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The Lucky Star Control Corporation in the 70s (20)
They didn’t go to Chu’s residence, but headed directly to the captain. Yang Yuelan wiped her tears and said, “Captain, Yin Xu is now living in the hospital, and there is no one at home who can work. What should we do? The doctor said, I must let him rest for a chance for him to recuperate properly. Otherwise, he will end up lame! But my family really has no savings. How are we supposed to live?”
Yin Qiuwen supported her and said furiously, “Mom, you’re just too easy to bully. My brother has saved someone from injuries. He should be a hero, right? Has the Chu family ever visited to show they cared? Oh, yes, once, and brought six eggs. Captain, do you think the Chu family did the right thing? Do you know what their family and my mother discussed? They wanted to send Sister Chu Xiang to our house as a maid, considering her as a compensation to our favor. What kind of person could do this? I admire Sister Chu Xiang very much, and she is the most likely person to get into university, but why are they so hard on her to this extent? Look what they’ve done to her. What has become of it?”
The captain quickly waved his hand and said, “Don’t say that, there is no evidence to prove that someone harmed Chu Xiang. Alas, this matter is indeed a chaos that the Chu family created, so I will be a middleman for you. Let’s have a mediation, a mediation.”
The Captain called someone to summon the several adults from the Chu family. When they saw that the mother and daughter of the Yin family were also there, their faces turned a little unnatural, especially Grandpa Chu. His complexion turned as white as a paper, feeling disgraced. It was aggravated by Yin Qiuwen’s eyes, which looked like she was eyeing an ungrateful wolf. It made him lose the prestige he had maintained all his life.
The Captain didn’t beat around the bush, and he raised the Yin family’s difficulties straight to the point. He also asked the Chu family to pay for Yin Xu’s medical expenses. When all was said and done, Yin Xu tried to save Grandpa Chu, and saved his life. In exchange, he was going to be lame. The Chu family must compensate no matter what.
Shou Hou’er kept a close eye at what was happening in the courtyard, and when he saw that they were finally gathered, he asked several familiar brothers to call everyone in the village. In fact, it was to put the Chu Family on the spot in public. Weren’t they keen on keeping up appearances? Weren’t they all proficient at disguise? Then he would tear these all down today!
Yin Qiuwen glanced at Shou Hou’er at the outermost side of the crowd, and quickly repeated what she had said to the Captain before. Everyone was in an uproar, “Did they really let Chu Xiang be a substitute in the marriage? Don’t tell me they wanted her to be a slave once she gets married! Is she really their biological family?”
“The key is that the Yin and the Chu families haven’t agreed to tie the knot, you know? Why are the Chu family so shameless?”
Shou Hou’er shouted, “Exactly! Yin Xu doesn’t fancy Chu Lan at all, and as for the substitute bride, how did this come to be? It’s the Chu family’s way of cheating shamelessly!”
A crowd had gathered, and after Shou Hou’er shouted, he changed spots. Everyone didn’t know who shouted, but then again they didn’t care who did it. They just started a heated discussion.
Shou Hou’er shouted again, “Besides, Chu Lan has a partner. She has private rendezvous with Song Yang on the back hillside every day, giving him eggs, meat, and white rice every day.”
This time the crowd’s discussion grew louder, and even the Chu family was shocked. Chu Lan’s mother said anxiously, “Who is it? Who is talking nonsense? Show yourself!”
The people at the educated youth camp were also watching the excitement. When they heard the words, they all looked at Song Yang. Song Yang’s face turned flushed red. He was anxious and embarrassed. He was just about to explain, when a male educated youth who never dealt with him commented strangely, “I told you so. Song Yang smelled of meat, and he must have eaten it secretly, but you didn’t believe it. See, it turns out that it was given by his partner.”
Song quickly waved his hand and explained himself, “I don’t have a partner, I have nothing to do with Chu Lan
”
“Then tell me where do you go every afternoon?”
“Yes, your shoes are always soiled and stuck with grass. Have you been going to the back hillside?”
“You go out on time every afternoon. The more I think about it, the more it’s likely that you’re meeting Chu Lan.”
The several educated youths who lived in the same room as Song Yang asked questions, but Song Yang couldn’t explain himself, so he had to tell the truth, “I’m just giving Comrade Chu Lan lectures. The topics are for
”
“That’s enough! What does your business have to do with us?” Yin Qiuwen interrupted him in time to prevent him from saying Chu Xiang’s name, and said loudly, “Captain, after this incident, we have gauged the character of some families clearly. I don’t want to be related with the Chu family in any way in the future. Please tell the Chu family not to engage in crooked practices to entrap people. They have schemed to do harm to a lot of people. I still hope they can pay for my brother’s medical expenses. After all, his injury is serious. This is our only request.”
Grandma Chu said anxiously, “Yuelan, look
 this is a misunderstanding. Let’s talk about it.”
Shou Hou’er shouted, “The Chu family is bullying people, shameless!”
The few men who were acquainted with him followed suit, and everyone immediately shouted, “The Chu family is shameless! They refuse to pay medical bills! They’re bullying people! Shameless!”
Grandpa Chu’s face turned ashen. He gave Grandma Chu a fierce look, and said in one sentence, “We’ll pay it! I have been wanting to pay for it from the beginning. It was my wife who said she liked Yin Xu and insisted on talking about marriage. I didn’t expect so many troubles to arise. This is a misunderstanding. We’ll give the money. We’ll go back and fetch the money now.”
Chu Lan’s parents did not dare to speak, for fear that the topic would turn to Chu Lan and Song Yang again. Meanwhile, Chu Xiang’s parents did not dare to speak because Chu Xiang owed 400. Only Grandma Chu was unwilling and wanted to speak some more. Who would have thought that Yin Qiuwen would rush in front of her and say, “My brother’s injury is very serious, and he needs a checkup every week. He must use medicine properly before his leg can return to normal. The medical fee is 300 yuan, and this is the minimum.”
“What? 300?!”
Shou Hou’er winked at one of his brothers, and the man shouted: “300 is too little! At least 500!”
“Yes, how can 300 cure a leg? We’re talking about money that saved a life!”
“No, this is gratitude money, conscience money. How much does the Chu family’s conscience amount to?!”
Grandpa Chu wished he could find a crack to get in, and so he dragged Grandma Chu out. “Come on! Go home and fetch it!”
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