Chapter 85

Simon was the first to pipe up, "We gotta get fried chicken! It'd be a crime if the four of us didn't chow down on some fried chicken!"

Esme chimed in, "Let's also grab some fruit or veggie salad."

Alice just shrugged. "Whatever, I'm good with anything."

Nathan, trying not to chuck his phone across the room, ordered the fried chicken, fruit and veggie salad, and a bunch of other stuff, then poked at the leftovers with his fork.

After dinner, Nathan offered to drive Alice and Esme home, but Simon puffed out his chest and said, "No need, man. I got this! Just drop my name, and no one will mess with us!"

Nathan thought, 'With your scrawny self, Alice should be the one protecting you!'

The three of them left the power station and wandered down the nighttime streets. The night breeze brushed their faces, calming their jittery nerves a bit. Alice, with her backpack slung over one shoulder and hands in her pockets, walked next to Esme, gazing up at the starry sky.

She was touched by Nathan's offer for a moment, but she knew herself too well—always daring to dream but never to act, especially when it came to something new. Fear was only natural. Every time she gathered the courage to take the initiative, it vanished the moment she saw David, and she retreated back into her comfort zone.

Simon suddenly elbowed Alice and squinted ahead. "Is that a robbery over there?"

Alice and Esme looked where he was pointing and saw a few guys under a streetlamp dragging a girl towards a van parked by the curb. There were plenty of people around, but no one stepped in, and you could barely hear the girl's faint cries for help.

Alice's face darkened, and she lightly smacked Simon on the back of the head. "That's not a robbery. That's a kidnapping! You had soda today. Stop acting drunk!"

With that, Alice dropped her backpack and sprinted forward.

Simon suddenly realized what was happening and blurted out, "Shit!" He stopped Esme from rushing forward and told her to call the cops, then took off after Alice.

Alice charged forward and kicked a guy who had his back to her. The dude stumbled and fell to his knees. The girl being grabbed hesitated for a moment, then took the chance to fight back, hoarsely crying out, "Help! Help me!"

Hearing the cry for help, Alice was startled and looked up, exclaiming, "Ophelia?"

Ophelia, her face streaked with tears and her clothes a mess, with her camisole barely hanging on, looked up after hearing Alice's voice and choked out, "Alice, help me."

"Fuck!" The guy who got kicked got up, glaring at Alice. "Who the hell are you! This is my sister, none of your business!"

"Sister?" Alice sneered, cracking her knuckles, "You think you deserve to be her brother? You look old enough to be her dad."

Alice didn't waste any more time talking. She pointed at Ophelia and raised an eyebrow. "You got two choices: One, let her go and leave; two, I take her, and you stay."

The guy laughed loudly, pointing at Alice and saying to his buddies, "Are girls these days all this cocky? Come on, guys. Let's teach her a lesson."

His friends, hearing this, let go of Ophelia, leaving one bespectacled guy to hold her. Ophelia struggled, and the bespectacled guy's grip tightened.

They approached Alice step by step, eyes full of malice. Alice's lips curled into a slight smile, her gaze growing colder.

In the distance, Simon heard the screams. He calmly rushed over, kicked the guy on the ground a few more times, then turned to check on Alice. After making sure she was okay, he shooed away the onlookers, some of whom were recording with their phones, and then called Dylan.

Dylan, busy with some socializing, answered the phone with a slightly annoyed tone, "What now?"

Simon stood aside, watching Alice fiercely kick the men in their vital areas, feeling a weird pang of sympathy. He looked away towards the traffic light and calmly said, "Nothing major. Got into a fight again. Might need you to come to the police station."

Dylan glanced at the unopened champagne, wondering if he should bring it to the police station to celebrate another Simon's "honorary" visit. He thought better of it and gave up. With a sigh, he hung up the phone, apologized to the host of the banquet, and cited a family emergency as he left the private room. Unexpectedly, he ran into David outside the restroom.

David was wiping his hands when Dylan grabbed his arm. "Come on, we're going to the police station," Dylan said urgently.

David frowned, pulling away from Dylan. "Why the police station? Did you get into trouble?"

Dylan's mouth twitched. On second thought, if Simon was at the police station, Alice was probably involved too, and his mood inexplicably calmed.

"Simon is at the police station," Dylan said, watching as David stiffened. It was clear David was thinking the same thing.

Dylan really didn't understand—boys being mischievous was one thing, but weren't girls supposed to be quiet and cute to attract handsome guys? How could there be someone like Alice who was always causing trouble!

On the way to the police station, Dylan shared his thoughts with David. While waiting at a red light, he couldn't help but tease, "Am I the only one not following the trend? Why are you all into such energetic girls?"

The word "energetic" was quite euphemistic. Dylan originally wanted to say "unruly," but considering Alice's temporary guardian was sitting next to him, he decided not to say it.

David, arms crossed, stared at the red light ahead, his fingers unconsciously tapping. "Maybe we should first consider why they're visiting the police station again."

Upon arriving at the police station, Dylan walked in first, seeing Simon lounging in a chair, one leg casually crossed, chewing on an empty disposable cup. This sight left Dylan speechless, and he lightly knocked Simon on the back of the head.

"Bastard! You ended up in the police station again! Should I make a banner for you as an honor? Next time, I'll just buy a ticket and ship you to your parents!" Dylan exclaimed.

Simon rubbed the back of his head, protesting, "Dylan, this time we were saving someone, not causing trouble!"

The female officer who was recording Simon's statement also spoke up. "Yes, sir, please don't don't get the wrong idea. This time they acted righteously. Some human traffickers were trying to abduct a girl on the street, and they intervened just in time."

Dylan gave Simon a skeptical look, as if to say, "Did you bribe the police?"

Simon was furious, wanting to knock Dylan on the head in return. Did Dylan really look down upon him!

Dylan unbuttoned his suit, hands on his hips, scanning the surroundings, "Where's Alice?"

Simon was surprised. "How did you know she was here too?"