Phew.
Doug Feng let out a long breath of relief as he collapsed back onto the couch. Thankfully, Ms. Fang didn't seem too upset. All things considered, things had gone smoother than he expected. He stared at the ceiling, a goofy grin spreading across his face.
"Man, ever since I got reborn, it's like I've got some kind of romantic magnet stuck to me."
The school belle Linda Feng, the hot nurse-next-door Sister Zhu, and now even his high school homeroom teacher, Ms. Qing Fang… Oh, and there was that gorgeous married woman he helped at the hotel too.
If this wasn't a rom-com system simulator, he didn't know what was.
The night was quiet, and within minutes, the sound of soft snoring floated from the couch. Doug had been through enough excitement for one day, and now he was out cold.
In the bedroom, however, Ms. Fang lay wide-eyed under her blanket. Try as she might, she just couldn't fall asleep. After tossing and turning a few more times, she quietly slipped out of bed and tiptoed into the living room.
There, she crouched beside the couch, hands resting under her chin, and just… stared at Doug.
"Thanks for tonight, Doug," she whispered, smiling softly at the sleeping boy before sneaking back into her room like a guilty teenager.
BANG BANG BANG!
A flurry of loud knocks shattered the early morning stillness, mixing with the rays of sunrise. Doug jolted awake and promptly rolled off the couch with a heavy thud.
"Ow—what the hell?"
He blinked rapidly, taking in his unfamiliar surroundings. The pink butterfly-print pajamas he was wearing didn't help.
"Wait… oh crap, I'm still at Ms. Fang's place!"
BANG BANG BANG!
The knocking continued. Doug's eyes widened in horror.
"Who the hell is banging on the door this early? Don't tell me someone's come to visit her! If they see me like this… I'm done for!"
Panicking, he bolted into the bathroom and changed back into his clothes at record speed. Then he rushed to Ms. Fang's bedroom and banged on her door.
"Ms. Fang! Wake up! Someone's at the door!"
Inside, Ms. Fang groggily rubbed her eyes, only to be met with Doug's face inches away. She shrieked and instinctively pulled the blanket up to her nose.
"Doug Feng! You scared me half to death!"
Doug waved off the scare. "Forget that—listen! Someone's knocking at your door!"
"What?" she gasped. "Someone's here? But who—oh no! It's my mom!"
She smacked her forehead and groaned. "I totally forgot—she took the early morning train from the city! She said she'd be arriving today!"
Doug's face went pale.
"Your mom? Are you serious?! If she sees me here, dressed like this, there's no way she'll believe nothing happened!"
RIIING! RIIING!
Ms. Fang's phone buzzed loudly on the nightstand. The caller ID read: Mom.
She picked it up, tried to keep her voice calm. "Hi, Mom…"
"Qingqing, are you home? I've been knocking for ages! Why aren't you answering?"
"S-Sorry, Mom! I just woke up. I'll be right there!"
She hung up quickly and turned to Doug, whispering fiercely, "Hide! Now!"
"Hide? Hide where?! This isn't my house—I don't know where anything is!"
"I don't care! Just vanish! If she sees you, I'm dead!"
Ms. Fang rushed to open the front door, and Doug dashed around like a headless chicken. Under the bed? Too small. In the sheets? Too obvious. Behind the curtains? His feet would stick out. Hang from the balcony? Was he crazy?
Finally, his eyes landed on the large wardrobe in her room. He opened it—clothes packed top to bottom.
"No time!"
He yanked out a bunch of dresses and coats, threw them onto the bed, and squeezed himself inside. The door clicked shut just as Ms. Fang greeted her mother.
"Mom! You made it!"
Her mother, a no-nonsense woman in her fifties, placed her large bag down and immediately noticed her daughter's tired face.
"Qingqing, look at those dark circles! Don't tell me you were up late correcting papers again."
Ms. Fang chuckled awkwardly. "You know, graduation class. It's busy."
Her mother shook her head, gently brushing a hand over her daughter's hair. "You work too hard. It's a good thing I came. I'll stay a few days, help clean, cook for you. You need to eat better."
"Oh, Mom, I'm fine—really. You've got work too, right? Don't take too much time off."
At that, her mother's smile vanished. "Don't even mention it. The factory hasn't paid us in three months! The director took off with all the money. Labor bureau, court visits… It's a mess."
"Oh no…"
"Anyway, enough about that. Let me help clean your place up a bit. Honestly, this apartment's a mess—what kind of man would marry a girl who lives like this?"
Saying that, she headed straight for the bedroom.
"Wait! Mom, no! I've got it! I'll clean! You rest!"
But her mother was already at the door.
Inside the wardrobe, Doug held his breath. One wrong move, and it was over.
He never thought playing hide-and-seek with a teacher's mom would be part of his rebirth storyline.