Chapter 58: Shao Le Who Hasn’t Learned His Lesson
In the general office, Shao Le had already applied medicine. He grimaced and told everyone the reason for the incident.
After Lu Qiaoge established a service station, Shao Le went to the public security office to assist Cadre Liu, while Lu Qiaoge remained a mediator. Under the premise of operating the service station, some minor disputes were not delayed in being resolved.
This time, Master Liu’s wife Li Ying from Workshop Four did not come to find the mediator but went directly to the public security office to find Cadre Liu. She said Liu Yu wanted to kill her; she was extremely frightened and hoped the public security office could send Liu Yu to the farm for labor reform.
So Shao Le and Cadre Liu went to the Liu family home. Before going, they also learned a bit about Master Liu’s family situation.
Liu Yu was the youngest son born to Master Liu and his ex-wife. He was fourteen years old this year and working as an apprentice at a shoe repair shop. Li Ying was Master Liu’s second wife, and Liu Yu’s biological mother had passed away when he was three.
Shao Le went to the Liu family home and found that Liu Yu, this child, was skinny as a bag of bones and very silent, merely staring at Li Ying with eyes full of hatred.
Shao Le said this and looked at Lu Qiaoge, saying somewhat annoyedly: “At the time, I thought, isn’t this just like the situation at Zhou Li’s house? Clearly, Li Ying was lying. That child was so skinny, short in stature, and obviously went hungry at home, getting beaten and scolded. I said to Li Ying, without evidence, that’s just rumor-mongering. Liu Yu may not be your biological son, but he’s still part of the Liu family. You can’t find excuses to drive him out. Unexpectedly, Li Ying lunged at me and hit me. I wasn’t prepared and got scratched twice by her. That old… old woman was too fierce.”
Lu Qiaoge felt Shao Le probably wanted to curse “old shrew” or something, but Director Hu was there, so he didn’t dare.
However, Shao Le hesitated at this point.
Sister Qiao asked: “What are you hesitating about? Is there something you can’t say?”
Shao Le immediately said: “Just before leaving, that Liu Yu actually said: Li Ying is right, I do want to kill her!”
After a pause, Shao Le frowned: “Master Liu heard this, grabbed Liu Yu, and slapped him hard across the face. Cadre Liu and I barely managed to pull them apart. We originally wanted to ask what exactly was going on, but Master Liu said the child was ignorant and he would discipline him, then he chased Cadre Liu and me out.”
Lu Qiaoge thought for a moment and asked: “How did Liu Yu’s biological mother die?”
Director Hu looked at Lu Qiaoge in surprise. He found that this girl focused on different points than most people when dealing with certain matters.
“I don’t know. The neighborhood committee only registers basic family situations.”
And because it was an emergency, no one went to investigate.
At this time, Cadre Liu also walked into the general office and gave Shao Le an irritated glance. This fool—although Master Zhou and Master Liu had similar family situations, every family has its own issues. Without asking clearly, you can’t handle them the same way.
Actually, he also felt Liu Yu was being abused.
He saw the child’s arms were all bruised purple. Besides, the contrast was too obvious.
Li Ying’s ex-husband had died, and she originally lived next door to Master Liu’s home. It was said she had a good relationship with Liu Yu’s biological mother.
After Liu Yu’s biological mother died, she married into the Liu family with her two sons, and both sons changed their surname to Liu.
The eldest was sixteen this year and working as an apprentice with Master Liu in Workshop Four. The second son was the same age as Liu Yu but attending junior high school.
Li Ying’s two sons were tall and sturdy.
Li Ying and Master Liu also had a daughter, who was probably very pampered.
Even a fool could see the child’s situation at home, but Liu Yu’s biological father was still alive. Since he didn’t speak up, others had no way to intervene.
Shao Le grimaced: “So… are we still handling this matter?”
Cadre Liu said irritably: “How can we not? What if what Liu Yu said is true?”
Sister Qiao frowned: “I heard Master Liu beats children really harshly.”
Ren Xiaocui sighed: “That’s why they say, with a stepmother comes a stepfather.”
Director Hu immediately said: “We can’t generalize from one case. Our Xiangyang Neighborhood Committee covers over 50,000 people, and there are many blended families. Whether stepmother or stepfather, there are plenty of couples who treat the children kindly, live harmoniously, just like one family, right?”
Ren Xiaocui chuckled: “I’m just sighing in the office. I wouldn’t say that outside.”
Director Hu checked the time and hesitated a bit. It was almost time to get off work, but Shao Le was reporting…
“Did Master Liu hit the child when you left?”
Cadre Liu said: “I warned Master Liu not to lay a hand on the child.”
But in the end, Director Hu was still worried. It was also right on the way home from work, passing by where Master Liu lived.
He took Shao Le and Cadre Liu to check the situation. Lu Qiaoge originally had to work with the volunteers that afternoon, so Lu Qiaoge hurried off to night school again.
Fortunately, it wasn’t far. Lu Qiaoge walked quickly and arrived in no time.
Once again, Lu Qiaoge hoped for a bicycle.
But the problem now was, there was no bicycle ticket at home, let alone money.
A Feige bicycle at the department store was 180 yuan.
She had less than fifty cents in her pocket.
Luckily, now you could go out even without money in your pocket, otherwise it would be a problem.
Lost in thought along the way, Lu Qiaoge arrived at night school, arranged the work, and let everyone come a bit later in the afternoon. After all, the weather was a bit hot now; they shouldn’t get heatstroke.
These people didn’t want to return to the rural area but couldn’t find jobs for the time being, and their families didn’t want them to leave either.
But this wasn’t a long-term solution.
They desperately hoped for a place that could take them in to do work.
Even unpaid labor would do.
So the honest Meng Qingshan said: “Little Lu, Zhou Li can still use herbs to make heat-relief tea water. We’ll work harder this afternoon and make all the mud bricks.”
Lu Qiaoge didn’t continue to dissuade him. She would come in the afternoon too. After thinking, she asked Meng Qingshan: “How much more yellow mud do you need?”
Meng Qingshan pointed to the dirt pile: “We’ve hauled it all back; it should be enough.”
Du Shuang, pressing her hand to her chest nearby, said: “Every time I go to the mud pond, I feel a bit creepy.”
Lu Qiaoling was quick-mouthed and asked: “Why?”
Du Shuang’s face changed slightly: “I heard it from my mom. Master Liu’s wife from Workshop Four drowned in the mud pond. But that was over ten years ago. After the incident, the mud pond was filled in.”
Lu Qiaoge glanced in the direction of the mud pond, suppressing that strange feeling in her heart.
She had everyone put the tools in the classroom and lock them up, then go home to eat and rest.
Lu Qiaoge and Lu Qiaoling also went home. Lu Xiaosi was waiting at the main door. Seeing Lu Qiaoge, he pointed to the swallow’s nest, then to his mouth.
This meant the Naughty Swallow had brought back White Water Bamboo and he ate it too.
Perhaps it was psychological, but Lu Qiaoge felt Little Four’s condition had improved a lot.
Looking at him like this, by September, he might be able to go to school.
Lu Qiaoge walked into the courtyard. Old Lu was actually home, his face beaming with joy.
Seeing her two daughters return, Meng Xia happily said: “Guess which work unit I went to?”
Lu Qiaoling jumped over in surprise: “Mom, don’t keep us in suspense. Where? Tell us quick.”
Lu Qiaoge scooped up a handful of cool water and splashed it on her face. Ah, so refreshing. She grinned too: “Mom went to the children’s school to work as a school worker.”
Thanks for the treasures’ support. Love you all. Happy weekend~
