Evan Irving's sudden, unexpected comment took everyone by surprise. Thomas Thompson, who was just about to continue teasing Old Sam Walker, was momentarily stunned when he heard the shout. However, as soon as he saw who had spoken, the trace of astonishment on his face instantly vanished without a trace.

"Well, well, I was wondering which hero was standing up for justice—turns out it's just a little girl like you. Are you anxious because you can't find a husband? If you can't hold it in anymore, just come to your Brother Thomas. Brother Thomas will definitely help you out!"

"You... you shameless!" Evan Irving's face flushed bright red as she glared angrily at Thomas Thompson.

Evan Irving's accusation of shamelessness made Thomas Thompson itch all over as he burst out laughing. Despite his hideous appearance and being the very definition of shamelessness—worse than a beast—he was well-known for one thing: relentlessly and shamelessly pursuing all kinds of girls, always using the same tired tricks.

Seeing Evan Irving's face turn crimson with embarrassment, Thomas Thompson immediately seemed encouraged. He swaggered straight over to Evan Irving, leaned down, propped one hand on her desk, the other on the back of her chair, and opened his arms in a half-embrace. He exaggeratedly sniffed the air, his gaze sticky and intimate, and said, "Smells so good! Girl, when are you going home? Let big brother walk you back, okay?"

Evan Irving instantly clammed up like a shell, nervously tilting her head up to look at him, her eyes full of wariness and anger. Trembling with rage, she said, "Please show some respect! You're truly shameless!" Then she quickly slipped away.

"Hey now, not bad! Big brother likes girls with a temper! Heh heh, bro, someone just called me shameless—tell me, what do we have to do to really be shameless?" Thomas Thompson turned to the drunken man who had come with him.

The man was clearly quite drunk as well. When Thomas Thompson asked him, he squinted at Evan Irving with bleary eyes. Although she looked somewhat intimidating and unapproachable, she was still beautiful, and he made no attempt to hide the greed in his eyes.

"Third Brother, she said that about you—that's a personal attack. Even if you, Brother Sam, are magnanimous and don't want to make a fuss, as your brother, it's my duty. If I just ignore it, I'd be neglecting my responsibilities!"

As he spoke, the man staggered over to Evan Irving's side and said solemnly, "Comrade, you have no valid reason to personally attack someone and have infringed upon his right to reputation. Please come with me to the police station."

Old Sam Walker, who had just been warmed by Evan Irving's righteous words, was shocked to hear that this young woman was about to be taken to the police station. He hurried out to mediate: "Brother Thomas, Brother Thomas, as the saying goes, a real man doesn't argue with women. She's just a young girl, inexperienced—please don't take it to heart!"

"That's right, Officer Lewis, this girl just speaks her mind and didn't mean to offend you. Please don't take it personally. Here, have a cigarette." The man whom Old Sam Walker called big brother quickly fished a crumpled pack of cheap cigarettes from his pocket and offered it to the police officer.

The man called Officer Lewis took the cigarette with an air of self-importance, examined it under the dim light, then casually tossed it to the ground and stomped on it, sneering with disdain, "Pah! You think you can buy me off with a fifty-cent pack of Jinzhong cigarettes? Do you take me for a beggar?"

Having his goodwill met with such cold contempt left the middle-aged man deeply embarrassed. He had offered a cigarette out of respect, only to be mocked and ridiculed. His face flushed with humiliation! Unable to contain his frustration, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked, and the veins on his hands bulged sharply.

"What, angry now? Want to hit me, don't you? Go ahead, if you've got the guts, come at me! If you don't hit me today, you're a coward!" As he spoke, Officer Lewis slapped his own chest loudly, taunting the man whose face had turned ashen with rage.

The middle-aged man trembled all over with anger, but stood rooted to the spot, his hands hanging limply at his sides. As an ordinary citizen with no power or influence, wearing nothing but a shabby straw hat, he was no match for this man in uniform. He had no choice but to swallow his anger.

"Don't dare? Scared? Hahaha, coward! Lucky for you I'm in a good mood today. Even though you offended me, I'll let it slide. But remember this: if you ever dare raise your fist in front of me again, watch out—I'll break your hand!"

The fat, pudgy hand wantonly pinched the middle-aged man's dark face, as if squeezing a piece of dead tree bark. The man stood there motionless, swallowing his humiliation and anger.

Every move, every twitch of the middle-aged man's brows, every shiver of his body, no matter how slight, was caught by Officer Lewis, who suddenly burst out laughing, his laughter echoing through the room. In that laughter was mockery, contempt, and even a hint of schadenfreude.