No offense, but this is just terrible C++ and the author needs to go back to the basics and understand how objects, references, and pointers work. His proposed

No offense, but this is just terrible C++ and the author needs to go back to the basics and understand how objects, references, and pointers work. His proposed "solution" is also terrible. All you need is this: https://gcc.godbolt.org/z/cEo9sYGTa https://gcc.godbolt.org/z/cEo9sYGTa