Back at the internet café, chaos had erupted. Mrs. Feng yanked Doug by the ear like a battle-hardened general dragging home a defeated soldier.
Meanwhile, Howie glanced around just in time to see Lu Xiqing vanish like a rat slipping through the cracks. He cursed under his breath and stormed out.
That day, a legend was born at the Dazhong Net Café. The story spread like wildfire—two top-tier CS gods clashing in an epic battle that lasted for hours. People swore they saw keyboard sparks, and some even claimed the game server couldn't handle their intensity and crashed. Rumor had it the military showed up to recruit both players, mistaking them for hidden eSports prodigies too powerful for civilian servers.
But back in reality, Doug had a far more terrifying opponent to face—his mother.
The moment they got home, Mrs. Feng's expression was darker than the bottom of a burnt wok. Doug knew better than to argue. At this point, he was just looking for a hole deep enough to crawl into and never be found again.
"You! Doug Feng!" she yelled, waving a feather duster like it was a sword of justice. "There are only sixty days left until the college entrance exam. Sixty! And what are you doing? Playing video games in a net café! You trying to kill me?"
Before he could answer, the feather duster descended with rapid-fire slaps.
Whack! Whack! Whack!
Doug didn't dodge. He just stood there, arms down, head lowered. Red welts blossomed on his arms and sides, but he gritted his teeth and took it.
His mother was crying now as she beat him, her voice cracking. "Do you have any idea how hard your father and I work? We scrape and save just so you can go to school, and this is how you repay us? Look at Zhu Sis next door. She could've gone to a decent college, but she gave it up to go to free nursing school so her mother wouldn't have to bear the burden alone! And you? You won't even take your studies seriously!"
"I know I was wrong, Mom," Doug said quietly.
"Oh, you know you were wrong? How many times have I dragged you out of a net café now, huh? This isn't the first time, is it?"
She threw the feather duster aside, hands on her hips, still fuming. "Every time I go to your school for a parent-teacher meeting, I get seated in the back like some criminal. The teachers always single me out to talk about you. This time, I'm not going. Your dad can deal with the humiliation."
Doug hesitated. "But… isn't Dad scheduled to drive tomorrow?"
Right on cue, the front door creaked open. His father, Du Changsheng, stepped in, shrugging off his jacket. He immediately noticed the red marks on Doug's arms and the fire in his wife's eyes.
"What now?" he sighed. "You two fighting again?"
Mrs. Feng launched into the story, her voice loud enough to shake the walls. "Your precious son just finished an exam and went straight to the net café to play games like nothing matters!"
Mr. Du let out a tired chuckle. "Ah, that's it? He just finished an exam. Let him blow off some steam. You already gave him a beating and a lecture—what more do you want?"
Mrs. Feng rolled her eyes. "Fine! You want to be the good guy? Be my guest! You're going to the parent-teacher meeting on Monday. I hope you enjoy sitting in the last row for once."
She stormed off to the kitchen, muttering all the way. "Always me who has to look bad…"
Mr. Du patted the couch beside him. "Come sit, son."
Doug shuffled over, still sore from the feather-duster assault.
"Did you have fun?" his dad asked, smiling.
Doug blinked, confused. "Uh… what?"
"I'm not mad," his father said. "I used to play arcade games myself when I was your age. But here's the thing—if you're gonna play, you need to earn it. Real winners play hard and study harder. They don't make their parents worry every day."
Doug nodded seriously. "I get it, Dad. I really do. I won't let you sit in the last row again. I'll make you proud."
In his heart, Doug felt something shift. Every family, he realized, plays this balancing act—one parent strict, the other gentle. But both love their children deeply. In his past life, he'd taken that for granted, always pushing back, never understanding. But not this time.
This time, he would get it right.
Mr. Du beamed. "Good! I'll take the day off for the parent meeting. Let's show them what the Feng family is made of."
As they talked more, Doug realized how little he'd truly known about his dad. Du Changsheng had joined the army straight out of high school after failing to get into college. After leaving the military, he worked as a truck driver for Shunfa Logistics. The routes were mostly local and nearby cities, so he was home often. But the company wasn't doing well lately, and layoffs were looming.
Doug's chest tightened. His father carried so much on his shoulders—for him, for their whole family.
"Dad," he said solemnly, "I swear, I'll ace the college entrance exam. I won't let you down."
But that wasn't all.
Doug also remembered what was about to happen: tomorrow, his dad would be sent on a delivery route to Yangjian City, and something shady would go down—he'd be set up, framed, and nearly lose his job.
Doug couldn't let that happen again.
When dinner was ready, Doug served his parents without being told. As they sat down to eat, he casually said, "Hey Dad, your delivery tomorrow—it's to Yangjian City, right? What if I tag along? I could visit Aunt Zhao while I'm there."
Mrs. Feng didn't even look up. "No way! You're in senior year. You should be glued to your textbooks, not gallivanting around the province."
Doug scratched his head, forcing a sheepish smile. "Just thought I'd ask."
But in his heart, he was already making plans.
This time, he wouldn't just protect his future.
He'd protect his family's too.