Chapter 33 – Meet the Mom

"What? That kid turned in his paper early again?"

"Tch, screw it. Let losers be losers, right?"

The murmur spread through the exam hall like a wave of gossip and disbelief. Doug Feng had just handed in his math paper—again, way ahead of schedule. Not even an hour had passed. Some students looked annoyed, others shrugged. A few, secretly, were impressed.

"I told him to take it seriously this time," muttered Linda, her arms crossed tightly across her chest, lips pursed as she watched Doug's retreating figure. "Slow down, focus, do your best—I said it like a hundred times! And what does he do? Tosses it in like it's scrap paper again."

But Doug didn't have time to worry about what the others thought.

He was already halfway to Ms. Qing Fang's office, practically sprinting through the hallways.

Knock knock knock!

The rapid tapping on the door startled her out of her grading. When she looked up and saw who it was, her brows furrowed.

"Doug Feng? Again?" she sighed, waving him in. "You finished that fast? Already?"

"Ms. Fang," Doug said, stepping inside, "I keep telling you—I actually do the whole thing. I just happen to be faster than average. That's not a crime, is it?"

Looking around the office, Doug noted with relief that she was alone. The other teachers were probably still monitoring the exam rooms.

Ms. Fang shook her head and sighed again. "Fine, fine. I won't harp on it anymore. It's your grade, after all. But listen—if your scores drop in this mock exam, don't blame me when I call your parents for a chat."

Then her tone softened slightly. "Wait… You didn't hand in your paper early just because I asked for your help later, right?"

"What? No, not at all!" Doug said, shaking his head. "I finished it, seriously. You'll see. Just wait for the results."

There was no way he could explain the whole 'I've got brain-boosting abilities now' thing. Instead, he'd let the grades speak for themselves.

"Well, well," Ms. Fang chuckled, folding her arms. "You're sounding pretty confident today. I'll admit I'm curious to see where you place this time."

Then, without missing a beat, she added, "But we've got something more urgent than scores. You're coming with me—we need to make you look a bit more… mature. I can't bring a baby-faced boy home, now can I?"

With that, she grabbed her bag and motioned for him to follow.

Doug barely had time to process what was happening before he found himself seated in a salon chair, staring at his reflection while a stylist attacked his hair with gel, clippers, and a curling iron.

When he emerged from the stylist's hands, Doug almost didn't recognize himself.

Gone was the messy schoolboy look. In its place stood a sharp young man in a fitted black blazer and white dress shirt, hair styled neatly back, every detail polished to perfection.

"Wow," he muttered, adjusting the collar. "Your friend's really got skills. My mom might not even recognize me like this…"

Ms. Fang smirked approvingly. "Exactly. You look at least twenty-four now. Just remember to lower your voice, don't speak too fast, and maybe try to act a little awkward and quiet. It sells the whole 'boyfriend' image better."

She stepped forward, adjusting the lapels of his jacket. Her slender fingers brushed against his neck with an icy smoothness, sending a shiver down his spine. The way she fussed over him, it felt… intimate. Almost like a wife seeing her husband off to work.

Doug, a solid 6'0" tall, looked down at her—Ms. Fang barely reached his shoulder. As she leaned in, fixing the final details of his outfit, he caught a whiff of her soft perfume and felt the gentle rhythm of her breath against him.

For a moment, he was completely captivated.

"All done!" she stepped back, beaming. "See? I have good taste. Even if it's just a fake boyfriend, I'm not settling for some rando."

Doug smiled awkwardly. "As long as you're happy, Ms. Fang."

"Ms. Fang?" she rolled her eyes. "Seriously? Remember, in front of my mom, you call me Qingxue. Or else we're both busted."

Then, without asking, she slipped her arm into his. "Let's go, my charming little boyfriend. Time to meet your future mother-in-law!"

Doug nearly tripped on the spot.

He hadn't seen this playful side of her before. Then again, she was only twenty-four herself. As a teacher and a homeroom lead, she probably had to hide this side most of the time. But now, unfiltered, she was radiating a girlish charm that was both adorable and dangerous.

As they arrived at the apartment complex, Doug suddenly felt nervous.

"This is stupid," he muttered to himself. "It's just pretend. Why am I so tense?"

Reading his mood, Qingxue gave his hand a light squeeze. "Relax. My mom's easy to handle. Just eat plenty at dinner and keep quiet. Let me do the talking."

Then she dialed her mom.

"Hi, Mom! We're downstairs now. Coming up in a sec."

Doug took a deep breath.

This was it.

Fake or not, it felt real.

They entered the modest apartment, the smell of home-cooked food wafting through the air. Ms. Fang's mom—an energetic, slightly plump woman in her fifties—hurried out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on an apron.

"Oh! You must be Doug!" she exclaimed, looking him up and down with a delighted smile. "Come on in! Take a seat, I'm just finishing up dinner. Qingxue, show him the living room."

"Mom, this is Doug," Qingxue said smoothly. "My boyfriend."

Doug managed a stiff, sweaty-palmed wave. "Hello, Auntie."

"Aiyoo! Don't be shy! Sit, sit!" she said cheerfully, disappearing back into the kitchen. "Dinner'll be ready in five minutes!"

Doug followed Qingxue to the couch. She plopped down beside him, snuggling in close for show. He froze, his whole body stiff.

"Relax," she whispered, elbowing him gently. "This is just acting. You're doing great."

She turned up the volume on the TV to cover their conversation. Doug glanced nervously toward the kitchen, then back at her.

Somehow, the fake part was getting harder and harder to remember.