After hanging up the phone, Du Heng had a clear understanding of the situation and knew how to handle it.
This matter had to be dealt with decisively and swiftly. Otherwise, he wouldn’t just fail to gain any goodwill; he might end up offending a group of people.
Those with connections were already aware that the Health Clinic was preparing for an upgrade. Their plan was to join as temporary workers first, securing a spot. Then, after a year or so, once the upgrade was successful, they would try to leverage their connections to beco permanent staff, likely receiving priority as existing employees.
They were only recruiting for three nursing positions, and one had already been filled. The new recruit would officially start work on July 1st.
The remaining two positions had to be filled as quickly as possible; otherwise, it would stir up a hornet’s nest.
When he returned ho, Du Heng discussed the loan with his elder brother. Du Ping hesitated.
One hundred thousand yuan, interest-free, was an incredibly tempting offer.
But he also understood that such a good offer had co his way only because of his younger brother, Du Heng. Therefore, the obligation to repay this favor would naturally fall on Du Heng.
"Will it affect you?"
"What influence could it have on ? None at all. If you think this 100,000 yuan can help you expand your sheep farming, then we’ll take it. This is a national policy, and it’s not like we borrow and don’t repay. If you feel it’s not useful for now, then we won’t take it."
Du Ping hesitated for a mont. "Well, it doesn’t really matter whether we take it or not. Right now, between the ones I bought and the newly born lambs, I have nearly thirty sheep. Our current sheep pen is just about adequate. If I had the money, buying more would be good. It would just an renting the adjacent land to expand the enclosure and having your sister-in-law help out more."
But I’m thinking, this favor is clearly aid at you. If I take this money, you’ll undoubtedly have to exert yourself. If it involves sothing against your principles, wouldn’t that harm you? But if you don’t put in the effort, then you’ll offend soone. The old saying goes, ’more friends make the road easier to travel.’ With this, instead of gaining a friend, you might make an enemy. That’s not a good trade.
"Brother, you’re overthinking it. That saying, ’more friends make the road easier to travel,’ applies when your own path is smooth; then friends naturally gather. Think about it, back then, did such good fortune ever find its way to us brothers?"
Du Ping fell silent, finding it difficult to decide.
In the end, Zhang Sui made the decision. "Don’t take the money. What’s the point of expanding? The sheep still aren’t allowed on the mountain. You can only let them graze by the roadside or in fields where others have already harvested their crops. When winter cos and the heavy snow falls, let ask you, where will you get feed for over thirty sheep? You want to expand? First, make sure your current flock of over thirty doesn’t starve. We don’t want the money. We’ll talk about it next year after we’ve switched all our land to growing alfalfa and corn for sheep feed."
His sister-in-law had made her decision, and his elder brother basically didn’t oppose it. Du Heng said straightforwardly, "Alright then, I’ll turn it down. When you want to expand next year, just let know. I have money."
With that, Du Heng got up and prepared to leave.
Unexpectedly, his sister-in-law stopped him. "Don’t be in such a hurry to leave. See that box of milk by the door? Take it."
Du Heng turned to look. "Where did it co from?"
"Du Bing brought it today. Oh, and there’s 500 yuan here too. He gave it at the sa ti. It’s all for you."
It was undoubtedly a thank you for saving Du Bing’s wife last night. But Du Heng looked at his sister-in-law, Zhang Sui, and asked, "Sister-in-law, why did you accept the money?"
"Forget the money; I didn’t even want the box of milk. But Du Bing ca in, put the milk on the table, placed the money right on top, and left without saying a single word to . I couldn’t even chase him down. Anyway, it’s for you. I’m giving it to you now. You decide what to do with it."
Du Heng sighed. He didn’t want the items or the money.
Without saying anything more to his sister-in-law, he took the money, picked up the box of milk, and left.
He definitely wouldn’t accept this money or the milk.
Saving a life was one thing, but he couldn’t forget their family’s past actions so quickly.
If he just returned the gifts and money like this, so villagers would surely call him petty and ungracious. But he was, in fact, being petty. It wouldn’t matter if he were just the Dean of the Health Clinic or the Dean of the Provincial First Hospital; the outco would be the sa.
One cannot urge others to be kind without having experienced their suffering.
When he, Du Heng, was still a child, and Du Ping just a young lad, the actions of Du Bing’s family—two generations of them—had nearly destroyed Du Heng’s own family, leaving them gasping for breath.
Why should he forgive them?
"Du Bing, are you ho?" Du Heng went straight to their house under the cover of darkness. He didn’t want this matter to drag into the next day. Besides, he wouldn’t have ti during the day; he had a mountain of work to deal with.
"Du Bing, it’s Du Heng. Are you ho?"
Just after he had called out a second ti, he heard the sound of a door opening, accompanied by the arguing voices of Du Bing and his wife.
"Du Bing, you bastard, you motherfucking shaless bastard!"
"Fuck your mother! Still being so damn stubborn and making lose face? I’ll kill you! Get back inside!" Du Bing’s voice was low and furious, the words he spat out utterly vile.
But this only provoked even fouler curses from his wife.
Then, a loud SLAM of a door echoed, and Du Bing’s wife’s voice, cursing Du Bing’s ancestors, vanished with it.
Footsteps approached from inside the house, and the large iron gate was opened from the inside with a CLANG.
Du Bing looked extrely embarrassed, his face flushed red as blood. "Xiao Heng, you’re here. Quick, co in."
With the gate open, Du Heng could see the entire courtyard.
Du Bing’s father sat on a small stool on the raised platform in the courtyard, his head buried deep between his legs, his face completely obscured by his knees, his expression unreadable.
He was thodically pitting apricots, tossing the kernels into a wicker dustpan beside him. Next to the dustpan lay a pile of cracked apricot shells.
In another part of the courtyard, Du Bing’s mother sat huddled in a corner, holding the child. The old woman and the young child looked like two frightened quails, shrinking into that tiny nook as if trying to disappear into the wall’s crevices.
They showed no reaction at all to Du Heng’s arrival.
Du Heng understood. With his daughter-in-law spewing curses at the heavens and earth right in front of him, vilifying eight generations of his ancestors with a torrent of obscenities, how could the old man possibly have the face to greet Du Heng?
He probably wished he could bury his head in the family latrine pit right about now.
Du Heng took a step back. "I won’t co in. I’ve brought your things back, and this money. You should take it all back."
Du Bing’s face flushed an even deeper red. He said hurriedly, "You saved your sister-in-law last night. This is a token of my gratitude. Please, take it back with you."
This attempt to build rapport had no effect on Du Heng. He shook his head firmly.
Seeing Du Bing make no move to accept them, Du Heng placed the items on the ground, setting the money on top of the milk box. "I can’t accept these. I’m a doctor; saving people is my duty."
The embarrassnt in Du Bing’s eyes deepened. He knew why Du Heng wouldn’t accept his gifts and money.
This resolute stance also made it clear that Du Heng had no intention of reconciling with him.
Just as Du Bing was about to speak, the door to the room was yanked open with a CRASH. Du Bing’s wife, hair disheveled and face contorted with rage, rushed out screaming, "You Du family, you’re all animals, bastards! You’ll all die a horrible death!"
His daughter-in-law’s renewed tirade made Du Bing’s father lift his head from between his knees, his eyes fixed deadly on her.
But Du Bing’s wife showed no trace of fear, glaring right back at him. "What are you looking at? If you father and son have the guts, then kill ! Go on, both of you..."
Before she could finish speaking, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the ground with a THUD.
After hitting the ground, her limbs began to twitch faintly.
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