Section 1

In front of the fortune telling stall, the old man who looked dry was showing a teenage boy palms. Next to him was the boy's friend, watching curiously.

"A broken palm pattern cuts the lifeline across, and matches your birth date, tsk..." The old man said slowly, squinted at the boy, "Your life belongs to the White Tiger, you are cruel and ruthless, and you will continue to kill all your life, and you may be a big murder." After saying that, the old man closed his eyes and said nothing, looking like a master.

"No, you've read it wrong, sir." said the boy's companions next to him, "You don't cheat money and don't make such nonsense."

The boy smiled helplessly, did not get entangled with the fortune teller, and pulled his companion away. In his opinion, fortune telling was not considered real.

He is a very quiet boy, and he smiles a little shyly. He has a good reputation and a happy family. He has a gentle personality and wants to be a doctor, just like his parents. In his opinion, putting aside all kinds of utilitarian factors, it is a great thing to help others as a doctor. In this increasingly material society, kindness and justice in human nature are always valuable.

…………

A quiet small town, far away from the bustling metropolis, the quiet and beautiful scenery can always attract many tourists from afar. On the winding mountain road, a jeep is slowly driving.

"What a rare holiday, the work in the bureau is so busy." The man in the driver's seat said, with dark brown hair and a relaxed smile on his face, "I said, Claire, are you sure you brought all the travel stuff with you?"

"Oh, please, brother." A beautiful girl was sitting in the passenger seat. She rolled her eyes. "You have asked me five times since getting on the bus, and..." She pointed to the back, which was filled with all kinds of equipment. "Mr. Rayfield, don't you think we're preparing too much?"

"Well, be prepared for any trouble, right?" The man smiled awkwardly. He knew his sister was right, but as a soldier who had been on the battlefield, he was used to preparing for possible accidents.

He didn't drive fast, and although there were almost no other cars on the road, the road between the mountains was always narrow and winding, so after a while, until the sun had slightly set, they saw the sign outside the town: Welcome to Neo Town.

Soon, the vehicle drove into the town, a typical American town. Although it was not as prosperous as a big city, it had all the infrastructure. Considering the population density in the town, living in a small town is actually much more convenient and comfortable than in a big city.

"We have to find a place to live and have a good meal." The man said, after driving for most of the day, fatigue was inevitable. He slowed down and looked at the roadside along the way, but he soon gave up. The town was not small, and it was obvious that it would not work if he tried his luck like this. He parked his car at the door of a grocery store and said to the girl, "I'll go and ask." After that, he got out of the car and walked towards the store.

"Bring me a can of soda." Claire shouted through the open window, "It's sugar-free."

His brother didn't look back, just waved his hand. After a while, he returned to the car and handed Claire a can of soda, "The boss told me that it's the off-season for tourism, so the motel is closed and we might be able to try our luck in the town center.

Claire shrugged and expressed no objection. At this time, the man's cell phone rang.

"Oh, damn it's the office phone." The man looked at the phone number and said, "Hello, I'm Chris."

"Chris, I'm Jill." A female voice came from the other side of the phone, "Are you here?"

"Well, you're looking for a place to live." Chris said while holding his cell phone with his head and shoulders, "I hope you didn't come to inform me to cancel the holiday."

"Oh, of course not. In fact, Captain Wisk is considering applying for a vacation to others, but I don't think the director will agree." Gill said on the other side of the phone. "If you don't find a place to live, I know one. There is a small hotel on the 5 Hall Road, where I lived when I traveled to Neo last year."

Chris was about to ask more details, but Jill said, "I won't say anything anymore. The captain is here. I don't want him to see me chatting during working hours. I wish you a happy time."

Listening to the busy voice over there, Chris smiled helplessly, inquiring and driving along the way. It was not until dark that the two of them found the hotel that Jill mentioned on the other side of the town.

A three-story apartment building looks a bit old, but the yard in front of the building is cleaned very clean. The lush flower pond and the walls of emerald green ivy make this look very unique.

Chris parked the car into the yard and walked out with Claire.

"This looks good," Claire said.

"Yeah." Chris nodded and rang the doorbell. After a while, the small window on the door opened and a woman asked from the inside, "Hello, are you in trouble?"

"Hello, ma'am," said Chris. "My sister and I were here for a trip, but I didn't find the hotel. My friend told me to come to you." After that, he flashed to the side, allowing her to see Claire standing behind him.

"Oh, okay." The lady said and opened the door. A very beautiful lady, probably around thirty years old, was the most attractive age. Under her golden hair, her blue eyes were gentle and bright. "It's off-season now, so most hotels are closed, but you can live here, the rooms are very rich, you can choose the ones you like."

"Thank you so much," said Chris. "I'll go get my luggage, Claire you can choose two rooms."

When Chris returned to the building with his two people's luggage from the car, Claire had already registered and had chosen the room.

"The two rooms on the second floor face the yard, with bathrooms, toilets, and TVs in the room, which is very good," said Claire. "Mrs. Reus said the room had just been cleaned up and could be lived in directly."

"Thank you so much," said Chris. "My name is Chris, Chris Rayfield, this is my sister Claire Rayfield."

"Joanna Royce, you can call me Joanna." The lady said with a smile.

"Mom, are there any customers?" A little girl came to the foyer, standing behind Joanna. She was very cute, like an enlarged doll, with bright blue eyes looking at the Chris brother and sister curiously.

"This is my daughter, Shirley." Joanna looked at the little girl and said softly, holding her daughter's hand and saying to her: "They will live here with us for a while."

"Really." The girl said happily, the child always likes lively. She looked at the Chris and sisters and said sweetly: "Hello, my name is Shirley."

"Hello, my name is Claire." Claire squatted in front of Shirley and said with a smile. She had always lacked resistance to such a cute little girl.

Claire and Shirley soon got along, so the two girls of all ages left together. I don’t know where they went, so Chris could only carry their luggage upstairs alone. Fortunately, with Joanna’s enthusiastic help, Chris settled the two rooms before dinner.

"Let's have dinner together tonight," Joanna invited them. "There are only two of me and my daughter here. There is a kitchen and a restaurant on the first floor. If you want, you can cook with us."

"Oh, that's great, Mrs. Reus," said Chris. "I like it, it feels like being at home."

After a while, Claire and Shirley came back. The four of them sat together in Chris' jeep and went to the supermarket in the center of the town to buy a lot of ingredients. After returning to the apartment, the four of them enjoyed a hearty and lively dinner together.

"I'll sleep with Sister Claire, okay, mom." Shirley blinked her big eyes and looked at Joanna beggingly.

Joanna looked at Claire, "Maybe that will cause you trouble..."

"No trouble, no trouble." Claire said hurriedly, "Sherry is very cute."

Chris shrugged and smiled helplessly at Joanna. Joanna hesitated for a moment and nodded at Shirley, "Remember to go to bed early."

"I will." Shirley nodded excitedly, then took Claire's hand and left.

There were only Chris and Joanna left in the hall. Chris and Joanna looked at each other without saying a word for a while. After a while, Chris said: "Although I have said it many times today, I still want to say it. Thank you very much, Mrs. Reus."

"Call me Joanna." She said with a smile, "Actually, I am very happy to live here. I am usually the only one with me and my daughter. It's so deserted. You have seen it. Shirley needs friends, and she is very happy today."

"Yes." Chris nodded, "Then, good night, Hum...Joanna."

Chris returned to the room and took a hot bath. The room was very big. The evening breeze blew in from the open window, bringing the breath of the mountains and fields in the distance, making people feel relaxed from the heart. Chris didn't watch TV, and after a day of tossing, the feeling of fatigue came like a tide after relaxing. He turned off the light and lay on the bed. He listened to the faint laughter of Claire and Shirley from the next door, and soon fell asleep.

The night enveloped the earth, and the town became quiet and peaceful, just like the vast and deep starry sky. An ordinary and happy day passed, and everything seemed so beautiful...

Section 2

The mourning hall decorated with plain white, sadness and silence dominate the people present.

There are two black and white portraits hanging on the wall. They are a middle-aged couple. In the photo, they still have gentle smiles on their faces.

The boy stood there in a daze in a mourning clothes, with his thin figure looking lonely and helpless. He looked at his parents in the portrait, as if they were still looking at him, with the familiar smile in his memory. He didn't want to believe that his parents left without saying goodbye and left him alone.

He felt his heart be seized by something cold, and with heavy pain, the originally bright world turned gray, like a portrait on the wall.

Some of the relatives and friends around him were sobbing and crying, making the sadness in the mourning hall even more intense, but there was no trace of wet on the boy's face. At this moment, he realized that his heartache was extremely painful and he could not shed tears.

…………

Chris has felt great these days. In this small town far away from the hustle and bustle, he feels completely free from the irritability of his daily work.

He and Claire got along very happily with Joanna. Shirley is a very cute little girl, which made Claire, who is a sister, satisfy her wish as an older sister. As for Joanna, I have to say that she is a very kind and charming woman. Chris even felt that she seemed to have a certain kind of affection for her.

It's summer now, and Shirley doesn't have to go to school, so Chris and Claire often take her when they go fishing or picnics, and occasionally Joanna will be with them. Now they are camping by a lake outside the town, Chris is taking Shirley fishing, and Claire and Joanna are sitting by the bonfire and chatting.

"Sherley is very happy, I'm really happy to meet you." Joanna looked at the direction of the lake. Sherry was happily shaking the fishing rod under Chris's care, "Do you know, I haven't seen Shirley so happy for a long time."

Claire nodded and said nothing. As a woman, her mind is much more delicate than her brother Chris. In fact, during these days, she vaguely discovered that Joanna and his daughter's life in town may not be as relaxed as they thought.

Joanna hesitated for a moment, "I'm not a local. Eight years ago, I met Shirley's father in my hometown. At that time, I was still very young. I fell in love with him and was pregnant with his child." She said slowly, with nostalgia and a faint sadness. "Later he left without saying goodbye, and there was no news. At that time, I was confused and didn't know what to do. Shirley was born, you know, how difficult it is to take care of her daughter alone."

"Originally, I thought he would disappear from my life from now on and there was no connection again. Until three years ago, I received a call from his lawyer informing me that he had passed away. He left me a not-so-small deposit, as well as two properties in the town, one where we live now, the other in the center of the town, which was later sold by me." Joanna's voice became softer and softer, reflecting a flashing fire. Claire could see a slight tear in her eyes. "I only knew that when I met me, he was married before he met me, and his wife was the person in the town..." Joanna said, with a choked voice, "I never thought that one day I would destroy someone else's family."

Claire didn't say anything, just listened silently. She leaned against Joanna and patted her back comfortably.

Joanna smiled gratefully, she wiped her tears, and continued, "Later, his wife left with their children, and Shirley and I stayed. You know, in such small towns, people are always a little xenophobic, and there are many people in the town who are Puritans, who think I am a morally degraded woman," she shrugged slightly, trying to act like she doesn't care.

"I'm not popular in this town, women despise me, and men often call me attention, as if I'm a slut who can do my best, but I can endure all of this, but Shirley is innocent, she's just a child, she's very obedient, although she never tells me, but I know that she's not doing well, whether in school or outside." Joanna said sadly that for a mother, nothing can be more sad than seeing her child live in pain, especially that pain has something to do with herself.

"Although I don't know much, I think it might be better to move out of this town." Claire hesitated and said, "Neither you nor Shirley are wrong. You don't have to endure the malice of those people here."

"Yes." Joanna nodded, "I originally planned to sell the property here before Christmas and take Shirley out of here."

"Mom, mom." Shirley trotted over excitedly. Chris followed her with a fish. Shirley pointed at Chris's hand, "We caught several fish, and I caught that one."

"Oh, is that?" Joanna quickly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and then gently held her daughter in her arms, "My Shirley is the best."

Shirley was very excited and did not notice Joanna's strangeness. She just smiled happily in her mother's arms. Chris realized something, but didn't say anything.

A peaceful and relaxed life always passes quickly. Another Sunday, when the Chris and sisters go to the supermarket to buy things, while Joanna takes Shirley to the church in the town for a service.

Chris pushed the shopping cart, while Claire picked things according to the list. At this time, Chris's cell phone rang.

"Oh oh, it's not the captain, it's not the captain, it's not the captain..." Chris muttered while taking out his cell phone. Seeing the number displayed, he breathed a sigh of relief. It was Joanna who called.

Claire looked at Chris' exaggerated expression and shrugged helplessly, which made Chris a little embarrassed. He smiled at Claire and answered the phone, "Hey, I'm Chris, is there anything wrong, Joanna."

"Chris, I'm Joanna..." Joanna's panic sound came from the other side of the phone, which gave Chris a bad premonition, "Sherley has something to do!"

Chris' heart sank suddenly, but the soldiers' good psychological qualities made him calm immediately, "Calm down, Joanna, where are you, what happened to Shirley?"
Chapter completed!