Chapter 576 The Dispute
It was getting dark, but Qi Dawei still hadn't returned home. His stomach started to growl, but he didn't want to go back to face the home that made him feel depressed and miserable. He curled up in a corner in the park, shivering in the cold night wind, but the coldness in his heart was far worse than the coldness in his body.
Liang Lu waited anxiously for Qi Dawei at home. She called relatives and friends to ask if they had seen him. When Qi Tongwei learned in the hospital that Qi Dawei had run away from home, he was filled with guilt and worry. He knew how much harm his absence from the family had caused to the child.
"I have to find Dawei." Qi Tongwei said to Liang Lu. He rushed home regardless of his fatigue and the things happening at the hospital. He searched everywhere along the route Qi Dawei might have taken, calling out his name.
When Qi Tongwei arrived at the small park, he saw Qi Dawei curled up in the corner, and his heart ached. He walked over slowly, squatted down, and gently patted Qi Dawei, "Dawei, Dad is here." Qi Dawei raised his head and saw his father. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but was immediately replaced by indifference, "What are you doing here? Aren't you only concerned about your brother?"
Qi Tongwei hugged Qi Dawei tightly in his arms, "Dawei, Dad was wrong. Dad has always ignored your feelings. Dad will compensate you in the future." Qi Dawei burst into tears in his father's arms, venting all the grievances and pain in his heart.
Qi Tongwei brought Qi Dawei back home. Liang Lu was so happy to see her son return safely that she burst into tears. The family sat together, and Qi Tongwei said to Qi Dawei and Qi Xiaowei seriously: "From today on, Dad will treat you equally and give you the same love and care. We are a family, and we must understand and support each other."
Qi Dawei looked at his father and mother, and the haze in his heart gradually dissipated. He knew that the road ahead was still long, but as long as the family was together, they would be able to overcome difficulties. Qi Tongwei also deeply realized that family harmony and happiness were far more important than anything else. He had to find a balance between family and other matters, not let his family get hurt, and work hard to protect this hard-won family reunion.
However, just when the family had just shown signs of easing up, Qi Tongwei encountered a greater crisis in the officialdom. He was caught in the vortex of a political struggle, and various investigations and accusations came one after another. He faced the risk of being dismissed and even facing legal proceedings.
Qi Tongwei was caught in a dilemma. On the one hand, his family had just been restored to a certain extent, and he did not want his family to fall into trouble again because of him; on the other hand, there was a crisis in the officialdom. He knew that if it was defeated, the lives of him and his family would change drastically. He began to run around, trying to find a solution to the problem, but every effort was like groping in the dark, with no hope in sight.
Although Qi Dawei and Qi Xiaowei don't quite understand their father's affairs in the officialdom, they can feel his father's pressure and anxiety. Qi Dawei has become more sensible, and he studies hard to make his father happy. Qi Xiaowei is no longer as naughty as before, but quietly accompanies his family.
Liang Lu silently supported Qi Tongwei behind the scenes, and she used some of her connections to try to help Qi Tongwei. But the forces they faced were too powerful, and every counterattack seemed insignificant.
At this difficult time, Qi Tongwei's heart was full of struggle and pain. He once thought that he could easily juggle between officialdom and family with his wisdom and ability, but reality gave him a heavy blow. He began to reflect on his life choices and whether he had fallen into a wrong quagmire from the beginning, which led to the current situation.
He thought of the principles and bottom line he had given up in pursuit of power, and his heart was filled with regret. He realized that power was like a drug, once addicted, it was difficult to extricate oneself, and he was now tasting the consequences of this addiction.
Between the warmth of his family and the cruelty of the officialdom, Qi Tongwei didn't know how long he could hold on. He could only hold on to his family as the last straw in this storm of fate, hoping that after the storm, he would welcome a rainbow for himself and his family. But all this seemed so far away and vague. He could only continue to move forward with difficulty in the endless darkness, waiting for the final judgment of fate.
At the same time, cold water fell, making him wake up.
Qi Tongwei suddenly woke up as if from a dream. He had not returned to that happy family. He was still in the hospital listening to Gao Xiaofeng's crying. Everything was still the same. It turned out that it was just a dream.
He briefly explained the situation to Gao Xiaofeng, then hurriedly left the hospital and started his journey back home. Along the way, his mood was like the sea in a storm, surging. He kept imagining the scene of Qi Dawei getting into trouble in his mind, trying to understand why his son did such a thing. Was it because he didn't care enough about him? Or was it because of the influence of his family environment that made his personality so irritable?
When Qi Tongwei rushed to the hospital, he saw Qi Dawei sitting in the ward with a horrified face, and Liang Lu was anxiously comforting the injured family. Seeing Qi Tongwei coming, Liang Lu rushed over as if she had seen a savior: "Tongwei, you are finally here. They said they would call the police and put Dawei in jail. What should I do?"
Qi Tongwei walked towards the injured's family and apologized sincerely: "I'm really sorry, this is all due to our negligence as parents. The child is ignorant. We will definitely take all the responsibility. Please don't call the police first and give the child a chance." The injured's family was furious: "You said you won't call the police? Look at what my child has been beaten into? If anything happens to him, can you afford to pay for it?"
Qi Tongwei looked at the injured child on the hospital bed, feeling guilty. He knew that he had to appease the family of the injured first. "I understand your feelings. We will do our best to treat the child and give you adequate compensation. Dawei is still young, and it may be impulsive. We are indeed lacking in our education of him."
After Qi Tongwei's repeated persuasion, the family of the injured gradually calmed down, but still said that they would wait and see the follow-up treatment before deciding whether to pursue legal responsibility. After Qi Tongwei arranged everything, he took Qi Dawei to a separate room.
He looked at his son, whose face was covered with tears and whose eyes were filled with fear, and felt a sharp pain in his heart. "Dawei, why did you do this?" Qi Tongwei tried to keep his voice calm. Qi Dawei sobbed and said, "Dad, I didn't mean it. He took my toys and scolded me, saying that I was a bad boy, so I got angry..."
Qi Tongwei sighed deeply: "Dawei, no matter what, you can't use violence to solve the problem. Do you know what the consequences of doing so will be?" Qi Dawei shook his head and cried, "Dad, I'm scared, I don't want to go to jail." Qi Tongwei hugged his son tightly in his arms: "Don't be afraid, Dad will find a way. But you have to promise Dad that you can never do this again."
After dealing with the hospital affairs, Qi Tongwei took Qi Dawei and Liang Lu back home. Along the way, the atmosphere was extremely dull. Qi Dawei lowered his head and was no longer as lively and active as usual. After returning home, Qi Tongwei sat on the sofa, holding his head in his hands, and fell into deep thought.
He realized that the family problems had reached a point where they could not be delayed. For a long time, his pursuit of officialdom and neglect of his family had led to deviations in the growth of his children and fragile family relationships. He decided to re-examine his life and work hard to repair family relationships, while also taking responsibility for Qi Dawei's affairs and guiding him on the right path.
However, the matter did not end there. Although the injured's family did not call the police for the time being, they continued to make high compensation demands during the subsequent treatment process, which exceeded Qi Tongwei's ability to bear. At the same time, Qi Tongwei was also investigated for some things in the officialdom, and he felt as if he was surrounded by enemies on all sides.
Under heavy pressure, Qi Tongwei ran around looking for a solution to the problem. He tried to reduce the amount of compensation through some connections, and also tried to deal with the investigation by officials. But every effort was in vain, with little effect.
Seeing his father working so hard and anxious, Qi Dawei was filled with guilt and regret. He began to become sensible and no longer as willful as before. He took the initiative to apologize to Qi Tongwei and said that he would study hard and be a good child in the future. Qi Tongwei was relieved and sad to see his son's transformation. He was relieved that his son finally realized his mistakes, but sad that the price of all this was too high.
At this moment when the family is facing a huge crisis, Qi Tongwei deeply understands the impermanence of life and the tricks of fate. He once thought that he could easily juggle between officialdom and family, but now he is beaten by reality. He doesn't know how to go on in the future. He can only grope in the darkness, looking for a ray of light that may exist, hoping to save this family on the verge of breaking up, overcome the difficulties in front of him, and get his life back on track. But all of this seems to be full of unknowns and difficulties, like walking through thorns, with pain and struggle at every step.
Qi Tongwei dragged his exhausted body and just finished dealing with the difficult matters related to Qi Dawei at home. Before he could catch his breath, his cell phone rang again. Gao Xiaofeng's crying voice came from the other end of the phone: "Qi Tongwei, teacher...his condition suddenly worsened. The doctor said that the car accident caused the heart and lungs to be compressed, causing a serious crisis. The situation is now extremely critical!" Qi Tongwei felt dizzy, as if the whole world was collapsing in an instant.
He rushed to the hospital, and the rush made him look particularly embarrassed. His hair was messy, his clothes were wrinkled, and his eyes were full of anxiety and despair. In the corridor of the hospital, Gao Xiaofeng slumped on a bench, crying heartbreakingly. Qi Tongwei walked quickly to her side, but didn't know how to comfort her for a while. He looked at the closed door of the emergency room. The door seemed like a ruthless barrier, separating life and death at the two ends, and his mentor was struggling with death inside the door.
Qi Tongwei's heart was filled with bitterness, as he knew how difficult Gao Yuliang's current situation was. Without his son by his side, his only daughter was far away in the United States across the ocean. Although she was on her way, distant water could not quench immediate thirst. And at this critical moment, those who had once surrounded Gao Yuliang were now nowhere to be seen. Especially Hou Liangping, who was once highly expected by Gao Yuliang and had many interactions with Qi Tongwei, seemed to be out of the matter at this moment. In Qi Tongwei's view, this was undoubtedly an act of ingratitude.
"The teacher was very kind to him, why is he so indifferent at this critical moment?" Qi Tongwei murmured to himself, with a mixture of anger and helplessness in his heart. He paced back and forth at the door of the emergency room, each step heavy and flustered. He recalled every little detail he had with Gao Yuliang, the strategic discussions in official circles, the guidance and support he received in difficult times, all of which made him full of respect and gratitude for his mentor. But now, he can only watch Gao Yuliang struggle in pain, but he is powerless. This feeling of powerlessness overwhelms him like a tide.
Time passed slowly in this agonizing wait, and every second was like a sharp knife, piercing Qi Tongwei's heart. He tried to contact more medical resources and called around to ask for help, hoping to find a better treatment plan for Gao Yuliang. However, reality always hit him hard, either the experts could not arrive in time, or the hospital's equipment and conditions were already the limit of what they could provide at the moment.
Gao Xiaofeng burst into tears and held Qi Tongwei's arm tightly: "Tongwei, you must think of a way. The teacher must not be in trouble. He is the most important person to me in this world." Qi Tongwei looked at Gao Xiaofeng and nodded firmly: "I will do my best. Even if there is only a glimmer of hope, I will never give up."
During this long wait, Qi Tongwei's thoughts began to drift back to the past. He recalled his ambitions when he first entered the officialdom. At that time, he thought that with his own efforts and talents, he would be able to make a name for himself. However, as time went by, he was gradually eroded by the darkness and complexity of the officialdom. In order to get promoted, he had to do some things that went against his original intention. In this process, Gao Yuliang was not only his guide, but also his spiritual pillar in the ups and downs of the officialdom.