Sophia helped Jacob limp into a courtyard in the village. It was a typical mountain home in Russia, a two-story, pointed-roof log house.
The house was very warm, with dying embers still glowing in the fireplace. Sophia helped Jacob sit in front of it, added several logs to the fire, then turned and warmly said to Jiang Hao and Lara, "You'll be warmer sitting here. I'll go get something to eat."
None of them had eaten dinner yet.
"I'll help you cook," Lara said with a smile.
Sophia was delighted. "Sure. I'll make Dad and Jon some hot coffee first, then see what we have ready."
The two women went to the kitchen. Jiang Hao sat on the sofa opposite Jacob. They exchanged a glance, and Jacob gave Jiang Hao a faint smile. Jiang Hao smiled back.
Neither looked away. After they had stared at each other for a while, Jacob suddenly said, "I can tell that you're very unusual."
"To most ordinary people in this world, you're even more unusual," Jiang Hao replied without yielding an inch.
Jacob was slightly taken aback. "It seems you know something?"
"Jacob, Jacob. The names are very similar, aren't they?" Jiang Hao said with a smile.
Jacob now knew that the other man had likely discovered his origins. He said calmly, "I never deliberately hid anything. I simply wanted a simpler life."
"But from the looks of it, your life may not have been very good. I'm not talking about material things. At your level, I know you've already moved beyond the pursuit of material wealth," Jiang Hao said.
Jacob fell silent for a moment, his eyes shifting to the gradually brightening fire. In a somewhat subdued tone, he said, "Yes, it hasn't been good. I've always done what I believed was meaningful,