Back to My Dad’s High School Days

I just want to express my appreciation for this story. I like how the characters aren't the typical BL protagonists who see every positive interaction as an opportunity to molest, take advantage, or engage in sexual activity. Considering it's set in an ABO world, I'm truly impressed.

For those of you who might hesitate to read this due to possible second-hand embarrassment or other reasons:

This is an amazing novel and far better than I expected it to be. It will definitely be worth your time.

It’s a unique transmigration story, unlike any other I’ve read. By chapter 34, the story mainly focuses on the MC’s parents, and I’m surprisingly happy about this development.

Initially, I thought I’d be more interested in seeing Qin Shiwu (the MC) develop a romantic relationship, but now I’m 100% more invested in his parents’ story and the progression of their romance.

Everything was funny and lifted my spirits. I finished chapter 34 with a smile and am eagerly looking forward to their interactions in the future, watching their relationship grow a little more with each chapter.

In the end, it all comes down to personal preference, so whether you like it or not, I hope my review helps. I wish you all a wonderful day.

Thank you to the translator and the author for creating this plot and translating it into English. Your work is greatly appreciated.

THIS WAS SO GOOD. I was not prepared for the number of tears I shed while reading this novel. I didn't expect it to be so emotionally powerful.

The main character's interactions with his parents were exceptional. There were a few issues here and there (like sexism and some neglect), but I think that's typical for this genre.

, this was unexpectedly sweet and really delved into the parent-child relationship.

The first half of the story had more of a romantic comedy feel, focusing on the parents, while the second half shifts to concentrate more on the main character. I can’t figure out why I can’t stop crying when I read the second half. It was both joyful and angsty at the same time, and it’s strange how much I cried. Seriously, I’m not usually the type to tear up during sad stories, but this one just had me sobbing like a baby.

10/10, I wish I could forget everything and reread this over and over again.

4.5 stars

I wasn’t too keen on reading a romance from a third-party perspective, but the romance developed more from the point of view of those involved. Unexpectedly, I got really attached to the main character (the son) and wanted more family content than romance right up to the end. I read the reviews before diving in, so I was fully prepared for the angst. But it still hit me like a truck. I dare say I’ve cried over fewer than ten books so far, and this one made me cry.

At the beginning, the main character seemed like a bit of a troublemaker, but as more details about his family life were revealed, I just wanted him to have all the happiness in the world. He was so precious in the story and exuded such a childlike vibe that I was initially worried he might be seen as a love rival. However, it was clear he was the "child."

As for the minus 0.5, it’s mainly plot-related. I can’t fault the writing, but I didn’t particularly like how the neglect the main character experienced for 15 years was handled. I didn’t read the extras, so I’m not sure if it was explained more there, but since his parents remembered everything, the neglect seemed semi-deliberate. Partly because they didn’t want to change anything too much (affecting the series of events, I guess), and partly because they were overly protective. In the end, the main character breaks down and apologizes to his father, saying sorry for thinking they didn’t love him. But really, they should be the ones apologizing. That’s 15 years of childhood, pretty much everything. However, I also understand their worries and uncertainty about how else to handle the situation.

, what an emotional rollercoaster!

The story is good, but I was extremely irritated by the author's insistence on forcing heteronormativity into an Omegaverse. What do you mean by "I would never fall in love with him because he's a man"? You two are an alpha and an omega, for crying out loud! The Omegaverse doesn't operate like our society; what's the problem with a male omega and a male alpha being together?! This is how it should be, damn it!

The thing I hate most about BL is this "I'm straight" nonsense; it's so outdated and annoying! Male omegas and women should be equal without this "ew, a man" attitude. All the author talks about is women—how they're pretty, how all the boys want a pretty girl, girlfriends, and wives, and so on. Male omegas are practically non-existent in this story. The only omegas mentioned, as far as I've read, are the main character (who receives zero attention), the main character's mother's friend (who also receives zero attention), and his mother (whom everyone thinks is an alpha). Even when characters talk about having a lover, they strictly mention pretty girls and attractive girlfriends.

WHY ARE THERE MALE OMEGAS IF THEY ARE COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN? Why the hell did you add male omegas to the story if you're going to treat them as if they don't exist? What's wrong with your head? For crying out loud, this is a BL. I'm sure most readers didn't come here to see straight stuff (I don't care if it sounds problematic, that's the truth). Straight couples aren't the problem; the problem is the author making it seem like the only possible match for a man is a woman. It's so infuriating. If you're looking for an Omegaverse, this isn't for you. It's just about male alphas simpering over female omegas. Just like the damn real world, but with pheromones.

So I read the premise, then proceeded to binge the novel by jumping to the later parts. BOY, I was not ready for the angst that came through after the hilarious fluff. I misclicked; it was supposed to be a 5-star review, dammit.

Major spoilers, especially regarding the time travel:

The son, Qin Shiwu’s transmigration is EXTREMELY PAINFUL. He transmigrates into someone with the exact same name who attended the same school as his parents. However, this original Qin Shiwu had a depressing life. He had neglectful parents and died of leukemia in September, as his mother gave no damn about him and did not even come to the hospital to arrange for his care. The worst part? The main character, Qin Shiwu, GOES THROUGH THE PAINFUL PROCESS OF DYING FROM LEUKEMIA before he can return to his original time.

Before that, Qin Shiwu (our MC) had thrown in insights about his life before the transmigration and felt like an unloved child. His omega birth parent, Lu Tong, became a film star who worked often, while his alpha parent, Qin Chu, became the CEO of his own company. They worked so much that whenever people asked Qin Shiwu about his parents, he would respond naturally, and his classmates, aware of his crappy parent situation, thought he was talking about them. By all means, we later found out that it's really a matter of perspective; his parents DID love him, but he ended up having a warped perspective due to neglect and overprotectiveness.

The MC's parents also come from broken families, which might explain why Qin Shiwu felt so unloved. The parents are also flawed people. I honestly wanted to cry when Qin Shiwu would be so excited to spend time with his cold, omega parent, Lu Tong, as a classmate because he would intersperse with how he never got to spend time with him as a child. Working as a film star meant they barely had time together. We get the impression that Lu Tong was very subtle in how he showed his care and love for his son, as well as the alpha dad, Qin Chu.

Heartbreaking moments include how Qin Shiwu almost forgot his birthday. His parents grew busy after his 5th birthday, and he would mention that because he got kidnapped once as a child, he was never able to go out of the house without a bodyguard. He feels like he barely understands his parents and only understood them better after his transmigration and spending time with them as teenagers. Another part is when his omega parent, Lu Tong, is considering surgery to remove his gland due to his pheromone condition, where he needs to be permanently marked by Qin Chu, which means he will become infertile and he also cannot afford to rely on the alpha parent as he will be going overseas. This caused a Cold War between the two, and Qin Shiwu inwardly despaired whether he was an unwanted child. He looked back at his life on how he was neglected and wondered why he was brought into this world to suffer. Mind you, this kid is only FOURTEEN and he's depressed. He has to worry whether he will exist in the future and whether he will return back to his original time since the body he transmigrated into has a terminal illness. The author is brutal.

His omega parent tried to comfort him when he noticed how upset Qin Shiwu was. Qin Shiwu couldn't take it anymore when he was asked by Lu Tong to call his mother. Qin Shiwu proceeded to call Lu Tong's number, and when the other picked up, he just started to bawl in the zoo. He couldn't even confide in his own parent in his own time, yet he could receive the affection he desperately wanted as a friend. Also, it's crazy to expect his parents to believe that he is a transmigrator. Later on, Lu Tong is the one who connected the dots and he begins to feel guilty because EVERYTHING Qin Shiwu said has become harsher in hindsight.

Qin Shiwu's body also starts breaking down by the time they find out. The boy is vomiting blood left and right, going into comas, and his parents are doing their utmost best to be by his side when they realize he is their son from the future. Qin Shiwu has every reason to be terrified when he is so close to death and might not be able to see his parents again for a second chance at making their family relations better. He decided that if he ever went back to his original time, he would be a better son and stop making his parents worry. Poor kid. When he passes, he goes back to his time. But for the parents, they remember everything as everyone around them forgot about son Qin Shiwu. It was like the son's transmigration never happened.

The time loop is eventually closed by the ending. When Qin Shiwu woke up, Lu Tong was so worried he decided to stop acting. He had gone into a coma for an entire month and refused to wake up despite having good vitals. Honestly, I don't blame him. Imagine if you saw your future child die in a painful state... yikes, that's so traumatic. Qin Shiwu thinks that Lu Tong's affection would last for a few days before going back to work. You know it's bad when you realize the kid tried to fake illness just to get his parents' attention, and he thinks this way. Lu Tong, however, decided to stop filming and spend time with Qin Shiwu. As Qin Shiwu realizes, Lu Tong actually does love him; he remembers his favorite food, his hobbies, and what he likes a lot. He also apologizes to Qin Shiwu for being so neglectful and promises that he will be a better parent.

Qin Chu as well starts to get along better with Qin Shiwu. Qin Shiwu also tries to dig out if his parents remembered a Qin Shiwu from their time period, but they tend to be very vague or sidestep the topic. Eventually, they do tell him that he was named after this boy, and that they remember him from 16 years ago. But Lu Tong was terrified of sending Qin Shiwu to the cemetery because of that traumatic transmigration—he really could not afford to lose his son a second time. A classmate who MC Qin Shiwu grew close to also found out his transmigration and even recognized him at first glance. The time loop closes there as the items she kept from their time 16 years ago fade and become a memory. The family becomes closer and are much happier than before. The two parents throw Qin Shiwu a birthday party to make up for the lost years and bond with him even more before dropping the bomb that he will be getting a new sibling. LMAO. At least Qin Shiwu is happier now.

5/5 for the interesting execution of the premise and how the author resolved the time paradox. This author was BRUTAL when it came to angst.

Extras spoilers:
There was no second sibling that joined the family. Some of the extras cover the parents trying to figure out how to make sure their son survives the transmigration after conceiving him, but overall, a happier family life post-canon where the parents also find out their son is dating... HAHAHA.

This was a very enjoyable novel to read, and I greatly appreciated the main character (MC) and his antics. I gave this novel 4 stars because there were a few issues that, while not major, I believe could have elevated the story to a true gem.

The novel, as the synopsis suggests, revolves around a 14-year-old boy who travels back 16 years to when his parents were in high school. The MC becomes classmates with his father and forms a relationship with him. Initially, the MC tries to get his father to recognize him, even calling him "dad." His primary goal is to bring his parents together, ensuring his own existence in the future. The way he approaches this is incredibly humorous, and he comes across as a very endearing and wholesome child. As the story unfolds, the MC learns a great deal about his parents and their personalities, leading to many charming interactions, particularly between the MC and his father. The ending, however, is quite angsty, so be prepared for an emotional ride. Having read the spoilers, I wasn't as affected, but if you're going in blind, brace yourself.

Now, let's discuss the areas where the novel could have been improved:

1. **MC's Perspective**: Given that the story is about a 14-year-old boy traveling back to his parents' high school days, one would expect a significant portion of the narrative to focus on the MC's efforts to bring his parents together. However, the author often shifts the focus to the parents, almost making them co-main characters. While I don't have a major issue with this, I felt that more of the story could have been told from the MC's perspective, providing deeper insight into his thoughts and feelings.

2. **Father's Affection**: The mother is portrayed as incredibly caring towards the MC, which is very touching. In contrast, the father's interactions, though humorous, lack a sense of deep affection. For example, when the MC is sick and dying, and the parents discover his identity, the father is concerned but doesn't display much sadness. The author notes that this is part of his character design, showing love more subtly, but I wished for more overt displays of emotion from him.

3. **Parental Neglect**: At the beginning, the MC mentions feeling neglected by his parents, who are always busy with work. When he travels back in time, he tries to determine if his parents truly wanted him. He drops several hints about his unhappy home life, and when his parents realize who he is, his mother is devastated. Despite this, they don't seem to address the issue of neglect directly. Instead, they explain that they were protecting him from the spotlight due to his mother's acting career and a past kidnapping incident. While this is understandable, it felt somewhat inadequately handled and could have been explored more deeply.

, it was a delightful novel that passed the time well. I do recommend it, especially for the cute and heartwarming interactions between the MC and his parents. With that, I bid you adieu <3