Translator: StormFrost

Editor: Misogi

Illusory Reality [2]

Chen Liguo got up early and with a bright face the next day.

Mother was surprised that her son changed so suddenly and became so diligent. She commented, "Oh, the sun has risen from the west. My family’s Guo-er can actually wake up without me calling you."

Chen Liguo had finished washing his face and rinsing his mouth and was in the middle of eating a steaming meal that was set on the table. He drank a glass of milk and said, "I decided to study hard!"

Hearing this, his parents started laughing. Father said, "Okay, this is what you’ve said."

After living through so many worlds Chen Liguo basically forgot all about high school’s curriculum. Moreover, his family’s fiercely integral system who never submitted to force asserted that it would not help him cheat. It remained unmoved no matter what Chen Liguo said. The system couldn’t be relied on, so Chen Liguo could do nothing but depend on himself.

Even yesterday when he did his homework he had a stupefied expression. Even so he still barely managed to halfheartedly finish it. When he went to school early and handed it over to the class representative she looked like she had seen a ghost.

"You didn’t take the wrong medicine did you?" The class representative who came to collect homework yesterday exclaimed, "Chen Liguo, you actually did homework on your own initiative?!"

Chen Liguo said, "I’ve decided to study properly."

The class representative, "Then I’ll decide to take the Tsinghua University exam."

Chen Liguo: "......"

As the two spoke someone greeted Chen Liguo from the door and asked if he would go ice-skating after school.

Chen Liguo thought about it then refused. There were some other things he wanted to do after school today.

Everyone noticed Chen Liguo’s change but most of them took it as a whim——What student didn’t say that they wanted to study properly after having poor performance records?

At noon Chen Liguo followed a crowd of people to eat lunch.

When they found good seats in the cafeteria someone laughed, "Chen Liguo, you’re eating with us today too?"

Chen Liguo answered, "Yeah."

That person said, "Okay, I’ll save a seat for you all, and you all get me a share."

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The cafeteria was divided between large communal pots and small stir-fries. Generally, students would eat from the common pot but those with slightly better financial conditions would get the better tasting stir-fry.

As Chen Liguo stood in line his gaze would fall on the cafeteria window from time to time.

His classmate laughed when he saw his appearance, "I see you really are hungry. This anxious appearance really is infectiously painful. Come give this brother a good sniff."

Chen Liguo said, "So annoying la brother. Flirting with this one so, this one is nervous."

His classmate laughed nefariously, "It’s unavoidable to be nervous the first time."

Everyone laughed.

Chen Liguo had only eaten at school in rare cases and would simply buy some steamed buns and so on to make do. It was fine as long as he wasn’t hungry. He would only have one full meal once a week in his three years in high school and would only go when there were the least people. By then only the most untasty dishes would be left and the uncle at the cafeteria would give him a big generous scoop. The school had provided a grant at that time but it was all in his student card and Chen Liguo always saved it up because he depended on that money for his daily necessities. Sometimes he would help his classmates buy some things at the supermarket for some money......

When Chen Liguo’s turn arrived Chen Liguo said to the system, "My biggest dream is to eat two of the school’s meat flatbreads!"

The system asked, "Tastes very good?"

Chen Liguo said, "Tastes incredible. I ate it once but unfortunately it was no longer for sale when I came back to school later."

The system said, "Eat then. Eat more. After eating till you vomit you won’t want it any more."

Chen Liguo laughed ’heihei’. He ordered the dishes and left with his tray.

When everyone finished ordering they headed to their seats and happened to meet Zhou Yi with their classmates.

"Zhou Yi, sit here." Someone called.

Zhou Yi laughed, "There’s no more seats. There’s five people on this side."

His gaze swept through the crowd then finally stopped on Chen Liguo.

Before Chen Liguo could react he saw Zhou Yi come over with his bowl.

"I got a bit too much. Here’s two for you." As Zhou Yi said this he put a drumstick and two brine eggs into Chen Liguo’s bowl.

Everyone around them roared with laughter, saying, "Zhou Yi, in the end you Xiao Guo-er."

Zhou Yi laughed too, revealing that beautiful dimple. He said, "Your family’s Xiao Guo’er is just so cute, I love you all too."

Chen Liguo stared at the drumstick and brine eggs in his bowl, smiling like a flower.

Someone joked, "Guo-er, don’t you have two brine eggs? Share some with me aye?"

Chen Liguo said, "The rest can be given to you but not these two." After saying this he stuffed both the brine eggs into his mouth in a single breath.

Zhou Yi watched from the side then opened his mouth and said, "Slow down, don’t choke. Who did you learn to joke from!"

Chen Liguo’s soul was almost choked out by two brine eggs. He couldn’t manage to say a single word.

Zhou Yi was helpless. He hurried to pat Chen Liguo’s back and fed him some soup.

Chen Liguo’s tears swam in his eyes as he looked at Zhou Yi. His gaze like that of a pitiful puppy.

Zhou Yi laughed and said, "Who told you to eat two at once."

Chen Liguo said, somewhat unclearly, "I was afraid that they’d rob me."

Zhou Yi said, "If they rob you then I’ll go and buy some more for you eh."

Chen Liguo said, "How is that the same?"

Chen Liguo finally managed to swallow them down. There was a red rim around his eyes and tears hung in them.

Someone joked, "You’re moved to tears after eating two brine eggs. Will you pledge to marry him after eating the drumstick?"

Chen Liguo said, "It’s just marrying. To be able to eat drumsticks every day, to not marry would be foolish."

After their lively lunch everyone prepared to go back to their classroom to take a rest when they suddenly saw a girl run up to Zhou Yi’s side and whisper something to him.

They were sixteen and seventeen and were at the age of youth. When the others saw this scene they immediately began to wink and make signs to one another.

However, Chen Liguo’s heart felt like it was being dug into by something.

He recognized this girl. She was Zhou Yi’s girlfriend before. The two of them were together from their second year to their third year. Afterwards, they went to different universities, so they separated.

Chen Liguo hadn’t been familiar with Zhou Yi at that time and they were only connected by the most common classmate relationship. Chen Liguo also knew that it was impossible for them to be together. Even if Zhou Yi liked men and wanted to find a boyfriend he wouldn’t find someone like him. What’s more, Zhou Yi is straight......

Chen Liguo watched Zhou Yi and the girl leave and complained to the system. "I shouldn’t have accepted his meat flatbread at the beginning, otherwise I wouldn’t have fallen in love with him."

The system commented, "Someone bought you over with just a piece of meat flatbread?"

Chen Liguo said, "Damn it, he looks good too ah. You don’t know, when he gave me the flatbread that day I thought he was glowing. If it was you, maybe I would have staunchly refused!"

System: "Son, don’t forget that I’m your father."

Chen Liguo: "......"

Chen Liguo returned to the classroom and slumped onto his desk, wanting to sleep. However, he didn’t expect that Zhou Yi who had left with the girl actually came back. He walked over to Chen Liguo, pinched his face and said, "Wake up."

Chen Liguo was scared by Zhou Yi’s intimate action. Zhou Yi’s upbringing was very good, so he normally didn’t use this kind of overly intimate action when getting along with others. Zhou Yi had never pinched his face before even when they lived together in university.

Chen Liguo’s face turned a little red. He muttered, "What are you doing?"

Zhou Yi said, "I have something for you."

Chen Liguo asked, "What stuff?"

Zhou Yi didn’t say what it was and directly handed a pink envelope to him.

Chen Liguo turned stupid when he saw it. The envelope carried a fragrant scent, it was evidently a love letter. Just what did Zhou Yi mean by giving this to him? Did he want him to pass it on to someone?

Seeing Chen Liguo’s ignorant appearance Zhou Yi sighed and said, "You really are still a kid. It’s for you."

Chen Liguo thought, ’I’m dreaming right? How could I get a love letter?’——But he quickly woke up. He wasn’t that orphan Chen Liguo anymore.

He had a mother and father that loved him. He didn’t need to wear old clothes that didn’t fit him, didn’t need to rush to work after school, and didn’t have to eat 3 yuan meat flatbreads.

So Zhou Yi watched as the ignorance in Chen Liguo’s eyes turned into twinkling stars. He heard this little child say, "I have love letters too, and someone to send them to me!"

Somehow, Zhou Yi suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

Chen Liguo opened the love letter with a big smile. He smelled the lingering fragrance on the love letter and then carefully read it over word by word before he carefully folded it up again.

Zhou Yi watched on from the side and asked, "You like her back?"

Chen Liguo said, "Nah." In fact, he didn’t even remember what this schoolgirl looked like.

Zhou Yi asked, "Then what are you so careful for?"

Chen Liguo glared at him and said, "Girls are meant to be loved. Of course I’ve got to be careful." Chen Liguo always felt that if he were not gay then he would prefer to have a baby girl. He could buy nice dresses for her and love her as though she were a princess. It was a pity that he would never have this opportunity in life.

Zhou Yi helplessly said, "You!"

Chen Liguo said, "I’ll reply to her tomorrow!"

Zhou Yi said, "Okay..... Whatever you want."

Seeing that lunch break was over Zhou Yi planned on returning to his classroom. Before he left he asked, "Did Liu Hui ask you to go skating together after school?"

Chen Liguo said, "I have something to do after school. Not today."

Zhou Yi asked, "What stuff?"

Chen Liguo said, "Private matters, private matters."

Zhou Yi said, "You aren’t going on a date behind my back are you wife?"

This ’wife’ was a joke everyone used. In fact, quite a few people in the basketball team called Chen Liguo ’wife’. Who told him to be the cutest one?

Chen Liguo said, "Hubbie, your sesame seed cake is about to get scorched, quickly go and check it."

Zhou Yi heckled back a few words then left.

Chen Liguo was lively and full of enthusiasm during class today which scared his deskmate so much he asked him if he was feeling unwell.

Chen Liguo declared, "I’ve decided to study properly!"

Deskmate: "My god! Chen Liguo’s brain is broken! Everyone come and see him!"

Chen Liguo: "Whoever doesn’t let me study from now on will be my nemesis."

Deskmate: "...... You’re really not sick, are you?"

Chen Liguo wasn’t sick. He was very well. Chen Liguo felt as though he was full of energy.

As soon as the bell rang after class Chen Liguo burst out of the room at the ’biuu’ sound, making Zhou Yi who had come to block him fail to catch him.

Zhou Yi asked, "Does anyone know where Chen Liguo is going?"

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Chen Liguo’s deskmate opened his mouth and said, "He went to see his mistress."

Zhou Yi asked, "Mistress?"

The deskmate said, "That’s right, mistress, he said it himself."

Zhou Yi furrowed his brows and said, "Oh." He turned and left as well.

Chen Liguo didn’t yet know that he had been blackened by his deskmate. He rushed out the school gate and into the bus like the wind.

Everyone was finishing work at this time and people were packed up together like sardines.

After he managed to get off at his stop with difficulty, Chen Liguo hurried away.

The place he arrived at was a low-class slum and the buildings were completely different from the main city’s. Chen Liguo made seven turns and eight rotations based off his memory and arrived at a shabby low story building.

Chen Liguo stood at the stairway and pointed at the second level. "I used to live there!"

The system asked, "Alone?"

Chen Liguo said, "That’s right, don’t look at how rundown it is, the people here are really good. The old granny next-door helped me a great deal."

He walked up the stairs as he spoke.

Chen Liguo said, "They all felt that I was pitiful but life wasn’t so bad actually." He managed to make it.

However, when Chen Liguo arrived on the second floor and knocked on the door he found that there was no one inside. He peered through the window and mumbled, "No one?"

The system said, "I suppose it’s because this building is going to be demolished."

Chen Liguo asked, "Hm? Why that?"

The system said, "There was a notice at the stairwell."

Chen Liguo was stunned. After he observed carefully he found that it really didn’t seem like people lived here. There weren’t any clothes hanging out to dry and the doors and windows were covered with dust.

Chen Liguo asked, "T-then what about that granny?"

The system said, "There will be differences between this world and your world. Her destiny may be different as well. Perhaps she doesn’t live here like she did in your world or perhaps her family is harmonious with children and grandchildren."

Chen Liguo said, "Oh, so it’s like this ah. Then I can be relieved." His tone was a bit lost at the end.

The system sighed and said, "There are so many good things in this world, you don’t like them?"

Chen Liguo helplessly said, "It’s too good here. I always feel like I’m dreaming."

The system said, "It’s not a dream."

Chen Liguo pat off the dust on his hands and said, "Alright, the days of being able to eat meat flatbreads are pretty nice."

Chen Liguo got on the bus again and went home. As a result, he heard his parents arguing when he came through the door.

It might be called arguing but it might as well be called two people sprinkling dog food.

His mom said, "It’s all your fault. You just had to insist that I look good in dresses, where does it look good! They all said that it was too showy."

His dad said, "Honey you look good in everything. I really wasn’t lying."

His mother said, "You just know how to say these kinds of things. I want you to take a serious look——"

His dad said, "Oh, dear! I swear, you’re the most beautiful no matter what you wear!"

The two saw that Chen Liguo came back and pulled him in to be the judge.

Chen Liguo found it a little funny and followed his dad to say, "Mom, you really look good no matter what you wear."

"You father and son pair!" His mother angrily said, "Only know how to say flattering words with no value."

The father and son pair glanced at each other and smiled.

His mother had already finished making dinner and the table was full of all kinds of dishes that Chen Liguo liked to eat. It seemed that the Chen Liguo’s of the two worlds weren’t much different.

After eating dinner Chen Liguo went to bathe and burn incense before preparing to write the reply to that pink love letter.

He unfolded the letter, took out his pen, then seriously wrote the intro of his letter: Hello Classmate Hu Ziyan.

Chen Liguo said, "So nervous ah, how can I refuse her in a way that makes it seem like I get love letters often?"

The system said, "Just reply one sentence, you love studying, studying is your joy."

Chen Liguo was silent for two seconds then profoundly nodded. He said, "Makes sense."

Then he elaborated on the importance of studying in two thousand characters and expressed his love for studying.

As a result, not long after the letter was sent out Chen Liguo was told off by Zhou Yi for a while.

Zhou Yi said, "What did you write in your letter to her? Why did she cry after reading it?"

Chen Liguo had a confused face and said, "I just rejected her ah."

Zhou Yi asked, "If it’s just that then why did she cry so sadly?"

As the two spoke, the representative of the class passed the last quiz to Chen Liguo. She said, "Chen Liguo, 32 points, tsktsktsk."

Chen Liguo: "......" This is a familiar score.

Zhou Yi picked up the paper and questioned, "How did you get 32 out of a 150 quiz?"

Chen Liguo said, "If you dream it, you can do it."

Zhou Yi: "......"

Chen Liguo’s letter was sent out but he had overlooked a serious issue. He used his love for studying to reject another family’s girl but perhaps he had elaborated a little too much......

The system said, "That’s right, it’s pretty bogus."

Chen Liguo said, "Wasn’t it your ghost idea!" He was a little sad, thinking that his first love letter actually ended in such a bad way.

The system said, "But you can prove to her that you’re not lying with your future grades!"

Chen Liguo said, "This makes sense!"

The system cheered, "You can do it, you’re the best!"

Chen Liguo asked, "So you really don’t plan on helping me cheat on exams anymore?"

System: "......"

Chen Liguo said, "If not then I’ll lodge a complaint to your headquarters!"

The system said, "...... Are you really happy stealing gains by using illegal means?"

Chen Liguo said, "I’m so damn happy I’m going to die in hell."

System: "......"

There was a long silence between the two. Finally, the system let out a long sigh and said, "The sorrows of the education system ah......"

Chen Liguo: "Xixixi."

Chen Liguo finished concluding a dirty deal with the system but still had to deal with Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi asked him where he went yesterday and Chen Liguo answered that he casually went around.

There was a bit of a profound look in Zhou Yi’s eyes. He asked, "Went around? Went around where?"

Chen Liguo said, "Nowhere...... Just went around randomly. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Zhou Yi said, "It’s nothing, I’m just asking casually."

Chen Liguo felt that Zhou Yi’s expression was strange but he didn’t continue asking.

Zhou Yi said, "There’s stuff happening after school today, don’t forget."

Chen Liguo said ’alright, alright.’ In fact he admired people like Zhou Yi. He managed to juggle both his grades and extracurricular activities. He didn’t know how he had that much energy.

It was a bit late when they finished playing basketball today. Chen Liguo’s bus was already no longer running, so after saying goodbye to everyone he went to the road behind the school, intending on taking the taxi home.

When Zhou Yi left he told Chen Liguo to pay attention to safety.

Chen Liguo didn’t take his warning seriously. He used to work until midnight before and would take illegal taxis to save on fares. Nothing ever happened.

So when Chen Liguo was blindfolded and dragged into a car his entire person was dumbfounded. He felt that there was more than one person tying him up. Someone held down his hands and feet and another covered his mouth.

Chen Liguo whimpered and struggled but his strength was nothing more than an ant trying to shake a tree.

The drug held against Chen Liguo’s mouth began to work and he became dizzy and couldn’t even discuss what was going on with the system before falling unconscious.

Chen Liguo had no impression of anything that happened afterwards. In any case, when he regained consciousness he was back home already.

His mother was saying, "You finally woke up. How did you fall asleep at the door? Did you not bring your keys?"

Chen Liguo’s face was muddled. He asked, "I, I fell asleep at the door?"

"That’s right." Mother said. "Didn’t I tell you that your father and I are going out for dinner tonight. He came back at 11 and saw you sleeping at the entrance."

Chen Liguo said, "Ah...... so it was like this."

Mother asked, "Are you alright? How come your complexion is so bad?" She touched Chen Liguo’s forehead and said, "No fever."

Chen Liguo forced a smile and said, "I, I’ll go take a bath."

Mother looked at Chen Liguo doubtfully.

Chen Liguo rushed into the washroom, and checked his body. He found no traces of anything on his body. He asked, "System, what did those people do to me?"

The system was silent for a moment then said, "They tied you up and brought you to a place."

Chen Liguo’s voice trembled as he asked, "And then?"

The system said, "Then they sent you back......"

Chen Liguo exclaimed, "Ah?! Just that?"

The system said, "That’s right, just that——Is that disappointment in your tone?"

Chen Liguo said, "This one isn’t such a person hmph. Just what on earth is going on?"

The system didn’t make a sound. It didn’t tell Chen Liguo that when he was tied up someone had kissed him. However, considering that this kiss was too small of a matter it didn’t tell Chen Liguo to avoid causing stress for him.

Chen Liguo said, "I thought that my integrity was going to be lost." He checked himself over again and was relieved to find that there were no problems.

The system was as quiet as a chicken the entire time. It wasn’t until Chen Liguo came out of the shower that it finally said something. "Don’t walk in those alleyways in the future and pay attention to safety."

Chen Liguo nodded and agreed.

The Author has Something to Say:

Slightly abusive, just like it’s slighhttly spicy з」∠)_

Thank you darlings for the mines, grenades, and rockets.

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