65: Chapter 65 The Battle of New York

On the morning of their departure, the sky had not yet fully brightened.

The main street of Xinfeng Town was packed with all kinds of vehicles. Pickups, vans, old sedans, and even a school bus—no one knew where it was borrowed from, as it still had the name of another town printed on its side. The vehicles were lined up bumper to bumper, stretching from the town entrance all the way to the church, like a sleeping dragon.

One thousand three hundred people stood beside their respective vehicles.

Some were rubbing their hands, some were stamping their feet, and some were blowing into their palms. It was a November morning, cold enough to see white mist.

Lin Feng stood at the very front, holding a mushroom in his hands. It was the largest one he had picked that morning, stark white and still covered in dew. When he picked it, someone nearby asked him, "Why bring this?" He replied, "To show the judge."

Edna stood beside him, leaning on her cane. She was wearing that dark blue coat today; the cuffs were worn, but she wore it with her back straight. When someone complimented her on how good she looked, she smiled and said, "The old man bought it for me, I've worn it for forty years."

Mike locked the door of the bar and tucked the key into his pocket. He looked back at the "The Last One" sign and smiled. He had hung that sign for forty years, and today was the first time he was leaving it for a whole day.

Sam packed his guitar into its case and slung it over his back. He patted the case as if patting an old friend. There were several scratches on the case, all left from years of performing.

Jenny held those three wooden boxes. The letters were too heavy for her to carry alone, so Chris helped her lift one. As for the remaining two, Alex and Rachel each carried one. The four young people carried the three boxes, moving step by step toward the cars.

Tony packed the book into his backpack. The book was thick, and the backpack was bulging. Someone asked him, "Bringing a book to court?" He replied, "It gives me peace of mind."

Yuki stood at the edge of the crowd, holding her laptop. Her eyes were fixed on the distance, lost in thought. On the laptop screen, the happiness map was still refreshing, and those who couldn't come were leaving messages.

The young mother holding her baby strapped the child to her chest. The baby was awake, eyes wide open, looking at the cars and people, babbling softly. She lowered her head and kissed the baby's forehead, whispering, "Baby, we're going to New York."

Old Mrs. Jack from Starry Sky Town sat beside her electric scooter, which had no power. When someone asked if she needed a ride, she shook her head and pointed at the scooter: "This is what the old man bought for me. He saved money for two years just to afford it. I can't leave it behind." Later, someone tied the scooter to the back of a pickup, and only then did she agree to get in the car.

Lin Feng squatted under the old locust tree, watching these people.

Starting from George, ending with Old Mrs. Jack.

His gaze swept over every face. Some were smiling, some were nervous, some were excited, some were calm.

Margaret walked over and squatted beside him.

"Lin Feng, it's time to go."

Lin Feng nodded.

He stood up and walked to the front of the crowd.

Everyone looked at him.

He was silent for three seconds.

Then he said:

"Let's go."

---

The convoy drove for fourteen hours.

From the mountains of Pennsylvania, heading east all the way, passing through countless small towns, crossing field after field, and driving through cities whose names they didn't know.

Along the way, the convoy didn't stop. If someone needed to use the restroom, they would pull over, and the others would follow suit. If someone was hungry, they would gnaw on the dry rations they had brought. If someone was tired, they would lean back in their seats and doze for a while.

When it got dark, they saw the Manhattan skyline.

The high-rises were lit up in the dark night, dense and packed like a glowing forest. Some people were seeing so many high-rises for the first time; they pressed against the car windows, speechless for a long time.

George pressed against the car window, staring at those buildings with wide eyes. He had mined coal for forty-five years and had seen the deepest underground, but he had never seen anything so high above the ground.

Edna sat beside him, also looking at those buildings. She said softly, "The old man never saw this. If he were alive, he would definitely want to come and see it."

Mike was driving, humming a song. The tune was unrecognizable, but he hummed it with great enthusiasm. As he hummed, the people in the back joined in, and slowly it turned into a chorus for the whole car.

Sam held his guitar case, looking out the window, not saying a word. But his fingers tapped lightly on the case, as if playing a silent song.

Jenny sat in the back row, the three wooden boxes piled at her feet. She held the boxes a little tighter, as if afraid they would fly away.

Chris was driving another car, which was loaded with mushrooms brought from the farm. As he drove, he talked to the mushrooms: "You're about to reach New York. You've seen the big world now. When you go back, you can brag to the other mushrooms."

Alex and Rachel stared at the navigation on their phones, terrified of taking the wrong turn. At every intersection, Alex had to confirm three times before he felt relieved.

Tony sat by the window, looking at the high-rises, flipping through his book page by page. It wasn't clear whether he was reading the book or watching the buildings.

Yuki held her laptop, messages constantly popping up on the screen—those who couldn't come were cheering them on via the happiness map. Some wrote, "See the courthouse well for us," some wrote, "It's fine if we lose, come back and keep growing mushrooms," and others wrote, "We're waiting here."

The young mother holding her baby—the child had fallen asleep. She held the child a little tighter and whispered, "Baby, we're here. This is New York."

Old Mrs. Jack from Starry Sky Town sat in the passenger seat of a pickup. Her electric scooter wasn't brought along; it was left in Xinfeng Town. The driver asked her, "Ma'am, is this your first time in New York?" She nodded. The man asked again, "How does it feel?" She thought for a moment and said, "Bright."

---

They found a motel outside Manhattan to stay in.

The motel owner was an Indian man named Raj, in his fifties, with thinning hair but a very honest smile. He looked at the massive crowd of over a thousand people, his eyes wide.

"You... booked the whole place?"

George nodded: "Booked the whole place."

Raj scratched his head: "We only have eighty rooms."

George said: "Enough. Ten or so people in a room is fine."

Raj was stunned for three seconds, then smiled. He turned and shouted to his wife behind the counter: "No need to go home tonight, too many guests."

That night, in all eighty rooms, every one was packed with people.

Some slept on beds, some on the floor, some in bathtubs. No one complained. Instead, someone said, "It's warmer this way."

Sam played the guitar in the hallway, and some people hummed along. The hallway was narrow, and the sound echoed between the walls, sounding louder than usual.

Jenny took out the letters and read them under the hallway light. Some people crowded over to read with her. As they watched, some cried, some laughed.

Chris shared the mushrooms with everyone as a late-night snack. The mushrooms were raw, but no one minded. As they chewed, someone said, "These mushrooms are better than New York steak."

Tony sat on the steps at the motel entrance, looking at the city lights in the distance. The book was spread open on his knees, but he wasn't reading it.

Yuki held her laptop, sitting beside him.

The screen was lit, and that mysterious administrator account was still there.

It said nothing.

But Yuki knew, he was watching.

---

The next morning at eight, in front of the courthouse.

One thousand three hundred people stood in front of that gray building.

The cold November wind blew in from the Hudson River, carrying a damp chill. Some were stomping their feet in the cold, some were hugging their arms and shrinking their necks, some were turning up their collars to block the wind.

But no one left.

Some wore their best clothes—which was really just a cleaner shirt. Some wore work clothes still stained with soil. Some wore that coat worn for forty years. Some held babies, some leaned on canes, some pushed wheelchairs.

George stood at the very front, still holding that mushroom in his hands. The mushroom had already wilted, its edges slightly yellowed, but he still held it.

Edna stood beside him, her back straight. The wind messed up her white hair, but she didn't care, just stood there.

Mike, Sam, Jenny, Chris, Alex, Rachel, Tony, and Yuki stood behind them.

Further back were Dave from Ohio, Tom from West Virginia, the group of old miners from Kentucky, Edna's daughter-in-law from Pennsylvania, the young mother from Tennessee, Old Mrs. Jack from Starry Sky Town, and those whose names couldn't be named.

One thousand three hundred people stood quietly.

No banners, no slogans, no signs.

Just standing there.

---

There were ten times more reporters gathered at the entrance than they had expected.

Three FOXX interview vans were parked there, white bodies, huge logos, antennas held high. CNCN reporters squeezed to the very front, microphones plastered with station logos. ABCB cameramen ran around with equipment, looking for the best angles.

The reporters shoved microphones toward George:

"Are you here to protest?"

George shook his head.

"Then what are you here for?"

George thought for a moment and said:

"To watch."

The reporter was stunned: "Watch what?"

George pointed at the building:

"Watch how they sue us."

The reporter wanted to ask more, but George had already turned away and stopped speaking.

---

The courthouse doors opened.

Lin Feng walked at the very front. Margaret walked beside him. George, Edna, Mike, Sam, Jenny, Chris, Alex, Rachel, Tony, and Yuki followed behind them.

Further behind were those one thousand three hundred people.

The courtroom couldn't hold one thousand three hundred people. So only a dozen representatives could go in—Lin Feng, Margaret, George, Edna, Mike, Sam, Jenny, Chris, Alex, Rachel, Tony, and Yuki. The rest had to stand at the courthouse entrance and wait.

But no one left.

They just stood there, in the cold November wind, waiting.

The young mother holding the baby wrapped the child in her own coat. The baby was well-behaved, not crying or fussing, eyes wide open, watching the people coming and going.

Old Mrs. Jack from Starry Sky Town stood at the very front of the crowd, looking at the building.

She said softly: "Old man, I've arrived in New York. Can you see it?"

The wind blew from the river, messing up her white hair. But she didn't move.

---

Inside the courtroom, the atmosphere was much colder than outside.

High ceilings, dark wooden walls, solemn judge's bench. Sunlight shone in from the high windows, landing on the floor, but it didn't warm the air here.

At the plaintiff's table sat a dozen people in suits. Mr. B from Backstone sat in the very center, wearing a dark gray custom suit, the buttons on his cuffs made of platinum and diamonds. Beside him was Mrs. V from Risersize, with exquisite makeup and sharp eyes. Harold from Cestwood sat on the other side, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, expressionless. William sat in the back row, silent, a glass of water in front of him, untouched.

At the defendant's table sat Lin Feng and his lawyer—a white-haired old lady named Helen.

Helen wore a black lawyer's robe and reading glasses, looking like a retired elementary school teacher. She sat there, flipping through the documents in front of her, occasionally looking up at the people opposite.

George and the others sat in the gallery. George placed the wilted mushroom on his lap, protecting it with his hands the whole time. Edna sat bolt upright, hands on her knees. Mike crossed his arms, Sam hugged his guitar, Jenny held those letters, Chris clenched his fists, Alex and Rachel sat together, Tony looked at the ceiling, and Yuki kept her head down.

When the judge entered, everyone stood up.

The judge was a black woman in her sixties named Johnson. She wore glasses and had a serious expression, but there was something reassuring in her eyes.

She tapped the gavel: "Court is in session."

---

The plaintiff's lawyer spoke first.

He stood up, walked to the jury, and began his statement. His voice was pleasant, like a broadcaster's, every word very clear.

"Your Honor, members of the jury, what we are exposing today is a carefully orchestrated psychological manipulation scam. The defendant, Lin Feng, in the name of 'happiness,' has controlled one hundred towns across the United States over the past two years, affecting tens of thousands of residents, through the so-called 'Xinfeng Town Model'."

He paused, turned around, and pointed at Lin Feng at the defendant's table:

"He uses collective activities to create emotional resonance, making participants dependent and causing them to lose the ability to think independently. He buys hearts, expands his power, and his ultimate goal is to establish a 'nation within a nation' completely detached from mainstream society."

In the gallery, George frowned. Mike's fists tightened. Sam's fingers tapped lightly on the guitar case.

Helen stood up and walked to the plaintiff's lawyer:

"Do you have evidence for all of this?"

The plaintiff's lawyer nodded and began to display a pile of documents, photos, and video clips.

Helen looked at them one by one, then asked:

"Have you been to Xinfeng Town?"

The plaintiff's lawyer was stunned for a moment.

Helen continued to ask: "Have you met the people of those towns? Have you eaten their mushrooms? Have you heard their songs?"

The plaintiff's lawyer opened his mouth.

Helen smiled: "Then how can you say it's a scam?"

---

The first witness took the stand.

It was a psychologist wearing gold-rimmed glasses, speaking slowly and deliberately. He held a thick book, flipped to a certain page, and began to read:

"From a psychological perspective, collective emotional resonance does indeed produce dependency. This dependency causes participants to gradually lose the ability to think independently, eventually becoming part of the group."

Helen asked: "Have you been to Xinfeng Town?"

The psychologist shook his head.

Helen asked: "Have you met the people of those towns?"

The psychologist shook his head.

Helen asked: "Have you read those letters?"

The psychologist shook his head.

Helen smiled, walked up to him, and looked into his eyes:

"Then how can you say they will lose the ability to think independently?"

The psychologist opened his mouth.

Helen continued: "Independent thinking isn't about thinking alone. It's about being able to laugh with others after thinking. Is this written in your book?"

The psychologist fell silent.

---

The second witness took the stand.

It was an economist carrying thick reports, filled with curves and data.

"According to the data, the economic model of Xinfeng Town is unsustainable. Their mushroom farm has a profit margin of only 3%. Their 'Soul Massage' center doesn't charge fees at all. This model completely violates market laws."

Helen asked: "Violates market laws, and then what?"

The economist said, "Then it will go bankrupt."

Helen asked, "If it goes bankrupt, what happens to those people?"

The economist was stunned.

Helen said, "They go back to where they came from. In those places, the coal mines have closed, the young people have left, and those who remain are just waiting to die. Is the market rule you speak of just letting them wait for death?"

The economist opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.

Helen walked back to the defense table and looked at the judge: "Your Honor, I understand the 'market rules' they speak of. I've been a lawyer for forty years, and I've seen more cases than they've eaten meals. But today, for the first time, I learned that the meaning of 'market rules' is—to make the lives of those still living even harder."

The third witness took the stand.

It was a young man who had left Xinfeng Town.

He was one of those young people poached by V Company. He was wearing a suit and tie, but he looked completely uncomfortable.

He stood on the witness stand, head lowered, not daring to look toward the gallery.

The plaintiff's lawyer asked, "Have you stayed in Xinfeng Town?"

The young man nodded.

"Why did you leave?"

The young man was silent for three seconds, then said:

"Because someone gave me money."

"How much?"

"Ten times as much."

The plaintiff's lawyer nodded with satisfaction and turned to the judge:

"Your Honor, even their own people say that money is more attractive than their model."

Helen stood up and walked over to the young man.

She looked at him for three seconds.

Then she asked:

"Are you happy now?"

The young man was stunned.

Helen asked again: "You have the ten times the money. Are you happy now?"

The young man opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

But he couldn't.

Because his eyes had turned red.

Helen didn't ask again. She walked back to the defense table and sat down.

The courtroom was quiet for a long time.

During the recess, Lin Feng walked out of the courtroom and stood at the entrance.

Margaret followed him out and stood beside him.

At the courthouse entrance, those thirteen hundred people were still standing there.

The cold November wind had been blowing for four hours. Some people were stamping their feet to keep warm, some were hugging their arms and shrinking their necks, and some were wrapping their children more tightly.

But no one left.

George's son, Tom, was weaving through the crowd with his camera. He was photographing their faces—frostbitten noses, determined eyes, and the occasional smile.

Old Mrs. Jack from Starry Sky Town stood at the very front, motionless. Her eyes were fixed on the building, as if she could see through the walls to the trial inside.

The young mother holding her infant—the baby had woken up and was cooing in her arms. She lowered her head and kissed the baby's forehead, and the baby smiled. The laughter was very faint, but in the cold wind, it sounded exceptionally clear.

Lin Feng looked at these people without saying a word.

Margaret asked: "How is it inside?"

Lin Feng thought for a moment and said:

"We haven't lost yet."

In the afternoon, the trial continued.

This time, the plaintiff brought in a heavyweight witness.

A so-called "victim of Xinfeng Town."

It was a middle-aged man with thinning hair and shifty eyes. He was wearing an ordinary jacket, but it always made people feel like the clothes didn't fit quite right.

He stood on the witness stand and began to recount his "victim experience."

"I stayed in Xinfeng Town for three months. They had me grow mushrooms, go to church to talk, and attend those gatherings. Later, I found that I couldn't leave that place. Every time I went back to the city, I felt uncomfortable, lonely, and felt that everything was meaningless."

He paused and raised his voice a little:

"This is addiction! This is psychological manipulation!"

There was an uproar in the courtroom. Some people whispered to each other, and some were writing something in their notebooks.

The plaintiff's lawyer smiled with satisfaction.

Helen stood up and walked up to him.

She looked at him for a long time.

Then she asked: "What is your name?"

The man was stunned for a moment: "What... what does that have to do with anything?"

Helen said: "You've said so much, but you haven't even said your name. I want to know what to call you."

The man hesitated for a moment and said: "John."

Helen nodded: "John, did you grow mushrooms in Xinfeng Town?"

John nodded.

"How long did you grow them?"

"Two months."

"Did you grow them well?"

John was stunned again: "Well... it was okay."

Helen smiled: "You just said that you couldn't leave that place. Then why did you leave?"

John opened his mouth.

Helen continued to ask: "Did anyone force you to leave?"

John shook his head.

"Then why did you leave?"

John was silent.

Helen answered for him: "Because someone gave you money. Right?"

John's face changed.

Helen picked up a document from the table and handed it to the judge:

"Your Honor, this is the contract signed between Mr. John and the Backstone Foundation. He received two hundred thousand US dollars to come here and testify."

The courtroom was in an uproar again. This time the sound was louder and lasted longer.

The plaintiff's lawyer's face became very ugly. He stood up wanting to say something, but the judge tapped the gavel, signaling him to sit down.

When John was taken down, he kept his head low and never raised it.

After John was taken away, the plaintiff's side was silent for a full ten minutes.

Then Mrs. V stood up and walked to the witness stand herself.

"Your Honor, I request to testify in my own defense."

The judge looked at her: "What do you have to say?"

Mrs. V looked at the people at the defense table, looked at Lin Feng, looked at George, looked at Edna, looked at Mike, Sam, Jenny, Chris, Alex, Rachel, Tony, and Yuki.

Her gaze swept over their faces and finally landed on Helen.

"You said we haven't been to Xinfeng Town. You said we haven't met those people. You said we haven't read those letters."

She paused:

"You are right."

The courtroom went quiet.

Mrs. V continued: "I haven't been to Xinfeng Town. But I know one thing—their model threatens us."

She pointed at Lin Feng:

"This man, with the two words 'happiness,' has made people in a hundred towns no longer need our products. No longer need our services. No longer need our money. They grow their own mushrooms, sing their own songs, talk to themselves, and laugh. They don't need us anymore."

Her voice raised a little:

"This is not a business model. This is a revolution."

The judge tapped the gavel: "Please control your emotions."

Mrs. V took a deep breath and sat back at the plaintiff's table.

But her words echoed in the courtroom for a long time.

Finally, it was Lin Feng's turn to speak.

The judge looked at him: "Mr. Lin, do you have anything you want to say?"

Lin Feng stood up and walked to the witness stand.

He didn't look at the people on the plaintiff's side. He turned his head and looked at those familiar faces in the gallery—George, Edna, Mike, Sam, Jenny, Chris, Alex, Rachel, Tony, and Yuki.

And Margaret.

He was silent for three seconds.

Then he said:

"I have nothing to say."

The judge was stunned.

Lin Feng continued: "The words they want to say are all outside."

He pointed toward the courthouse entrance:

"There are thirteen hundred people outside. They came from a hundred towns, drove for over ten hours, and stood in the cold wind for a whole day. The words they want to say are more than mine."

He paused:

"Let them speak."

The judge hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

The courthouse doors opened.

Those thirteen hundred people walked in one by one.

They walked into the courtroom, stood behind the gallery, stood in the aisles, and stood in every place they could. Those who couldn't squeeze in stood at the door and in the hallway.

Dave from Ohio spoke first. He was wearing work clothes, still stained with mushroom soil. He stood in the aisle, his voice loud enough for the entire courtroom to hear:

"My name is Dave, from Millfield, Ohio. Our mushroom farm was learned from Xinfeng Town. We've been growing for half a year and have sold to three states. No one forced us; it's what we wanted to do ourselves. My wife says I've never been this happy in my life."

Tom from West Virginia was second. He held his camera, filming while he spoke:

"My name is Tom, from Carbon, West Virginia. I filmed a documentary about Xinfeng Town, and it has twenty million views online. For those who say this is a scam, have you watched my film? Have you seen George growing mushrooms? Have you heard Edna talk? You don't know, so you don't understand."

The eighty-seven-year-old man from Kentucky was third. He leaned on his cane and walked step by step to the side of the witness stand. His voice was hoarse, but every word was clear:

"I've mined coal for sixty years. I've never seen anything good in my life. The people from Xinfeng Town came and taught us to grow mushrooms. Now I have work to do every day, and someone to talk to every day. Someone asked me, 'You're so old, why are you still growing mushrooms?' I said, when I grow mushrooms, I can think of my old buddies from before. This is called manipulation? Then I'd rather be manipulated for the rest of my life."

Edna from Pennsylvania was fourth. She leaned on her cane, her back straight. Her voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear:

"That ear sculpture of mine, it lets people talk. My old man has been gone for twenty years, and no one listened to me. Now someone is listening. I go to church every day and talk to that ear, saying whatever I want. When I'm done, someone pats me on the shoulder. You say it's fake? Then come and pat me and see."

The young mother from Tennessee was fifth. She held her child, standing in the crowd. Her voice was very soft, but steady:

"I was raising my child alone and didn't know what to do. The people from Xinfeng Town said, 'Come.' So I came. Now I have food to eat every day, someone to help take care of the child, and someone to talk to. I named this child 'Lai' (Come). Because I came to the right place."

Old Mrs. Jack from Starry Sky Town was the last. She walked out and stood in front of the witness stand. She took the photo out of her pocket and held it up for the judge to see:

"My name is Jack. My old man was also named Jack. He died forty years ago. I've been living alone. The people from Xinfeng Town came and carved his name by the mine pit. Now someone knows what his name was."

She paused, her eyes red:

"This is worth more than anything."

The courtroom was quiet for a long, long time.

Judge Johnson took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. There were tears in the corners of her eyes, but she didn't let them fall.

She looked at the people at the plaintiff's table, looked at the people at the defense table, and looked at the thirteen hundred people in the gallery.

Then she tapped the gavel:

"Court adjourned. Verdict tomorrow."

That night, the thirteen hundred people returned to that motel.

The motel owner, Raj, stood at the door, watching them walk in one by one. He didn't speak, just silently opened a few more rooms and took out all the available blankets.

Sam played the guitar in the hallway. This time, there were twice as many people singing along as last night. The hallway was packed with people, and the sound traveled from one end to the other, and back again.

Mike poured out all the wine they had brought, one cup for everyone. There weren't enough cups, so they used paper cups, mineral water bottles, anything that could hold liquid. Some people didn't get a cup and cupped their hands to drink. No one minded if wine spilled on the floor.

Jenny took out those letters and read them to everyone one by one. As she read, some cried, some laughed, and some did both. Those letters were passed around in the crowd, getting wrinkled and dirty, but no one minded.

Chris grilled the last basket of mushrooms and shared them with everyone. There weren't many mushrooms, and each person only got a small piece. But everyone held that small piece, chewing slowly, reluctant to swallow.

Alex and Rachel held their computer, watching the messages pouring in on the happiness map. Those who couldn't come were cheering them on. Some wrote, "Waiting for your good news tomorrow," some wrote, "No matter the result, we are all here," and some wrote, "Xinfeng Town is forever."

Tony sat in the corner, the book open on his lap, but he wasn't reading. He was watching those people, watching their faces, watching their smiles, watching their tears. The corners of his mouth remained upturned.

Yuki sat by the window, her computer on. The faint light of the screen shone on her face.

That mysterious administrator account sent another message: [ I will be there tomorrow. ]

Yuki stared at the line of text for three seconds.

She replied with one word: [ Hm. ]

George and Edna sat together, two old people, neither speaking.

George suddenly spoke: "Edna."

Edna turned to look at him.

George said: "Today, in court, I saw my old buddy."

Edna was stunned for a moment: "Where?"

George pointed to his chest: "Right here."

Edna was silent for three seconds.

Then she smiled.

"Me too."

Lin Feng squatted on the steps at the entrance of the motel, looking at the stars in the sky.

The night sky of Manhattan wasn't as bright as Xinfeng Town's. The lights were too strong, and the stars were drowned out. But he still tried hard to find them, looking at them one by one.

Margaret walked out and sat beside him.

"Lin Feng."

Lin Feng turned to look at her.

Margaret said: "That judge today, she cried."

Lin Feng nodded.

Margaret asked: "What do you think the verdict will be tomorrow?"

Lin Feng thought for a moment and said:

"I don't know."

Margaret asked: "Not worried?"

Lin Feng shook his head.

Margaret asked: "Why?"

Lin Feng pointed to the people inside the motel who were still laughing.

The laughter drifted out of the windows and carried far into the night wind. In that laughter, there was George's hoarseness, Edna's aged voice, Mike's boldness, Sam's clarity, Jenny's tenderness, Chris's honesty, Alex and Rachel's youth, Tony's calmness, Yuki's silence, and the voices of those thirteen hundred people—all kinds of voices mixed together like a song.

"They laughed. That's enough."

[ Chapter 65 End ]