Chapter 2248 - 1: Welcome

Chapter 2248: Chapter 1: Welcome

The way of redemption lies within.

——Samuel Norton

Vincent Tao had spent an entire night in the detention room of the Las Vegas Police Department. He had only managed to nap for a brief half-hour during the darkest hour before dawn, only to be jolted awake by nightmares, realizing his situation was even worse than the nightmares.

A few hours ago, he was asleep at his home in North Las Vegas, with his four-year-old son in the small room next door.

He was in the middle of divorce proceedings with his wife. Working at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was willing to give up the house and most of his savings just to fight for custody of his child, but this is not an easy task in America.

For children aged 0-6, the court typically awards custody to the mother in most cases.

Vincent did not want to give the child to that malicious woman, who married him for American citizenship and then was caught cheating with a brute-like black man upon his return from a business trip. That image still haunts him, plunging him into nightmares.

If his son didn’t have the same fine soft black hair and deep brown eyes as him, Vincent would definitely doubt whether the child was his.

Out of a foolish moral shackle of traditional male chauvinism, Vincent Tao offered very lenient terms for an amicable divorce, solely to keep his child by his side.

But giving in didn’t lead to letting go; instead, she took inch after inch. The woman wanted both money and the child, relentlessly harassing Vincent, turning his life into chaos.

He called the police multiple times, hired a professional lawyer, believing in the law, believing this country’s vast and rigorous legal system would provide him fairness. He prepared his courtroom statement, trusting his blood and tears of betrayal and deceit would earn the sympathy of the judge or jury, allowing them to stay together as father and son. He was even ready for the sacrifice of staying single for a lifetime, raising his child alone.

At night, a loud "bang" woke him from dreams, police burst into his home, arrested Vincent in front of his son, handcuffing him, and the charge was surprisingly child abuse.

While being escorted to the police car, Vincent Tao saw that woman holding their son, her face showing a sorrowful expression that sickened him.

But what saddened him the most was his son’s confused and helpless look. So young, he didn’t understand what was happening, why his father was taken away, why his parents were arguing and separating. Vincent Tao tried to shout but was pushed by the police into the car, rough and barbaric actions.

At the police station, he tried to contact his lawyer but was kept in the detention room until dawn. He didn’t shout, didn’t bang on the iron door; he tried to maintain the dignity of a university professor and a person of high academic standing. He believed the police station would follow legal procedures to arrange the process for him. He only needed to explain the situation clearly to go back to see his son.

"Vincent Tao!" An officer shouted at the door.

Vincent Tao’s Chinese name is Tao Jingwen, an immigrant to America through intelligence and education, with a slender appearance, wearing glasses, exuding a gentle and weak aura.

Tao Jingwen got up, his head dizzy, answered with a nod. The officer told him: "You’re arrested for child abuse; you can contact a lawyer..."

"What? Child abuse? How is that possible? That’s my son!" Tao Jingwen felt his brain was exploding. He cherished his child too much to ever abuse him.

"Most child abuse cases involve one’s own children." The white officer cast Tao Jingwen a contemptuous glance, mumbling in his mind that the more refined someone looks, the more likely they are to be perverts and scum. The child’s back is covered in blood scars.

Tao Jingwen was choked with emotions, not knowing how to defend himself, could only contact his lawyer anxiously waiting. He had no idea what method that bitch used to get the police to arrest him indiscriminately and charge him with child abuse. Blood rushed toward his brain.

"The situation is not looking good; what did you do to Little Vincent?" An hour later, the lawyer finally arrived, looking worried.

"What do you mean did what? He’s my son; I didn’t abuse him at all."

"But the police found numerous blood scars on Little Vincent’s back; they think the marks came from you beating him."

"Oh my God, those aren’t beating marks; they’re the marks left by Gua Sha. Do you understand Gua Sha? You should watch that movie ’Gua Sha!’ That is not abuse; tell them it’s not abuse. I need to get out to see my son."

Tao Jingwen couldn’t believe that the scenario from the movie would happen to him. A few days ago, his son had diarrhea; under the restriction of medication, he opted for traditional Gua Sha to help his son eliminate dampness and gas, and the blood marks on the back were the bruises left by Gua Sha.

Unexpectedly, this became evidence of child abuse against him. It was truly unjust.

Yet the lawyer shook his head, saying: "The situation is very unfavorable for you. The court likely won’t take the time to investigate thoroughly and will most likely award custody to the mother."

"This is absurd! Ali knows Gua Sha, she understands, she even applied it to me! I learned it from her! Fack! That damn bitch... I want to sue her!"

The lawyer looked at the swearing Tao Jingwen with a sympathetic gaze. At this moment, the dignity he had always maintained finally collapsed. The lawyer knew extracting more money from him would be difficult. He had divided his assets to the woman, coupled with this arrest, he might lose his job at UNLV. At that point, with pockets empty and no job, there was no way to fight a lawsuit or gain custody of the child.

Having immigrated through studying and exams, he lacked strong local social ties. Once he lost a respectable job and assets, his societal value would essentially go to zero, and no one would speak up for him.

"Vincent, you’d better find a way to first get out on bail. As for the bail money... I can contact a bail loan company for you."

The lawyer’s words were like cold water poured on Tao Jingwen’s head. For the divorce, he had spent so much, nearly depleting his savings, and he couldn’t come up with bail money.

If his arrest and child abuse charges lead to losing his university job, he really would be wandering the streets. Anger accumulated in his chest, yet he found no way out.

An hour later, the bail bond company representative came, paid the money, signed the papers, and brought Tao Jingwen out of the police station.

Tao Jingwen was exhausted, hungry, and sleepy; even worse was the thought of his son not being with him, sadness welled up, and he squatted at the police station entrance in tears.

Why did the originally bright prospects turn out this way after one failed marriage?

He felt he had reached a dead end, wishing for death. But upon thinking of his son, he knew he couldn’t die. But what was he to do?

Someone handed over a tissue; it was the bail bond company representative, also a Chinese person who spoke Chinese, making Tao Jingwen feel a sense of familiarity. He needed an outlet to talk, and the two sat by the roadside and chatted.

"Do you feel like dying?"

"Yes. But I can’t die."

"That’s right, you can’t die."

"For my son."

"No, you still owe us the loan. If you die, it’ll be a bad debt."

"You’re all vampires!"

"Bro, I understand your situation; your wife and lawyer are the vampires, but I’m the one helping you. Why don’t you see the difference?"

"You’re just here for the last sip of blood, talking about helping me."

The man got up and took out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one for himself and offering another to Tao Jingwen. Though Tao Jingwen didn’t usually smoke, he took it this time. He wanted a puff.

Through the blue smoke, the man said, "We’re all Chinese people; I can really help you out."

Tao Jingwen coughed a few times, wary of the offer, asking, "How to help?" Yet being cautious, fearing any more deception.

"Do you know Ah Gan?"

"Ah Gan? Of course I know him. Nobody doesn’t know him."

"Go find him; he definitely has a way."

"What qualifications do I have to find him? Plus, I don’t watch basketball or play basketball."

"Haha, you think Ah Gan is just about basketball? Seems you don’t know much."

Speaking, the man pulled out a business card from his pocket, handed it to Tao Jingwen, saying: "The day after tomorrow, Gan’s Restaurant’s second branch opens on Chunshan Avenue. Take this card and say you want to eat Ah Gan’s personally made Kung Pao Chicken, You’ll have a chance to meet him. Then, tell him your situation; if he’s in a good mood and generous, he’ll help you."

Tao Jingwen took the card; of course, he knew who Ah Gan was—the greatest basketball player in history, a pride among people worldwide, the most famous person in Las Vegas.

In his view, the distance between him and Ah Gan was far greater than that to the President of the United States. At least he could cast a vote in the election. As for sports, he had no interest, burying himself in books since childhood, just aiming to one day become successful and immigrate to America.

Through his efforts, he achieved all these, but why was the outcome like this?

He glanced at the card—a golden, specially printed card. The front side read: Gan’s Restaurant, authentic traditional Chinese cuisine, phone: XXXXXXX, address: ХХХ Chunshan Avenue.

The back had a gold-stamped image of Ah Gan, smiling at him warmly with four Chinese characters beside it: Welcome.