"Thompson! Don't panic, your brother Anderson is here! Old Thompson, Old Wilson heard you were wronged, they were so anxious, they came along." Brian Anderson rushed over in big strides.
"Thompson, don't worry, we've got your back!"
"Damn it, who's messing with me? I'll beat them to death!"
Behind Brian Anderson, President Thompson, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Jay came too, and there were a few others I didn't recognize but could tell were important people.
This group of people rushed over and all stood by my side.
At that moment, the entire village was stunned, disbelief written all over their faces.
"Oh my god! Am I seeing this right? This group knows me?"
"No... no mistake, they're calling themselves my brothers..."
The villagers were utterly shocked, exclaiming repeatedly.
The aunt was even more dumbfounded, her eyes wide open, her mouth agape, almost able to fit an egg in.
She was completely at a loss, her mind blank.
This Charlie, isn't he just a little hooligan, delivering parcels, not much of a prospect; in her eyes, he was a failure. How could such a failure know so many big shots?
These big shots, driving luxury cars, dressed to the nines, obviously people of status and position, how could they possibly be connected to Charlie?
Moreover, these relationships weren't ordinary; they were calling each other brothers.
The aunt felt dizzy, doubting whether she was dreaming.
And those two policemen were also dumbstruck.
These are prominent figures, usually hard to see even one, yet now they're all here, chatting and joking with this village lad, calling him brother.
The middle-aged policeman almost slapped himself to see if he was dreaming.
If not a dream, how else could something so bizarre and absurd happen!
Consequently, his face grew even paler, his legs trembling like sieves.
He knew, this time he was truly in trouble.
"Brother Anderson, Brother Thompson..."
I called them one by one, "Thank you all for coming so promptly!"
"Hey! It's nothing. Whoever dares to bully you, Thompson, is bullying us!" Brian Anderson thumped his chest and said boldly.
He then turned, glowering at the two policemen.
"You two have guts, huh! As police, you dare to abuse your power and falsely accuse good people. If you mess with me, I'll mess with you."
"Just now, I called your superior to ask, there's no such thing. I am innocent, the eighty thousand was all from us."
"Now, get back and accept your punishment!"
The two policemen bent their backs, nodding repeatedly, not daring to breathe loudly.
No sooner had Brian Anderson finished speaking than the middle-aged policeman's phone rang. Seeing the caller, his face turned pale. Answering it, an angry roar came from the other end.
"Jacob Martinez, look what you've done! Get back here right now; don't you have enough shame already!"
"Yes, yes!"
Jacob Martinez kept responding, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.
After the call ended, the two of them shamefacedly got into the car and drove off.
By this point, the villagers realized what was happening.
"So I was innocent! Those cops were wicked!"
"Hey! I knew it, I am such a good person. How could he steal? He was framed!"
"Jeez! Look at me now, a big shot knowing so many prominent figures. I'm really giving Thompson Village a reputation boost!"
The villagers quickly changed their tune, their words full of envy.
Hearing these remarks, the aunt's face paled, feeling particularly conflicted.
In her eyes, Charlie had always been good-for-nothing; suddenly he turned out to be so formidable, making it hard for her to accept.
"Charlie, it's okay now. But what's going on, who tried to set you up?"
Brian Anderson asked.
"It was a former classmate of mine, named Jason Martinez, son of the principal at First Middle School," I replied.
Then I briefly recounted the grudge between them.
"So that's how it is! That Jason Martinez is too treacherous and underhanded, thinking he's something just because he has a principal father?"
Mr. Jay angrily remarked.
At this moment, Mr. Wilson spoke up, "First Middle School, I'm pretty familiar with it. I'm an old alumnus there; the current principal is Eric Martinez, I know of him, though not well-connected."
"To be honest, I dislike him. His conduct is poor; there have been rumors for a long time that he secretly harasses female students, a beast with a human face, quite perverted."
"However, no one has dared to remove him, so he's kept his position. Now his son dares to mess with me, this grudge won't end simply. I'll make sure to deal with him, bring him down, make him suffer."
"Bravo! Old Wilson, that's how it should be; I can't stand these hypocritical scoundrels, count me in," Brian Anderson said.
"Count me in too," President Roberts and others echoed.
"Thompson, rest assured, leave this matter to us," Mr. Wilson assured me.
"Thank you all, brothers!"
I expressed my gratitude.
"Hey! No need to be formal. Come, come, let me introduce you to a few more people," Brian Anderson pointed at those new faces, introducing them to me.
"Thompson, I've heard of you for a long time!"
The newcomers stepped up, warmly shaking my hand.
"I say, Thompson, why are you still living in a place like this? It's not right; someday I'll get you a nice house," Brian Anderson looked up at the row of small farmhouses, furrowing his brows.
"Yes, yes! It's hard for us big brothers to bear it either," Mr. Jay chimed in.
I said, "I'm used to it, it's okay, no rush! Brothers, now that everything's fine, let's leave!"
"Alright, alright! Let's go! Thompson, let me give you a ride!" Mr. Jay said.
"Hey! Old Spike, that's not right, I should ride in my car," Brian Anderson shouted.
"No way, both of you are wrong, I've got to ride in mine," Mr. Wilson joined in.
In no time, the crowd started arguing over whose car I would ride in, leaving the villagers once again dumbfounded.
Amidst their shock, they racked their brains, unable to fathom how this seemingly ordinary Charlie became such a favored figure among these big shots.
"Brothers, I... already have a ride!"
I coughed lightly, pointing at my little tricycle.
Brian Anderson and the others glanced over, momentarily speechless.
"Now this is what you call a true master!" Mr. Jay suddenly slapped his thigh, blurting out such a sentence.
"Indeed, a master! A hidden master!" The others chimed in.
Soon, a spectacle unfolded on the small road of Thompson Village.
An electric tricycle sped like the wind, carrying me, a clean, handsome youth in a white shirt, while behind, there was a line of luxury cars, closely following the tricycle.
From all directions, the villagers cast envious eyes.