Chapter 72: then translation of chapter title

Jia Dongxu appears, along with the Yagang Steel Plant and Comrade Jia Dongxu—though that's a title, we treat Jia Dongxu as a character.

Factory Director Yang, the heads of departments, the Union Chair, and the Yagang Steel Plant again.

"Jia Dongxu's act of seeing justice and courageously acting definitely deserves strong commendation; this also represents a spirit of our worker brothers. I suggest that this year's advanced individual award be given to Comrade Jia Dongxu," a workshop director said.

"Besides these, we should also give some material rewards. I understand that Jia Dongxu's family has five members, and his wife is about to give birth; the whole family only has Comrade Jia Dongxu with a fixed ration, life is very difficult. Our union will also give some help. I think after Jia Dongxu's wife gives birth, we should help her solve her work problem," the union chair said.

Li Huaide and Comrade Jia Dongxu.

Factory Director Yang again, Comrade Jia Dongxu, and Union comrades.

The meeting continued until noon before ending, and the loudspeaker of the Yagangchang also broadcast propaganda about Jia Dongxu's rescue and the factory's rewards.

Hearing the broadcast, Yi Zhonghai's heart skipped a beat; this shouldn't be how things develop, ah. Jia Dongxu's life or death is unknown, so why would the Yagangchang suddenly broadcast this? Shouldn't such matters be kept secret? After all, the factory had a safety accident, which isn't glorious, so why loudly praise it? Yi Zhonghai thought more and more it was wrong; as soon as work ended at noon, he didn't even have time to eat and went straight to the hospital.

"Dongxu, it's time to eat," Qin Huiru said, holding a bowl of food just fetched from the hospital cafeteria, and came to Jia Dongxu's bedside.

"I can get it myself, you also eat something," Jia Dongxu said softly, taking the lunch box.

Outside the door, Yi Zhonghai saw the scene and showed a surprised expression; the doctor had said yesterday that Jia Dongxu was unconscious and might become paralyzed, yet now he is chatting and laughing with Qin Huiru—how could that be the state of a patient?

"Doctor, you didn't say Jia Dongxu was unconscious and might be a vegetative state?" Yi Zhonghai stormed to the doctor's office and demanded an explanation.

"What's wrong with you, saying you're a fellow worker with the patient? Now that the worker has awakened, shouldn't you be happy for him?" the doctor retorted.

Yi Zhonghai, rebuked by the doctor, didn't know how to respond and could only slink out of the hospital.

All afternoon Yi Zhonghai felt uneasy; the more he thought, the more wrong it seemed. He was certainly being duped by the doctor and the Jia family together; otherwise, given his understanding of Jia Zhangshi, if Jia Dongxu were truly that badly injured, Jia Zhangshi would never have so easily agreed to cut ties with him.

A generic old lady and Yi Zhonghai.

"We might have been fooled," Yi Zhonghai blurted out without thinking.

"What do you mean, fooled?" an old lady didn't understand Yi Zhonghai's meaning.

"Today the factory gave a factory-wide commendation for Dongxu's rescue and rewarded him with a bicycle. I went to the hospital specially at noon and saw that Dongxu's spirits were excellent, nothing like what the doctor said yesterday," Yi Zhonghai said, frowning.

"You said yesterday you had seen Dongxu, and he was still unconscious."

"Who knows whether he was unconscious or just asleep?" At this moment Yi Zhonghai deeply regretted not having entered the ward to take a look earlier.

(none)

Yi Zhonghai.

"Old lady, what are you busy with?" Yi Zhonghai smiled as he went to the deaf old lady's room.

"Little Yi, how come you're here?" The deaf old lady felt very surprised at Yi Zhonghai's arrival; usually when there's nothing going on, Yi Zhonghai rarely comes to her place.

"Haven't we not chatted in a while? I wanted to come over and have a chat."

"You must have run into some trouble, right?" The deaf old lady is a sharp person; she couldn't be easily fooled by Yi Zhonghai like that.

"There really is a matter I can't decide on; I came to ask you for advice." Yi Zhonghai knew this wasn't the time to show off.

"What is it? Tell me; at my age I might not have any good solutions." The deaf old lady didn't overpromise. She knew that if Yi Zhonghai came to her, it definitely wouldn't be a trivial matter.

"You heard about Dongxu getting injured at the factory yesterday, right?"

"No, I haven't been out these two days and really haven't heard about it. How serious is it?" The deaf old lady spoke the truth; she really seldom goes out. An old lady came over and also didn't tell her about Jia Dongxu's matter, because her husband wanted to take advantage of the situation to distance himself from the Jia family, and she really felt embarrassed to bring it up.

"Dongxu got injured yesterday at the factory while saving someone; later I inquired, and the doctor said he might be a vegetative state, and even if he wakes up he'll be paralyzed, so..."

The deaf old lady, Yi Zhonghai, and the Jia family.

"Yes. You know that too. I took him as my disciple just so he could support me in my old age, but can he still support me in this condition? Over the years I've also subsidized their family quite a bit; if Dongxu truly becomes a vegetative state or paralyzed, the Jia family's burden won't be something I can shake off."

"You just need to have made up your mind; there's no need to ask me about this." The deaf old lady truly isn't interested in this matter; she favors He Yuzhu, especially after He Yuzhu married and had children, living a prosperous life, which makes her envious. Especially these past two years, other families can't even get enough to eat—not just adults, but children are sallow and thin. Yet his family He Xiaofei hasn't lost weight but has actually gained quite a bit; people say in a famine year even cooks won't starve, which isn't baseless, but they really don't know. The grain for He Yuzhu, Li Qiang, and several families is taken secretly by Li Qiang from his space; the produce from that space simply can't be compared to outside goods.

"So last night I took the opportunity to quarrel with Jia Zhangshi and, in front of all the neighbors, announced that I was severing the master-disciple relationship with Dongxu, and from now on I'll have nothing to do with the Jia family."

"Isn't that good enough? Then why are you still coming to me for advice?" The deaf old lady really didn't understand Yi Zhonghai.

She knew that Yi Zhonghai's biggest worry was providing for his elderly. Moreover, his desire for control is extremely strong, he is even more selfish, and now Jia Dongxu has turned out this way. It's quite normal for him to want to shake off the Jia family; he would definitely do something like that.