After staying at Yun County Hospital for three days, Liu Yong's condition did not improve; instead, it worsened. The hospital's medical equipment was outdated, and the attending physician recommended transferring him to a provincial or municipal hospital for treatment.
The situation was critical, and Yang Jian had no choice but to set off again with Liu Yong, rushing directly to Hancheng. He and Biao Biao took turns driving without stopping, not daring to waste a minute except for refueling and using the restroom.
At seven in the morning on the twenty-second day of the twelfth lunar month, Yang Jian and his group, after traveling over a thousand kilometers, finally arrived in Hancheng.
Song Jianmin was already waiting at the entrance of the Provincial Hospital. He had been involved in the Hancheng casino and, after receiving Yang Jian's call, had arrived at two in the morning to queue for registration. However, there were too many people, so he ended up spending five hundred yuan to buy a number from a scalper, securing the earliest spot.
After a preliminary diagnosis by outpatient specialists, hospitalization procedures were immediately processed, followed by a series of instrument examinations and professional treatments.
By two in the afternoon, Liu Yong was admitted to the intensive care unit. Yang Rui accompanied her uncle to the hospital.
"Brother, how is Brother Yong?"
Yang Rui, having started her winter break, had stayed in Hancheng for a few days as a tutor. She had picked up her uncle at the station.
"He's in the ICU. The doctor said he's severely injured. If we had been a day later, he wouldn't have survived. However, the situation is still not optimistic. Due to drug use and a heavy blow to the head causing a concussion, his brain nerve damage is serious. Even if his body recovers, his reactions might become sluggish."
Yang Jian tried to be as gentle as possible, worried that his uncle couldn't handle the blow.
Liu Tong, however, was not as fragile or anxious as Yang Jian expected. "We'll leave it to fate. If he can be treated, fine. If not, don't waste money. I'll just pretend I never had this son."
Yang Jian was somewhat bewildered; his uncle was clearly angry.
Yang Rui tugged at him. "Brother, many people have been coming to Uncle's house demanding money. Cousin's wife left the child and ran away. Aunt can't handle it alone at home, and Uncle is worried."
"Aren't all the people demanding money at our house? Why are there people going over there?"
Yang Jian had received a call from his father yesterday. The migrant workers returning from Xichuan had arrived home before them and were now gathered at the Yang family home demanding money. These people knew Liu Yong was out of money and severely injured, so they couldn't get anything from him.
"Brother Yong still owed some old debts, mainly from building the house. Although not much, he really couldn't come up with it. I heard they showed up when they heard about his accident."
"Then let's go home together, Uncle. Xiaochao can take care of things here."
Yang Jian was anxious to return. Their home was already in chaos. His mother was not in good health, and if she became seriously ill due to the stress, it would be no laughing matter.
Moreover, it was difficult for his aunt to manage two four-year-old children alone at home, and with people pressuring them for debt, she was even more overwhelmed.
Liu Tong looked towards the intensive care unit. "Alright, I'll go back with you. Xiaochao, do you have enough money on hand?"
Liu Chao nodded. "Should be enough."
"Uncle, don't worry, I have money here too. I'll stay and take care of Brother Yong."
At this critical moment, relatives proved useful. Jing Yongli voluntarily offered to stay. He had money because Yang Jian had paid him the same salary as Liu Chao while operating the casino, with cash distributed daily.
With the hospital matters arranged, the group didn't linger and immediately headed back.
This time, Yang Rui was driving. She had obtained her driver's license in the past six months. Although a novice, she drove steadily.
After dropping off her uncle and Biao Biao at home, Yang Jian and his sister arrived home at five in the afternoon. A large group of people were standing and sitting in the yard.
As soon as they saw Yang Jian's car return, everyone swarmed forward.
"Er Jian, we've been waiting for you. How is your Brother Yong?"
A foreman carpenter named Xu Sheng was the first to inquire. Although they hadn't received their money in Xichuan and were dissatisfied with Liu Yong, they didn't dare to confront Yang Jian.
Although Yang Jian was a partner, the reason they couldn't get paid this time wasn't his fault. More importantly, Yang Jian had a fearsome reputation, and no one dared to provoke him.
"My Brother Yong is in the Provincial Hospital now. The situation is a bit serious. Old Xu, tell me, what happened in Xichuan?"
Yang Jian had received a call from Manager Chen earlier, but at that time, he only knew that the client wasn't paying the migrant workers. He was still unclear about how the project department had handled it later.
"The local government only took care of the local workers' wages; they didn't pay us a single cent. When we protested, they threatened to arrest us. Finally, the project department gave each of us two hundred yuan for travel expenses and told us to get the rest from you."
"Only two hundred? Why didn't you push the project department further?"
"Manager Chen said that this travel fee was personally advanced by him. Even the management staff of their project department hadn't received their salaries yet. If we stayed there any longer, we wouldn't be able to afford train tickets, so we had to come back."
Yang Jian sighed. "Alright, Old Xu, please tally up how much is owed in wages."
"We've already reconciled the accounts. You owe a total of one million five hundred and fifty-six thousand."
"What? Over 1.5 million? How is that possible?"
Yang Jian was shocked. He had a basic estimate of the workers' wages, which was around five to six hundred thousand. Since he had given Liu Yong a lot of cash for distribution, including cash exchanged for meal tickets, it was all in Liu Yong's hands.
"Oh, this over a million isn't all for the power plant wages. Over five hundred thousand is for the work we did with your Brother Yong at the Hancheng construction site, which he also didn't pay."
"Then wasn't the Hancheng construction site settled?"
"We don't know. You'll have to ask your Brother Yong."
Yang Jian looked at the workers filling the yard and felt overwhelmed. Where would he get so much money to pay wages now? He only had a little over sixty thousand yuan in his bank card. After returning, he had repaid his eldest sister ten thousand, given his family fifty thousand, and spent tens of thousands on the trip to Xichuan. The money earned from the casino was almost gone.
"Old Xu, everyone, you all know about my Brother Yong's situation. He gambled away my investment funds as well, and now I have to bear all the wages. The pressure on me is immense. I acknowledge your accounts, but I don't have that much money for you right now."
"Didn't you earn millions from running the casino? How can you be out of money?"
"Exactly. I heard this car alone cost over three hundred thousand. Who would believe you if you say you have no money?"
"Even if you don't pay for the work at the Hancheng construction site, you should be able to afford the power plant wages, right?"
As soon as they heard there was no money, the workers became agitated.
Yang Jian waved his hands. "Everyone, please be quiet. I did earn a million from the casino, but some of that was in meal tickets, which were all given to Brother Yong. I also gave him some cash, and after buying the car, there wasn't much left. After returning, I paid off some old debts. I only have a little over sixty thousand yuan in my card now."
"Er Jian, how can sixty thousand be enough? For these thirty-plus people, that's less than two thousand each. We worked hard for a whole year, relying on this salary. I'm counting on this money for my child's university living expenses after the New Year."
Xu Sheng was on the verge of tears as he spoke. He was in his forties, at the age where he had to support both his elderly parents and his young children, and also pay for a university student. The pressure was immense.