I turned reality into a romantic comedy

Besides, this wasn't the first time the three of them had gotten together. Chen Junqian's numerous study sessions had been quite effective, so they greeted each other warmly upon meeting and thus formed a four-person team across classes.

With less than two months left until graduation, the group chatted as they walked, and the conversation naturally turned to their upcoming junior high school life. Then, Lin Mu and Xu Youwei discovered another advantage for Zhu Wenyun: she would definitely not be in the same class as Chen Junqian in junior high school, because the two of them would not be assigned to the same school.

As mentioned earlier, the junior high schools in Guoning adopt a zoned enrollment policy. If parents were to choose, they would definitely choose Guoning Middle School, which has better facilities. However, the reality is that not every parent can afford the pressure of buying a school district house for their child's education. This is the case for Zhu Wenjun's family.

Because of this, according to the zoning system, Zhu Wenyun could only attend Hejin Middle School, which was in a less desirable area for her family. Even if she could get into the best high school in the city, Guoning Middle School, and be in the same class as Chen Junqian again, it would be another three years later.

It can only be said that satisfaction is relative. Lin Mu and Xu Youwei were worried about whether they could be in the same class as Chen Junqian in junior high school, but after seeing Zhu Wenyun, who couldn't even stay in the same school, they felt that they were already pretty good.

However, Zhu Wenyun herself didn't seem to care about the matter. After all, she wasn't in the same class as Chen Junqian, and their interactions at school were limited to the twenty minutes they spent after class each day.

Rather, she could take this opportunity to exchange those twenty minutes of time together for something else. This was something Zhu Wenyun had always wanted to do, but she had never had the chance to ask for it before. Now, she had no choice but to change it.

According to Zhu Wenyun's own understanding, although Hejin Middle School is much worse than Guoning Middle School, precisely because of this, the school pays more attention to students with excellent grades who can be used as representatives for publicity and to improve the college entrance examination pass rate. She heard that students who rank at the top of the grade in major exams can also receive scholarships.

In terms of academic performance, Zhu Wenyun is definitely the best performer among the trio. After all, she spends the time that other classmates spend playing instead of writing books, and she doesn't fall behind in her studies at all. She is much better than the two sisters next to her, whose academic performance is like a roller coaster, progressing and regressing together.

As we all know, mountain climbing is a classic process that begins with grand pronouncements, starts with laughter and chatter, then quickly turns into rambling nonsense, and finally ends in silence.

However, since none of the four people were in a particular hurry to reach the summit, the first half of the journey, filled with laughter and joy, was deliberately extended. Around noon, the group leisurely arrived at a platform or service area located near the mountainside.

Because the students arrive at this location at different speeds and in different groups, the school naturally cannot provide meals. The students basically have to find their own way to get food. The service area on the mountainside is filled with stalls and shops selling food and toys.

But the prices at tourist attractions are something everyone knows. Even though the giant shrimp that went viral three years later at Jingting Mountain for 38 yuan a piece hasn't appeared yet, the prices of various foods have still increased by two times. A boiled corn easily costs 20 yuan, which really makes children hesitate.

"I brought some food with me."

Faced with this situation, the ever-frugal Zhu Wenyun naturally wouldn't even glance in that direction again. She stopped at a nearby pavilion, prepared to sit down, and began taking things out of her backpack.

"Yeah, I brought some too. Things at tourist attractions are all like that, expensive and not worth it, it's such a rip-off."

"Indeed, let's just grab something to eat here for lunch."

Lin Mu and Xu Youwei may have a large family and a wealthy business, but they are not fools who like to be ripped off. After hearing this, they nodded in agreement. The former even took out a roll of ground sheet that he had specially brought from his backpack and spread it on the ground. With the mountains and rivers under his feet, it created an atmosphere of spring outing and camping.

However, when Zhu Wenyun actually took out the food, Lin Mu belatedly realized that the food she had prepared was completely different from what she had just mentioned. She herself had stuffed all sorts of snacks into her backpack, but Zhu Wenyun had taken out three full lunchboxes.

"There are free microwave ovens at the service area."

Chen Junqian had gotten used to it by now. After all, Zhu Wenyun wasn't the type to like snacks. If she was limited by her skills and could only peel sunflower seeds along the way to pretend to make a homemade bento, then now, after several years, the term "handmade bento" would naturally be more fitting.

"I'll go with you. It's quite remote, and it might be hard to find."

"Yes, I made shrimp and braised pork today."

Watching Chen Junqian and Zhu Wenyun walk away, leaving the two of them behind once again, Xu Youwei, who was left behind, subconsciously paused in her action of tearing open the Lay's potato chip bag. For some reason, she felt that the bitterness in her heart was higher than the air content inside the potato chips.

"It's great that you can cook, but I haven't tried Wenyun's cooking yet. I wonder which is better, Wenyun's or Qianqian's."

Compared to Xu Youwei, who has been in a low mood since the beginning of the day, Lin Mu is in a much better mood, after all, Zhu Wenyun is going to Tianjin Middle School when she is in junior high school.

Just as the relationship between childhood sweethearts was originally built on geographical ties, many times the distance between people can also be due to geographical ties.

Either they moved, or they weren't assigned to the same class after graduation. Sometimes, the connections between people are so fragile. What we once thought was forever and indestructible can be easily destroyed in an instant.

However, Lin Mu clearly did not think she would be like that, because her connection with Chen Junqian was never just a geographical one. Their family ties, the company they jointly invested in, and the bond between them had inextricably intertwined their fates. Therefore, her mindset was completely different from that of the anxious girl beside her.

It's not just Shen Nianqiu who has thoughts like, "If I were to personally control Lin Mu, I would definitely make it impossible for any other girls to appear around Chen Junqian." Even Xu Youwei sometimes has similar thoughts. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why she unconsciously tries to keep her hobbies separate from his.

Because on the path of childhood sweethearts alone, Mu Mu has indeed reached the end where no one can catch up, especially now that everyone is getting older and in the future. Everything in the past is already set in stone, and the formula for victory is determined... just kidding.

Watching her best friend stuffing potato chips into her mouth and crunching them like a little squirrel, Xu Youwei once again felt a deep sense of helplessness and a complicated feeling of whether she could take over the role of the "hand-held" operator.

"Does Vivi want some candy?"

Seeing that Xu Youwei had stopped what she was doing for a while, Lin Mu took out a bag of candy from her pocket. As a sweets lover, Mu Mu always had the habit of carrying candy in her pocket, and each time it was different. This time, she took out sour candy, a kind of soft candy, for Xu Youwei.

"...Won't this be too sour?"

Just glancing at the big "sour" word on the packaging made Xu Youwei want to back out, but Lin Mu didn't allow her to refuse and directly stuffed the candy into her hand, then smiled at his best friend and explained:

"Only the outer layer is a little sour, but it gets sweet towards the end, and it's very sweet."

Chapter 67: We went to the lakeside on the grassland to watch the migratory birds fly back (Part 2)

Although the Experimental Primary School organizes a spring outing and an autumn outing every year, this was indeed the first time Chen Junqian and Zhu Wenyun had gone on a trip together.

After all, most of the time, even when going out for fun, the school adopts a class-based management model. So, just like the first trip to Jingxian, Zhu Wenyun would only have time to run from Class 3 next door to Class 4 where Chen Junqian was during the very short time of lunch break.

However, for Zhu Wenyun herself, there were still a bit too many people today. Even the lunchbox she brought in advance was only enough for two people.

While waiting for the microwave to heat up for a minute or two, Zhu Wenyun kept glancing at the increasingly tall boy standing next to her, her mind already wandering to the idea of ​​just the two of them going on a trip together.

From January of this year until now, Zhu Wenyun has accumulated more than 3,000 yuan in royalties. By the summer vacation this year, this number will rise to 5,000 yuan, which will be enough for them to go on a trip.

Of course, although there are two people, it's impossible to let the two children go out alone, so Zhu Wenyun will also bring her grandmother along.

First of all, she herself said when she was very young that she would make her grandmother enjoy a good life when she grew up. However, unlike the common public service advertisement on TV where all that is heard in the end is the granddaughter saying, "When I grow up, I will make my grandmother enjoy a good life," Zhu Wenyun has indeed been doing this since a very young age.

Even when she got stuck on her ideas, her feelings never disappeared. Apart from spending the money she earned from writing on Chen Junqian and herself (especially on those two cell phones), she gave most of it to her grandmother. She even sometimes took over the cooking at home.

Then, if Grandma goes out with her, she's an adult, and Zhu Wenyun's grandma is definitely not the kind of elderly person with poor health. She's in excellent physical condition and has a strong personality. She's definitely the kind of elder who can play an adult role when going out together.

Finally, it was naturally because her grandmother knew her thoughts and wishes. Rather, it was because Zhu Wenjun never intended to hide anything from her. Whether it was the royalties, Chen Junqian, or her own inexplicable little thoughts, even the gloves and scarves she knitted for Chen Junqian every Christmas were all taught to her by him.

"Ding--"

It can only be said that writers have very rich imaginations. Chen Junqian, who reached out to take the lunchbox that had been heated in the microwave, was unaware that in that short minute, Zhu Wenyun had already arranged most of their summer vacation travel plans. After taking it, he subconsciously greeted her:

"Okay, you can go back now."

"Ah."

The two of them came in simply to heat up their food in the microwave, without saying a word, but when Chen Junqian looked at Zhu Wenjun, he felt that the other person seemed lost and forlorn, as if he had just returned to reality from some fantasy. So, out of curiosity, he asked:

"What's wrong? You seem a little distracted."

"I was thinking about traveling with you. It just so happens that I'll be writing about this part in the new chapter, and I'd like to go during the summer vacation."

Starting around this year when she began contributing to "Fireworks," Zhu Wenyun developed a speaking habit that was remarkably similar to Xu Youwei's. These two girls, one using the pretext of "gathering material for a new book" and the other playing the role of "preparing for the end of the world," seem to have developed a path dependency on each other.

However, it is clear to the naked eye that Zhu Wenyun's path can be relied upon for a long time, while Xu Youwei's backup plan will only last until December 21st of this year, which is about half a year from now.

"Traveling... Has Wenyun decided where to go yet?"

The thought of Shen Nianqiu coming to see him this summer made Chen Junqian feel like he was about to become a time management master again, so he quickly wanted to find out the specific location and time so he could make arrangements and contingency plans in advance.

"I want to go to the lakeside on the grassland and watch the migratory birds fly back."

“Even if you didn’t sing it, I know these are lyrics, and they’re clearly written in your April article, Tan Weiwei’s ‘If There Is a Next Life,’ right?”

"Junqian remembers it so clearly."

Chen Junqian rolled his eyes at Zhu Wenyun's obvious question. After all, with a girl who would discuss the content and plot with him for ages every time an episode came out, it was hard for him not to remember her.

He also remembered that the next line of the lyrics was "When we all grow up, we'll have a baby."

"So, are you really planning to go to the grasslands, Wenyun?"

"The grassland is just an image; I haven't thought of anything specific yet. Maybe one day a destination will suddenly pop into my head."

Despite never having traveled outside of school's regular spring and autumn outings, and never having left the province in her entire life, Zhu Wenyun didn't have the same clear-cut idea as Lin Mu, like "I want to see the sea and play in the water."

Perhaps it's because I've been reading a lot of books and have started writing articles again, but words like ocean, starry sky, grassland, and mountains have transformed from concrete scenery into more abstract images.

However, having been reading and writing partners for so long, Chen Junqian easily understood Zhu Wenyun's meaning.

"So the question isn't where Yun wants to go, but rather what she wants to do there that she can't do at home."

"Yes, it is like that."

After having a rather awkward conversation with Zhu Wenyun, Chen Junqian led her back to where Xu Youwei and Lin Mu were, and the four of them reunited.

Chen Junqian didn't know what had happened in the short few minutes that he and Zhu Wenyun had been gone. As soon as he sat down, he felt that Xu Youwei's temperament had undergone some subtle change. She sat there chewing on some kind of gummy candy, and seemed to have calmed down a lot. She no longer had the indescribable sense of loss and anxiety she had felt in the car and during the first half of the hike that morning.

I just don't know if it's just an act.

After all, Chen Junqian also had a deep memory of Xu Youwei's feigned obedience. His grandparents in his hometown and even the little dog they raised had been won over by this trick and would wag their tails affectionately when they met her.

Since Zhu Wenyun had brought two pairs of chopsticks, Chen Junqian bought two pairs of disposable chopsticks for one yuan from a fast food stall next door. He then gave each person a pair and they began to eat.

Chen Junqian was quite familiar with this kind of food that was reheated in a microwave oven. In his previous life, after his parents died in an accident in 2012, the year he was destined to live, he was taken care of by his grandmother when he was in junior high school. At noon, his grandmother would prepare the food in her old home in the countryside and then deliver it to his new house in the city by tricycle.

The main reason is that there are still grandpa, vegetable fields, and chickens and pigs raised in the old house that need to be taken care of. Therefore, Chen Junqian's grandmother cannot stay in the new house indefinitely, and it is impossible for her to cook in both places. So, this is the only way.

However, since the timeline was altered after his rebirth, his mother will still take care of his meals after he enters junior high school in the second half of this year. After all, the chess and card room where the other party is located will not be too busy at noon, so she will have time to cook. Moreover, if it really doesn't work, Chen Junqian can also cook himself, but it may take away his afternoon nap time.

"Did you ask Yun to make them yourself? They all look pretty delicious."

After taking a few bites, Lin Mu first expressed high praise for Zhu Wenjun's cooking skills, and Xu Youwei then echoed with a couple of words:

"They are all delicious, and the braised pork is very fragrant."

"Mmm, it tastes even better than what we cook at our after-school care center, right, Qianqian?"

When Lin Mu asked him a question, Chen Junqian nodded and said yes, but at the same time, he unconsciously noticed a small detail about the other person.

Not long ago, when the two of them were eating braised pork at the daycare, little Mu Mu didn't seem to eat any of the fatty parts. But now, she can chew them whole without batting an eye, no longer deliberately biting off only the lean meat and throwing the fatty parts to him.

It can only be said that Lin Mu's personality is indeed like this. If Chen Junqian were to define it himself, the biggest difference between her and the childhood sweetheart characters he often sees in anime comedies would probably be that Mu Mu rarely shows any small gestures or subtle details when she is alone with him in front of others, whether unintentionally or deliberately.

She is actually the kind of person who cares a lot about what other people think, and this feeling becomes more and more obvious as she gets older.

If Shen Nianqiu is the kind of person who would rather hug than hold hands, hold hands than hold hands, and hold hands than let go, then Mu Mu is the complete opposite.

Of course, this only applies when there are many people around. When it's just the two of them alone, Mu Mu's behavior will seamlessly switch to the most intimate posture. However, the more this happens, the more you feel the contrast.

This is why, when Chen Junqian tried to recall the scene on April Fool's Day more than half a month ago, he could only remember Xu Youwei and Zhu Wenyun, who served as his left and right protectors. As usual, Mu Mu greeted him after school and then got into her mother's car to go home, without seeing what happened afterward.

Perhaps noticing Chen Junqian's gaze directed her way, Lin Mu subtly gestured towards him with her lips, as if to say she was alright. Then she buried her head in the braised pork in her bowl, as if she could eat the next piece of meat just because of the concerned look in her childhood sweetheart's eyes.

"Thank you. I'm glad it suits your tastes. After all, I only know the dietary restrictions of Junqian and me."

Well, as expected of the only girl recognized by the system as having a D-level speaking adaptability, just like last year on the way to Xuancheng for the essay competition, when she left three classmates speechless with just one sentence, Zhu Wenyun once again made a very subtle statement, causing Xu Youwei, who had been burying her head in her food, to subconsciously look up.

According to her logic, this was definitely showing off, and not just any kind of showing off; she had to respond with a heavy blow.

But Lin Mu simply nodded in agreement.

"After all, you and Qianqian often cook together, and Qianqian teamed up with me today specifically to take care of me. But I heard from Qianqian that Wenyun isn't feeling well today either? How are you feeling now?"

As she spoke, Lin Mu casually steered the conversation away from the topic and began whispering with Zhu Wenjun about topics that were truly girly. After all, there were some things that Chen Junqian knew but it was not appropriate to ask directly. Knowing was one thing, but problems that arose in practice were another.

Seeing Xu Youwei staring intently at the two of them, Chen Junqian also moved closer to her and gently nudged her elbow with his:

"Why are you dazed?"

"No, I was just thinking that my previous opinion of Mu Mu was a bit too absolute. In fact, she is much better than me in some aspects."

"...So how did you always see Mu Mu?"

Faced with Chen Junqian's teasing, Xu Youwei simply looked away, a little embarrassed to directly say something like, "You silly little thing, you can guess all my thoughts so easily." She took a bite of the shrimp in her mouth and mumbled a reply:

"That's all in the past. Don't you think Mu Mu is amazing?"

"Although what you said is still very unclear, I definitely agree with this statement."

As the only person involved who had met all the girls around Chen Junqian, this alone was enough to show how close the relationship between the two was. What Chen Junqian cared about even more was that, even so, Mu Mu's mental state remained quite stable.

If it were Xu, the student sitting next to him now, he would probably already be holding a grudge against Shen Nianqiu and Gu Linguo. After all, the latter had already shown such inclinations even before meeting them, which was completely unlike Mu Mu, who knew that he had met Shen Nianqiu for three days during the winter break, but then easily put the matter aside because of a promise made a year later.

After finishing their lunch and resting for a while, the group continued their afternoon climb.

Walking at the front, Chen Junqian, imitating the other boys passing by, unfolded his unzipped school uniform jacket against the wind and pulled it over his head. He then turned around and called out to the three girls behind him with a sense of ceremony:

"set off!"

The achievement of "[The Shura Field is in Progress]", which was always faintly glowing in his mind, finally calmed down after a long time. The biggest contributor, Mu Mu, was the first to catch up with him, but she was still saying, "Qianqian's action is so silly."

"But he's quite handsome."

Chapter 68: This is MuMu TV (Two-in-One)

As the afternoon progressed, the climb gradually transitioned from the initial laughter and chatter to silence. The group would only drink water, chat, and gaze at the scenery below and in the distance when they checked the signs to see how far they were from the summit during breaks.

Without a doubt, Lin Mu was the weakest of the four, so the group basically followed her pace. Not long after they set off in the afternoon, Chen Junqian had already taken her backpack and put it on his own.

He had originally wanted to find a suitable tree branch by the roadside to use as a walking stick for Mu Mu, but after looking around, he couldn't find a suitable one. Fortunately, it wasn't that hot in mid-April, and the sun wasn't too strong today, so the rate of energy loss wasn't too fast, and the risk of heatstroke would be greatly reduced.

Chen Junqian was in charge of carrying the backpack, while Xu Youwei was the one who stayed by Lin Mu's side to keep an eye on things. She was the one with the best physical strength and the strongest physique among the three girls, and she was quite proactive today. It was rare for her to show Chen Junqian that the two of them had a good relationship. No wonder the "battlefield in progress" in his mind had unusually quieted down.