Chapter 2015

Old Lady Wilson nodded grimly in response to the police officer’s confirmation. “Yes, it’s two hundred!”

The constable was astonished. “A lady who lives in one of Thompson First’s finest villas is calling the police over two hundred dollars? Something’s wrong…”

He mused, “Could it be that rich people speak like this, referring to two million as two hundred? At my last class reunion, that wealthy classmate did the same thing about his luxury car—a Rolls-Royce worth over five million, which he casually dismissed as ‘over five hundred.’ Is this some kind of rich person affliction?”

He pondered further, “But this lady is worth over a hundred million. Even if she lost two million, she wouldn't be this agitated.”

He looked at Lady Wilson again. “Madam, let me confirm: you said your daughter-in-law, Hannah, stole two hundred from you. This ‘two hundred’ refers to two million, correct?”

“No,” Lady Wilson insisted. “It’s two hundred dollars, cash! Two hundred!”

“Huh?!” Several officers’ jaws dropped.

The lead officer stammered, “Madam, your eldest daughter-in-law took two hundred dollars, and you’re calling the police to arrest her?”

Lady Wilson’s eyebrows shot up. “What? She stole my hard-earned money! Can’t I call the police?”

The lead officer explained awkwardly, “You can, but I must explain some basic legal principles. According to our country’s laws, theft requires a substantial amount of money to warrant prosecution.”

He continued, “This threshold is between one thousand and three thousand dollars. Below that, criminal charges can’t be filed.”

Lady Wilson frowned. “What the hell! She stole my hard-earned money! I worked hard yesterday and earned a hundred dollars! I even got slapped and someone else paid me another hundred! This two hundred dollars was for our family’s New Year’s Eve dumplings!”

The officer was dumbfounded. “This lady isn’t joking, is she? She lives in a mansion and calls the police over $200? And that $200 comes from a part-time job and a beating? Even an ordinary person wouldn't be this impoverished, let alone someone living in such a luxurious villa. This is unbelievable!”

He patiently explained, “Madam, the law is explicit. If the other party only stole two hundred dollars, we can’t file a case. We can only record the incident. If she commits further offenses that reach the filing threshold, we can help you recover your losses.”

Lady Wilson exclaimed, “Then I misremembered! She stole two thousand!”

The officer replied cautiously, “The exact amount will be determined during the investigation. Even if you say it’s two thousand now, and we file a case and apprehend the suspect, but later find you’re lying and the amount doesn’t meet the filing threshold, you’ll be held legally responsible for your false statement.”

He added, “And, Madam, even if it reaches two thousand dollars, it will only result in a controlled release, not detention. Do you understand? No detention, just restrictions on personal freedom, regular community service, and likely confinement to Aurouss Hilll and the street where your villa is located.”

“What?!” Lady Wilson exclaimed. “That’s far too lenient! It’s theft!”

The officer sighed. “Madam, theft is a crime, but the degree of prosecution depends on the circumstances. If a student reports that a classmate stole their eraser, worth a dollar, do we arrest them? It’s not proportional.”