The Shooting Range.
"Huh?" Carl didn't understand. "Why?"
Dexter smiled. "Because you're still young. You need a family. Living out here on your own so early isn't good. For now, at least, you still need your family."
Carl didn't get it. "Ian moved out last night. He's living with me. Isn't that enough?"
Dexter shook his head gently. "Ian is sick. You know that, right?"
Carl froze for a moment, then nodded. "I know..."
"So, if you live with him and he has an episode, what are you going to do?" Dexter asked calmly. "Carl, don't overthink it. Just go back for now. Stay for the summer. Once the new house is built, you can move over there and live next door."
"By then, it'll be like you're living on your own anyway."
Hearing this, Carl thought about it.
It was just one summer; it didn't really matter.
Once the new house was built, he'd have his own place...
Carl's thinking had always been simple; he never complicated things.
After thinking it through briefly, and because he trusted Dexter, Carl couldn't be bothered to think anymore. He nodded. "Okay. I'll move back."
Done.
Dexter smiled and reached out to gently rub Carl's head. "Families have their good sides and bad sides. You've lived out here for a while. Now go back, and you can compare—is it better living out here, or at home? Experience the difference."
"This will help you become a real man faster."
"But remember, don't do anything illegal anymore. Whether it's Lip or Fiona asking you, don't do it. Not even stealing. You got that?"
Carl didn't hesitate and agreed immediately. "Got it."
"Alright, that's it then. Call Lip later and tell him you're moving back," Dexter said.
"Okay," Carl replied crisp and clear.
"I'm taking off. Come to the restaurant for dinner tonight." Dropping this sentence, Dexter turned and walked straight toward his car, glancing at Mickey on the way.
Mickey had just figured out how to talk to Mandy and was currently dialing her number.
The call connected quickly.
"Mandy, you skipped work today?" Mickey asked directly.
---
The Grocery Store.
Hearing this, Mandy subconsciously glanced at Lip, who was still negotiating with Ian. She walked out of the store on her own and replied to Mickey, "Yeah, I got stuff to do."
"What stuff? Screwing around with that dumbass Lip?" Mickey barked.
As a die-hard romantic who loved Lip, Mandy couldn't stand anyone badmouthing him. She instantly raised an eyebrow, pissed off. "Fck off! None of your business!"
"Mandy!" Mickey got angry immediately. "I just saw Dexter. Do you know he hates Lip?"
Mandy really didn't know that. Her brain buzzed. "Why does he hate Lip?"
"????" Mickey was even more pissed. "Is that the point? The point is, Dexter just told me that you've saved up some time off, so using it is fine. But if you're late or skip work one single time after your leave runs out, he's gonna fire you!"
"Do you know what that means? He's already thinking about firing you!"
Mandy was stunned. She suddenly understood what Mickey meant by Dexter hating Lip. She was speechless for a moment.
"Mandy!" Mickey was anxious, terrified that his idiot sister would lose this job over that moron Lip. He shouted loudly.
Mandy snapped out of it and replied instinctively, "If I get fired, I get fired. I'll find another job."
Mandy was a die-hard romantic, after all. If she had to choose between a job and Lip, she'd choose Lip.
Hearing this, Mickey got a massive headache. "Mandy, what kind of bullsht are you talking? In this shthole, where are you gonna find a better job?"
"I don't need you to manage me. That's it!" Honestly, Mandy was pretty agitated too. She hadn't expected Dexter would fire her because of Lip. Driven by annoyance, she didn't want to talk anymore. She threw out that sentence and hung up.
Beep, beep, beep...
"Fck you!" Good intentions went unrewarded. Mickey, who didn't have much of a temper to begin with, cursed at his phone immediately.
After that, Mickey couldn't be bothered anymore. He put his phone away and went back to doing whatever he was doing.
When it came to respecting other people's fate—staying out of their mess—Mickey had always been good at it, even if the person was his own sister.
---
Outside the Grocery Store.
Putting away her phone, Mandy couldn't help but think of Dexter, and the time she spent working at Dex Restaurant.
Honestly, it was relaxing. There wasn't much work, the pay came on time every week, and there were two delicious staff meals every day... She really liked it.
Then, thinking about losing this job because of Lip and having to go work in some other messy dump...
The gap in quality was huge, so huge she was afraid to even imagine it.
But, thinking about giving up on Lip...
She couldn't imagine that either. Her instincts just wouldn't accept it.
She had just chased Karen away and finally got Lip. How could she give up now?
For a moment, Mandy was incredibly conflicted. The more she thought, the more annoyed she got. Amidst her annoyance, she subconsciously turned her head to look at Lip inside the grocery store.
The moment her gaze landed on Lip's face, Mandy immediately felt joy.
I guess, what the heart desires is where the heart goes.
Inside the Grocery Store.
His phone rang. Lip took it out and saw it was Carl. He pressed answer. "Carl?"
"I thought about it. I'm moving back home tonight," Carl said straight up, cutting the crap.
Lip smiled instantly. Then, his mind racing, he moved the phone away from his ear and hit speakerphone. He laughed, "Carl, I didn't hear you clearly. Say that again."
"I said, I'm moving back home tonight," Carl repeated obediently.
Hearing this.
Lip immediately looked at Ian with a smile. "Great. See you tonight."
"Mm," Carl replied and ended the call.
By this point, Ian was stunned. His face, which usually looked quite "gay" (soft/pretty), was full of shock.
Looking at Ian's reaction, Lip couldn't stop himself from gloating.
Arrogant people really shouldn't gloat, because the moment they do, they think they've won.
Just like Lip in this moment.
"Ian, let's go back," Lip said concisely, his tone dripping with smugness.
Ian snapped out of it, blinked, glared at Lip, didn't reply, and immediately took out his phone to call Carl. He wanted to figure out what was going on—why did Carl suddenly change his mind?
The call connected quickly.
Frowning, Ian voiced his confusion.
Carl had basically zero concept of scheming. He answered honestly, "Dexter told me to go back, so I decided to go back. He told me I only need to stay until the new house is built, then I can move into the new house."
Hearing this.
Ian was confused. He couldn't figure out why Dexter would pop up at this exact moment and tell Carl to move back home.
There was no one else in the grocery store for the moment, so Lip heard exactly what Carl said. The smugness on his face faded rapidly.
Lip couldn't smile anymore.
Because, although he couldn't put his finger on the specific reason...
Lip felt something was wrong!
After all, before this, Dexter was clearly trying to tear the Gallagher family apart. Why would he suddenly let Carl move back home?
There was definitely a scheme!