Xiao Xun watched the boy's demeanor and thought: With such little responsibility, no wonder that girl ignores you.
"You dare to deliberately damage someone's property when you have no money?"
The boy looked to the policeman beside him for help. The policeman, aiming to de-escalate, said to Xiao Xun, "He knows he was wrong, and the scratch on the key isn't deep. He's a student and surely doesn't have much money. How about we let it go? You can go through insurance later, and he can properly apologize to you, alright?"
Xiao Xun wasn't that angry initially, but seeing the policeman's "smooth-it-over" attitude made her a bit indignant. "What do you mean, let it go? Even though he's a student, he's an adult and should be responsible for his actions. Besides, I parked my car properly waiting for someone, and he comes along and scratches it, then I have to go through insurance? And he gets away with nothing? Is that what you mean?"
Seeing that his attempt to mediate was failing, the policeman knew that ninety percent of those who drive luxury cars have connections, and driving such a low-key luxury car meant he couldn't afford to offend them.
Most importantly, it was clear the student was in the wrong.
"This is just a suggestion. If you insist on following the normal procedure, that's also possible. If he can pay, perhaps we can consider this matter closed. If he can't pay, then we'll discuss it further."
In fact, the policeman was being kind. He didn't want a small scratch on a car to ruin this student's future or leave him with a criminal record upon graduation.
Upon hearing that he might get a record, the boy's knees buckled, and he almost knelt. Tears and snot streamed down his face. "Brother, I swear I won't dare again. I truly know I was wrong…"
Just then, a boy wearing gold-rimmed glasses knocked and entered the mediation room. He said to the policeman, "Officer, I'm this classmate's roommate. I heard he scratched someone's car, and I'm here to pay for it on his behalf."
The boy, as if seeing a savior, stood up and moved behind the boy who had just entered.
The boy who entered later looked at Chu Ningxiang and said, "Ningxiang, look at the person you chose. He's so petty over such a small amount of money and unforgiving. If you stay with him, you'll only be corrupted by his money-worshiping mindset. What else could you gain?"
Xiao Xun realized this person wasn't there to pay, but to cause trouble.
So, she walked up to the boy who had just entered. "Fine, I am that corrupted person. Since you say you'll pay for him, then take out the money!"
The boy adjusted his glasses and took out fifty yuan from his pocket, holding it up. "Although I only have fifty yuan now, this is clean money I earned through hard work and part-time jobs. I work odd jobs every day. The amount you want, I can't give it to you all at once right now, but one day, I will repay all the money he owes you."
He then looked at Chu Ningxiang, "Ningxiang, believe me, I am a persistent person. Whether it's paying back money or liking you, I will see it through to the end."
Chu Ningxiang touched her forehead and said to Xiao Xun, "This is the person I told you about, the one who's been bothering me."
Xiao Xun finally understood. The boy who came in later was someone with no money but a penchant for acting important, imposing debts that weren't his own onto himself to win favor.
The original boy surely couldn't bear to let the later boy pay his debts, and with the policeman present, the policeman would naturally sympathize with such a "vulnerable group."
This way, not only could he turn the usually arrogant student into his subordinate, but he could also expose the true nature of the people around his "goddess" Chu Ningxiang, thus allowing her to choose him as the best partner in her life.
As expected, the policeman was moved by his words and directly took out a card. "This is my salary card. Although the money on it isn't enough to cover your car repair costs yet, I'll speak to the repair shop and ask them to fix your car first, and the money will be deducted from this card. Please don't make things difficult for these poor students, okay?"
In this way, Xiao Xun became the villain. Now, whether she accepted the money or not, she was in the wrong. She was like Zhu Bajie looking in a mirror—neither inside nor out was right.
"Officer, it's not that I'm being difficult about the money. It's just that this car isn't mine, and I can't explain if it's scratched. Also, if he did it accidentally, it would be wrong for me to pursue it so persistently. But the key point is that he did it on purpose."
Hearing Xiao Xun's words, the policeman put the card away, his expression turning cold. "Then how do you propose we resolve this?"
Xiao Xun took out her phone. "How about this? I'll ask our boss to see what she thinks, alright?"
"It's only twenty thousand, must you push people to the brink?"
The boy who entered later suddenly shouted, startling even the policeman.
Xiao Xun was already annoyed. Seeing the other person's attitude, she directly pointed at him, "What are you shouting for? Do you think you're in the right? Why are you acting like a peacock here? Haven't you even asked if they'll accept your help?"
The boy who scratched the car nodded vigorously. "I accept, I accept…"
Hearing this, Xiao Xun had an idea. She turned and whispered a few words to the policeman.
The policeman glanced at the boy who had just entered. He had initially wanted to help both of them, but seeing the swagger of the latter boy, he also felt a bit annoyed and nodded. "Alright, we'll do as you suggest."
The two boys watched the policeman and Xiao Xun anxiously, unsure of what they were discussing.
The policeman looked at the two boys. "This matter involves malicious damage to other people's property. The money must be paid. Furthermore, for subjectively damaging private property and causing significant financial loss, the penalty is imprisonment for less than three years, detention, or control."
He then looked at the boy who had entered later. "Since you are willing to take responsibility for him, please sign the letter of intent for compensation!"
Just as he was about to reach for a folder, the boy who had entered later quickly backed away. "Officer, I, I didn't expect such serious consequences. I have some matters outside. I'll be going now."
That boy grabbed him. "How can you do this? Didn't you say you'd handle this matter? How about this, I'll figure out the money, and you handle the rest?"
The boy who had entered later flung his roommate's hand away, his expression changing. "Who do you think you are? Always acting so self-important, thinking the school can't do without you. I'm giving up a bright future for you, leaving a record, getting a disciplinary action? Am I crazy!" With that, he turned and rushed out without looking back.
Xiao Xun crossed her arms and said sarcastically, "You were quite righteous just now!"
Chu Ningxiang glanced at her phone. "I usually hate his pretentious attitude… It's almost noon, let's settle this quickly. I'm getting hungry. If all else fails, I'll pay the money."
Xiao Xun looked at Chu Ningxiang. How could she pay the money? That would make her truly inhuman.
Then she said to the officer, "Although the damage has been done, my girlfriend is willing to give her classmate a chance to redeem himself."
Upon hearing this, the boy was so moved he almost cried. "Thank you, senior sister. Thank you, brother-in-law."
Xiao Xun glanced at him, thinking: Truly adaptable. Why would such a person pretend to be a 'second-generation rich'? Unless…
He looked at Chu Ningxiang, pondering his thoughts from just now.
Xiao Xun turned to the boy and said, "Don't be so arrogant in the future. You're just a student. If you don't have the capacity to bear risks, don't put yourself in danger. Also, observe the people around you carefully, don't let others sell you out and then count the money for them."
The boy quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, brother-in-law. Your lesson is noted."
The policeman opened the folder he had prepared earlier and took out a pre-prepared mediation agreement. "Since that's the case, everyone sign and place your thumbprints on the reconciliation agreement."
Chu Ningxiang almost held Xiao Xun's hand as she pressed her thumbprint, seeming very anxious.
It was unclear if she was afraid Xiao Xun would go back on her word, or because the boy had called them both "brother-in-law" twice.