Chapter 89 might not be appropriate, right?

As for Jia Laonian's mood today,

It was truly a rollercoaster ride, full of twists and turns.

I arrived at the steel rolling mill very early in the morning.

He ran to the foreman first.

I requested a long leave for Yi Zhonghai.

This was something Li Guihua had repeatedly begged him to do the night before.

For an ordinary worker,

Asking for leave at such a critical moment

Most of them can't even keep their own jobs.

Only Yi Zhonghai had excellent technical skills and held considerable influence in the factory.

The foreman first muttered a curse under his breath:

"That son of a bitch really knows how to pick his timing!"

Then he pretended to care and asked a few more questions.

However, his words and actions made no indication that he intended to visit her.

Just as Jia Laonian was about to turn and leave,

The foreman stopped him on the spot:

"You'll be filling in for Yi Zhonghai today."

Give your machine to someone else to use.

"This...I'm afraid it's not appropriate?"

Old Jia hesitated before speaking—

Yi Zhonghai's drilling machine was the best piece of equipment in the entire workshop.

They usually keep a very close watch on them.

No one is allowed to touch it without permission.

"Use it just because I tell you to."

If the quota is not met,

Are you suggesting that Yi Zhonghai should take the blame for you?

"You bastard, you really know how to pick your timing!"

The foreman's face fell with impatience.

At this point, he no longer bothered to hide his emotions.

"Okay, okay."

The foreman has already made his point to this extent.

Old Jia dared not say another word.

Anyway, it's all about doing work.

It doesn't matter where you work.

After moving to the new workstation,

As soon as Jia Laonian made a move, he noticed a clear difference.

This machine is much more convenient than the one he used before.

During breaks from work,

He glanced casually at his old workstation behind him.

They discovered that a young man had already been assigned there.

Judging from his appearance, he should be an apprentice who has just started working at the factory.

All morning,

Old Jia felt exceptionally comfortable.

He even secretly plotted:

It would be best if Yi Zhonghai could stay home and rest for a while longer.

Don't come back so soon.

After lunch,

Work had just started in the afternoon,

Old Jia was completely focused on turning the workpiece.

A heart-wrenching scream suddenly erupted from the workshop—

"what!"

Then,

Someone then shouted at the top of their lungs:

Someone's dead!

"Someone has died!"

Old Jia's hand trembled violently.

He immediately turned off the machine and ran over.

Upon arriving at the scene,

The scene before him terrified him so much that his legs went weak.

He collapsed to the ground.

The accident happened at his former workstation.

Lying on the ground,

It was that young apprentice who replaced him.

A broken drill bit was sticking out of the young man's head.

He had already stopped breathing.

"Don't move!"

The foreman ran over.

He sternly stopped everyone present.

The crowd scattered hastily.

The foreman squeezed in and only glanced inside.

He then muttered a curse under his breath:

"What the hell is this bad luck!"

He immediately ordered someone to notify the security department to come and remove the body.

They also sent people to seal off Jia Laonian's original workstation.

And we asked a technician to come and conduct a thorough inspection.

The test results came back quickly:

The machine is too old.

This caused the drill bit to become loosely secured and accidentally fall off.

This ultimately led to this tragedy.

Throughout the afternoon, Jia Laonian seemed absent-minded and restless.

He dared not approach any of the drilling machines and could only do odd jobs in the workshop.

The image of the drill bit that pierced the young worker's head kept flashing through my mind, and I couldn't shake it off.

He even had uncontrollable wild thoughts, wondering if he would have ended up in the same situation if he had been the one operating that machine.

Later, the foreman came over to comfort him and made it clear that this matter had nothing to do with him.

Jia Laonian gave a perfunctory reply, his mind still unsettled.

The foreman asked him if he wanted to go home and rest for a day, but he shook his head.

Taking leave means having my wages deducted, and my family is already struggling to make ends meet.

If he earns even a penny less, his family might have to eat less, so he really can't afford to take a break.

As soon as the bell rang to signal the end of the workday, Jia Laonian was already like an arrow released from a bow, the first to rush out of the factory gate.

He ran headlong, never stopping for a moment, heading straight home.

As soon as he stepped into the house, he rushed forward and hugged his son, Jia Dongxu, tightly.

Tears welled up instantly and streamed down his face uncontrollably.

Jia Dongxu was completely stunned by his father's sudden hug.

He instinctively tried to dodge, but his body was too stiff to move, and he could only stand upright.

"Old Jia, what's wrong with you? You came in and started crying and hugging Dongxu."

"Could it be that his father died? No, Dongxu's grandfather passed away a long time ago."

Before the words were even finished, a crisp, loud slap rang out.

Jia Zhangshi received a solid, heavy slap.

"I almost lost my life at the factory today, and you're here spouting nonsense and cursing me!" Old Jia roared angrily.

"Huh? Old Nian, are you alright?" Jia Zhangshi was stunned by the slap.

She quickly moved closer and carefully examined Jia Laonian from head to toe.

He touched him here and patted him there, repeatedly making sure he wasn't injured.

She patted her chest and let out a long sigh of relief: "Don't scare me, what happened?"

Although she is usually cunning, lazy, greedy, and slippery, she has many bad habits.

But if Jia Laonian no longer goes out to earn money to support the family, the mother and son will really starve to death.

How could she not be anxious when it concerned her own livelihood?

Jia Laonian recounted the tragedy that had occurred in the workshop in detail.

After hearing this, Jia Zhangshi pursed her lips, her face showing a dismissive expression.

"Unexpectedly, the severe beating that Yi Zhonghai received ended up saving your life by sheer coincidence."

"You don't know yet, do you? The master who came today was from the palace of the previous dynasty."

"Yi Zhonghai is probably now a eunuch."

"Huh? Really? You can't just say things like that." Old Jia's heart skipped a beat.

"Everyone in the front yard saw it with their own eyes, how could it be fake? I certainly wouldn't dare go over and look."

"Sigh, he's a man with a tragic fate. Since he indirectly saved me, I should go and see him."

"What are you looking at! What's so interesting!" Madam Jia immediately spoke up to stop them.

She was afraid that Jia Laonian would bring money and gifts to make a show of things, wasting the family's possessions for nothing.

"I'll just go take a look, I absolutely won't say anything out of line."

"Besides, the Yi family's daughter-in-law asked me to help her ask for leave this morning, so I have to give her an explanation."

"Fine, you can go, but you're not allowed to bring anything or pay anything."

"Our family doesn't have any extra food or spare money to help others."

"I understand," Jia Laonian replied casually.

"Also, you are absolutely forbidden to mention the word 'help'."

"That's just your good luck, it has nothing to do with him, do you hear me?"

Madam Jia recounted all the instructions she could think of, afraid that he might let something slip.

"Okay!" Old Jia nodded in agreement.

Jia Laonian turned around and came to the Yi family's house. He almost lost his footing as soon as he entered.

Yi Zhonghai was bound with hemp rope like a big rice dumpling, completely unable to move.

His eyes were bloodshot, almost bulging out, and his appearance was ferocious and terrifying.

The rag stuffed in his mouth couldn't stop his hoarse, mournful howls.

Jia Laonian hurriedly greeted Li Guihua and told her that he had already helped her get leave.

Before leaving, he added, "Please don't hesitate to speak if you need anything."

After saying that, he turned around and quickly slipped out, not daring to stay for even a moment longer.

Li Guihua's complexion was no better than Yi Zhonghai's.

In just one day, she looked as if she had aged ten years, and was extremely haggard.

The cloth ball in Yi Zhonghai's mouth was also a last resort; his screams were too pitiful and his curses too offensive.

Yi Zhonghai's intact arm was still struggling and waving desperately.

That's why the ropes binding him were never untied.

When Jia Laonian returned home, Jia Zhangshi, for the first time ever, warmed two ounces of wine for him.

He said it was to calm him down and get rid of the bad luck he picked up at the factory today.

Zhao Yonghe also took some time to visit the Yi family and even brought some gifts with him.

The purpose was said to be to help Yi Zhonghai recover, hoping he would get better soon.

But Yi Zhonghai now sees everyone as an enemy, his eyes fierce and frightening.

Zhao Yonghe only stood at the door for a short while before hurriedly leaving.

He Daqing was urged several times by the deaf old lady before he reluctantly went over.

He put down a few eggs as soon as he entered, turned around and left without lingering for even a moment.

Xu Damao heard about Yi Zhonghai's tragic situation from somewhere.

I muttered to myself at home, "I've become a father-in-law now."

As soon as he finished speaking, he was slapped across the face by his father, Xu Wangcai.

Xu Wangcai was entrusted by Boss Lou to visit the Yi family to check on their illness.

They also brought ten silver dollars as a token of their sympathy.

But he felt it was too unlucky, so he left the money untouched with the Yi family.

The death of a person in a steel rolling mill is like throwing a stone into the ocean.

It couldn't even make a decent splash before being swallowed up without a trace.

The only ones truly affected and hurt were the family of the deceased young man.

However, Boss Lou was kind enough to give fifty silver dollars as compensation.

Three to five days passed like this, and Yi Zhonghai continued to wail and howl every day.

The deaf old lady was afraid that the noise would frighten He Yushui, so she asked Chen Shuxiang to take the child to live in the backyard.

Chen Shuxiang asked He Yuzhu if he wanted to come along, but He Yuzhu shook his head.

He was worried that the system would issue tasks at any time and that he would be unable to move around easily, so he claimed that he was sleeping soundly.

Although he didn't live in the backyard, he spent most of his daytime there.

To avoid upsetting the elderly man by hearing Yi Zhonghai's screams.

The families in the front yard also dared not let their children near the middle yard.

Madam Jia Zhang even issued a strict order, forbidding Jia Dongxu from taking even half a step closer.

Even when Jia Laonian wanted to go over and take a look, she grabbed him tightly.

He Daqing has finally recovered from his injuries and is able to return to work at the factory.

Just as he was about to leave, Li Guihua came to his door seeking help.

Yi Zhonghai lay on the bed, his face as white as paper, his body extremely weak.

She wanted to prepare something nutritious for Yi Zhonghai to help him recover.

He Daqing didn't want to get involved in this matter at all.

Since that day when I went with Zhao Yonghe to fetch the doctor, I've found that Yi Zhonghai is quite righteous.

I took him out for drinks twice, and our relationship was fairly good.

But after learning the real reason for Yi Zhonghai's injury, he immediately looked down on the man.