Being carried onto an ambulance at the start? But this is America!

Marina's gaze fell gently on Li Ping, filled with undisguised admiration.

"I believe you'll soon be able to get out of your current predicament. By the way, have you had breakfast?"

Upon their first meeting, she saw a clarity in the eyes of these Asian brothers that was different from that of homeless people, which is why she introduced them to Roland.

In retrospect, her judgment was correct; this might indeed save two young people who were lost in a foreign land.

"Thank you, we've already eaten," Li Ping replied politely.

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of disappointment, as if she hadn't been able to help more, flashed across Marina's face.

"Alright then."

She quickly composed herself and became serious, "After you've showered, could you come to my office to talk? I'd like to learn more about your experiences."

This is very important. If I need to explain your situation in juvenile court in the future, the more specific and truthful my knowledge, the better it will be for you.

The facilities at this Methodist church are among the best in its class.

Early in the morning, the shower room in the basement, which was specifically for the homeless, had just been thoroughly disinfected. The tiled floor was still glistening with water, and the air was filled with a faint smell of cleaning agents.

Li Ping and Li Fan became the first users today.

Warm water flowed down, washing away the dust, sweat, and lingering smell of alcohol from the previous night.

In the enclosed space, Li Fan caught a glimpse of his brother's body, his eyes widened instantly, and his voice rang out loudly amidst the rushing water:

"Bro, when did you... get abs? And they're so obvious!"

The water flowed over Li Ping's torso, outlining clear and smooth muscle lines. His chest muscles were beginning to show, and his arms had become much stronger.

Although he was still rather thin, he exuded a strong and capable aura.

This is exactly the physique that Li Fan, as a sports student, dreams of—combining explosive power and endurance. Unfortunately, he has a broad frame, and with a little training, he is likely to develop into a heavyweight.

Li Ping lathered himself with soap without looking up, casually replying, "What's the big deal? You're just hungry. All the subcutaneous fat is used up, so your muscles are showing."

"Brother, I'm seventeen, and I'm a professional athlete..."

Li Fan gave Li Ping a "you're kidding me" look and pointed at Li Ping's noticeably bulging pectoral muscles and biceps.

"You call this malnutrition? Look at the lines, the separation..."

Li Ping was too lazy to explain further, as he himself couldn't explain the specific principles behind the "Wanderer" talent's ability to modify the body.

He quickly rinsed himself clean and grabbed a towel.

Li Fan's gaze unconsciously swept over a certain spot before quickly shifting away, a subtle, complex emotion typical of a teenage boy flashing across his face.

A mixture of surprise, envy, and self-deprecation.

After taking a shower, Li Ping changed into the new outfit he had acquired from yesterday's jungle hunt, looking completely refreshed.

He specifically chose a Hawaiian-style shirt with a green palm tree pattern, paired with blue denim shorts and white sneakers.

Li Fan's look was much simpler: a beige cotton T-shirt paired with brown shorts, clean and neat.

The old clothes are already washed and in the dryer; I'll come back to pick them up later.

It was just past eight o'clock when I walked out of the basement.

The sun was shining brightly, and the side aisle of the church was quiet and peaceful.

Marina was already waiting for them in a small office with a sign that read "Community Coordinator." On the table were three steaming cups of black coffee and a plate of colorful macarons.

"Come on, sit down and have something to drink."

Marina greeted them, her kind smile soothing any wrinkles in their hearts.

Li Ping felt a warmth in his heart.

The kindness of this elderly white woman was pure and precious.

For the next hour or so, accompanied by the aroma of coffee and the sweet taste of macarons, Li Ping recounted his and his brother's experiences.

From the accidental death of her parents when she was ten years old, to being under the guardianship of her uncle, to being tricked into leaving the country under the guise of a holiday trip, to being smuggled across the border, to being abandoned and imprisoned upon arrival in the United States, and finally ending up on the streets.

"Oh my God...poor child..."

Marina's eyes reddened as she listened, and she kept wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.

She lost her closest relatives, but these two children not only lost their parents, but were also betrayed and abandoned by their closest relatives in a foreign hell where they had no one to turn to at the age when they needed love the most.

She felt this pain deeply, and even found it more cruel.

While Li Ping was narrating, Li Fan sat quietly beside him for most of the time, trying to catch the complex, long sentences.

His attention was more drawn to his brother's diet.

Li Fan's eyes widened as he watched Li Ping calmly pop one cloyingly sweet macaron after another into his mouth.

Isn't fitness about supplementing protein and controlling carbohydrate intake?

How come my brother, who is so obsessed with sugar and oil mixtures, has developed a physique that even he envies?

This unscientific!

Time slipped by quietly, and it was almost nine o'clock.

Li Ping finished the last sip of coffee, and the story came to an end.

Just then, Marina's cell phone rang from her pocket.

She apologized to Li Ping and answered the phone.

"Sorry, kids, I might need to take care of something."

A moment later, Marina stood up and gave Li Ping and the others an apologetic smile.

She then noticed the empty dessert plates on the table and guessed that the two young men probably hadn't eaten enough that morning, so she thought she would go to the kitchen to get some food after finishing her business.

"Is there anything we can do to help?"

Li Ping immediately stood up, speaking in a proactive and sincere tone.

I vaguely heard words like "help," "find someone," and "reward" just now.

He knew the call was related to the card's hints, and this was the moment to demonstrate his worth.

They cannot always wait for pity; they must demonstrate the potential and willingness to be helped.

"Oh, is that so?"

Marina didn't hide anything and casually said, "A long-time believer in the church, Ms. Flora Lancaster, has a lot of old things piled up in her basement that need to be cleaned and moved. She wants to find two reliable believers who are also strong enough to help, and she will pay them a reasonable fee."

I was just checking our mutual aid list to see who's available today...

This kind of thing is common in church communities.

Some financially well-off believers have household chores that are inconvenient for them to handle themselves, so they seek out other believers or those in need of assistance through the church.

The church, acting as an intermediary, provides a guarantee of trust, which can be considered a form of mutual assistance and benefit within the community.

"Two young and strong men?"

Li Ping's eyes lit up, and he immediately stepped forward, patted himself, and pointed at Li Fan, "What do you think of us brothers? We're strong! And..."

He paused, then smiled sincerely. "We also believe in God and are very willing to serve the church and our brothers and sisters."

We can talk, and we can believe in God!

Believe in nothing = Believe in everything.

"Oh dear, look at my memory!"

Marina gently patted her forehead, then laughed in realization, "I was so engrossed in listening to your stories that I almost forgot the perfect candidate was right in front of me."

She already had a great fondness for the two brothers who had a difficult past but worked hard to improve themselves, and she knew that they desperately needed money.

This is a great opportunity to help them.

"The location is number 26, Blue Wave Manor. The employer is Ms. Flora Lancaster; you may call her Mrs. Lancaster or Ms. Flora..."

Marina quickly explained the basic information, the general work content, and precautions.

It was an upscale community about six kilometers from the church.

"Go quickly, children, may the Lord bless you with success in your work."

She handed Li Ping a note with his address and contact information.

"Thank you so much, Ms. Marina, God bless you!"

Li Ping took the note, thanked him sincerely, and said at the right moment, "We will definitely come to worship this Sunday."

This signals a further integration into the church community.

"You are such sensible and good children."

Marina watched them leave with a sense of satisfaction, then turned to attend to other matters.

Tomorrow is Saturday, which is the weekly feast for the homeless in the poor neighborhood, as many people will come to distribute supplies.

The church will also be involved; she will need to coordinate the training of volunteers and the distribution of supplies.

Li Ping pulled Li Fan away from the church in a hurry.

The two waited at the bus stop for less than two minutes when a bus arrived, which happened to be the one they needed. This is incredible in Los Angeles, where the average wait time is twenty minutes.

I don't know if it was good luck or the hidden blessing of the [Minor Blessing] card.

Los Angeles’ public transportation system is known for its unreliability and its diverse mix of homeless passengers, especially on routes that pass through poor neighborhoods.

However, the two brothers are now part of a vibrant and colorful life themselves, and they are quite at ease with it.

They boarded the bus with the flow of people and naturally blended into the group of passengers who didn't pay the fare.

For homeless people who have no money, this is a basic survival skill.

Twenty minutes later, they got off at the nearest station and then walked for almost another twenty minutes, following the directions on Google Maps.

Finally, the neatly trimmed hedges, beautifully designed landscaping, wrought iron gates, and the faintly visible exquisite villa roofs of the Green Wave Manor came into view.

In truly upscale communities, public transportation will not extend directly to your doorstep.

Otherwise, how can its high-end and private nature be demonstrated?

Li Ping straightened his slightly flashy palm tree shirt, took a deep breath, and winked at Li Fan.

"Come on, bro."