Soon, a disheveled woman appeared in the nearby police station.
She stared blankly at the police officer, listening to the repeatedly spoken words—
”Miss, this won’t do, you can’t just stay silent!”
What was she supposed to say? She had already said she wasn’t the pickpocket, but what was the result?
The officer tried to persuade her patiently: “This is just routine, just cooperate! Don’t be afraid!”
The word “afraid” suddenly triggered something in her. “What am I afraid of? I didn’t do anything!”
Hearing her finally speak, the officer seized the opportunity: “I know, I know, but you still need to show us your ID.”
Show ID? What flashed through Tang Zhi Wei’s mind was tomorrow’s newspaper headline—
Wealthy Heiress Becomes a Pickpocket?
Oh no! She closed her eyes, groaning inwardly.
”I didn’t bring my ID,” she shook her head.
”Then what’s your name, where do you live?”
Home? Did she still have a home? Suddenly she thought of her father’s heartless words, and couldn’t help feeling sad.
She still shook her head, “No… I don’t know, I really don’t know.”
”Uh, you—” Seeing her vacant eyes and dazed expression, the officer suddenly turned to whisper with his colleagues, and when he faced her again, he was shaking his head and sighing.
”So that’s how it is, making me ask so many questions. Looks normal, what a pity…”
What was pitiful? Zhi Wei looked at the officer with a strange expression.
The officer continued: “Or… you should have some contact number on you? Look and see, have someone come over, okay? Things always need to be resolved!”
This reminded Zhi Wei. Right! Things always need to be resolved. She thought of Bai Zhi Xiu, her only friend in Taiwan.
”I’ll call my friend,” she immediately dialed, but Bai Zhi Xiu’s phone was off.
”How did it go?” the officer asked caringly.
”Couldn’t reach him.”
”No one else? Your family, like dad, mom, brothers, sisters, or… are you married?”
”Married?”
”You…” The officer said with a subtle sympathetic tone: “You don’t even know if you’re married?”
What did this mean? Zhi Wei frowned, glaring at the officer, but in her mind another person’s image appeared, whose phone number she had once noted… No, no, how could she think of that person?
”Miss, if this continues, you’ll probably spend the night in detention.”
”Detention? You’re going to lock me up?”
”There’s no other way. You broke the store’s window, they’ll sue you for property damage, and in your current state, we can’t just let you run around…”
Ignoring the officer still talking, she had already grabbed her phone and started dialing. Soon, the call connected—
”Are you… Shang Peng?”
”I am. Who are you?”
”You really are? But your voice doesn’t sound like it.”
The voice on the other end sounded slightly urgent, and Zhi Wei momentarily thought she had dialed the wrong number.
”I said I am! Who exactly are you…” After a two-second pause, his voice slightly rose: “Are you Tang Zhi Wei?”
”How did you guess it was me?” This was the first time she had called him.
”Because few people know my phone number. I just didn’t recognize your voice for a moment.” Now he recognized her, waiting for her to speak, but only silence followed.
He spoke again, his slightly breathless tone still sounding strange: “You… aren’t just calling to confirm whose phone this is, right? If you have something to say, say it quickly.”
”Are you free now?”
”Probably not busy, but—”
”Never mind, forget it. I’m fine.” Just as she was about to hang up, the officer took her phone.
”Let me speak,” the officer said to her, then spoke into the phone: “Hello, are you this lady’s friend? She’s currently at the police station…”
When the call ended, the officer told her: “Your friend said he’ll come right away.”
A friend? Could he be considered a friend? Thinking of their past interactions, she still felt a lingering resentment. What exactly she resented, she couldn’t quite analyze, but she could definitely confirm that during these days, she had firmly remembered this man!
Was this… considered a grudge? But now, he was the only person she could seek help from!
Covering her face, Zhi Wei collapsed onto the table.
She suddenly regretted making this call, imagining the various scenarios of facing him later. Maybe spending the night in detention would be more comfortable? Shang Peng’s speed in arriving at the police station far exceeded Tang Zhi Wei’s imagination.
Wasn’t he not free? Quickly glancing up, she saw his slightly messy, puffy hair, askew tie, and obviously hastily tucked shirt…
Zhi Wei lowered her head again, with an indescribable feeling in her heart.
What’s wrong?” he approached her, his voice soft.
As he spoke, all the embarrassing memories suddenly rushed to her mind. She wanted to say she didn’t intentionally break the storefront window, wanted to tell him how despicable those people were, falsely accusing her and trying to drag her to the police station, and wanted him to know how innocent she was… But when she opened her mouth, no sound came out.
Staring at his face, Zhiwei suddenly felt an urge to cry. She quickly lowered her head, afraid she might uncontrollably burst into tears.
Shang Peng’s brows furrowed, looking at the silent woman who was only shaking her head. Two extreme emotions were violently pulling at each other in his heart.
After leaving her residence and completely clearing their relationship, he had always believed he would never want to face her again, because she symbolized an unprecedented failure for him. Yet now… he couldn’t ignore why he had rushed here and the overwhelming feeling of wanting to comfort her.
A police officer approached, “Sir, may I ask what your relationship is with this young lady…”
“My surname is Shang, and I’m her… friend,” Shang Peng’s gaze shifted from her, beginning to understand the situation from the police officer’s explanation.
“…Although the purse was found on her, someone later testified that the person who stole the purse was not this young lady. However, she broke the store’s window, and now the store insists on charging her for property damage. Since she can’t provide any personal information, even if the store wants to settle, it seems impossible…”
“I’ll talk to the store owner. Is that okay?” Shang Peng said directly.
“Of course,” the police officer sighed with relief.
Settling privately without going to court was naturally the best outcome.
Shang Peng began negotiating compensation with the store manager. Although the amount was trivial to Shang Peng, the manager’s attitude of trying to extort money was infuriating.
The police officer, acting as a mediator, couldn’t help but say to the store manager: “Don’t be too greedy. Mr. Shang is sincerely trying to resolve this. You should be more accommodating. If this goes to court, with her condition, you might not be at an advantage.”
Condition? Shang Peng was stunned.
The police officer then turned and whispered to Shang Peng: “Mr. Shang, I must advise you that for someone like her, it’s better not to let her wander around alone in the future.”
The store manager also chimed in: “Turns out she’s a mental patient! Well, we’re just unlucky.”
Shang Peng finally understood what they meant by “condition”.
He glanced at her at the other end, seeing her dull, exhausted face, sighed, and swallowed the words he wanted to say. The matter was resolved, so why dwell on what others might say?
“Let’s go,” he walked towards her after all procedures were completed.
“You… have solved everything?” Zhiwei blinked.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
“Yes, yes, go home obediently. Goodbye, Xiao Cha-something!” At this moment, the store manager passed by them, waving at Zhiwei with an exaggerated, mocking smile.
“I’m not surnamed Xiao!” Zhiwei frowned and retorted, then turned to Shang Peng: “What does ‘Xiao Cha-something’ mean?”
“Uh… you don’t understand?”
