Chapter 671
Neal, appearing particularly drained, attended the class. He slumped over his desk with a thud, his bag spilling open slightly as he succumbed to exhaustion.
“Looking exhausted, did you stay up all night streaming again?” Fernanda inquired, her voice laced with concern.
Neal let out a weary groan from beneath his arm, the fabric muffling his words. “No streaming last night. I picked up a gig to play games. I just didn’t expect it to last an entire day and night.”
“Why put yourself through so much?” Fernanda probed further, her eyebrows knitting together in worry.
Shifting slightly, Neal mumbled through a yawn, “I didn’t want to work that hard, but the pay was too good to pass up.” He yawned again, his voice trailing off sleepily. “I’m just going to catch some sleep now. I have training tomorrow.”
He was determined not to let his personal issues interfere with the upcoming competition.
Fernanda’s expression turned more concerned, a crease forming between her brows.
She could see that Neal was driving himself to the brink for the sake of money. Was his situation really that dire?
After their class, Neal slumped wearily at his desk while Fernanda lingered, approaching him with a soft, empathetic tone. “Neal, if you’re struggling with anything, just let me know. We’re friends, after all.”
Neal managed a weak smile and ran his fingers through his tousled hair. “I’m alright, really. But thanks, I’ll keep you in mind if something comes up. You know, with your resources, you’d be the first person I’d turn to.”
His words were light, but deep down, he was burdened with worry.
His father had approached him again, asking for money.
Neal couldn’t bear to reveal his father’s greed to his friends. That was a burden he had to shoulder alone.
His father’s demands were boundless, devouring every dollar he had earned without a hint of satisfaction. Neal was determined to keep the truth about his father’s greed under wraps, wanting no one to uncover it.
After class, he headed towards the dorms. Weighed down by fatigue, he lacked the strength to make the trek back to his own place.
Fernanda strolled alongside him, her fingers dancing over her phone’s keyboard. Suddenly, she looked up. “The organizers just messaged me. For the final match, players can invite their family to watch live. Is there anyone you’d like to bring?”
“No!” Neal blurted out instantly, his voice edged with decisiveness.
Confusion flickered across Fernanda’s face at his abrupt reply. Realizing his reaction could have been too brusque, Neal awkwardly scratched his nose and quickly explained, “My parents are too busy; they’ll probably just catch the live stream. Maybe for a more significant event, I’ll ask them.”
Fernanda gave a small nod, accepting his explanation. “That’s understandable.”
With that, Neal hastened his steps, nearly sprinting from the building. Fernanda appeared none the wiser to his internal turmoil.
To Neal, his parents were a recurring nightmare, a deep-seated agony he dared not mention before others—a subject he avoided at all costs.
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