In the ward, Wang Xiulan was gently wiping the cold sweat from Su Mingde's forehead with a damp towel, while her youngest daughter, Su Yuzhen, carefully handed him water and medicine.
The eldest daughter, Su Yufen, did not come along because she had to look after her two children.
"Dad, when are we going to find that bastard?"
Su Mingqiang asked in a low voice.
Su Jianguo stubbed out his cigarette in a tin can on the windowsill, his eyes as cold as iron.
"What's the rush? Let's go first thing tomorrow morning."
"But my second brother was beaten up like this..."
The third brother, Su Mingfu, spoke with suppressed anger.
He and his second brother had lived in the same house for so many years and still had a very good relationship.
"Therefore, we need to be even more thorough in our preparations."
Su Jianguo interrupted him, his gaze sweeping over his two sons.
"The textile factory is their territory. If we recklessly rush in, we'll be the ones who suffer."
The clock at the end of the corridor pointed to 11:30. Su Jianguo straightened the collar of his faded work clothes.
"Eldest brother and third brother, come with me. Xiulan, you and Yuzhen stay here and watch over the second brother. If anything happens, send someone to the steel mill to find me."
Wang Xiulan anxiously grabbed her husband's sleeve.
"Honey, you mustn't..."
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Su Jianguo patted his wife's hand, turned around and strode towards the stairwell, with his two sons following closely behind.
Su Jianguo rode his bicycle through the empty streets and soon arrived at the steel rolling mill.
The lights were on in the guardhouse at the factory gate, and Old Ma was dozing off.
"Old Ma! Open the door!"
Su Jianguo pounded on the iron gate and shouted.
Old Ma woke up with a start and quickly opened the small window after seeing who it was.
"Hey, Master Su? It's the middle of the night..."
"My son was beaten up."
Su Jianguo was straightforward.
"I came here to ask the brothers for a favor."
Old Ma's expression changed, and without saying a word, he pressed the door open button.
The iron gate slid open slowly, and Su Jianguo rode his bicycle with his two sons straight to the workshop.
The night shift workshop of the steel rolling mill was brightly lit, and the roar of the machines was deafening.
Su Jianguo walked straight toward several veteran workers who were inspecting the rolling mill.
"Old Zhou! Old Li!"
Su Jianguo shouted.
Several elderly workers, covered in oil stains, turned around, and after seeing who it was, they put down their tools and gathered around.
"Old Su? What happened? Why are you here in the middle of the night?"
Foreman Zhou Dayong wiped the sweat from his face and asked.
Su Jianguo took a deep breath.
"My second son was beaten very badly by the son of Wang, the deputy director of the textile factory. He's still in the hospital."
"What?"
Several veteran workers widened their eyes simultaneously.
"That little bastard, relying on his father being a leader, beat my son so badly that he broke his ribs, fractured his nose, and suffered a concussion. He's still unconscious."
Su Jianguo's voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear the anger in it.
"I'm going to the textile factory first thing tomorrow morning to demand an explanation."
Zhou Dayong punched the iron frame next to him.
"Damn it! Those textile factory bastards dare to mess with our steel mill people? Old Su, count me in!"
"Me too!"
Fitter Lao Li took off his safety helmet.
"My nephew also works at the textile factory, and I've long heard that the deputy factory director's son is no good."
The surrounding night shift workers all expressed their willingness to join in.
Su Jianguo nodded.
"Thanks, brothers. Meet at the textile factory gate at six o'clock tomorrow morning. Remember, don't alert the factory leaders."
"clear!"
Zhou Dayong patted Su Jianguo on the shoulder.
"I'll go call a few more night shift guys; they'll definitely be here tomorrow."
After leaving the workshop, Su Jianguo took his two sons to the electrician's team.
The three apprentices on the night shift were playing cards in the break room when their master suddenly appeared, and they all stood up in surprise.
"Master? What's wrong..."
The eldest apprentice, Zhao Hongqi, quickly put away the playing cards.
Su Jianguo explained the situation concisely, and his three apprentices immediately erupted in chaos upon hearing it.
"Damn! Master, we'll go with you tomorrow!"
The second apprentice, Wang Tiezhu, slammed his fist on the table and stood up, the burly man, who was 1.85 meters tall, turning red with anger.
"Exactly, they're asking for trouble! How dare they bully my master!"
Yang Dalei, the third apprentice, also rolled up his sleeves.
Seeing his three apprentices' indignant expressions, Su Jianguo was deeply moved.
He nodded.
"Okay, six o'clock tomorrow, at the textile factory gate."
It was already 1 a.m. when Su Jianguo left the steel rolling mill, but he showed no intention of going home.
He took his two sons and rode his bicycle to the steel mill's residential compound in the east of the city.
Wherever he went, he would briefly explain the situation, and without exception, he received firm support.
These veteran workers, who have spent most of their lives in the steel rolling mill, can't stand bullying behavior.
At three o'clock in the morning, Su Jianguo, with his two exhausted sons, arrived at their last stop—the home of his eldest son, where his father, Old Master Su, was temporarily staying.
When the door was opened, Li Jinhua stood there sleepily. When she saw her father-in-law and two younger brothers-in-law, her face turned deathly pale.
"Dad...Grandpa and the others are asleep..."
She stammered.
Su Jianguo didn't even glance at her and walked straight into the living room.
Grandpa Su was already sitting in a rattan chair, wearing a coat, clearly having heard the commotion long ago.
"father."
Su Jianguo stood in front of his father.
"The second son was beaten by the son of Wang, the deputy director of the textile factory, and is now in the hospital."
Grandpa Su's cloudy eyes suddenly sharpened.
"How badly are you injured?"
"Two broken ribs, a fractured nose, and a concussion."
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