Jiang Zhi glanced at Meng Qian, then clenched her naturally hanging hands. She mustered up her courage and said, "I didn't go to my classmate's house. I went to the internet cafe."

Meng Qian stood up, dropping the remote control to the ground. Her years of cultivated ladylike demeanor instantly vanished. She furiously yelled at Jiang Zhi, "Jiang Zhi! You went to the internet cafe again? What did you promise me? Why can't you just give up gaming?"

The remote control slipped out of Meng Qian's hand, rolled violently on the floor for several times, and finally hit the corner of the wall and broke into pieces.

"Crack", the sound of plastic breaking spread in the Jiang family's living room, sharp and sharp, like a sharp blade cutting through Jiang Zhi's last line of defense.

Her clenched fists trembled slightly, and the rebelliousness that had been accumulating for a long time was becoming increasingly difficult to suppress.

The voice was low and trembling: "Mom, why?"

Jiang Zhi suddenly raised his head and met Meng Qian's eyes with his sharp eyes: "I am an adult, why don't you let me choose the path I want to take?"

Jiang Zhi's voice was very loud, even louder than Meng Qian's roar just now.

This was the first time since she was a child that Jiang Zhi had stared at her with such a defiant look, and Meng Qian was a little dazed.

In her impression, even if she forced Jiang Zhi to do something she didn't like, she would at most throw a tantrum, and the worst that could happen was that she would just agree verbally but not actually do it.

It's nothing like now, where I'm like a lion erupting, and it seems like I'm about to lose control at any moment.

Shang Xiao, who was standing by, was also frightened by the mother and daughter's behavior. She quickly stood up and stopped Meng Qian: "Qian, before Zhizhi came back, you didn't promise me this. You said you would respect the child's choice."

"But is this her choice? She is not doing her job properly!" Meng Qian was so angry that she didn't even hear what Shang Xiao said.

"Not doing your job? What does it mean to be doing your job? Playing the guqin? The violin? Reciting?" Jiang Zhi lowered his head, his eyes becoming somewhat dim and lifeless. He sneered, as if mocking himself, and his voice softened. "Unfortunately, I don't like any of these."

Meng Qian glared at her: "Then what do you like?"

Jiang Zhi slowly raised her eyes, took another deep breath, and mustered up her courage before she spoke word by word: "I—like playing games."

Jiang Zhi's words made Meng Qian feel that all her efforts over the years had been in vain. Her last bit of rationality was shattered, and she rushed forward and slapped Jiang Zhi in the face.

Snap——

The sharp and piercing sound once again streaked through the air.

Meng Qian was very strong and slapped Jiang Zhi in the face. Jiang Zhi couldn't bear it for a moment and almost stumbled and fell to the ground.

For several breaths, Jiang Zhi didn't react to what had just happened. She only knew that her left cheek was burning with pain. The pain went so severe that her entire cheek became numb, and finally she lost consciousness.

Meng Qian looked at the hand that had hit Jiang Zhi, somewhat incredulous.

This was the first time Jiang Zhi resisted her, and also the first time she hit Jiang Zhi.

She raised her head and looked at the big red palm print she had left on her daughter's delicate cheek. She was a little at a loss. Just as she was about to raise her hand to stroke Jiang Zhi's cheek, Jiang Zhi subconsciously took a step back as soon as she raised her hand.

Jiang Zhi swallowed back the tears that were about to burst out of her eyes and continued, "I don't like wearing pink dresses, I don't like having a gentle hairstyle, and I don't like living in the personality you created for me every day."

"For so many years, I have been timid in front of outsiders, smiling softly and talking softly, completely disguising myself as what you wanted me to be."

"I pretend to like whatever the ladies in TV dramas like. But I always carefully hide what I really like in my heart, and dare not reveal it to outsiders. I'm afraid that some outsider is sent by you to monitor me."

"So the impression others have of me is always illusory, a shell of myself that I've been disguising for over twenty years."

As she spoke, Jiang Zhi could no longer hold back the tears in her eyes, which fell like pearls falling from a string. Her voice slowed down, "Mom, do you know why in all these years, I never thought about being myself again?"

"Because every time I try to be myself, you and Dad get into a fight. When I do what I like, you get into a fight. When I stick to my hobbies, you get into a fight, too."

"For the first few years, I was able to stick to doing what I loved. But then I grew up and learned my lesson."

"Since you guys will quarrel when I act like myself, I'll just stick to the persona you gave me. I believe that as long as I do what you say, you and dad won't quarrel, and our family will be harmonious."

Jiang Zhi raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her face. When it touched her left cheek, she subconsciously gasped in pain.

But soon, he returned to normal and continued, "But mom, I've been obedient for 20 years... I'm really tired... Please don't let me maintain my image, okay."

Jiang Zhi's tone was pleading, and not only Meng Qian, but even Shang Xiao felt a little reluctant.

She patted Meng Qian's shoulder and scolded her, "Qian, look how you tortured the child."

Meng Qian didn't answer Shang Xiao's question and continued to ask: "Jiang Zhi, are you sure you want to play games?"

"yes."

“That’s a youth meal.”

"But I like it!"

In the last two sentences, the mother and daughter started arguing again.

Shang Xiao didn't dare to say another word.

Meng Qian seemed to have lost her mind due to Jiang Zhi's anger. She pointed at the door and said, "Okay, Jiang Zhi, you like playing games, right? Then get out of this house right now. Since you want to be yourself, then you have to make some achievements for me. Otherwise, don't come back."

Jiang Zhi was startled, and his scattered consciousness was half restored.

She thought about it carefully and felt that Meng Qian must be almost mad at her, which is why she said, "You are not allowed to come back until you get the results." She hurriedly called out in a flattering manner, "Mom."

"Don't call me mom." Meng Qian turned her head away and said gritting her teeth.

Jiang Zhi: "I..." I don't want to play games anymore.

For some reason, Jiang Zhi could no longer utter the five words that she used to say whenever they quarreled.

She knew that there was no way she could give up playing games.

Because gaming is her dream.

Noticing Jiang Zhi's tangled expression, Meng Qian felt bad for a moment and added, "I'm fine. I won't be mad at you again. But until you get your results, I'm not your mother. So now, get out of here."

Jiang Zhi couldn't tell whether Meng Qian agreed or disagreed, but since Meng Qian asked her to achieve some results so that she could see them, she had to win the world championship to prove to Meng Qian that even though she had opposed the game all her life, she could still win glory for her country.

Jiang Zhi pursed her lips, walked to Meng Qian, opened her arms and hugged her: "Mom, I won't come back until I achieve my results. Take care of yourself."

Meng Qian remained silent and did not respond to Jiang Zhi.

After Jiang Zhi left, the entire living room returned to silence again.

Meng Qian and Shang Xiao sat back on the sofa.

Shang Xiao stared at Meng Qian for a long time, not understanding what she meant, and asked, "Qian, what do you mean?"

Meng Qian picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, and then said, "It means to let Zhizhi play games."

"You let her play games, and you slapped her? What were you thinking as a mother? If you hurt my niece's wife, I'll make you pay for it."

Meng Qian pondered for a moment before saying, "At that time, I was indeed pissed off by that girl."

"You were so angry that you hit me so hard that Zhizhi's face is swollen."

"I don't regret slapping her," Meng Qian put down the cup in her hand and continued, "Although I only now realize that a lot of my daughter Zhizhi's behavior in front of me was just fake, I still know my daughter's temper. I've obstructed her for over 20 years. If I hadn't slapped her, she wouldn't have learned to cherish this hard-earned opportunity. Not only would her talent be wasted, but even if she became a professional player, she would have achieved nothing."

Shang Xiao: "You are such a cruel mother."

Meng Qian remained silent.

"I'm exhausted after finishing your family's affairs." Shang Xiao stood up and said, "I'm leaving now."

Meng Qian: "Xiao, give me a copy of the video."

"What video?"

"The one where you explain the esports world to me."

Shang Xiao smiled casually: "Don't you dislike the e-sports circle? Why do you want to watch e-sports videos?"

"Zhizhi will be a world champion in the future, so I want to know more about her."

When Jiang Zhi walked out of the community gate, her mind went blank. She couldn't believe what had just happened at the Jiang family.

Shen Weiqi, who was sitting in the supermarket and on the phone, saw Jiang Zhi coming out of the community. He didn't even say goodbye to He Xiaoxi. He hung up the phone and ran out.

He slowed down his pace in front of Jiang Zhi and walked to her step by step, fearing to scare her.

Jiang Zhi was walking forward with her head down, and when she saw a pair of shoes in front of her, she looked up.

Shen Weiqi didn't ask any more questions, but just stood there quietly.

A pair of gloomy eyes, waves of unprecedented emotions surged from her heart. Jiang Zhi could no longer hold back her tears, and she tilted her head back and sobbed.

She cried so loudly that the adults and children entering the community looked over.

Shen Weiqi smiled, took off the long scarf from around his neck, and spread it on top of Jiang Zhi's head.

Jiang Zhi stopped crying, sniffling, holding up the scarf with both hands on her head, staring at Shen Weiqi with tearful eyes, her voice becoming a little soft because of crying: "What are you doing?"

"Cry, the scarf covers your face, so no one will know it's you crying."

Jiang Zhi was amused by Shen Weiqi's words. The tears that had been stuck in her eyes did not fall, and even moved slowly as Jiang Zhi's eyes curved in laughter.

"Chicken God."

Shen Weiqi raised his eyebrows: "Hmm?"

Jiang Zhi hurriedly wiped the tears from her cheeks with both hands and forced a bright smile from the bottom of her heart: "Is ITG still in need of an AD carry? What do you think of me?"