"Hey, this isn't fair!"
Li Xiang, the head of the family, shouted in mock dissatisfaction. But the little babies, happily sharing their skewers with the two big dogs, paid no mind to their sad old father.
"This is really strange. You don't spend as much time at home as I do. Why do Lily and Dean like you so much?" the father grumbled to his eldest son in a jealous tone while grilling skewers.
It was then that the mother, Amy, came over with a plate. Wearing a long shirt and loose blue jeans, she gave her husband a helpless kiss. "Who told you not to be as cool as Leon?" She smiled, put some grilled skewers on the plate, and took them away.
Looking at his wife's retreating back, Li Xiang felt a bit annoyed.
Leon, meanwhile, was happily stoking his father's frustration. "Lily and Dean told me yesterday that they love flying with me the most. The little ones think I'm the coolest brother in the world."
"Dad, you can't do it. Look at your little belly. Tsk, tsk, you should manage your body well."
The father's face turned red with anger. "People always get fat in middle age," he retorted. "And the food here is high in calories and protein. Look at your Uncle Wendy and the others—they're already fat. I'm not bad, okay?"
This was true. In addition to food additives, American food was often high in calories and protein. However, because of Li Xiang's family background, he paid more attention to healthy eating and a balanced diet. As a result, both he and Amy managed their bodies well, which was a significant improvement compared to the obese bodies of their neighbors.
However, Leon "unintentionally" lifted the hem of his shirt and wiped his sweat-free cheeks as if the heat from the grill was bothering him, revealing his defined core and abs. This made Li Xiang look on with jealousy and envy.
A middle-aged man's life was often unsatisfactory without regular exercise. After all, a decline in physical fitness was an inevitable part of aging.
Leon enjoyed seeing his usually gentle father's composure break, but to avoid making him too upset, Leon still leaned in and whispered to him. "Don't worry, Dad. I'll get you some medicine later. I guarantee you'll be as muscular as Captain America."
"It'll get rid of your inferiority complex completely."
"Really?" Hearing his eldest son's caring words, Li Xiang's hands trembled as he turned the skewers. His eyes behind his glasses were filled with excitement, but then he seriously explained, "I've never had an inferiority complex."
"Ah, right, right, right," Leon's answer was quite perfunctory as he grabbed a handful of grilled skewers and walked to the dining table, leaving his father who was turning red again.
But it was only for a moment. Thinking of Leon's words, he felt happy again. He even started thinking about having another baby. After all, the two little ones had become Leon's little buddies, and he wanted his own little buddy. He also imagined how brave he would be after the event, and the admiring and disbelieving look in his wife's eyes.
Just thinking about that image made him feel as cool as a bottle of iced cola on a hot summer day.
"Hey, honey, what are you thinking about, laughing so obscenely? Come eat."
Amy's shout from the table in the distance still broke his reverie, and Li Xiang quickly replied, "I'm coming, honey."
The barbecue was very rich. In addition to skewers, there were grilled lamb chops, pork chops, chicken, fruit salad, and fresh lettuce. The whole family, including the two big dogs, ate happily.
It was worth mentioning that because three-year-old Dean was so young, for health reasons, he was only given a small amount of barbecue and mostly had milk, cereal, corn porridge, and sausages. Seeing his sister Lily eat so much, Leon was so hungry he started making a fuss.
In the end, his mother subdued him, holding him in her arms and feeding him mouthful by mouthful. The little guy's face was full of grievances, but he didn't dare to resist. He looked at his father and brother with his big, watery eyes, trying to ask for help.
However, neither his father nor his brother could afford to offend his mother, so they just pretended not to see it.
So the little guy stayed in his mother's arms, and his expression was so funny that Leon and Li Xiang, father and son, both laughed. It was another noisy and warm dinner.
Li Xiang, who was sitting next to Leon, glanced at Amy who was feeding Dean across the table and whispered, "Remember Daniel's family? They moved away, but a new family moved in. I always feel that the bearded man with Spanish ancestry is not a normal person."
"When I passed by, I saw him sitting on his lawn smoking marijuana several times. Many people drove to his house, and there was a lot of coming and going."
"Do you think someone brought those things into the town?" Leon answered after chewing and swallowing the barbecue in his mouth.
Marijuana was a type of drug. In the United States, this situation was not uncommon. It could be said that this was the world's largest market for such drugs. The population accounted for less than 5% of the world, but it consumed 80% of the world's opioids.
The town had a small population, but these things were basically nonexistent. It could also be regarded as a very peaceful town, which was why Li Xiang had brought his wife Amy here to settle down.
Li Xiang hated and disliked drugs. He knew that the abuse of these substances would lead to a person's life being completely destroyed. He hoped to live a happy life and raise his children. But when he saw strangers come to town and use those drugs, it immediately aroused his inner disgust. He liked this town very much and didn't want anyone to bring drugs here.
"Well, I think they should want to let those things circulate here," Li Xiang nodded. The town was small and the population wasn't large, but it was still a market. If it was opened, it would also be a good and sustainable source of income.
As for those guys, he thought they must be dealers who came to play the outpost.
"Tell Sheriff James and let them solve it," Leon said softly. "I think he will be willing to record it on his resume."
(End of Chapter)
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