Barry leaned against the wall, pale-faced. His Adam's apple bobbed constantly. In just a few minutes, his lips had already begun to crack, and an unnatural flush had spread across his cheeks. Clearly, his blood was flowing much faster, leaving him feverishly excited.
"This is just... just Los Angeles, right? It's a Los Angeles problem." Barry pointed at the computer and looked at Lois. "I heard some rich people from my hometown say that big cities are all chaotic. People always have all kinds of ways to get drugs. So that's why they..."
"So you're from a small town?" Lois sat back down on the bed, cradling her coffee cup as she sighed softly. Then she said, "I have to admit that small towns are indeed better off. But every place has its dark side. Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it isn't there. This is a systemic problem, one that exists everywhere in the United States. If you want to cling to wishful thinking, I won't try too hard to persuade you. After all, innocence is fleeting, and it deserves to be cherished."
Barry pressed his lips tightly together. He could no longer be bothered to conceal his identity. "I'm from Central City. You know Central City, right? The capital of Missouri. Public safety is great there. There aren't any homeless people on the streets at all. Sure, people commit crimes too, but... but not like this..."
"Do you have health insurance?" Lois asked.
"Yes. I study at Central City University, so I have student insurance. It only costs about two hundred dollars a month."
"That's very good," Lois said. "Do your classmates all have it?"
"More or less. Anyone who can attend university can afford two hundred dollars. Besides, our school provides tuition assistance. I can