Chapter 70: Jia Dongxu's Belief Collapsed

Soon Li Huaide arrived with a few cafeteria meal tickets, and Li Qiang repeated to him the matter they had just discussed.

Li Huaide was certainly willing to help Li Qiang; the two left the ward, found a doctor, and briefly told him the situation. Although it wasn't quite proper, the Yagangchang leadership had demanded it, so the doctor could only comply. Li Huaide also knew how to behave—when leaving he deliberately gave the doctor a few meal tickets, an indirect thank‑you that made the doctor even more willing to help.

Qin Huiru was left in the hospital to care for Jia Dongxu, while Jia Zhangshi returned home to look after the children—after all, Qin Huiru was heavily pregnant. Going back and forth would be inconvenient, and Jia Zhangshi even hoped Qin Huiru would give her another big grandson; in fact Jia Dongxu didn't need a caretaker, but to keep the act convincing, Qin Huiru was left behind.

"Old sister‑in‑law, how is Dongxu?" Yan Butgui saw Jia Zhangshi return, hurried forward and asked with feigned concern.

"Dongxu has suffered serious injuries and remains unconscious; the doctor said he might not wake at any definite time, and even if he does, it's uncertain how much he'll recover—he probably won't be able to work anymore." Speaking as if her performance were genuine, Jia Zhangshi talked while crying and wiping her tears.

"That serious?" Yan Butgui said.

"How could it not be serious? You haven't heard Old Yi say how much blood was flowing in the workshop?" Jia Zhangshi's acting could outshine those fresh‑faced youngsters of later generations by several blocks.

"Then you've come back—what about Qin Huiru?" Yan Butgui asked.

"Qin Huiru is staying there to look after Dongxu; I need to go back and see the children."

"That's true—Dongxu really can't be left alone right now." Yan Butgui agreed.

"Old Yi, I've come to take the children back." Jia Zhangshi arrived at Yi Zhonghai's home.

"Old sister‑in‑law, how is Dongxu?" Yi Zhonghai asked.

"He still hasn't woken; the doctor said it's quite dangerous—he suffered serious injuries, and even if he recovers he won't be able to work. How will our family get by after this, Old Yi? From now on you can't ignore us." Jia Zhangshi burst into tears.

"Old sister‑in‑law, rest assured—Dongxu was injured in the factory, and the factory won't abandon him." Yi Zhonghai didn't directly promise Jia Zhangshi but instead passed the matter to the Yagangchang.

"Well, I'll take the children back first." Jia Zhangshi was sharp as well—how could she fail to hear the meaning in Yi Zhonghai's words?

"What I said—now that Dongxu has collapsed, this burden of the Jia family has fallen on us, right?" After Jia Zhangshi left, Yi Zhonghai said to the elder matriarch.

"But we can't just ignore it like that," the elder matriarch said, still feeling reluctant.

"Manage? How? Li Qiang is now the elder master; in the factory I don't work with him, and over the years haven't I supported him enough?" Yi Zhonghai said angrily.

The elder matriarch heard Yi Zhonghai's words and said nothing, but she never imagined he could be so heartless—now that Jia Dongxu is useless, he immediately wants to discard him; if one day she herself becomes useless, would he treat her the same? Once such a thought takes root, it's like a seed buried deep in Elder Matriarch Yi's heart.

"Where are you going?" the elder matriarch saw Yi Zhonghai pick up a piece of clothing and head out, and hurriedly asked.

"I can't just take Jia Zhangshi's word for it—I need to go to the hospital and ask the doctor about the situation." Yi Zhonghai didn't want to be deceived; although he believed Jia Dongxu was surely injured, he still wanted to see for himself, otherwise he'd never feel at ease.

Yi Zhonghai left the Siheyuan and headed straight for the hospital; first he found the doctor.

"Doctor, I'd like to ask about the condition of the two people sent from Yagangchang today."

"Who are you?" the doctor asked.

"I'm their coworker." Yi Zhonghai didn't dare admit he was Jia Dongxu's master. What he didn't know was that, just as he entered the doctor's office, Qin Huiru happened to come out from the restroom and saw him; she also quietly went to the doctor's office door, wanting to hear what Yi Zhonghai had said.

"Their condition is quite serious; they've suffered severe internal injuries and are still unconscious. If they don't wake within 24 hours, they might end up as vegetative states." This doctor was also ruthless, directly labeling Jia Dongxu a vegetative.

"And if they do wake?" Yi Zhonghai asked.

"Even if they wake, don't expect recovery in a year or so; even if they do recover, their bodies won't be as strong as before, and they can't do manual labor." The doctor kept feeding Yi Zhonghai this line.

"Doctor, may I go see them?" Yi Zhonghai asked.

Outside, Qin Huiru also quietly returned to the ward at that moment.

"Dongxu, Master Qian, Yi Zhonghai has come—pretend to be unconscious." Qin Huiru no longer called Yi Zhonghai "Elder Master"; she now addressed him directly by name.

"Sister‑in‑law, just hold on, Old Brother Dongxu—it's time for us to perform," Master Qian said with a smile.

The two had just closed their eyes to feign sleep when Qin Huiru heard a rustle outside the door. As for Qin Huiru's acting talent, it was superb—she could start crying at will, tears streaming down like they were free.

"Dongxu, wake up quickly! With you injured like this, how are we all supposed to live?" Qin Huiru spoke while sobbing, as if Jia Dongxu truly remained unconscious.

Outside, Yi Zhonghai didn't enter the room but kept peeking through the crack in the door, especially when he saw Qin Huiru crying while saying those words, which made him believe the doctor even more.

Yi Zhonghai also didn't go into the ward, but turned and left.

"He's gone," Qin Huiru said softly.

At this moment Jia Dongxu said nothing and didn't open his eyes; only a trickle of tears traced down the corner of his eye. At that instant he was utterly disappointed in Yi Zhonghai—he had never believed Yi Zhonghai merely wanted to use him, to let him support his old age. Now, knowing he was injured, Yi Zhonghai hadn't even come to see him; he had sneaked over just now and didn't even go through the door—his intentions were clear even to a fool.

"Dongxu, this is actually good—now you see clearly what kind of person he is, unlike us who have been kept in the dark all along," Qin Huiru comforted.

"I understand," Jia Dongxu said, his voice choking. He had always regarded that person as a father. To treat him like this after his accident—anyone would find it hard to accept at once. At this moment Jia Dongxu's image of Yi Zhonghai collapsed in his heart. At the same time, Jia Dongxu secretly urged himself to study hard, strive for a few more promotions, so that those who looked down on him would regret it.