Chapter 104: Overcome with Shame

After hearing the officer’s words, Su Chen did not care about anything else; instead, he felt a great weight lift from his heart.

“So the boss is really all right? That’s good, that’s really good,” Su Chen said.

Seeing the brilliant smile on Su Chen’s face, the two police officers only grew more ashamed.

So young, so accomplished, so kind and gentle—why did we ever suspect him?

We are truly wretched!

With that shame weighing on him, the officer spoke again. “Mr. Su, you’re not from here, are you? I heard that you’re a celebrity?”

Su Chen smiled and waved a hand. “I wouldn’t go that far. I’m just a musician.”

“I came from the River South City area. This time I’m in Sand City to take part in a talent show.”

“A talent show?”

The officer pondered for a moment, and suddenly his eyes lit up.

He had found a wonderful way to thank Su Chen for what he had done.

At once, the officer said, “Considering Mr. Su’s courage in fighting off thugs last night and his act of saving a life, our precinct can issue a public notice on the official social media account to commend Mr. Su’s actions.”

“In addition, we’ll present Mr. Su with a banner of praise and a reward of fifty thousand, making this an example for society to follow!”

Su Chen was taking part in a talent show. If such a life-saving notice were released, his popularity could soar several times over in an instant.

After all, in the entertainment world, there were too few people with such a strong sense of justice—not to mention that Su Chen had saved a life!

He could write, sing, fight, and save people through medicine. How was anyone supposed to compete with a star like that for a debut spot?

By then, the tide would already be unstoppable, and even the production team might not dare keep Su Chen from debuting!

Ordinarily, the police would not go out of their way to issue a special commendation for one person; if they did commend someone, it would usually be in private or through a simple ceremony.

What the officer was doing now was not only praise for Su Chen’s act of saving someone, but also, in part, compensation for what had happened the night before.

Hearing this, Su Chen frowned slightly.

The reward was too generous, so generous that even he felt it was a little too calculated.

He thought it over, then said, “That’s too much. This whole thing was aimed at us in the first place; it should have been me who handled it.”

“Besides, the boss was beaten because of me. I should have stepped in to save him, so really, there’s no need for any reward at all.”

“So, thank you for your kindness, but I really can’t accept it.”

The officer was stunned by Su Chen’s reply.

In his imagination, anyone who lived in the entertainment industry cherished their reputation; they would have neither the reason nor the will to turn down such a golden chance to gain fans.

The temptation was too great.

And yet Su Chen had refused.

More than that, Su Chen had not offered the halfhearted, polite refusal made only for the sake of appearances, but had given a solid reason the officer could not argue with.

He truly did not want any of it.

Su Chen’s words only made the officer feel more ashamed. Such a promising young man, such a pillar of society, had been held at the police station for an entire night because of them.

How damnable that was!

A person like Su Chen ought to be a model for the public to learn from, a true star worthy of admiration and pursuit.

The officer was overcome with shame. Little by little, his mindset changed—from wanting to compensate Su Chen to wanting the whole world to know that there were still people in the entertainment world like him.

“Mr. Su, after our investigation, those four thugs had no reason at all to trouble you. If it hadn’t been you last night, others might have suffered in their place.”

“But because you stepped in, you exposed those four scum and removed a hidden danger for ordinary people.”

“Let alone the fact that without you, the boss might already have been beaten to death. That is your merit!”

The officer spoke to Su Chen with heartfelt sincerity, his eyes even reddening.

“If even a pillar of society like you cannot be commended, then in the future, when trouble comes, who would dare to act bravely? Who would dare to save a life?”

The officer’s words left Su Chen with no excuse to refuse.

Su Chen sighed and could only say, “All right... but I can only accept the banner. As for the social media notice and the fifty thousand, I absolutely cannot take them.”

“Mr. Su, this—”

The officer was about to continue, but Su Chen cut him off.

“Officer, please listen to me. I don’t want to occupy public resources. How could my little matter compare to matters of the nation?”

“Besides, for me, that fifty thousand might only be the icing on the cake. But if that money were used for charity, perhaps it could give books to many mountain children who cannot afford school, and bring a little warmth to elderly people and children who have no clothes to wear in winter.”

“If it is given only to me, it would mean nothing at all. If you truly wish to give it to me, then please donate it to a charity in my name.”

Su Chen’s words left everyone present silent.

The two police officers both broke into tears. They came to deeply realize that this young man carried a vast compassion in his heart; compared with those pretty-faced idols in the entertainment industry who fought over fans and traffic, Su Chen’s ideals were truly magnificent.

And so the officer no longer pressed Su Chen to accept. In such a situation, he even felt that speaking further would be an insult to him.

“All right, then we’ll donate this money to a charity under Mr. Su’s name,” the officer said, wiping away his tears.

Su Chen nodded, and only then did a smile finally appear on his face. “Then may we leave now? To be honest, after spending the whole night here, I really want a proper sleep.”

His words made both officers turn bright red with embarrassment.

“Yes, yes, of course you can! Once the banner is ready, we’ll have it sent to the hotel where Mr. Su is staying.”

“Then thank you very much. If there’s nothing else, we’ll head back now.”

With that, Su Chen shook hands with the two officers and led Han Jiangxue toward the door.

But just then, the officer seemed to remember something and hurriedly called after Su Chen.

“Mr. Su, wait! I forgot to mention one more thing!”

Su Chen turned back and asked in confusion, “What is it?”

The officer jogged over and explained, “After the boss was taken to Sand City People’s Hospital, one of the surgical experts there, Old Master Shen, saw the way you performed the operation and was full of praise.”

“He wants to pay you a special visit, and also thank you in person for saving a life, so he asked me to find out when you might be free.”

After hearing the officer briefly explain the cause and effect, Su Chen laughed in surprise.

“What’s there to visit me for? Old Master Shen is a surgical expert. In the hospital, he can save so many people—I really shouldn’t be troubling him!”

“And it’s not as though I know any real medicine; I just happened to have read a few more books... Please tell Old Master Shen for me that if I have time, I’ll certainly come pay him a visit, but he must not go out of his way to look for me.”

Saying this, Su Chen waved a hand and left the police station.

Watching Su Chen’s back, the officer could not help but sigh, “This is what a pillar of the nation should be!”