radicalducati Chapter 240: Shazhu's Dilemma
Chapter 240: Shazhu's Dilemma
Every minute and every second that Sha Zhu spent in the hospital was torture.
The monotonous white color in the ward was just like his inner world at the moment, empty, pale and powerless.
Every day, he could only stare blankly at the dripping medicine, drop by drop, as if time was pacing with difficulty in this small space, each step was so slow and so heavy, as if it wanted to wear away his will as well.
He tried to move his body, even if it was just a slight turn of his waist, he would feel a sharp pain in his lower body as if it was burned by fire. The piercing feeling made him gasp for air, and his forehead was instantly covered with dense beads of sweat and a painful chill.
He knew very well that it would take no time to recover from such a serious injury. He could only be trapped in this hospital bed, like a wounded and trapped beast, helplessly enduring and waiting for a turn for the better that would come at an unknown time.
My thoughts often drift uncontrollably back to that nightmarish night.
The wild dog that came out from nowhere, flashing fierce eyes in the darkness, was like a demon descending.
Then, severe pain hit him like a raging tide, instantly drowning him. At that moment, his world seemed to be completely crushed by an invisible hand.
He had placed his hopes on the police station, hoping to get justice, but the final characterization was like a basin of ice-cold water, ruthlessly extinguishing the only remaining spark of seeking justice in his heart.
"Forget it. The police station is unreliable. I can only rely on myself."
Sha Zhu bit his lips tightly. The hatred in his heart was like an enraged beast, roaring wildly in his mind, attacking his reason wave after wave, almost swallowing it up.
At this moment, Sha Zhu had to bite the bullet and face the huge problem that gave him great headaches and difficulties - the financial difficulties.
Before this, he had been in and out of the hospital several times due to a series of troubles.
The high medical expenses incurred by each hospitalization were like a bottomless black hole, ruthlessly devouring his already meager savings.
What's worse, because of the huge compensation he had to pay to the steel mill, his savings had dropped sharply and were almost at the bottom.
Moreover, the Jia family took the opportunity to defraud a large sum of money from him, which made his already fragile financial situation even worse and more dire.
Now, a sudden unexpected operation requires an astonishing amount of money, which is like a bolt from the blue for the penniless Sha Zhu, and directly pushes him into the abyss of despair.
He felt like he had fallen into a dark cave with no end, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not see even the slightest ray of hope.
Although an old lady kindly brought him to the hospital and helped pay part of the expenses, Sha Zhu had a very strong self-esteem and always felt that it was not a glorious thing to always rely on others and take advantage of them.
At this moment, he was lying quietly on the cold hospital bed, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, his fingers fiddling unconsciously.
At the same time, his brain was working rapidly, constantly calculating the pitiful savings he had.
As his thoughts deepened, his brows were tightly locked together, wrinkled into a ball, as if they could easily catch a fly.
Deep worry and helpless emotions were entangled in his heart like a tangled mess, making him feel extremely heavy and almost unable to breathe.
He began to think hard about where to get the money. Going back to work in the factory was a pipe dream for the time being, as his physical condition did not allow it.
Even if he recovers and can return to work, that meager salary is just a drop in the bucket compared to the huge economic gap and cannot solve the urgent problem.
He sat quietly beside the bed, looking out the window with a dull gaze, his thoughts involuntarily drifting back to the courtyard that was full of laughter and joy in the past.
At that time, he was kind-hearted, hospitable, and well-known for his warm-heartedness in the courtyard.
No matter which family encounters difficulties, he will always lend a helping hand without hesitation as long as he can.
The faces of those neighbors who had received his generous help kept flashing in his mind like scenes from a movie.
However, things are unpredictable. Who could have thought that he, who has always been optimistic and strong, would end up in such a miserable state?
Now he is penniless and unable to work. His life has fallen into an unprecedented predicament.
But what made him heartbroken was that those people who had once received his kindness seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth. No one took the initiative to ask about his recent situation, let alone give him even the slightest care and help.
This huge sense of gap made him feel sad and disappointed, just like the biting cold wind in winter.
With no other options left, Sha Zhu even considered selling his belongings to solve the urgent problem.
But apart from a few worn-out tables, chairs and benches, there was almost nothing else decent in his house.
Those so-called "furniture" were actually cheap items he bought from the flea market many years ago.
After years of baptism, these old things have become tattered, covered with mottled scratches and faded marks. Even if they are taken to a scrap recycling station to sell, they are probably not worth much money.
Thinking of this, Sha Zhu shook his head helplessly and sighed deeply.
He looked at the walls of the ward that were as white as snow yet seemed extremely cold, his heart filled with helplessness and despair.
"Are you really going to be troubled by the money? But if you don't have money, how can you avenge yourself?"
Sha Zhu fell into deep entanglement and pain, feeling as if fate's ruthless hands had tightly grasped his throat, making it difficult for him to break free. Every struggle was accompanied by excruciating pain and endless fatigue.
The next morning, the sun shone through the thin clouds and fell on the slightly old eaves and walls of the courtyard.
Xu Damao got up early, carefully selected some delicious food, and then couldn't wait to find Cao Wei.
The two walked together and headed towards the hospital where Sha Zhu was.
Along the way, Xu Damao secretly thought in his heart: "I have to work hard this time and make that stubborn idiot Zhu give up the idea of going against me!"
The reason why he showed goodwill to Sha Zhu so frequently and proactively was simply because he hoped to resolve this old feud.
You know, if it weren't for this purpose, based on Xu Damao's usually selfish and sarcastic character, he would have kept his distance from Sha Zhu long ago.
However, it must be said that Xu Damao's actions did play a certain role.
At least in the eyes of the neighbors in the courtyard, he now seemed to really want to reconcile with Sha Zhu sincerely.
After all, everyone was thinking, if it was really Xu Damao who deliberately framed Sha Zhu and caused him to fall into such a predicament now, then why would he go to so much trouble to visit him again and again?
From a common sense point of view, this seems a bit hard to explain.
However, there are also some people with delicate minds among the crowd. Although they did not show it to their faces, they still have a trace of doubt in their hearts.
They felt that Xu Damao's sudden attentiveness might be a sign that he had something to hide.
As the saying goes, "If someone shows kindness to you without any reason, he is either a traitor or a thief."
If you don't have any unspeakable secret in your heart, why do you have to try to please someone who is always hostile to you?
Sha Zhu firmly believed that Xu Damao's move must have bad intentions and he wanted to further harm him. How could he be easily deceived by him?
When Xu Damao and Cao Wei walked into the ward, their faces were full of smiles. But in Sha Zhu's eyes, that smile was uglier than crying. It was as if they were wearing a hypocritical mask, which made people feel disgusted.
"Shazhu, brother, we are here to see you!"
Xu Damao shouted loudly with feigned enthusiasm, and at the same time put the food in his hand on the table beside him. The action seemed casual, but it revealed a hint of affectation.
Cao Wei also echoed: "Shazhu, you have to get better soon."
Sha Zhu looked at them coldly, his eyes full of disgust and vigilance, like a wounded lone wolf facing a potential enemy, full of caution.
"What are you doing here? I don't need your fake concern."
Sha Zhu said this bluntly, his voice as cold as an ice knife in the dead of winter, piercing people's hearts.
Xu Damao was slightly startled, as if he didn't expect Sha Zhu to be so disrespectful, but he quickly restored his fake smile and said, "Sha Zhu, why are you doing this? Let's write off our previous grievances. I really want to make peace with you. Look, I brought food again."
Sha Zhu snorted coldly, the sound seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth: "Xu Damao, do you think I will believe your lies? I know exactly what you are thinking."
Xu Damao sighed helplessly and turned to look at Cao Wei, his eyes seemed to be seeking his help, hoping that he could say something to break the deadlock.
Cao Wei cleared his throat and said, "Silly Zhu, Damao really knows he was wrong. No one wants this to happen again. Please be magnanimous and forgive him."
Sha Zhu's eyes widened with anger burning in them, and he shouted, "Forgive? You two colluded with each other and made me like this, and you still want me to forgive you? No way!"
Xu Damao's face suddenly turned ugly, and his disguised kindness was about to break. He suppressed his anger and said, "Shazhu, don't refuse a toast. I came here because we have been neighbors for many years. If you keep doing this, don't blame me for being rude."
Sha Zhu sneered, his smile full of disdain and provocation: "How can you be rude? Do you think I'm afraid of you? I tell you, when I get better, you'll be in trouble."
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