It's Never Too Late to Be a Father

It's Never Too Late to Be a Father

"Hello, Frank. I'm Alvin, Alvin Ye. You're a hero to Nick, and I think he'll be very happy to see you. I'll call him down right away." Alvin shook Frank's hand and noticed that the alcohol seemed to have worsened Frank's injuries a little. His callused hand did not seem as strong as it should have been.

Frank stopped Alvin and said, "I've been here for many days. I sat over there." As he spoke, Frank pointed to a seat in the corner. Somewhat guilty and uncertain, he said, "You're more like a father than I am. Maybe I'm not ready yet."

Alvin looked at him strangely and said, "Then why did you come to see me now? You could have come after you were ready."

Frank looked at Alvin with a bitter smile. "Because you have a daughter. Watching the way you get along with her makes me crazy with jealousy.

"Nick and I should have been like that too. I used to think missions were more important than family, but only after I lost mine did I realize that family is more important than anything."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Alvin asked.

Frank's expression was a little strange as he said, "I'm waiting for my employment letter. I found a job. That way, I can stay by Nick's side without worries."

Alvin asked curiously, "What job?"

Frank's expression grew even stranger. "Head of Discipline at a community school."

Alvin's expression immediately became incredibly colorful. What school would even have a Head of Discipline? Only the community school in Hell's Kitchen.

If this guy took that job, with his King Yama temperament, would the little delinquents at the school have any chance of surviving?

Lock them in a room with Frank, and without him even lifting a hand, they would be scared into wetting their pants.

Still, it was probably for the best. The school needed someone tough like him, someone who could use hard measures. Half the students there had gang backgrounds, and the teachers were under enormous pressure in class.

Alvin straightened his collar and formally shook Frank's hand. Jokingly, he said, "Then let me welcome you in advance. We'll be colleagues from now on. Maybe I should write you an employment letter right away so Nick can recognize his father sooner."

Frank waved his hand. "No need. It'll only take a few days. Honestly, I'm really not ready. I don't even know what I should say to my kid. I need to prepare."

"Prepare what? Buy a book called One Hundred Ways to Get Along with Your Son? You don't need that! Buddy, Nick just needs his father by his side.

"Even if you just stay with him and listen to him talk! If you can go upstairs and keep him company while he finishes his homework, it'll be easy for you to earn his love," Alvin said with a smile.

Frank still hesitated. "You seem to have a little trouble here. How about I take care of it for you first, then think about my own matters?"

Alvin waved him off. "That's nothing. Nothing is more important than Nick finding his father. Right now, you're a father first, not the killing machine you used to be."

As he spoke, Alvin snatched a plate of pizza from a passing guy and handed it to Frank, gesturing for him to go. "Go on. There's no need to wait. When you really face him, you'll find that you naturally know what to do."

The iron-blooded tough guy who had killed countless people took the pizza. At that moment, he looked like an eager student as he asked uncertainly, "Really?"

Alvin found it a little amusing. Jokingly, he said, "That depends on whether you can help him finish his homework. If you can, there'll definitely be no problem. You'll be that kid's savior."

Then Alvin asked teasingly, "You can handle it, right? Nick's only in second grade."

Feeling insulted, Frank said heavily, "Of course I can! I graduated from LA." With that, he carried the plate upstairs toward the attic.

Watching the iron-blooded man carefully carry a plate of pizza upstairs like an awkward waiter, Alvin felt a little moved. That was the power of family. It could turn an iron man who had killed countless people into a cautious father.

"Hey, buddy, I think bringing a drink would be a good idea," Alvin called out mischievously.

Already nervous beyond measure, Frank nearly stepped into empty air as he took another step forward. He turned back and shot Alvin a vicious glare, then hurried downstairs to get a glass of lemonade. Somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, he bared his teeth fiercely at Alvin before gathering his courage and starting up the stairs again.

Alvin was not afraid of this guy. He was going to be working under him in the future, so he would not dare give Alvin trouble. Alvin simply could not bear to keep teasing the anxious man who was on the verge of breaking down.

Since Nick's father had come looking for him, today was a day of double happiness. He should hurry up and settle the matter outside. Those punks were probably getting impatient too.

Alvin tapped his wineglass, and it let out a crisp "ding." Everyone in the restaurant fell silent.

Smiling, Alvin said, "Two good things happened today. One is that I have a daughter now. You should all know that already. As for the other, I'll announce it after I settle the matter outside.

"Guys, don't leave. Drinks are on the house today, but my servers have a task. I need two volunteers to take care of everyone here."

Two young men quickly jumped out. They looked at Alvin with admiration, waiting for his instructions.

Alvin pointed at the beer keg behind the bar. "Guys, it's yours!" Then he high-fived the two young men and bumped fists with them.

He refused Old Kent's suggestion to bring a few men outside with him. As a principal going out to talk to a student's guardian, he could not make it look like a gang negotiation. Only JJ followed him out, with an M500 tucked into his waistband.

At the entrance of the restaurant, the Black kid Jason was already on the verge of collapsing. He sat on the chair like he was sitting on needles, and there was even a suspicious puddle of water beneath it. When he saw Alvin finally come out, he tried several times to speak, only to be forced back by Thor's knife-like gaze.

Several garishly painted muscle cars were parked across the street. A Black man built like a bear stood in the middle, surrounded by more than a dozen punks.

Alvin gestured to JJ. JJ whistled at the other side to get their attention, then waved them over, signaling for them to come talk.

The big man crossed the street surrounded by his men, all while sizing up the people across from him.

The other man did not seem very old, probably no more than thirty. There was nothing particularly special about him: jeans, a plaid shirt, and a gray jacket. Judging by his clothes, he looked like a redneck farmer from the north.

At that moment, a burly Black man who looked like a bodyguard was helping him light a cigar.

But everyone in Hell's Kitchen knew that this farmer-looking guy had driven every gang out of the three nearby blocks.

Kingpin, the underground boss of Big Apple City, had even negotiated with him politely. The outcome of that negotiation had been for all of Kingpin's forces to obediently withdraw from those three blocks.

Black Bear did not know Alvin's background. Why was Kingpin afraid of him? Still, anyone who could rise to his position without getting killed had to possess at least some cleverness.

Even though his boss's strength was not much different from Kingpin's, he himself was not someone on his boss's level, was he?

Since even Kingpin had come to negotiate politely, there should be no problem if he came to discuss things respectfully and politely, right?