CHAPTER 302: CHAPTER 303: ASKING TO VISIT

"Let’s hope so," sighed Yang Xuehua resignedly. It seemed this would be her life from now on, but compared to others, she was still pretty well-off.

Over at the Red Star Production Team, Liu Haiguo was panicking, especially since a few families had already come knocking at his door.

When a life was lost, no one cared whether you were a team leader or not. The only thing keeping the situation at bay was the local militia, but even they couldn’t prevent Liu Haiguo from getting beaten.

In such a dire situation, Liu Haihua ran toward the county town to seek Wang Xueyong’s help.

Liu Haiguo had recently gotten in cahoots with Wang Xueyong and would certainly turn to him first at times like these. Although Liu Yue’s house had some influence, they were, after all, quite far away.

Upon hearing of Liu Haiguo’s troubles, Wang Xueyong immediately brought people over. With Wang Xueyong’s intervention, the uproar died down a bit, but the people were far from willing to let it go.

In particular, there were many who loudly demanded that Liu Haiguo get lost. Some even cursed at him with nastier words, demanding that he move aside instead of "occupying the toilet but not shitting."

This time, Liu Haiguo had indeed managed to infuriate everyone en masse, prompting a collective backlash.

"Mr. Xueyong, you must help me this time," Liu Haiguo pleaded urgently.

Wang Xueyong was nearly driven to frustration by Liu Haiguo’s foolishness. "You’ve caused a fatal incident. How could you not have been more careful?"

It would have been different if only one or two lives were lost, but five had died, and he had brought so many young people with him. Everyone had seen it happen, calming the situation down now wouldn’t be easy.

"How was I to know that lives would be lost?" lamented Liu Haiguo with a face as bitter as a gourd.

"You’re the production team leader; your first and foremost task is to manage production well," Wang Xueyong admonished. "Even if you wanted to take them to the deep pool to catch fish, when it came down to risking their safety, you should have at least warned them verbally. If you had warned them and then something happened, you wouldn’t be to blame. But since you didn’t warn them, the blame inevitably falls on you, especially as the team leader."

Liu Haiguo thought about it and realized that he hadn’t indeed warned anyone. Moreover, he had actually been pleased to see them heading down to catch the big fish, so he hadn’t sensed the danger.

With a slap, Liu Haiguo struck his own face, frustrated at his failure to learn from past lessons.

"Alright, killing yourself now wouldn’t help, and neither would surviving," said Wang Xueyong, now somewhat impatient. Although he found Liu Haiguo and his sister easy to control due to their stupidity, they were also incessantly troublesome.

"Mr. Xueyong, what should I do now? You have to help me," Liu Haiguo begged, his position as the team leader being of utmost importance to him. He hoped Wang Xueyong would help him keep it.

"I can’t help you with this," Wang Xueyong shook his head.

Liu Haiguo’s expression turned to shock, not expecting that Wang Xueyong would actually refuse to help him. "Mr. Xueyong, what do you mean by this? We’re in this together."

"What ’together’? Comrade Liu Haiguo, this is where you’re wrong," Wang Xueyong chastised severely. "There’s something wrong with your way of thinking, and you need to deeply reflect on that..."

Watching Wang Xueyong leave in indignation, Liu Haiguo’s face darkened. He had not anticipated that Wang Xueyong would want to cut ties with him. If it weren’t for Wang Xueyong’s involvement, he wouldn’t have misappropriated the production team’s grains, wouldn’t have been seen by Ge Lai, and wouldn’t have driven Ge Lai to his death.

At that moment, Liu Haihua stepped out of the house and asked, "Brother, how did it go? What did Mr. Xueyong say?"

"He didn’t say shit; he doesn’t plan to help me at all," spat Liu Haiguo.

"How is that possible? We’ve been on the same side as Mr. Xueyong all along," Liu Haihua remarked.

"Mr. Xueyong, Mr. Xueyong, you’ve only got Mr. Xueyong in your mind," Liu Haiguo roared at Liu Haihua. "If you’re capable, go and convince him to keep me in position. Otherwise, our entire family is doomed."

Feng Ying stepped out and said, "Haihua, aren’t you close with Mr. Xueyong? Please, help your brother think of a solution. If he’s no longer the leader or if something happens to him, we’re all finished."

Feng Ying was extremely worried too. Cursing Liu Haiguo was useless now; their only hope was Wang Xueyong.

"Alright, I’ll go find him," Liu Haihua said, making her way out.

Meanwhile, Liu Haiguo sat dejectedly. "What do we do now? Who else can we even ask for help?"

"I’ll go to the Guangming Production Team and beg Li Shengmei for help," suggested Feng Ying.

Hearing this, Liu Haiguo urged, "Then go quickly."

"I’m no longer with Guangming Production Team, and I haven’t had much contact with Li Shengmei. She might not agree to help me."

Feng Ying was in a bind, thinking Li Shengmei might not lend a hand, but regardless, she had to ask.

"You must hurry. She was our matchmaker; no matter what, you have to implore her to help us," insisted Liu Haiguo.

With no other choice, Feng Ying rushed out of the house. Regretting her marriage to Liu Haiguo did no good now. If something happened to him, the future for her and her child would be filled with difficulties. The Red Star Production Team was not as easygoing as the Guangming Production Team, let alone now that Liu Haiguo had incurred public wrath.

At the Guangming Production Team, Feng Ying’s arrival caught everyone’s eye. Sensing their stares, Feng Ying offered an awkward smile, but everyone quickly looked away, not offering Feng Ying any expression.

Irritated but holding back her anger, Feng Ying eventually reached Li Shengmei’s house.

"Sister Feng Ying, it’s you," Dong Meihua greeted her at the door, smiling upon seeing Feng Ying. Dong Meihua genuinely missed her after not seeing her for a long time.

Aware of the Red Star Production Team’s incident, Dong Meihua could guess why Feng Ying had come calling and felt a degree of sympathy for her.

Dong Meihua always believed that she shared a common fate with Feng Ying. Even after Feng Ying had left for the Red Star Production Team and other educated youths had become friendly with Dong Meihua, she still felt lonely and missed Feng Ying.

"Is Director Li in?" Feng Ying asked Dong Meihua.

"Yes, she is," Dong Meihua replied, then turned to call inside the house, "Mom, Feng Ying is here."

Li Shengmei, who was just coming out, was put in an awkward spot by her daughter’s call.

Truth be told, Li Shengmei wasn’t keen on seeing Feng Ying at that moment since it wasn’t difficult to guess why Feng Ying had paid a visit. Nonetheless, Li Shengmei forced a smile and said, "Feng Ying’s here? Meihua, why didn’t you invite Feng Ying to come in and sit? Don’t just stand there; come in, come in."