Madam, Please Behave-Chapter 2: Dad, I’m Dropping Out of School!

Liu Changqing was under immense pressure.

By nature, he was a kind and compassionate man, unable to turn a blind eye to the suffering of others. Yet when such misfortunes landed on his own shoulders, he couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming urge to cry.

The house was barren, with large patches of white paint peeling off to reveal the cement underneath. The corners showed signs of mold. Liu Changqing couldn’t hide his disdain for this messy and dilapidated environment.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t endure hardship. But now, as a divorced father of two, he felt a strong desire to fulfill his responsibilities as a father.

He had a son and a daughter: Liu Zhiyue, the elder, and Liu Xiazhi, the younger.

Their names had been chosen by his ex-wife.

Before the divorce, both children adored their mother. But in the memories of this body’s original owner, he clearly recalled a rainy day when she returned after being gone for some time. Her face was cold, and outside was parked an expensive luxury car.

Without a word, she began packing her belongings.

At the time, Liu Changqing, who had been wallowing in despair and refusing to agree to the divorce, looked on as she handed him yet another divorce agreement.

Her condition was simple: custody of the two children. She didn’t want any assets.

In his anger and desperation, Liu Changqing refused, declaring that he would give up everything but the custody of the children.

His daughter, still in elementary school, clung to her mother, begging tearfully for her not to leave. His son, however, remained unmoved, his eyes cold and fixed on her.

Her expression didn’t change. She pried her daughter’s hands off, turned, and left without a single glance back.

In the days that followed, a new divorce agreement was drawn up, taking away all of Liu Changqing’s assets.

This was why, upon transmigrating into this body, Liu Changqing had repeatedly slapped himself in frustration.

How could a woman walk away from her children, giving up everything for the so-called pursuit of love?

Left with nothing but his two kids, Liu Changqing felt a deep sense of melancholy.

Fortunately, the house his late parents had left behind hadn’t been sold by the previous Liu Changqing. At the very least, they still had a place to live.

He looked around the familiar yet foreign house, which had been his parents’ hard-earned home after decades of work.

Situated in a remote and aging neighborhood, it was a fifth-floor apartment of about 100 square meters, with three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom.

It wasn’t small, but its condition was quite run-down. Despite having cleaned it once already, the years had left behind a peculiar musty smell.

Liu Changqing opened all the windows to air out the space.

Since their return, his son, Liu Zhiyue, hadn’t said a word.

He seemed to be deep in thought, a trace of confusion lingering on his chubby face. But as Liu Changqing busied himself sweeping the floor, Liu Zhiyue’s expression gradually changed from confusion to resolute determination.

The boy got up and stood in front of Liu Changqing.

The weight of his chubby stomach bumped into Liu Changqing’s head, causing him to step back. He looked at his son in surprise.

Before Liu Changqing could say a word, Liu Zhiyue’s next sentence left him utterly speechless.

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“Dad, I’m dropping out of school!”

At fifteen, Liu Zhiyue understood more than his younger sister, who would cry out late at night, yelling “I want Mom, I want Mom,” while their father silently drowned his sorrows in alcohol.

He already knew the truth: their mother had fallen for someone else. She had willingly abandoned their family, leaving both him and his sister behind.

During that dark period, their father would lock himself in his room, barely uttering a word all day. One bottle of beer would follow another, then he would move on to stronger liquor. Meals for him and his sister consisted of instant noodles bought in bulk from the supermarket.

Since two days ago, however, their father had stopped drinking.

Although he didn’t know the reason, it was undoubtedly a good sign for the family.

Liu Zhiyue didn’t want to add to the family’s burden. He wanted to start earning money to help ease the load. Whether it was carrying bricks, washing dishes, or waiting tables, as long as he could contribute financially, he was willing to do it.

Suddenly, he felt a hand ruffling his hair.

Looking up, he saw his father smiling down at him.

“What are you thinking? Your dad hasn’t fallen so far that he needs his son to quit school and work. Just focus on your studies. I’ll figure out the money.”

“But—”

“Don’t worry.”

Cutting him off, Liu Changqing continued scrubbing the stubborn stains on the floor.

“Getting into a good high school and then a good university is the best way to repay me.”

His firm voice struck Liu Zhiyue’s heart like a hammer.

“This family isn’t short on money.”

After finishing the cleaning, Liu Changqing headed to his bedroom and flopped onto the bed.

This was the last shred of pride he could cling to as a man. No matter what, he couldn’t let his children know they were struggling financially.

As he lay there, his mind kept circling back to their situation.

With only 3,000 yuan left, they could manage for a short while. But the real challenge would come during the next semester when tuition fees were due.

Both kids attended private schools, and in this era, each child’s tuition was over 2,000 yuan. It wasn’t a huge sum in the past, but now it felt like the straw that might break the camel’s back.

In his previous life, Liu Changqing had been a fresh graduate with a degree in design, working at an advertising company designing posters. But in this world, copyright laws were stricter, and he doubted his body at 35 years old could handle the grueling workload.

He had an idea: writing novels.

During his high school and college years, he had devoured countless online novels, dissecting various tropes and mastering the essence of satisfying storytelling.

In this world, which resembled 2005 in his previous life, online novels were just starting to gain traction. Liu Changqing thought that by adapting some of the memorable plots stored in his mind, he might carve out a path forward.

But what if the audience here didn’t buy into it? What if his efforts flopped?

Just in case, he decided to secure a backup plan. He recalled passing a bookstore yesterday that seemed to be hiring staff.

He also needed a computer.

First, though, he had to decide which story to write. He wouldn’t submit it for print;the online novel market here was already beginning to grow, and he’d skimmed through some examples.

This market hadn’t yet seen the advent of convoluted plots or over-the-top "power-up" stories. It was untouched by cliché tropes and formulaic storytelling.

Liu Changqing thought this was an opportunity worth seizing. He’d start with a groundbreaking and memorable concept—something like the infamous "Dou Qi Stages."

The next day, Liu Changqing visited the bookstore.

The owner, surprised to see a man in his mid-thirties applying for such a low-paying position, nevertheless didn’t object. They quickly reached an agreement.

Work hours were from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. No meals provided. Monthly salary: 2,000 yuan.

For this city, it was a relatively low income, but the bookstore was conveniently close to his home.

The owner, who seemed to have other businesses, didn’t appear to care much about the profitability of the bookstore. He admitted as much to Liu Changqing, saying he ran it more as a casual hobby.

That’s probably how rich people think, Liu Changqing mused, feeling a little out of his depth.

In any case, he would officially start work tomorrow.