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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Two: Who Are Those People Above
The father and son stared at each other for a while. Finally, Zhang Zhi Hua sighed and said slowly, "I was injured by someone."
Injured? Zhang Qiu found it hard to believe. His father had always had a good reputation in the neighborhood; whenever someone had a problem, he would help out enthusiastically. It was hard to imagine that his father, who rarely got into disputes, could be hurt by someone.
"Dad, who hurt you? That sounds brutal," Zhang Qiu said, looking at Zhang Zhi Hua's leg hanging in the air, filled with anger.
Zhang Zhi Hua forced a smile. "A few thugs, they were pretty rough." Every time he thought about being beaten by those thugs, Zhang Zhi Hua felt miserable. If only he had practiced martial arts back then, he could have made those thugs regret it. But there was no use in saying "if"; his father had never allowed him to practice martial arts, leaving him with no options.
At that moment, He Mei also spoke up angrily from the side. "They are from the demolition team."
"The demolition team? They dare to hit people? What exactly happened? Dad, tell me clearly," Zhang Qiu was even more shocked. As a liberal arts student, he paid close attention to current events; the issue of violent demolitions had caused a huge uproar in society and garnered widespread concern. How could anyone still dare to act recklessly?
Zhang Zhi Hua seemed reluctant to recall the painful incident. After several sighs, he slowly began to explain. "It happened this morning. Our dog kept barking non-stop, and before long, someone knocked on the door. When I opened it, I saw four men in suits with their jackets unbuttoned, holding briefcases under their arms. I asked what they wanted, and they said they were from the Relocation Office Task Force and wanted to understand the situation at our home."
"When they said that, I didn't want to let them in. Just yesterday when I was with our neighbor Old Ma, Old Ma mentioned that once the Task Force gets inside, they won't want to leave. I thought if I let them in, I'd waste my whole morning when I just wanted to rest at home for a bit. So I refused to let them in. Seeing that I was adamant, they left."
Zhang Qiu was confused. "So how did it escalate into a fight?"
"Yeah, I didn't expect it either. Not long after I closed the door, someone knocked again. When I opened it this time, they had come back with a few more people. Those new guys looked like trouble—dyed hair and a rough demeanor, cursing loudly. There was no way I was letting them in now. When I refused them entry, they forced their way in; one thug even hit me." At this point, Zhang Zhi Hua suddenly stopped and awkwardly scratched his head, smiling like a child as he continued, "I retaliated and slapped the guy who hit me back; then they all started punching and kicking me."
"A bunch of hooligans!" Zhang Qiu cursed fiercely, feeling an intense rage inside him. His father had been hurt by others; this was unacceptable! Zhang Qiu clenched his fists tightly until they cracked. Seeing this, Zhang Zhi Hua worried that his son might act impulsively due to his martial arts training and quickly intervened. "Son, you mustn't do anything reckless! Do you hear me?"
He Mei also advised from the side: "Listen to your dad; don't cause trouble. You have your college entrance exams coming up; focus on your studies."
Zhang Qiu looked at his mother and then at his father lying on the hospital bed and nodded to reassure them. However, in his heart, he firmly noted down this incident. No matter who it was that hurt his father, this matter would not end here.
Wang Jinghan also chimed in from the side: "Listen to Uncle and Auntie; don't do anything rash."
Wang Jinghan's words made Zhang Zhi Hua and his wife realize that the nurse was not there to check on the patients but had come with their son. Zhang Zhi Hua quickly said to He Mei, "Hurry and get a chair for the child."
Before He Mei could move, the older nurse on duty promptly offered a chair. Zhang Zhi Hua said, "Child, sit down."
"Thank you, uncle."
Zhang Qiu stepped forward at the right moment to introduce, "This is my dad, Zhang Zhi Hua, and my mom, He Mei. Dad, Mom, this is Wang Jinghan, my... well, my middle school classmate."
He Mei smiled and praised, "This child looks so bright. Here, have a pear." She handed a peeled pear to Wang Jinghan.
"Give it to uncle," Wang Jinghan politely offered it to Zhang Zhi Hua.
"You eat, you eat. I'll peel another one for your uncle," He Mei said cheerfully as she looked at Wang Jinghan.
The focus of everyone's conversation quickly shifted from Zhang Zhi Hua's leg injury to Wang Jinghan. Embarrassed, Wang Jinghan lowered her head and quietly stood beside Zhang Qiu, leaning slightly against him.
Zhang Qiu noticed a hint of something unusual in his parents' gazes towards Wang Jinghan; it increasingly felt like they were considering her as a potential daughter-in-law. It seemed that no matter when, parents were extremely sensitive about their children's romantic issues.
Just as Zhang Qiu felt awkward, he suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, have we called the police?"
Zhang Zhi Hua nodded. "We've already reported it."
"What did the police say?"
"They told us to wait for news," Zhang Zhi Hua replied weakly.
He Mei frowned. "Wait for what news? They're all in cahoots; just thinking about this makes me angry."
"Who is in cahoots with whom?" Zhang Qiu pressed.
Zhang Zhi Hua had specifically instructed He Mei not to elaborate on this matter to Zhang Qiu, but at that moment, He Mei let it slip. Zhang Zhi Hua quickly took over the conversation, preempting He Mei by saying, "It's nothing; the Relocation Office is in league with the thugs." Zhang Zhi Hua did not want his son to be exposed to the darker sides of society too early.
Zhang Qiu was not foolish; he could see that his father was hiding something. He raised his head and looked directly into Zhang Zhi Hua's eyes, saying earnestly, "Dad, I'm about to turn eighteen. Stop treating me like a child. Whatever happens in our family, let's face it together, okay? Just tell me everything clearly; don't keep me in the dark."
Zhang Zhi Hua felt a pang in his heart. He suddenly realized that his son had grown up. To Zhang Zhi Hua, Zhang Qiu had always been a child. It was only now that he recognized that this was no longer the boy who needed his help for everything. The child in his eyes had actually matured into a man who bore responsibilities.
Feeling comforted, Zhang Zhi Hua decided to tell Zhang Qiu the truth. "Your uncle has someone pressuring him regarding this matter. During the old city renovation, stability takes precedence over everything."
Zhang Qiu's uncle, who was also He Mei's brother—He Jun—was the deputy director of the County Public Security Bureau and held significant authority. He had handled several major cases and earned respect from many people. At the same time, Zhang Qiu knew that his uncle was being sidelined due to his lack of social connections.
"Is that how it’s going to be? That’s just too unfair," Zhang Qiu said, dissatisfied with his uncle's approach. The anger he had just suppressed flared up again.
He Mei added from the side, "Your uncle wants us to first conduct a disability assessment. The higher-ups mean to resolve this through compensation and negotiation."
Zhang Qiu frowned. "The higher-ups? Who are these higher-ups?"
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