement in the true sense, the final decision will still fall on the two parties involved, him and Xu Youwei.

That's why, after being briefly drawn to this subtly shining achievement, Chen Junqian looked away again. Xu Youwei, standing to the side, clearly hadn't realized what her father meant by those words. Her thoughts had already drifted to high school a year later. She really wanted an absolute private space where no one could interfere, where she could do whatever she wanted.

Before they knew it, the car had arrived near the wear-resistant factory area. Xu Zhiling first dropped the two of them off at their dormitory building before driving away. The houses here were habitable, and in fact, quite a few employees lived here, so he wasn't too worried. Even if it snowed heavily at night, the two of them could stay overnight without any problem. After all, tomorrow was the New Year's Day holiday, and they didn't need to go to school.

To be honest, after coming here once during the summer vacation at Xu Youwei's invitation, Chen Junqian hasn't been here much since. After all, if we really talk about the scope of activities, this old house that has housed their family of three for more than ten years now seems pitifully small. Not to mention that Xu Youwei's decorations are limited to his room alone. In terms of entertainment and livability, it is not even as good as their secret base in the countryside.

However, the room's layout was no different from when I last visited. It's just that the seemingly blank walls have been covered with a lot of content by Xu Youwei over the past six months. These invisible graffiti and picture books are Youyou's diary, which is significantly more difficult to preserve and maintain.

"If this area is to be demolished next year, I feel like we should dismantle these two walls without breaking them down beforehand."

Holding a UV lamp and shining it on the pattern on the wall that resembled a dazzling starry sky, Chen Junqian stroked his chin and said:

“But where to transport it is also a problem. Although Uncle Xu said he would buy you a new house, we can’t just transport the walls of these two old walls over.”