Chapter 72: Opinion
Translator: Noodletown Translated Editor: Noodletown Translated
For a moment, Huo Mian didn't even know how to answer the question.
"Um… I don't know him that well." Not wanting to cause a fuss, she merely glossed over the subject.
Upon hearing this, the three other nurses all seemed a little disappointed.
While the OB/GYN Department wasn't busy, Huo Mian went to the VIP suite to see her brother.
However, at the door, she ran into the family of the patient from the other day. It was the mother of another boy injured in the vehicle pile-up. She was a plump middle-aged woman dressed in a conspicuous red dress.
"Hey, wait a minute."
"What is it?" Huo Mian turned her head to face her.
"I heard you wouldn't settle the matter in private. It that true?"
"Yes."
"Did they not give you enough money? How much did they give you?" The middle-aged woman's eyes shone shrewdly. She seemed to be trying to get Huo Mian to disclose some information that could benefit her. However, Huo Mian wasn't an idiot.
"No, I didn't accept the compensation."
"Didn't accept the compensation? Why not? You couldn't make a deal? Let me tell you, you should take the opportunity and ask for a bit more. I heard your brother's injury was in the head? You can exaggerate it, say that he suffered permanent damage and might become a retard, or that he can't take care of himself anymore. They'd give you a fair bit more that way." With that, the woman intentionally lowered her voice, "Did you know? I heard that the kid's parents work in the Ministry of Finance. Not only are they rich, they have power too."
"I will take regular legal actions and sue him. I won't take any compensation. The perpetrator needs to be held responsible." With that, Huo Mian turned around and entered the suite, not willing to continue the conversation.
The middle-aged woman was left stunned for a moment. Then, she rolled her eyes and spat, "Is this girl's head rusted or something?"
- Inside the suite -
Since he woke up, aside from looking a bit sallow, Jing Zhixin had been doing quite well.
Huo Mian hired a caretaker, who takes turns watching over him with their mother. She herself often came by as well.
"You look better than you did yesterday." Walking inside, Huo Mian smiled.
"Sis." Jing Zhixin returned the smile after seeing Huo Mian.
"Weren't you on duty? What are you doing here?" Their mother's tone was still cold.
"The department isn't busy today, so I took some time off to come take a look. How are you, Zhixin? Does anything feel wrong today?" Huo Mian touched her brother's forehead.
Jing Zhixin shook his head. "Nope, I'm great. Don't worry, Sis."
"What did they say about the compensation? I heard those people contacted you," Yang Meirong asked while knitting.
Huo Mian paused, then replied, "Mom, I gave up the compensation. We have enough money for the surgery anyway, and Zhixin's procedure was successful. So, I didn't accept the compensation. I want to go to court, so the perpetrator will receive the punishment he deserves. Otherwise, he'll deal with us with money and continue evading the law. My little brother nearly died. Whenever I think of that, I just can't let it go."
She had thought that her mother would give her a verbal lashing. After all, the lawyer offered her a hefty compensation.
However, to her surprise, her mother didn't. She only gave her a grudging glance and asked, "Didn't they say that the guy had a powerful background? If we sue and lose, wouldn't we lose more than we gain?"
"We won't, we can't lose. The perpetrator was racing inside a school campus, not to mention drinking and speeding. Having caused such a serious incident, he's obviously in the wrong. We won't lose unless the judge is completely blind. Anyway, even if his family has enough power to suppress the incident, I can always go to the media, or post it online in forums. Basically, once this incident gets public attention, the authorities won't stand by and let it happen. I believe that, no matter how powerful they are, they can't control everything."
After Huo Mian had finished, Jing Zhixin gave a sweet, toothy smile. "Sis, you're so smart. You've thought of everything."
Yang Meirong, on the other hand, rolled her eyes at Huo Mian. "If you've already decided, then sort this thing out," she said. "But… how are you going to pay back the money you borrowed? Wouldn't it be a pity to give up the compensation completely? With your crappy salary, who knows how long it would take for you to pay it back? You sure know how to make a mess of things. I'll tell you now, I won't give you a penny. You know what our family is like: we're dirt poor. The only thing you can do is go and ask that blasted biological father of yours to lend you some. But that's impossible. You know how much he despises you."