Translator: AnubisTL
"Of course it's enough! It's several hundred thousand star coins!"
Hu Biao chuckled and pressed his wrist-mounted device against Hu Yue's, transferring 10,000 star coins. "You don't need to worry about anything from now on. You've had a rough time since you came to our family. Now we can all finally enjoy a comfortable life."
"Go ahead and eat out tonight. I'll be at the hospital with your mother all night. Just go to school yourself tomorrow morning."
With that, Hu Biao gently patted Hu Yue's head, his heart swelling with the exhilarating feeling that their wonderful new life was just beginning. He let out a hearty laugh before striding toward the medical personnel waiting for him in the ambulance and climbing aboard.
Night had already fallen. The evening banquet had ended just as twilight deepened, and the city was now ablaze with the neon lights of its nightlife.
The incident on the river outside the city seemed to have had little impact on the city's rhythm.
Meanwhile, Hu Yue lay restless in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
Her mind raced with images of tomorrow: arriving at school in that extravagant ur dress, the envy in her classmates' eyes.
Should I remove the price tag?
If she took it off, how would anyone know how much the dress cost? But leaving it on would seem so pretentious.
What if no one asks how much it cost? I can't just blurt out the price myself, can I?
Does my brother's pension even cover this? Our family's already struggling. Was buying such an expensive dress irresponsible?
And why did my brother shave his beard today? He looks so much younger now.
Lost in this chaotic whirlwind of thoughts, she skipped dinner and drifted off to sleep.
At precisely seven the next morning, she woke naturally. Though school didn't start for another hour, Hu Yue seemed unusually anxious. After a hurried wash and brush, she rushed out of the house and hurried toward school.
Thank goodness.
When she arrived at the ur clothing store and saw the doors open, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Her throat tightened as she gazed at the dress she had coveted for so long, displayed in the window.
Soon.
When she emerged from the clothing store, her account was 9,800 star coins lighter. The dress had cost 8,000 star coins, and she'd spent another 1,800 on a pair of exquisite princess shoes.
If the dress is this expensive, how could I not have proper shoes to match?
As Hu Yue walked down the street, she felt the subtle glances of passersby. For the first time, she didn't lower her head and hurry through the bustling street. Instead, she walked with her head held high, her chest puffed out like a proud princess, a perfect smile gracing her lips.
She suddenly felt like she belonged in this vibrant city, no longer just a passerby.
At that moment, she desperately wanted to tell everyone she passed that her outfit had cost a staggering 8,000 star coins—8,000 star coins! Her entire semester's tuition was only 10,000 star coins.
"I'm sorry, Professor, I'm late," Hu Yue said softly, standing apologetically at the classroom door. Her hands were clasped tightly at her chest, and she lowered her head, speaking in a small voice.
She was late. The first class had already begun, and she had barely made it to the classroom door.
She had actually left home very early that day, wandering around the campus for a long time. She knew that being late would immediately draw attention, ensuring more people would see her wearing the dress.
"Wow!"
Many students in the classroom noticed Hu Yue's outfit and began to tease her: "Hu Yue looks especially beautiful today!"
Everyone knew about Hu Yue's family's modest circumstances; her usual clothes were extremely plain. Today's outfit was a stark contrast, making her look like a little princess.
The teacher showed little reaction, simply saying calmly, "Come in. Don't be late next time."
After the first class ended, the girl sitting at the desk in front of Hu Yue turned around as soon as the teacher left the room, her expression slightly excited as she reached out to touch the dress.
"Xiao Yue," she said. "Is that the dress from the ur store window on Ronghua Commercial Street?"
"I've been eyeing that dress for ages! It costs 8,000 yuan! I didn't even dare ask my mom to buy it. Your family isn't particularly well-off, right? How did you suddenly get such an expensive dress?"
Hu Yue leaned in close to her best friend in class, whispering, "My mother's pension finally came through. It was a huge amount, and my brother bought me this dress."
"Pension? How much could a pension be? At most, a hundred thousand credits."
"No, ours was several hundred thousand. My brother paid into the highest tier."
"That's impossible! The federal government on Orange Red Star clearly states that the highest pension tier is only 160,000 credits. How could it be several hundred thousand? Your brother must be lying to you."
Just then, class began.
Hu Yue, however, was lost in confusion. She didn't hear a word the teacher said.
If the highest pension tier is only 160,000 credits, how could my brother say it was several hundred thousand?
In an instant—
A flood of images flashed through her mind.
The pension should have been deposited into my mother's account, not my brother's.
If my brother wasn't the only victim, how could such a massive scandal be resolved without any news coverage?
Even if the pension amounted to hundreds of thousands, her brother knew their family's financial situation. How could he possibly afford to buy her a dress costing ten thousand yuan?
Moreover, just a few days ago, she had often seen her brother hanging out with his shady friends, doing who-knows-what.
In an instant, a thought flashed through her mind:
Could my brother have earned this money through illegal means?
The moment this thought took root, the dress no longer felt dazzling. Instead, it felt like sweat-soaked burlap, its rough texture burning her skin. She imagined her classmates whispering behind her back, mocking her brother for whatever crime he must have committed to afford such a dress.
How could my brother break the law?
With a criminal for a brother, how could she ever face her classmates again?
Just then—
The teacher on the podium suddenly spoke, his expression displeased: "Hu Yue, stand up and tell me what I just explained."
"I..."
Hu Yue instinctively rose to her feet, her gaze drifting blankly to the text on the screen:
[ "Obey the law and live a happy life; break the law and regret it forever." ]
[ "Study the law to distinguish right from wrong; uphold the law to discern good from evil." ]
"Citizens who obey the law create a harmonious and prosperous society."
This was a political science class.
Hu Yue gazed at the lines of text scrolling across the screen, her expression momentarily blank before she turned to the teacher on the podium with a conflicted look. "Teacher, if your family members broke the law, what would you do?"
"Me?" The teacher narrowed her eyes, studying the student in her brightly colored clothes. A sudden realization flashed through her mind. After a pause, she replied softly, "My family members would never break the law."
"Teacher, I'm just saying hypothetically."
"Yes, my family members would never break the law."
The teacher emphasized the word "never" with a subtle firmness in her voice. She knew Hu Yue's brother—a kind man who often brought her fruit during holidays. She hoped her student would understand the unspoken message.
"Alright, sit down now. Pay attention to the lesson and stop daydreaming."
But as Hu Yue sat down, her inner turmoil only intensified.
She didn't want her brother to stray down the wrong path. She had always been a top student in school, and once she graduated from a prestigious university, she could easily secure a high-paying job.
She could take care of all the family's expenses.
But if her brother strayed from the right path, he would spend the rest of his life in prison.
She was about to graduate and start earning a lot of money soon. Didn't her brother understand this? Why would he choose to go down the wrong path?
What if I helped him turn himself in?
The thought flashed through her mind.
Her brother had only made a few hundred thousand yuan. Even if it was illegal, it couldn't be a major crime. He'd probably be out in three or four years. By then, she'd be earning enough to support the family.
And if she helped him turn himself in, wouldn't that reduce his sentence?
The teachers and the federal government had always emphasized the importance of being law-abiding citizens. Why had her brother still strayed?
Those who commit crimes must face punishment.
Even her own brother couldn't be an exception.
If everyone acted like her brother, how could society function?
Huff!
Having made her decision, she suddenly felt a sense of clarity. She stopped dwelling on the matter and focused on the lecture.
Soon, it was lunchtime.
After the classroom emptied, she went to the deserted restroom, reluctantly removed her expensive clothes, packed them into her tote bag, and changed back into her original outfit.
After taking a deep breath in front of the mirror, Hu Yue left the campus with a solemn expression and strode toward the Law Enforcement Bureau in Ash City.
"You want to report your brother?"
Inside the Law Enforcement Bureau, the officer on duty looked at the young woman standing before him, who appeared to be only eighteen or nineteen years old and was carrying a handbag. His expression was odd as he asked, "What crime has your brother committed? Domestic violence? Infidelity? For such matters, you should go to the community management office in your district, not the Law Enforcement Bureau."
"No, my brother may have committed a major crime."
Hu Yue placed the handbag containing the expensive garment on the counter. "My brother used to be very poor, but suddenly he had a large sum of money to pay for my mother's medical treatment and even gave me ten thousand star coins to buy clothes."
"He claimed it was his pension, saying he received several hundred thousand star coins."
"But my classmate told me the highest pension tier is only one hundred and sixty thousand star coins, nowhere near several hundred thousand."
"I suspect my brother has gone astray. I hope the officers can properly counsel him and prevent him from going down the wrong path."
"He's my only brother. I don't want him to do anything that harms the interests of the federation."
(End of the Chapter)
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