Lin Wan took advantage of a lull to call out to the crowd gathering outside, "Could someone please call the director over for me?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a girl in the crowd shouted, "I’ll call him for you," and hastily made her way toward the hospital.
Lin Wan recognized her as Li Lan, a nurse who often ordered takeout from their shop (she couldn’t quite remember the comrade’s name).
Upon hearing that the director was being called, the three were all stunned. The incident yesterday had caused quite a stir, and the director had harshly criticized them for a long time, warning that any repeat offenses would not be tolerated.
If the director found out about today’s incident, their business would be in jeopardy. They had intended to cause trouble at the clay pot shop, thinking that a few orphaned, widowed, and countryside outsiders wouldn’t dare confront them. The family would just endure the bitterness in silence. Taking advantage of this opportunity, they planned to drive the family away, which would greatly improve their business at the stall by the window.
However, the key was not to let the hospital’s leadership find out.
The three exchanged glances and prepared to retreat, but Lin Wan and Zhang Shuhua were not going to let them off easily. They held on and refused to let them go.
Tong Li’s wife used all her strength to shake Lin Wan off. Lin Wan deliberately "fell hard" to the ground in the direction of her force, quickly yanking her own hair, and grasped onto Tong Li’s wife’s clothes tightly with one hand.
Her eyes were red with indignation, and she loudly proclaimed, "You heartless people, just because you’re city folks, you do things that mar the reputation of city folks. Back home, the elders always said S City was a good place—not only prosperous but full of goodwill and generosity. Our family was envious, eager to come over, and traveled all this way to start a small business here, hopeful and full of expectations. We never thought... we never thought people in S City could be so unreasonable and ungrateful. Back when Tong Li worked at our home, we never treated him unfairly; he never missed out on any bonus. He learned skills from us and went out on his own, and when he did those things at the shop later, we didn’t hold him accountable, which was already very considerate of him. And now he resents us for affecting his income, so he starts plotting against us. My mom was beaten by that couple just yesterday and is still lying at home. We haven’t even asked them for medical expenses, and they’ve already smashed our shop indiscriminately. Is there no justice?"
"Your mom deserved it! You still want to ask us for medical expenses? My Tong Li was pushed to the ground by your mom and can’t even stand, he needs surgery! You countryside folks engage in shady businesses and don’t even behave like human beings. I’m telling you, today I won’t just smash your shop, I’ll make you pay us a thousand... no, two thousand yuan. Otherwise, don’t expect to stay here in the future. If I see you again, I’ll beat you every time," said the old woman, Tong Li’s mother, arms akimbo, pointing down at Lin Wan arrogantly.
Tong Li’s mother’s words displeased a few of the business owners gathered outside.
"Damn it, who do you say is running a shady business? We earn our money with hard work and sweat, openly and legitimately. What’s so shady about it?" This was said by another shopkeeper who had a stall at the hospital gate. Yesterday, Tong Li had overturned their stall, and though the director gave some criticism and education, not a single compensation was given, and he was fuming.
"Yes, sister, we people from S City are good folks, don’t let one or two people ruin the reputation of everyone else."
"Truly a case of one bad apple spoiling the bunch. You’ve disgraced the name of S City. We also know what happened yesterday. The hospital is so big, wanting to monopolize it without considering if you have the capability. Now that the policy is open, doing business is not illegal, what right do you have to drive people away? How can you act so unscrupulously?"