Lin Fei and Li Xin left the house they had lived in for six years with little Xueyin. Although the environment was poor and the house was small, Lin Fei had organized the rooms neatly even under limited conditions, with a clear layout. Despite the hardships of life, there was still a sense of quality maintained.
Upon leaving, Lin Fei felt no attachment. At Xueyin's age, she yearned for city life and wouldn't feel too much emotion. The house was left under Qi Badao's care, mainly in case Aunt Fei forgot something, she could come back to fetch it. It also gave Qi Badao something to do, maintaining a connection.
This time, the three didn't take the underground city's route; instead, they donned their best clothes and entered the city via the main road. The City Guard became respectful upon seeing the Night Patrol badge. Though it wasn't their first visit to the Celestial City, Xueyin was unusually excited. From now on, she wouldn't need to sneak around; she could live in the city.
The Night Patrol's family quarters were located at 5-17 Triumph Street in the East District of Celestial Capital. It wasn't exactly central, but the environment was nice. Li Xin was allocated a two-story unit of about 120 square meters, complete with a small courtyard. As long as Li Xin didn't resign, they could live there rent-free.
Li Xin didn't believe in things happening naturally; in this world, lives are cheap. Getting this kind of treatment meant that Luo Jin, their team leader, was a decent person.
The house wasn't very new, but compared to the underground city, it was a world of difference. The fence around the yard was rusty, and weeds were everywhere, looking like it hadn't been tidied in a while. Yet, this exuberant scene, with even the rust appearing cute, brought a smile to Lin Fei's face. Xueyin had already rushed in to pick a room.
"The captain said the furniture is all in place, and we've got new arrangements recently. I just got lucky," Li Xin laughed, suspecting it was not old Luo being reliable, but Sister Casey being dependable. Such a sister is precious.
"Ah Xin, go buy some beef. Today, I'll make steaks for you all. Xueyin, let's tidy up!" Moving to a new house is a great occasion, worthy of celebration. Lin Fei didn't want to suppress her good mood.
"Yay, yay, Mom, I want a pink room."
They had Luo's team to thank for the early advance. Normally, they wouldn't even dream of having beef, let alone steaks.
"Alright, leave it to me."
Li Xin knew this was the first time in years Lin Fei revealed her sense of ceremony.
Triumph Street hosted many shops, acting as a sub-center in the East District. The residents here had decent purchasing power, and many high-quality establishments were present. Li Xin noticed the dress Xueyin liked, found out the size and price, but didn't buy it immediately. He needed to buy food first, as carrying such a shopping bag might lead to being overcharged.
After comparing different stores and applying bargaining techniques, Li Xin emerged carrying a multitude of packages.
Initially, Aunt Fei was the one to do the shopping, though Li Xin felt her bargaining skills were lacking. Simply being willing wasn't enough; one needed strategy and market knowledge.
Eggs, tomatoes, carrots, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and steak—these were for Sister Fei and Xueyin. He favored short ribs and picked a nice piece, added some potatoes, boiled the ribs briefly, cut them into small pieces, and simmered slowly with secret sauce. The first meal featured pure meat with perfect fat-lean balance, tasting incredibly good. For the second, the ribs became more flavorful with added potatoes and carrots, delightfully tender.
Li Xin also bought a bottle of fruit wine, a Celestial Capital specialty, which paired very well. He finally went back to the clothing store.
Upon seeing him return, the shopkeeper's eyes filled with hope. However, seeing his bags and attire, the light dimmed a bit. After some haggling, he left with the dress at a sixty percent discount under the shopkeeper's disgruntled gaze.
Of course, the shopkeeper's grievance was merely about not earning enough.
The young man's swiftness in payment was unexpected—86 Lira, not cheap at all. Li Xin had seen a similar dress in a city-center store priced over 200 Lira.
This chaotic trip ended up costing 137, as if the currency values in the underground city and the metropolitan areas weren't the same.
When Li Xin got back, the courtyard had been roughly cleaned, the house organized, windows opened wide, and Xueyin happily waved from a window upstairs like a lark.
Seeing Li Xin return, she immediately dashed downstairs with thundering steps, her joy overflowing as she literally jumped onto Li Xin.
"Ah Xin, Ah Xin, I really like it here. Can we not leave?"
Li Xin stood firm like a coat hanger, "This will be our home from now on, no leaving. Now come down and see your gift."
"Wow, so much delicious food, … this???"
Xueyin's large, adorable eyes widened as she spotted the dress she had longed for. She let out a shriek, having dreamed many times of wearing it to dance.
"Ah Xin, love you to bits!" She hugged Li Xin fiercely, pecked his cheek, and then snatched the dress, racing upstairs like lightning.
"You, such a spender," Lin Fei remarked.
"Aunt Fei, money is earned to be spent. The more you earn, the more you spend; the less you earn, the less you spend." Li Xin handed the items to Lin Fei. She shook her head, smiling without saying much, "Wash your hands and play with Xueyin."
The water tank was full—a stark contrast to the underground city. Communities like this had dedicated personnel to meet basic necessities. Lin Fei had lived this way before, even in better conditions.
During the grocery shopping, Li Xin familiarized himself with the surroundings and found them quite nice. The Divine Favor Grace Class was nearby, and with their current situation, Xueyin could attend school. The Night Patrol's salary was quite substantial.
After lunch, Li Xin went to report to the Night Patrol. Love and dedication to one's job were important. For city dwellers, this transition might be negligible, an exchange for their lives. For someone returning from the underground city, it felt like paradise. The joy around him was contagious.
When Kathy saw Li Xin in his Night Patrol uniform, she was a bit surprised. Luo Jin had granted him two days to settle in, yet he only took half a day, "I'll show you around the equipment first."
At the Night Patrol training ground, the manager looked to be in his forties, with a stubbled face, unkempt, "Captain Mo, this is Li Xin, the newcomer handpicked by the team leader. He's here today to select and familiarize himself with weapons."
Mo Feng opened his sleepy eyes, reeking of alcohol—it seemed he hadn't drunk lightly at noon, "Hey, Sister Casey, you're more beautiful than ever. Want a boyfriend?"
"Captain Mo, finding a boyfriend won't be with you, though. You've dedicated your life to a wine barrel, so I won't interfere." Kathy said with a cheerful smile, unfazed, "He's all yours."
With that, she clicked off in her thigh-high boots, exuding an air of spirit.
Mo Feng waved his hand, "Kid, come with me."
He ambled out listlessly, limping. He had lost a leg, and the prosthetic was never quite right. Li Xin merely glanced and followed after Mo Feng.
In the Night Patrol, Luo Jin was the team leader. Beneath him were six action squads, one logistics squad, and one training squad. Mo Feng was the captain of the training squad. After losing his right leg in a mission, he stepped back from front-line duties to oversee training.
Mo Feng evaluated Li Xin following his standard protocol for newcomers. Those timid needed to be emboldened, while those overly bold toned down. Both extremes were dangerous and harmful. Since the big boss personally selected him, there must be something special. The leader hadn't been involved in recruitment affairs for a long time.
"Li Xin, I'm Mo Feng. You can call me Captain Mo or Old Mo. With the big boss backing you, we'll skip the newcomer welcome rituals, but what must be said won't be sugarcoated. Joining the Night Patrol means being one of us in the trenches, where danger is constant. No matter how skilled you think you are, don't act rashly. Fulfill your duties—if it means losing your head, don't chicken out. A single mistake can lead to not only your death but also endanger everyone else." Mo Feng's earlier languor was gone; despite the smell, he no longer appeared drunk.
He had been observing. The young man hadn't shown any obvious reactions to his appearance—not indifference or cunning. In the past, a few showed disdain, and Mo Feng taught those naive recruits why flowers are so red through experience.