People in America started by developing the Yellow Turban Army.

"You don't have to drink it!"

Lin Zhiyong took his cup of talisman water, which smelled of wheat, with a smile on his face. He took a sip and said with great delight.

Chen Ping'an pushed the cup of talisman water, made with rice and red dates, towards him: "Drink it!"

Food and lodging are provided, and this is what we're eating!

"Take a sip first. If you don't like the taste or feel comfortable staying here, we'll send you out later!"

To be honest, although Hathaway is just an 18-year-old girl, she is an American.

They still have a sense of prevention.

If Chen Ping'an and Lin Zhiyong weren't East Asians, and East Asians aren't second-generation immigrants, nor are they those undocumented workers at Ding Pangzi Square.

Rather, it's people from the East who have legitimate industries and legitimate immigration methods who have a good reputation in America.

Kind, law-abiding, wealthy, and without malice.

Of course, even if she were from the East, Hathaway wouldn't believe it so easily.

Her main belief was in the robe Chen Ping'an was wearing, a Taoist robe.

In Hathaway's eyes, this robe was no different from the monk's robe worn by Catholic priests; both represented solemnity and holiness.

Moreover, compared to the ideas that her neighbors had instilled in her since childhood, Taoist monks in the East should be much more ethical than priests and pastors in Europe and America.

This is why she, a girl who had just turned 18, dared to enter this wilderness with two people from the East.

That's right!

No matter what, even if Chen Ping'an were to change his private territory from an abandoned mining town into Ping'an Town now.

That doesn't change the fact that this is a remote, desolate area 60 kilometers from the edge of downtown Los Angeles.

So for a young girl who had just turned 18 to dare to run off to the wilderness with two grown men was a sign of immense trust.

How could Hathaway, a young girl to whom such great trust was placed, be told that she would have no dinner that night and would only have to drink this glass of water?

And it's a glass of water with a burnt piece of paper just thrown in... Oh? No, that's not right!

That piece of yellow paper looked familiar; I'd seen it in the Hong Kong zombie movie "The Taoist Priest." My childhood neighbor once said it was called a talisman, a kind of paper that could be imbued with magical power.

Thinking of this possibility, Hathaway looked at her glass of water with shining eyes, as if she could smell a sweet plant aroma.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed not to be an illusion; the sweet, herbal aroma was indeed emanating from the glass of water on the old bar counter in front of me.

She quickly lowered her head slightly, bringing the glass to the height of the bar, and took a deep breath of the sweet and refreshing herbal aroma...

A refreshing, warm current flowed into her nasal cavity, into her lungs, and then spread throughout her limbs, making her feel as if she had instantly taken a hot bath.

How amazing! Is this magic?

Magic, the scent of plants, monks—the little girl Hathaway connected all these things before her eyes widened in belated realization: "This is the holy water you've been handing out to the homeless in the city, is it?"

"So there really is holy water!"

After Chen Ping'an nodded, the little girl belatedly realized what he meant and eagerly picked up her cup and took a big gulp.

As the talisman water was swallowed, the body gradually regained its strength, and the satisfaction of no longer feeling the burning hunger in the stomach was truly indescribable.

The little girl was already in tears, and finally couldn't help but sob: "It's been two days, and I've finally felt this warmth and fullness again."

thank you!

Boss!

Two days?

It means this girl hasn't had a proper meal in two days, but wasn't she just turned 18 only two or three days ago?

Why are you homeless on the streets?

Haven't eaten for two days?

Where are your parents?

Chen Ping'an carefully asked this question, took a sip of the talisman water with the aroma of rice and red dates, and waited for the little girl's answer.

There are no goji berries!

The goji berries were for Lin Zhiyong, and had nothing to do with Chen Ping'an!

Unexpectedly, the young girl Hathaway's answer was simple and blunt: "I'm 18 years old, and my parents are no longer responsible for supporting me."

So the day after my birthday, they gave me $100 and kicked me out of the house.

My dad said that an adult needs to find a way to make a living on their own, and that the family can no longer afford to support me.

After I leave home, they will rent a smaller house to reduce the rent and support their growing younger siblings.

Chen Ping'an was a bit silly!

He understands English, and he could understand every single sentence the girl said, but when put together, it was very difficult for him, an Asian, to understand what it meant.

Why?

You're just a little girl, how much effort can you put into life... how much money can you spend?

Is it reasonable to kick a girl who just turned 18 out of the house right after her birthday?

Chen Ping'an simply couldn't understand this kind of thought process.

The little girl looked bewildered: "How is this unreasonable?"

Many families in California are like this. My friends who were a few years older than me were also kicked out of their homes by their parents after they turned 18 and had to make a living on their own.

That's perfectly normal!

At 18, he was kicked out of his home and had to fend for himself.

Chen Ping'an is really...

"Indeed, this kind of thing is very common in America, Hathaway wasn't lying!"

Lin Zhiyong took a sip of wheat-flavored water with mixed feelings before slowly saying, "Do you remember when we were kids, those junior and senior high school teachers in China loved to make us read 'Readers' magazine?"

There's a custom in America that children are expected to leave home and venture into society after they turn 18.

This is an excellent tradition for raising children, and only such a culture and system can make the world more civilized.

At the time, the teachers' idea was to learn from developed countries!

He took another sip, shook his head and chuckled: "After living here for several years and seeing so much, I finally know the truth."

All that nonsense about civilization, traditions, and systems comes down to one thing: poverty!

It turns out that many families in America have reached their limit and are rushing to raise their children to 18 years old before kicking them out to fend for themselves.

Otherwise, the entire family would go bankrupt, and everyone would end up homeless on the streets, left to fend for themselves.

Whether it's one person wandering the streets or a whole family wandering the streets, everyone knows which to choose!

In fact, they are all their own children, who would want to choose?

But what right do the poor have to choose?

If they are wealthy in America, they have the money to afford their children's living expenses and tuition.

Then you'll find that the children in these families, even when they're in their thirties or forties, married and have children, can still live in their parents' homes.

So this isn't a matter of lifestyle, nor is it a matter of civilization, systems, or traditions; it's simply that the poor people here live a miserable life!

They can't afford to live anymore!

However, the law requires them to support children under the age of 18, otherwise it constitutes the serious crime of abandonment.

They had no choice but to raise their children to the age of 18, then kick them out and leave them to fend for themselves.

This is not a good lifestyle habit or tradition; it's a tragedy!

The truth Lin Zhiyong revealed was as cruel as a lightning bolt, instantly shattering Chen Ping'an's preconceived notions about American society.

He once argued that he had never been influenced by the America portrayed in Yilin magazine.

But in reality, how could I not have an impression?

Lin Zhiyong and the little girl Hathaway's words have overturned all previous perceptions.

"So, right now, all I want is to live!"

The young girl, Hathaway, squinted and took a sip of the holy water that exuded wonderful magic and the aroma of grains. Satisfied with the recovery of her body, she spoke frankly to Chen Ping'an, the Eastern Taoist.

"Once I've established myself and am able to survive, I'll consider saving money to attend the medical school I've already been accepted to."

The little girl was very clear-headed, so clear-headed that it broke my heart.

Chen Pingan suddenly felt a little soft-hearted. If he were in China, 18 years old would be the age when he would be pampered and spoiled by his parents.

In America, however, they were already thinking about how to survive...

"I want to open a small tavern, in this very room, and our main product will be the water we drink now."

But I don't have time to manage it, so you can keep an eye on it for me.

"Good job, I'll pay you!"

Chen Pingan's use of the word "small tavern" may have touched a nerve with Lin Zhiyong, who couldn't help but interject:

"This place is big enough to set up a small stage for a stand-up comedy show!"