Evening training grew more intense. Brown steadily increased the muscle-strengthening regimen: tire rolling, stone ball lifts, resistance band pulls, high-intensity cardio bursts... Jason Luo's sweat streamed down like water.
"Ding! Explosive Strength improved. Explosiveness +1. Keep it up!"
That wonderful sensation swept over him again. A cool wave coursed through his body, erasing fatigue. His hard work was finally rewarded. Though gaining Attribute improvements through training became harder over time, it was still effective.
Without the system's support, becoming a powerful boxer would demand countless hours of sweat and effort behind the scenes...
After training, he went to the freight yard to carry goods as usual. Grace showed up again, this time bringing fresh meat buns. Jason Luo really couldn't turn her away. Beneath her tough shell, Grace slowly revealed a lively side in front of him.
She was still just a child at heart, but hardship had forced her to grow up too soon...
Grace didn't sit idle either, helping with loading while chatting. During the conversation, Jason Luo suggested that once his father was discharged, he'd have him formally recognize Grace as his goddaughter. Grace agreed with a nod.
Then, Grace finally opened up about her father.
Her family name was Sun. They had immigrated to the U.S. five years ago. Originally, her parents worked in a small county in Shanxi Province—her mother as a middle school teacher, her father as the credit manager of a local credit union.
At that time, they lived a comfortable life. But because of his job, her father often dealt with several coal mine bosses. Gradually, they pulled him in, and he fell into gambling.
The tycoons were wealthy, but her father got caught in their trap, racking up massive debts. They pretended to cover his losses but actually used it as leverage, forcing him to sign off on illegal loans.
Soon, several loans collapsed. Her father scrambled to cover one hole with another, borrowing everywhere he could. But the truth couldn't be hidden forever.
When he realized it was over, instead of confessing, he took desperate measures—embezzling over 15 million dollars from the credit union. He secretly sent them to the U.S. and used the money to secure investment immigration.
Her father later joined them, but before long, authorities working with U.S. police arrested him and extradited him back. He was sentenced to thirty years.
Her mother and she were left alone in a foreign land. All their money was seized, they had no relatives, and they couldn't return to China. Word spread that several coal bosses were also punished because of her father, fined heavily, and some had even sent gangsters to seek revenge...
So, mother and daughter had to struggle to survive in the U.S. Her mother, a physics teacher with limited English, could only find irregular work in Chinatown. The meager income wasn't enough for tuition, so despite good grades, Grace dropped out of school...
Overworked and burdened with sorrow, her mother's health steadily declined until finally...
After hearing her story, Jason Luo was silent for a long time. Just as he was about to comfort her, his phone rang. It was Mr. Miao. He quickly picked up.
"Mr. Miao, what's wrong? It's not about my father...?"
"Ah, no, no, don't worry, Jason. Your father is doing well. His physical alcohol addiction is completely gone. Now he's in the psychological recovery phase, with a specialist guiding him. Rest easy."
"Oh, that's good. Mr. Miao, thank you so much. You've worked so hard for him." Jason Luo's main worry was his father's condition.
"Why thank me? Heh, Jason, I called to thank you. About today—if it weren't for you, who knows what would've happened. Susan just told me. How are you? Not injured, right? Otherwise, I'll check you myself."
"Hey! No need, Mr. Miao. It was nothing, just a little sparring. I'm fine."
"That's good. How about this—come by tomorrow at noon. Have a simple meal with us, and let Susan thank you properly."
"Oh no, really, no need! You're too kind, Mr. Miao. Training's been tight lately—you know the Golden Gloves Tournament is coming up. How about we wait until my dad's discharged, then I'll treat you to a meal. Sorry about this."
"Well... fine. But Jason, if your family ever needs anything, don't hold back, understand?"
"Alright, then..."
Just as Jason Luo was about to hang up, he glanced at Grace and suddenly thought of something. Mr. Miao's family had a pharmacy—maybe there was a chance...
If it were for himself, Jason Luo wouldn't have asked. But for Grace... Forget it, he'd risk the embarrassment!
His face flushed as he stammered, "Um... Mr. Miao, I... I was wondering, does your pharmacy need extra help?"
Mr. Miao paused. "Why ask that all of a sudden?"
"Oh, it's just... I have a younger sister who recently lost her job. She's looking for work, but jobs are hard to come by right now, so..."
"Your sister? What a coincidence! We just had a female clerk leave, which is why I had Susan help out at the shop. No problem—have her come tomorrow. We'll talk about pay then."
"That's great! Haha, thank you, Mr. Miao! You've helped me again. As for pay, no need to discuss it—just having a job is already great. She'll definitely work hard."
"Alright then. Your sister won't disappoint us, and the shop won't treat her badly."
...
With Grace's job settled, Jason Luo's face lit up. "Grace, it's done! Working at the pharmacy is stable, not hard, and you won't have to fake smiles for anyone. Sounds perfect, right? Do you like it?"
Grace's eyes glistened as she nodded. "I love it. Friend, thank you. You've been better to me than anyone I've ever called a friend. I..." Tears spilled down as she spoke.
"Hey, silly girl, I'm your friend! This is great—at the pharmacy we'll be close. I can visit often. Soon, you can move and live nearby. How about it?" Jason Luo planned for her.
Grace nodded firmly. "I'll do whatever you say, Friend. I'll work hard, and from now on, I'll listen to everything you say."
That night, their laughter never stopped. Two young souls, suppressed for too long, finally breathed freely. For years, they had never felt such genuine joy...
Fate seemed to be quietly shifting!
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser