Doug Changsheng let out a long sigh as he parked the motorbike in front of their home. The engine cut off with a cough, and the quiet of the neighborhood settled around them like a blanket.
"Unbelievable," he muttered, shaking his head. "I still can't wrap my head around it. Stealing cargo worth over ten million yuan? Those two really had guts."
Doug Feng, sitting behind him with his arms still loosely wrapped around his father's waist, chuckled.
"Serves them right," he said, hopping off the bike. "Yesterday, that old fool Liu Shunfa refused to report them to the police, wanted to 'keep the peace' or whatever. Now the snake he raised bit him in the neck. Karma works fast, huh?"
Doug Changsheng didn't reply, but the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed a hint of agreement.
With the sun dipping behind the rooftops, they stepped into the house. The warmth of home hit them instantly—savory aromas curling out from the kitchen, the clink of dishes, and Doug Feng's mother, Zhao Guizhen, humming as she set the table.
"You're back just in time," she called without looking. "Dinner's ready."
Doug Changsheng shut the door behind them and sighed. "We've had a hell of a day."
Doug Feng plopped down into his usual seat and flashed his mother a grin. "Dad's worried he'll lose his job if the logistics company collapses."
"Oh?" Zhao Guizhen poked her head out from the kitchen. "Lose your job? What's this now?"
Doug Changsheng explained the whole situation, albeit briefly, from the attempted frame-up to the million-dollar cargo theft. Zhao Guizhen listened, mouth slightly open, her hand paused mid-motion over the rice cooker.
"Thank the heavens Feng was there," she breathed at last, sitting down. "If he hadn't caught on, they might've pinned the whole thing on you. We'd be ruined!"
Turning to her son, she beamed. "You rascal, you actually did something right for once. Tonight, your mom's going to reward you!"
Doug Feng raised his brows in mock surprise. "Wow, the sun must be rising in the west! What's my prize?"
Zhao Guizhen gave him a sly look. "Your prize is… I won't ground you even if you fail your next exam."
"Come on, Mom! What kind of reward is that? You think your son's aiming for last place?"
"You're not exactly top material," she teased, scooping more meat into his bowl. "Just study hard and make me proud. Here, eat more."
Doug Feng grinned. Everything felt warm, almost normal again—until Zhao Guizhen casually dropped a bombshell.
"Oh, by the way," she added as she poured herself a bowl of soup. "You two probably haven't heard… Zhu's getting engaged next weekend."
The chopsticks in Doug Feng's hand froze mid-air. "Wait—what?! Zhu sister is getting engaged? To who?"
Zhao Guizhen looked amused. "That Yang boy, of course. You met him in the hospital, remember? Bit clumsy, but his family's doing well. Apparently, they've already set the date."
Doug Feng's heart dropped into his stomach like a rock. Zhu… getting married? Already?
"But… but didn't they just start dating?" Doug Changsheng asked, equally stunned.
Zhao Guizhen sighed. "It's all because of Lifen's health. Her heart's not doing well. They need to put in a stent soon, and you know how expensive those are—at least twenty or thirty grand. Their family's barely scraping by. So, Zhu talked to Yang Weicheng and convinced him to get engaged early. His family offered fifty thousand as a betrothal gift, and with their own savings, it should be enough for the surgery."
"She's doing this… just to save her mom?" Doug Feng mumbled.
Zhao Guizhen nodded. "She's a good girl. Smart, thoughtful. She's trying to shoulder everything herself."
"But marriage is for life!" Doug Changsheng protested. "You don't just… rush into it! They've known each other what, two weeks?"
"Exactly!" Doug Feng added, practically leaping from his seat. "What if this Yang guy's not who he seems to be? What if he's one of those men who changes after marriage—gambling, drinking, cheating? Isn't she throwing her life away?"
Zhao Guizhen rolled her eyes. "You two—always so dramatic. A woman marries for stability. Yang's family is decent, and he seems kind enough. It's not the worst match."
"Kind enough?" Doug Feng repeated. "That's not good enough for Zhu sister!"
"I knew it," Zhao Guizhen said with a knowing smirk. "You just don't want to see a pretty girl like Zhu getting married. Admit it—you're jealous!"
Doug Feng turned red. "That's not it! I just… I just don't want her to regret it, that's all."
The dinner table fell quiet for a moment.
"I'm full," Doug Feng said abruptly, pushing back his chair.
"Where are you going?" his mom called after him. "You've got school tomorrow!"
But he was already slipping on his shoes and heading for the door.
He couldn't just sit still. Not now. Not when Zhu sister—the girl who always teased him, always looked after him like an older sister—was walking straight into what might be a terrible decision.
He needed to talk to her. He had to know how she really felt.
He stormed across the narrow alleyway that separated their homes and pounded on the old wooden door.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
A moment later, a familiar voice floated from inside. "Who is it? Why are you knocking like the police? It's late!"
Doug Feng stood outside, fists clenched, heart pounding—not from the sprint over, but from something else entirely.