I turned reality into a romantic comedy

Chen Junqian himself had tried to bring Lin Mu back to the market and stroll with her in the seafood section, but no matter how embarrassing the system was, it was obviously not that stupid, so it was delayed until today before it was officially implemented.

【The Sand Artist】

Summer beaches are always a great place to unleash your imagination. Sand, a material that can be easily shaped, is the best helper in romantic drama events, if you want.

Whether it's burying someone entirely in the sand, creatively building a fish tail around their legs to let them cosplay as a mermaid, using their sand-covered belly as a canvas to draw and write while they're immobilized, or building a sandcastle together, there's nothing you can't do at the beach in summer.

Conditions for achievement: Play in the sand or build sandcastles with any heroine who is suited for romantic comedy on the beach.

This was a perfect achievement, because after building sandcastles and playing in the water for a while in the afternoon, the two of them replicated the sand-burying operation, giving each other a refreshing sand bath. In the end, like two idiots, they only had their heads sticking out, chatting motionless under the parasol for a long time.

After returning to their hotel room, Chen Junqian took a shower first, and then Lin Mu.

Just as he was planning to watch TV outside while waiting for Mu Mu to come out and blow-dry her hair, as he had done a few days before, there was a sudden knock on the door. It was his father.

"Just finished showering? Come out for a walk with me."

Chen Jun seemed to have just finished showering. As soon as he saw his son, he immediately invited him to a father-son chat. Then he took Chen Junqian to a path by the beach outside the hotel and took the initiative to have a heart-to-heart talk with him.

“Yesterday, your Uncle Lin and Uncle called me. You’re amazing, kid. While your dad is still working for someone else, you’re already thinking about starting your own business.”

As Chen Junqian expected, the first thing the other party brought up was indeed this matter. But thinking about it, it made sense. No matter how smart he appeared, the two of them would definitely contact Chen Jun to discuss such an important matter.

But Chen Junqian was actually prepared to persuade his father.

To his surprise, before he could even deliver his carefully prepared speech and analysis, Chen Jun waved his hand and said:

"But I'm telling you this not to discourage you from doing it. After all, you're definitely more successful than me. A son should be more successful than his father, right? But you're really thinking too simply about some things. If you really intend to do it, then you should consider all aspects of the consequences."

“For example, Zhang Xinghuo did submit his resignation to the Zhan family yesterday and is preparing to go solo. You also intend to help him. It’s okay to be so casual in the early stages of such a makeshift team. But if it really succeeds later, even if it’s just a small company, some things must be made clear beforehand. Otherwise, you will definitely suffer in the end.”

Chen Junqian listened attentively to his father's wise advice, as he was a reincarnated person. After all, although he was a reincarnated person, he had never had any experience in this area in his two lifetimes. He was also lacking in social skills and interpersonal relationships. He was definitely different from his father, who had been working hard since he was eighteen and had even worked his way up to a middle management position like workshop director.

"There's a saying that even close brothers should keep clear accounts. The more you believe he'll succeed in this line of work, the more you need to finalize things beforehand. Zhang Xinghuo has already assembled a small team of five people. Your uncle is definitely on your side, and then there's your Uncle Lin."

"He was originally one of the largest hickory nut suppliers in the Guoning area. Although he himself said that even without your persuasion, he might still have thought highly of Zhang Xinghuo, the fact is that he is willing to show you that he was brought here by you. This is very important. You should remember this and thank him."

"Ok, I know."

“There are many things that are not convenient for you to do. After all, no matter how smart you are, you are still just a child. We are better at doing these things. So sometimes you shouldn’t take things to heart. Although your dad is in Tangshan now, it’s not inconvenient for him to call me and chat. Besides, you still have your own cell phone.”

As he spoke, Chen Jun reached out and patted his son's head with a smile.

"You know all this?"

"Your Uncle Lin said that your mom already knew, but she just pretended not to. When it comes to hiding things from your parents, you're still a greenhorn."

After teasing his son like that, Chen Jun subconsciously added a word of advice:

"But next time, don't let Mumu buy you such expensive things. Even if someone buys something for you as a gift, don't accept it casually, understand?"

I felt like I couldn't bring myself to say that the phone wasn't actually a gift from Mu Mu, because my dad clicked his tongue with a hint of melancholy and uttered this sigh:

"Back then, your dad only ever really liked your mom once in his life, and he won her over. How come things have become so complicated with you?"

Since it was indeed just the two of them, father and son, Chen Jun raised his eyebrows again and asked his son:

"And what about you? What are your thoughts on those two kids?"

"Well, let me borrow what you just said, Dad. I'd like to hear your opinion first. You can't just keep everything to yourself."

Faced with his son kicking the ball back to him again, Chen Jun found it rather amusing:

"I don't know about Chairman Xu's side, but your Uncle Lin is a good friend of mine. Just like I said before, you really appreciate how kind he is. You should remember it and repay him in the future."

"What you're saying is true. Dad, you've also owed Chairman Xu a lot of favors."

If they weren't both wearing casual beach shorts, Chen Jun probably would have pulled out a Seven Wolves leather belt by now, but in the end, he could only cough awkwardly twice.

"Anyway, both kids are good kids."

It's as if I'll accept whichever one you bring back.

"But just don't break the young girl's heart."

"Well, I know."

Chen Junqian nodded earnestly in response.

After discussing the matter, the father and son took a long walk along the road and bought two popsicles from a convenience store next to the road.

"When I first started working, this was what I ate most often. It cost 50 cents a stick and tasted pretty good."

Compared to the popsicles Chen Junqian was eating, the Big Head Ice Cream his father treated him to was just as its name suggested, with a big 'head'—that is, the ice cream part wrapped in a layer of chocolate crispy coating. The packaging was also very simple, even somewhat ugly.

"Big head, big head, no worries when it rains. Others have umbrellas, but do I have that big head?"

"It could also be the 'big head' from 'Big Head Son'."

Chen Jun seemed to remember when his son was just a few years old, he and his son imitated scenes from the TV show "Big Head Son and Small Head Dad" on his bed, playfully bumping heads with each other. After answering with a smile, he turned his head to take a serious look at his son, and then hummed the tune of the theme song.

Yes, the other person has also reached the age where they no longer need to hold hands and are no longer afraid of slipping while walking.

Really are.

In the blink of an eye, my son has grown up...

My son has grown up in the blink of an eye.

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

It wasn't until night fell that the father and son, having finished their ice cream, prepared to head back to their hotel.

However, somewhat coincidentally, just as the two were about to reach the hotel, Chen Junqian's phone, which he had put in his pocket before leaving the house, suddenly vibrated, as if someone had sent a message or made a call.

Since his father already knew about the phone, Chen Junqian no longer needed to hide it. He simply took the phone out of his pocket and glanced at it. It was Shen Nianqiu calling.

"I'll take a call."

"Then I'll go up first."

"Okay, I'll go up in a bit."

After parting ways with his father near the hotel entrance, Chen Junqian took a few more steps outside, intending to continue wandering around the area, while answering a call from Shen Nianqiu.

If what he had just experienced was a life-changing discussion between father and son, then what his sister had just finished was the complete opposite.

To be honest, Shen Nianqiu had actually gotten used to eating under a certain black and white photo every day, but perhaps because she had only lived in the school dormitory for a whole semester, she suddenly felt a little uncomfortable when she returned to the dining table at home.

However, her mother would not notice this change in her mood. Her father was working overtime today, so only her mother was at home.

Even so, her mother's attention never lingered on her for even a second. Shen Nianqiu didn't even need to look up to know that her mother was probably stroking one of the glass bottles on the counter again.

The bottle, which was quite old, wasn't very big; it fit perfectly in the palm of an adult's hand. The mother stroked the bottle as if it were a bird, but Shen Nianqiu herself didn't dare to look at it; in fact, she was somewhat frightened.

Because this bottle contains a dried-up umbilical cord.

This specially treated umbilical cord was soaked in transparent resin, like the little insects that had been seen in amber on trees before, but Shen Nianqiu would rather look at those insects than look into its eyes.

Because the former at least still carries the color of life, making one suspect that it is still alive, but the latter is pale and murky, which is a corpse completely unrelated to life, or rather, the color of death.

Shen Nianqiu had only ever truly looked into the eyes of this umbilical cord once in her life, but that one time, looking into the glass bottle made her shudder and hurriedly put the bottle back. She then ran outside into the sunlight and gasped for breath for a long time before she recovered.

After all, this wasn't her umbilical cord.

If the person is still alive, then this thing naturally has excellent commemorative value, but if the person is dead, then it will naturally feel eerie, and even the mother who would occasionally caress it in her hands will become the same.

Every day when my mother ate, she would hold the bottle in her hand, as if it were an organ of her body, something that was naturally part of her.

Even though it was just a dried-up umbilical cord from over a decade ago, the other person still seemed to be trying to make it work again, to pass on the nutrition and love from the mother, even though the person sitting opposite her was her own biological daughter.

But today, this discomfort seemed particularly intense, so much so that Shen Nianqiu ate a couple of bites of food and then fled back to her room, avoiding the black and white photo in the living room and the glass bottle.

Fortunately, she now has her own way of coping, but instead of relying on the umbilical cord, she relies on the internet cable.

While the mother was reminiscing about her brother whom she had never met, she also dialed the phone number of her brother whom she had never met.

"Hey, sister."

A familiar voice came from the other end of the phone.

Shen Nianqiu let out a long sigh of relief, and then lay back on the bed.

She had already decided that this phone call would have to be longer than usual.

Meanwhile, Lin Mu, who had finished showering and not seen Chen Junqian, asked Uncle Chen, who had just returned from next door. After learning that Qianqian had only taken a phone call downstairs and then come up, she naturally nodded in agreement.

"Then I'll go down and get him—"

Chapter Twenty-Nine: I Can Feel You Lying to Me (Part Two)

In fact, ever since she learned that Chen Junqian had his own private cell phone, Shen Nianqiu became increasingly dissatisfied with simply chatting and communicating with him via text on social platforms like QQ, as before.

She longed to make a phone call, to truly hear the other person's voice, and to let them truly hear her voice as well.

However, such opportunities were rare while she was in school, since she lived in a dormitory and her every move was observed and noticed by her roommates. She waited until summer vacation before she decided to have a proper chat with Chen Junqian.

That's why Shen Nianqiu was a little upset about Chen Junqian not wanting her to call a couple of days ago, so today she didn't even send a message on QQ beforehand, but just called him directly.

However, to her great relief, at a time when her mood was far worse than before, Chen Junqian answered quickly this time. The moment his familiar voice came through the receiver, it suppressed the turmoil in her heart that was about to erupt.

"Did something unpleasant happen?"

From the unexpected phone call itself and from the other party's tone, Chen Junqian could easily tell that his sister was not in a good mood, so he unconsciously softened his voice.

Because a group of tourists who seemed to be on a tour had just arrived in front of the hotel and were making a lot of noise while waiting for their tour guide to check them in, he decided to walk a little further away and go back to the beach path where he had been strolling with his father.

"Hmm... I feel a tightness in my chest, a bit suffocated."

Although in terms of the length of time they've known each other, Shen Nianqiu is the one Chen Junqian has known the longest. After all, they had been online friends who had played many games together long before Lin Mu's money-losing incident. However, until today, due to her silence, he still finds it difficult to clearly understand his sister's specific family situation and the source of her psychological pressure.

Chen Junqian naturally guessed that the other party's situation was roughly similar to Xu Youwei's. After all, judging from what his sister had told him about the school situation, Shen Nianqiu, who was the lead singer of the choir and could get along well with people, did not seem like the kind of person who would be bullied at school. Therefore, the source of pressure naturally only came from his family.

However, there was nothing he could do. After all, he didn't go to school with her, so he couldn't investigate Shen Nianqiu's situation on his own like he had done with Xu Youwei. Moreover, the only time they met in person was during the World Expo last year.

But even in just those few days, Chen Junqian was already able to sense certain things.

Before his rebirth, he had met a friend in the gaming industry who told him about the current source material for Chinese horror games, which could actually be clearly summarized in three words, twelve characters:

Family of origin, school bullying, feudal superstition.

It can even rhyme.

Moreover, these three categories are not independent of each other; they are all related to each other. Each major category can be further divided into many more specific subcategories. When combined, a standard Chinese-style horror indie game background is born.

However, unlike before, Shen Nianqiu seemed willing to proactively reveal a little bit of information to Chen Junqian today.

"Speaking of which, little brother, do you know anything about families who have lost their only child?"

"……Know."

Upon hearing Shen Nianqiu mention this word, Chen Junqian suddenly remembered an old man he had met in the countryside when he was a child. The old man was a ragpicker, but he would always smile at him whenever he saw him. Later, he learned from his grandfather that the old man used to have a son and a grandson, but they were all gone now.

As the only child becomes a common symbol of their generation, so too does the phenomenon of families who have lost their only child, as Shen Nianqiu described it, arise.

After all, the departure of a loved one is never a storm, but rather a long, damp period for the rest of one's life. This saying applies not only to children's feelings for their parents, but also to the reverse scenario, and sometimes it can be even more memorable because children don't actually have many memories from their early years.

Chen Junqian himself realized one day, after his parents had been gone for longer than they had spent with him, that he hadn't dreamed about them in a long time.

"But now I feel like I'm still living in a family that has lost its only child."

Well, with just this one sentence, Chen Junqian roughly understood his sister's family situation, and his heart twitched at her words.

"Well, if it were decades ago, my name would probably be something like Zhao Di La Di? After all, they would be pretty much the same."

"Your brother? He must be your brother."

"Yes, my brother, whom I've never met, only lived to be four or five years old. The last character of his name was Qiu."

At this point, Chen Junqian heard the other person take a deep breath on the other end of the phone, as if they had crawled into bed, wanting to shout but not daring to do so loudly:

"But I've never felt that the 'Autumn' in my online name has anything to do with him. He is his Autumn, and I am my Autumn. It's just one word. What's there to hate or avoid? Besides, other people don't know what my name means. Actually, it sounds pretty good, right?"

It has to be said that, probably because he is two years older, Shen Nianqiu's mental state is much more optimistic and healthy than Chen Junqian had expected. But thinking about it, it makes sense, considering that he was not so familiar with the other person in his previous life, and even after reconnecting after two years, he was still able to receive comfort from the other person.

"Of course, I understand, but I still feel a little strange. After all, as I said before, it feels like I'm living in a family that has lost their only child, but I wasn't adopted by them."

Knowing perfectly well that his role at this time was simply to listen, Chen Junqian did not interrupt to offer his own opinion, but continued to listen to Shen Nianqiu's somewhat rambling thoughts:

"Actually, if I put myself in their shoes, I can understand. After all, I am their first biological child. And at home, I just don't receive special treatment. I've never lacked food, clothing, or shelter."

"Most importantly, I don't need to argue or make things difficult for people who aren't even around, right?"

But the more Chen Junqian listened to Shen Nianqiu's words, the more he sensed that something was amiss.