Chapter 604: Handing Out Good Person Cards

A few of the deeply moved female passengers immediately went back to their seats and returned with fruit. One gave them a banana, another an apple, while others offered biscuits and tea-leaf eggs. Before long, the three siblings’ arms were so full they couldn’t hold anything else. They had enough food to last them not just to Vessaria, but all the way to Tristone.

"Thank you all... You’re all such kind people."

Tang Xiaonan declared them all "good people," one by one. She was deeply touched. ’There really are more good people in the world!’

Bernice had composed herself somewhat—in reality, her arm had simply gone numb from the pain. As someone who had earned Ethan Hawthorne’s esteem, she was sharper and more capable than the average woman. She quickly found the flaw in Jim’s story and shrieked, "Officer, you have to arrest him! This was premeditated! He has a brother; his brother can just take the medicine home for him."

She wasn’t about to fall for their sob story. She wasn’t buying it; that was a trick she’d been pulling herself for ages.

Patrick Thorne’s expression faltered. ’In her dreams,’ he thought. ’I’m the only one who gets to bully my brother.’

"Officer, our grandfather is on his deathbed," Patrick Thorne pleaded earnestly. "Our parents sent us ahead to see him one last time. They’ll be coming home too, as soon as they finish their work at the factory. Sir, can’t we just pay compensation? My brother really didn’t do it on purpose."

Tang Xiaonan hugged the officer’s leg even tighter and pleaded through her tears, "Officer, please don’t take my brother... Take me instead! I don’t eat much, but my brother eats a lot. He’ll eat you out of house and home!"

A few passengers couldn’t help but laugh. She was such an adorable, chubby little girl. The officer couldn’t hold back a smile either. ’Little girls are just so darn charming!’ he thought.

"I’m not going to arrest your brother, and I’m not going to arrest you. Don’t be afraid!"

A perfect example of a tough guy with a tender heart, the officer’s voice softened unconsciously. Tang Xiaonan’s tears turned to a smile as she bestowed her "good person" award upon him. "You’re a good man, mister!"

A smile tugged at the officer’s lips, his stern face softening in an instant. His desire to have a daughter grew stronger than ever. ’When I get back, I should go meet that young woman my sister-in-law set me up with,’ he decided. ’Who knows, maybe it’ll work out!’

’If I hurry, I could get married this year and be a proud father by next year.’

"Why aren’t you arresting him? He’s the culprit! It was deliberate! You have to arrest him..."

Bernice flew into a rage. She couldn’t help but adopt an imperious tone. For the past two years, she had been doing business with Ethan Hawthorne, and as their business grew, so did the number of people who flattered her. Bernice, who had never been a gentle or forgiving person to begin with, had let the praise go to her head. Her naturally caustic and cruel nature became more pronounced, and she even began to see herself as a member of the upper class. Naturally, she looked down on a railway officer earning a fixed salary.

"Do I look like I need the money? My arm is going to scar! Do you have any idea how ugly that will be? Where’s your superior? I’m not talking to you—I’ll talk to your superior. Get them over here!"

Bernice was livid. She pointed at the officer and let loose a volley of curses. In the past two years, she had frequently arranged for freight car shipping, so she was extremely well-connected at the station and felt very confident. She was sure the Railway Bureau would do her a favor and arrest that little bastard.

But Bernice had forgotten that the railway police and the Railway Bureau weren’t part of the same system. Her connections were useless here.

The officer’s face darkened, his opinion of Bernice sinking even lower. He said in a strictly professional tone, "Everyone saw that the boy bumped into you by accident. Furthermore, he’s under the legal age, so arresting him would be pointless. I can understand your frustration, ma’am, but the family has already offered compensation. Thirty yuan is more than enough to cover a hospital visit, so please stop being so aggressive."