Chapter 152 Is there still breath?

After the division of labor was completed, Liu Xiangyang and Liu Shouren went up the mountain to provide support, while Liu Zhixia and Zhang Xiuying followed the main force to search at the foot of the mountain.

Although no one said it aloud, everyone understood:

If he hasn't returned by now, the worst-case scenario is that they might find that foolish boy who lost his life for five yuan at the foot of the mountain.

The group shone their flashlights, illuminating the dark forest as if it were daytime.

The shouts rose and fell, but there was no response.

Just as the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, a cry of surprise suddenly rang out from afar: "Found it! It's here!"

The crowd rushed towards the sound.

In a pile of rubble, Xiao Yang lay there, his limbs twisted and limp, looking utterly wretched.

Everyone gasped, and no one dared to step forward.

"Is...is he still breathing?" someone asked in a trembling voice.

Liu Zhixia and Zhang Xiuying mustered their courage and went over. Liu Zhixia checked his carotid artery and her eyes lit up: "He's still breathing! Quick, call for help! But he fell very hard, so don't move him!"

The crowd stirred again.

At that moment, Aunt Yang stumbled over.

Seeing her son's miserable state, she cried out and rushed over, throwing herself onto Xiao Yang and wailing, "My son! How could you have become like this!"

This action startled everyone, and they quickly pulled her back in a flurry.

"Aunt Yang! Don't touch him!"

"The doctor said that this kind of serious injury shouldn't be moved around! It could kill him!"

Aunt Yang struggled like a mad dog, pointing at the crowd and cursing, "That's my son! Can't I even feel sorry for him? You cold-blooded beasts!"

After saying that, she tried to lunge forward.

"Smack!"

Zhang Xiuying grabbed her and slapped her hard across the face!

"If everyone were cold-blooded, would they stay up in the middle of the night, wrapped in cotton-padded clothes, and run into the deep mountains and forests to find your son? You heartless bastard!"

Aunt Yang covered her face, stunned for a long time, then screamed and lunged at Zhang Xiuying: "You dare hit me? I'll fight you to the death!"

Liu Zhixia was startled and was about to help when she saw that her mother had already taken action.

Zhang Xiuying was a seasoned veteran; dealing with a shrew like Aunt Yang was like a game-changer for her.

Before long, Aunt Yang was pinned to the ground and unable to move.

Panting, Zhang Xiuying yelled at the dumbfounded young people around her, "What are you standing there for? Get a rope! Tie her up! So she doesn't cause any trouble here! Remember, don't use that cheap rope, use the kind used for tying pigs!"

Soon, Aunt Yang was tied up hand and foot, still cursing under her breath.

At that moment, the doctor rushed over with a stretcher. He only paused for a second upon seeing this comical scene before immediately starting the rescue.

When Aunt Yang saw the doctor was about to touch Xiao Yang, she panicked and shouted, "Wait! My son still has dendrobium in his body! He risked his life for it! None of you are allowed to touch it! It's mine!"

The doctor was amused by Aunt Yang's antics. Without saying a word, he pulled the cloth bag containing the dendrobium from the injured person's arms and threw it at Aunt Yang.

"Get out of my way with your manhood! Don't get in my way of saving people!"

He quickly gave Xiao Yang a basic first aid treatment and shouted to those around him, "Alright, hurry up and put him on the cart and take him to the hospital! He'll really die if we're late!"

The villagers were busy again, and by the time they finished, it was already broad daylight.

The planned funeral was delayed considerably because of this farce. Fortunately, many helpers from the neighboring brigade came, and they managed to set up the mourning hall as quickly as possible.

They were busy until noon before they could finally have a hot meal.

Liu Zhixia and several women who were helping squatted at the kitchen door, holding bowls and eating the leftover food.

Aunt Zhou devoured her food and couldn't help but exclaim, "Xia's cooking is absolutely superb! I thought it was your family's good food before, but I never expected that even cooking our local rice from the big pot would taste so delicious!"

The women around them nodded in agreement, their faces glowing with satisfaction as they ate.

Liu Zhixia smiled sheepishly: "I'm a glutton, and I like to overthink things when I have nothing to do."

Aunt Zhou breathed a sigh of relief: "I don't know if it's just my imagination, but after eating your cooking, I feel so much more energetic! These past two days have really worn me out."

Liu Zhixia smiled but remained silent.

She secretly added spiritual spring water to the food; how could they not be energetic? Everyone had stayed up all night, and there was still a tough battle ahead, so they needed to replenish their strength.

"I'll brew some more hot tea and steam a few baskets of cornbread later to send to the people up the mountain. Can we hold the funeral today?"

Aunt Zhou shook her head: "The family has discussed it and decided to reschedule for tomorrow. Because of the Yang family's commotion today, we missed the auspicious time."

Mentioning the Yang family, someone nearby whispered, "How's that kid from the Yang family? He lay in the ravine all night. Can he be saved?"

Zhang Xiuying sighed, "Oh, this kid is lucky. When my husband was looking for a rope on the mountain, he didn't choose any of the good ropes, but instead picked the junk that Lu Huaiyuan bought. Luckily, a tree branch cushioned his fall, otherwise he would have been dead long ago."

Aunt Zhou added, "He's still in the hospital being treated, his life hangs in the balance. The Yang family is a dangerous bunch, they're in a bad mood right now, so everyone should avoid provoking them to prevent getting into trouble."

Everyone felt the same way and nodded in agreement.

In the afternoon, Liu Zhixia had just returned from delivering supplies to the mountain when she saw Aunt Yang sitting at the gate of the Lu family's house, throwing a tantrum.

Li Xuemei had returned at some point and was now standing with her hands on her hips, hurling insults at her, spittle flying everywhere.

"What's going on?" Liu Zhixia grabbed a young intellectual who was watching the commotion.

The educated youth sighed, "Xiao Yang's injuries were too severe. The hospital didn't have the money to perform the surgery, so Aunt Yang is asking the Lu family for compensation."

"Didn't Xiao Yang have quite a few dendrobium orchids on him? Gu Mansheng confiscated them?"

“We accepted it! But that little money isn’t enough for the surgery. Besides, with Aunt Yang’s personality, money is her lifeline once she gets it. How could she bear to give it all away? Now she’s insisting that Xiao Yang used Lu Huaiyuan’s rotten rope and is making the Lu family pay for it.”

Liu Zhixia and the people around her fell silent for a moment.

This family is so obsessed with money that they don't even value their own son's life as much as money.

"Let's go, there's still work to be done over there, let them make a fuss."

Liu Zhixia gave a signal, and everyone shook their heads and dispersed. Behind them, Aunt Yang's cries and curses and Li Xuemei's angry roars still echoed.

The next day, right after the funeral, Aunt Zhou was leading a team to the hospital to visit the injured. Zhang Xiuying, who had just become the women's director, naturally went along, and Liu Zhixia accompanied her mother.

The villagers pooled their money to buy canned fruit, and the group went to the ward.

Several of those with minor injuries have been transferred to regular wards and are out of danger. Although they are still wrapped in bandages, they are in much better spirits.

"He'll be discharged in a couple of days." The family member's eyes were red. "Could you please help Captain Zhou contact some able-bodied men in the village to help take him back?"

"No problem!" Aunt Zhou readily agreed. "Let me know when you've set the time, and I'll arrange things. Don't hesitate to contact me for any follow-up checks or anything like that."