Chapter 187 - View Shi Lei’s Father as a Role Model
Translator: Lav
Editor: Seliniaki Ilikia
Run Zhou was approximately ninety kilometers away from Wu Dong. Traveling by high-speed rail was the fastest option, which would get him there in around twenty minutes.
But if Shi Lei went to the station, bought a ticket, then waited for the train, it would probably take more than an hour. If he went by car on the highway, then he would arrive in around an hour, no matter the circumstances on the road.
The driver picked up speed, seeing the Shi Lei’s panic. He kept going as fast as the speed limit of the highway would allow, and within fifty minutes, they were inside Run Zhou city.
Shi Lei was anxious and fidgety the entire way there. Anyone would feel the same in such a situation, no matter who they were. But with the car’s speed, Shi Lei was finally able to calm down a little.
From Xu Jing’s words, Shi Lei had a rough estimate about what happened. Although he didn’t know what the truth was, the clues were very obvious.
Their house had initiated conflict with his father and the factory. He still didn’t know the reason, but the factory eventually ordered people to evict his parents, which led to a dispute. The situation deteriorated and ended with his father severely wounded in the hospital.
Needless to say, the police were called. But Shi Lei knew that it was meaningless. It was definitely a public-private dispute, so the people who beat up his father would, at most, be in the detention center for a few days while the mastermind behind it—the factory owner—would be safe and sound. If the factory tried harder, then they could put together a statement from people saying that the outcome of the incident was unintentional. Then the people who hurt his father may not even have to serve time and instead just pay the medical fees. Although the factory his father worked for didn’t give them good benefits, it was still an entity with a higher social status, making it impossible for the Shi family to act against it.
However, even if the police acted justly, as long as the offender insisted that he unintentionally injured Shi Lei’s father while carrying out given orders and the factory was willing to compensate for the medical expenses, then it was impossible for them to look into the person who gave the orders. Unless the offender sold the factory owner out and said that he was told to hurt Shi Lei’s father…but that was obviously impossible.
Seeing that the car was driving into the city, Shi Lei guided the way for the driver and asked, “If I want to rent this car, how do the fees work?”
The driver was blank for a moment, but said, “The price for this trip is generated on the app so it can’t be included in the rental fees. If you want to rent it, then the food and living expenses will be calculated separately because it’s in another city. We usually don’t exceed eight working hours…”
“I definitely need you to be ready at any moment, 24/7,” Shi Lei quickly cut in. “Of course, I will give you sufficient time to rest. I have no problem paying the food and living expenses as well. And I will cover the price for the gas and anything else. Just tell me how much money you want per day.”
The driver pondered for a while, then said, “Well, since you’re willing to cover all the fess, then I want 2,000 yuan per day. I don’t have high standards for accommodation, so any hotels close to your house will be fine. It just has to be clean. I have no other requests. I don’t really care about food that much. The 20 yuan per meal standard will be fine.”
Shi Lei nodded. “Okay, it’s decided then. I might need you to stay for the next few days. When we get there, call your family and let them know.”
The driver agreed. They quickly arrived at Run Zhou’s First People’s Hospital.
Shi Lei got off the car, gave the drive the 2,000 yuan deposit, and ran into the hospital. He then finally called his mother. She was obviously very surprised, stuttering over the phone. “I already know everything,” Shi Lei simply said. “Where are you now? I’m at the hospital.”
Although Shi Lei’s mother was surprised, she still told him the room number.
Shi Lei sprinted to the inpatient ward and pushed the door open after finding the right room. As soon as he entered, he saw his father lying on the bed, still unconscious. For the sake of saving money, his mother had him put in a normal room, shared with four other patients. His family wasn’t rich, and all the money was spent on Shi Lei’s university tuition. Even the cost of the surgery had to be put together by their relatives.
Because it happened early in the morning, they had rushed over, comforted Shi Lei’s mother, and gave them some support. They all had work and eventually left. Only his cousin, Xu Jing, had requested a leave from work to stay with his mother.
“Shitou, why did you come back?” Shi Lei’s mother spoke, flashing a glance at Xu Jing.
Xu Jing lowered her head, but Shi Lei said, “Until when did you plan to hide this from me? It’s fine if you don’t tell me the small things that happen, but you don’t think to tell me anything when my father’s in such a state?!”
“You are graduating next year…” his mother stammered.
“Exactly! I’m a senior, and everyone’s busy contacting companies and securing internships. The school doesn’t even care anymore, so why are you worried? Forget it. How is he?” Shi Lei looked at his father, who lay on the bed motionlessly. His head was thickly wrapped with bandages and his leg was also elevated. It was thick, which obviously meant that it was already in a cast.
Shi Lei was overwhelmed with anxiety. His eyes stung and he couldn’t control the tears welling up.
Shi Lei’s mother was sobbing. “He just had the surgery. The doctor said that it depends on the recovery. His leg is fine. It’s in a cast and has the reinforcing bar. He just has to strengthen it. It’s the blow to the head that’s worrying. There’s a chance that there will be brain damage…”
Shi Lei’s eyes were filled with anger. From his point of view, it didn’t matter what kind of conflict they had. This was way too much.
Suppressing his fury, he held his mother’s hands and sat down next to his father’s bed. “Mom, don’t worry too much. Heaven helps those that are worthy, so he will be fine. What happened? You have to tell me.”
“Shitou, what can you do even if I tell you? The police came to ask about the situation. They said that will take care of it and told us to not worry about the medical expenses…”
Shi Lei took a tissue and wiped away the tears of her face. “Mom, don’t worry. They will definitely pay for the medical expenses,” he said, keeping his cool. “This isn’t the problem. I didn’t tell you and dad, but I did a project with my friends in Wu Dong and earned quite a lot of money. I was going to tell you when I come back for the winter holiday. You don’t have to worry about money at all. Your son will take care of all the expenses. What I need you to do is to tell me what happened at home. Dad is such an honest man, so how would he have such a big dispute with others? And what’s wrong with our house?”
Shi Lei’s mother continued to cry. Shi Lei finally learned the whole story from between her broken sobs.
Shi Lei’s father was an honest man. The factory was cutting down on workers, and it was expected for his father to be one of those to go because he had always been compliant. Although he was only a little over fifty years old, it was definitely a problem to be suddenly laid off. However, that in itself didn’t lead to a physical dispute. Without a choice, Shi Lei’s father could only gather a few people who were also laid off and seek an explanation. But the factory treated Shi Lei’s father as someone who liked cause trouble and wanted to use him as an example for others. They said that the Shi family’s house was a benefit given by the factory. Now that he didn’t work there anymore, he had to give the house back.
It was basically pushing his father into a dead end. His family wasn’t wealthy to begin with. To leave them without a house…did they expected the couple to sleep on the street?