Baoping Town Health Center.
Feng Taiping stared blankly at the hospital room ceiling, his heart filled with despair. The doctor had just informed him that a steel ball had lodged in his right kneecap, necessitating an amputation.
There was no room for doubt in the doctor's words. Although it was a town health center, Baoping was an economically developed area, and its medical facilities surpassed those in the county seat. It was even in the process of applying for a Grade A tertiary hospital status.
As the sole breadwinner, he had parents over sixty who were in poor health, and two twin children in junior high school. His wife managed their small farm on the mountainside, growing a few acres of corn and sweet potatoes – crops that were not valuable and brought in almost no income.
The entire family depended on him to earn money by reinforcing steel bars on construction sites. With his hard work and frugality, he could earn over twenty thousand yuan a year at the site. The family's life was passable, albeit simple. They were a harmonious family, and their two children were excellent students with the potential to attend university.
If they could just endure a few more years, their difficult days would be over.
Who would have thought that at the Baoping Power Plant construction site, only a dozen miles from home, he would contract the vice of gambling? In less than a month, he had borrowed his entire year's hard-earned wages in the form of meal tickets, losing it all, and also borrowed two thousand yuan from a fellow villager.
He wasn't the only one who lost money. Out of a dozen fellow villagers, seven or eight had lost so much that they couldn't explain it to their families.
Thinking of the approaching year-end and how his wife, children, and elderly parents were all counting on them to bring money back, they, instigated by the steel bar team leader Feng Changhong, planned a robbery of Yang Jian.
Feng Changhong was Feng Taiping's cousin. He was powerfully built and considered a minor troublemaker back home, having engaged in his fair share of petty theft and robbery. Later, he connected with "Brother Hu," a local big shot in Baoping, and took over this steel bar job.
He had also lost money at the casino and had long coveted the tens of thousands of cash the bookmaker brought out every time they operated. Even if he hadn't lost money, his ingrained habits had already sparked the idea of robbery.
After weighing the pros and cons, he set his sights on Yang Jian.
There were five teams of bookmakers operating in Huangjiaping. Two teams were from Huangjiaping village itself, and they dared not touch them.
Two other teams were from Baoping Town. They had some background and influence, and they traveled in cars, making them equally untouchable.
Yang Jian was the only bookmaker from outside the area. He had fewer people with him and always walked between the construction site and Huangjiaping. Robbing him posed almost no risk.
Feng Taiping was actually quite timid. When his cousin first invited him to rob, he refused.
Later, seeing that several other fellow villagers were preparing to participate, and thinking about not having money to bring back for the New Year, he couldn't afford to be too scrupulous.
Before carrying out the robbery, Feng Changhong personally scouted the casino. He knew Yang Jian and his group had won a lot, with over two hundred thousand yuan in principal and winnings. He immediately organized personnel to ambush them on their way back to the construction site.
Unexpectedly, things went awry. Before any contact could be made, the other party opened fire. Feng Taiping was hit first, struck in the knee by a steel ball and falling to the ground.
He stayed in the hospital for three days, not daring to tell his family. But when the doctor said amputation was necessary, Feng Taiping knew he couldn't keep it a secret any longer and quickly asked his cousin to notify his family.
"Taiping, what happened to you?"
Yuan Tao, his wife, frail and sallow-faced, was terrified and burst into tears as soon as she entered the room. Her husband's right leg was heavily bandaged and suspended from the head of the bed, indicating a severe injury.
Feng Taiping's tears flowed involuntarily. He didn't know how to explain to his wife that after the amputation, his life would depend on others for care. What would happen to their family?
"Dad, why aren't you saying anything? What happened to your leg?"
Accompanying them were not only Feng Taiping's cousins but also his son, Feng Xiaoyun, who was fourteen years old and in the second year of junior high.
"My leg is injured. The doctor says it needs to be amputated."
Feng Taiping dared not look his son in the eye. He couldn't tell him about the robbery.
Amputation? This news was like a bolt from the blue. Yuan Tao almost fainted. Her husband was her sky, but now this sky was about to collapse. How could she bear it?
And what about the family? Without her husband's labor, how could her frail shoulders carry the burden of caring for the entire family, young and old?
"Dad, why do you need an amputation? What exactly happened to your leg?"
Feng Xiaoyun wailed, crying uncontrollably. Children from poor families mature early. He knew his father worked very hard outside. He had started helping his mother with farm work in elementary school, all to prevent his father from worrying about household matters.
"Excuse me, who is Feng Taiping's family member?"
Before Feng Taiping could answer, a nurse walked in.
Yuan Tao wiped away her tears. "I am. What is it?"
"Feng Taiping has been owing medical fees for two days. Please pay as soon as possible."
"Owing medical fees? He was injured at the construction site. Shouldn't the construction site cover the medical expenses?"
"I don't know. The police brought him here. After they paid for one day of treatment and examination fees, they didn't come back. The doctor said he needs surgery as soon as possible, otherwise, it could cause pathological changes in his upper body. The surgery fee is estimated to be eighty thousand yuan."
The nurse explained expressionlessly. She knew Feng Taiping was injured in a fight and shot. People like him were not worth sympathizing with.
Feng Qiang, Feng Taiping's eldest cousin, couldn't hold back. "Eighty thousand? Taiping, what's going on? Why isn't anyone from the construction site taking care of you, and now you're owing medical fees?"
Glancing at his cousin Feng Changhong, who had been silent, Feng Taiping sighed. "The construction site isn't handling this. I was shot by someone."
"Shot? Who did it? Didn't the police catch the culprit?"
Feng Qiang was the village head of Fengjia Village and understood basic legal common sense.
"The culprit wasn't caught. The police said they will include civil compensation once the culprit is apprehended. Until then, all medical expenses must be borne by yourself."
Feng Changhong finally spoke.
At this, everyone fell silent. Yuan Tao was instantly stunned. Bear the cost herself? Not to mention eighty thousand, the family didn't even have eight hundred yuan in cash right now.
"Never mind him. This incident happened while Taiping was working. The construction site must bear responsibility. Changhong, take us to the construction site owner to negotiate. They must pay for the medical expenses and subsequent compensation, otherwise, how will his family survive?"
Feng Qiang thought for a moment and made a decision.
Feng Changhong stammered, "Brother Qiang, this has nothing to do with the construction site. They won't pay."
Feng Qiang was furious. "If they don't pay, will you? He worked under you, and now that something has happened, you're not taking responsibility? Tell me, Taiping needs an amputation. How will his family, old and young, live?"
Feng Changhong dared not respond, but he was also worried that if the matter escalated, his role in organizing the robbery would be exposed.
"How many people are you planning to bring?"
"Two hundred. If it's not enough, we'll add more. We must show our strength. If the construction site owner doesn't pay, we won't retreat."
To ensure Feng Taiping's family could continue to live, Feng Qiang, the village head, displayed an extremely assertive demeanor.