Chapter 20 Hospitalization

Ma Aning gently and slowly drew the curtain closed. The thick fabric acted as a solid barrier, completely blocking out curious glances from the outside world.

Then, she turned around, walked to Shen Zishan's side, and began to carefully help him with a simple cleaning.

They had only just finished cleaning half of this place when the beautiful woman on the other side had already changed to a single hospital bed.

"My dear son, you're all changed! It's on the third floor. But... you're injured, how are we going to get downstairs?" The beautiful woman frowned, looking troubled.

"Mom, just go out and find any man to carry me downstairs. Just give him some money." The young man's tone was harsh, and he seemed extremely impatient.

The beautiful woman looked helpless, but could only nod and turn to leave the ward to find someone to help her.

Mr. and Mrs. Shen Zishan did not meddle in this matter and remained quietly by their side.

Not long after everyone moved out of the ward, the room became completely empty. It was late at night, and presumably no one else would come anytime soon.

"Ah Ning, that bed probably won't be used for any other patients tonight. Go lie down and get some rest. It's getting late."

Shen Zishan's eyes were filled with worry for Ma Aning.

"Brother Shan, I'm really fine, not tired at all."

As Ma Aning said this, she unconsciously took a few steps closer to Shen Zishan.

"Brother Shan, stop hiding it from me. Tell me honestly, is your foot alright?"

Ma Aning stared intently at Shen Zishan's injured foot, her face full of worry and concern.

"Don't worry, honey, my leg is perfectly fine. This is all fake. We'll just pay for the cast and a small fee later, just a few dollars," Shen Zishan whispered in Ma Aning's ear.

Ma Aning was relieved and went to lie down on another bed, falling asleep soon after.

Shen Zishan wanted to chat with her for a bit more, but his wife fell asleep immediately.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

Ma Aning got up to go to the toilet several times during the trip. Shen Zishan also woke up and, worried that he might bump into something, also wanted to get up, but was stopped each time.

“I know it’s hard for you to lie to your parents like this. I promise you, if you get injured this time, and your parents do their best to treat you, I won’t say a word even if you give them all the money you have,” Ma Aning said softly.

"Okay, thank you, wife!" Shen Zishan's face lit up with a bright smile, his joy overflowing.

He was convinced that he could never believe that his parents would refuse to spend money on him because he was injured, and even cruelly abandon him.

This time, he decided to take a gamble and use his actions to test the authenticity of family ties.

Ma Aning gazed silently at the innocent and optimistic man before her, unable to bear shattering his deep-seated illusions about family affection.

But then she thought that if Shen Zishan didn't experience all of this firsthand, he wouldn't be able to see how cold and ruthless his biological parents would treat him after he lost his "usefulness," and she was afraid that her whole family would end up going down the same old path for the rest of their lives.

So, Ma Aning sighed softly and ultimately chose to remain silent, letting Shen Zishan prove it.

Around 9 a.m., when Ma Aning was starving, Qian Daniu and Shen Zhong finally arrived at the hospital.

"San'er? How could you hurt your leg so carelessly? It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone. You can't go to work and you won't get paid. How will the family survive?" Qian Daniu was worried about not getting paid and how hard life would be. She didn't even ask about Shen Zishan's leg.

Ma Aning looked at Shen Zishan with a worried expression.

Shen Zishan's expression was very unpleasant. He seemed lost in thought and didn't stop Qian Danu.

"Dad, didn't you tell us not to buy breakfast and that you would bring it for us? My wife is so hungry, let's give her breakfast first!"

Hearing Shen Zishan's words, he remembered that he had hurriedly taken 170 yuan from the village chief this morning and rushed to the hospital, without his wife preparing breakfast.

"San'er, we left in a hurry and forgot to prepare anything for you. It's quite late now, so why don't we eat it with lunch later?" he said heavily.

Shen Zishan's expression grew increasingly grim, and Ma Aning grasped his hand.

"San'er! What kind of subsidy will the factory give you for the injury you got at the factory? At least we shouldn't have to pay for the medical expenses ourselves, right?" Qian Daniu asked, seeing the heavy expression on his face.

As luck would have it, before Shen Zishan could reply, a few people walked in.

"Director, what brings you here?" Shen Zishan tried to sit up, and Ma Aning quickly helped him.

After Shen Zishan sat down, he smiled obsequiously at the director and his entourage.

"Comrade Shen, we're here to deliver the results of the investigation," Qian Danu squeezed through the crowd before the director could even finish speaking.

"Director, my son was injured at the factory. Will the factory cover his medical expenses? Is there any compensation?" Qian Danu asked with a forced smile, looking genuinely humble.

"Comrade Shen has always performed very well in the factory, but this mistake was too serious. The factory will not provide medical expenses because it was his own mistake that caused the injury."

"And he still has to pay for the machines he accidentally damaged."

Before the amount of compensation could be agreed upon, Qian Danu started wailing, "Boss, aren't you bullying me? My son was injured at the factory, and you not only refuse to pay for his medical expenses, but you also want him to pay compensation. I can't live like this anymore, the factory is bullying me."

"Mother, please stop talking," Shen Zishan said, his face grim as he looked at the director.

"Director, I want to know how much compensation I have to pay for that machine?" Shen Zishan looked at the director expectantly.

"The company has given you two options. If you want to continue working at the factory, you'll get 2,000 yuan in compensation for the machine. You should know better than me how much that machine is worth."

"Oh dear, we can't live like this! Two thousand yuan, we can't even come up with two hundred yuan, how are we going to compensate us?" Qian Danu simply sat down on the ground, crying and wailing as a crowd of onlookers gathered around her.

The crowd outside was buzzing with discussion, while Shen Hong hid in a corner, saying nothing.

Shen Zishan lowered his head. "Director, is there another way?"

“Another way is that you don’t have to pay for the machine, and you’ll be fired from the factory, but since you’ve worked diligently there for so many years, the company will still give you 200 yuan as a resettlement fee.”

Qian Danu jumped up suddenly, "We want 200 yuan, give me 200 yuan now."

"Mom, it's so hard to find a job. Could you please help me scrape together 2,000 yuan? I'm still working at the factory, and my monthly salary is still the same as before, all of it given to the family," Shen Zishan pleaded.

"Where would I get 2,000 yuan? I'll just take the 200 yuan the factory gives me," Qian Daniu said, her eyes greedily fixed on the two hundred yuan the director had taken out.

Heaviness no longer hid in the corner. "San'er! The family really can't come up with 2,000 yuan. I think we should just give up this job."

“But Dad, I earn more than 40 yuan a month, 2,000 yuan. I can earn it back in a few years. If I lose this job, I will never have this opportunity again.”

"Third son, it's not that your father doesn't want to stay and work, but two thousand yuan is just too much. The family really can't afford it," he said heavily and earnestly.

"Comrade Shen, have you made up your mind? Will you stay or leave?" the director asked impatiently.

“Come on, we need 200 yuan,” Qian Danu stepped forward, snatched 200 yuan, and stuffed it into her pocket.

"Okay, then sign this consent form. From now on, you won't be an employee of our factory anymore." The director handed a piece of paper to Shen Zishan.

“San’er! Sign it! Even if you don’t have this job, you can still go back to farm, and your family won’t go hungry,” he advised heavily.

Shen Zishan pretended to be very sad and signed his name on the last page of white paper.

"Alright, Comrade Shen, take care in the future. Our business is finished, so we'll be leaving now." After giving his instructions, the director left the ward with the two people accompanying him.

"Take care, Director," Qian Danu said with a smile, taking the money out of her pocket and counting it again and again until she confirmed it was correct three times before putting the money back in her pocket.