I turned reality into a romantic comedy.

"Now Zhu's work will also be published there."

"Yes, so it was quite a surprise, but it's also related to the topic I chose. It suited me well, so it was easy to write about."

"Speaking of topic selection, what are your thoughts on the two topics for the semi-finals of this year's New Concept Writing Competition? And what considerations led you to choose to write a letter to your parents? After all, since you are a popular romance novelist, I thought you would naturally choose the topic 'My Views on Love'."

"As for choosing a topic, although, as you said, I have written a lot of romance novels before, I don't think I have a complete or healthy view of love. After all, I have never been in a relationship myself. Those novels are essentially my fantasies, so it's fine to write them. But if I really want to systematically explain my own view of love, I feel that it would be better to write letters to my parents."

"I see. In fact, we also interviewed several judges yesterday while grading the papers..."

The interview with Zhu Wenyun lasted longer than Chen Junqian had imagined, almost to the point of being a personal interview. Perhaps because he also had a certain degree of online fame and came with Zhu Wenyun, he, who was just watching the show, was also asked a few questions. If the two of them hadn't had to catch a train back to Guoning, it felt like it could have lasted even longer.

Just in time for their return journey by high-speed rail, Chen Junqian and Zhu Wenyun packed their bags and checked the room again to make sure nothing was left behind. Only then did their three-day, two-night trip to Shanghai officially come to an end. Even the return train seemed a bit faster than the one they took there.

On the way back, Zhu Wenyun kept communicating with her editor, and would occasionally show Chen Junqian their chat history, as if to remind him that signing a contract with "Fireworks" or its parent company, Meili Culture, and becoming an A-level contracted author under them was already a certainty and just around the corner.

However, it's almost Chinese New Year now, and this matter can only be considered truly over once all the procedures and the new book are finalized. After all, signing a contract can't just be a matter of empty promises. Zhu Wenyun also needs to publish another new book to facilitate the editorial department's promotion. So, it's clear that Zhu Wenyun's 2014 won't be any easier than 2013, but she should be enjoying it.

News reports were obviously faster than the two could travel by car, especially the local forums and newspapers in Guoning. They followed up almost immediately after Zhu Wenyun notified the school teachers. Hejin Middle School also seemed proud of the situation. After all, even though Zhu Wenyun had already decided to attend Guoning Middle School's high school, if the child was admitted to Tsinghua or Peking University and later became a famous writer, their middle school could still shamelessly call itself their alma mater.

In fact, Hejin Middle School also has its own high school section, which is also considered a regular high school, but it is not as good as Guoning Middle School. So every year, they try to spend money, or use the method of canceling tuition and fees and the temptation of giving scholarships to poach students from the former. Zhu Wenyun has also been explicitly shown this, but she is determined to be with Chen Junqian in the special admission class in high school, so the matter has now been dropped.

After temporarily ending her chat with the editor, Zhu Wenyun, leaning back in her high-speed train seat, closed her eyes and once again thought about the issue of money.

Although the honor of winning the New Concept Writing Competition is far greater than its material value, it doesn't mean there are no material rewards at all. There is a symbolic prize of about 1,000 yuan and royalties for being included in the "Annual New Concept Writing Competition Winning Works Selection" published later. These can all be put into her savings, making her original five-figure sum jump up a bit more.

Like a harvested crop that has been sown anew, Zhu Wenyun, who naturally rested her head on Chen Junqian's shoulder, felt herself drifting off to sleep. A tremendous sense of freedom and security enveloped her once more. In this vast, empty, and comforting illusion, she could think of anything or nothing at all. But as soon as she lay there, the memories piled up deep within her heart unfolded layer by layer like oil paper packages. After reading them, she carefully put them back, like a farmer turning over his wheat to dry, feeling a sense of satisfaction welling up from the depths of his soul.

Suddenly, I remembered the theme song of a TV program I watched as a child, a sentence she had even written into her essay:

Goodbye, Mom. Tonight I'm setting sail. Don't worry about me; I have oars of joy and wisdom.

However, what she's thinking about right now is actually the very first line of the song.

Once again, I unconsciously took the hands of the people around me into my own.

I... can catch the moon.

----------------------------------

It must be said that the lunar and Gregorian calendar dates of 2014 did indeed achieve a wonderful coincidence in many ways.

Because January corresponds to the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, and January in the Gregorian calendar has 31 days while the twelfth month of the lunar calendar only has 30 days, January 31st became the first day of the first month, which is the New Year's Day. As a result, February in the Gregorian calendar and the first month of the lunar calendar are separated.

This means that this year's Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month falls on February 14th of the Gregorian calendar, which is also Valentine's Day.

However, the trouble lies precisely in this point. Just like Lunar New Year's Eve, the Lantern Festival emphasizes the tradition of family reunion, making it extremely difficult to get someone to go out alone. This is especially true for Hsu Yu-wei, who claims to be Chen Chun-chien's new girlfriend. After all, she is still in a secret relationship, the kind that can't be brought into the light.

Mu Mu was indeed prepared to die for her, but Chen Xi was still completely clueless. No wonder the family dramas in prime time are all about mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts or sister-in-law conflicts. Especially since Chen Junqian and Chen Xi, these two siblings, have a really good relationship, it makes things even more difficult.

Xu Youwei was lost in thought in the old building of the wear-resistant factory when her phone suddenly rang. She took it out and saw that it was Xu Zhiling calling.

"I heard Junqian came back from Shanghai yesterday. Youyou, could you ask them if they're free today? If it's convenient, we could go out for dinner together tonight."

"Oh, I'll go ask for you."

Since it was something that had been discussed beforehand, Xu Youwei wasn't surprised. After hanging up, she immediately opened her contacts, secretly checked that no one was around, and then carefully scrolled to the top, tapped Chen Junqian's phone number (which she had changed the nickname to "Qinqin Qinqin"), and dialed the number.

"Hey, yoyo, what's up?"

"Yes, Dad said he's going to invite your family for dinner. Do you have time tonight?"

Although he had just finished his trip to Shanghai, Chen Junqian, who already knew that this winter break would be tight and demanding, requiring him to employ time management techniques and multitask, was not at all surprised by Xu Youwei's invitation. At home, he casually asked his parents and immediately gave them a positive reply:

"Sure, I have time. Where is the place?"

"They should have booked the hotel outside. I'll send it to you after my dad and I confirm it."

"it is good."

Even though it seemed like he had finished saying everything, Chen Junqian didn't intend to hang up the phone in a hurry. Sure enough, after a short while, he heard Xu Youwei seemingly kiss the receiver on the other end of the line before she abruptly hung up, leaving only the busy tone of the phone.

Xu Youwei didn't insist that Chen Junqian return every call after he made one. After all, compared to her, who was alone, Chen Junqian's house or room was practically a sieve, constantly revealing various female characters. Even without those girls, it wouldn't be good for her parents to see them, especially Wang Hongling, who seemed like she could be exposed to Mu Mu in the blink of an eye.

That's why we need to have a meal together. She's my childhood sweetheart, so can I be hers too.

After receiving the specific hotel location from Xu Youwei, Chen Junqian finally put down his phone. Aside from the still uncertain X factor and Shen Nianqiu, who was currently riding towards Guoning, the situation here was basically under control. The matters concerning Gu Linguo and Zhu Wenyun could be considered settled. Youyou, who loved causing trouble, had drastically reduced her antics after her confession. Coupled with An Muxi, who never caused any problems, it was safe to say that the occasional flash of inspiration in his mind—the "In Progress" achievement of cosplaying Ultraman's chest button—was no longer shining brightly.

With this relaxed attitude, Chen Junqian and his family went to the hotel room that Xu Zhiling had booked that evening for their appointment. Of course, only the father and daughter were at Xu Zhiling's house, since Xu Youwei and her stepmother and stepsister rarely appeared in the same place. However, thanks to Xu Zhiling's mediation and impartiality, there were no classic family dramas or messy situations that often occur in the Xu family, especially after Xu Youwei decided that she would move out and live alone after high school.

Xu Zhiling and Chen Jun's relationship goes without saying. Wang Hongling, on the other hand, is a veteran employee who has worked at the wear-resistant factory for twenty years, so they certainly have plenty of common topics to discuss. Moreover, Chen Junqian's mother has always just been a little more biased towards Mu Mu than Xu Youwei. It's not that she dislikes Xu Youwei, after all, she's a friend of her son since childhood. So the atmosphere at the dinner table was quite relaxed, and even Wang Hongling drank a little wine with the two men.

How was your trip to Shanghai?

While the adults drank alcohol, the children could only drink beverages. While pouring a beverage for Chen Junqian, Xu Youwei also asked him about his trip to Shanghai.

"I heard Wenyun won another award?"

"Yes, first prize in the New Concept Writing Competition. As for Shanghai, it's actually quite fun. I don't know if you live there permanently, but it's a good experience to visit for tourism. Next time, we can go together."

"Yeah, actually what I'm most looking forward to is when Disneyland will be completed. I only went to Hong Kong Disneyland once when I was little, but I don't remember much about it."

"I feel like it will be another two years, and we'll probably be in high school by then."

In Chen Junqian's own memory, Shanghai Disneyland seemed to have been officially completed in 2016. It is the second Disneyland in China after Hong Kong, but he himself had never been there in his previous life.

"That's perfect. If it's high school, no one will say anything if the two of us go."

If middle school students still feel more like children, then high school students are undoubtedly standing on the verge of adulthood. Otherwise, most romantic comedies wouldn't use high school as the main stage for their stories. Xu Youwei obviously thinks so too. After all, she was able to live independently outside her family during high school, which can be said to be very free in all aspects, making her look forward to it now.

"By the way, I heard from Mu Mu that she might be spending Chinese New Year at your house this year?"

"That's what they say, but I don't think it's necessarily true. Does Yoyo want to come along too?"

"Hmm, let's see if Mu Mu comes or not."

If Lin Mu's goodwill was all focused on Chen Junqian's parents, then Xu Youwei's goodwill was undoubtedly all focused on her grandparents' generation. And since the New Year is something that is definitely spent with elders in the hometown, Xu Youwei was very confident. Her words were full of praise: "If she dares to come, then I will come too!" She was almost ready to replace the glass in her hand with a large cup.

As the two were chatting, they suddenly heard Xu Zhiling, who sounded drunk, raise his glass and say to them in a 0-frame manner:

"Old Chen, what do you think of those two kids?"

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

I need to take a day off, I'll make it up tomorrow.

As the title.

I've been looking for artists to draw the character designs requested in the comments section, but the ones I liked haven't had time yet, and I even got stood up once. It just goes to show how delicate the relationship between clients and artists is in the art world. But on the surface, everyone still has to be respectful, hmm…

In conclusion, thank you all for your continued reading and support. This book is now halfway done, and I hope we can all read it to the end together.

Chapter 124: Anime, You Win (Two Chapters Combined)

It can only be said that although both fathers are pretending to shine in the romantic comedy of "engagement," Xu Youwei's father, Xu Zhiling, is obviously much more proactive than Lin Mu's father, Lin Youfeng. With just one sentence thrown out, even Xu Youwei, who was sipping her drink next to Chen Junqian, choked and coughed twice, seemingly unaware of this plot development beforehand.

Chen Jun had been subtly or overtly brought up this topic many times before, so although he was somewhat surprised, he didn't show it on his face. He then, like a seasoned actor, began to feign drunkenness.

"What's there to say? Just like us two brothers, come on, let's do it again!"

As he spoke, he reached out to put his arm around the other person's shoulder, while gulping down half a glass of wine himself. Unexpectedly, Xu Zhiling still acted as if he wouldn't let it go. Even after being put on the shoulder, he still looked at Chen Junqian and Xu Youwei with slurred eyes, his tongue already slurred with alcohol.

"Oh dear! Don't think Dad is talking too much today. Dad is just happy today, that's why I'm saying this."

"The thought of you moving out after high school makes me uneasy and sad. Even though we've already agreed on it, who doesn't know that you're also my daughter?"

Even the tone and basic grammar seemed to have become broken. Compared to Xu Youwei, who had always felt embarrassed or even uncomfortable with her father's attitude since childhood, Chen Junqian was the one who faced the other's gaze and listened patiently. Perhaps this was what was meant to be said to him.

"If you don't want Daddy to take care of you, then can Daddy really just abandon you? I'll find... find someone to help me look after you, someone to keep you company in my place, okay?"

Although she still looked drunk, she reminded people of the bride's father who held his daughter's hand and led her through the final moments of the ceremony at their wedding. Even if there was a sense of self-indulgence in this, just as a symbolic ceremony is necessary at a wedding, everyone needs such a process to let go and find peace, even if Hsu Yu-wei herself is not yet aware of this.

"I have Qinqin with me."

So at this moment, she just puffed out her cheeks and muttered to herself.

However, this was a fact that Xu Zhiling already knew. What he wanted to see and needed to confirm was never his daughter's romantic direction, but rather the attitude of the person on whom she projected these feelings—Chen Junqian—about this matter.

"Yes, yes, of course I'll go with Youyou. Didn't we say we were going to go see your new house together tomorrow?"

"Mmm, this bedroom is super, super big. I feel like I could fit all the stuff from my old house here. Qinqin, come help me with the decorating..."

There's no need for any pronouncements like "I will definitely take good care of her" or "Please entrust the rest of your life to me with peace of mind." After all, this isn't a real wedding. Just seeing the interaction between the two of them makes Xu Zhiling feel at ease for the time being.

It's strange, really. He's actually willing to believe that the friendship, or even a little bit of love, between two middle school students can last forever. After all, boys and girls at this age are changing almost every day, with new ideas and things they like every moment. They're not stingy with making grand promises, always with the same boldness as if they're revealing their hearts to someone they like. But they're never reliable. Even if they're genuine at the moment they confess to you, they'll change afterward.

After all, Xu Zhiling himself went through this stage.

"Mumu helped decorate Qinqin's new bedroom before, so you'll have to come and decorate my room this time."

Hearing another name from his daughter's mouth, Xu Zhiling, who was half-drunk and half-awake, perked up again.

No, no, that's definitely not enough.

This is completely different from the situation a few years ago when he handed Chen Junqian that incredibly generous red envelope and said to him, "Please play with Youyou in the future." Now, Chen Junqian is no longer the child who was just a good student and whose parents were still working for him. At an age when girls haven't even fully matured yet, his many advantages have already become apparent. Whether it's his appearance, personality, talent, or family background, he has already reached the pinnacle among his peers.

Naturally, it's not just Youyou who will be attracted to him.

"Anyway, the new house is big enough. Why not just leave a room for Junqian when we're decorating it? It'll be convenient for him to sleep there every night. It's much more comfortable than you two having to go to that old house in the countryside that doesn't even have heating to sleep every now and then."

As he spoke, Xu Zhiling turned his head again and casually chatted with Chen Jun:

"Old Chen probably doesn't know this, but those two got an old house from my mother-in-law in the countryside a long time ago and turned it into their secret base. Isn't that interesting?"

"Yeah, hahaha."

Not knowing what to say, Chen Jun simply covered his mouth with a loud laugh. He himself couldn't utter a word of complaint. What did he know? He spent most of the year in Tangshan. Besides, was it the same as two high school students sleeping in the same room? Weren't they afraid the latter might cause a death?

“That’s right. Anyway, my new house has many rooms. I’ll save one for Qinqin, and then I’ll buy a bigger double bed so that Mumu can sleep with me when she comes.”

Whether intentional or unintentional, Chen Junqian felt that Xu Youwei's answer also had a hidden meaning. However, judging from her matter-of-fact attitude, it seemed that she really hadn't thought about it that way; it was just a subconscious reaction. It seemed that his way of thinking had been somewhat influenced and skewed by Xu Zhiling.

"That works too."

Feeling that he really couldn't let Xu Zhiling say any more, Chen Junqian stood up and toasted him with his drink. Anyway, if he drank the beverage and Xu Zhiling drank the alcohol, Xu Zhiling would be crawling under the table after a couple of times, thus physically eliminating any chance for him to speak again.

However, Xu Youwei clearly did not understand Chen Junqian's intention. Seeing him stand up to toast his father, she followed suit, stood up, raised her drink, and sweetly called Chen Junqian and Wang Hongling "Uncle and Aunt".

...That's even stranger, isn't it?

----------------------------------

"elder brother!"

The next morning, Chen Junqian, who had just opened his eyes from sleep, heard a familiar address, but what followed was not a greeting like "Our family is rich now," but rather a scrutinizing inquiry:

"You're not really dating that Xu Youwei, are you?"

As it turns out, Mu Mu wasn't the only one who could easily obtain information from Chen Junqian's parents. After all, even the closest childhood sweetheart is still an outsider. They're all relatives, so why would they hide anything from their sister?