Chapter 224: I've Been Able to Fight Since Childhood

On Interstate 5 in Seattle, a Porsche was steadily moving forward, with Kevin Campbell driving, constantly glancing at the rearview mirror.

“What are you looking at? Just say what’s on your mind,” Richard said with a smile as he looked ahead.

“Uh, nothing, just how did you become a boxing champion? And not just any champion, but an undisputed super champion—it’s unbelievable,” Kevin Campbell said, spreading his hands.

“It’s no big deal. I’ve been able to fight since I was a kid. You should know that,” Richard replied.

“I know you were tough, no one in the whole district or school could beat you, but does that make you a champion? Every time I see you in the ring, it’s hard to believe,” Kevin Campbell shook his head.

Richard smiled slightly, “You’ve graduated from college now, right? What are you doing?”

“I’m into music. You know, I’ve loved music since I was a kid. Now, I’ve started a music studio with a few friends, helping people record albums,” Kevin said.

“Any works you’ve produced?” Richard asked.

“Yes, want to hear something?” Kevin pulled out a CD without a cover and placed it in the player. A blast of ear-piercing heavy metal music came roaring out of the high-powered subwoofer, shaking the car with its intense rhythm.

Richard winced, unable to appreciate it. Covering his ears, he asked Gisele, “How do you like the music?”

“It’s alright!” Ms. Gisele blinked and smiled.

“Richard, how is it?” Kevin shouted.

“It’s alright!”

“What?” Kevin asked even louder.

“I said it’s alright! Can you turn it down a bit?” Richard yelled back.

“OK, OK!” Kevin turned down the volume. “This is a collaboration between our studio and a band called Beautiful Scene. So far, we’ve sold over 5,000 copies.”

“Not bad. But I heard from Frank that you were majoring in law in college and planned to become a lawyer after graduation. So why are you into music now? Doesn’t Michelle have anything to say about it?” Richard asked, crossing his arms as he scrutinized him.

The Campbell family was part of the elite class. Frank was a supervisor in the FBI’s New York division, specializing in crime. Michelle Campbell worked at Seattle City Hall. The eldest, Colin Campbell, was a university professor, making them a family of social elites.

But here was Kevin, dabbling in non-mainstream music, something Michelle would never tolerate given her strict nature.

Kevin shrugged, “Studying law was too dull. I dropped out in my sophomore year and started a band with some friends. Michelle couldn’t control me anymore and eventually gave up.”

“Making music is good too, at least you’re doing what you love,” Richard said with a smile.

“That’s what I think too. Richard, Gisele, if you have time, you should come to one of our rock concerts. It’s going to be epic,” Kevin said excitedly.

“Alright, we’ll find time,” Richard agreed.

The car circled Lake Washington and entered downtown Seattle. The area was rich with rivers, forests, lakes, and fields. A canal connected Lake Washington to Puget Sound, with many beautiful parks and uniquely designed mansions along the shores of the numerous lakes and bays.

With its stunning natural beauty and livability, Seattle was home to many billionaires who owned luxury homes there, including Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Seattle was also the city with the highest number of wealthy individuals in the United States.

The Campbell family used to live in the more remote eastern area but moved to Golden Gardens in Auburn a few years ago. The villa district was adjacent to Lake Washington, with picturesque lakeside scenery and numerous white yachts floating on the lake, offering a beautiful view.

As the car stopped in front of the villa, they saw Frank pacing back and forth on the lawn, hands behind his back, dressed in casual clothes with a limp black German Shepherd trailing behind him.

Richard smiled; usually, Frank was always busy, so it was nice to see him finally relax.

“Hey, Frank, you look bored,” Richard said with a laugh as he got out of the car.

Frank laughed heartily, “Yeah, I’ve got some free time. How about we do some shooting? Has your aim gotten rusty?”

“Not at all! Last time I was training with the Rangers, I had a shooting contest with their sharpshooter on moving targets, and I only lost by two points,” Richard boasted with a grin.

"I always knew you were soldier material. It's a pity you ended up in boxing," Frank said with a laugh.

"Tch," Kevin muttered under his breath. He and Colin had also trained in combat and shooting with their father when they were younger, but neither of them really enjoyed it, so they gave up after a few tries. Frank had always regretted that.

Then Richard came along, and Frank was thrilled to discover that Richard had both a natural talent and a passion for these activities. It was as if Frank had found a hidden gem. Every time he came home for the holidays, he would take Richard away for a while, bonding more with him than with his own sons. In fact, Frank and Richard seemed more like father and son than Frank did with Kevin and Colin.

"Kevin, do you want to come practice shooting with us?" Richard asked with a smile.

"No way!" Kevin turned his head away.

"Hey, Richard, long time no see!" At that moment, Colin Campbell stepped out. He wore glasses and a dark suit, with a warm and genuine smile that made him look a lot like Frank.

"Yeah, it’s been a while," Richard replied with a gentle smile, shaking Colin's hand as he looked him up and down. "Colin, you've changed a lot. I remember you used to be quite lively, always hanging around the lake to watch the girls swim."

"No way, that’s not true," Colin Campbell waved his hand, putting on a face that said, "Don’t be ridiculous, I'm not that kind of guy."

Richard chuckled softly, "If I’m not mistaken, you were the one who sneaked the underwear into my locker back then, weren’t you?"

"Uh... It wasn’t me, it was..." Colin adjusted his glasses and looked toward Kevin.

"Don’t look at me. I had nothing to do with it," Kevin Campbell raised his hands, refusing to take the blame. "Colin, it’s been ten years, and you still can’t admit it?"

Colin wiped his forehead, realizing he couldn’t keep up the act any longer. He had no choice but to give up.

"Alright, it was me. It was just a prank; I didn’t think it would blow up like that."

"No worries, it’s all in the past," Richard said, patting Colin on the shoulder.

Turning around, he saw Michelle Campbell, dressed in formal attire and wearing glasses. Although she had a smile on her face, there was still a hint of sternness in her expression.

"Hi, Michelle, long time no see."

"Long time no see, Richard," Michelle replied with a slight smile as she looked him over. "You've done quite well these past few years. I take back what I said before—you’ve surpassed everyone’s expectations."

"Thank you. Let me introduce you to my girlfriend, Gisele," Richard said, pulling Gisele to his side and introducing her to everyone. After the introductions, they all walked into the villa together.

The next day at noon, Colin Campbell's wedding ceremony was held in a church in the Auburn area. The bride was his college classmate, Jennifer Duncan, who also came from a local elite family and currently worked at the University of Seattle.

Richard served as a groomsman, and to everyone’s surprise, Ms. Gisele caught the bride's bouquet. The wedding was lively and joyful.

In the evening, they attended a big party, where Richard met a few old classmates. Both sides had changed so much over the years that they spent most of their time reminiscing and marveling at how much they had all transformed.

Over the next two days, Richard attended a loud music concert and spent a day at the rifle club with Frank.

After three days in Seattle, he and Gisele returned to Los Angeles. New York was still too cold in January, so they planned to stay in Los Angeles for a while.

— (End of Chapter)