"Sister-in-law, I’m sorry," Ji Ying softened her voice, her posture submissive, she said with concern, "The most urgent thing is to send big brother to the hospital and see what the situation is, we mustn’t delay."
Ji Ying’s words won everyone’s approval. Observing her frank demeanor, they felt that the woman’s claims were perhaps exaggerated.
The Chili Sauce Factory hadn’t been operating just for a day or two; they had all been eating its products for nearly a year, and the taste was consistently good, the price hadn’t increased at all, and the portions were the same as before.
If Ji Ying had argued with her, she could have thrown herself on the ground in a tantrum, and the subsequent events would have unfolded naturally, possibly even leading to the Chili Sauce Factory being shut down.
But Ji Ying’s gentle apology left the woman at a loss for words.
Feeling guilty, she was bewildered by Ji Ying’s concerned words.
"You’re just pretending to care, trying to trick us into going to the hospital, and then you’ll wash your hands of us," the man beside her, Li Jianbin, looking at how useless his wife was, could only speak up. His weak voice, after he finished speaking, betrayed his near-collapse.
"My name is Ji Ying, and I am from Shuanghe Village. My husband is Xu Qinghe," Ji Ying introduced herself, including their address, and added, "Please be assured, we will take responsibility for this matter to the end."
No sooner had Ji Ying finished her statement than the nearby neighbors began chattering away, spilling all the details about Ji Ying’s family as if they were spilling beans. For example, her husband had started a furniture factory in the village which sold furniture, or that her son often delivered goods to South City, and also that she had another son and a daughter who were attending university in Ningbei.
"Big brother, sister-in-law, we really should go to the hospital first," urged Ji Ying anxiously, seeing how pale the man’s complexion was, she was genuinely worried about his health.
"Right, going to the hospital is crucial."
"We should take a look first, human life is paramount."
Many people were advising them, suggesting that instead of causing a scene, it would be better to go to the hospital.
"No, we’re not going," Li Jianbin said defiantly as he sat down on the ground, determined not to leave. He threw his medical records out, saying, "We’ve just come back from the hospital, and they said we got food poisoning. It tormented me half to death."
After Li Jianbin spoke, he covertly pinched his wife, causing her so much pain that her eyes reddened instantly. The woman, while wiping away tears, said, "My husband only ate noodles with chili sauce this morning, which he cooked himself; it must be their sauce that is unclean."
"The doctor said it was fortunate we got there early. If it had been later, my husband might not have made it," she became increasingly choked up as she spoke.
Ji Ying tried to convince them to see the doctor again, but the Li couple insisted on waiting for an explanation from the health bureau, demanding that the factory be shut down.
The entrance of the Chili Sauce Factory was now crowded with more and more people.
Feeling helpless, Ji Ying invited the couple into the factory to rest, saying that the sun’s heat could make even a healthy person ill.
The Lis were unwilling to go inside, so Ji Ying boldly invited the onlookers to enter the factory as well. Out of curiosity, many followed her in.
After inspecting the factory, the health bureau officials were also surprised: the factory’s walls were freshly painted white, the floor was tiled with white ceramic, and the workers were dressed in light blue clothing, wearing blue hats and masks, and donning gloves. As soon as you entered, the scent of chili sauce was noticeable, but the place looked exceptionally clean.