American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

These words caused laughter in the living room. George also breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "That's good, that's good."

Lynn sat down and chatted casually with Gwen's friends. He discovered that Ellie was the cheerful and lively lead singer of Gwen's band, while Kevin was a member of the school's technology club and was introverted but meticulous. They often mentioned Gwen's school performance, saying how she was very opinionated and creative in the band.

"Gwen is very independent," Ellie said. "Whether it's academics or hobbies, she always finds her own way. We all admire her."

Lin En felt relieved when he heard these words. He realized that the little girl who always ran after him when she was little had grown into a capable and independent young person.

That evening, after Gwen's friends said goodbye and left, the house returned to silence. George sat on the sofa, rubbed his shoulders, and said with emotion, "Gwen's friends are really nice. You can tell she's having a fulfilling time at school."

Lynn nodded and looked at Gwen who was clearing the table. "Yeah, she's more independent than I thought. I'm proud of her."

When Gwen heard this, she looked up and smiled: "Brother, why are you praising me so much today? I'm not used to it!"

George laughed and joked, "Your brother hasn't gotten used to you not needing his care."

The whole family burst into laughter.

That evening, Lynn offered to take Ellie and Kevin home. Gwen wanted to go with them, but Lynn patted her shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I'll take your friends home safely. You can just stay home with Dad."

Ellie and Kevin followed Lynn out of the house. The street lights were dim and the air was chilly with the early autumn breeze. As the three of them walked and talked, Ellie smiled and said, "You're such a good brother. Gwen always said you were busy with work, but I didn't expect you to take the time to give us a ride."

"Gwen is my sister, so naturally I have to take care of her friends." Lynn smiled, "But sending you home is also a way for me to have some fun."

Kevin glanced at Lynn shyly and said, "Mr. Stacy, Gwen often mentions you. She says you're amazing."

Lin En smiled and was about to answer when he heard a few loud laughs from the alley ahead. A few thugs in baggy clothes blocked the road. They were leaning against the wall in twos and threes, beer bottles in their hands, with malicious smiles on their faces.

"Hey, look who's here." One of the tall and thin thugs said lazily, "It's so late, and you're bringing a child? Where are you going, sir?"

Lin En stopped, narrowed his eyes slightly, and motioned for Ellie and Kevin to stand behind him. His voice was calm and low: "I'm just passing by. I don't want to cause any trouble."

"What a shame," another bald thug stepped forward, showing his yellow teeth, "We just wanted to have some fun. Leave something for the toll."

Lin En smiled calmly, took a step forward to stand in front of Ellie and Kevin, and her voice became even deeper: "I'll say it again, don't cause trouble. You don't want to know the consequences of messing with me."

The tall and thin thug raised his eyebrows: "Hey, this gentleman is quite tough."

Before he could finish his words, he raised his hand and swung the bottle at Lin En. Lin En quickly turned sideways, reached out and grabbed his wrist, and with a deft move, he snatched the bottle away. At the same time, he kicked his knee, knocking him to the ground. Seeing this, the other thugs surrounded him, cursing, but Lin En was clearly prepared.

He dodged the bald thug's fist with a quick movement, then grabbed his arm with his own and threw him to the ground. Then, Lin En calmly glanced at the remaining people and said in a cold voice, "Want to try? I'll be there for you."

The thugs obviously hadn't expected Lin En to be so agile. After looking at each other, they retreated with curses. The tall and thin thug got up from the ground, pointed at Lin En and said viciously: "You are so cruel. I will let you go today!"

After saying that, they quickly disappeared at the end of the alley.

Lynn breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at Ellie and Kevin: "Are you okay?"

Ellie stared at Lynn in amazement, her eyes full of admiration: "Mr. Stacy, what you did just now was just like a hero in a movie! So cool!"

Kevin was also amazed and said, "Really, I've never seen anyone solve this kind of thing so easily."

Lin En chuckled and waved his hand. "It's nothing, just a small scene. However, you two must remember that when encountering such a situation, the most important thing is to protect yourself and stay away from danger. There won't always be someone to help you."

Ellie and Kevin nodded repeatedly, the admiration in their eyes not diminishing at all.

After safely dropping them off at home, Lin En walked home alone, the wind blowing through the streets bringing gusts of cool air. He recalled what had just happened, a faint smile playing on his face. Although it was just a minor incident, Lin En felt a long-lost sense of satisfaction in having fulfilled his duty to his sister's friends and given them peace of mind.

When he got home, Gwen was sitting on the sofa waiting for him. When she saw Lin En come in, she immediately stood up and asked, "Brother, are they home safely?"

"Of course." Lin En nodded with a smile. "By the way, I also gave them a lesson on how to identify danger."

Gwen blinked and asked curiously, "What class?"

Lynn smiled without saying anything, patted Gwen's head, and said softly: "You should care more about what they learned rather than what I taught them."

In the evening, Lynn was sitting on the sofa with a file in his hand, preparing to sort out some work chores. Gwen came out of the kitchen with a cup of hot cocoa in her hand, sat down next to Lynn, and handed him the cup.

"Brother," Gwen said with a smile, "Dad's birthday is coming up soon. Have you decided on a gift?"

Lynn was stunned, put down the documents in his hand, and looked up at Gwen: "His birthday? It's coming so soon?"

Gwen rolled her eyes and teased, "Were you so busy that you forgot Dad's birthday? Luckily I reminded you."

Lin En touched the back of his head and gave an embarrassed smile: "I really didn't notice. What about you? Are you ready?"

"Of course!" Gwen said proudly. "I made a book of our childhood photos, and added some more recent family photos. I think Dad would love it."

Lin En nodded, a hint of approval on her face. "That's a good idea. Dad will definitely be touched. But I'm not as creative as you. I really don't know what to give."

"Then you'd better hurry up." Gwen looked at Lin En with an expression that said "I'm helpless." "Dad's birthday can't wait." Lin En smiled and shook his head: "Okay, I'll think of a way tomorrow."

The next day, Lin En found some free time and called Kate. Kate's voice came from the other end: "Lynn? You're calling me at this hour. Is there another case?"

"This isn't a case," Lynn said with a wry smile. "My dad's birthday is coming up, and I need some gift suggestions. You should have a lot of good ideas, right?"

Kate chuckled, seeming to find Lynn's "family troubles" refreshing. "Oh, Mr. George's birthday? You really know how to ask for help. Does he have any special hobbies lately?"

Lin En frowned. "Hobbies? To be honest, he's been busy with community affairs since he retired. He usually just reads the news and takes a walk. Nothing special."

Kate pondered for a moment and said, "If that's the case, maybe we could start with his lifestyle, like a comfortable massage chair? Or a custom watch engraved with his family's names, to represent the meaning of family."

Lynn nodded, thinking Kate's suggestion was very practical: "A custom watch sounds good. Dad has always valued time and likes practical things."

"That's settled then," Kate said with a smile. "But don't forget, the most important thing about this gift isn't the price, but the care you put into it. If you have time, write a letter or record a video of your wishes and send it along with the gift. It's sure to impress him."

Lynn said gratefully, "Thank you, Kate, you always find a way to make me see things clearly."

"You're welcome. I'm looking forward to hearing Mr. George's reaction after receiving his gift," Kate joked. "Also, remember to tell me what Gwen has prepared. Maybe it can give me some more inspiration."

After hanging up the phone, Lynn immediately started to customize the watch and began to conceive a birthday video for George.

Following Kate's advice, Lynn found a century-old watch shop owned by a gray-haired old watchmaker named Howard. Although his shop was small, behind the counter were a variety of exquisite pocket watches and wristwatches, each of which showed the precipitation of time.

Lynn pushed open the door. Howard was concentrating on repairing an antique pocket watch with a magnifying glass. Hearing the noise, he looked up and said in a hoarse but gentle voice, "Welcome. How can I help you?"

Lynn nodded, walked to the counter, and told Howard his idea: "I want to customize a watch for my father. His birthday is coming up soon, and I want a custom watch engraved with our family's names. I wonder if you can make it here."

Howard put down his tools and looked at Lynn carefully, as if thinking about something. He suddenly smiled: "You are Lynn Stacy, right? I've seen you on TV. You are a detective, right?"

Lin En was slightly stunned, then smiled and nodded: "Yes, I am."

Howard put down the magnifying glass and slowly stood up. "I've heard a lot about your story. Since it's your father's birthday, I'm willing to help. However, I don't need any labor fees this time."

"Why?" Lynn asked curiously, "Your craftsmanship is so good, I'm willing to pay you what you deserve."

Howard waved his hand and sighed: "It's not about the money. I just hope you can do me a favor."

Lin En frowned slightly: "What help?"

Howard's expression grew heavy, and his voice lowered. "My daughter, Martha... has been abused by her husband. She's tried to leave, but each time he's threatened or even forced her back with violence. I'm old, and I can't protect her at all. I know you're a man of integrity, and if you're willing, I hope you can help her out of this predicament."

Lin En's eyes instantly became serious: "Is your daughter okay now?"

Howard shook his head, his eyes full of pain. "She called me yesterday and sounded very weak. I'm worried she might not be able to hold on for much longer this time. But I don't know what else to do..."

Lynn nodded, her tone firm: "Mr. Howard, I will help you. Please tell me her address and I will deal with this matter as soon as possible."

A trace of gratitude flashed in Howard's eyes. He took out a piece of paper, wrote down Martha's address, and handed it to Lynn with both hands: "Thank you, Inspector. I know I'm being presumptuous, but this is my only hope."

Lin En took the note and said soothingly, "Don't worry, I will do my best to ensure her safety. However, you must also be prepared. If she is willing to leave, you will need to provide her with a safe place."

Howard nodded. "As long as she's safe, I'm willing to let her live in the store."

After leaving the watch shop, Lynn immediately called Mark and briefly explained the situation. Mark immediately responded, "Understood. I'll check her husband's background. If there's a record of domestic violence, we can take action."

Lynn hung up the phone, feeling heavy in her heart.

Lynn and Mark began to investigate Martha's situation. They first contacted Martha's neighbors, hoping to find some clues through the descriptions of people around them. However, to their surprise, almost all the neighbors gave Martha's husband a very good evaluation.

"Oh, John? He's a very nice man. He always helps us move things and gives us small gifts on holidays," a middle-aged neighbor said with a smile. "He and his wife always seem to be in love."

"Martha? She rarely goes out, but every time I see her, she's very polite." Another neighbor added, "I've never heard of any conflicts between them. They're very quiet, and I've never heard them argue."

These descriptions made Lynn and Mark frown even more. Clearly, Martha's husband, John, was an expert at hiding his true self. He presented himself as a respectable person, and his domestic violence had never aroused suspicion from the outside world.

"This guy is very smart," Mark whispered. "He knows how to control the situation and prevent the neighbors from discovering his true identity. We need to find more direct evidence, otherwise it will be difficult to bring him to justice."

Lin En nodded, his eyes becoming even colder. "There are no witnesses, and the neighbors didn't hear anything unusual. This is indeed a difficult situation. But the more careful he is, the more serious his crime is. We must find Martha and hear her own account."

The two decided to go to Martha's apartment first to check things out. Arriving at the ordinary apartment building, Lynn knocked on the door, but no one answered. After a moment, a thin woman poked her head out from the crack of the door. It was Martha. Her face was slightly bruised, and her eyes were evasive, clearly nervous.

"Ms. Martha, I'm Lynn Stacy, an FBI agent. This is my colleague, Mark." Lynn showed her ID and spoke in a gentle tone, "We're here to help you. Your father is very worried about you."

Martha's eyes immediately became moist, but she quickly wiped them with her hand, her tone filled with fear: "You shouldn't have come. If he knew, he would be even more angry." (End of this chapter)