Society is a stage. Life is a grand performance. Everyone has a role to play.But me? I don't just play one role—because I'm a con artist.
Being a con artist isn't just an identity. It's a profession.
Some say that con artists are just actors in disguise.Actors perform on stage and earn money in the spotlight.Con artists perform offstage and make money in the shadows.
If an actor plays their part well, the audience buys into it.If a con artist plays their part well, strangers fall for the trick.
And the reason I ended up on this path?All because of my unbelievably young and completely unreliable "dad"...
It all started when I was fourteen.
My name is Ma Shangfei, and I was raised by my mother. She never let me call her "Mom." Instead, she insisted I call her "Sis." Because of that, I was mocked relentlessly by my classmates. They made fun of my name, and laughed at me for being a kid with "no mom or dad."
After school, whenever I felt wronged or bullied, I'd rush home, bury myself in my mother's arms, inhale her familiar scent, and cry in silence.
She always told me, "You're not a child without parents. I'm your mother. And your father's name is Ma Haijun. He's just gone on a long journey. One day, he'll come back to find us. He's the one who gave you your name."
Whenever she said that, her eyes would well up with tears.
Maybe it was the man in me, even back then, but whenever she cried, I'd stop crying myself and start comforting her instead. And every time, she would end up smiling through her tears.
I'd often ask where exactly my father had gone, and what kind of man he was. But she always dodged the question with a smile and never gave me an answer.
Over time, I started noticing a pattern.On TV, when someone's family member had died, the adults would comfort the kids by saying, "They've just gone far away. One day, they'll come back."
That's when it finally dawned on me.No wonder Mom always cried when she talked about Dad—He was already dead.
The summer I graduated from middle school, while I was still fantasizing about which high school I might attend, my mother fell ill. The diagnosis: uterine cancer. Terminal stage.
Within just two weeks, all of our savings had gone toward her treatment.I stayed by her hospital bed every day, terrified and overwhelmed. Then, just when I was at my most desperate, a man appeared out of nowhere.
He was good-looking—almost too good-looking.Wearing casual clothes and a plaid shirt, his hair styled fashionably, he looked like someone with money and style.
On his very first day at the hospital, he paid off 50,000 yuan in overdue medical fees and instructed the doctors to give my mother the best possible treatment.
When my mother saw him, a faint smile appeared on her pale face. In a weak voice, she said to me:
"This is the person I've always wanted you to meet—your father, Ma Haijun."
I wanted to call him "Dad," but the word just wouldn't come out. He looked way too young—honestly, he seemed younger than the chubby kid in my middle school class.
After hesitating for what felt like forever, I finally said:
"Uh... Little Dad?"
He burst out laughing when he heard that. Grabbing my shoulders, he gave me a good look-over, then laughed even harder:
"Not bad, not bad! Just like your old man when he was young—handsome as hell!"
From then on, "Little Dad" stayed by my mother's side. Even though we had enough money now, cancer is still the fiercest enemy of mankind. In the end, my mother closed her eyes forever and left me behind.
Before she passed, she held Little Dad's hand and, with a trembling voice, said:
"If you ever loved me, then put all that love… into our son."
That day, I cried harder than I ever had before. I cried until I passed out in the hospital. Even in my dreams, I was crying.
After the funeral, Little Dad took me from our county town to the city.As soon as we got off the train, he dropped me off at a place I didn't recognize—some kind of art school.
Standing in front of the gate, staring up at the big characters for "Art Academy," I was completely confused.
"Little Dad, what is this place? I'm supposed to go to high school, to study real subjects—not art."
"School is school. As long as you're learning something, what's the difference?" he said casually, pulling a small box from his pocket and handing it to me. "I already paid your tuition. Here's your phone. My number's in it. Just get by however you can. I'll come pick you up tonight. Oh, and when we're out in public, call me Brother Jun."
I was completely unhappy about this school.But the moment I saw the phone, my eyes lit up.I'd never had my own phone before!
Excitedly, I agreed and dashed into the school, holding my new phone like a treasure.
This art school was full of extremes.Some students came from wealthy families and weren't good at academics, so they were just here to pick up a diploma.Others were genuinely passionate about the arts, had passed rigorous exams, and were chasing their dreams of becoming actors.
As I walked through the campus, all I could see were gorgeous girls—tall, curvy, and barely dressed.Some of them were practically showing half their butts.
From the school gate to the admin building, I walked with a red face and a heart pounding like crazy.
After registration, I realized something shocking:I hadn't been enrolled as a first-year student.I had been transferred directly into the fourth year.
That meant I was starting school today… and graduating next year.
With a blank look still frozen on my face, I couldn't help but feel—This youthful dad of mine might actually be even less reliable than my youthful mom...
That afternoon, I officially joined the class.The homeroom teacher was a balding old man—supposedly a film director—who wore a square-framed pair of glasses and had a naturally sleazy expression.
He brought me into the classroom, gave a brief and half-hearted introduction, then told me to introduce myself.Reluctantly, I walked up to the podium and had just started saying, "Hi everyone, my name is Ma Shangfei—"when the whole class burst into laughter.
A few even heckled,
"Fly safely now—don't fall!"
This was exactly what I expected.It happened all through elementary and middle school…
But just as the mocking was about to escalate, a short-haired girl in the front row shouted sternly:
"Quiet! What's so funny?!"
She turned around and shot everyone a fierce glare. Looked like she was a class monitor or something.
After the introduction, I was assigned to the last row, sitting next to a long-haired beauty.The moment I stepped into the classroom and glanced around, I knew—this girl in the corner was easily the prettiest of them all.
Her hair was braided into dozens of tiny plaits that draped loosely over her shoulders.She wore a snug-fitting denim outfit, revealing a slim waist and a pair of long, flawless legs.Before I even got close, I was hit with the strong scent of perfume.Sitting next to her, I suddenly felt nervous for no reason.
Her desk was covered in textbooks, but behind them were a phone and a makeup pouch.She didn't even glance at me as I sat down—like I was invisible.
Trying to calm myself, I took a breath of that hormone-charged perfume, summoned my courage, and said:
"Hi, I'm Ma—"
"Scram."
She looked up just slightly. That one word came out sharp and clean.I was stunned for a moment, but when I saw her face clearly, I couldn't help swallowing hard.
Under those long locks was a delicate face—smooth skin, big eyes, red lips.Even cursing, she looked beautiful.
I didn't know her before transferring into this class.No idea what had gotten her so angry.So I just kept quiet, took out my books, and focused on class.
The first period was acting class.
The balding old teacher was up on stage, waving his arms and lecturing passionately.But I couldn't understand a single word.It sounded even more confusing than English class.
Finally, the bell rang. I was nodding off, half asleep at my desk—when the long-haired girl beside me suddenly stood up and walked straight to the front row, right up to the short-haired girl.
"Who the hell were you yelling at earlier?!"
The short-haired girl, Lin Ke, stood up too, eyes blazing.
"Kong Lanlan, you've gone too far! Just because everyone else is scared of you doesn't mean I am! You better—"
SMACK!
Before she could finish, Kong Lanlan slapped her clean across the face.The sound echoed through the whole room.In the next instant, the two girls were locked in a full-blown fight.
What shocked me most was—no one stepped in to stop them.The rest of the class just watched like it was a show.
Lin Ke had spoken up earlier to defend me, so this whole thing kind of involved me too.Frowning, I was just about to step in when a large hand clamped down tightly on my arm.
"Ever heard the saying? When women fight, it means they're getting along. Kid, don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."
It was the guy sitting next to me—a buzzcut with a hulking build, at least a head taller than me.One look and you could tell he was trouble.
I met his eyes and tried to shake free.But he had a strong grip.
By then, Kong Lanlan had Lin Ke pinned to the floor by her hair.Panicked, I yanked my arm free and shouted angrily:
"She's your classmate and you're just watching like it's a movie? What kind of man are you?!"
My words made his face darken instantly.He grabbed my collar, clearly about to snap—but just then, someone shouted:
"Old Baldy's coming!"
The buzzcut glared at me for half a second, then let go of my collar and leaned in close, so our noses were practically touching.
"Ma Shangfei, right? You sure know how to fly straight into the spotlight.Wei-ge likes that. After school, you're coming for a drink. Don't forget—Malbec."
He emphasized "Malbec" with an ominous grin.
I had no idea what that meant, so I kept my mouth shut.
During the second period, a chubby guy sitting in front of me quietly tossed over a folded note.I opened it to find a scribbled warning:
"Take my advice—after school, run as fast as you can."
My heart immediately tensed up.
I wrote back and asked for more info, and the chubby guy explained that the buzzcut's name was Jiang Wei,and that the long-haired beauty—Kong Lanlan—was his girlfriend.
Apparently, Jiang Wei had some real connections outside school.He and Kong Lanlan weren't just bullies in the class—they basically ruled the whole school.
That afternoon flew by in a blur.There were only two classes, but I couldn't focus on a single thing the teachers said.
As soon as the final bell rang, the chubby guy shot me a look and slipped out fast.I was full of dread. I didn't dare leave through the main gate, so I slipped out the side entrance instead.
But the moment I stepped out—
An arm suddenly wrapped around my neck in a headlock.I looked up.
A punk with bleached yellow hair had me in his grip.
He dragged me into a nearby alley, where six or seven guys were already waiting.Among them—Jiang Wei and Kong Lanlan.
My heart sank.
I turned to run, but my escape was completely blocked.Surrounded by these thugs with mean, scarred-up faces, I froze—until, through a gap between their shoulders, I spotted a familiar figure walking past the alleyway.
It was Little Dad.I'd recognize him anywhere.
Without thinking, I shouted at the top of my lungs:
"Little Dad! I'm here! Over here!"
He was still dressed in his usual trendy casualwear, looking cool and confident.At the sound of my voice, he paused at the alley entrance, turned his head, and scanned the group.
My heart lifted. I thought—I'm saved!
But then… he turned away.
He walked off like nothing had happened and casually muttered:
"Who the hell's your dad? Freakin' lunatic…"