After Melody Summers left, Officer Tristan Tanner scratched his head as he watched her go. He turned to Officer Spencer Price and remarked, "Her pistol is the latest model, isn’t it? Tsk tsk, it’s even better than mine!"

’He’d really wanted to trade with Melody the moment he held that pistol!’

Officer Spencer Price looked down at the report and said, "It should be. Director Rhodes applied for it, after all... Comrade Summers has performed so many meritorious services and taken down multiple criminal gangs. It’s what she deserves."

Hearing Officer Spencer Price mention Roman Rhodes, Officer Tristan Tanner rubbed his chin thoughtfully and asked, "Sir, speaking of Director Rhodes, I’ve noticed he’s been coming by every day... He’s such a busy man, why do you think he keeps running over here every day? ...Could he have some issues with our work?"

For the past few days, Roman Rhodes had been showing up as if he were clocking in, stopping by The Metropolis Residences almost every day. Sometimes he’d even come two or three times in one day!

He wouldn’t do much else, just pop his head into the emergency response office before heading over to the nearby supply point to help out.

Seeing this, Officer Tristan Tanner was completely bewildered. ’What’s he doing? Is this some kind of "personally visiting the front lines" tour?’

Besides, with Roman Rhodes acting this way, Officer Tristan Tanner felt like his superior was inspecting his work every single day. He was getting sick of it!

Hearing this, Officer Spencer Price glanced up at him and said irritably, "You talk too much. Director Rhodes is coming here to guide our work; it shows he values you! You’re young. Be more down-to-earth, focus on your job, and stop letting your mind wander all day!"

Officer Tristan Tanner scratched his head again and silently shut his mouth, not daring to say another word.

******

Melody Summers returned to Building 4. While waiting for the elevator, she saw Maisie Lynch emerging from the stairwell.

Maisie Lynch looked completely disheveled. Her hair was a mess, tumbling over her shoulders, and her clothes were in disarray.

Her once-fair cheeks were stained with tears and snot and bore two bright red handprints, one on each side, clearly visible.

Melody found the sight of her bright red cheeks a bit too jarring, so she turned her head, pretending not to see.

But Maisie Lynch walked right up to Melody. She stared at Melody with reddened eyes and said faintly, "Melody Summers, you must think my life is a joke right now."

Melody thought, ’What does this have to do with me...’

Melody had no desire to deal with Maisie Lynch right now. She kept her eyes downcast, her head turned slightly away, and said nothing.

Maisie paid no mind to Melody’s silence and continued, "You must think I deserve this, don’t you? That I didn’t listen to your advice, gave up my studies, and chose to get married... You must think I’m so stupid, right?"

Melody still said nothing. She thought, ’Married? What marriage? You’re not married. You and Ivan Warren never even registered it... Every cent he earns now is premarital property. If you two break up, you’ll get nothing! Ivan might even sue you to get back what he spent on you during the relationship!’

’He’d charge you eighty cents for eating one of his dumplings!’

Seeing that Melody was still silent, Maisie continued speaking to herself, "But how could people like you ever understand my situation... Back then, our roommates, Crystal Lynch and the others, were from the city. They had houses and cars. They never had to worry about the future. All they had to do was study hard and wait to graduate..."

"Melody Summers, at first, I thought we were in the same boat, you and I. After all, we both came from the countryside. We both had to struggle just to get this far..."

"But you just had to be good-looking... When Austin Hale was chasing you, he’d casually buy you nine hundred and ninety-nine roses. That pile of useless flowers was worth several months of my living expenses, but you got it so easily... You’re not like me, after all. You can get whatever you want just by relying on your face..."

"Only I was truly at a dead end. Even if I graduated and found a job, how could I ever afford to buy a house and settle down in this city? How long would I have to work to buy a place here? ...I had no choice but to pick Ivan Warren... And only Ivan Warren was willing to save me..."

Listening to Maisie Lynch’s bizarre and illogical rant, Melody felt her patience wearing thin.

’What did any of this have to do with her?!’

’She didn’t want to hear another word, nor did she want to say one. She completely respected Maisie Lynch’s personal destiny!’

’And... why wasn’t the elevator here yet?!’

’At this point, she was tempted to just climb the stairs to the 16th floor!’

’Anything to stop listening to Maisie’s pile of nonsensical drivel!’

Just as Melody was considering whether to take the stairs, Maisie spoke again. "Melody Summers, you must be so proud of yourself now. You and that Joyce Lawson both bought houses on your own... You both grew into big, strong trees by yourselves. Only I... I gave up on becoming a tree and chose to be a dodder flower..."

Hearing the words "dodder flower," Melody finally snapped.

’Maisie actually thinks she’s a dodder flower?’

’This has to be the most insulted the dodder flower has ever been!’

"Dodder flower?!" Melody’s eyes went wide. She whipped her head around to stare at Maisie, her face a mask of shock. "Maisie, are you delusional? How could you possibly think you’re a dodder flower? Who gave you that idea??"

Maisie froze, not understanding what Melody meant.

Melody said incredulously, "A dodder flower nourishes itself by sucking nutrients from its host, overcoming hardships to reproduce. How are you anything like a dodder flower?"

Melody had always found the dodder flower to be an impressive plant. It has no chlorophyll and can’t produce its own nutrients through photosynthesis like other plants—a practically fatal situation. Yet, the dodder flower found a way to survive by latching onto other plants to obtain nutrients, carving out a path to life for itself.

When Melody first learned about this plant, she was amazed by its survival strategy. It made her realize that there’s always a solution, and that even in the most desperate situations, you can’t give up hope.

The thought only made Melody angrier.

She frowned and continued, "Maisie, look at yourself. Are you really like a dodder flower, as you claim? Have you really used Ivan Warren to make your own life better? Over these years, has Ivan been absorbing your nutrients, or have you been absorbing his? Can you even tell the difference?"

"Maisie, you gave up your education to do laundry and cook at Ivan Warren’s house. You think that’s a fair trade for a place to live, don’t you? Do you have any idea what a full-time, live-in housekeeper costs in Anworth?"

"Ivan Warren has been exploiting your labor for free for all these years and won’t even get a marriage certificate with you. What have you actually gotten out of it? Is there really a dodder flower like you in this world?"

Melody thought Maisie was more like a beast of burden! Fed on grass, tilling the fields day and night for free, only to be butchered for meat after it dies.

Maisie never expected Melody Summers to say something like that.

She had a whole speech she wanted to give Melody, but after hearing Melody’s tirade, she suddenly found herself at a loss for words.

She just stood there, dumbstruck, not knowing how to respond.

Just then, the elevator arrived. Melody didn’t spare Maisie another glance and quickly stepped inside.

Before Maisie could even react, the elevator doors closed.