Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Thanksgiving
Lian Yingying had just come from the nurses' station on the floor. When she saw Li Xinan coming out, she stopped and waited for him.
Once Li Xinan got closer, Lian Yingying asked, "Who was that man?"
"Zheng Zhihui's younger brother, Zheng Zhibao," Chen Wei replied and then asked, "How did your inquiries go?"
Lian Yingying acknowledged the introduction of Zheng Zhibao with a nod, not paying him much mind, and responded, "The nurse said that Zheng Zhihui's injuries are quite serious, with a high probability of lifelong paralysis. However, there is still a slight chance of recovery if luck is on her side."
Chen Wei nodded, sighing internally, knowing that the latter part was more for comfort than reality. Feeling a bit frustrated and thinking about the driver who caused the accident made him even more so.
"By the way, has the driver paid any compensation? How much did he pay?" Lian Yingying asked as they entered the elevator.
Chen Wei shook his head and said, "He only paid ten thousand and hasn't shown up since. The insurance company might cover some, but it won't be enough. It seems like her family isn't well-off, which is really unfortunate."
"That's terrible! How could the driver just disappear after paying only ten thousand? It's infuriating," Lian Yingying said angrily.
Chen Wei sighed again without commenting. He had met the driver, who didn't seem like a deceitful person, but the extent of Zheng Zhihui's injuries meant that tens of thousands would barely suffice. Even if the driver wasn't naturally cunning, facing such enormous compensation would make anyone hesitate.
"In a situation like this, couldn't her family sue the driver for compensation?" Lian Yingying suggested.
"They do have that in mind, but legal procedures take time and aren't easily resolved. Even if the court rules in their favor, there's no guarantee they'll get the money. It's a tough situation," Chen Wei explained.
"Her family is really pitiful. Chen Wei, how about we help them?" Lian Yingying suggested out of sympathy.
By this time, the elevator had reached the first floor. They stepped out and headed towards the parking lot. Chen Wei looked ahead, contemplating, and said, "We can help, but we can't take on everything and be overly generous. Let's see what they need first. You don't have to worry about this; I have a plan."
Chen Wei's principle was to look out for himself first. He had his considerations when helping others. For family and friends, he would do his best, but for strangers, a little help within his ability was acceptable. However, he was not a philanthropist who could afford to spend large amounts of money and energy on others.
For Zheng Zhihui, he felt a bit guilty, which is why he had been concerned and paid the initial medical fees, and today he gave another ten thousand. But this guilt wasn't enough to make him go all out to help the family.
He couldn't realistically afford to donate large sums, assist with legal actions, or care for them indefinitely. He would help, but to what extent depended on the family's attitude. If they showed gratitude, he might help more. If they felt entitled to his help, he would have to say goodbye.
Seeing that Chen Wei had his own ideas, Lian Yingying didn't say much more.
After leaving the hospital, they found a place to have dinner.
Today was Thanksgiving, and the US stock market was closed. Chen Wei had little interest in these Western holidays, and even holidays in general were neither here nor there for him. But Lian Yingying was enthusiastic, having celebrated such holidays every year when she was abroad.
This Thanksgiving was quieter than her previous ones abroad, but she was happy because it was the first holiday she was spending with Chen Wei.
They chose a western restaurant and found a corner table. While eating, Lian Yingying shared amusing stories from her time abroad, including how she and her friends would deliver food to the poor, pray at church, and have dinner with her mother.
Her face glowed with the happiness of those memories. Chen Wei listened quietly, occasionally asking questions out of curiosity, but mostly just listening to her stories.
"Back when I was abroad, besides celebrating these foreign holidays, my mom and I also celebrated Chinese holidays like Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival. But it was just the two of us, so it wasn't very festive. My mom would make dumplings, which I loved, but she found it tedious, so she only made them for holidays. Otherwise, she wouldn't bother. Chen Wei, how do you celebrate holidays?" Lian Yingying asked, after a long talk.
"Me? I usually just go home for the Spring Festival to celebrate with my family. I don't celebrate the other holidays much when I'm on my own here," Chen Wei replied with a smile.
"What's your Spring Festival like? Is it lively?" Lian Yingying asked curiously.
"It's busy starting from the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. We clean the house, prepare food, make buns, steam bread, and fry meat and fish. It goes on until New Year's Eve when we put up couplets and kids set off firecrackers. During the New Year, we have a feast, visit relatives, and drink. It's nothing special," Chen Wei said with a laugh.
As a child, he eagerly looked forward to the New Year, but at some point, he lost that excitement. Last year, after graduating from university and wandering for half a year, he even dreaded going home for the New Year.
"Wow, that sounds so lively!" Lian Yingying's eyes lit up.
She had spent many New Years with her father, mother, grandparents, and other relatives when she was very young, but those memories were too distant. Last year, she had returned to China, but her father and mother were in poor health, so they couldn't celebrate much. She only had dinner with her mother on New Year's Eve and a meal with her father, grandfather, uncles, aunts, and cousins on New Year's Day. Having been abroad for so long, she felt estranged from her relatives.
Hearing about Chen Wei's lively New Year celebrations made her want to join in. But thinking about going to someone else's home for the New Year made her blush, as if she were becoming a part of their family.
Seeing Lian Yingying go from excitement to shyly looking down, Chen Wei, despite his sharp mind, couldn't guess what she was thinking.
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