The sun sets in the west.
Twilight begins to set in.
Amid the crackling sparks, curls of cooking smoke and the rich aroma of meat drifted out of the courtyard.
Two big men, a boy, and a gray-haired woman chatted around the grill.
There are hundreds of households in the block, but only three of them gather together. Not all neighbors like Asians.
"Are you done with this one?" Jacob asked Paqui, who smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"There are still several months until the one-year contract ends, and I will go back to work the day after tomorrow. But after this year, I don't plan to renew the contract, unless that Blanche Grandet gives me a salary increase. The environment this year is too bad, the street The street was full of people who were unemployed and had no money to fill up their cars with gas. Some of them simply robbed in the streets in the busy city, especially those black guys. They were really desperate for their lives. Deaths came one after another, and several brothers suffered. It’s hurt, I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold on anymore.”
Paquet took a sip of Budweiser and stared fiercely.
"Their reasons for robbery are ridiculous. They just wanted to go to the community barbershop to get a nice haircut and have their blood pressure checked."
"You yellow-skinned person knows nothing. Barbershops are of great significance to black people. They are equivalent to another harbor outside the family and a holy place for communication with compatriots. Barbers have many roles. They can cut hair, measure blood pressure, and give blood to black compatriots. He also gives health advice. A good barber can help his compatriots live a few more years." Jacob wiped the oil stains on his white beard and said humorously, "But their hot temper is also related to high blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause injuries. It stimulates the brain and reduces their fear, so they are not afraid of being pointed at a gun."
Dean ate barbecue with relish and quietly learned about the social reality of the United States from the nonsense of these two big men.
As for Mona's identity, he planned to ask after dinner.
"Boy, you did a good job in this fight..." Paquet tore off a large piece of charred beef from the steak, "Don't be like your dad and be timid. Patience will only get contempt in the beautiful country. Only fists and Only strength will make people respect you. Whoever bullies you, beat him hard! Until he is convinced!"
"Kid, don't listen to their nonsense."
Grandma Tang Ya kindly handed a bunch of fat and thin barbecue to Dean.
"Fightings should be stopped in moderation, and don't get into bad habits and cause trouble all the time. Otherwise, you will have to act as a bodyguard for a miser like Paquet, blocking the gunshots, and you may die unknown one day."
Dean suddenly realized that his uncle was a bodyguard? No wonder we talked about so many hot topics.
It's a pity that the predecessor didn't learn any combat skills from this uncle.
"Old guy, wash your crow's mouth and pray to your God for me? What's wrong with being a bodyguard? The work is easy and you make a lot of money, as long as you have a good body and mind."
In this era, most well-known professional bodyguard companies have not yet been established. In Paquet's previous words, the current bodyguards are very wild.
"Boy, you are already eighteen years old. No matter what job you do in the future, whether you go to college or not, you must first exercise your body. A thin man cannot protect himself, and he lacks charm and cannot attract women..."
Paquet flexed his well-developed biceps at his nephew, then looked at his mediocre arms with dissatisfaction.
Dean took a big bite of beef depressedly. He was obviously well-proportioned, but where was he so thin?
"You still need to learn some self-defense skills. You can't always be so lucky and just escape robbery."
Jacob raised his Budweiser toward Dean, who raised a can of juice in return.
He had sworn not to drink again.
"In more than a month, I'll wait for your summer vacation." The firelight illuminated Paqui's thoughtful face, "I'll go to the shooting range in Vegas with your Uncle Jacob to practice shooting."
Dean nodded without hesitation.
In the United States, a country where guns are abundant, it is simply a fantasy to rely solely on fighting for self-defense.
As long as you have three heads and six arms, the criminal will be knocked down with one shot.
Guns can only be made from guns.
In addition, since there are fighting skills in the system, you can definitely develop a skill by practicing with guns!
By the way, uncle and Jacob must also know some fighting skills. Once the system incident is resolved, you can ask them for advice in this regard!
Paqui had a look of relief on his face. He had asked many times before that this nephew would not agree to touch a gun, just like his timid father.
But now he finally woke up.
He glanced back at the broken glass of the house.
A broken house is not all bad.
Paquet was concerned about Dean's study situation again. The latter chose the right thing to say and skipped the trouble with the second-generation rich Bob, which made Jacob and Tang Ya praise the Chinese-American's reading talent.
When the moon rose in the sky, several people's bellies were full and they were satisfied with their food. The barbecue grill was filled with empty beer cans and beverage bottles.
Paquet lay on the wicker chair and burped.
"Dean, have you used up the money I gave you last time?"
He seemed not to regard the two neighbors as outsiders at all.
"Not a penny left."
Dean said truthfully,
"When did you kid become so lavish with money? You spent three hundred dollars in less than a month, and you're still a student!"
Paquet sighed, his rough face showing a trace of physical pain, but he still decisively took out his wallet from his pocket and took out a small stack of twenty dollars.
"Save some money and remember, this is the money your uncle earned with his life, and it's all given to you."
Dean looked at the stretched out hand and fell into deep thought. Six hundred dollars was a huge sum of money in this era, and few families could afford so much at once.
My predecessor's home didn't have any luxury items. We ate lunch at school and rode a bicycle to school, even saving on the fare.
According to Rust, the predecessor had no other major expenses except a few dollars a week to watch boring movies.
So it’s strange, how come there’s not a penny left of the three hundred dollars in the past?
If Paquet had given him three hundred dollars a month before.
As an ordinary high school student, he couldn't spend it all, so it stands to reason that he should have saved some money.
But the day before yesterday, I searched the whole house and every corner - nothing!
Dean was lost in thought.
Where did the money go?
"Here, kid, I was being polite to your uncle. I was joking just now. I don't have a son. I only have a nephew like you. If I don't give you money to spend, is it possible that I always throw it into women's bellies?"
Seeing the other person in a daze, Paquet thought he was embarrassed, so he opened his fingers with a bear's paw and stuffed the money in.
"Haha, old man, don't be reluctant to spend money." Jacob beside him shook his beard and said with a smile, "Maybe it won't be long before Dean can bring his girlfriend back to see you."
"That girl talked to me." Tang Ya said softly, "She is a girl who loves to laugh and has a very good personality."
"Girlfriend? Are you actually enlightened? Is this the blessing of the ancestors' spirits?"
Paqui's eyes locked on his nephew in surprise.
Dean didn't wait for him to ask questions, rushed into the room and took out the sketch.
The dim firelight enveloped the white drawing paper, casting a shadow over Mona's bright smile.
"Uncle Jacob, is this the girlfriend you are talking about?"
"You have brought her home for the night almost every day for more than three months. Who else besides her? Is your kid still a playboy and has other girlfriends?" Jacob blinked curiously, and for a moment Three pairs of eyes focused on Dean, like three hundred-watt light bulbs, illuminating him to the point of embarrassment.
"Are you kidding..." Dean rubbed his temples and suppressed the fear in his heart.
Mona had actually been dating her ex for several months, and they often spent the night together, but he didn't have the slightest impression of her.
What puzzled him even more was.
My predecessor, such a timid, cowardly, honest Asian guy, actually had a girl spend the night with him? !
What advantage did Mona like in him?
"Speaking of which, I haven't seen her in the past half month. What's going on, kid?" Jacob asked again, but Dean suddenly lowered his head. He also wanted to know where the other party had gone!
Paqui originally had a lot of things to say in his stomach and wanted to ask his nephew, but as soon as the old man's question came out, he saw his nephew holding his knees with both hands and a sad face.
The psychology of someone who has been through this made him instantly attracted to Dean.
This is a breakup.
My nephew’s girlfriend broke up before I even met her!
"Boy, don't be too sad. If a woman can't bear children for you, then she is just a transit point in your life."
"I promise, you will make more beautiful girlfriends in the future. Just spend the money as you like, invite a few more female classmates to watch movies, or go to a hotel in the city center to develop relationships. If you don't go to college, you Just get married early and have a baby——"
stop!
Where is this going?
Dean looked at his nagging uncle speechlessly. He had no interest in other women. He just wanted to know Mona.
But he can't tell his neighbors directly that he has lost his memory of Mona.
He could only get information from Jacob and Tangya in a circumstantial way.
The two neighbors didn't think too much and said almost everything they knew.
Then he learned that Mona was almost the same age as him.
Knowing that she was an orphan like him, she dropped out of school early and worked part-time at the Rock's Cinema in the city.
I found out that she was always wearing a light blue denim jacket, jeans and a hat.
I know that every time she spends the night at his place, she goes back to work in the city on the back seat of her bicycle the next day.
…
Until about ten o'clock in the evening.
This barbecue feast is completely over.
Tang Ya was exhausted and went home to rest.
Jacob and Paquet sat under the eaves with their shotguns in their hands, chatting away.
"Boy, go back to the house and go to sleep. The safety outside is left to us. If those guys come again, we will have enough peanuts!"
"Is it really okay?" Although Dean thought Bob would be honest for two days, he was still a little worried, "How about we rent a hotel room in the city? Or sleep in a park to avoid the limelight?"
"Where did all this nonsense come from? Brat, we killed more robbers than the people you saw in your movies!"
Pa Kui blushed and shouted loudly,
"Get back!"
This uncle was so nervous that he didn't notice any abnormalities in his nephew.
Dean shook his head and went back inside.
…
The hall in the house has been tidied up.
In the bedroom on the second floor, there are still many broken pieces of paper that have not been put away.
Dean got what he wanted and asked about Mona's news from his neighbor. After heaving a sigh of relief, he practiced fighting for three hours according to the plan he had set. His proficiency reached 27/100. At one o'clock in the morning, he was exhausted and his eyelids were fighting. .
"Let's get here today. Tomorrow, everything should come to light."
He held the sketch and lay on the bed covered with scraps of paper, trying to remember.
In the haziness, the fatigue from working all day came over me.
His facial features were relaxed and his expression was dazed, as if he was wandering on the boundary between virtuality and reality.
The surrounding light quietly dimmed.
A memory flashed back again.
"Dean..." A soft, familiar yet unfamiliar voice echoed in his ears.
He turned around, and Mona was leaning on the bed with her chin propped up on her left hand, looking at him like waves.
The blue T-shirt is stretched high on the chest, and it says Super lo cinema.
"Do you like Los Angeles?"
Her gentle hands brushed Dean's chest like playing a piano, causing goose bumps.
"Of course. Hollywood is over there, and you know, I love everything to do with movies, especially Star Wars."
"How about we visit the Avenue of Stars? It only takes more than an hour by plane."
Dean hesitated upon hearing this.
Mona observed his expression carefully and sighed regretfully, "I originally wanted to wait for you to have summer vacation and go shopping together. If you don't like it, forget it."
"You misunderstood, I also want to see something." Dean shook his head, "But I have never left Las Vegas... I have no experience in traveling... It takes a lot of money to go to a big city like Los Angeles. A lot of money, right?”
"Fool, the two places are not far apart, but the cost is higher in Las Vegas... Besides, I saved some money from working and saved some money, which is enough for the two of us to spend ten days and a half there." Mona smiled and took his hand.
"No!" Dean held her hand, his tone unquestionable, "I am a man, how can I ask my girlfriend to pay for it? Over the years...Uncle Paqui has given me a lot of pocket money, and I have saved almost two thousand US dollars. It should be enough to cover the cost of this trip!”
"This is too much." Mona's eyes lit up, she shook her head gently, and her black hair playfully slapped Dean's face, "You should save your money for college in the future."
"The tuition fees can be paid for with loans and scholarships...but if I miss this trip, I will never have the happy summer vacation of eighteen years old."
Dean said.
The girl pursed her lips and stopped retorting. She was moved and put her forehead against his, breathing hot breath from her mouth onto his face. Dean's eyes were a little blurry.
The girl said,
"Fool, why do you like me? I'm stupid and didn't even graduate from high school...My parents died early...I have no money, I lived in a dirty and dark sewer, and I'm not pretty either..."
"What about you?" Dean looked into her eyes and asked, "My parents have disappeared a long time ago, and only an uncle raised me. Do you know that no matter where I am, I am a person who can be bullied by everyone?" A doormat and a transparent person.”
Dean's eyes suddenly turned red,
"Except for Rust, who was willing to be friends with me... everyone else told me to be a bastard, isolated me, discriminated against me, and laughed at me. I'm not handsome, and I don't have any popular sports talent. I don't even dare to fight with others. "
"I originally thought I would never have a girlfriend in this life... Mona... Goddess of Luck must have taken another look at me before I could meet you. You can always make me forget all my worries and worries, and make me happy. "
"Ha ha…"
The incandescent light on the ceiling flickered.
The two figures hugged each other and rolled around.
Mona snuggled into Dean's arms, with a sweet smile on her lips.
"As they say in the movie, We are made for each other."
"We are made for each other!"
The two voices intertwined and echoed in the dilapidated bedroom.
Dean blinked, the hallucination dissipated, and his hazy eyes returned to clarity.
He sat up from the bed, touched the corners of his eyes, and felt a wetness. It was as if he was in that dream of memories that seemed both real and illusory, and he burst into tears.
I obviously don’t like Mona!
fxxkThe remaining feelings!
"Mona and her predecessor really make a couple."
But when Mona mentioned that she lived in the sewers, was she serious or a joke?
Dean could never connect the smiling girl in his mind with the damp, dark, dirty sewers.
It must be a joke, right?
He sighed, thinking back to the scene in his dream.
How can childish feelings withstand the blow once money is involved?
Dean remembered the experience of being entangled with his girlfriend in his previous life.
Mona's appearance is completely incomparable to hers.
But fascinate the predecessor.
…
"Impulsive teenagers will always be punished."
The investigation progress jumped to ninety percent.
Dean lowered his head and glanced at the T-shirt he was wearing. It said "super Lo, cinema" on it.
"This is what the system calls the truth, right under my nose. It's on my body."
"Go to the movie theater where Mona works tomorrow and everything should come to light."
