Chapter 120: Chapter 120 Abandonment Chapter 120: Chapter 120 Abandonment The Sun Family was called to the brigade headquarters at noon, where Secretary Zhang Dezhen said, “You must properly handle Stone’s situation. I don’t care what you plan to do, but his illness must be treated. Otherwise, how can you face Sun Mei who passed away?”
The Sun Family members, regardless of what the secretary said, refused to make a statement. In the end, it was Grandma Sun who could not bear the mockery of the onlooking villagers, “We don’t even know how much it will cost to treat this illness. What if it’s a bottomless pit? We just don’t have the money.”
Kong Yuru said, “My mother-in-law is right. It’s already benevolent of us to take care of him now. But if you expect us to sell everything to pay for his treatment, that’s impossible.”
Brigade Leader Gao Jiefang said, “Sun Mei has only been gone for little over half a year. Isn’t the compensation she left behind enough to treat Stone? Besides, how did Stone get injured, don’t you know inside?”
In the end, seeing that the Sun Family was impervious to persuasion, Secretary Zhang’s temper flared, and he had his eldest son Zhang Dongze go directly to the commune’s police station to report the case.
The Sun Family wanted to discuss further when they saw the secretary was serious, but now the secretary ignored them, knowing well the disposition of the Sun Family members.
He didn’t want to lose face all the way to the commune, but it seemed the Sun Family was preparing for a long fight. Stone, the child, couldn’t wait that long. If delayed, it could ruin his entire life.
Zhang Dongze had ridden a bicycle, so half an hour later, he arrived at the brigade headquarters with two public security officers from the commune’s police station.
In the end, all three families argued they no longer wished to support Stone, claiming that after spending what little compensation his mother had left on his medical expenses, there wouldn’t be much left. He still needed to go to school, get married—all requiring money. Plus, his real father was still alive; it wasn’t their place to take care of him.
The villagers couldn’t help but sigh upon hearing this, disgusted by the Sun Family’s behavior. The matter was then reported to the street office where Ning Ziping worked, and the Ning Family, upon receiving the phone call, said it was out of their hands.
The situation became deadlocked because, at the time of Sun Mei’s divorce, she had indeed signed an agreement with Ning Ziping that Stone would be hers, and she had also received a one-time alimony payment of two hundred yuan.
Over at the Ning Family, Ning Ziping’s new wife was pregnant, and they didn’t want Stone to return and cause distress for the daughter-in-law. Gao Jiefang, not taking no for an answer, made another call, insisting that Ning Ziping answer it himself.
Later, after the street office learned of the situation, they provided Ning Ziping’s office phone number. After getting through, although Ning Ziping was not as indifferent as the Ning Family members, he spoke at length about his own difficulties and brought up that agreement.
Gao Jiefang was fuming and shouted into the phone, “Ning Ziping, I hope you don’t come to regret this.”
By the time work ended in the afternoon, the public security officers had already left. The Sun Family, feeling that they had already lost face, decided it was better to resolve the issue once and for all. All three families unanimously agreed not to support Stone anymore, this time even Stone’s grandmother didn’t speak up for him.
The police officers had also visited the health clinic, where the doctors said the injury was quite serious. To get treatment in the city would cost no less than a few hundred yuan.
Seeing the small child lying there alone, bare on the upper body, the public security officers couldn’t help but feel deeply unsettled.
In the evening, Luo Qiao and Lu Yichen came to bring food. After Stone finished eating and tidying everything away,
Luo Qiao asked, “Stone, would you like to live with your sister?”
Stone did not understand, and Lu Yichen was also surprised. Both looked at Luo Qiao.
After Luo Qiao recounted the day’s events in the village to them, Lu Yichen understood why she had asked such a question. Stone, however, just lay there, silent.
After a long silence, Stone asked, “Do they really not want me anymore?”