Chapter 401: Home Sweet Home

About 50 minutes later, the black extended Cadillac that belonged to the LS Group’s general manager appeared on the streets of the Lowbige community in Brooklyn, New York and slowed down by the side.

In the back seat of the car, Zhang Lisheng looked out towards the tree-lined streets and wooden houses surrounded by lawns through the window. By the time the car had fully stopped, he pushed the door open and spoke to Charlie as he got out of the car. “Thank you for sending me back to Charlie. Goodbye!”

“Bye, Boss! Don’t worry, I’ll settle everything for you!” Charlie rolled down the window and extended his head.

Zhang Lisheng smiled silently and waved his hand towards his general manager. Briskly, he walked across the slab-stone path in the middle of a green lawn towards a wooden door painted white before pressing on the doorbell.

“Please wait a moment.” A familiar, pleasing female voice resonated from the house. Then, a young girl who was wearing a casual white sweatshirt and a pair of lightweight knee-length denim shorts opened the door.

The girl was taken aback when she saw Zhang Lisheng before giving him a warm hug. “Oh, Lisheng! It’s great that I finally get to see you again. Aunt Lili! Aunt Lili! Lisheng is back, you gotta make more beef pies! I’ll help you with the fillings later.”

“Oh, Riley, I’m happy to see you too! Is everything good in Virginia?” Soaking in the soft embrace of the girl and the enticing smell of perfume, Zhang Lisheng said with an uncomfortable smile.

“Virginia is good, well except for the porcupines. We can call it paradise on Earth. Oh Lisheng, your body is so tense! I didn’t expect you to be so embarrassed even after college!” Riley replied and released him, allowing Zhang Lisheng to walk into the room.

The first story of the wooden house was brightly lit. At first glance, Zhang Lisheng found that his so-called brothers and sisters were actually sitting in the living room furnished with a television and sofa while playing card games with several of their friends, appearing to be vivacious.

Not far away, in the open kitchen close to the wall, Lili and a brown-skinned woman, who looked no longer young but was still charming, were getting busy preparing for dinner. Sullo D. Lavin, who was not legally recognized as the young man’s stepfather, on the other hand, was stooping his tall body by the side while helping in the kitchen with a vigorous-looking Asian man who looked at most 30 years old.

When Lili saw her son entering the door, she immediately dropped the pot and greeted him with a tight hug. “Oh baby, you’re back! Why didn’t you call me in advance?”

“I wanted to give you a surprise, Mom!” Zhang Lisheng kissed his mother’s cheek and said with a smile.

“This is indeed a big surprise, baby.” Lili took the young man’s hand and kissed it. When she turned to look at the kitchen, she suddenly whispered, “Listen, baby, your Aunt Rachel has divorced and that man washing vegetables beside your Uncle Lavin over there is the Puerto Rican man who has a name so long that nobody would remember whom I’ve mentioned to you before. You can call him Lucas but remember to be polite.”

Zhang Lisheng knew Rachel was his mother’s best friend, so he nodded with a smile before waving towards the kitchen. “Hi Uncle Lavin, I’m back! Hey Aunt Rachel, good evening, and Mr. Lucas, nice to meet you.”

“Oh Lisheng, you’re back! How have you been? Tell me, is there anything interesting happening around you?” Lavin heaved a sigh of relief as though a load had been lifted from him. When he was about to stride towards the young man, he suddenly saw Lili pointing a finger at him. “Sullo dear, can you stay there and help me in the kitchen? You’ll have plenty of opportunity to talk to Lisheng during dinner later.”

“Oh, of course Lili! Look, I’m washing the vegetables now!” The ‘New York’s nemesis of crime’ nodded with a bitter look. At the same time, Rachel and the young European American man also greeted Zhang Lisheng back.

“Baby, go play Monopoly with Stephen and Randy. You look as though you should really relax. The dinner will be ready soon!” Lili patted the young man’s arm and kissed her son’s cheek again before returning to the kitchen to continue her work.

Watching Lili’s back entering the kitchen, Riley could not help but whisper, “Oh poor dad! He and Aunt Rachel’s ex-husband Mcdeson are very close friends and usually, he was thrilled during our family dinners, but this time, he has no choice but to deal with that little shortie from Central Asia… Oh Lisheng, I’m not talking about you. Even though you’re also an Asian like him and you’re not tall, both your temperament and looks are… Urgh, speaking of look, that guy does indeed look quite handsome…”

While she was speaking, a sudden clamor resounded from afar. “Oh, my dear loser sister, Riley! We’re in the most critical point in the game now so we can’t just walk away; why don’t you bring my long-lost brother to hug me!”

“Sure, you bastard Randy! I’ll come right away!” Riley rolled her eyes in the direction of the voice. “And I merely lost a round in the game, not my entire life, okay? If you dare call me a ‘loser’ again, I’m gonna spike your drink with some detergent so you can wash your mouth a little!”

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While the girl was speaking, she led Zhang Lisheng to walk up to the group of young men and women who were sitting on the sofa and floor. “I’ve brought Lisheng here, Randy. Hurry and give your spot to him! Your brother has just come back, so he needs to rest. Lisheng, I’ll go help with the fillings in the kitchen and let you have a good taste of the delicious Virginia fillings tonight…”

Then, she proceeded to walk away.

“Oh, you really know how to ramble on, Riley! Who says that I don’t know how to take care of my brother whom I haven’t seen for long?” A burly man, who was wearing a small singlet revealing all the taut muscles on his body, pulled a funny face at the back of the girl and leaped up from the sofa. Chuckling, he hugged Zhang Lisheng as he shouted, “My brother! Welcome home!”

“Thank you, Randy!” Zhang Lisheng raised his hands and patted the burly man’s shoulder before waving towards his other siblings with a smile. “Hey Stephen, Michelle, Gilll, Harry! I’m back!”

Lavin’s family eldest son high-fived the young man. “Welcome back, bro!”

The twins who shared the same mother with Zhang Lisheng called out in unison, “Oh Lisheng, it has been so long! We’ve missed you!”

Only Michelle, who had become more beautiful after going to college now, smiled without saying a word to Zhang Lisheng.

“Alright, bro. Let me introduce you to a few new friends.” After Zhang Lisheng greeted his family, Randy pressed him onto the sofa and pointed to a few unfamiliar men and women as he began to introduce them. “Brent Holt was born in New York like us. He just graduated from Minnesota State University and is the ‘Man of Steel’ I met at the soldier recruiting center. He’s my best friend now! This is April Camen…”

When Randy named them one by one, Zhang Lisheng would flash a warm smile towards the strange while showing a distant but polite demeanor. When Randy finished introducing everybody, he suddenly said, “Randy, I heard you mention the soldier recruit center just now. What? Do you want to join the army?”

“Of course, brother! Hey, God is fair! Even though I’m not given a smart brain like yours, I’m given a strong body instead!” Randy proudly kissed the thick muscles on his arms and announced loudly, “For this reason, I plan to use them to serve the country and become a true hero.”

“Oh Randy, serving the country is a very noble and respectable idea, but I’ve heard that last sentence of yours before!” Zhang Lisheng shrugged. “Even though the person who said it last time is not as tall and strong as you are, that black man is still full of confidence. Still, everyone wants to be a hero, but only a few are destined to be a hero. I have no intention of interfering with your decision, brother, but I remember that you told me how you wanted to become a senior consultant of LS, and have a seven-figure annual salary, so you can live a comfortable life in Manhattan driving a Cadillac SUV. During the holidays, you would come to visit Uncle Randy and my mom…”

“His original intention is indeed this superficial, but it has changed because a woman dumped him. Now, he wants nothing else but to be the second General Patton of America, but he doesn’t know that this dream is even more idiotic!” Michelle, who was sitting on the opposite side of the young man, suddenly chimed in.

“Michelle Lavin! Having a lofty dream of becoming a great general is not idiotic! Besides, I’ve told you many times that it was me who dumped Fifi, not the other way around…”

“Then why did you lie on the bed straight for one whole week like a dead person after seeing Fifi walking together with that army’s first lieutenant and actually missed the NCAA game?! Wake up, Charlie, you don’t really want to be a professional soldier, you’re just angry. I really don’t understand why a man can be so childish despite being in his twenties…” Michelle said mercilessly but Stephen’s haste voice interjected her. “Enough, Michelle!”

Then, Lavin’s eldest son looked at his brother and said, “Randy, I think you also understand that the reason Michelle said such a thing is that she cares about you. The situation is too dangerous now. The army will have to go into war soon. Besides, we don’t even know how many more foreign worlds will emerge…”

“I’ve already graduated from college, Stephen! I understand what it means to be a professional soldier now, but becoming a soldier is the only dream of mine and no one can stop me!” Randy answered decisively. Then, he stood up and walked up along the stairs with a blank expression.

Stephen watched his brother’s back and fell into silence for a while. Without warning, he shouted out loud, “Nobody will stop you, buddy. We’re all your family, we’ll only advice and give you our blessing.”

Randy froze. And slowly, he turned around and walked back to his original spot before saying solemnly, “In that case, dear brother, I’ve finished listening to all of your advice and please give me your blessing to become a qualified US soldier in the future!”

“I wish that you can become a brave and lucky soldier and that you’ll remain unscathed even if the missiles are blasting around you, brother!” Stephen hugged his brother tightly.

“Me too, Randy! Sorry for saying those words to you,” Michelle also stood up silently and embraced his brother.

“Your decision is really dumb, but it’s very manly! I wish you good luck brother.” In such a situation, Zhang Lisheng had no other choice but to give his blessings as well, albeit a little awkwardly.

Finally, Lavin’s youngest twin brother and sister also embraced their elder brother. “We’re proud of you, dear brother!”