Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The arguments between children and parents over games had probably existed in China for about 40 years.
Starting in the 1980s, lots of game halls sprung up across cities, followed by Internet cafes, personal computers, and the rise of broadband. Today, one could play games in the comfort of one’s home. Currently, mobile games seemed to be slowly replacing computer games. However, the argument over games continued despite the changes in devices.
Zhang Zian himself was also part of this wave of change. He had frequented Internet cafes. He’d used to play online games with college classmates. He had also been attracted to single-player turn-based games on his personal computer. This was only until he had to enter society and work, and he did not have time for games. His phone was the only thing he could use to play a game—a game that had truly changed his life.
Even this father, who seemed very bitter about games, might have been a bad kid when he was younger and frequently hung out at game halls then. Now, however, he was trying to stop his own son from playing too many games. There was somewhat of a continuation of history. When he was younger, perhaps his own dad had gone to the game hall, pulled his ear, and said something similar. Deja vu.
How did that expression go? Oh yes. “When I grow up, I will be like you.”
This was not a matter for Zhang Zian to bother himself with. Regardless of all the imaginative stories he cooked up in his head, he was merely a bystander watching them argue. However, perhaps of how tan his trip to Egypt made him, he’d been caught in the gunfire.
“Playing games all day and not caring about learning, what can you do when you grow up? You can’t work for a big company or be a civil servant. You will end up like your dad, having to work for a boss. Even on the weekends, you will have to work overtime. You will get so damn tired! Or…you might be like this shop, having to live day-to-day and having no future! Is this what you want? Do this and don’t even bother thinking about finding a wife!”
The man could try to educate his own child, but to use Zhang Zian as a negative example… That was rather uncalled for.
Zhang Zian found the situation rather stifling. Despite being in his own home, he was still being attacked.
Yet what the man had said was not too wrong. The instability of his shop was known only by Zhang Zian himself. No matter how glamorous the shop was on the surface, it could be easily ripped apart if unexpected things happened. While parents did not expect their children to be rich, they must at least have enough food and clothing. They also wished for them to have peace of mind, work in a large company, and become a civil servant. These actions would ensure their future.
The fat boy glanced at him and suddenly showed him a disdainful look. Looking away, he said, “I won’t open a roadside shop! You don’t know, but I play my game really well. All my friends are rushing to be on my team so that we can win! I will be a professional esports player in the future and take the world championship. I will retire as a game anchor and earn millions in a month! I will never be single again. All the pretty girls will flock to me!”
Horrible! Father and son were too alike!
Zhang Zian wanted to cry, but no tears flowed out.
“Girls! Why are you thinking about girls at your age?” The man poked the boy’s head with his finger, but his tone was full of joy. Perhaps he thought his son was very ambitious. “But I don’t want you to play with your phone anymore today. Boys should run outside and play, not stay alone at home playing games!”
The boy’s jaw dropped, but he muttered, “What is the use of running outside? I can’t even practice my finger speed…”
The man got into a boxing stance. He was merely trying to scare him. “What’s the use? Do the assignment that your teacher has assigned you! Stop delaying and procrastinating. Let me tell you, young man, I can’t help you write, and don’t you dare ask your mother. It’s useless! Write it yourself!”
The man’s mind had been made up. No matter what kind of tantrum the boy threw, he would not give him the phone back. He kept it in his pocket. Just then, the bus came. The man hurriedly got on the bus and stared at the boy from the window.
The fat boy was bitter and kept on sighing. The meat on his tummy heaved up and down.
However, Zhang Zian was happy to witness his downfall—well deserved! Who had asked them to diss him? He hoped that the observation work assigned by the teacher was as difficult as possible. Hopefully, it asked him to observe the moon for 30 days and draw it or count 100,000,000 grains of rice!
Jiang Feifei ran out of the aquarium to ask him what the strange fish was and its habits. It was necessary so that she could make a sticker and stick it on the tank. This way, customers could have their questions answered.
Zhang Zian followed her into the aquarium and introduced her to the long-legged lungfish. In the meantime, he took the opportunity to see how his baby corals were breeding.
The air conditioner could be turned off in the pet shop, but not in an aquarium. After all, there were Sea Angels, Antarctic Sea Anemones, and Sea Butterflies that could only survive at low temperatures. They needed the air conditioner more so during summer. If he turned it off, they would certainly die.
When renovating the room, he’d deliberately enhanced the thermal insulation of the walls and roof to keep the indoor temperature constant.
After telling Jiang Feifei about the necessary things, he walked out of the aquarium, planning to head back to the pet shop to help clean up.
At this time, he saw that the little punk had yet to leave. He had merely shifted to a new place and was now standing at the door of a neighboring closed shop. He stared inside, looking very serious. While watching, he whispered under his breath.
What was he looking at? Was there money on the glass or a treasure map?
Zhang Zian was curious. He hesitated. He looked around his store but found that the staff had mostly completed the cleaning and seemed not to need his help. Rightly so—after all, they’d had to handle everything while he was in Egypt.
So he pretended to pass by, walked over to the boy, and said, “This shop closed a few days ago. The owner returned to his hometown for a wedding. He won’t be coming here to open the shop, so don’t wait.”
The fat boy was staring hard and didn’t see Zhang Zian approaching. He was startled, but after seeing who it was, he stared at Zhang Zian with a look that said, “Oh, it’s you, that lousy prick.” A rather disdainful look. He snorted and said, “I know! I don’t need your reminder! The big word ‘transfer’ is written here. You think I am blind?”
Through eavesdropping on the conversation between father and son, Zhang Zian already understood what kind of character the boy had and resisted the urge to smack him. He asked instead, “What are you looking at?”
“What has this got to do with you?” The boy eyed him with suspicion.
“Don’t say that. It’s not something worthwhile to keep to yourself anyway.” Zhang Zian laughed.
The fat boy frowned, raised his head, and said, “If you want to see it, just look at it. Look until you cannot look away.”
Zhang Zian followed the boy’s gaze and looked inside. It was a fat caterpillar.
