Home Mortgage

He sighed, his tone softening with understanding and a hint of helplessness. "Fine, fine, you have a point. Anyway, you're the highest-ranking officer here now. You're the instructor, and they all have to listen to you. You're the one who calls the shots."

He skillfully changed the subject, a smile returning to his face, "Let's not talk about that. It's not easy for us old buddies to get together for a day off. Come on, let's find a place to eat! Let's have a couple of drinks and catch up!"

Oliver almost instinctively wanted to refuse. He was used to being alone, used to wrapping himself in work and strictness, and was neither good at nor willing to face this kind of warm gathering of comrades-in-arms, which would risk the collapse of his fragile facade.

"No, I have something to do..." he said, making excuses, his voice dry and forced.

"What could you possibly want?" Roderick interrupted him abruptly, his arm forcefully wrapping around Oliver's shoulder with an irresistible intensity. "Don't you have a wife and kids waiting for you at home? Are you going back to that cold, empty house to stare at the walls? Come on! Don't spoil the fun!" He half-pushed, half-forced Oliver out of the training field.

"Yes, Brother Oliver, let's go together!" Young Tommy quickly chimed in, his eyes filled with respect for the veteran.

"Long time no see, don't be so aloof, old man," Elton interjected with a grin.

Even the usually silent Mark nodded in agreement.

Looking at the familiar and sincere faces around him, and feeling the strength from Roderick's arm, warmed by his comrades' bodies, Oliver couldn't bring himself to say the words of refusal.

Deep down, he seemed to yearn to temporarily escape this lonely and oppressive atmosphere.

His stiff body relaxed slightly, and a tiny crack seemed to appear in the icy, stern expression on his face.

He nodded somewhat awkwardly, almost imperceptibly, and squeezed out a muffled syllable from his throat. "... Hmm."

"That's more like it!" Roderick laughed, giving him a hard hug on the shoulder, then waved to the others, "Come on! Same place as always! My treat today!"

The group, surrounding Oliver steps were still somewhat unsteady, made a noisy commotion as they walked toward the merchant's tavern in Tunbao.

The setting sun stretched their shadows long, making them merge together.

Oliver remained silent, but the suffocating loneliness that surrounded him seemed to be somewhat lessened by this long-lost camaraderie.

At least this evening, he could perhaps temporarily set aside the mask of an instructor and the burden in his heart, and be a simple, cared-for "Oliver" for a while.

The group chatted and laughed, and soon arrived at the most popular tavern in the central area of Stockaded Village Number One.

This tavern was one of the first shops to open after the establishment of Tunbao. It was invested and opened by the powerful Grimm caravan and occupied the most central and densely populated area of the entire residential area.

Unlike most of the simple homemade beer shops in Tunbao, the beer here is said to be brewed strictly according to the recipe and process that has been passed down from the south. It has a mellow taste and rich foam, which is far superior to those slightly sour and rough homemade brews.

Moreover, the prices were set quite affordable, allowing farmers and soldiers who had just become financially well-off to come and enjoy a good meal every now and then.

Besides its signature ale, the restaurant also offers a relatively wide variety of meats and hot dishes. While not particularly refined, the portions are generous and the flavors are satisfying, making it a favorite spot for Tunbao residents and soldiers during their leisure time.

The tavern was doing very well, and the owner had obviously made a lot of money. He had already acquired two other well-located houses next door, more than doubling the size of the tavern.

At this moment, the newly constructed wooden frame and busy workers can still be seen on one side of the tavern, clearly adding a second floor to accommodate more and more guests.

Evening is the busiest time of day for the tavern.

Oliver and his group pushed aside the heavy windproof curtain and stepped inside. A wave of heat, a mixture of malt, barbecue grease, tobacco, sweat, and the clamor of voices, hit them.

The hall was already about 70-80% full, mostly with farmers, craftsmen, and soldiers who had just finished a day's work or training. They sat around a rough wooden table, talking and laughing loudly, clinking glasses and drinking heartily, creating a lively and somewhat noisy atmosphere.

Despite the large number of people, the sharp-eyed waiters quickly came to greet Roderick, a regular customer, and painstakingly cleared out a fairly spacious table for them near a corner.

As soon as the group sat down, Roderick generously began ordering, ordering several large pitchers of their signature ale, along with several expensive main dishes such as roasted ribs, stewed sausages, and a pickled vegetable platter.

Seeing this, Mark hesitated and looked embarrassed. He tugged at Roderick's sleeve and said in a low voice, "Hey, Roderick, why order so much? It's too extravagant... We just bought a new house, the mortgage is a lot, and we're a bit tight on money this month..."

Upon hearing this, Roderick laughed heartily, patted Mark on the back forcefully, and said in a loud voice, "Don't worry! I said it's on me today, why would I let you pay? Just eat your fill and don't overthink it!"

Mark breathed a sigh of relief, smiled somewhat embarrassedly, and thanked him repeatedly.

The food took a while to arrive at the tavern, but the chilled ale was served quickly.

Roderick eagerly picked up the heavy ceramic goblet, tilted his head back, and took a large gulp. The icy liquid slid down his throat, and he let out a satisfied sigh, as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted. "Ah! That feels good! I've been cooped up in the barracks for a month, and all I've been craving is this authentic ale!"

He put down his glass, wiped the foam from his lips, and then remembered Mark's words. Curious, he asked, "By the way, Mark, you said you bought a house? What's going on? You're a bachelor, isn't living in the officers' quarters perfectly fine? It's free and convenient, why are you in such a hurry to take on a mortgage?"

Mark, who was usually quiet, blushed slightly at Roderick's question. He took a small sip of his drink before saying shyly, "I... I'm not a bachelor anymore."

"What!" Upon hearing this, not only Roderick, but also the usually cheerful Elton and the quiet Tommy widened their eyes. Even Oliver, who had been silently sipping his wine as if he were detached from the situation, slightly raised his eyelids.

"You little brat, Mark! When did this happen?" Elton yelled first, giving Mark's shoulder a light tap with his fist. "Such a big happy event, and you kept it a secret for so long! That's so unfair!"

Roderick smiled and shook his head, "Exactly! Tell me quickly, which family's daughter is she? How did you meet?"

Mark, teased by the crowd, became even more embarrassed and explained in a low voice, "It was... it was the village chief who introduced her to me. The girl is a refugee from the interior of China. Her family... is all gone, she's all alone. She's a very nice person, and... and quite pretty too."

He paused, then added, "I was originally planning to tell you after everything was settled and we were officially married."

"Not bad, Mark! You've settled down on your life's most important thing without making a sound!" Elton winked. "But speaking of which, this mortgage will be a burden for several years, right? A large sum will be deducted from your military pay every month, it's quite a burden, will you be able to pay it off?"

Mark nodded, his expression returning to its usual composure. "There is pressure, but it's manageable. My salary is fixed, and I don't usually spend much money. Apart from food and clothing, I save almost everything. Now that I've bought a house, I finally have a real home, and I feel at ease."

As he spoke, he abruptly changed the subject and began lecturing his companions. "But you guys, Roderick, Elton, and Tommy, you're not getting any younger, aren't you going to start thinking about getting married and having kids? You can't just keep drifting around like this, can you?"

Elton immediately waved his hand, looking rather disdainful. "Forget it! I can't stand that kind of constraint! Others have introduced me to people, but I didn't agree. Being alone is so much more comfortable. I can eat and drink whatever I want. When my military pay comes in, I can spend it whenever I feel like it. I'm carefree. Why would I buy a house, tie myself down, and get a mountain of debt? What's the point?"