After Being Reborn, I Became My Son’s Worst Buddy

Chen Yinuo was reborn.

In his previous life, he was a middle manager at a major tech company. At 45, he was balding, had fatty liver disease and high blood pressure, and was living like a walking corpse. His wife divorced him because he had “no warmth.” His son, Chen Chen, couldn't overcome the depression that followed a breakup. In the end, at his son's modest funeral, Chen Yinuo died clutching his son's urn, consumed by regret.

When he opened his eyes, he was 38 again, before the divorce cooling-off period. His son had just turned 18 and was grinning foolishly at his phone.

The kid was being completely manipulated by a “sweet-faced goddess” at his school: scrimping to buy her gifts, dropping everything whenever she called to serve as her backup, and even planning to give up his chance at a better university.

Before, Chen Yinuo would have just told him to “drink more hot water” and “focus on your studies.” But after getting a second chance at life, he understood: lecturing didn't work. You had to fight magic with magic.

“Come on. Dad’s going to show you the world.”

Upscale massages, heavyweight motorcycles, late-night diners... While other parents were pushing their kids to get married or take civil service exams, Chen Yinuo took his son racing, eating barbecue, and exposed the sweet-faced schemer for who she was. Father and son became like brothers, his ex-wife was furious, and the System rewards kept rolling in: his hair grew back, he got abs, and even his bank balance doubled.

Then one day, he discovered that this “Wild Youth System” had actually been programmed by his son in a parallel world, using the last of his consciousness, all so that a father who was always working overtime could learn to enjoy life again.

It’s a story that makes you laugh, then cry: a tale about learning to be a dad all over again.