Chapter 25 Wu Shixiong who always smiles
Inside the hospital room, upon hearing the cursing outside the door, Wu Shixiong instinctively stood up straight and looked towards the door.
After a short while, the half-opened door was roughly pushed open by a tall and sturdy man in his fifties or sixties. He was dressed in plain and even dirty clothes, with hair sticking to his head that had not been groomed in a long time.
The middle-aged man was unremarkable in appearance with a big red face and a wine-colored nose. He had a physical disability and was missing his left hand, which had a visible scar on the wrist with red bumps all over it.
Su Tianyu observed the peculiarly dressed middle-aged man and tentatively asked, "Who are you?"
"I'm his father!" The middle-aged man, reeking of alcohol, pointed at Wu Shixiong and said.
"Oh, Uncle has come!" Su Tianyu immediately assisted from the bed and sat up, "Please sit down, Wu Shixiong, give Uncle a chair."
Wu Shixiong immediately grabbed a chair and placed it next to his father, but remained silent.
The tall middle-aged man spat out thick phlegm into the trash can, took out a cigarette box, and asked Wu Shixiong while sitting cross-legged, "How's your recovery going? Feeling better?"
"I...I'm all better now. I can...I can work!" Wu Shixiong seemed nervous facing his father and stuttered.
With a loud voice, Wu Shixiong's father looked at his son and cursed, "Your damn brain doesn't work, so many workers in the factory didn't lift a finger, but you just had to be the one with an itchy hand! Have you ever thought about how dangerous those machetes and guns can be? Once someone gets disabled, what are you going to do? Your brain is no good and you stutter when you speak. You're half-disabled already, and if your body gets any worse...will you still be able to live?"
Wu Shixiong lowered his head and dared not answer.
"If you're injured, just take care of yourself. With such a big company like Su's, they can't just let you be. Once you're all healed, you can go back to work." Wu Shixiong's father said again.
Su Tianyu had been staying with Wu Shixiong for a week, but it was the first time he had seen any of Wu Shixiong's family come to visit him. However, he realized that they might be busy or they might have already visited when Wu Shixiong was first hospitalized.
"Go and call Su Tiannan over, isn't he also in the hospital?" said Uncle Wu.
"Oh, Uncle, my eldest brother is not here. He was taken out to run some errands," replied Su Tianyu on behalf of Wu Shixiong. "But my second brother is here."
"Call him over, then," replied Uncle Wu.
"I...I'll go call him," said Wu Shixiong. He turned around and was about to leave, but once he reached the doorway, he couldn't help asking, "Dad...mom didn't come."
"Your second brother's child is sick, so I just sent her back," Uncle Wu casually replied.
Wu Shixiong didn't say anything and walked out of the hospital room.
About five minutes later, Su Tianbei walked in, his arm in a cast and limping. "Oh, Uncle Wu is here," he said.
"Ah, how are you?" asked Uncle Wu with a sideways glance.
"I'm almost better, hehe!" Su Tianbei pulled out his cigarette box. "Here, have a different one!"
Uncle Wu was satisfied with Su Tianbei's manners and took the cigarette, lit it, and waved his hand at Wu Shixiong. "You go for a walk outside for a bit."
Wu Shixiong obediently walked out of the hospital room, and Uncle Wu turned to Su Tianbei. "I don't have much business here. I came to see the child and also to ask you...how are we going to handle Wu Shixiong's situation?"
"The company will take care of it, Uncle!" replied Su Tianbei.
"How will they handle it?" pressed Uncle Wu.
"During the injury period, the company will cover all expenses. During the recovery period, he won't work but will receive compensation according to work injury standards," Su Tianbei replied with a smile. "In addition to that, I will personally give him 5,000 yuan."
To be honest, Su Tianbei's offer was not small. 5,000 yuan was nearly half a year's worth of salary and bonuses for someone like Wu Shixiong.
Uncle Wu paused for a moment before saying, "Isn't 5,000 a bit too little?"
"Uncle, the company is also struggling now...!" Su Tianbei wanted to explain a few words.
"It's none of my business whether you're struggling or not, right?" Wu Shixiong's father spoke frankly. "When the Su family's garbage factory had a fight, the seven or eight workers you hired didn't dare to fight back, only my son did! Isn't that a fact? When your company just started, I was there and had a good relationship with your father. Later, when I was not feeling well, I sent my son in, but you didn't take care of him well either. He was slashed three or four times and will have those scars for a lifetime. What do you say?"
Su Tianbei nodded slowly, "Uncle, how much do you think is fair compensation?"
"Add a little bit on top."
"Then 8,000 yuan!" Su Tianbei looked at him and said, "This exceeds the standard for work-related injury compensation, but I will pay it myself. Is that okay?"
Wu Shixiong's father thought for a moment, "Okay, 8,000 is 8,000. When the money comes in, just transfer it to Wu Shixiong's brother's salary card."
Su Tianbei didn't ask any further, "Okay!"
"That's settled then." Wu Shixiong's father stood up and threw his cigarette butt on the ground. "I'll be going now."
"I'll walk you out, Uncle!"
"No need, why bother?" Wu Shixiong's father strode out the door.
Su Tianyu frowned at his back but didn't ask any more questions.
In the hallway, Wu Shixiong's father glanced at Wu Shixiong sitting on the bench and muttered, "Don't be so stupid. Stay in the hospital with compensation for work-related injuries until you feel better and then leave."
"Ah!" Wu Shixiong nodded.
"...Damn it, looking at your stubborn face makes me angry. What kind of brain do you have? Why did you have to fight with others?" Wu Shixiong's father roared in frustration. "Forget it, let you suffer. It saves me trouble!"
After cursing, Wu Shixiong's father turned and left.
Wu Shixiong looked at his back, his eyes dimmed. He took a deep breath and walked into the hospital room with gritted teeth, "Little Master Yu, Little Bei... Do you want to eat supper? I can go buy it."
"Hehe, no need to eat." Su Tianbei waved his hand.
Su Tianyu looked at this silly big guy and felt a little sorry for him. "Don't worry about it. Come and sit down and rest for a while. Let's chat for a bit."
Wu Shixiong may be simple and honest, but he never liked to talk about his family matters. He always greeted people with a smile, as if he had no worries in life.
The days of recuperation were calm and comfortable. In the blink of an eye, more than 20 days had passed, and all the wounded had been discharged.
Bai Hongbo stood in the ward, shouting and waving his hands, "We're going to the inner harbor tonight on a boat ride! I've arranged everything!"
"You guys go ahead, I'll pass," said Kong Zhenghui. Whether it was his actual age or his mental age, he seemed to be in a different league from everyone else.
"Come on, don't be a party pooper. We fought side by side," Bai Hongbo urged, "Let's go together. I'll treat you all to a dish tonight."
Su Tianyu broke out in a sweat. "Forget it, my tongue is short!"
"You can practice, little Su!" Bai Hongbo seemed to be going crazy, pulling Su Tianyu along, "Come with me tonight. I'll make sure we solve your problem of a short tongue."
—---
In cell 403 of the Criminal Detention Center at the police station, the skinny old man who had beaten up the man in the floral shirt sat on the bunk, stroking his bald head and murmuring, "This dog is really something. He's no worse than his father!"
"Su Zhengcai, stand up and pack your things!" someone suddenly shouted from outside the door.
Chapter 25 Wu Shixiong who always smiles
Inside the hospital room, upon hearing the cursing outside the door, Wu Shixiong instinctively stood up straight and looked towards the door.
After a short while, the half-opened door was roughly pushed open by a tall and sturdy man in his fifties or sixties. He was dressed in plain and even dirty clothes, with hair sticking to his head that had not been groomed in a long time.
The middle-aged man was unremarkable in appearance with a big red face and a wine-colored nose. He had a physical disability and was missing his left hand, which had a visible scar on the wrist with red bumps all over it.
Su Tianyu observed the peculiarly dressed middle-aged man and tentatively asked, "Who are you?"
"I'm his father!" The middle-aged man, reeking of alcohol, pointed at Wu Shixiong and said.
"Oh, Uncle has come!" Su Tianyu immediately assisted from the bed and sat up, "Please sit down, Wu Shixiong, give Uncle a chair."
Wu Shixiong immediately grabbed a chair and placed it next to his father, but remained silent.
The tall middle-aged man spat out thick phlegm into the trash can, took out a cigarette box, and asked Wu Shixiong while sitting cross-legged, "How's your recovery going? Feeling better?"
"I...I'm all better now. I can...I can work!" Wu Shixiong seemed nervous facing his father and stuttered.
With a loud voice, Wu Shixiong's father looked at his son and cursed, "Your damn brain doesn't work, so many workers in the factory didn't lift a finger, but you just had to be the one with an itchy hand! Have you ever thought about how dangerous those machetes and guns can be? Once someone gets disabled, what are you going to do? Your brain is no good and you stutter when you speak. You're half-disabled already, and if your body gets any worse...will you still be able to live?"
Wu Shixiong lowered his head and dared not answer.
"If you're injured, just take care of yourself. With such a big company like Su's, they can't just let you be. Once you're all healed, you can go back to work." Wu Shixiong's father said again.
Su Tianyu had been staying with Wu Shixiong for a week, but it was the first time he had seen any of Wu Shixiong's family come to visit him. However, he realized that they might be busy or they might have already visited when Wu Shixiong was first hospitalized.
"Go and call Su Tiannan over, isn't he also in the hospital?" said Uncle Wu.
"Oh, Uncle, my eldest brother is not here. He was taken out to run some errands," replied Su Tianyu on behalf of Wu Shixiong. "But my second brother is here."
"Call him over, then," replied Uncle Wu.
"I...I'll go call him," said Wu Shixiong. He turned around and was about to leave, but once he reached the doorway, he couldn't help asking, "Dad...mom didn't come."
"Your second brother's child is sick, so I just sent her back," Uncle Wu casually replied.
Wu Shixiong didn't say anything and walked out of the hospital room.
About five minutes later, Su Tianbei walked in, his arm in a cast and limping. "Oh, Uncle Wu is here," he said.
"Ah, how are you?" asked Uncle Wu with a sideways glance.
"I'm almost better, hehe!" Su Tianbei pulled out his cigarette box. "Here, have a different one!"
Uncle Wu was satisfied with Su Tianbei's manners and took the cigarette, lit it, and waved his hand at Wu Shixiong. "You go for a walk outside for a bit."
Wu Shixiong obediently walked out of the hospital room, and Uncle Wu turned to Su Tianbei. "I don't have much business here. I came to see the child and also to ask you...how are we going to handle Wu Shixiong's situation?"
"The company will take care of it, Uncle!" replied Su Tianbei.
"How will they handle it?" pressed Uncle Wu.
"During the injury period, the company will cover all expenses. During the recovery period, he won't work but will receive compensation according to work injury standards," Su Tianbei replied with a smile. "In addition to that, I will personally give him 5,000 yuan."
To be honest, Su Tianbei's offer was not small. 5,000 yuan was nearly half a year's worth of salary and bonuses for someone like Wu Shixiong.
Uncle Wu paused for a moment before saying, "Isn't 5,000 a bit too little?"
"Uncle, the company is also struggling now...!" Su Tianbei wanted to explain a few words.
"It's none of my business whether you're struggling or not, right?" Wu Shixiong's father spoke frankly. "When the Su family's garbage factory had a fight, the seven or eight workers you hired didn't dare to fight back, only my son did! Isn't that a fact? When your company just started, I was there and had a good relationship with your father. Later, when I was not feeling well, I sent my son in, but you didn't take care of him well either. He was slashed three or four times and will have those scars for a lifetime. What do you say?"
Su Tianbei nodded slowly, "Uncle, how much do you think is fair compensation?"
"Add a little bit on top."
"Then 8,000 yuan!" Su Tianbei looked at him and said, "This exceeds the standard for work-related injury compensation, but I will pay it myself. Is that okay?"
Wu Shixiong's father thought for a moment, "Okay, 8,000 is 8,000. When the money comes in, just transfer it to Wu Shixiong's brother's salary card."
Su Tianbei didn't ask any further, "Okay!"
"That's settled then." Wu Shixiong's father stood up and threw his cigarette butt on the ground. "I'll be going now."
"I'll walk you out, Uncle!"
"No need, why bother?" Wu Shixiong's father strode out the door.
Su Tianyu frowned at his back but didn't ask any more questions.
In the hallway, Wu Shixiong's father glanced at Wu Shixiong sitting on the bench and muttered, "Don't be so stupid. Stay in the hospital with compensation for work-related injuries until you feel better and then leave."
"Ah!" Wu Shixiong nodded.
"...Damn it, looking at your stubborn face makes me angry. What kind of brain do you have? Why did you have to fight with others?" Wu Shixiong's father roared in frustration. "Forget it, let you suffer. It saves me trouble!"
After cursing, Wu Shixiong's father turned and left.
Wu Shixiong looked at his back, his eyes dimmed. He took a deep breath and walked into the hospital room with gritted teeth, "Little Master Yu, Little Bei... Do you want to eat supper? I can go buy it."
"Hehe, no need to eat." Su Tianbei waved his hand.
Su Tianyu looked at this silly big guy and felt a little sorry for him. "Don't worry about it. Come and sit down and rest for a while. Let's chat for a bit."
Wu Shixiong may be simple and honest, but he never liked to talk about his family matters. He always greeted people with a smile, as if he had no worries in life.
The days of recuperation were calm and comfortable. In the blink of an eye, more than 20 days had passed, and all the wounded had been discharged.
Bai Hongbo stood in the ward, shouting and waving his hands, "We're going to the inner harbor tonight on a boat ride! I've arranged everything!"
"You guys go ahead, I'll pass," said Kong Zhenghui. Whether it was his actual age or his mental age, he seemed to be in a different league from everyone else.
"Come on, don't be a party pooper. We fought side by side," Bai Hongbo urged, "Let's go together. I'll treat you all to a dish tonight."
Su Tianyu broke out in a sweat. "Forget it, my tongue is short!"
"You can practice, little Su!" Bai Hongbo seemed to be going crazy, pulling Su Tianyu along, "Come with me tonight. I'll make sure we solve your problem of a short tongue."
—---
In cell 403 of the Criminal Detention Center at the police station, the skinny old man who had beaten up the man in the floral shirt sat on the bunk, stroking his bald head and murmuring, "This dog is really something. He's no worse than his father!"
"Su Zhengcai, stand up and pack your things!" someone suddenly shouted from outside the door.
