Having just seen the Chili Sauce Factory, now looking at Hu Aii’s kitchen at ho, the stark contrast made it difficult for not only the elders from South City, but also Xu Yong, to convince themselves that Hu Aii’s husband had gotten diarrhea from the chili sauce rather than from improperly prepared food at ho.
After taking pictures, Xu Yong took out a notebook and asked Hu Aii what Li Jianbin had eaten the day he fell ill and when he went to the hospital, along with the hospital’s diagnostic process—he asked about everything.
Listening to the murmurs around her and those undisguised looks, Hu Aii felt mocked: as if they were saying her kitchen was too dirty.
Hu Aii felt wronged in her heart. She was already older when she had her two children and had to do so odd jobs to earn a living. She was just too exhausted every day, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Xu Yong’s questions were very specific and direct. Asked several tis, a guilty Hu Aii couldn’t rember clearly and could only give vague answers. Unfortunately, Xu Yong was a journalist, and her vagueness only led to his more incisive questioning, "Ms. Hu, are you saying Mr. Li truly fell ill because of the chili sauce?"
Before Hu Aii could answer, Xu Yong continued, "Ms. Hu, lying may co at no cost, but everyone has to be responsible for their words."
Though Xu Yong wasn’t tall, he possessed an air of integrity. His forceful questioning and sharp gaze that seed to see through everything made Hu Aii feel like the secret she and Li Jianbin desperately wanted to hide couldn’t be kept at all.
"I’ve told the truth," Hu Aii’s eyes flickered as she looked at the crowd filling the courtyard. She covered her face and cried, "I’ve told nothing but the truth. Stop pressuring , stop it."
Hu Aii sat on the ground and started weeping, her cries sounded as if she were suffering imnse injustice.
"We are not pressuring you."
Pen in hand, Xu Yong wrote unceasingly, "I’m just trying to understand the whole story and the truth."
"No one is bullying you," the dozen or so people from South City all shook their heads and took a step back to indicate they were just there to watch the drama.
Neighbor A: "Aii, don’t cry. We haven’t done anything. The Xu Family has sent you so much food, drink, and necessities. Is that what you call bullying?"
Neighbor B: "Being content is key in life."
Neighbor C: "You know what kind of person Jianbin is. Your ho is a ss with pets everywhere. I don’t believe he got sick from the chili sauce at all."
As the words hung in the air, Neighbor C turned to Ji Ying and smiled, "Manager Ji, your chili sauce really is delicious, especially the fish chili sauce. My grandson loves it, though it’s a bit expensive."
Neighbor C was just expressing how nobody really liked the Li Family and how Hu Aii was known for taking little advantages. It was because they genuinely enjoyed the chili sauce that they spoke up.
Ji Ying smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, if you don’t mind, I’ll give you a bottle of the returned stock for free."
"Mom, let’s give one bottle to each of our hard-working neighbors who ca today," Xu Nianhua imdiately added, "With so many returns, we’re going to donate a hundred bottles of unopened chili sauce from the county and the city for free to make up for everyone’s losses, how about that?"
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