I turned reality into a romantic comedy.

Chen Junqian, who was pulled to sit down at the corner by Zhu Wenyun, joked casually. Compared to a student, Zhu Wenyun looked more like a romance novelist or a working professional today. She was dressed in a turtleneck sweater and coat, which, combined with her precocious appearance and figure, made her look quite intellectual.

"That's why I brought you milk tea. Actually, half of the royalties from that book aren't even enough for this cup of milk tea. Junqian, remember to make it up to me later."

She rested her chin on one hand, while handing Chen Junqian the milk tea she had bought on her way.

"Then forget it, never mind."

Chen Junqian casually took the milk tea, inserted the straw, and took a sip. It was just a very ordinary bubble tea. In this respect, his taste was quite similar to Zhu Wenyun's. He didn't go through all the fancy things like asking for double red beans or bringing his own little buns and Oreos to play with DIY. He usually just drank the simplest kind.

"What this book is teaching me now is that trying to fulfill everyone's desires in a story is indeed a very greedy and difficult thing to do."

"How could that be? Greed is the driving force of human progress. Moreover, Wenjun herself must always try to change and break through her style. If she always writes what she is good at, she will fall into her comfort zone, and it will be difficult to change her style once the readers get used to it."

"But they accused me of sophistry, saying I was glorifying infidelity."

Zhu Wenyun gave a wry smile, took out her phone, seemingly about to look at the comments again, but Chen Junqian reached out and pressed her wrist down.

"Stop looking at these things. Didn't I already say there's no need to go looking for these unhappy things and make yourself upset? You can also look at comments that praise you. These kinds of comments aren't hard to find."

Chen Junqian's tone was gentle but firm, so Zhu Wenyun obediently put down her phone and took a sip of warm milk tea through a straw.

"Indeed, I saw a few comments praising the male lead, saying that he wasn't indecisive, but rather too gentle and responsible. Gu Yuan wasn't a womanizer, but rather that he genuinely couldn't let go of either of them. After all, these two relationships were completely different in nature, yet equally profound in essence, which is why any choice would be a cruel separation."

"His only problem is that he realized this too late. If he had prepared earlier, he might have been able to land more smoothly. But for me, writing it like this is definitely not an option because my audience is mostly female. Although this would make the male protagonist seem more aware and proactive, it would also make him seem more like a scumbag, right?"

"Yes, so I think Wen Yun's handling of the situation is very good. Although some people will still say that reality is not a novel, that reality has moral bottom lines and social rules, and that writing such a novel will only corrupt children, and that the more famous the writer, the more responsible they should be to their readers, at least in the story that Wen Yun wrote, she did not follow that rigid one-on-one rule and make all three people suffer for a lifetime, but made all the characters happy. As an author, this is the most responsible thing to do."

As he spoke, Chen Junqian took out his phone again and showed the content on the screen to Zhu Wenyun:

"Look at this comment, it just came out this afternoon, and it has a lot of likes."

Zhu Wenyun leaned closer to look at the screenshot that Chen Junqian had saved.

So-called morality is used to restrain harmful behavior. If a relationship can bring together three people who would otherwise break up, and ensure that no one is harmed, then that relationship represents the highest level of morality. That's my view on this book.

As the conversation flowed more freely, the atmosphere between the two became more relaxed. Perhaps it was because they were such close friends that they didn't need to hide anything from each other; they were simply used to subtly hinting at things to each other, which was a unique little pleasure and way of getting along that belonged only to the two of them.

"Speaking of which, although I already mentioned it last time, I still regret not adding a character of my own to this book. Ah, I wanted to write a story where two people fight over something, only to have it snatched away by a passerby who only appears for a few pages."

"That would be the kind of thing that readers would criticize relentlessly."

"So I just keep thinking about it in my head... But as an author, I still feel quite regretful. After all, other people's stories are not as good as my own personal experiences, and it's really tiring to write them."

"So, will you write your own next time?"

"I'd like to, but it's not certain I can."

Zhu Wenyun reached out and gently touched Chen Junqian's face, her expression a mixture of helplessness and tenderness.

"I promised you, and you've taken responsibility for me, so I'll take responsibility for you too."

"I'm the kind of author who really likes every character in my book."

"Especially the male lead."

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

Chapter 44: Don't Talk About Jealousy (4k5)

If Gu Lingguo only stumbled upon the truth by accident, but genuinely felt that Chen Junqian, this top student who dared not reveal his preferences in public, was having a fit of chuunibyou and wanted to play the male lead in a two-dimensional romantic comedy, then Zhu Wenyun in front of him seemed to have directly guessed his most essential purpose.

Of course, she wouldn't know anything about romantic comedies. However, this is definitely not a two-dimensional film set. The most standard romantic comedy is one where the protagonist spends a rich and colorful youth with various beautiful girls. But in reality, it's a different story. In the book, Gu Yuan's entanglement with just two people has already attracted a lot of criticism.

But Zhu Wenyun still affirmed him.

Therefore, Chen Junqian understood the other party's meaning almost instantly.

Shen Nianqiu finds solace in the character Zhu Nianxia, ​​Lin Mu is eager to read the book because Xue Ya in it is partly based on her own experiences, and Xu Youwei is genuinely moved by Lian Xinyu, who is based on her. But the truth is that from the very first novel of Zhu Wenjun's life, all the male protagonists clearly point their arrows only at him.

That is precisely why Zhu Wenyun's meaning couldn't be clearer.

This is probably what it means to break through from zero to one. If we also include Gu Lingguo, who is also pushing himself towards becoming the male lead in a romantic comedy, then two of Guo Ning's five people have actually become his wingmen whom he doesn't need to worry too much about, like the first two pieces that have been put into the puzzle.

"Yes, I know that better than anyone else."

To outsiders, it might seem like a completely incomprehensible conversation, but after this back and forth, Chen Junqian and Zhu Wenyun had already reached a consensus on each other's thoughts, and then naturally moved the conversation to the next topic.

Incidentally, the next thing they were going to talk about was also related to online public opinion.

Cyberbullying is terrifying; thankfully, I was the instigator.JPG

In today's thriving internet age, all sorts of online rhetoric and the resulting cyberbullying are emerging every moment. The negative comments Zhu Wenyun suffered are essentially just one example. What they need to do next is to make use of this power.

"Is Sister Nianqiu going to have winter break too?"

"Well, if their school didn't also have to make up classes, they should have already had two days of vacation like us. But for her, she would definitely prefer to continue making up classes until the New Year. She'll be taking care of the kids when she goes back, and there are no rooms left for her anyway."

"So, should I say that my book 'Dear' was very accurate in its predictions?"

"In other words, parents in such families often conform to stereotypes."

As they talked, Chen Junqian chatted with Zhu Wenyun about Shen Nianqiu's family situation. Compared to Shen Nianqiu, who lived in the school dormitory and avoided contacting her family whenever possible, Chen Junqian, who had been keeping an eye on her family, actually knew more about these matters.

"I gave birth to my baby last October during the National Day holiday, and then I stayed in postpartum confinement until now. Just two days ago, my family carried me home from the confinement center, still groaning. Actually, their house isn't that big, so the room that the person who doesn't live there naturally had to be taken over. Luckily, my sister didn't have any particularly important things there, otherwise I don't know where she would have put them now."

"...That's really the same."

Zhu Wenyun leaned back on the sofa, her gaze falling on a row of bookshelves next to her. In the most prominent position was a row of beautifully bound books—"My Dear Forever My Love," a work that established her as a representative of the new generation of romance novelists upon its release last year. It was also the book in which she had poured the most effort and emotions before her new book, "Absence."

"When you asked me to write this book, you knew this day would come, didn't you?"

Chen Junqian nodded, but his thoughts were already drifting to Lin'an.

"Actually, the internet, if used well, is more direct and effective than knocking on the grievance drum at the gate of the government office. The way her family became is not just the fault of her parents alone... Conventional persuasion is ineffective for families that are deeply ingrained with the preference for sons over daughters. Using public opinion to overwhelm the other party is more direct and effective."

"Wenyun, do you remember what you said when we were conceiving the character 'Zhu Nianxia'?"

"remember."

Zhu Wenyun nodded, her tone also somewhat elusive. Although the character was 90% based on Shen Nianqiu, just by looking at the surname she specifically chose, it was clear that she had also projected a part of herself onto the character. Her experiences and personality were indeed similar to Shen Nianqiu's in some ways.

“At that time, I said that I wanted to write down all the pain that Nianqiu experienced, all the fragmented, real, suffocating favoritism and cold violence, bit by bit. I wanted to create a girl who was so sensible that it broke your heart, so that readers could cry with her, feel her despair, and finally be saved with her.”

Unlike other new books that have received mixed reviews but are generally considered 'mostly positive', "My Dear Forever" is undoubtedly well-received as Zhu Wenyun's first full-length novel. Rather, it's the realistic themes and the happy endings for good people and the punishment of bad people that easily resonate with readers. As a result, the character Zhu Nianxia has become a source of regret for many readers, and some fans have even spontaneously organized a campaign called "Protect the Best Nianxia," wishing they could rush into the book and tear that bizarre couple to pieces.

In fact, this book has only been out for less than a year, and once an author becomes famous, the release of a new book will also generate a wave of popularity for the old book. The same is true for Zhu Wenyun's case, so the related popularity and discussion are still quite strong.

“Just a couple of days ago, a reader asked me on Weibo if this character was based on a real person. Some of the details and dialogues in the book felt so real, like I had actually experienced them. She herself had a similar family background, so reading it felt particularly depressing, like looking in a mirror.”

"Perhaps Wenyun will be able to prepare a reply to this question soon."

Chen Junqian drank his milk tea, which had gone a little cold, and began to explain his plan to her again:

"When my sister starts her winter vacation before the New Year, I will go to Lin'an. Consider it an ultimatum. If it really can't be handled well, Wenjun can come and help."

"Is Sister Nianqiu also prepared? After all, this is tantamount to asking her to deliberately tear open her wounds for the public, especially the public on the internet. There is no thing in this world that can be genuinely supported by everyone. Junqian should know what I mean."

“If the abscess isn’t popped, the wound will never heal. My sister has already made up her mind about this.”

To Zhu Wenyun's concern about this point, Chen Junqian's answer was equally unwavering and firm.

"But what if even a media campaign doesn't work? Internet buzz comes and goes quickly. What's a hot topic that everyone's been talking about these past few days will be forgotten in a couple of days. There are too many cases like this."

"That's why I had to go to Lin'an myself. Besides the online propaganda offensive, someone in the real world had to intervene. Relying solely on public opinion, my sister's parents could be accused of being ignorant netizens spreading rumors, and they could even confiscate her phone and cut off her contact with the outside world. Therefore, someone in the real world had to stand by her side, give her confidence, and at the same time give those two people a real deterrent."

Zhu Wenyun's expression froze slightly, and her heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason, but she ultimately looked away without showing any emotion.

Are we playing some kind of game where we replicate the plot of a novel?

After all, the male protagonist in her book said something similar.

However, compared to dry words, actually seeing and hearing someone say these words with such a firm tone is indeed a different feeling.

But Zhu Wenyun suddenly didn't want to hear Chen Junqian speak, so she spoke for him herself, only this time reciting the original lines she had written in the book:

“I want to go, of course I want to go. And I can’t go as an ordinary online friend or friend. That kind of identity carries no weight in her parents’ eyes, and she might even be slandered as a disreputable person.”

"...I'm supposed to go as her 'boyfriend,' right?"

There was no sudden tightening of her heart, nor any indescribable soreness that instantly welled up in her throat, but she did feel a rather subtle sensation. When she was writing that character, all she could think about and see was Chen Junqian, and now, the real Chen Junqian was going to play the male lead in the real Shen Nianqiu's story. Yet, she felt a kind of morbid excitement and stimulation.

This is not just a replication of the novel's plot, but more like bringing her most secret dreams to someone else's stage. However, she is not just an audience member who can only watch from below the stage, but a genuine screenwriter.

"After all, only by being a boyfriend can one have a voice in that kind of traditional family."

Chen Junqian was already used to Zhu Wenyun suddenly starting to recite lines from a novel, and casually picked up the conversation.

"Her parents are the kind of people who bully the weak and fear the strong, and they favor sons over daughters. In their eyes, their daughter is a financial burden and will eventually belong to someone else's family. If a boyfriend from a wealthy family with a strong personality who seems unapproachable appears at this time, they will actually be more wary of him."

"What if they seize the opportunity and start selling their daughter right away?"

"Then this rich son-in-law will have to show off his ability to turn on his wife."

To be honest, compared to many previous reincarnation novelists, Chen Junqian has really not had many opportunities to transform into the Crooked-Mouthed Dragon King. Firstly, compared to the achievements of building a business empire within two years of being reborn, his various deeds are really nothing to brag about. Secondly, in reality, there aren't that many formulaic villains to use for him to show off and slap in the face. Guoning is just a small county town, and he spends most of his time there.

"Oh, this should be considered a wife-protecting maniac or a domineering CEO, right? No, at Junqian's age, he should only be considered a spoiled second-generation rich kid. Although he's neither a spoiled second-generation rich kid nor a spoiled second-generation rich kid, we can consider acting in that direction."

Zhu Wenyun paused, her fingertips lightly tracing the rim of the milk tea cup, and added seemingly casually:

"And it needs to be acted realistically, after all, although her parents are materialistic, they are not stupid."

There was a sense that this conversation was somewhat familiar, and sure enough, Zhu Wenyun's next sentence reminded Chen Junqian of where that sense of familiarity came from.

"How about practicing with your current, only girlfriend?"

Well, as expected, everything can be adapted into a source of inspiration. Although the literary girl's trick is also a model opera, it is indeed very convenient to use.

“Wenyun is different from my sister, and I don’t want to act too strong in front of her, because she still cares a lot about her status as my sister.”

"Ha, with both older and younger sisters, someone definitely deserves to be scolded more than Gu Yuan."

Ever since learning that Chen Xi wasn't Chen Junqian's biological sister, Zhu Wenyun felt compelled to make a sarcastic remark whenever she heard him refer to himself as "sister," but she quickly returned to the topic at hand:

"I will coordinate with your schedule. Once you're in position, I will also publish this long article that I've already written on my personal platform. Here you go."

I took the phone from Zhu Wenyun and glanced at it. The title on the screen was "When Novel Meets Reality: Zhu Nianxia in Reality and Her Predicament," which did look quite plausible.

"Click to take a look? It took a long time to write. If there's anything new you can add during your trip to Lin'an, feel free to let me know."

"Ah."

Chen Junqian nodded in agreement and glanced at the content. He quickly exclaimed in praise:

"It's really well written. It's as high-quality as Wenjun has always been. As a piece of advertorial that sets the tone, it's definitely one of the best. Thank you so much, sister."

Zhu Wenyun simply sat there, feigning calmness, playing with the ends of her hair.

"Of course, after all, she and I are good friends."