Global Film Emperor

Chapter 405 "Rebirth" (Part 1)

"Honey, the news said there was a water pipe break above the subway last night, and the subway is now closed. You take Jason to school today, I have to go now, or I'll be late."

"Okay, bring the bag. Do you need to bring any documents?"

Parker got up, tidied up all the things needed for work and handed them to her. He watched her close the door and leave before returning to the dining table, turning off the radio, pouring a cup of coffee, and waiting for Jason to devour the food like a whirlwind.

"I'm done eating."

Jason wasn't in high spirits, as he had been ever since attending Nelson's funeral. He quietly slung his backpack over his shoulder and waited for Parker to put on his leather shoes. The two went downstairs, got into Parker's old Cadillac, and the car started, slowly merging into the endless stream of traffic.

Traffic jams are the first lesson life teaches everyone every day, gradually making people accept congestion, adapt to vehicles traveling at ten kilometers per hour without getting angry, and also making people more stingy, so stingy that they don't give anyone the chance to cut in line, ensuring that they have enough leeway.

Parker's company is not far from Jason's school, so whenever something happens, Parker is always the one who takes Jason to school. The father and son don't communicate much, just like Parker and his father don't communicate much either. They maintain the family tradition that a father is a father and a son is a son, and there is no other friendship between them besides their father-son relationship.

So the two remained silent, one driving and the other playing on their phone, with only the traffic updates on the radio keeping the atmosphere in the car from becoming too awkward.

As they passed another high school next to Jason's school, Parker and Jason couldn't help but peek out at the same time. It was a prestigious school, and it was morning activity time. A group of wealthy students were riding their horses, trotting, jumping, and stretching in the school's riding arena.

For ordinary people, the fact that equestrianism is a compulsory course in a school is enough to shock them, but in this prestigious school, it is just a very ordinary course.

Moreover, according to Parker's understanding, the school offers a wide range of elective courses, including painting, music, archery, outdoor sports, and other high-end education that can cultivate a naive child into an outstanding and accomplished young man, provided, of course, that he comes from a wealthy family.

Seemingly remembering something, Parker asked Jason a question: "Are you still in contact with Chris?"

"There are practically none left. Even if we meet, we just exchange greetings."

"why?"

"He's become...disgusting."

This question seemed to touch on Jason's sensitive points. Although it was somewhat vague, Parker still understood what he meant. He tapped his index fingers on the steering wheel twice, nodded, and said nothing. Finally, they arrived at Jason's school.

At that moment, a girl got out of the car behind Parker and met Jason, who had just gotten out of the car. The two children greeted each other with smiles, and the girl also said hello to Parker. However, Parker did not like her somewhat revealing clothes and heavy makeup.

This wasn't how someone her age and status should behave, but that couldn't be a reason for a father to ignore his son's classmate after he greeted him, so he nodded and smiled in response.

Does Jason like this girl? Parker doesn't know either. But even if Jason does, Parker shouldn't judge a girl's character based solely on her appearance after just meeting her and then immediately stop the two children from seeing each other. Maybe the girl just dresses a bit more maturely. It's not wrong to like a more mature look, is it?
He simply told Jason that his mother would be cooking a lot of his favorite dishes today and hoped he would come home early.

In Western education, it's not uncommon for children of the same age to call their parents by their first names. They're often coaxed by their fathers like little kids, who tell them that they've made their favorite dishes for dinner and ask them to come home early. This kind of tone can easily make the child the target of teasing from other children. But Parker noticed the girl's expression and didn't laugh. Instead, he smiled gently and urged the slightly embarrassed Jason to quickly agree.

"Okay, I understand, Dad."

"See you tonight."

Parker waved, turned on his turn signal, looked in the rearview mirror, saw that there was enough space to turn, stepped on the gas and drove away, only occasionally glancing back at the two children who were chatting and laughing as they walked into the school.

Looking at the time, there was still more than half an hour before the work clock-in time, so Parker continued his habit of taking Jason to school and then going to check on the walls of the prestigious school.

In fact, every day many people stand at the gate of the elite school and peek inside to see what this world, so far removed from their own, looks like. The school security guards do not stop them from standing there and watching, and as long as they do not take any other actions, they will not be expelled.

I found an empty spot and watched the strong horses galloping across the paddock, kicking up clouds of dust. Occasionally, a horse would leap over the railing and let out a neigh, eliciting sighs from onlookers, just like Parker.

……

"It's amazing..."

Jason sat on his father's shoulders, gripping the railing with both hands, wishing he could stick his head inside to see what was going on. His eyes shone with hope as he watched the race cars speeding along the track, leaving afterimages.

He had never seen such a large remote-controlled racing track before, not even on television. Even such fast race cars would take a long time to complete one lap. The various race cars were covered in graffiti, which looked incredibly cool to him.

Jason was drooling over it, but he never imagined he could own one.

A race car was running a little slower, though not by much. Its young owner stopped it, removed the chassis, replaced the battery, and casually tossed the old battery into the used battery trash can. Just as he was about to put the race car back on the track, he caught a glimpse of a child about his age staring intently at him from behind the fence.

Hey! Want to play together?

"Me...? I don't have a race car..."

"It's okay, I'm tired from playing and want to rest for a while. Do you want to come and play?"

Compared to the confident and poised child, Jason seemed somewhat timid, looking hesitantly at his father, hoping he could make a decision for him.

"Thank you, little friend, but we can't go in. Let's just forget about it. Jason, quickly tell him thank you."

"It's okay, I'll meet you at the door."

As soon as he finished speaking, he abandoned the race car and ran towards the door. Parker had no reason to refuse this time, so he could only put Jason down and watch as Jason's eyes brightened and he happily followed the child into the prestigious elementary school.

"My name is Chris. What's your name?"

"Jason..."

He led Jason into the track. The other children showed no hostility towards Jason, this "outsider," and displayed great manners. A group of children surrounded Jason, enthusiastically teaching him how to operate various race cars. Soon, the race car controlled by Jason started racing against other cars.

Until another race car started to slow down, its owner removed the battery and handed it to Jason, who was sweating profusely from playing.

Could you please throw this away for me?

"It still has some power."

"It's slowed down, so it's useless, Jason. Please throw it away for me."

Holding the battery in his hand, Jason stood there stunned for a long time before wiping the sweat from his forehead, getting up and walking to the battery recycling bin. With his back to the other children, he secretly slipped the battery into his pocket...

He turned around somewhat flusteredly, but the children were still playing and hadn't noticed his actions. He breathed a sigh of relief, as if all his strength had been drained, and slowly walked towards the children, first step... second step...

Until he looked over the wall and saw his father watching him, the two stared at each other for a long time… He knew his father had seen him, and he wanted to take a gamble—maybe his father hadn't seen him—the third step…

Chris and his friends were playing when their race car veered off course, flew off, and crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces—not disintegrated, but broken.

"Don't..."

Chris stomped his foot in frustration, examined the condition of the race car, which was in a terrible state, and finally sighed as he picked up the parts one by one and threw them into the trash can.

Jason watched this scene unfold, observing the jeering from the other children. Clutching the sweat-soaked battery in his pocket, he turned and tossed it into the trash can.

Outside the fence, Parker saw Jason's actions, breathed a sigh of relief, leaned weakly against the wall, slowly squatted down, took out his phone, and checked the price of the race car.

It's very expensive, and the modification parts are even more expensive. Besides, it won't even run without modifications.

Parker pondered for a long time, then put his phone in his pocket, lit a cigarette, picked up a twig and did some calculations on the ground. Finally, he broke the twig, stood up, kicked the messy account hard, and said nothing.

After throwing away the battery, Jason quickly said goodbye to the children and went out the gate alone. Parker lifted him up again, put him on his shoulders, and they walked towards the afterglow of the setting sun, their shadows stretched long.

"dad."

"Ok?"

"I don't want to come here again. I never want to come here again."

"Okay, I won't come anymore..."

……

"Uncle Parker? Long time no see, how are you?"

A greeting pulled Parker back from his reverie. He looked up and saw a tall horse carrying its master, snorting occasionally.

A handsome blond man with a genuine smile dismounted and greeted them warmly, vaguely resembling Chris in his childhood.

"I just dropped Jason off at school. How are you? Wow, I can't believe how much he's grown."

“I’m very happy with Uncle Parker, Jason… We haven’t seen each other for a while, but I’ll try to meet up with him sometime.”

"You'll have to set the time yourselves. He's currently very busy with his studies, and I don't know when he'll have time."

“Okay, then I’ll discuss it with him. By the way, Uncle Parker, I heard… Jason has been participating in marches and has even organized small marches himself. You know, it’s okay to participate in these things alone, but organizing them… isn’t very safe.”

"I understand, thank you Chris. I'll stop him. I have work to do, so I'll be going now. Have a nice day."

I didn't talk to Chris much, firstly because I didn't have time, and secondly because there wasn't much to say. Jason was participating in the march to protest... wasn't he just like Chris?
"Who is he?"

“My childhood playmate’s father also works at my dad’s company.”

"Oh, you mean that friend who went to school in the artillery silo?"

"Yes."

Parker's ears were quite sensitive, and he overheard Chris's conversation with his classmates behind him. "Cannon chamber?" Now Parker finally understood what Jason meant by "disgusting." Yes, it really was disgusting.

He glanced at the time, got into the car, merged into the traffic, and drove off into the distance. Once he recovered, he would have to go back to work.

……

"I am a failed father, and I will never deny that. My children did not receive a good education, nor did they have any decent toys, because these things can only be achieved on the basis of a comfortable life."

"I'm relieved that Jason is very sensible and has never complained to me about what he lacks. I have also resented my own powerlessness and thought about working hard, but my mind cannot support me to get the life I want, and my thinking cannot find the way to success."

"Therefore, my image has been fixed by society, and I have become part of a certain group, just like cockroaches, ants, and spiders all belong to the insect family."

"I was grouped together with millions of people of different appearances, builds, and personalities, and was called...ordinary people by those we are protesting against."

……

"Hey Parker, how are you feeling?"

"Good morning, Mr. Parker. I heard you haven't been feeling well lately. Have you recovered yet?"

People constantly greeted him, including colleagues and subordinates. He responded gently to his colleagues and kept his distance from his subordinates to maintain his authority and leadership. This was the experience he had learned over more than 20 years of work, even though he had only been promoted one rank in those 20 years and was just a group leader in a department.

The hierarchical order of this steel jungle is even more brutal than that of nature; the law of survival of the fittest may be even more applicable to human society today.

Putting aside the difficulty of finding employment, the first thing to do after starting a job is not to familiarize yourself with the company and your responsibilities, nor to understand the corporate culture and cultivate a sense of belonging, but to be mentally prepared that the leader who controls you will not change for the next few decades.

Countless people yearn to climb the ladder, praying daily that their favored leaders will rise to power or pass away, or cursing their harsh leaders to be laid off, so that they may have room to rise and be qualified to enter this silent battlefield.

The colleagues who usually chat and laugh happily are actually bloodthirsty, keeping a close eye on everyone and not letting go of even the smallest mistake. Even Parker is the same, having already sharpened his knife and held it to the chests of these colleagues. Once someone reveals a flaw, a group of sharks that smell blood will devour him.

As a result, no one dared to act rashly or give anyone a handle to use against them. They fixed themselves in the role of a good leader or a good employee. In this dog-eat-dog society, no one could let their guard down for a moment.

"Charles, have the parameters for the plan I submitted before I took leave been given to the design department?"

"Yes, the data handover has been completed with the design department, and the specific parameters have been verified with the design department. The design department has now fully taken over Mr. Parker's responsibilities."

He placed the paper coffee cup on the table, opened the lid, slowly poured in the white sugar and stirred. Only after hearing that the handover was complete did Parker feel relieved. He would personally check every handover to avoid any mistakes. During his sick leave, Parker's biggest worry was coordinating with the design department.

Fortunately, his subordinates had been working under him for several years and were capable of handling the handover work even when Parker was not present. Even if the design department discovered that there were errors in the data, as long as the handover was completed, Parker would not be implicated.

"Well done. Tell the others we're having dinner together tonight."

As the best bridge for communication after get off work, dinner parties are not only popular in a certain country or field. As long as the work is completed, the leader will receive a bonus, and in order to appease the subordinates, it is necessary to set aside a portion for food and drinks.

Charles nodded, clearly pleased. After all, Parker wasn't a pretentious leader; he was easy to get along with outside of work, which made the drinks at the dinner less unpalatable. Dining with Parker, as a leader, was really no different from a gathering with friends.

Charles informed his other subordinates, and the next ten seconds or so were their time to cheer. No one dislikes drinking, and being able to have a good hangover amidst their busy schedules is the best way for them to relax.

"cough……"

He coughed lightly so as not to delay the work of other groups, and instantly, the dozen or so people under Parker's command quieted down and continued with their work as if nothing had happened.

Suddenly, a portly man with graying temples pushed open the door and walked into the office. Parker stood up upon seeing him. This was his boss of over twenty years. Thanks to his patronage, Parker had stood out from the fiercely competitive crowd.

"Parker, are you feeling better? Your team did a great job on the last case, so I'm sorry, but I have to give you another job. It's urgent, and it needs to be finished in two weeks at the latest. You'll have to work a little harder and do overtime to get it done. The price is very good. Just do your best and consider it as buying Jason a couple more outfits."

A thick document was placed in Parker's hands, heavier than the other orders, indicating that the workload was definitely not small, but it also showed that the leader relied on him, so Parker naturally had no reason to refuse.

"No problem, Mr. Paddington."

"Well, I'll be going now. Hospital expenses must be high, right? The faster you improve, the more bonus you'll get. Consider this a bonus for yourself. Once you finish this, it'll be enough to pay off your medical loan for six months."

Paddington patted Parker on the shoulder and turned to leave. When Parker turned around, he was met with his subordinates looking annoyed. They had a feeling that tonight's dinner plans would be canceled.

He weighed the document in his hand, flipped through it, and handed it back to Charles, who then suddenly clapped his hands.

"If you can finish entering the data before noon and assign tasks to each other, and don't slack off in the afternoon, tonight's dinner won't be canceled. However, the next two weeks will be quite busy for you."

"No problem, Mr. Parker!"

Cheers erupted again, and everyone regained their motivation. They eagerly took the materials Charles had given them and started working on their computers, though they were a bit too loud.

"cough……"

It was quiet again.

……

He was busy until noon. When lunch break arrived, Parker simply stretched his back and could hear his spine cracking. He was so engrossed in his work that he only snapped out of it when his subordinates started eating.

Eating food with strong flavors is prohibited in the company, so these people usually have their lunch made by their mothers, wives, or themselves, along with sandwiches, bread, and milk.

If you don't want to eat these things, you have other options. Go downstairs to a roadside food stall and buy a hot dog, curry, or fried dumplings, or go to Walmart across from your company and buy a discounted food. All of these are much easier to eat than sandwiches.

As a Walmart member, he never eats lunch at the company. After all, in the first few years after he joined the company, he almost developed anorexia from eating sandwiches so much.

Although discounted food is a bit more expensive than sandwiches, and the total cost adds up to more than eating bread in the office, it's not unworthy for a junior manager to spend a little more money to satisfy his taste buds.

We met up with some colleagues and the four of us went to the mall. The turkey was cheap and enough for four people. We also split the cost of a pizza, which was enough to fill our stomachs. For the rest of the time, we took the elevator to the top floor as usual, drank milk, and watched the bustling crowds in the mall, each lost in thought.

He saw a Black couple, the woman holding a child and the man pushing a stroller filled with baby supplies, arguing in front of a milk powder shelf.

"He's your child. Even if you're stingy, you should at least buy some good quality formula, right?"

"Please, if his IQ were 180, I'd be willing to drink my ashes. But the problem is he's just average. No ordinary family's child would drink a can of formula that costs his father a month's salary. These formulas all have certificates of quality, so there won't be any problems drinking them. Just buy these. Anyway, his longevity genes are very strong."

"Shouldn't you have bought something from a similar brand? What do you mean by taking those two discounted cans with bad expiration dates?"

“Who do you think I am? Martin Luther King Jr.? I have a dream that black children can drink the same brand-name formula in the same warm nursery as white children. Black children should drink black children’s formula. I’m just a road worker who earns seven dollars an hour, and you’re just a car washer. I hope that when he grows up, he can give his own children good formula, but right now his father can’t do it.”

The man was witty and his words were very interesting. While making fun of himself, he also persuaded his wife to put the discounted baby formula in the stroller. Parker and others who were eavesdropping nearby also chuckled. Perhaps hearing some of the laughter, the woman pinched her husband and quickly pulled him away.

Racial discrimination is strictly prohibited in the workplace. Once an employee protests, the person being protested against will almost certainly be dismissed. Even his colleagues, who usually eat and drink with him, never asked Parker which country he was from. They only knew that he was Asian. But it's normal to laugh when you hear such self-deprecating remarks, as long as you don't get involved in the topic.

So the group wasn't worried about making a mistake because of this. They simply continued the discussion from the topic of the man buying baby formula. Those who were married and had children lamented how difficult it was to raise children, while those who weren't married shared the same sentiments and listened attentively to the life experiences that might come in handy in the future.

“Parker, did you also have trouble selling baby products when you had children? I remember you had children when you were in your twenties, right? You must have had the hardest time raising children.”

After finishing the yogurt, Parker held it in his palm and tossed it around to make sure it wasn't too heavy. Then, he casually tossed it into the trash can next to the chair, looked at the ceiling for a moment, and nodded with a smile.

“Back then, the subsidies weren’t as much as they are now, and there were no maternity bonuses. Although the baby insurance was free, we did have to pay for some of the baby’s nutritional supplements and daily necessities ourselves. At that time, my wife and I only received basic salaries, and we spent all our money every month. We couldn’t save any money at all.”

……

Goodbye, Father Mike.

“Parker, be sure to let me know as soon as the baby is born. I will come to baptize him immediately. May the Father in heaven bless him and may Lisa not have to suffer too much pain.”

The elderly priest gently stroked Lisa's head, closed his eyes to pray for the safety of mother and child, then patted her on the shoulder and watched as Parker helped Lisa to the hospital for a prenatal checkup.

The test results were all normal. Parker listened calmly to the doctor's conclusion. With today's medical technology, it would be difficult for the child to come up with any problems.

With less than a month until her due date, Lisa was bored at home, so she took advantage of a break from her prenatal checkup to go to the mall with Parker to prepare a gift for the new family member who was about to arrive in the world.

Along the way, everyone avoided the two of them, and even when crossing the road, cars kept a great distance, leaving them enough space to even play basketball. This was because if touching or agitating a pregnant woman caused problems for the child, that person's life would basically be over.

Harming a child is a serious crime, even if the child is not yet born. Once accused of murdering a child, you will need to spend at least two hundred years in prison to realize your self-worth.

No one was willing to take the risk, so the two of them were like having an invisible, burly bodyguard protecting them. Even the dogs didn't dare to bark at them.

The first batch of childcare funds has already been issued; otherwise, the two of them wouldn't have dared to come to the mall to look at baby products. Many things here are ridiculously expensive, the kind of things they would never dare to buy. Even now that there's a subsidy, they still have to carefully consider the price before they dare to put anything in the stroller.

When they got to the milk powder section, the two discussed it for a long time before gritting their teeth and grabbing two cans of mid-range milk powder. Then they ran away without daring to look at the top-quality milk powder displayed in the most conspicuous position.

After successfully raiding the place, Parker drove back home and cooked a sumptuous dinner to reward the exhausted Lisa, and also washed her swollen feet.

Their work is still not improving, which is normal, since their peers are in similar situations, facing immense work pressure while earning meager wages.

As a pregnant woman and her husband, the couple now enjoys the generous benefit of paid leave, but the pressure of raising a child keeps them constantly on their toes. Parker still needs to work, and every extra dollar in bonus money is a bonus.

It was late at night, and the two snuggled together on the sofa. Lisa rested her head on his shoulder, half asleep and half awake, so he didn't dare to make any big movements, even touching the keyboard, for fear of waking her up.

After an unknown amount of time, she sighed softly. The screen was a bit too bright for her eyes. She squinted, slipped her right hand under his armpit, placed it on Parker's waist, and gently turned her head twice, making a soft rustling sound as her hair brushed against each other. Then she took a deep, comfortable breath.

"Parker, he kicked me."

"Does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt, I can just feel it, Parker..."

"Ok?"

"You don't like him... right?"

His hands, which were gripping the keyboard, paused for a long time. His attention could no longer stay on the screen. Finally, he gave up, put the computer aside, turned his head, and stood in front of Lisa.

"No, you're overthinking it. I just don't know how I'll face him when he's actually born..."

"After all, he's just a stranger, right? Even I feel that way. I'm pregnant, but it's hard to feel joy... Even though he's my flesh and blood, he's still a stranger to me. Do I love him? I think I should love him, but it's out of a sense of responsibility, not from that kind of... I don't know how to say it."

"That sense of closeness, like blood relatives?"

“That’s right. I’ve always heard that you feel a blood connection with your baby during pregnancy, but I didn’t. I asked my mom, and she didn’t either. I just watched him grow inside me day by day. I suffered a lot, but I also felt a great sense of accomplishment, like I had accomplished something great. So I cherish him very much, and a sense of responsibility tells me that he is my child, so I should protect him. I finally understand why some mothers would abandon their children. It’s because their family education didn’t teach them what responsibility is. I’m glad I understand this responsibility, but I’m even more afraid now.”

Parker had lost his enthusiasm for work. He shut down his computer, put his hands together in his laptop bag, bent down to put slippers on Lisa, and quietly pondered every word Lisa had said, trying to understand its meaning and empathize with her. He then asked, "What are you afraid of?"

“I’m afraid that one day he’ll grow tired of this world and question me about why I brought him into this world. What will I say then? Because of this responsibility, I can’t be indifferent to his thoughts, because he’s not a product of my indulgence.” Silence fell, broken only by the ticking of the clock. They felt the passage of time, yet remained speechless at the question. Finally, they could only shake their heads, banishing the question from their minds. He helped Lisa to her feet and led her back to the bedroom. They lay down, listening to each other’s breathing, their hands clasped together. Slowly, sleepiness washed over them. Just as they were about to drift off to sleep, he vaguely heard Lisa’s answer.

“Even if he hates me, I will tell him that I hope he comes into this world. I will get to know him, love him with all my heart, and do my best to give him warmth and let him see the beauty that still exists in this world. I hope he comes into this world not for my own selfish desires, but because the good and evil, beauty and ugliness of the world still need to be observed with one's own eyes and judged by oneself whether this world is worthwhile.”

"After all... even when mired in the mud, there is the fragrance of the soil."

……

"Lisa is not a philosopher, but she is indeed very thoughtful. Before having children, she had already considered the problems she would face and how to deal with them. This is something I need to learn, because I always think about solving problems or bypassing them after I encounter them."

"Did I want a child at that time? Actually, I wasn't sure. Maybe I didn't want one, because, as I said back then, I didn't know how to face this familiar stranger who hadn't even been born yet. Perhaps it was because my parents had told me before they passed away that I should have children in the future, so I did it."

"Some people have said that this is a typical manifestation of human beings living in a low-desire society, but I do not agree with this. I always believe that there is no such thing as a low-desire society. After all, no one can deny that the process of making a child is really joyful."

"A person's life is always accompanied by many desires—money, power—and I have never seen anyone with a low desire for these things."

"Even those desires haven't faded. People still masturbate after a good meal and drink, and they still find partners. One-night stands are also common. Is this a characteristic of a low-desire society?"

"But why do so many people hesitate and refuse when it comes to marriage or having children? After thinking it over, they come to the conclusion that they just don't want their hard-earned money to go into someone else's pocket for no reason because of some bullshit sense of responsibility."

"Therefore, it would be more appropriate to call it a society with low sense of responsibility rather than a society with low desires."

……

"Come on, let's drink a lot today. Starting tomorrow, everyone needs to work hard for the next two weeks and try to finish the work ahead of schedule. I'll ask Mr. Paddington to approve a few days off for you. You can do whatever you want then. Cheers!"

At this moment, red wine is no longer served as a leisurely dinner drink, and people no longer have the leisure to wait for the wine to release its aroma; they simply crave the alcohol to numb their brains at this moment.

So, the red wine was poured to the brim and drunk in one gulp. Parker let out a long sigh and burped, not caring about being elegant. His subordinates were smacking their lips, savoring the taste of the alcohol.

"Boss, don't worry, the workload for this order isn't too heavy. Although it's a bit complicated, we can definitely finish it in ten days or so of overtime. Everyone knows our team is the most efficient."

The first drink after the leader finishes speaking at a dinner party is the perfect time to flatter him, but subordinates shouldn't all rush to show their loyalty. This should be started by the leader's favorite subordinate. Otherwise, if a subordinate the leader doesn't like beat you to it, not only will the leader be displeased, but the subordinate the leader likes will also make things difficult for you.

Therefore, this speech was most suitable for Charles to give, and instead of continuing to use the honorific title he used at work, he used a title that was closer to him.

"Yes, don't worry, boss."

“We will definitely do our best to complete the work and will never let you lose face in front of Mr. Paddington.”

After Charles finished speaking, everyone was able to chime in. Those who were on good terms with Parker made pledges of loyalty, while those who were not on good terms with him resorted to flattery, hoping to improve their relationship with their boss at the dinner.

"That would be best. After you finish this deal, I guarantee your bonus will be enough to buy a new watch and another drink."

After the pleasantries were over, the celebration for the previous deal officially began. This was one of the reasons why his subordinates liked Parker: he didn't use much bureaucratic jargon, only saying a few words before stopping, then talking about the much-anticipated bonus amount, and finally just drinking it all out, without saying another word.

Unlike other bosses who ramble on and on, or even spend the entire meal in bureaucratic jargon, criticizing one thing after another, making it impossible for subordinates to enjoy a drink.

Under the influence of alcohol, everyone began to act recklessly, laughing more and swearing more, but not targeting anyone, just casual language without any specific meaning. Parker did not stop them at all. It was normal for everyone to use alcohol as a way to release their stress by swearing, as they were under a lot of pressure. Don't be fooled by his composed demeanor at the moment; he was just as rude as his subordinates when he ate with other colleagues or friends.

Red wine gradually failed to satisfy the appetites of the group of alcoholics, so they switched to whiskey, which has a higher alcohol content, in an attempt to let loose more quickly. There were women in the group, but they had a better alcohol tolerance than most of the male employees. They were more reserved at first, but later when they got drunk, they were much more terrifying than the men.

After a few rounds of drinks, the ladies got into high spirits, raising their glasses to challenge their previously smug male colleagues. They even ganged up on the poor, isolated ones, knocking them down one by one. Their fierce, tigress-like demeanor made it hard for Parker to keep his serious face, and he joined in the "bullying the weak."

The practice of urging others to drink is not good. Many people think it is a crude drinking culture. Fifty years ago, most people drank separately, and those with low alcohol tolerance would be let off the hook after a few pleas. But now, this way of drinking has become the norm, and there are health bracelets to warn of alcohol poisoning, so there is no danger at all.

Perhaps drinking for one's own enjoyment is not necessarily more sophisticated than urging others to drink. On the contrary, urging others to drink is a more distorted form of sophistication than drinking for one's own enjoyment. This is more likely to occur in high-intensity work or living environments.

Parker's alcohol tolerance was decent, but not exceptional. Compared to these crazy women and his other male subordinates who could drink, his tolerance was rather low. The party went on until midnight, with the heavy drinkers still recklessly drinking, while those with lower tolerance had already collapsed on the floor and were fast asleep.

Parker woke up his sleeping subordinates and told them to go wherever they wanted. He waved his hand and asked the waiter to pay the bill. The meal wasn't expensive; after all, cigarettes and alcohol are the cheapest commodities.

After saying goodbye to his subordinates, he walked out of the restaurant. There was vomit in every corner of this food street, so you had to be careful not to step on it. Every night, many men and women would lie down by the green belt, sleeping soundly with disheveled appearances, providing a good meal for mosquitoes.

He dodged a group of drunken thugs who were fighting, even though their punches were weak and powerless, so even if Parker got involved, he wouldn't be in any danger.

He's going to sleep at the company tonight. After all, taking a taxi is too expensive, and a designated driver is out of the question. The main reason is that every night, his neighborhood becomes the territory of homeless gangs and the unemployed. If a drunk person goes in, he might find himself sleeping naked in the bushes the next day.

He bought a pack of cigarettes at the convenience store, intending to sit on a bench and quietly smoke one, but the G-girl on the street kept staring at him like a fly. Helpless, he had to leave and return to the company. He bypassed his sleeping subordinates, lay down in his chair, and quietly fell asleep.

……

"Where's Dad?"

"They're having a staff dinner tonight, so they won't be coming back. Jason, get some sleep. You have school tomorrow, so don't forget to do your prayers before bed."

Lisa was organizing reports and constantly working on the computer to complete the data needed for tomorrow. However, even when she was very busy, when answering Jason, she would turn around and give him serious instructions instead of being perfunctory. This was her responsibility as a mother.

Jason didn't care because he wasn't a Catholic.

"Okay, okay, I understand. Goodnight, Mom."

He returned to his room, did not pray, but instead crawled into bed, picked up his phone, and had a lively discussion with his friends about the march in two days—a march against the legalization of marijuana.

They're going to play something big...

……

"Wow wow wow..."

Parker listened intently to the baby's cries inside the room, and his heart, which had been in his throat, finally settled. His parents-in-law thanked God excitedly, and Father Mike was preparing the holy water for the baptism.

"It's a boy, and he's very healthy."

The baby was born at home with the help of a community doctor. Soon after, the doctor came out of the room and announced the good news to everyone.

"Can we go in?"

"Of course, but be careful, be quiet and discreet. Congratulations, Mr. Parker, we'll take our leave now."

After removing their protective gear and putting it into their own trash bags, the doctors left. Parker and his parents-in-law tiptoed and quietly pushed open the door. Inside, the temperature was just right, and the sunlight was perfect. Lisa looked a little pale, holding a wrinkled baby with bloodstains in her arms.

"Let me see this little guy. Thank God, he's so cute, so tiny..."

As the grandmother, the mother-in-law immediately went over and praised the child's cuteness. Even the father-in-law, whom Parker had always thought looked like a cold-blooded killer, was now smiling and staring at the child, occasionally making funny faces, even though the child was asleep and couldn't see them.

"You must be suffering a lot, it must be tough for you."

Parker sat on the edge of the bed, gently smoothing Lisa's hair and tucking it behind her ear. He didn't immediately rush to look at the new family member who had just been born into the world. This gesture pleased his parents-in-law.

"It hurts a lot, like I've been ripped apart, but... it feels so rewarding, like... I've done the greatest thing in the world. Don't you want to see it?"

She looked down at the child, smiled gently, and couldn't help but kiss him. She then hugged the child to Parker's side, wanting the child's father to get closer to him as well.

At this moment, Parker was flustered. He wanted to pretend to be overjoyed for the other three, but his poor acting skills made it impossible for him to fully portray the scene.

Finally, he stretched out his finger, just his index finger, and placed it beside the child's hand. As if sensing something, the child opened his small, tender hand and gently grasped the finger inside.

"Can you feel it, Parker?"

Lisa winked, seemingly wanting Parker to experience this feeling, this wonderful feeling, and Parker, just as Lisa had hoped, did feel... that close, blood-related connection.

But this feeling of closeness made his nose start to sting without him realizing it, and for some reason, his eyes welled up with tears.

"He's so cute..."

"Right? My little angel."

"I have something to do and need to go out for a bit, Lisa. I'll be back soon."

"Hey! Parker! Where are you going? Are you going to leave your wife and newborn baby behind? What the hell! Where are you going?!"

The father-in-law was a little angry, but he couldn't stop Parker from leaving. The priest was carrying holy water to give the child a good bath. Seeing Parker leave without looking back, he was confused for a moment before shaking his head and going into the house.

……

"Parker, you just had a baby, isn't this... inappropriate?"

Parker's high school classmates gathered together, but despite holding their glasses, they couldn't bring themselves to drink and kept urging him to stop.

"It's okay. I'm happy to have a child, so is it wrong to have a little drink?"

“You should be back with Lisa and the baby right now. It’s only because Lisa is gentle. If it were me, I would have come over and given you a beating, even with the placenta in tow.”

One of her female friends took a sip of her drink and expressed a woman's dissatisfaction. As a woman herself, she could empathize with Lisa's feelings and was quite angry. If it were anyone else who married her sister and then did this, she would smash their skull open and eat their brains like jelly. But there was nothing she could do; Parker was her buddy.

On the contrary, the men were very understanding of Parker's current state. Having a child brings burdens, and the world is dangerous. They had a premonition of what hardships the child would face in the future. As fathers, bringing a child into the world is undoubtedly painful, and they shared this sentiment.

“Parker, I understand your thoughts. Raising children is not easy, and you will inevitably worry about them in the future, but you shouldn’t continue drinking now.”

"Not easy? What's not easy about it? It's just that the expenses have increased a bit, but it's not like I can't afford it. Besides, I have a childcare fund, so it's not a big problem. Waiter, could you please bring me another drink?"

"Really, don't drink anymore."

"Why? Are you afraid I can't afford it? Do you know why alcohol is so cheap? Because we need cheap alcohol... the country needs cheap alcohol."

They couldn't stop him, nor could they force him to stop, so they could only wait until he got drunk—though he didn't actually drink that much—before they helped him up and drove him home.

When Parker got home, he was completely drunk. His friends looked at the child and then pulled away his parents-in-law, who were so angry they were practically spitting fire. Now, only the two adults and the child were left in the room.

The baby had just finished drinking milk and was sleeping soundly. The couple returned to bed. Lisa looked left at Parker and right at the baby, couldn't help but sigh, lay down, and turned off the lights in the room.

It wasn't until midnight that she heard faint footsteps and was startled awake. She didn't turn on the light immediately. In the pitch-black room, dimly lit by the moonlight, she saw a sharp knife gleaming with a cold light…

It slowly raised, blade pointing downwards, aimed at the infant. Lisa tensed up, gripping the blanket tightly with both hands, her breathing becoming rapid, and tears streaming down her face.

"Huff... pant... huff... pant..."

The man with the knife was breathing heavily, like a worn-out box; you could hear it clearly. At that moment, he was also enduring immense mental torment.

A drop of liquid flowed down the blade, gathered at the tip, rolled, and its weight was enough to detach it from the blade tip, eventually rolling off and landing on the forehead of the baby who was less than twelve hours old.

He started crying, his voice loud, but it couldn't drown out the sound of the knife falling to the floor and the man's breathing. Just then, Lisa sat up, turned on the bedside lamp, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the child was still crying.

"I can't do it... I'm sorry, I can't do it."

Parker sat on the ground, covering his face and weeping. Blood flowed down his arm, past his elbow, and onto the floor, gradually spreading.

Under the bedside lamp, Lisa leaned against the headboard, biting her lower lip and sobbing softly. The baby in the crib cried loudly. On the floor, Parker kept apologizing, covering his face and crying silently. The different emotions of the three family members crying were reflected in the eyes of the audience.

The varying distances of the lights resulted in the child being in the brightest area, Lisa in the softest light, and Parker hiding in the shadows. This scene has become a well-deserved classic shot in the hearts of many movie lovers.

……

“I really can’t bring myself to hurt my child, even though it was the first day I met him. The closeness that comes with blood makes it hard for me to hurt him, even though I know that letting him live is also hurting him.”

"But I still can't answer the question of what caused my breakdown. Why was I crying? Was it because of my cowardice or so-called fatherly love? Was it because of my child?"

"I do not know."

“But there are only two possibilities: I am worried about my child’s future life, and I am afraid that the pain he will experience in the future will make him question me and ask questions that Lisa is also afraid to answer; or I am afraid of being accused of murdering my child and going to prison for at least two hundred years. It’s one of the two choices, and the answer is in the middle.”

"But the child is still alive, and thankfully he is still alive, so this question no longer needs my answer."

……

"I can't control my emotions anymore. I must be at the forefront and make my demands to the government!"

A young man stood on the desk, exuding an air of daring to risk his life, and raised the bulletin board he had prepared long ago, which aroused the passion of the other young people, whose eyes gleamed with determination to make a big splash.

Jason was among them.

The group set off from the school and, as soon as they stepped out of the school gate, brazenly took out the bulletin board, not caring about the gazes or opinions of others, as if they were afraid that others would not know.

"Drip drip!"

A series of horn blasts drew the attention of the group. A red Ferrari 720S pulled up in front of the group of kids. The passenger window rolled down, revealing a beautiful and delicate face, so beautiful that all the boys couldn't help but swallow hard.

Then, the person in the driver's seat leaned out of the passenger window, revealing a face Jason didn't want to see. With a scrutinizing look, the person glanced at the people around Jason and gave a meaningful smile.

"Hey Jason, where are you going? You guys should be out of school by now, right? Shall we go out for a coffee?"

"No, Chris, I have something to do later..."

"To the parade?"

"Um...that's right."

After receiving the answer, Chris not only shook his head with a wry smile, but even his female companion covered her mouth and chuckled. However, the next second, Chris's expression turned serious.

"Jason, I've always considered you a friend. Even though we haven't seen each other for a long time, I still remember our childhood friendship. I want to ask you, do you still consider me a friend?"

"That's right..."

"Then don't go. You have no reason not to go."

"I have."

"Is it for some sense of justice? Or for some ideal world?"

"Yes, I hope for justice."

They stared at each other for a long time, until Chris picked up the paper cup, drank the beverage inside, made a slurping sound as the straw couldn't draw any liquid from the cup, and put it back on the cup holder in the armrest box.

"Good luck, Jason. When the police come, run fast and don't get too hurt. Remember to give my regards to your father."

The V12 engine unleashed a powerful 860 horsepower, producing a piercing and exhilarating roar. This monster, capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds, sped off and disappeared a few seconds later, leaving Jason with only the sound of backfire.

"Tch, rich kids never want the world to change, because this is their ideal world. Let's go."

The child beside him grumbled, but Jason heard it and said nothing. The group continued on, took the subway, arrived at the square, and joined the crowd. The crowd gave them the determination to win, so they raised the bulletin board and shouted to the sky.

"Drugs create demons! They destroy souls! They ruin brains! Reject marijuana legalization! The long life Mr. Heya gave me was not for drug use!"

As the crowd grew larger and larger, people's tempers flared. The group of children did not scatter, but pushed their way forward until they saw the police maintaining order at the edge. Then they angrily opened fire on the police.

"Officer! Would you let your child smoke marijuana? You disgusting lackey of capitalists!"

"Selling drugs on one hand, and maintaining order on the other? Is this how you maintain national security? We are taxpayers! We are the ones who pay your salaries! What do you have to protect us with? The self-discipline of drug addicts! Or the guns in your hands after you've finished your drugs!"

"Want some marijuana? I've got some! I bought it from the supermarket with the price clearly marked! Look! Anyone over 18 can buy it! Go back and let your kids try it! You bastard!"

A bag of grass was taken out of Jason's pocket by his companion and thrown directly onto the policeman's riot shield. Instantly... Jason felt a chill run down his spine, and an ominous premonition surged up.

Many canned objects were thrown into the crowd, making a loud bang and releasing acrid smoke. The crowd began to flee, and screams and cries of pain constantly surrounded Jason's ears.

The powerful jet of water slammed into his face like a strong man's full-force slap, knocking Jason to the ground. He was then met with a rubber baton.

"Are you something I threw away?! Are you?!"

"Let go of me! I didn't throw it! Let go of me! You broke my bones!"

"I'm only allowing you to answer yes or no! I'm asking you one more time! Did you throw this thing?! If you struggle again, I'll break your hand! I'm telling you! You're finished! Your life is over, buddy! You're in big trouble!"

He was pinned to the ground, still struggling. The police showed no mercy, striking him several times with batons. Pain shot through him, and one of the batons even hit the back of his head. After that, he saw countless double images, the panicked footsteps of people, and his hearing disappeared. His last image was of his two other companions also being pinned to the ground and handcuffed.

……

"I have already notified your guardian. I have to tell you, congratulations, you have successfully swindled your parents out of a year's salary to bail you out. They will be here soon, and after they sign the papers, you can leave."

A policeman sat in a chair, staring at Jason, who was sitting on the interrogation bench with his hands cuffed but still not behaving himself, and sneered.

"Why should I? I didn't do anything wrong! The protest was legal, so why should I be fined?"

"Why should I? Didn't you assault a police officer? Would the riots have happened without you? Assaulting a police officer and disturbing the peace during a demonstration, isn't that a crime?"

"I didn't throw away that bag of marijuana!"

"How can you prove you didn't throw it? You should be glad, kid! You're just a kid under eighteen! Your mistake won't be recorded in your file, it won't affect your future studies or work, otherwise do you think we'd let you go so easily? You should be glad you're still three months away from turning eighteen! Otherwise, your life would be ruined because of this! Just like your classmates! Want to see what they're like? I'll show you!"

He grabbed Jason by the collar, opened the stool and table, entered the short-term detention area, and picked up a rubber baton to bang hard on the iron gate of the detention room.

"Boom blah blah..."

After a loud bang, there was a depressing silence. Jason looked inside and saw that most of his classmates were there. They had just turned eighteen, but they were like the dead, staring blankly at the ceiling.

“We’re still investigating, but the people here—him, him, and him—are not going anywhere. You know why? Because they’re adults and they resisted just now. Do you want to know what they’re going to face? I bet you don’t.”

He smiled coldly, holding Jason like a hunter holding a captured rabbit. The rabbit was already dazed, unable to think, only instinctively fearful, its hands and feet trembling, unable to even stand steadily.

"Kolos, the child's parents are here."

A colleague notified the police, and he carried the frail Jason all the way to meet the Parker couple. In front of Jason, he took the salary that Parker and Lisa had worked themselves to the bone for a year.

After signing and putting his fingerprint on the document, he left. Lisa led him to the car, leaving Parker alone talking to the police officers at the police station entrance.

“The bail is real, and I can’t give it back to you. That kid is probably terrified. Go back and comfort him. Parker, honestly, the parade is too dangerous. Don’t let Jason go again. Once he’s an adult, he won’t be so lucky.”

"I know, Klose, you've worked hard this time too. You taught him a lesson, and I hope he'll learn from it. Once I'm done with my work, we'll have to have a couple of drinks."

"It's nothing. When I first met Jason, he wasn't even as big as my shoe. I never thought that the first time I saw him after I was transferred back would be at the police station. It's unbelievable. Sigh, I'll apologize to him when he's older."

"Those three children...?"

"It's really over, and it's true. It's not like when we went to protest anymore. Now the control is very strict. These three kids, except for the lowest-level manual labor, basically no company will hire them. They won't apply to be employees of people who oppose them."

"Sigh, I'll go now. I still have to give him a lesson when I get home."

"Let's say less. This is too much of a blow for the child. Not only is it the loss of a good friend, but the shattering of his dreams is an even bigger blow. Not many people can realize this as early as you. Be more understanding towards the child. Okay, I have something to do here. You can go now."

"..."

(End of this chapter)