David Carter stared at the light radiating from the TV, as if he were a sailor who had weathered many storms and suddenly caught sight of a new continent.

Meanwhile, the soccer ball had somehow slipped from his feet and rolled into the corner of the room.

……

When Grace Thompson opened the door carrying a non-woven bag full of groceries, she saw her son eagerly rushing over to help her with the bags.

“Finished your homework?” she asked.

“All done! Finished ages ago!” David Carter said as he took the eco-friendly bag from his mom and dashed off to the kitchen.

After putting down the groceries, he came back to help his mom carry her shoulder bag to the bedroom.

When her son returned to her for the second time, she had just changed into her slippers.

“What is it?” Seeing her son’s eager, fawning smile, Grace Thompson asked.

“Hehe... um, Mom, can I talk to you about something?” David Carter grinned even more ingratiatingly.

“If you have something to say, just say it.”

“I want to enter a talent show—a soccer talent show.”

“What are you thinking? You’re starting your senior year soon, only one year left before the college entrance exam. Focus on your studies, what talent show are you talking about?” Grace Thompson replied without even thinking, the words coming out automatically, probably a conditioned reflex by now.

With that, she headed to the kitchen to start making dinner.

David Carter wasn’t surprised by his mom’s response, but he still wanted to try: “The open auditions are during summer break, it won’t interfere with school.”

“There are still extra classes at your school in August, how is that not interfering?” His mom didn’t even turn her head, busying herself in the kitchen as she spoke.

“But this time there’s a chance to play soccer in Europe, Mom!” As a soccer fan, European football had a natural allure for David Carter.

“Still no. Studies come first.” His mom firmly rejected David Carter.

David Carter knew his mom’s attitude toward him playing soccer; saying more was pointless. He huffed and declared, “I’m going on a hunger strike in protest!”

His mom glanced back at him, then turned away and continued with what she was doing, as if she hadn’t taken David Carter’s words seriously at all.

Seeing that his mom was ignoring him, David Carter stormed back to his room, but soon poked his head out and shouted toward the kitchen, “I really am going on a hunger strike!”

“Oh.” His mom finally responded.

……

When John Carter got home from work, his wife Grace Thompson had just set the soup on the table, and a simple meal of two dishes and a soup was ready.

“Go wash your hands, it’s time to eat,” his wife said to John Carter.

Before John Carter could reply, his son’s bedroom door suddenly opened and David Carter came out. Seeing his dad, his face lit up: “Dad, you’re back?”

After greeting him, he sat right down at the dining table.

“Hey, weren’t you going on a hunger strike?” Grace Thompson asked, looking at him.

“Hunger strike?” John Carter was completely confused. What was going on?

“Yeah, I already have...” David Carter glanced at the clock on the wall and said seriously, “...I’ve been on a hunger strike for half an hour. That’s enough.”

With that, he reached out with his chopsticks to grab some food, but his mom blocked him with her hand: “Go wash your hands!”

Pouting, David Carter went to wash his hands. Only then did John Carter have a chance to quietly ask his wife, “What’s going on?”

“Your son’s got another wild idea—wants to enter some soccer reality show...”

John Carter immediately understood: “You didn’t agree, so he’s going on a hunger strike in protest?”

“That’s right. And he gave up after just half an hour. If he can’t even stick to a hunger strike, what else can he do?” his mom complained.

“Ahem, you can’t say that. If he really had the willpower to go on a hunger strike, that’d be even more troublesome...” John Carter waved his hands.

“Anyway, this kid never sticks to anything for long. You know how his room is full of basketballs and guitars and all sorts of stuff—just the result of his so-called wide range of interests back then.”

“That just means our son is smart...” John Carter said as he sat down and picked up his chopsticks, only to have his wife block him as well.

“Wash your hands.”

John Carter quickly chuckled awkwardly and went to the bathroom.

At the bathroom door, he bumped into his son, who had just finished washing his hands.

“What’s this reality show about?” he asked in a low voice.

David Carter glanced at the dining room and lowered his voice too: “Dad, you have to support me this time!”

“First tell me what this reality show is all about.”

So David Carter quickly and simply told his dad about the news he’d seen on TV.

“Are you sure it’s not a scam?” After hearing it, John Carter was a bit skeptical.

“It was on the sports channel news!”

“Hmm...” After listening to his son, John Carter fell silent for a moment, then said to David Carter, “Here’s what we’ll do: when we eat, don’t say anything. I’ll talk to your mom tonight and help persuade her.”

“Dad, you’re the best!” David Carter was so happy his voice got a bit loud, and immediately his mom’s voice rang out from the dining room: “You two are taking forever just to wash your hands—what are you doing in there?”

“Hey, coming, coming!” John Carter called out loudly, urging his son, “Hurry up!”

……