Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 482 Normal Training!
“No need, I’m really fine,” the waitress said, her eyes filled with gratitude. “Sir, thank you so much. I don’t know what would have happened if it weren’t for you…”

As she spoke, tears began to stream down her face.

"Alright, stop crying," Rowan comforted him. "If you encounter a situation like this again, call the police immediately or contact the hotel security. Don't face these bad people alone."

“I understand,” the waitress nodded, wiping away her tears.

“Go on, get some rest,” Rowan said. “Consider today’s events a lesson.”

The waitress bowed deeply and then left.

"Never mind, let's go back to my room," Rowan muttered to himself. "I have to go home tomorrow."

He turned and walked towards the room, his figure gradually disappearing into the night.

Inside the hotel's security room, the three arrested men were still shouting.

"Do you know who my father is? How dare you arrest me!" the red-haired man roared.

"Let us go! Otherwise, you'll regret it!" the blond man threatened.

But the security captain just sneered: "No matter how powerful your background is, can it be more powerful than Virtual Universe Company? Stay put and wait to be punished!"

The three men turned deathly pale upon hearing the words "Virtual Universe Company".

They finally realized that they had really bitten off more than they could chew this time.

The next morning, Rowan got up very early.

Pushing open the window of the hot spring hotel, a breath of fresh air rushed in. The distant mountains appeared and disappeared in the morning mist, and the birdsong was crisp and melodious. After a night's rest, Rowan felt that his body and mind had fully recovered.

"It's time to go home," Rowan said, packing his luggage and checking out of the hotel. "My parents must miss me a lot."

After returning to Jiangnan Base City from the hot spring resort, Luo Wen did not delay and took a taxi directly to his parents' neighborhood.

The car drove through the bustling streets and arrived at Mingyue Residential Area. This was the house Luo Wen bought for his parents with his first prize money after becoming a martial artist. The community had a beautiful environment and strict security, and was mostly inhabited by middle-class people, as well as some retired martial artists.

"Driver, please stop here," Rowan said, paying the fare and getting out of the car with his luggage.

Standing at the entrance of the residential compound, looking at the familiar scene, Luo Wen felt a surge of warmth in his heart. No matter where he goes, no matter what he goes through, home will always be the warmest harbor.

"Xiao Wen's back?" The security guard at the gate recognized Luo Wen and greeted him warmly. "Your parents have been talking about you every day!"

"Hello, Uncle Zhang," Luo Wen replied with a smile, "I'm back now."

"Alright, alright, go back now," the security guard said with a smile, "Don't keep your parents waiting."

As Luo Wen walked into the residential area, the familiar plants and trees brought him a sense of warmth and comfort. In the garden, several elderly people were practicing Tai Chi, and a few children were playing happily. Everything was so peaceful and serene.

Arriving at the twelfth floor of Building 3, Luo Wen stood at his door, took a deep breath, and then rang the doorbell.

"Coming, coming!" came the mother's voice from inside.

The door opened, and when Luo's mother saw her son standing in the doorway, a bright smile immediately bloomed on her face: "Xiao Wen! You're finally back!"

"Mom, I'm back," Rowan said with a smile.

"Come in, come in!" Luo's mother took her son's hand and welcomed him into the house. "Your father, Xiaowen is back!"

"You're back?" Mr. Luo came out of his study, a smile spreading across his face when he saw his son. "You rascal, you've been gone so long this time, and you didn't even call home a few more times."

"Dad, I've been busy," Rowan said, scratching his head somewhat embarrassedly.

"Busy, busy, all you ever do is keep busy," Mrs. Luo scolded playfully, but her eyes were full of love. "Are you tired? Are you hungry? Mom will make you something delicious."

“I’m not hungry, Mom,” Rowan said, but his stomach growled loudly as soon as he finished speaking.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Luo smiled.

"You say you're not hungry?" Mrs. Luo laughed. "You must not have eaten properly while you were out. Wait, Mom will make you your favorite braised pork and sweet and sour pork ribs right away."

"Then I won't stand on ceremony," Rowan said with a smile.

Luo's mother turned and went into the kitchen, and soon the sound of stir-frying could be heard. Luo's father pulled his son to sit on the sofa and carefully looked him over.

"You've lost weight," Mr. Luo frowned. "Did you encounter any danger on this trip?"

"No, no," Rowan quickly waved his hand, "it's just normal training."

"Don't try to fool me," Mr. Luo said sharply. "Although I'm not a martial artist, you're my son. Do you think I wouldn't see it? You have fresh wounds on your body. Although they've healed, the marks are still there."

Rowan was stunned for a moment. He had indeed suffered a lot of injuries. Although he had used high-grade healing medicine, making it invisible on the outside, some subtle marks still couldn't escape the eyes of his family.

“Well,” Rowan sighed, “there were some dangers, of course. But they’ve all been dealt with, and I’m perfectly fine now, aren’t I?”

“You,” Mr. Luo patted his son’s shoulder, speaking earnestly, “Dad knows you have your own aspirations and want to become stronger. But remember, safety always comes first. You are our only son, and we can’t bear the loss of you.”

“I know, Dad,” Rowan nodded earnestly, “I’ll be careful.”

"That's good," Mr. Luo said, then changed the subject to a lighter one, "By the way, what did you gain from this trip?"

"I've gained a lot," Rowan thought for a moment, "not only has my strength improved, but more importantly, I've understood many things."

"Oh? Tell me about it," Luo's father said, intrigued.

Rowan organized his thoughts and briefly recounted his experiences over the past period—omitting the dangerous details to avoid worrying his parents. He mainly talked about his understanding of a martial artist's responsibility, his comprehension of power, and his plans for the future.

Listening to his son's story, Mr. Luo's eyes were filled with satisfaction: "Not bad, it seems you've really grown a lot from this experience."

“It’s all thanks to the teachers’ excellent instruction,” Rowan said.

“Bring your teacher back so we can meet her next time,” Mr. Luo said. “We need to thank her properly.”

"Definitely, definitely," Rowan nodded with a smile.

Just then, Luo's mother poked her head out from the kitchen: "By the way, Xiaowen, take a close look, don't your parents look younger than before?"

Luo Wen then noticed that his parents' mental state was indeed much better than before. His mother's skin was smoother and more delicate, with fewer wrinkles on her face, making her look at least seven or eight years younger. While his father maintained his composed demeanor, he was also radiant, and his hair was even darker than before. "Indeed!" Luo Wen exclaimed in surprise, "Mom, you look like you're in your thirties now!"

"You're so sweet-talking," Mother Luo grinned from ear to ear, "It's all thanks to those pills you left behind last time. After taking them, not only did my health improve a lot, but even my old rheumatism is gone."

“Your father’s back doesn’t hurt anymore,” Mrs. Luo continued. “Now he can go for a run in the park every morning, and he’s in great spirits.”

Luo Wen was secretly pleased. When he left last time, he left his parents some pills made from the fruits of life, specifically for conditioning their bodies and slowing down aging. Now it seemed that the effects were indeed quite good.

"That's good," Rowan said. "You should continue taking these pills; they'll be good for your health."

"I know, I know," Mrs. Luo laughed. "We eat it on time every day. By the way, Aunt Zhang in the neighborhood saw how young I look and asked me what skincare products I use. She was so envious."

"What did Mom say?" Rowan asked curiously.

“I told you it was health supplements you bought,” Mrs. Luo said smugly. “I never said it was a medicinal pill. Otherwise, they would have been coming to my house every day asking about it.”

The family chatted and laughed, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Half an hour later, Luo's mother came out with a table full of delicious dishes. The braised pork looked tempting, the sweet and sour pork ribs were appetizing, and there was also steamed sea bass, Kung Pao chicken, scrambled eggs with tomatoes... all of which were Luo Wen's favorite dishes.

"Come on, eat it while it's hot," Mother Luo urged.

"Wow, so much delicious food!" Rowan's eyes lit up. "Mom, your cooking is getting better and better."

"Stop talking nonsense and eat," Luo's mother said, placing a large piece of braised pork on her son's plate. "Eat more; you've gotten so thin."

"good!"

Luo Wen ate heartily; this was the taste of home. After wandering outside for so long, no matter how delicious the food was, it couldn't compare to his mother's home-cooked meals.

Mr. Luo poured his son a glass of water: "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

"Mmm!" Rowan mumbled incoherently, his mouth full of food.

During the meal, Luo's mother suddenly remembered something: "Oh, right, Xiaowen, do you remember your cousin Luo Shuang?"

"Luo Shuang?" Luo Wen paused for a moment, then remembered, "I remember her, she's my second uncle's daughter. I used to play with her a lot when I was little."

Luo Wen did indeed remember this cousin. Luo Shuang was two years younger than him, and when they were little, she would often follow him around calling him "brother, brother." Later, Luo Wen went to cultivate, and the two had fewer opportunities to meet.

"Why are you suddenly bringing her up lately?" Rowan asked.

"Sigh," Luo's mother sighed, "Your second uncle called me a while ago and said that Luo Shuang's condition wasn't good."

"What's wrong?" Rowan immediately asked with concern.

“After graduating from university, your cousin went to work in Donghai City,” Luo’s mother said. “She’s currently working as a waitress in a restaurant. The pay is low, the work is hard, and she’s often harassed.”

"A waitress?" Rowan frowned. "Didn't she study computer science in college? Why would she become a waitress?"

“That’s the problem,” Mr. Luo continued, “I heard that when she first graduated, she looked for several computer-related jobs, but none of them went very well. Some companies thought she lacked experience, and others thought that because she was a girl, technical positions weren’t suitable for women. After searching around, she could only find a waitress job first, thinking she could work there and then slowly look for a more suitable one.”

“But she’s been doing this for over a year,” Mrs. Luo continued. “The work is so hard that she has no time to interview for other jobs. And her boss is incredibly demanding, deducting wages for no reason. Just recently, because a customer was deliberately difficult, the boss deducted half a month’s salary without even asking what happened.”

As Luo Wen listened, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

“Your second uncle wants her to quit her job and go back to Jiangnan City to find work,” Luo’s father said, “but Luo Shuang feels that she has finally gained a foothold in a big city and doesn’t want to come back just like that. Besides, there are indeed more opportunities in Donghai City than in Jiangnan City.”

"So..." Luo's mother looked at her son, hesitatingly saying, "Your second uncle asked us if we could help Luo Shuang find a better job. You're somewhat capable now, could you see if you could help?"

After listening, Luo Wen remained silent for a moment.

He recalled the scene last night at the hot spring hotel where the waitress was being bullied by three martial artists. The waitress profession itself has no inherent hierarchy, but it is indeed prone to various troubles—especially with powerful or influential guests who often abuse their power.

His cousin, Luo Shuang, a recent college graduate, was a young woman with no relatives or friends in another city. She worked as a waitress in a restaurant and must have suffered a lot of grievances.

“Of course I’ll help,” Luo Wen said firmly. “Luo Shuang is my sister. How can I ignore her when she’s in trouble?”

"Really?" Mrs. Luo's eyes lit up. "That's wonderful! Your second uncle will be so happy to hear that."

“However,” Luo Wen thought for a moment, “I need to find out more about Luo Shuang’s situation first. Where in Donghai City is she currently working? What kind of job is she looking for?”

"She's in the Yunding District of Donghai City, at a restaurant called 'Golden Goblet Restaurant,'" Luo's mother said. "As for what kind of job she's looking for... it'll probably still be computer-related, since that's her major."

“Okay,” Luo Wen said, taking out his phone, “I’ll call Luo Shuang first to find out what’s going on. Mom, you have her number, right?”

"Yes, yes, yes," Mrs. Luo quickly recited a string of numbers.

Rowan dialed the number.

The phone rang several times before being answered. A somewhat tired but energetic female voice came through: "Hello, who is this?"

“Luo Shuang? I’m Luo Wen, your brother,” Luo Wen said.

"Brother Luo Wen?!" The voice on the other end of the phone immediately brightened with surprise. "My goodness, it's been so long! What made you think of calling me?"

“I heard from my mom that you’re working in Donghai City now,” Rowan said. “I wanted to ask how you’ve been.”

"I...I'm fine," Luo Shuang's voice suddenly became somewhat unnatural, "It's just that I've been a bit busy with work."

Rowan keenly sensed the reluctance in his cousin's tone: "Are you really doing well? I heard you're working as a waitress at a restaurant?"

“Ah… Auntie already told you,” Luo Shuang sighed. “Yes, I am indeed working as a waitress now. But it’s okay, I can handle it.”

"Luo Shuang, don't stand on ceremony with me," Luo Wen said gently. "Just tell me if you have any difficulties, and I'll help if I can."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by soft sobbing.

“Brother…” Luo Shuang’s voice choked with emotion, “Actually… I haven’t been doing very well.”

Next, Luo Shuang recounted her experiences over the past year.

She studied computer science in college and had good grades, so she thought she could find a good job after graduation. But reality was harsh.

(End of this chapter)