Chapter 302 - 300: Learn to Respect Others’ Suffering

Jameson Stone grew more and more excited as he spoke. "And that other girl who came with his sister yesterday, the one with that cold aura. You could tell she knew real martial arts. She popped that kid’s dislocated arm back into place in one go, right, Ethan?"

Ethan Sterling nodded. "That’s Blair, my sister’s best friend. She’s been studying Martial Arts since she was a kid."

Renee Reid listened to their conversation as if it were a fantasy story.

But she knew that Ethan Sterling’s family was well-off. On his first day after transferring, she saw him get picked up by his family. The next day, she heard from classmates that the car was a Cullinan, and that the top-of-the-line model cost around one thousand Dollars.

"So they just paid a settlement privately, then?" Renee Reid guessed.

’Since the other party was so scared of Ethan Sterling’s sister, they must have obediently paid up.’

But Jameson Stone spread his hands. "They didn’t pay a single cent. Ethan Sterling’s sister didn’t even care about that dozen or so dollars. She just said she’d give their ’big brother’ face and waived it."

"N-No compensation?" Renee Reid was shocked, her voice rising a few notches. "So they just got away with it? What kind of settlement is that?"

Renee Reid’s sense of justice was very pure: bad people needed to know that doing bad things came with a price and consequences!

It shouldn’t just end with nothing happening. Otherwise, they would definitely go on to hurt other people in the future!

Seeing her so worked up, Ethan Sterling quickly explained, "My sister didn’t ask for money because their ’big brother’ beat those guys up."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Jameson Stone clicked his tongue with a sigh, then looked at Renee Reid and pursed his lips. "It’s a good thing you weren’t there yesterday. You didn’t see how badly those guys got beaten. Their own mothers probably wouldn’t have recognized them. Their cheeks were swollen to the size of steamed buns, their eyes were beaten into slits, and their mouths were so full of blood they couldn’t even speak."

Jameson Stone’s description was so vivid that an image immediately formed in Renee Reid’s mind, and her pretty face instantly scrunched up like a dumpling.

"Wouldn’t that kill them?"

"Right? From what I saw, a couple more punches and they would’ve been goners." Jameson Stone nodded, then continued, "Beating them up like that was really for Ethan Sterling’s sister to see. Kai knew those guys couldn’t afford to pay, and he didn’t dare offend Ethan’s sister, so he had to make them suffer physically to appease her anger."

His analysis was completely correct. Kai Sherman had been so heavy-handed precisely to give Cecilia Sterling an explanation.

After hearing the full explanation, Renee Reid sighed softly. "Alright, if that’s the case, I support your decision to drop the case."

Ethan Sterling said, "Even though this is over, I still want to thank you both. After school, how about I treat you to that spicy skewer place on East Street? I’ve heard from a few classmates that it’s really good and everyone loves going there."

"Mrs. Marsh’s, right?" Jameson Stone’s eyes lit up instantly.

"Yes, that’s the one! Mrs. Marsh’s!"

"Yeah! That place is delicious and cheap."

Just as the two were getting excited, Renee Reid said, "You two go ahead. I’m busy tonight and don’t have time."

Hearing this, Ethan Sterling’s expression froze for a moment. Then, he asked with a puzzled look, "What could you possibly have to do that late?"

Their evening self-study session didn’t end until nine o’clock.

But Jameson Stone obviously knew Renee Reid better. His expression shifted, and he asked softly, "You’re going to work the night shift to earn money again?"

Renee Reid wasn’t shy about it and nodded. "Yeah. I finally turned eighteen, so I can get a proper part-time job. I should earn as much as I can while I can."

"But you got automatic admission to college, right? You’ll definitely get a scholarship. Why work so hard?"

"I still need to save up for living expenses. Besides, I plan to keep doing work-study programs in college anyway," Renee Reid said.

Only then did Ethan Sterling understand what was going on.

"Class monitor, y-you’re going to work after school?" Ethan Sterling asked, a little shocked.

Renee Reid nodded.

Ethan Sterling asked again, "Where do you work?"

"At a food stall near my house."

Ethan Sterling was very surprised by this, as it had never occurred to him that the class monitor would have to earn her own university living expenses.

’She still seems like just a young girl. Even though she’s eighteen, she hasn’t even graduated from high school yet.’

But Ethan Sterling couldn’t say much about it. Everyone’s life and family situation was different. He had no right to comment on someone else’s private affairs, because he himself was a fortunate, privileged beneficiary. Besides, he had previously witnessed firsthand the hardship his mother endured raising three children on her own.

’Everyone in the world has their own struggles.’

’And I have to respect the struggles of others.’

"Then how about we go together another day? I said I wanted to thank you both, so it wouldn’t be any fun if the class monitor doesn’t go. Let’s pick a day when you’re free?" Ethan Sterling changed the subject, no longer pressing Renee Reid about her job, and pulled the conversation back on track.

Jameson Stone naturally had no objections. "You’re paying, so any time works for me."

Seeing this, Renee Reid smiled too. She wasn’t the type to be coy, so she immediately nodded. "Alright then. Next Monday. The shop is closed on Mondays."

"Great, it’s a date then!"

*

That evening, Estelle Goodman was eating expensive, freshly cut fruit while secretly using an alt account on Tiktok on her backup phone to watch Blair’s livestream and send her gifts.

Cecilia Sterling was leaning against her bed, video chatting with Saul Thorne.

On the other end of the video, Saul Thorne was still in his office at the police station. It was almost eight o’clock, and he was just now getting a chance to take a bite of his already cold boxed dinner.

"I’ve been so busy lately. Your mom came to Lorcain, and I haven’t even had time to stop by and see her."

Cecilia Sterling could see that his face was indeed much more haggard. He had pulled several all-nighters a few days ago organizing files.

"It’s okay, work is more important. My mom’s not leaving this time she’s here, so there’s plenty of time."

Saul Thorne smiled and nodded, then suddenly leaned closer to the screen and asked in a low voice, "Miss me?"

Cecilia Sterling’s eyes crinkled with a smile as she pressed her lips together. "What’s the use in missing you?"

"What do you mean, ’what’s the use’?"

"Then take off your clothes and let me see."

Hearing this, Saul Thorne flashed a wicked grin. "You wanna see? I can go to the bathroom and strip for you!"

"Hey, hey, I was just kidding! Are you crazy?" Cecilia Sterling’s face flushed slightly, but she couldn’t hide the delight in her heart. "You get back to work. I’m about to go wash up."

"Okay. Message me if you need anything, I’ll reply as soon as I see it. If it’s urgent, just call me directly. I won’t put my phone on silent."

Cecilia Sterling made an "OK" gesture before proactively ending the video call.

But just as the call ended, Estelle Goodman, who was below, suddenly cried out, "Oh my god!"

Cecilia Sterling pulled back the bed curtain and poked her head out. "What’s wrong?"

Estelle Goodman quickly ran to Cecilia Sterling’s bedside, holding out her phone. With a shocked expression, she said, "Honey, look at this!"

Cecilia Sterling took the phone and looked closely. Gift effects were continuously flooding Blair’s livestream. A user named "Fifty Shades of Grey" was frantically spamming her with gifts. In just that short time, they had probably already sent over a dozen "Carnivals"!