Chapter 256: Chapter 248: Luring the Tiger Away from the Mountain
After returning from the grasslands, they visited a few more times and became good friends with Uncle Bala’s family. Tian Qinghua and his newly made friend Morigen got along so well, it was as if they wore the same pair of pants.
Tian Qinghua taught Morigen how to punch and speak Mandarin, while Morigen taught Tian Qinghua how to ride horses, shoot arrows, and speak Mongolian. They got along splendidly. Eventually, Tian Qinghua simply moved in with Uncle Bala’s family, saying that it was too much trouble to go back and forth, and told Tian Xinhua to come pick him up every ten or fifteen days.
Tian Xinhua was both amused and exasperated, who knew Qinghua could make such loyal friends on the great grassland. Perhaps it was a case of the fool’s fortune. Mongolians value sincerity above all; as long as you treat them with a true heart, they will consider you a good friend. Uncle Bala’s family probably appreciated Tian Qinghua’s genuine sincerity.
They also visited Hu Weiwen a couple of times, bringing some tasty treats with each visit, and then they would listen to Huang Xiaoguang tell a few jokes about the outside Liang officials, laughing until their stomachs hurt before returning. Soon, the month of July passed by joyfully and fulfilling.
"What’s wrong, Ah Nan?" Tian Xinhua asked, looking down at Tian Sisi, who kept looking back.
"Nothing."
Tian Sisi didn’t know if she was just being paranoid, but she always felt like someone was following her. However, when she turned back to look, there was no one there.
Hu Weixin urged them from the front, "Ah Nan, Sixth Brother, hurry up!"
The two couldn’t help but laugh and quickened their pace to catch up.
In an office somewhere in the Jining Corps, two heads came together, occasionally emitting "tsk tsk" sounds of admiration, but the voices were particularly sleazy.
"Cousin, I didn’t lie to you, right? Just looking at this little lady gets me excited, damn, I can’t even stand it just looking at this photo."
The speaker was Li Zhuangzi, the same man who was discussing matters with Xu Feifei that day. In his hands now was a photo of Tian Sisi, taken as she was walking on the main road of the paper mill during the day.
"Damn, you’ve got a good eye this time. Who would have thought Tian Aiguo would have such a pretty niece? Tsk tsk, I really don’t want to let her go!"
The cousin was a middle-aged man shining brightly with grease, with a ruddy face that clearly showed he lived well.
"Cousin, then let’s just not send her off. You take the first turn; I’ll take the second."
"Go on, without sending her off, do you think just your cousin alone can handle Tian Aitian?"
The cousin greedily looked at the photo a few more times before carefully putting it away, planning to present it to the commander tomorrow. As long as the commander was pleased and promoted him, what kind of beauty couldn’t he have?
"Zhuangzi, is everything arranged?"
"It’s all set up, I’ve checked everything clearly. This little lady usually comes once a week; she came yesterday, and she will definitely come again within a week. As soon as she comes, I will bring her straight to you, cousin."
"Didn’t you say there are two boys with this little lady? You better not screw this up."
"Don’t worry, those two kids are still green. I’ll figure out a way to send them away when the time comes, and you can just wait for the good news, cousin!"
"Alright, Zhuangzi, my future is in your hands!"
"Cousin, who are we to each other? Just remember to let me have a little taste when the time comes."
"Of course, we’ll enjoy it together!"
"Hehe!"
.......
Another week had passed, and Tian Sisi, Tian Xinhua, and Hu Weixin visited Hu Weiwen once again, this time for the last time. It was now August, and in a few days, they would return to Beijing.
Hu Weiwen and his colleagues had not yet finished work. Tian Xinhua skillfully retrieved the key from a crack in the windowsill, unlocked the door, and brought their things into the dormitory, where the three of them sat waiting for Hu Weiwen and the others to get off work.
After a while, a man rushed in, his body stained with blood. Seeing Tian Xinhua and the others, he said, "You are Hu Weiwen’s relatives, right? Hu Weiwen’s fingers have been crushed by the rolling cutter. You have a car; please take him to the hospital quickly."
"My brother’s fingers are crushed? Sixth Brother, let’s hurry over!" Hu Weixin burst into tears upon hearing this.
Tian Xinhua and Tian Sisi’s faces also changed color, and they followed the man outside, about to get in the car when the man suddenly said, "Little girl, you better not come. Our company commander and platoon leader are going to the hospital; your car might not have enough space. Besides, the workshop is very dirty; it might get your clothes dirty."
Tian Sisi thought it made sense, so she stopped and said to Tian Xinhua, "Brother Xin Hua, then I won’t go. I’ll wait for you in the dormitory."
Tian Xinhua was a bit worried, but the man beside them urged, "Come on, quick. Hu Weiwen has lost a lot of blood; if we’re any later, the fingers won’t be reattached."
"Ah Nan, just wait for us in the dormitory and don’t wander around, okay?" After instructing her once more, Tian Xinhua drove off.
Tian Sisi returned to the dormitory with unease. How could Hu Weiwen’s fingers have been crushed? This didn’t happen in his past life, did it? Would this have been avoided if Hu Weiwen went to Xishuangbanna? Was changing the course of Hu Weiwen’s life right or wrong?
Should she continue intervening in the lives of others? Was she destined to be just a bystander here? Then what was the purpose of her being here?
Tian Sisi was overwhelmed with confusion.
A sound of footsteps arose.
"Brother Xin Hua, are you back?"
Tian Sisi had just gotten up when she suddenly felt a pain at the back of her head, and darkness ensued.
Tian Xinhua drove to the grass-rolling workshop where it was chaotic. Huang Xiaoguang and Liu Yongsheng were helping Hu Weiwen out, his face pale and covered in blood.
"Brother, how did you end up like this?" Hu Weixin cried uncontrollably.
"Xinhua, good that you’re here. Let’s rush Weiwen to Hu City Hospital; maybe we can still reattach the finger," said Huang Xiaoguang delightedly.
Tian Xinhua felt something was off, but couldn’t figure out what amidst the chaos, so he decided to immediately take Hu Weiwen to the hospital.
Nobody noticed that the man who had come to inform them at the dormitory had slipped away quietly.
Fortunately, Tian Xinhua drove fast enough, and luckily Xu Changqing had quickly picked up Hu Weiwen’s severed finger. Hu Weiwen’s left thumb was saved, though it might affect the dexterity of his left hand, which was already fortunate compared to losing a thumb.
"Ah, that’s a relief. It’s good that you came so quickly, Xin Hua. Otherwise, who knows how long it would have taken for the battalion’s car to arrive?" Huang Xiaoguang relaxed upon hearing Hu Weiwen was okay.
Tian Xinhua finally realized what was wrong. He stared at Huang Xiaoguang and asked, "Wasn’t it you guys who sent someone to call me to the workshop?"
"No, we didn’t know you’d be visiting today. I was wondering myself who had been so kind to inform you!" replied Huang Xiaoguang.
"Not good!"
Tian Xinhua and Liu Yongsheng exclaimed in alarm at the same time, Tian Xinhua’s lips turning white with fear. He grabbed the car keys and dashed out, with Liu Yongsheng following close behind.