Chapter 153 Making Things Difficult

The family members were moved to tears, holding Aunt Zhou's hand tightly and refusing to let go: "We shouldn't have been greedy for that little bit of money! If only we had listened to your advice, we wouldn't have suffered like this!"

Aunt Zhou offered another round of reassurance.

Liu Zhixia stood in the corridor, her gaze sweeping across the end, and saw Aunt Yang slumped on the ground like a lump of mud, her eyes vacant.

Noticing the gaze, Aunt Yang turned her head and saw Liu Zhixia. She turned her face away, feeling both ashamed and annoyed.

Following her daughter's gaze, Zhang Xiuying asked the family member next to her in a low voice, "How are things on the Yang family's side?"

The family member sighed and lowered their voice: "I heard he survived, but the injuries were too severe. That leg... I'm afraid it's ruined."

Feeling the pointing and whispering gazes around her, Aunt Yang, as if her tail had been stepped on, jumped up and stormed over angrily.

"Captain Zhou! Why aren't you taking care of my son's affairs? Is it because I didn't give you a gift that you're making things difficult for me?"

The moment those words were spoken, the hospital corridor fell silent, and countless eyes turned to look.

Although the villagers knew what was going on, the strangers at the hospital didn't. Especially seeing Aunt Zhou and her group carrying large bags of gifts to comfort others, while ignoring Aunt Yang, the ulterior motives behind this were indeed intriguing.

Zhang Xiuying said irritably, "Yang family, don't think you can throw mud at us just because outsiders don't know the inside story! Sister Zhou became the brigade leader to serve everyone, and she has never accepted a single needle or thread! She's been running herself ragged these past few days because of the mess you've made, and you have the nerve to say such things?"

Aunt Yang stood with her hands on her hips, spitting as she spoke: "She's running around? I haven't seen her at all! My son's leg was ruined by her nephew, Lu Huaiyuan! Instead of helping me get money from the Lu family, she's making sarcastic remarks here. Does she think I'm deaf?"

As she spoke, she plopped down on the ground, slapped her thigh, and wailed, "Damn it! My family is so unlucky! We finally raised our only son, and now his leg is crippled, and he can't even get married. This is going to make my family line die out!"

"It's all because of Captain Zhou's nephew! She just wants to protect her own relative!"

These words were so damaging that those around them, unaware of the truth, began to whisper among themselves, their eyes filled with disdain as they looked at Aunt Zhou.

Aunt Zhou was trembling with anger, but she was speechless. At this point, any explanation would just seem like a cover-up.

Liu Zhixia stepped forward, looking at Aunt Yang with a cold gaze: "Aunt Yang, you said your son's leg was caused by Aunt Zhou's nephew, Lu Huaiyuan. Do you have any evidence?"

Upon hearing this, Aunt Yang jumped up and pointed at Liu Zhixia, shouting, "Liu Zhixia! Don't play dumb! The rotten rope that Lu Huaiyuan bought has harmed so many people, and you were the one who exposed the problem with the rope in public! What? Now you want to go back on your word?"

Liu Zhixia smiled slightly: "Aunt Yang, it is indeed true that Lu Huaiyuan bought inferior ropes that caused villagers to fall off cliffs."

The surrounding onlookers were in an uproar.

No wonder there have been so many more fall injuries at the hospital lately, now I know why!

Aunt Yang's expression softened slightly: "At least you still have some conscience, you didn't lie through your teeth."

Liu Zhixia changed the subject, blinking innocently: "But what does this have to do with your son?"

Pointing to the injured in the ward, she said loudly, "Everyone, such a big accident happened in the village. The village head has been running around these past few days, not only helping with the aftermath, but also forcing the perpetrator to pay all the medical expenses and compensation. Otherwise, would these family members be speaking to us so calmly?"

Upon hearing this, the people around nodded in agreement.

"Yes, if there were any resentment, there would have been a huge uproar long ago. How could things be so harmonious?"

"It seems the compensation has indeed been paid. Then why is it only this old lady making a fuss? Could it be that the brigade leader is discriminating against her and deliberately not compensating her family?"

Hearing everyone's discussion, Aunt Yang became anxious: "That's right! They're just bullies who prey on the weak! Those people are only afraid of being punished, that's why they don't dare to cause trouble! But my family isn't afraid! I only have one son, so we'll fight to the death!"

Seeing that public opinion was no longer one-sided, Aunt Zhou sneered and finally spoke up: "Yang family, you should speak with conscience. Back then, when Lu Huaiyuan tricked everyone into going up the mountain, I tried my best to persuade him, but you pushed me away and scolded me for blocking your path to wealth! Have you forgotten that?"

She pointed at the injured villagers: "Everyone risked their lives for a living. I never said a word of indifference after the accident. I helped them get compensation from the boss, which is how they got the money to save their lives. But what about your son?"

Aunt Zhou's gaze was piercing as she stared directly at Aunt Yang: "Your son, knowing the rope was faulty after the accident, still secretly went up the mountain to gather herbs for five yuan, which is why he fell! How can I stand up for you after such a self-destructive act? How can I get compensation from the Lu family?!"

Aunt Yang rushed up, spitting as she spoke: "Your nephew bought the rope, didn't he? You asked for the medicine, didn't you? My son got into this accident while working for him, why shouldn't he care? I think you're just holding a grudge against me for pushing you back then, and you're deliberately taking revenge!"

The onlookers finally understood.

So it turns out this woman's own son was greedy and took risks after the accident, and then blamed others for his fall?

Everyone's gaze towards Aunt Yang became meaningful.

However, there's always that kind of peacemaker who believes "whoever is weaker is right," who will say earnestly, "Captain, after all, it was your relative who caused this trouble. Their child's leg is ruined, how pitiful. Let your nephew pay some compensation, consider it an act of kindness."

Aunt Zhou stood tall, neither servile nor arrogant: "She's my commune member, so I'll definitely help her if she's in trouble. But I also have principles! Just because I'm the brigade leader doesn't mean I can force someone to be a sucker. That's not helping, that's extortion!"

Zhang Xiuying glared at the peacemaker, annoyed. "They've paid the wages they were owed and compensated what they were owed. This matter is settled long ago! Her son secretly ran off to his death to earn that thirty yuan extra. Why should the brigade be held responsible? When she put that money in her pocket, why didn't she think about sharing it with the brigade?"

Thirty yuan?!

The crowd erupted in chaos.

Thirty yuan is a huge sum of money these days! To risk everything for such a large amount of money is like seeking fortune in danger. If you fall to your death, it's your own choice. How can you blame others?

The winds of change completely shifted; the way people looked at Aunt Yang went from sympathy to contempt.

Aunt Yang panicked, but still stubbornly insisted, "But... if they hadn't wanted the medicinal herbs, my son wouldn't have gone! Anyway, they have to take responsibility!"

But this feeble explanation was seen by everyone as nothing more than a rogue's last struggle.

Zhang Xiuying saw right through him: "So, if you make money, it's yours, but if something goes wrong, everyone has to bail you out? I heard this whole scheme from the village entrance!"

A burst of laughter erupted around them. Aunt Yang's face turned a deep shade of purplish-red, and she was furious and embarrassed: "Now that the Liu family is rich, they've started to look down on us poor people?"