I turned reality into a romantic comedy.

"Turn around, let me see what's behind you?"

Lin Mu's mind went blank, and he completely lost the ability to think. Like a puppet on a string, he stiffly and mechanically turned half of his body according to his force.

Until the corner of my eye caught sight of the energetic young woman next to me as I made that movement.

The girl's face was extremely pale, a mixture of shock, embarrassment, and jealousy. Even so, her gaze remained fixed on Chen Junqian, as if trying to find some flaw in his expression.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Mu's malfunctioning brain finally restarted.

No, no, no, no—

It was just another April Fool's joke, as expected.

It's the kind of day when many people take advantage of the moment to confess their feelings, pretending to be serious while actually being serious. Then Weiwei would drag her along to help Chen Junqian fend off unwanted attention. After all, although she's always ignored when she's alone, the sight of the two of them standing together would deter many girls from confessing, especially since Weiwei always acts like some kind of guardian deity... Today, Weiwei isn't there, so she'll have to step in.

understood!

Seeing that the girl was still staring at Chen Junqian with unwavering devotion, instead of giving up like the girls on campus who would give up easily, Lin Mu felt a small, protective flame in her heart ignite completely. She took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the heart that was about to leap out of her throat.

Let me think about what Vivi did back then...

Lin Mu struggled to control her somewhat stiff facial muscles. Instead of dodging Chen Junqian's hand, she boldly turned around to face him directly. She then reached out her trembling hands and grasped the fabric of his black coat at the waist. Finally, she looked up, her large, moist eyes still brimming with lingering shyness, yet she was trying her best to feign a coquettish, even somewhat willful, demeanor.

"Where is it slow? You were the one who said you would come out with me to buy clothes."

Because of nervousness, there was a slight, almost imperceptible tremor in her voice at the end, but in the current environment, it sounded more like she was being aggrieved and whining.

"Also, who are those people over there? I don't remember Qianqian having such friends."

There's no need to even ask if they're acquaintances or friends, since their social circles almost completely overlap.

As Lin Mu spoke, she surprisingly mustered up the courage to reach out a hand and gently poke Chen Junqian's chest, while making a concerted effort to turn the corners of her mouth upwards:

"I'm going to get angry if you don't tell me!"

To be honest, this was probably the boldest thing Lin Mu had ever done in his life.

She was being affectionate with him, putting on an air of being spoiled and fearless in front of outsiders, like a lovestruck heroine.

"Okay, don't be angry. This outfit suits you perfectly."

After saying this, Chen Junqian seemed to finally remember there was another person beside him. He slowly turned his head and refocused his gaze on the spirited young woman. He was still holding Lin Mu's hand tightly, and even deliberately raised their intertwined hands higher to show the girl, maintaining his politeness but clearly conveying a warning.

"Excuse me, my girlfriend has already bought her clothes, and we need to head back soon. Is there anything else you need?"

The other person's gaze first fell on Lin Mu with a hint of suspicion. Mainly because she and Chen Junqian looked more like siblings than lovers, so they subconsciously asked:

"No, are you two really boyfriend and girlfriend? How long have you been dating?"

"fifteen years."

Chen Junqian spoke expressionlessly.

"Huh? Are you kidding me? How old are you two?"

"Fifteen years old, because Mu Mu and I met after we were born."

Well, Lin Mu himself keeps saying that the two of them became familiar in first grade, so he might as well double it and elevate it to the stage of knowing each other since birth, which is the ecstatic stage for fans of true childhood sweethearts. Speaking of which, it seems that next we can talk about things like the first birthday celebration and kindergarten days.

Lin Mu himself seemed a little surprised that Chen Junqian would suddenly say those words, but he still answered the question seriously and promptly:

"That's right! Qianqian has been my... youth since he was little."

Before he could finish saying "childhood sweethearts," the girl in front of him finally couldn't hold back anymore. She made a sarcastic remark, rolled her eyes, and tried to cover up her embarrassment with disdain:

"Tch, what's so great about them? Two little brats, pretending to be adults..."

After saying that, she turned around in her thick-soled platform shoes and fled the store as if she were escaping.

Only after the brightly colored figure completely disappeared around the corner did the store return to quiet, with only soothing music still playing from the speakers.

And Lin Mu's taut string snapped with a "snap" at that very moment.

That sudden surge of courage, which she didn't know where it came from, vanished completely in an instant, and she almost collapsed onto Chen Junqian.

"The person is gone!"

Lin Mu, who was dealing with this kind of girl for the first time in her life, stammered a little. Her voice was weak, and she lowered her head. After letting go of Chen Junqian's hand, she frantically grabbed the hem of her skirt with both hands, wishing she could crumple the pretty plaid skirt that she hadn't paid for yet into a ball of pickled vegetables.

The heat on my face didn't subside with the crisis being over; instead, it felt like the aftereffects of a volcanic eruption, burning even more intensely.

Although it was acting, she had absolutely no experience in this area before. She should have asked Weiwei for advice beforehand, because Lin Mu remembered that Weiwei had said something like, "Mu Mu also has some tricks that you can use."

A subtle, heart-pounding awkwardness and ambiguity filled the air, and this silence made Lin Mu feel even more helpless than the previous confrontation.

Chen Junqian stood still, maintaining the same posture. The achievement in his mind had been unlocked. After all, although Lin Mu was talking to the young woman, the two people secretly hiding outside the door saw and heard everything, perfectly fulfilling the conditions for achievement.

"cough."

He cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence.

"Mumu acted very well just now. Except for not looking like a girlfriend, she was exactly like a girlfriend in every other way. She really had that feeling of asserting ownership."

"...Gu, Qianqian, maybe we shouldn't talk about this anymore. I just think that kind of girl isn't a good kid, and if you're with her, you'll definitely be led astray, so I have to keep an eye on you, um, that's it."

Seemingly having found a self-consistent logic, Lin Mu, who had always been a good kid, started spouting her usual childhood sweetheart theory at him again:

"You absolutely must never be like her, dyeing your hair, smoking, getting tattoos, skipping school, and then wandering the streets every day, hitting on any attractive person you see. It's terrifying."

"Okay, then Mu Mu will have to keep a close eye on me from now on, like this."

As he spoke, Chen Junqian stepped forward and took her hand.

"Also, you don't need to change this outfit, it looks great, just wear it."

Without giving her time to think, Chen Junqian led her towards the cashier:

"I'll go pay the bill."

"Huh? But... but the tag isn't there yet..."

Lin Mu staggered along as he was led by him, her mind still a complete mess.

"Just cut it in a bit."

"Then, what about the clothes I took off..."

"Put it in a bag, I'll carry it."

Lin Mu was dazed and confused as he led her to the cashier to pay. Only then did she finally come to her senses and look down at their clasped hands.

Chen Junqian's hands are large, with long and strong fingers, and his nails are neatly trimmed. Even though we're used to holding hands, it seems like this is the first time I've looked at his hands so closely.

Just like when the other person leaned in so close, because she was so used to it, she didn't even notice that her childhood sweetheart had become a guy who would get hit on in the store, like a celebrity.

From this perspective, Lin Mu suddenly felt like she wanted to go back to school as soon as possible, because everyone there was just a student, and all they had to do was study. They all wore the same school uniforms, and there was no time or environment for her to think about so many random things.

Whether it was her appearance or her demeanor, the girl he had just met, along with the symbols and impressions associated with her, were things that Lin Mu had never encountered in his life before. At most, he felt that these were things that one could only do after becoming an adult.

"Qianqian".

"Ok?"

"Have we really known each other for fifteen years?"

"Is this what Mu Mu is thinking about?"

"Because what you just said was so certain, and I've never had a good memory. I only remember one or two things that left a deep impression on me before elementary school."

"Maybe. After all, Guoning is only this age. It's possible that we really did play together when we were little, but then we forgot about it. Finally, we were assigned to the same class in elementary school, so we became familiar with each other again."

As he spoke, Chen Junqian himself suddenly felt a little awkward.

"Indeed, from then on, Qianqian and I have known each other since we were little."

Gu Linguo, who was eavesdropping nearby, subconsciously twitched the corner of her mouth.

Hey, hey, hey... Isn't this something from my old diary?

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

Chapter 23: Is the version update this fast? (Two-in-one)

For the ninth graders who returned to school after the weekend, the most pressing concern was naturally the results of their monthly mock exam. Lin Mu was no exception, especially after learning about her scores in those two subjects from her math and English teachers at the tutoring center. She felt much more confident, so much so that when the ranking chart was posted on the wall at the back of the classroom, she even dared to go up and check her seat.

However, Mu Mu was quite adept at embracing the idea of ​​having the will but not the strength. She was quickly pushed out of the crowd and found herself in a position where she could see him even if she stood on tiptoe, but it seemed unlikely. She subconsciously turned her head to glance at Chen Junqian, who was chatting with Zhong Yu about the League of Legends match.

"Sigh, OMG got knocked out by Royal Club again. Royal Club is facing a Korean team in the finals, and it's Samsung White. I don't think it's going to be a good match. Qian'er, do you think they have a chance?"

"How about three to one, with the royal family at one? How about we make another bet?"

"Alright, I already lost to you on a champion skin last year, I'm not betting on this anymore. Lin Mu seems to need to talk to you about something?"

Because of the different perspectives, Zhong Yu, who was facing Lin Mu, noticed the girl's gaze first. He patted Chen Junqian on the shoulder, signaling him to turn around and look back.

"She wants to see the rankings, right? I'll go check it out for her. What about you?"

"It's alright, my grades have been consistently good, no need for you to worry."

"Alright, I'll head out then."

Standing up from his seat and walking to Lin Mu's side, Chen Junqian noticed her slightly pouting lips and inexplicably began to wonder what kind of expression Mu Mu would make if they recreated the weekend scene right now. However, this wicked thought only flashed through his mind, and in the end, he obediently used his physical advantage to help Mu Mu squeeze in, just like before.

However, there's a subtle sense of déjà vu when the scene changes, like a romantic comedy plot that might happen on a bus.

Lin Mu's last ranking was 457th in the grade. This time, she improved by 30 places to 421st. Considering that many students were caught off guard by the surprise exam at the beginning of the last semester, this ranking is truly valuable. It is almost stable within the Ningzhong High School admission line. Even if Mu Mu's physical education exam is not particularly good, it is enough for her to get into Ningzhong High School.

"Mumu is getting better and better. She has improved a lot since she was in the first year of junior high school."

Chen Junqian has never been stingy with praise for others. Even when playing games, he would praise a certain clumsy ADC who could keep the first tower from falling for ten minutes in lane. But right now, he was much more sincere. After all, as someone who had personally watched Lin Mu go from being flustered and overwhelmed with various new subjects in the first year of junior high school to now being able to stably pass the Ningzhong admission line, he still felt a great sense of accomplishment in nurturing him.

"Because Qianqian teaches very well, Teacher Chen, thank you for your hard work."

After checking her grades, Lin Mu quickly left and gave her seat to another student. Then, she playfully said to Chen Junqian, "Although I had long noticed that my childhood sweetheart was often nowhere to be found during the last two evening study sessions, he was definitely there to study with me during the first evening study session."

Besides, even if he were in the last two classes, could she still pass him notes and chat during class? Anyway, Lin Mu had never done such a thing before, so let him go.

"I wonder how Weiwei is doing. She seems to have been working really hard this past month."

"School's over after the next class. I'll ask during dinner."

"Yeah, I think Weiwei has been focused since she did poorly on her last exam. She hasn't been hanging out with us much, not during the National Day holiday or on weekends. She's been studying alone at home all the time. She won't even come to study sessions when we ask her to. If she gets any worse, I feel like her mentality is going to collapse."

"Mu Mu is worried that she has regressed, but I am worried that Youyou has improved, or rather, that she has indeed improved compared to last time, but overall she has regressed."

After all, the three of them had been good friends for many years. Upon hearing Chen Junqian's words, Lin Mu quickly grasped the reason and the possible scenarios. He couldn't help but chuckle, but still tried his best to defend his friend:

"Weiwei has always been like this, and Qianqian and I should be used to it by now."