Chapter 44 The Price
After the police from the local police station took Zhou Xiaomei away, who was ashen-faced and still trying to argue, the hospital corridor fell silent instantly.
Jiang Fengnian's forehead was badly bruised and required five stitches. Due to excessive blood loss and the effects of suppressing the medication used to inseminate pigs, he was quite weak. When he arrived at the hospital and saw the police, his nerves, which he had been holding back, suddenly relaxed, and he fainted. He is currently lying in a hospital bed receiving an IV drip and has not yet woken up.
Liu Hong went all the way, not only paying the medical expenses in advance, but also sitting by Jiang Fengnian's bedside waiting for him to wake up.
What an upright and courageous man he is! Liu Hong admired him in her heart: In such a situation, he would rather hurt himself than lose his true nature. This willpower made her sincerely admire him, and even... a trace of heartache and affection quietly grew in her heart.
It seemed the IV drip was taking effect, because Jiang Fengnian's eyelids twitched, and he finally woke up slowly. The moment his consciousness returned, he felt a dull pain in his temple and couldn't help but take a soft breath.
"You're awake?" A gentle yet clear female voice sounded in my ear.
Jiang Fengnian turned his head, focused his gaze, and finally saw Liu Hong by the bedside.
Sunlight streamed through the window, falling perfectly on her fair profile and a few stray strands of hair at her temples, as if bathing them in a warm glow. He paused for a moment before recognizing her as the girl who had stepped forward to testify at the crucial moment.
"Thank you," he said, his voice still a little hoarse, as he tried to sit up. "Thanks to you today."
"Don't move around, be careful of the needle, lie down quickly," Liu Hong quickly got up and pressed him down, "How are you feeling? Are you still dizzy? The doctor said you have a concussion."
It was the first time Jiang Fengnian had been in such close contact with a member of the opposite sex, and he felt a little embarrassed. His dark face flushed slightly, and he subconsciously reached out to touch the gauze on his forehead, but instead pulled on the IV tube in his hand.
"Don't move around too much," Liu Hong gently reminded her, then naturally changed the subject, "Are you feeling better? Should we let your family know?"
"Yes, yes!" Jiang Fengnian suddenly realized and quickly said, "Comrade, could you please... help me send a message to my sister? She works at a labor protection factory, and her name is Jiang Suining."
"Jiang Suining?" Liu Hong was slightly taken aback, her face showing an incredulous look of surprise. "You mean Jiang Suining from the Women's Federation of the Labor Protection Factory? The one who's currently on loan to the seaweed artificial cultivation project team? The very beautiful girl?"
Now it was Jiang Fengnian's turn to be surprised: "Yes! Comrade, you know my sister?"
Liu Hong immediately smiled, a genuine and bright smile that carried a sense of warmth, as if she were one of her own: "It's more than just knowing each other! My name is Liu Hong, and I'm also an officer in the Women's Federation of the Labor Protection Factory! I'm friends with Sui Sui."
"So you're Sui Sui's friend. Look at the mess this has made..." He was both excited and annoyed. "My name is Jiang Fengnian. I've only been here a few days. This is our first meeting, and I've already caused you so much trouble by showing me this disheveled state..."
“What’s this trouble!” Liu Hong said crisply, with the camaraderie unique to that era. “You’re Sui Sui’s brother, so you’re even less of an outsider.”
Jiang Fengnian felt a surge of warmth in his heart. Looking at the pretty, cheerful, and righteous girl in front of him, and thinking that she was not only his benefactor but also his sister's good friend, a wonderful sense of fate and an indescribable affection quietly grew in his heart.
Liu Hong was also slightly moved. She had always admired this tough guy who would rather break than bend. Now that she learned that he was the "honest and kind, especially loving to his younger sister and filial to his mother" older brother that her friend had mentioned, her admiration was mixed with a sense of intimacy and destiny.
Looking at his still-injured, somewhat simple-minded smile, her cheeks involuntarily flushed.
"Then you should rest well first. I'll go and inform Sui Sui right away." Liu Hong suppressed the strange feeling in her heart, stood up and said, her tone returning to its usual capable state, but her eyes were a few degrees softer than before.
"Oh, thank you for your hard work, Comrade Liu," Jiang Fengnian said hurriedly.
"No trouble at all, I'm going back to the factory anyway." She turned around and smiled, then left the ward with light steps.
Watching her departing figure, Jiang Fengnian felt that the wound on his forehead didn't hurt so much anymore, and his heart was filled with a strange, warm feeling.
On her way to the factory, Liu Hong couldn't help but recall Jiang Fengnian's sincere yet stubborn eyes, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared on her lips, a smile she herself didn't even realize.
***
Jiang Suining was reading a book in the last row of the auditorium. During this period, she attended training classes and borrowed a lot of books about kelp farming from Chen Jun. Her progress had completely caught up with the progress of the worker training, so she simply decided to study on her own.
Normally, she could concentrate on reading without any distractions, but today, for some reason, she just couldn't focus. She felt inexplicably anxious and couldn't get through a single page. Sensing something was wrong, she closed her book and went for a walk. Just as she stepped out of the auditorium, she saw Liu Hong rushing towards her like a whirlwind, her face filled with urgency, yet her voice deliberately lowered: "Sui Sui, something's happened to your brother!"
Jiang Suining's heart skipped a beat: "What's wrong? What happened to my brother?"
Liu Hong quickly recounted the events, highlighting the key points. Seeing Jiang Suining's pale face, she immediately comforted him, "Don't worry, Brother Jiang has woken up. He just has a mild concussion, and the doctor said he needs to be hospitalized."
Zhou Xiaomei, how could she be so vicious! Drugging him? Framing him for indecent assault? In this day and age, this is an unforgivable crime that can completely ruin a man and even implicate his entire family! And her brother actually used such a tragic method to avoid being framed!
Jiang Suining felt a chill run from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head, making her sway and almost lose her balance.
Anger, heartache, and lingering fear overwhelmed her in an instant. She gripped Liu Hong's hand tightly, her nails almost digging into her flesh, and her voice was squeezed out through clenched teeth: "That vicious woman Zhou Xiaomei! Where is she now?!"
“He was taken to the police station by the police. Luckily, I happened to be there and testified for your brother,” Liu Hong said, grabbing Jiang Suining’s arm to comfort her. “Let’s go to the hospital to see your brother first.”
"I'm going to ask for leave, wait for me," Jiang Suining said, then rushed into the auditorium, briefly told Chen Jun, grabbed her bag, and followed Liu Hong to the hospital.
Her mind raced the whole way. She couldn't let her mother know about this. Her mother was old and not in good health. How could she bear to hear this news? But her brother had a head injury and needed stitches. He was wrapped in gauze, so it was impossible to hide it from her.
In the hospital ward, Jiang Suining pushed open the door and saw her brother Jiang Fengnian lying on the bed with a glaring bandage wrapped around his head and a pale face. Tears almost welled up in her eyes.
"Sui Sui, you've finally arrived," Jiang Fengnian said, forcing a smile so his sister wouldn't worry. But the smile aggravated the wound on his forehead, causing him to wince in pain. "It's nothing, it's nothing. I'm pretty tough. It's just a minor cut. It'll be fine by tomorrow."
Knowing that her brother was trying to comfort her, Jiang Suining stopped crying, wiped away her tears, her eyes turned fierce, and she gritted her teeth: "That damned Zhou Xiaomei, she's got some nerve, daring to set her sights on you! I will never let her get away with this."
"You can't do anything reckless, the police station will handle it." Jiang Fengnian was afraid that his sister would do something irreversible in a moment of impulse, but he was most worried about his mother. "What are you going to say to Mom?"
Jiang Suining looked serious and sighed, "We can't hide it anymore, so we have to tell the truth, but we have to take it slowly and start with the lighter parts."
After the siblings discussed it, Jiang Suining stayed in the ward with Jiang Fengnian and Liu Hong for a while before leaving with Liu Hong.
When Jiang got home, his mother was cooking, but the fire in the stove hadn't been lit yet.
"Mother, I'm back." Jiang Suining tried to make her voice sound normal.
Jiang's mother didn't stop working, but looked up at her daughter and said, "Didn't you see your brother on the way? I sent him to buy some rice and flour, but he hasn't come back yet."
Jiang Suining shrank back suddenly, walked over to her mother, squatted down, and put her hands into the enamel basin to help wash the vegetables.
Jiang's mother stopped washing vegetables: "He's unfamiliar with this place, what could he possibly be up to? He must have seen people playing chess by the roadside and went to watch the fun."
Jiang Suining was troubled. After hesitating for a moment, she thought to herself that she had to say something anyway, so why bother with the friction? She stared at the green vegetable leaves in the pot and said, "Actually, my brother had a little accident. He bumped into something, but it's nothing serious."
Jiang's mother then realized something was wrong, and the vegetables in her hands fell into the basin of water. She looked at Jiang Suining and asked, "Is it nothing serious? Your head is injured? What happened? Tell me quickly, where is your brother now?"
"Yes, at the hospital," Jiang Suining said in a low voice.
I got a small cut on my head, and the doctor said I need to stay in the hospital overnight for observation, just in case... I might have a concussion.
Jiang's mother jumped up: "Quick, take me there!"
Jiang Suining quickly supported her mother's trembling hand, feeling its icy coldness: "Alright, alright, I'll take you there right away. Don't worry, my brother is really alright."
Jiang's mother was not easily fooled. She grabbed her daughter's wrist and said as she walked out, "What exactly happened? A perfectly healthy person went out to buy something and ended up with a head injury? And she even had to be hospitalized. Sui Sui, do you think your mother is senile and easy to fool?"
Under her mother's clear and anxious gaze, Jiang Suining knew that the story she and her brother had discussed could not be kept secret. She took a deep breath and slowly told the truth.
Jiang's mother tightened her grip on her daughter's arm, and Jiang Suining, though in pain, didn't dare to utter a sound.
"What exactly does she want?" Jiang's mother's face paled slightly. "We're all from the same village, what kind of grudge could she possibly have to do this?"
“I reckon she’s afraid you’ll reveal that she’s here after you go back to the village, and she wants to create some leverage against us.” This was also Jiang Suining and Jiang Fengnian’s guess.
"Why can't we talk things out properly? Why do you have to hurt people?" Jiang's mother's voice trembled. She had lived most of her life, experienced the hardships of the old society, and witnessed the evil of human nature, but she still had a kind heart.
“Judging others by her own standards, she thinks everyone else is just like her because she has a bad heart,” Jiang Suining comforted her mother. “Fortunately, my brother is alright, Mother. Don’t worry, Zhou Xiaomei will pay the price.”
Jiang's mother wiped away her tears: "Your brother did the right thing! We Jiang family members would rather die poor than steal, and we would rather die unjustly than bow our heads! Even if his head is cracked open and he has scars on his body, his innocence will remain in his heart! It was worth it!"
As she spoke, she quickened her pace, and Jiang Suining, fearing that her mother might fall, helped her forward.
The smell of disinfectant lingered in the ward. Police officers from the local station came to investigate and had just left.
Jiang Fengnian had finished his IV drip and was now leaning against the headboard. The gauze on his forehead was glaringly white, and his face was still somewhat pale due to blood loss and exhaustion.
Jiang's mother appeared at the door. She walked quickly, a little out of breath, her gray hair disheveled by the wind.
She spotted her son on the hospital bed at a glance. The thick gauze felt like a knife, piercing her heart instantly. She stopped in her tracks, gripping the doorframe tightly, her lips trembling. The strength she had maintained all the way here almost crumbled at the sight of her son's frail appearance.
The word "Mother" brought Jiang's mother back from her momentary daze. She took a deep breath, as if swallowing back the surging emotions, and walked quickly to the bedside with somewhat heavy steps.
"Does it hurt?" She didn't cry, but instead stretched out her calloused, slightly trembling hands and gently and carefully touched the edge of the gauze on Jiang Fengnian's forehead, as if afraid of hurting him.
Jiang Fengnian didn't think the injury was a big deal at first, but when he heard his mother ask, his nose suddenly felt sore, and he quickly shook his head: "It doesn't hurt, it really doesn't hurt, I just bled a little and I don't have much strength. Mother, you have to make me something delicious to help me recover."
Seeing her son in such a state, yet still unable to resist his witty banter, Jiang's mother's eyes finally welled up with tears. "Alright, Mother will go back and make chicken soup right away."
Seeing that Jiang's mother was about to leave, Jiang Fengnian quickly stopped her: "Mother, there's no rush. It's not too late for me to eat at home."
Originally intending to comfort his mother, Jiang Fengnian didn't expect that his mother would take it seriously. Worried about his mother's health, he winked at Jiang Suining.
Jiang Suining helped her mother up: "Mother, it's getting late. This chicken soup won't be ready in a while. I'll go outside and buy some for my brother. You can make it tomorrow."
"Okay, then go quickly." Jiang's mother felt sorry for her son and sat back down on the edge of the bed.
Jiang Suining had left in a hurry and hadn't brought a lunchbox. Since she had some money on her, she went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a lunchbox before going to the state-run restaurant to buy chicken soup. She also bought millet porridge and meat buns.
The three of them had a makeshift dinner at the hospital. Jiang Suining went to get some water, but her mother, worried that Lu Ye would be concerned if they went home too late, urged Jiang Suining to go home first, saying she would stay and keep watch.
The brother and sister refused, but their mother insisted. Jiang Fengnian had no choice but to lift the covers and get out of bed to go back with the mother and daughter. Only then did Jiang's mother give up. Before leaving, she was still worried and told Jiang Fengnian to find the nurse on duty. Only then did she reluctantly go back with Jiang Suining.
When Lu Ye got home from get off work, he didn't see his mother-in-law, brother-in-law, or wife. Seeing the vegetables soaking in the pot in the kitchen, he felt uneasy and hurriedly went out to look for them. He looked all over the family compound but didn't see them. He then walked outside the compound and met his mother-in-law and wife there.
Seeing his mother-in-law's red and swollen eyes and his wife Jiang Suining's heavy expression, Lu Ye asked, "What happened? Where is my brother-in-law?" Lu Ye's heart sank when he couldn't find his brother-in-law.
Jiang Suining told him the whole story. After listening, Lu Ye's usually cold face instantly darkened, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, veins bulged on his forehead, and a raging fire burned in his chest! Zhou Xiaomei, it was Zhou Xiaomei again! How dare she use such despicable means to frame his family! This was not only aimed at Jiang Fengnian, but also at him, Lu Ye, and at their entire family—a vicious provocation!
He took several deep breaths before barely suppressing the urge to immediately confront Zhou Xiaomei. He was a soldier and had to abide by discipline.
"How is your brother now?" he asked in a hoarse voice. "Did he have dinner tonight?"
“It’s nothing serious, just a concussion. I need to be hospitalized for observation. I bought some food tonight and ate with my mom at the hospital,” Jiang Suining said, oblivious to Lu Ye’s mood. “You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I doubt you can buy any at this hour.”
"I'm fine, I'll go back and make some noodles." Lu Ye's eyes were sharp as knives. "This matter can't be left like this. Zhou Xiaomei is Li Guodong's family member. For both public and private reasons, I have to go and talk to Li Guodong!"
“Zhou Xiaomei has been taken to the police station, and Li Guodong should know about it.” Jiang Suining strongly agreed with Lu Ye’s words.
"You guys go back first, I'll go find Li Guodong." Li Guodong's house is in a different direction from theirs, at a fork in the road, Lu Ye said.
"Isn't this too late?" Jiang Suining hesitated.
“He can’t sleep.” Lu Ye insisted, watching Jiang’s mother and Jiang Suining’s figures disappear around the corner, then turned his bicycle around and rode towards Li Guodong’s house.
Shortly after Zhou Xiaomei was taken away, the police station contacted Li Guodong. Li Guodong was shocked, furious, and filled with regret. When Lu Ye came to see him, he naturally knew why.
Lu Ye was afraid of scaring the child, so he and Li Guodong went out to the beach to talk.
“Lu Ye,” Li Guosheng spoke first, his voice hoarse, “I’m sorry.”
Lu Ye did not respond to the apology. Not all harm deserves forgiveness. He stared at Li Guodong's slightly hunched back, his voice as cold and hard as a reef: "The police station contacted you?"
Li Guodong's shoulders twitched violently, and he finally slowly raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was filled with an almost deathly despair. He dared not look directly into Lu Ye's eyes, his gaze wandering, and finally he lowered his head again.
“I did,” he said, his voice trembling as he swallowed hard. “The police officers told me everything. They drugged me… and falsely accused me of indecent assault…” He couldn’t continue. The thought of Lu Ye’s brother-in-law’s self-harm rather than submit was like a resounding slap in the face, not only to Zhou Xiaomei but also to his own conscience.
"It seems you already know," Lu Ye said coldly, his tone carrying an unusual disdain. "Then tell me, what are you going to do? Continue to let your vicious woman run rampant?"
Overwhelmed by unprecedented shame and humiliation, Li Guodong suddenly raised his head, his bloodshot eyes filled with pain and pleading: "Lu Ye, hit me, hit me hard! It's my fault, I didn't control her! I, I'm not a man!" He roared out of control, raising his hand and slapping himself hard across the face.
Lu Ye grabbed his wrist with such force that Li Guodong couldn't move at all. He wasn't there to watch him harm himself.
"Would it do any good to hit you?" Lu Ye took a step closer, his gaze sharp, locking onto Li Guodong's evasive eyes. "Li Guodong, you're a soldier! Your wife has done something that disgraces soldiers and violates the law, and you think you can just slap yourself a few times and be done with it?!"
"What else can I do?" Li Guodong cried out in despair. "That stupid woman! That vicious woman! She ruined herself and me! My future... is over... all over!" At this moment, he vented not only anger and guilt, but also fear and despair at the complete collapse of his own destiny.
"Future prospects?" Lu Ye snorted coldly, released his wrist, and said with an almost cruel calmness, "Li Guodong, this is all your own doing. I warned you before to stay away from Zhou Xiaomei, but you didn't listen, so you have to bear the consequences."
He took a deep breath, thinking of this brother who had once risked his life with him, and finally couldn't bear it: "Zhou Xiaomei will be punished by law, and I believe you will not show favoritism. As for you, as your comrade-in-arms, I have a piece of advice for you!"
Lu Ye paused, then said decisively, "Let's get a divorce. Keeping such a troublemaker around will only ruin your life!"
"Divorce?" Li Guodong stammered. He had thought about it, but how he and Zhou Xiaomei got together was not honorable. Zhou Xiaomei had threatened that if he dared to divorce her, she would sue him for being a scoundrel.
Hooliganism is a crime punishable by death! If Zhou Xiaomei goes all out, he'll lose not only his future but also his life.
Looking at Li Guodong's hesitant expression, Lu Ye's anger was gradually replaced by a heavy sorrow. This man was beyond saving; he was destined to be dragged into the abyss by Zhou Xiaomei.
"You'd better think twice." Lu Ye gave him one last look, his voice low and heavy with a hint of weariness. "If you refuse to get a divorce, then retire. Don't drag the company down with you, don't bring shame to our regiment."
After saying that, he didn't linger, turned around, and left with the standard steps of a soldier.
Behind him, Li Guodong's suppressed, desperate cries drifted in the sea breeze and were quickly swallowed by the surging tide.
Lu Ye knew that from this moment on, the bond of comradeship between him and Li Guodong, even if not completely severed, would forever be separated by an indelible shadow stained with blood and grime. What he had to do was go back to protect his family and wait for the organization and the law to bring this all to a just end.
With sufficient witnesses and physical evidence, Zhou Xiaomei was sentenced to three years in prison for false accusation and illegal use of drugs.
Zhou Xiaomei severely damaged the military's reputation. The organization talked to Li Guodong several times, but Li Guodong refused to divorce her and eventually had no choice but to retire. Because of Zhou Xiaomei, he was not given a job after his retirement. Although he was a local from the island, he had no relatives left. After retiring, he rented a house and looked for work everywhere. But that's another story.
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