“Mm, mm, thank you, Auntie. It’s fine, I have enough money to spend…”

　　“Let’s hope so.”

　　With that, she turned and left, clean and decisive.

Chapter 11 Memories of the Past

　　“Uh, Ethan Bro, please don’t be mad at my mom. She’s just like that, you’ll get used to it…” Alice Green looked at Ethan Carter cautiously and said, “Outsiders only see the glamorous side of the The Green Family, always talking about how great the The Green Clan is, but actually, the competition within the The Green Family is extremely fierce. Those who fall from grace might only have enough living expenses to fill their stomachs each month, while only the truly capable are qualified to stand at the forefront as leaders.”

　　As Alice Green spoke, her mood suddenly dropped: “I’m not very confident about this competition for the exchange tournament qualification. Maybe one day the The Green Family will give up on me too. I don’t really care about money; I just hope that whether I succeed or fail, I won’t be alone. If I fail, I’ll willingly live a hard life with you, Ethan Bro, it’s no big deal. If I succeed, I’ll keep you as my sugar baby! Hahaha!” Maybe imagining herself keeping Ethan Carter as a sugar baby in the future, she amused herself first.

　　Three black lines appeared on Ethan Carter’s face…

　　……

　　Young people have dreams, old people have memories, but Ethan Carter feels like he has so many memories, each one covered in dust, and when he wipes them clean to look at them again, they all feel especially bittersweet.

　　The road Ethan Carter walked was never smooth. He’s been single for so many years, not because he really wanted to keep his hand speed… but because he once had a love that was unforgettable. Back then, he was still very poor, only able to hang around internet cafes playing solo matches to win meager prize money—300, 500 yuan, sometimes not even enough to pay rent. Yet that girl always stayed by his side without complaint or regret. At that time, they weren’t even boyfriend and girlfriend yet. Both of them were poor; ever since the girl left home, she never took a penny from her family again. “Bare walls” was no exaggeration to describe her home. Usually, she made money by setting up street stalls, tutoring, or working as a waitress.

　　Once, the girl was hungry, and Ethan Carter took her to eat rice noodles at a street stall. When the girl, with her mouth full of noodles, mumbled, “Ethan Bro, why aren’t you eating?” Ethan Carter paused, looked up at the sky, then stared at the girl and said, “I only have 10 yuan left.”

　　“Bro, I don’t have a cent. If you don’t mind, I can only offer myself to you.”

　　“Deal!” Ethan Carter’s eyes lit up, and he burst into laughter.

　　In the rising steam, the girl’s eyes turned red.

　　“Ethan Bro, I’m so poor, I have nothing.”

　　“Me too.”

　　“Aren’t you scared?”

　　“Now that I have you, everything will come in time.”

　　Later, the two of them moved to Shanghai, but still could only scrape by on meager prize money. Sometimes, when they were so hungry their stomachs stuck to their backs, they’d just drink water. The hallway in their rental was narrow, the lighting dim, the room airtight, and the bed was less than a meter wide—whatever they did, the neighbors could hear everything. That’s also why Ethan Carter is still a virgin to this day…

　　At noon, they’d eat rice with pickled vegetables, hiding in their cubicle just getting by. In a daze, the girl was woken up by Ethan Carter, and was startled: “Bread, yogurt—Ethan Bro, where did you steal these from?”

　　“Haha, won them at the internet cafe.” Ethan Carter chuckled.

　　“What internet cafe gives out these as prizes? I don’t believe it!”

　　“It’s fine, I just happened to pass by. They gave them out for donating blood.”

　　The girl’s heart skipped a beat, and tears streamed down her face as she ate and cried: “Ethan Bro, I’m literally drinking your blood!”

　　“Don’t worry, my kidneys are still here.”

　　The girl cried even harder, laughing through her tears.

　　Until one day, the girl’s father was suddenly rushed to the hospital, and she hurried back to her hometown in Luoyang overnight.

　　Two weeks later, the girl called Ethan Carter: “What should I do? My mom only has me now.”

　　“I understand. Take good care of her. Will you come back?” Ethan Carter’s eyes brimmed with tears, his tone pleading.

　　The girl was silent for a long time, almost choking up: “Ethan Bro, I’m so scared of being poor.”

　　“I’m sorry, I couldn’t give you a better life.”

　　“It was already good, really good, more than enough.”

　　Later, he heard the girl got married. At her wedding, she got drunk and insisted on going to Shanghai… On the day Ethan Carter reached the top of the national server, he cried like a child. He had once sworn never to give up on his dreams no matter what, and he did it, but ended his professional career in an extreme way, as if in mourning.

　　Even without dreams, you can’t be poor.

　　……

　　Sometimes, Ethan Carter can’t even tell what his dream is in his dreams. He only knows that he has to win.

　　Listening to Alice Green complain to him at length, he suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu, his throat moved as if something was stuck: “Don’t worry, little girl, following Ethan Bro you won’t suffer. Whatever others can’t give you, Ethan Bro will.”

　　“Tch, as if I don’t know your level. You just be pretty, I’ll be the breadwinner!” Alice Green said with disdain.

　　“……” Who are you looking down on? Who are you looking down on? Do you know who I am? How dare you talk to me like that!? Ethan Carter pinched Alice Green’s cheek: “You little brats, I could beat you all with one hand, you know!”

　　“I know, I know! Ow, ow, ow! I still have to go play a practice match with my teammates tonight, against players of our own rank.”