Daniel’s father, Bob, held Elena’s hand, not knowing how many times he said thank you.

  Daniel’s mother touched Elena’s small face, saying with heartache:

  “This child, why so thin? Must be not eating well after leaving your parents. Your parents would be so heartbroken if they knew.”

  Elena was too embarrassed to say: back home, she was never given anything good to eat, and her parents would never feel sorry for her.

  I actually got fat after leaving home!

  She just kept nodding, then described the 4kg big grandson to the two elders.

  “The head is really big!”

  “Belly is round and bulging, hair was already black when born.”

  “Eyes rolling around, heehee.”

  She only picked things the elderly liked to hear.

  Hearing his wife say Elena was thin, Bob suddenly remembered something. “Wife, the chicken soup you boiled for our daughter-in-law, is it still in the pot?”

  “Right! Aiya, I almost forgot...” Hearing this, Bob’s wife pulled Elena and rushed home.

  Entering the courtyard, Bob’s wife brought a bowl of steamed chicken soup from the pot, with seven or eight pieces of chicken breast.

  She told Elena apologetically: “The patient can’t eat greasy food, no heavy seasoning either, just clear soup. I feel so bad. You saved my grandson and daughter-in-law, but I can only give you this. Don’t look down on it. When I have time, I’ll stew even better chicken soup for you.”

  Elena knew she was about to become this aunt’s god-daughter anyway, so she ate without being polite, mumbling while eating:

  “So delicious!”

  She really wanted to say that she never had the chance to eat meat at home.

  Only Leon was allowed to eat meat.

  The aunt smiled and stared at Elena. She stayed by Elena’s side, waiting for her to finish, then rushed to wash Elena’s bowl.

  Because Arthur firmly refused to eat, Bob stuffed many candies and chestnut cakes into his briefcase.

  By now, the sky was completely dark. Roan also ate his fill at home. The three people drove away from Solana, heading toward the Sangreza River Old Ferry.

  The old ferry had a floating bridge, destroyed during the war, but locals still call it “Floating Bridge Crossing.”

  The Crossing connects to Port Sol on the other side—now the temporary capital of the Sangreza Democratic Republic.

  It’s said that standing on the shore, you can see the bustling night view of Port Sol every night.

  The Crossing is only twenty-some kilometers from Solana.

  Not far, but the roads near the river were bombed many times during the war. Getting there would take over an hour.

  At night, Elena drove, carefully avoiding mud pits and rocks. The three were jolted until they felt motion sick, so they talked less.

  ……

  At this time, Rocco just started work.

  This was his first night shift. As soon as he entered the guard locker room, his mouth never stopped complaining.

  “That idiot Antonio. Even a loyal guard like me got kicked out. Now he’s got a pretty boy following his ass all day. Isn’t he afraid that pretty boy will stick it up his ass?”

  “I followed him for three years, three years! No mercy at all!”

  “Saying that guarding the gate is a way to gain experience. Have you guys ever seen anyone ‘gaining experience’ like this?”

  Six people were in the locker room. Two guards just off shift were showering stark naked.

  A tall pale guy mocked Rocco: “You’re not as tall as me, not as pale as me, and yours isn't as big as mine. That’s why you were kicked out by Antonio.”

  The others laughed loudly.

  Rocco walked to the naked guy without a blush, shouting back: “You mean you fit Antonio’s taste? I can use my old connections to recommend you tomorrow, make you Antonio’s little wife.”

  The tall guy stuck out his tongue and hid in the corner, pretending to be scared.

  “Don’t... I’m afraid my ass will hurt...”

  Another burst of laughter in the locker room.

  Another sturdy guy changing into uniform asked: “Rocco, you got fired because you look too ordinary?”

  Rocco pretended to be angry, grabbing his collar: “What do you mean calling your brother ordinary? Where am I ordinary? No part of me is ordinary.”

  “I’ll tell you, I was kicked out for flirting with Antonio’s office secretary.”

  “He seems to really like that secretary, flirting in the office every day.”

  The sturdy guy pretended to be angry too, pushing Rocco’s hand away: “Fine, fine, don’t pull my clothes. I think Antonio likes women, you’re the one who likes men.”

  Rocco got angrier: “What do you mean? Tomorrow I’m going to Velvet Night to find some girls. You still going or not?”

  They were ignoring the bickering, but hearing Velvet Night, everyone got interested.

  Velvet Night is a famous brothel. Heard a batch of new girls just arrived. Men with money in Port Sol love discussing this lately.

  The naked tall guy, now drying himself, leaned over: “Spend a month's salary in one day at Velvet Night, then starve for the rest of the month?”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “Who said that? I have the highest level Gold Discount Card.” Rocco shook a gold card in his hand. “Pay only 30%! Pay only 30%! Unlimited times.”

  “Wow!”

  Everyone crowded around. A 30% of card for Velvet Night isn't for ordinary people.

  Rocco, an ordinary guard, a short, stocky, and poor soldier just demoted. Yet, he actually has this card.

  The guards who mocked him now had faces full of envy.

  The guards didn't know that Rocco was secretly categorizing them in his mind.

  Butch, red text.

  Pug, yellow text.

  Tank, inclination unknown.

  “Rocco, how did you get it?”

  Butch was the naked tall guy, now buttoning up, head tilted.

  “Madam Vivienne gave it to me.”

  “Pfft!”

  “Ah, Hahahaha, funniest joke I heard this year.”

  “Rocco, why do you love bragging so much?”

  “New guy, you are too funny.”

  ……

  Rocco didn't care about the mocking, muttering to himself: “I know you don't believe it, but Madam Vivienne actually treated me to dinner.”

  Madam Vivienne is a big figure in Port Sol. Runs a dance hall, rich, has twenty thugs, and mysterious ties to political, military, and business elites.

  This lady is not only beautiful but has a famous trait: she’s boy-crazy!

  She changes boyfriends every two months. First condition: handsome. Second: young. Third... must be able to run 3,000 meters.

  “3,000 meters, running all night long, hahahaha.”

  The soldiers got even more excited talking about Madam Vivienne. Except for Rocco, the others forgot they were there to change for work. Shift change time had passed. Ten minutes late and they might be beaten by colleagues waiting to leave.

  “Rocco, since you know Madam Vivienne, when will you invite us to ‘The Crystal Palace’ for a drink? We want to see Vivienne pouring wine for us.”

  Seeing Butch ask, Rocco answered without thinking: “Sure, when do you want to go?”

  Everyone froze.

  Vivienne’s dance hall is only for the rich. How could smelly soldiers like them get in?

  Nobody here actually dared to go to “The Crystal Palace.” Can't get in, can't afford it. That’s the truth.

  But they couldn't believe the new guy had a discount card for Velvet Night AND could enter The Crystal Palace AND see Madam Vivienne. Does that make sense?

  Rocco saw them stunned and waved his hand: “Aiya, I’ll take you tomorrow night, okay? I’ll pay. Just don't forget I’m your brother when there’s fun in the future.”

  The Military District Guardroom actually got such a rich and interesting guy. Everyone was shocked. After a few seconds, they all yelled: “I’m in! I’m in!”

  “If you don’t go, you’re not a brother!”

  ……

  In the mental hospital, Leo had another dream.

  Because he slept too much during the day and too early at night, his sleep was shallow, half-awake.

  He even cursed himself in the dream for being a sleepyhead.

  “Why sleep so much? Now look, dreaming of Vivienne again? Dammit!”

  In the dream, Vivienne was beaten by Leo until she was bleeding, but the woman was stubborn, cursing and saying she’d divorce even if she died, and never meet a drunkard like Leo again—someone who only knows how to fight wars and beat his wife.

  What else did she say?

  Whoever Leo hates, she will sleep with? After sleeping, she’ll tell the whole world—Leo’s boss, his soldiers, parents, colleagues, neighbors. Anyone who doesn't know, she’ll kiss that man right in front of them.

  Leo was dying of anger in the dream. This kind of woman deserves to be beaten, beaten, beaten... hit her head, pull her hair, better yet, kick her stomach!

  In the dream, Vivienne was so stubborn.

  Leo hates Bruno, but Vivienne actually slept with Bruno? Where’s the knife? Where’s my army knife?

  Where’s my gun?

  Antonio, give me my submachine gun, I’m going to kill that slut Vivienne, that bitch!

  Antonio, where are you... No gun is fine, give me a grenade...

  Antonio, why ignore me? I trusted you to take care of my wife and child. Did you secretly get with my wife?

  Antonio...

  A pair of warm, soft hands held Leo’s head in the darkness. Leo’s dream finally stopped.

  He sighed in the dream. Why should this young nurse care about an old man like him, half-buried in the ground?

  And a madman at that!

  ……

  After Leo slowly fell back into deep sleep.

  Elena finally drove the two men near the Floating Bridge Crossing, but a military checkpoint blocked the road.

  Arthur got out to negotiate and came back dejected: “The soldiers told us to turn around. Said they don't care if I'm a real Bureau Chief or a fake one. This is a military zone, no entry for anyone at night.”

  Roan had hit it off with Arthur by now. He thought for a while and said: “I heard of a place where you can see the firelight on the river at night. I’ll take you there.”