There are too many things in this world that cant be let go, and if one were to fall from a high place and die at that moment, what Shen Huai couldnt bear to part with would certainly be his little sister Xiao Li, who would be left all alone...
The urn was sent to the mausoleum and the mourners soon came out again.
Seeing Xiao Lis pale and transparent face again, her eyes red and swollen from crying, Shen Huais heart was pierced again.
Zhao Dong, a good friend for many years and also a colleague at the municipal steel plant, drove the truck borrowed from the factory to send Xiao Li and the relatives who came to mourn back to Meixi Town.
Shen Hua felt uneasy and had no excuse to get close, so he could only drive far behind the truck, following it to Mei Creek Town.
Mei Creek Town belongs to Xiapu County under the jurisdiction of Donghua City, but is adjacent to the urban area of Donghua City in geographical location.
Meixi Town and Donghua City are separated by a wide Meixi River, with a cement bridge built in the late 1960s connecting to the city.
Shen Huai just followed him to the old house at the east end of Meixi Town and stopped the car under the shade of a tree by the roadside.
At this time, what else can he do besides watching from afar?
Back in Mei Creek, it was almost dark, relatives and friends left one after another, Zhao Dong also drove back to the city with a few colleagues.
Shen Huai sat in the car and saw that everyone else had left, but Tang Shu was still accompanying Xiao Li, so he felt a little more at ease. He lowered the back of his seat and lay down in the car, still not feeling secure enough to leave.
Also for these three days, his mind has been in a state of confusion, physically and mentally exhausted, Shen Hua didnt know when he fell asleep...
After possession, Shen Huai still retains most of the memory fragments of the original owners body.
For Shen Hua, these memories were unfamiliar, they belonged to the previous Shen Hua.
Even if he could replay these memories like a movie, the sense of unfamiliarity couldnt be eliminated. It was as if he was watching someone elses life play out on screen - just an observer. This sense of unfamiliarity made Shen Hua certain that the previous Shen Hua no longer existed.
In his sleep, Shen Huan heard his phone ringing and thought it was just a sound in his dream.
In 93, a pager in Donghua City could attract peoples attention, let alone a mobile phone?
The phone rang with a "ding-dong" sound, Shen Hua just hugged his arm tightly, wanting to make his body lie more comfortably for a while, subconsciously thinking that the phone ring had nothing to do with him - about five or six seconds later, Shen Hua suddenly woke up with a start, realizing that he had rushed from the hospital to the municipal government to pick up the car and had indeed left one phone and wallet on the dashboard...
Shen Huai suddenly sat up, patting his head, and secretly warned himself: What are you thinking? From now on, you can only live as Shen Huai!
Shen Huai narrowed his eyes to look at the sun, didnt expect to sleep until eight or nine oclock, the old house had been locked from the outside, and he didnt know where Xiao Li went early in the morning.
Shen Huai picked up his phone with some hesitation and answered it.
The voice on the other end of the phone was both familiar and strange to Shen Hua.
Familiarity is due to past memories, while strangeness is something Shen Hua himself clearly knows - hes living with a replaced identity.
"Secretary Shen, where are you? Besides the mayors cars, there are only three vehicles available for use in the municipal government. You took out car 927 and didnt return all night. Have you considered what would happen if someone urgently needed a car today? If your injury is not serious, hurry back to the city immediately."
The other partys voice was low and hoarse, and Shen Huais mind flashed a round face with a big fat nose, which was the voice of Ge Yongqiu, the secretary-general of the municipal government.
Ge Yongqiu, who was over forty years old, had a fair complexion, but there were several white moles on his face. Everyone behind his back called him Ge Mazi (Mazi means "mole" in Chinese).
It cant be said that he came out of the hospital, parked his car outside Meixi Town and slept for a night; Shen Huais voice was hoarse, and he replied evasively: "I know, Ill go back..."
Gema didnt say anything else and hung up the phone.
Shen Huai also didnt take Ge Mazis insipid questioning to heart.
Official circles are often composed of different cliques. If you dont belong to this clique, then you belong to that one, and each clique usually has only one boss.
Ge Mazi is a man of Mayor Gao Tianhe, while Shen Huai is the secretary of Chen Mingde, Standing Committee member and Vice Mayor.
Shen Huais level is slightly lower than Ge Mazi, but they belong to different circles and follow different bosses. They usually dont interfere with each other, just like well water not invading river water.
Nor did he know where Xiao Li went early in the morning, Shen Huai could only drive back to the city first.
************
Shen Huai had just driven into the city government compound when he saw Ge Mazi standing on the steps of the municipal building waiting for him.
Just as Ge Mazi was about to get on his high horse, Shen Huan cursed inwardly and stopped the car, rolling down the window to ask, "Secretary Ge, youre not waiting here specifically for me, are you?"
Ge Yongqius face was gloomy, as if he hadnt heard the provocative tone in Shen Huais words, and said: "The falling death accident that occurred at the municipal steel plant four days ago has already had a preliminary conclusion. Mayor Chen wants me to go over and listen to the report. If you dont have anything else to do, Mayor Chen asked you to come with me, after all, you are also a victim, and you know the situation at the time."
Donghua City is neither big nor small, with a population of over 1 million in the urban area.
As a pillar enterprise of Donghua City, the Municipal Steel Plant has always occupied a large proportion in the city. Since its establishment more than 50 years ago, it has produced more than a dozen municipal and county leaders for the city and affiliated counties.
Mayor Gao Tianhe, Secretary General of the Municipal Government Ge Yongqiu and Deputy Director of the Policy Research Office of the Municipal Party Committee and Government Xiong Wenbin, all came from the Municipal Steel Plant; while Gu Tong, who was then the director of the Municipal Steel Plant, was also a trusted aide to Mayor Gao Tianhe.
This tragic accident happened right under the nose of Vice Mayor Chen Mingde, thats why the city is taking it so seriously. Otherwise, if a factory had killed one or two workers, not even a ripple would have been raised in Donghua City.
Ge Yongqiu also serves as the deputy head of the municipal governments safety production leading group. Although it is said that he should be in charge of this matter, Shen Hua thinks about his relationship with the municipal steel factory and counts on her fingers that it is likely to be a mere formality, how can they possibly investigate the responsibility of the municipal steel factory?
Shen Hua was somewhat reluctant to enter the city steel factory at this time, whether it was his past life or his new life, he needed time to adapt.
Ge Yongqiu thought Shen Hua wouldnt refuse the instructions of Deputy Mayor Chen Mingde, so he didnt dare ask if Shen Hua was willing or not, and directly opened the car door and got in.
Ge Yongqiu glanced at his phone on the dashboard and furrowed his brow:
He, the secretary-general of the municipal government, wanted to replace "Big Brother" with a new mobile phone. The application report was still being suppressed on Chen Mingdes desk, but this beast had already started using the mobile phone in a flurry...
They cant just drive Ge Yongqiu away, so Shen Huai can only reluctantly accompany Ge Yongqiu to the municipal steel factory first, starting his "new day" in a true sense.
*****************
The steel factory is located in the northern part of the city, covering an area of over 2,000 mu. After entering the main gate by car, it takes some time to arrive at the magnificent office building of the steel factory.
No one saw the city steel plant manager Gu Tong come out to greet them, so Shen Huai and Ge Yongqiu walked directly into the office building and headed straight for the managers room.
When passing by the office of the production safety department, a fierce quarrel was heard coming from inside.
"How did the accident happen, Zhou Dazui, you know it in your heart. How you shift the responsibility to the city and muddy waters, I wont intervene; but if you want to deduct Haiwens compensation, Zhou Dazui, touch your own chest, do you still have a conscience?"
This is Zhao Dongs voice, Shen Hua did not expect to catch up with Zhao Dong in the production safety department to fight for compensation.
Shen Huai stopped in his tracks and looked at Ge Yongqiu:
Zhao Dongs mouth said Zhou Dazui, what a coincidence, it just so happens that he is Ge Yongqius elder brother-in-law, and it is precisely because of his relationship with Ge Yongqiu that he climbed to the position of head of production safety at the municipal steel plant.
"Zhao Dong, dont spout nonsense. The nature of the accident and responsibility were concluded by Director Gu - Sun Haiwen was showing off in front of the city leaders, violating regulations by climbing high, which led to his fatal fall. This is what dozens of people on the scene saw with their own eyes. The factory paid for Sun Haiwens funeral expenses, and his sister can replace him at work if she wants; what else do you want in terms of compensation?" This was Zhou Dàmǔs voice.
"Zhou Dazui, what are you talking about? Xiao Li is only 16 years old, cant she go to school instead of entering the factory? Even if she replaces Haiwen in the factory, shouldnt she get the compensation thats due to her?"
"Zhao Dong, youre also from the municipal steel factory," said a voice that Shen Hua found somewhat unfamiliar, perhaps a new employee from the production safety department, standing up to help Zhou Dàmǒu, "What kind of situation is in what kind of factory, youre also clear about. Dont mention now cant take out too much compensation money, even if it can be taken out - if later on the factory has someone die, relatives all come to the factory to extort 100,000 or 800,000, will the factory still want to operate?"
"Whats the point of talking nonsense, driving people away, and coming back next time to cause trouble... just call the police directly..."
Shen Huai heard that Zhou Dazui seemed to have lost his patience, and before he had even finished speaking, the office door was opened from the inside.
The little Li who had gone missing since early morning was suddenly pushed out from inside, with her clothes and sleeves caught on the door handle. With a "ripping" sound, a piece of fabric was torn off, and a thin scratch appeared on her weak arm...
At this scene, Shen Huas evil fire suddenly surged up, and he punched Zhou Dadaos face with a punch.
"What the f**k! I saw with my own eyes that the handrail broke and someone fell off, but you can still distort this fact and turn black into white?"
Zhou Dazui opened the door and pushed people out, where did he think he would face a punch?
Zhou Dazuis nose and forehead were in severe pain, stars were flashing before his eyes, and he stumbled backward.
Shen Hua didnt think of letting him off with just one punch, and instead followed up with a series of punches, his left shoulder not being able to exert much force, but his right fist came down again and again on Zhou Das face, sending him tumbling to the ground, before switching feet to kick...
This scene made Ge Yongqiu, Zhao Dong and others standing beside him stare blankly. The people around them didnt react until after a long while, then they finally remembered to hold Shen Huai back from blowing his top.
