I turned reality into a romantic comedy

After loading the bullets, Chen Junqian fired a shot at the ground to test their power. The bullet shattered into powder on the ground due to the force of the shot, leaving him somewhat astonished.

"Yeah, I heard that if you hit someone in the eye, you can blind them."

Xu Youwei was well aware that Chen Junqian always prioritized personal safety, just like when he stopped her from playing with snow spray with him back then. So, after saying that, she took the initiative to say:

"Don't worry, this is our shelter's ultimate weapon. We definitely can't take it out to use normally. We can just use it to smash bottles when it's just the two of us here."

"As for going out, does Qinqin know how to make bamboo guns?"

"They really do."

Rather than the 'luxury' he holds now, the bamboo gun was the toy gun Chen Junqian most often encountered in the countryside when he was a child.

After all, Guoning is the hometown of bamboo in China, and bamboo is quite common there, so you can easily find raw materials.

"Okay, let's make bamboo guns today."

After setting their goal for the shelter for the day, Chen Junqian and Xu Youwei went out. They got a sickle from Xu Youwei's grandmother, then chopped down two bamboo stalks, one thick and one thin, and started working.

Frankly speaking, making this kind of bamboo tube gun is even simpler than imitating many of the works in "Artistic Imagination" that they have been imitating in the past two years. It basically requires no technical skill and can be made in a few strokes.

But even though you have a gun, you still have to find the bullets yourself.

When Chen Junqian was a child, he usually used some kind of camphor tree seeds. These seeds look a bit like peppercorns. Before they mature, they are green, round, small, and hard, making them perfect for making bullets.

This thing was much less powerful than the toy guns from the Yellow Brand. So much so that the moment they found the bullets after they finished making it, Chen Junqian and Xu Youwei had already tacitly separated and started a chaotic gunfight on the ridges of the fields in the countryside. For a moment, the sound of bullets being fired could be heard everywhere.

Relying on his physical advantage, Chen Junqian was much faster than Xu Youwei in both movement and reloading speed. However, Xu Youwei was not the type to give up easily. With the former deliberately holding back, the two supreme beings fought until their Dao was worn away (the bamboo tube gun was almost broken) and their spiritual energy was exhausted (the bullets were almost gone) before they finally stopped, somewhat reluctantly.

While searching for bullets, Xu Youwei accidentally discovered the fruit of a plant in the countryside that was very similar to camphor seeds, but was purplish-red in color and softer in texture.

"This is pokeweed, right? Be careful not to sit on it, the juice of this thing has a strong staining ability, it's not easy to wash off clothes. When I play with it, I either use it as a firecracker or use its juice to write on the ground."

Having spent all his childhood winter and summer vacations in the countryside, Chen Junqian was no stranger to these natural toys that were readily available. However, his words only aroused Xu Youwei's interest even more.

However, she didn't intend to smash it on the ground or write with the juice. Instead, after staring at the small, purplish-red fruits for a while, she suddenly reached out, picked two of them, and handed them to Chen Junqian. Then she placed her right hand, back of its head, in front of him.

"Then Qinqin can use it as nail polish."

"Um... I want you to apply this for me."

Chapter 31: When My Hair Reaches My Waist (Part 2)

To be honest, Xu Youwei doesn't consider herself a girl who loves beauty. Even if she used to be, she had given up most of that after her mother's illness and death. Just like in her empty and plain room now, the only bright spot is the big teddy bear that her mother left her.

Time may not be a panacea that can heal all wounds, but the best medicine for healing wounds is indeed hidden within time.

Just like the teddy bear that gradually shrank in Xu Youwei's arms as she grew up, it seemed that things she had lost had been gradually found again, starting from the school anniversary performance two or three months ago.

There weren't many cars passing by on the country road, but just as Xu Youwei said to Chen Junqian, "Help me paint my nails," a common sight in this era, like the electric tricycles selling steamed buns and mantou, was driving by, collecting scrap metal in the city and countryside. The loudspeaker on the front of the vehicle kept repeating its announcement:

"High prices for long hair, old cell phones, radios, televisions..."

Seemingly stirred by something in her words, as Chen Junqian took the fruit from Xu Youwei and began to study how to apply it to his nails while avoiding contact with his skin (because some people may be allergic to pokeweed juice), she casually mentioned some things about herself and her mother.

"Actually, I used to have long hair, Qinqin, do you remember?"

"To be honest, I don't remember much about it."

"That's true. After all, we weren't familiar with each other at that time. Although we were classmates in the same class, and only in the first and second grades, it's normal that we don't remember each other."

As she spoke, Xu Youwei gestured with her hand to her chest:

"It was about this long back then."

"Qinqin, have you ever read a story like this before? It's about a child in the class who lost all her hair because of chemotherapy. To prevent her from being ridiculed, the homeroom teacher shaved her head first. I think that's what I was thinking back then, but I didn't succeed completely and only cut this part."

"Because my mom wouldn't let me cut my hair anymore back then. She said she hoped I could carry her share with me and continue to walk beautifully. But even now, I still don't have the habit of growing my hair long, and this isn't particularly short, is it?"

At this point, Xu Youwei asked Chen Junqian a question, which Chen Junqian simply nodded in response:

"Well, it's not short. Besides, whether it's long or short hair, it's up to Yoyo to grow it as long as she wants."

Actually, this was his honest opinion. After all, Xu Youwei wasn't exactly a typical tomboy. Although she didn't have long hair like Lin Mu or Zhu Wenyun, her hair was almost shoulder-length. He didn't have the same obsession as Nisio Isin (the original author of the Monogatari series) of having long-haired characters cut their hair short to highlight their growth, so he didn't have a strong preference for that.

"Yeah, and I think it's better to move around more now, since it's different from Mu Mu's time. We two should be spending more time running around outside."

As Xu Youwei said this, she seemed to be subtly testing the waters, as if she would immediately change her mind for him if Chen Junqian showed even the slightest preference for long hair.

However, Chen Junqian himself did not think this was a good omen, so he simply dropped the topic and turned his attention back to Xu Youwei's nails, starting to concentrate on using a small purplish-red fruit called pokeweed to impersonate nail polish.

[A Novice Makeup Artist's First Experience]

When your clumsy fingertips first touch her eyelashes, when the foundation in your palm becomes more difficult to solve than a math problem, when the many shades of lipstick turn into a puzzle more complex than a physics formula in your eyes, then congratulations, you have officially entered the battlefield of love called makeup.

Whether it's getting poked in the cheek by her sudden blink while applying eyeliner, or frantically applying loose powder to cover up a mistake and causing a mini sandstorm, or squeezing out a huge amount of BB cream into the palm of the hand without knowing the amount, novice makeup artists always make countless mistakes.

But you will always improve, become more skilled, and one day you will be able to personally transform that girl who is willing to dress up for someone who appreciates her into the most beautiful leading lady.

The temperature recorded by your fingertips is the limited edition color that you will cherish forever.

Condition for achievement: Personally do the makeup for any heroine who is suited for romantic comedies.

Although he really wanted to complain about the system's consistently idiotic judgment, Chen Junqian had already experienced firsthand the kind of chaotic situation a novice makeup artist described in the achievement's description.

After all, he was just helping Xu Youwei apply fake nail polish, and he had already shown a level of focus that was many times more serious and meticulous than he usually was when studying or taking exams. The difficulty of painting each nail was no less than that of taking on an Olympiad math exam.

Because the amount used was deliberately controlled, the final color effect on Xu Youwei's nails was a light, even slightly gradient, purplish-red.

Xu Youwei seemed quite satisfied with this all-natural nail art, but it was hard to say whether she was satisfied with the final result or simply enjoyed the process of him carefully holding her hand and applying the color inch by inch.

After being out and about for so long, the two of them were a bit tired, especially Chen Junqian, who had just returned by car that day. So after applying the cream, they bought two ice creams at a nearby convenience store and then slowly returned to their secret hideout. They lay down on the bed, which had been laid out with a straw mat, and started eating ice cream.

After all, there was two thousand yuan of public funds at stake, so it was only natural that the ice cream they bought today had evolved into the Big Torch. This thing should be one of the most expensive ice creams Chen Junqian had when he was a child. Anyway, his family hadn't approved much of it in his previous life, and after his rebirth, he ate it more often at Mu Mu's house. Both Yili and Bright Dairy's Big Torch ice creams tasted pretty good.

"Can Qinqin come play with me tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow... is not a good time."

After considering his plans for tomorrow, Chen Junqian shook his head.

"I'm going out with my mom tomorrow."

"Well, then there's nothing we can do about it."

Hearing that Chen Junqian had gone out with his mother, Xu Youwei felt relieved and continued to eat the chocolate coating on top of the torch through the packaging.

If she had asked one more question, she would have learned that Chen Junqian was going to the sales office to look at houses with his mother tomorrow.

They are about to move away from the wear-resistant factory area, away from the house where, besides the glass bottles, there are also words written by a girl with an invisible pen on the walls.

Before he discovered it.

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

"...So why is Mu Mu here?"

The next morning, around noon, Chen Junqian had just met his mother, who had taken a day off, in front of the Yunqi Jinyuan sales office when he saw Lin Mu standing there, holding his mother's arm and looking quite charming.

"I've come to look at houses with you. Knowing where the place is will make it easier to visit each other in the future."

"But I remember you have tutoring in the afternoon, right?"

"Yes, that's why I brought all my books. After we look at the house and have a meal, we can go straight to the tutoring center."

As if to show how well prepared he was, Lin Mu showed Chen Junqian the tote bag he was holding.

Unlike school, where you only need to bring a pencil case and a few supplementary teaching materials each time you go to a tutoring class, children usually don't choose to carry just those books in a backpack. Instead, they choose to bring a tote bag, like the one Lin Mu is carrying now.

However, unlike the other person's handbag, which was clearly carefully selected and featured a cute chibi-style little girl in a dress, wearing a flower crown, and smiling with delicate eyebrows and eyes, surrounded by the words "Cute Princess," Chen Junqian remembered that when he went to tutoring classes in his previous life, he used leftover wine bags from the Lunar New Year.

Seeing that Chen Junqian's gaze lingered on his handbag, Lin Mu picked it up a little more and showed it off in a generous display:

"How is it? Doesn't it look good?"

"Yes, it looks good and suits Mumu very well."

After all, they came to look at houses today, and both Mom and Lin Mu had things to do in the afternoon, so the two of them didn't chat any longer and started looking at houses with Wang Hongling.

Actually, although we said we were looking at apartments, my mom and dad had already discussed buying one in Yunqi Jinyuan before we came. So, the main purpose of this trip was to see the environment in person and choose a specific floor.

After looking at several apartments, Chen Junqian and his mother finalized the address of their new home.

"Unit 2, Building 2, Apartment 301, Yunqi Jinyuan..."

When Chen Junqian saw Lin Mu muttering the address to herself, he was momentarily dazed. However, just like when he first entered Lin Mu's house, Mu Mu seemed to be the carefree child he had met then, and after reciting it, she smiled at him proudly.

“I’ve already written down Qianqian’s new address. I’m 302 and you’re 301. It sounds like we’re neighbors.”

"Actually, they're not even in the same neighborhood."

"Don't call me out on this. Doesn't Qianqian want to be my neighbor?"

It felt like Lin Mu had become increasingly skilled at using rhetorical questions, but Chen Junqian just couldn't refute them every time he used them.

And to be honest, if he really becomes neighbors with Lin Mu, then the other party will instantly be promoted to a system-recognized childhood sweetheart, and it's unimaginable how easy it will be to achieve the subsequent accomplishments.

"But that's just how it is. It seems like nobody lives around here."

As he spoke, Chen Junqian walked out of his still empty future home and glanced at the house next door. It was also a bare-bones house, so it seemed that no one had moved in yet.

After glancing at the time on his phone again, Chen Junqian reminded Lin Mu:

"Now that the house is confirmed, let's go eat, otherwise I'm afraid you won't make it to your afternoon tutoring class."

"Well, let's go."

Lin Mu glanced curiously at room 302, which had the same address as her own and was currently vacant, before nodding in agreement. After having a quick bowl of noodles with Chen Junqian and his mother at a nearby noodle shop, she went to her tutoring class. She had missed several classes due to her trip and needed to catch up quickly.

After settling into her new home, my mother, who also seemed to be in a good mood, was preparing to go back to the factory. She had been transferred to an office position, where her work was much easier than before.

"Will my son come back with me?"

"No, I'll wander around the streets a little longer."

"Okay, then I'll go back to work."

Watching his mother ride away on her newly bought Aima electric scooter until she disappeared from his sight, Chen Junqian recalled the brand's classic advertising slogan, still endorsed by Jay Chou: "Aima electric scooter, if you love it, take action now!" Then, turning his head, he spotted another electric scooter store with a low brand awareness, currently only available in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces.

Actually, before becoming an anime expert after his rebirth, Chen Junqian didn't have any particular impression of the brand called 'Oupai Electric Vehicle'. But ever since he got into the world of anime, he always felt that the brand looked strange, yet he also felt that this thing might help him achieve some mysterious accomplishment someday.

[Gentleman's (Perverted) Quotes Collector]

In many romantic comedies, the cross-server chat or the gentlemanly (perverted) remarks that have to be made due to certain uncontrollable factors (such as the romantic choices in one's mind) are always an essential part of the experience.

As the saying goes, something may be 100% terrible, 200% embarrassing, but it might inexplicably make your heart race 300%. If the occasion and the people are right, even the most bizarre statement might become a breakthrough in a relationship.

Find the right balance between romance and calling the police, and then gamble on whether the woman in front of you will blush, fly into a rage, or be subtly moved.

Condition for achievement: Say one of the following classic gentlemanly lines to any heroine who is suited for romantic comedies.

As for the connection between this achievement and electric vehicles, it has to be said that the Japanese pronunciation of "chest" is exactly what he sees as "oppai" now.

So if you operate it well, it feels like you can completely fool that embarrassing system.

Just as Chen Junqian was pondering the specific steps, another girl he had arranged to meet that day walked up to him.

"You finally decided to come back?"

Zhu Wenyun's nearly long hair cascaded down like a waterfall in front of Chen Junqian as she slightly tilted her head, setting off her increasingly exquisite features like the perfect backdrop.

"Oh right, I came back to accompany Wenyun on her research trip."

So, finding material is really a great excuse for writers to slack off, huh?

Chapter 32: Wen Yun's Wishes Are Always Simple (Part 2)

Although it was supposed to be a research trip, Chen Junqian and Zhu Wenyun were actually just strolling around the streets. If this happened more than ten years later, they might have been given a fancy-sounding code name like "Citywalk," but nowadays, this kind of behavior is generally called "strolling around."

As it turned out, strolling around at midday in the sweltering summer heat was clearly not a good choice, so the two of them soon went into a nearby shopping mall that they often frequented. The mall was air-conditioned, and in the lobby, they could see many elderly people who were tired from shopping taking a break and cooling off.

Noticing that Zhu Wenyun's gaze kept wandering between several bakeries and cake shops nearby, Chen Junqian asked her with concern:

"Haven't you had lunch yet?"