The world might not have gone crazy, but Bai Lan felt like Datou was about to. Looking at the fierce expression on his face, Bai Lan realized for the first time that she didn’t know what to say. She turned to Xu Jianbei, signaling for him to say something to help Datou release the pent-up anger inside him.
Xu Jianbei’s brow had been furrowed ever since he heard Datou’s story. Seeing his wife’s expression, he let out a deep sigh. First, he helped her sit down, reminding her to take care of herself. Then, turning to Datou, who was on the verge of collapse, he said:
“I won’t say any words of comfort. Those would be meaningless right now. Datou, we just want to know—what are you planning to do next?”
Qin Yan, standing nearby, nodded nervously after hearing Xu Jianbei’s words. She also didn’t know how to comfort Datou. Anyone facing such a situation would probably go crazy. Yet Datou had held it together for most of the day. If she hadn’t been so worried about him and finally called Xu Jianbei and Bai Lan to the recycling station, she never would have learned that the truth was so unbearable.
Datou’s head had been pounding since morning. After revealing what he had discovered, his ears had been ringing non-stop. Now, hearing Xu Jianbei’s words, the noise in his head seemed to quiet for a moment. Then, the whites of his eyes grew bloodshot, his fists clenched so tightly that blood seeped from his nails, and his teeth ground together audibly.
But faced with the concerned looks of his friends, Datou finally said, “I don’t know what to do either.”
Yes—who, encountering such a situation, would know what to do?
Who could have imagined that his father, who had been paralyzed for nearly twenty years, could actually walk?
Yes, his father, Ning Geda, could walk. He wasn’t a paralytic at all. Thinking back to the scene he had witnessed at the doorway, Datou clenched his fists again.
To say his father could walk wasn’t entirely accurate. To be precise, Datou had seen this damned man lying on his wooden bed, listening to the radio and cracking sunflower seeds between his teeth. Then, he accidentally knocked his enamel cup off the table, and it rolled to a spot a little farther away.
At that moment, Datou had been about to rush in and help pick up the cup. But the next second, he watched as this man—as if experiencing some kind of medical miracle—moved his legs, sat up, and even took two steps. His gait was unsteady, but he had definitely taken two steps.
After those two steps, he picked up the enamel cup, refilled it with warm water, and then lay back down on the wooden bed.
The whole process sounded long, but in reality, it had happened in the blink of an eye. So fast that Datou hadn’t even had time to react before this damned man was back in bed.
At that moment, Datou had wanted to smash through the door, drag him to the ground, and kick him again and again.
But at the last moment, for reasons he didn’t understand, Datou had suppressed that violent urge. His mind had turned to mush. He couldn’t understand why such a person was his father—his mother’s husband. A man who pretended to be paralyzed didn’t deserve to live in this world.
Thinking about it now, Datou felt the urge to kill again.
Xu Jianbei could read every shift in Datou’s emotions. Even as an outsider, he felt a deep sense of outrage—let alone Datou, the victim.
And it wasn’t just Datou. Datou’s mother was another victim. The two of them had been burdened for nearly twenty years. Ning’s mother had been taking care of a paralyzed man since she was pregnant. Datou had been taking care of a paralyzed man since he was old enough to understand the world.
Ning’s mother’s best years had been wasted. Datou’s precious childhood had been destroyed.
A person like that didn’t deserve to be called a human being!
No wonder he had always refused to see a doctor. So this was it—he was pretending to be paralyzed!
Bai Lan couldn’t even fathom such behavior. How could anyone willingly lie in bed for twenty years, faking paralysis?
Xu Jianbei reached over and patted Bai Lan’s shoulder. Then, in a calm tone, he said, “Datou, what you need to do now is stay calm. Once you’re calm, you need to tell your mother the truth. After that, you’ll have to discuss with her how to handle this.”
Right now, the most important thing was to let Ning’s mother know the truth. Then, mother and son could decide together whether to settle accounts or seek revenge. As friends, they would support Datou unconditionally.
Datou finally began to recover a little. Seeing the concerned looks in everyone’s eyes, he covered his face with his hands, and his entire body began to tremble.
Tears began to fall from the corners of his eyes, and a muffled, suppressed sob echoed through the small duty room.
Bai Lan and Qin Yan sat down together, staying with Xu Jianbei to accompany Datou. They would wait until his emotions had fully settled before taking the next step.
This wait lasted until ten o’clock at night.
By ten in the evening, the entire alley was empty of people. Only then did Datou truly begin to calm down. He stopped complaining and simply said, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll trouble you to bring my mother here.”
Qin Yan immediately spoke up first. “Okay, I’ll wait in the front courtyard early tomorrow morning for your mom.”
If she came early, no one would be at the recycling station yet, and they could talk without worrying too much about being overheard.
“Jianbei, I know it’s a lot to ask, but tomorrow morning, after we’ve discussed things, could you help contact the factory leaders at the textile mill?”
Hearing this, Xu Jianbei could guess Datou’s plan. He didn’t hesitate to nod. Then he asked Datou if he needed to bring any other doctors along.
Datou shook his head. “I plan to bring the factory leaders over tomorrow and blow that bastard’s cover. I want to find out why he’s been pretending to be paralyzed.”
Seeing that Datou had a concrete plan, Bai Lan didn’t interrupt. She just thought to herself that tomorrow was bound to be a fierce battle. And she knew Ning’s mother’s character well enough. If she found out that Datou’s father had been faking all along, she might very well be shocked to death on the spot.
With that in mind, Bai Lan decided she would take the day off tomorrow as well. She tugged at Xu Jianbei’s sleeve, signaling that he should also be prepared.
Xu Jianbei nodded. He figured that after calling the factory leaders over tomorrow, he wouldn’t go back to work either. This matter needed to be resolved quickly. Otherwise, Datou’s mental state might collapse.
After firming up these plans, Xu Jianbei first walked Bai Lan and Qin Yan back to the courtyard. After settling Bai Lan at home, Xu Jianbei turned around and went back to the recycling station.
Datou said, “You don’t need to worry about me anymore. I’m much better now. Bai Lan just got pregnant—you can’t leave her side.”
Xu Jianbei walked over and patted his shoulder. “You’ve been calling me Brother Bei for all these years. How could I not be here when you need me?”
Hearing this, Datou stopped being polite. Instead, he and Xu Jianbei started chatting quietly about amusing stories from their childhood. It was as if doing so could make him feel a little better.
That short night passed like this.
Xu Jianbei stayed until a little past five in the morning, only leaving after Qin Yan had brought Ning’s mother over. He hadn’t slept much all night and was truly exhausted. He decided he would ask for leave from the screw factory, then go to the textile mill next door to fetch the factory leaders. After that, he would let Datou and his mother handle things however they saw fit.
“You’re going out so early?” Bai Lan asked as soon as Xu Jianbei returned.
Xu Jianbei said, “Yeah, Qin Yan was really proactive this time. Before I left, I saw the look on Ning’s mother’s face—I don’t think it’s going to be good.”
They talked about Datou and his mother but didn’t go back to the recycling station to check on them. This was something mother and son needed time to discuss. Honestly, such a situation was an unimaginable evil for anyone.
Fortunately, getting the factory leaders involved would make things easier to handle. When leaders stepped in, many things would be resolved more smoothly.
After breakfast, Datou and his mother still hadn’t returned.
Xu Jianbei said a quick word to Bai Lan and then hurried off toward the factory district. On this trip, he not only needed to bring the textile mill leaders but also ask for time off for himself and his wife so they could stay on top of the situation as it unfolded.
Back at the recycling station, it was still before work hours, which naturally made it easier for Datou to speak with his mother.
After listening to her son’s words, Ning’s mother’s eyes widened as if she had been struck dumb. For a long time, she couldn’t utter a word.
Finally regaining some composure, she said, trembling, “It can’t be fake… When the accident happened, we went to so many hospitals, saw so many doctors. They all said he would be like this for life.”
Datou looked at his mother’s complex expression—desperately wanting to argue, yet filled with anger, fear, and disbelief—and felt a deep sorrow in his heart.
Clearly, his mother had also realized that her own words were correct.
So, their family member, Ning Geda, was nothing but trash.
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