Journey Through Realms: Fulfilling Last Wishes

Chapter 32 - The Little White Cabbage of the 1980s

Chapter 32: The Little White Cabbage of the 1980s

An Ran regained consciousness at the exact moment the original soul of her body perished. Pain surged through her entire being, coupled with a gnawing hunger that made her feel weak and helpless.

Couldn’t I have come a little earlier? Why did it have to be at such a painful moment? She thought, struggling to cope.

225, get out here! Did you want me to die from the pain? Why did you revive me at this exact moment? An Ran shouted internally, hoping to summon the system.

But 225 remained silent.

“I’m not coming out! If I do, you’ll just ask for stuff again. I’m broke! I can’t afford to be extorted anymore!”

Realizing she was on her own, An Ran resolved to find a way out. Staying in the alley was not an option. Slowly, she crawled toward a wall, using it for support as she inched her way forward. What should have been a two-minute walk took her twenty minutes, leaving her drenched in sweat from exertion and pain.

______

At the alley’s mouth, An Ran paused to survey the bustling street, unsure of where to go.

Hospital? No money. Home? I don’t have one. Family? They’re long gone. The police station? That might work.

She decided to head for the police station, reasoning that it was the safest place to seek help. As she stumbled along, her tattered clothing and bruised appearance drew a few concerned glances, though most passersby avoided her. One kind-hearted woman, however, stepped forward.

“Child, where are you going? You look badly hurt. Let me take you to the hospital. I know someone there who can get you a discount,” the woman said gently, steadying An Ran as she swayed on her feet.

“I… I don’t have money for the hospital. I’m heading to the police station,” An Ran replied, forcing the words out through clenched teeth.

The woman hesitated but then offered, “If money’s the issue, I’ll lend you some. You need to see a doctor—these injuries aren’t minor.”

An Ran was touched but firm.

“Thank you, ma’am, but it’s just a small injury. Going to the hospital would be too much trouble. Please, just help me get to the police station.”

The woman sighed but agreed.

“Alright, but what happened to you? Did someone do this to you? Who would beat a child like this?”

“It’s nothing. I just ran into some bad people. That’s why I need to report it to the police,” An Ran replied, unwilling to share the embarrassing truth that the beating had been over a single steamed bun.

To her, however, that bun had been a lifeline—a matter of survival.

“Such cruelty! How could anyone hurt a child so badly? Be careful in the future, child. The world is full of bad people,” the woman said, shaking her head.

“Yes, ma’am,” An Ran said simply, too exhausted to say more.

Noticing her fatigue, the woman fell silent and focused on supporting her as they made their way to the police station. After another twenty minutes, they finally arrived.

______

The woman helped An Ran sit on a bench inside the station, then approached a young officer at the front desk.

“Excuse me, where can we file a report?”

The officer, a polite and eager man, responded warmly, “Ma’am, are you here to file a report? Please follow me.”

“Oh, thank you, young man! What’s your name?”

“Shen Yang, ma’am. You can just call me Xiao Shen. What seems to be the problem?”

“It’s not me—it’s that young girl over there,” the woman said, pointing to An Ran.

Shen Yang glanced at the bench and was surprised to see a small, disheveled figure that looked like a beggar.

A beggar? Filing a report? What could she possibly report? He thought, intrigued.

Walking over, he addressed An Ran directly. “You’re here to file a report? What happened?”

Shen Yang walked up to An Ran and curiously asked, “Is it true, Officer… Brother, I was beaten almost to death. You have to help me catch the person who hit me.”

When Anran saw a policeman approaching, she initially intended to address him as Officer Uncle, but seeing that it was a young man, she changed it to Officer Brother. She then struggled to explain her reason for reporting the incident.

“The person who hit me is a beggar. He attacked me over a…”

Anran couldn’t finish her sentence. Reporting someone for hitting her over a steamed bun seemed trivial. She worried the officer might think she was making a fuss over nothing.

Shen Yang, a policeman with a strong sense of justice, immediately asked, “Why did he hit you? And where is he now?”

Hesitant, Anran thought it over and decided to tell the truth. She explained that a kind old lady had given her a steamed bun, which caught the attention of a large beggar. When she refused to give it to him, he beat her up.

“Officer Brother, look, these injuries were caused by him. My stomach hurts so much. He was too violent.”

Shen Yang saw her injuries and was shocked, but he couldn’t help questioning her judgment. “You reported this just for a steamed bun? Couldn’t you just give it to him and avoid all this?”

At this, Anran grew emotional.

“To you, it’s just a steamed bun, something you don’t value at all. But I hadn’t eaten in five days. That bun wasn’t just food—it was my life. If I gave it to him, I might have died.”

Hearing her words, the old lady who had been supporting An Ran comforted her.

“Child, don’t cry. Explain everything clearly to the officer. This isn’t your fault.”

An Ran continued, her voice trembling.

“He wasn’t just taking the bun—he was taking my life. Am I wrong to report it? Isn’t it said we should go to the police when we face trouble? Shouldn’t he be held accountable for what he did to me?”

Shen Yang felt a pang of guilt.

“I’m sorry. It’s my mistake. There’s no such thing as a trivial case. I’ll take this case and make sure to catch the person who hurt you.”

Hearing this, Anran felt relieved and smiled, but as soon as she did, everything went black, and she fainted.

“Child! What’s wrong? Oh no, she fainted!”

The old lady panicked but, after checking An Ran’s breathing, was relieved she was still alive.

Shenyang quickly picked up An Ran and carried her to the medical office, which was typically used for examining victims’ injuries.

He called out to a female doctor, “Sister Song, please take a look at her. She suddenly fainted.”

Dr. Song examined Anran and became visibly upset as she uncovered the extent of her injuries.

“Two broken ribs, a fractured arm, and possible internal injuries, not to mention severe malnutrition. This child has been through too much.”

“Get some warm water,” Dr. Song instructed. Shenyang brought the water, but Dr. Song immediately ordered, “Forget the water. Take her to the hospital now!”

Shenyang was stunned.

“Is it that serious? She seemed fine just a moment ago.”

Dr. Song glared at him.

“Fine? With these injuries? She’s been holding on with sheer willpower. If we don’t act quickly, it could be fatal.”

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Shen Yang immediately carried An Ran out to get her to the hospital, his mind racing with guilt and admiration for her strength.