As soon as the school bell rang at noon, Hu Zi hurried to find Xu Mengyao and described in a moving manner the commotion caused by the Zhang family in the classroom that morning. His words were full of anger at the Zhang family's ruthless behavior.
Xu Mengyao frowned, knowing in her heart that if this matter was not settled quickly, there would be no peace at home.
She rushed to the bank, withdrew some money, and returned home. As soon as she opened the door, the air was filled with a depressing atmosphere. Her father's eyes were like a volcano about to erupt, and he began to question her:
"Where's that brat? How dare he hide outside?"
Xu Mengyao gently put down the purse in her hand and said calmly, "Dad, calm down first. I have prepared the compensation money, and we will go and solve it later. Big brother also knows that what he did was wrong, but he didn't know how to handle it properly when helping his friend."
"He's offering 10,000 yuan to help someone? He's quite generous. But who will help our family?"
"Forget it, don't be angry with Erya. I think Wenbin is regretting it too. His face was as pale as paper this morning." Grandma Huang spoke at the right time.
"Mom! Stop protecting that brat! I'm going to beat him up no matter what he says this time!" Father Huang's anger did not diminish at all.
At this time, Huang's mother stepped forward, picked up the purse from the table, and put it back into Xu Mengyao's hand: "How can your brother's trouble be paid with your money? Your father and I have saved some money these days, and your grandma also gave us 500 yuan, which is enough. You can keep yours for yourself."
Xu Mengyao carefully drafted a formal settlement agreement, ensuring that the Zhang family would not cause any further trouble after receiving the compensation. Then she and her father rushed to the hospital. Before handing out the compensation, she insisted that the Zhang family's parents sign the agreement, promising that the matter would end there and that they would not cause any further trouble for the Huang family and Huang Wenbin.
After finishing her business, she came to the fish pond.
Huang Wenbin saw this and smiled bitterly: "You can always find me."
"That's because you always come to this place."
"How's the situation at home? Is Dad furious? My leg...is it okay?" Huang Wenbin asked worriedly.
"The money has been compensated and the problem has been solved, but Dad is naturally still angry. The leg should be fine, but you will definitely have to eat a meal of fried pork with belt when you go back." Xu Mengyao said half-jokingly.
"Ten thousand yuan! How many pies will my mother have to sell to earn it back?" Huang Wenbin sighed.
"Don't even think about it. Grandma said she can't protect you this time, so she wants you to go to Grandpa Qi's place to hide out and wait until Dad's anger subsides before coming back. Here, I've packed your clothes."
Huang Wenbin took the luggage and set off for Qi's house with helplessness and gratitude.
As night fell, the lights in the village gradually came on. The sound of footsteps broke the tranquility of the Huang family courtyard. It turned out that it was Jie Zi's father who came to visit.
Huang's father was surprised to see this and greeted him enthusiastically: "Hey, District Chief Sun, why did you come here in person? Please come in and have a seat."
At the invitation of Huang's father, District Chief Sun slowly sat down with a sincere expression: "Old Huang, I came here today specially to thank your Wenbin. If it weren't for him, it might be our Xiaojie lying in the hospital.
Secondly, I have to apologize to your family. Yesterday, Lao Zhang and I agreed to compensate them with 2,000 yuan to resolve this matter. Who knew they would change their minds today and even come to your house and make a scene, demanding 10,000 yuan. I'm so sorry, it's really my family who has caused you trouble in this matter."
Huang's father quickly waved his hands, his eyes full of sincerity: "Director Sun, please stop saying that. I just found out that Wenbin actually helped your child. What's the point of saying that between friends, you can't get involved."
District Chief Sun pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it over. "These two thousand yuan were originally intended for the Zhang family. Take this for emergency use. As for the remaining eight thousand yuan, I'll slowly raise it and I'll definitely return it to you."
Upon hearing this, Huang's father immediately declined, his attitude firm: "That won't do, District Chief Sun. Ultimately, it was my son Wenbin who did it, and we have to bear the responsibility. This is also to teach that kid a lesson. We can't accept this money, we really can't."
With that, Huang's father forcibly stuffed the money back into District Chief Sun's hands and even half-pushed him out the door. Before leaving, District Chief Sun patted Huang's father's shoulder heavily, his voice full of sincerity: "Old Huang, I will remember this friendship!"
A few days passed and Huang Wenbin did not show up in the village, and he immediately became the topic of conversation among the villagers after dinner.
Aunt Feng took the opportunity to fan the flames: "What do you think? Could it be that Huang's Binzi was taken away by the police? He hasn't been seen for the past few days."
"That's right. He was awarded a banner a while ago and was said to be helping others, but he almost became a murderer!" others echoed.
Upon hearing this, Huang Nai roared and rushed forward, tearing at Aunt Feng's hair and cursing:
"Mother Kang, I'm going to tear your mouth apart today. You keep talking nonsense behind my back every day. You're a chicken that can't lay eggs, but you're pretending to be a phoenix all day long. Bah!"
After giving them a lecture, Grandma Huang turned to the crowd, her momentum undiminished: "I'm telling you, my Binzi is fine, at his stepfather's house! You gossipers, I've got you all on my mind, don't even think about coming into my house to watch TV! If you hadn't been nagging me that day, my family wouldn't have had to pay so much money! You heartless ungrateful bastards, waiting to see my family make a fool of themselves, you can't even wait until the coffin lid is closed!!"
The villagers were frightened by Grandma Huang's attitude and dispersed one after another, never daring to talk about the Huang family's affairs again.
In the Qi family courtyard, as peaceful and tranquil as ever, Huang Wenbin sat in the yard, playing chess with Grandpa Qi. The interweaving of black and white pieces on the chessboard seemed a microcosm of life.
"Wenbin,"
Grandpa Qi spoke slowly, his tone gentle but powerful, "Life is like this game of chess. Sometimes a wrong move doesn't mean the whole game is lost. What's important is to learn from it, find a new direction, and re-strategize."
Huang Wenbin stared at the chessboard, lost in thought. These past few days, he'd felt like a heavy rock weighed down his heart. He regretted his impulsive behavior, and beyond that, he felt a sense of uncertainty about the future.
"Grandpa, I... What else can I do now? Everyone in the village looks at me strangely, and my teachers and classmates must be laughing at me too."
"My child," Grandpa Qi gently patted the back of Huang Wenbin's hand, "people's perspectives are always fleeting and changeable. You must remember that true evaluation comes from your own inner recognition. I was also confused when I was young, and it was military life that gave me a new life. There, I learned what responsibility and honor are, and more importantly, I found my own value."
Huang Wenbin's eyes gradually brightened, as if he saw a ray of light in the dark days.
"Grandpa, are you saying... let me join the army?"
"Yeah," Grandpa Qi nodded, his eyes deep.
"The military is a melting pot that can temper one's will and teach one self-discipline and dedication. You have a warm heart, but you just lack the right guidance. There, you can prove yourself through your actions, wash away the shadows of the past with sweat, and reshape a new self."
(ps. Please read what the author said, I will collect some opinions)
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