Chapter 42: Adding Frost to Snow

  Ke Zheng Xiaomin came out so recklessly to sell herself and asked for a price of 10,000 yuan. There was no man who dared to contact her, let alone pay such a high price.

  Zheng Xiaomin was at a loss, just about to give up when she suddenly saw a man who looked very much like Chu Tian Shu, so she followed him. She was asked by Chu Tian Shu about her sad story, that's why she cried bitterly.

  Chu Tian Shu also let out a sigh after hearing this, and his eyes became slightly moist. He asked: "Xiao Min, although your mom has been laid off, according to the regulations, severe illnesses that require hospitalization can have most of their treatment fees reimbursed."

  Zheng Xiaomin sobbed and said: "I asked, the relevant department replied that Qingyuan Instrument Factory owed employees' medical insurance premiums of tens of millions, so the factory's employees could only pay for their own medical expenses first and then wait for the factory to make up the medical insurance premiums before they could be reimbursed."

  This is totally screwed up!

  Chu Tian Shu heard Zhang Wei and Tan Yu Fen mention that the watch factory couldn't even pay the laid-off workers' living allowance of 200 yuan on time, let alone make up for the overdue medical insurance premiums.

  At the thought of this, Chu Tian Shu suddenly had a feeling of being grasped at heart. He inquired from the side about Jian Ruoming and found that the reform plan of Qingyuan Instrument Factory had indeed been reported to the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, which would be organized for research and evaluation in the near future.

  According to the plan reported by Qingyuan Instrument Factory, the factory will be sold as a whole to a certain real estate company. Laid-off workers can only receive compensation of tens of thousands of yuan based on their years of service. The amount that Zheng Xiaomin's parents can get is estimated to be not enough for the surgery fee. In this case, Zheng Xiaomin's mother can only lie in bed and wait for death.

  In this case, Chu Tian Shu didn't dare tell Zheng Xiao Min, fearing that if she heard it, her heart might stop beating.

  Chu Tian Shu grasped Zheng Xiao Min's shoulder, looked into her eyes and said seriously: "Xiao Min, the money owed to the hospital, I'll help you pay it first. We can think of a way for the surgery fee together, but you must promise me that you won't do such foolish things again."

  Even Chu Tian Shu himself could feel that his words were not convincing, but Zheng Xiao Min was so moved that she burst into tears again. She shook her head and said in a low voice: "Chu Gege, I understand, but...but the favor you've done for me, I won't be able to repay it my whole life."

  Chu Tian let out a gentle sigh, slowly releasing the pent-up breath in her chest. She then reached out to tidy up Zheng Xiaomin's disheveled hair and forced a smile, saying: "Xiaomin, don't say anything else, I'll send you home."

  Chu Tian Shu escorted Zheng Xiao Min, hailed a taxi and sent her to the staff quarters of Qingyuan Ordnance Factory, then returned to his own dormitory.

  He quietly entered the rental house and lay down on the bed, his mind a jumble of thoughts as the events of the day replayed over and over, making it hard for him to fall asleep.

  It was unknown what time it was when Chu Tian Shu finally fell into a daze and entered the land of dreams.

  In his sleep, Chu Tian Shu's face showed an extremely painful expression.

  In his dream, he was holding the kidnapped little boy, with two kidnappers crazily chasing behind him. Bullets whizzed past his head as he desperately ran forward, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't run fast enough. The kidnappers were getting closer and closer, just when he was about to lose all hope, Du Yufei raised her gun and shot the kidnappers dead.

  Chu Tian Shu had just let out a sigh of relief when he was blocked by Hao Shuang, who was wearing a police uniform and holding a pair of handcuffs. With a strange smile on his face, he reached out to cuff Chu Tian Shu, and then proceeded to punch and kick him.

  Chu Tian Shu let out a loud cry, trying to break free from Hao Shuang's control, but his hands and feet wouldn't stop moving. Hao Shuang raised a table lamp and smashed it down on Chu Tian Shu's head with all his might. Chu Tian Shu could only close his eyes and wait for the beating. Just then, Ma Li rushed over fully armed and beat Hao Shuang until he rolled away in a heap. Ning Xin clapped her hands and cheered from the side.

  The injured Chu Tian Shu was sent to the hospital for treatment. The female doctor who came to treat him looked familiar, but she couldn't think of who he was. Just as the female doctor was about to remove her mask, several men suddenly rushed in and pulled down the female patient from the next bed, pushing her out with force.

  Zheng Xiaomin wailed loudly and knelt on the ground, begging bitterly.

  At this time, the female doctor blocked those men, took off her mask and loudly stopped their brutal behavior.

  Chu Tian Shu finally saw clearly, and the female doctor turned out to be Xiang Wan Qing.

  She helped Zheng Xiaomin's mother back onto the hospital bed, and Chu Tian Shu was extremely excited, suddenly sitting up from the bed. The awakened Chu Tian Shu saw a bright smiling face.

  Zhang Yingying stood by the bed, speaking in a soft and gentle voice: "Uncle Chu, you're really naughty, always sleeping in late, get up quickly, my mom asked me to call you for dinner."

  Chu Tian Shu rubbed her eyes and grabbed her phone to take a look, it was already past 11 o'clock.

  After washing up, Chu Tian Shu came to the yard and saw Zhang Wei at a glance. He subconsciously asked: "Hey, Brother Wei, didn't you go to the store today?"

  Zhang Wei handed a stool to Chu Tian Shu, shook his head and sighed.

  "What's wrong?" Chu Tian Shu sat down and asked.

  "Hey, never mind, the whole factory is being sold off, and the storefront house has to be taken back."

  Tan Yufen served a bowl of rice to Chu Tian Shu and brought it over. As soon as she heard Zhang Wei's words, she became anxious and asked: "So fast, what do we do?"

  Zhang Wei glanced at her and said impatiently, "What can be done? The factory is about to be gone, who will keep the storefront for you?"

  Tan Yufen pouted and fed Zhang Yingying with her head down.

  "Brother Wei, don't be impatient, take your time and talk to sister slowly."

  "Aw, Yufen, blame me for being no good, don't take it to heart." Zhang Wei patted Zhang Yingying's head and awkwardly smiled at Tan Yufen, looking more miserable than if he were crying.

  The facade house is gone, how can this family get by? The adults can still grit their teeth and hold on, but Zhang Yingying is only a six-year-old child, and in the future, there will be many expenses for school, education, choosing schools, and college entrance exams.

  Thinking of this, Tan Yufen's eyes were a little red, and she couldn't help but ask: "Then, shouldn't you give us some compensation?"

  Zhang Wei said: "I heard that, first look at what price can be sold. However, according to Wu's estimate, the money owed by the factory for social security, medical insurance and so on will be returned to the workers, and the annual salary will be around 2-3 thousand yuan."

  "So little?" Tan Yufen's face showed a worried expression, saying: "We won't mention it anymore, Master Zheng is still hoping that this money can save his mother's life."

  Zhang Wei let out a long sigh and shook his head, saying: "That's probably far from enough. Besides, who knows when we'll get the money? It's still uncertain."

  "Isn't this adding insult to injury?" Tan Yufen wiped away her tears and couldn't say another word.

  After a moment of silence, Zhang Wei said to Chu Tian Shu: "Little Chu, there's something else I need to tell you in advance."

  "Great, you say." Chu Tian Shu didn't even lift his head.

  Zhang Wei hesitated for a moment and said: "You have to find a place to move."

  What? Chu Tian Shu almost dropped the chopsticks in his hand.

  Living together for two years, it can be said that they are as close as family. How could Zhang Wei suddenly come up with such a statement? Chu Tian Shu was perplexed and thought to himself, is someone willing to pay more rent?

  Chu Tian Shu put down his bowl and chopsticks, looked up at Zhang Wei, then at Tan Yu Fen, and said in a low voice: "Brother Wei, I'll add some more to the rent, is that okay?"

  Zhang Wei's face changed greatly, and he slammed his chopsticks and bowl on the table, shouting: "Xiao Chu, what do you take me and your sister-in-law for?"

  Zhang Wei's face is too scary.

  Zhang Yingying burst into tears.

  Tan Yufen hurriedly wiped away Zhang Yingying's tears and scolded: "Zhang Wei, look what you've done, you've scared the child."

  Zhang Wei hugged his head and stopped talking.

  Chu Tian Shu carefully explained: "Wei Ge, I really didn't mean anything else. You and your wife have taken such good care of me, I still want to continue living here."

  "Alas, Xiao Chu, it's not that I want to drive you away, but we ourselves can no longer stay here."

  "What? Tan Yufen hugged Zhang Yingying tightly and stared at Zhang Wei with wide eyes. "Zhang Wei, what's going on?"

  Zhang Wei looked down and said in a low voice: "Our small courtyard will also be sold together."

  "Then where will everyone go?" Tan Yufen said loudly.

  "Keep your voice down." Zhang Wei glared at Tan Yufen. "I also just heard it, don't let everyone hear it."

  In the small courtyard, there were several families also sitting in the yard eating, hearing Zhang Wei and his wife's voices were relatively loud, they all looked over here.

  Tan Yufen pulled over a stool and sat down next to Zhang Wei, asking: "Where did you hear that?"

  Zhang Wei said: "Yesterday, when I went down, the leaders in the factory had a meeting, and I heard what General Wu said."

  "Which Wu?"

  "It's the former chief engineer of the factory, the one who wears glasses and is tall and thin."

  "Hmm, what did he say?"

  "Yesterday, the factory leaders held a meeting. Secretary Guo and Director Liu reported on the plan to sell the entire factory. General Manager Wu expressed his opposition and was criticized for it. After leaving the meeting, I saw that he looked unhappy, so I asked him a few questions, and he vented his frustrations to me."

  "Well, how did you sell this small courtyard too?"

  "This is a temporary simple dormitory we built, not a residential building, neither with property rights nor registration, belongs to the factory area's temporary construction, so it will be demolished together."

  "Can't live like this anymore?"

  Dahu and Lao Wan, hearing the commotion over here, thought that Zhang Wei and Xiao Tan were quarreling, so they walked over with their bowls, saying: "Zhang Wei, Xiao Tan, what's going on? Why all the fuss?"

  Tan Yufen couldn't care about that anymore and said loudly: "Big Hu, Old Wan, this day can't be spent like this."

  "Hehe, Xiao Tan, you were living a good life, how come it's not working out now?" Big Hu chuckled and walked over, saying: "Which couple doesn't bicker a few words? Don't say you can't make it work at the drop of a hat."

  "Alas, Aunt Hu, the factory is going to sell our small courtyard together. What kind of life is this?" Tan Yufen said, pulling Zhang Yingying into the house.

  "What?" Da Hu and Lao Wan looked at Zhang Wei in unison, asking: "Zhang Wei, is this really the case?"

  Zhang Wei sighed and nodded.

  "Ah, damn it! These days are really unbearable!"

  Lao Wan puffed out his chest and said: "We won't move, let's see what they can do to us!"

  Zhang Wei said: "Dahu, Lao Wan, sulking is not a solution either."

  "Zhang Wei, what do you think we should do?"

  "I don't have a good solution either," Zhang Wei sighed again, turning his head to look at Chu Tian Shu: "Little Chu, you're an official from the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, what do you think we should do?"