Chapter Forty

Since founding Jianxia, I have encountered all sorts of problems, but this is the first time one has been timed so inconveniently.

"Since the issue lies with Xushuo and their team, they must cover the losses."

"What did the raw material supplier say? How long until a restock can be shipped, and when can the processing center be repaired?"

Zhao Xinze continued, "The raw materials will take three days to arrive, and the maintenance technician from headquarters says they can't set out until tomorrow."

I rubbed my temples. "Tell the technician to leave today. We’ll pay extra for them to take the earliest flight."

I know the difference between a loss of a few thousand and one of several million.

"When does Xunxing need the second batch of goods?"

"That’s the problem. The deadline for Xunxing’s second batch is in one week at the latest."

Between the three days just for materials, the various production stages, and the final manual assembly, my head only began to ache more.

"Oh, and Jiang Jian, the raw material supplier said... their inventory is low. They were planning to supply other factories and companies, and since our request is so last-minute, they want to charge more..."

I was so angry I almost laughed. They want to charge more on top of this?!

I took a few deep breaths. "How much more?"

"Double."

"To hell with them! Double? Why don’t they just go rob someone?!"

"Xinze, look around and see if there are any other suppliers who can work with us on short notice. The price is negotiable."

"Understood."

It truly is a case of "it never rains but it pours."

After driving out of the bustling downtown area, I thought I’d find a place to park and use the restroom.

I flicked on my turn signal to change lanes, preparing to merge onto the access road. My car’s nose was already angled in when, for some reason, the car behind me suddenly slammed on the gas and plowed right into me.

Before I could even hit the accelerator to dodge, there was a deafening crash, and the car behind slammed into me with full force.

Although my car is quite sturdy, the impact sent it drifting over ten meters until it crashed into the roadside greenery.

The vehicle’s collision alarm triggered automatically. I reported the location and vehicle details to the traffic police.

Once the car came to a stop, I got out, set up the warning triangle in the road, and went to check on the other vehicle.

The other car was a Ford Raptor. No wonder it sent me flying so far; that truck is infamous for being built like a tank. Even after hitting me, only its bumper was deformed.

I walked to the driver’s side and knocked on the window. The airbags had likely deployed upon impact, and the driver was buried behind them, making it impossible to tell if it was a man or a woman.

"Are you still alive?"

Getting no response, I called 120 immediately. I didn’t dare move the victim myself—who knows what kind of trouble that could invite if I were accused of something later?

The police and medical staff arrived in quick succession. To my surprise, the driver of the Raptor was a woman.

She didn't appear to have any external injuries, but she was unconscious and was quickly lifted onto a stretcher and into the ambulance.

"There’s a little girl in the car!"

Following the officer’s exclamation, I stepped forward to look. A delicate, doll-like little girl was curled up in the corner of the back seat, clutching a pet carrier.

Sensing she had been spotted, the girl looked at the police with timid eyes, not saying a word, like a frightened little deer.

"Little one, don't be afraid. We aren't bad people."

"Little one, is the driver your mother?"

The girl nodded but still didn't speak.

"What about your father? Do you know your father's phone number?"

The girl shook her head. It seemed she didn't know.

Because they were in a rush to get the woman to the hospital and couldn't leave such a small child in the wrecked car, an officer reached in to try and lift her out.

The moment he touched her, the girl let out a shrill scream.

"Don't come over!"

She then began to wail, crying for her mother, leaving the officers completely at a loss. They cycled through several officers, even a female one, but none could get near her.

"How about I give it a try?"

As the victim of the accident, I really shouldn't have gotten involved, but seeing her cry so pitifully, my heart softened.

The officers clearly didn't think I’d have any better luck, but they didn't hold out much hope anyway.

I slowly approached the girl and gently patted her trembling head.

"Little one, is there a kitten in your carrier?"

I expected her to scream and try to drive me away, but to everyone's surprise, she looked up at me and sobbed, "My kitten is sick. Mommy said it’s going to die. Mommy was taking me to get it treated. Mister, is my mommy going to leave me, too, just like the kitten?"

Looking into the girl’s wet, innocent eyes, which were filled with terror, I felt as if my heart had been tightly squeezed.

The girl looked to be about five or six. If I hadn't left my village, I would probably be married with children just like the other young people back home, and my child would likely be even older than her.

Seeing that I didn't speak, the girl opened the carrier in her arms and pushed it toward me. A pure white kitten was curled up inside.

The kitten didn't look well; its fur had lost its luster. If I hadn't heard its faint, weak mew, I would have thought it was already dead.

"Don't worry, the kitten will be fine, and your mommy will be, too."

I turned to the officers and said, "This child is in a special situation. If it's convenient, could you take her cat to a pet hospital? I’ll take her to the hospital myself."

The officers conferred briefly.

"That works."

Because the girl wouldn't cooperate, the ambulance had already left.

I held the little girl as we got into the police car. She shrank into my arms, her small hands clutching my shirt tightly.

Because I had been delayed in getting to Xushuo, Zhao Xinze called again.

"Where the hell are you? I haven't even seen a shadow of your car!"

"I was in an accident. I'm on my way to the hospital now."

There was a silence on the other end, followed by Zhao Xinze’s worried voice. "What? Why does every piece of bad luck happen to you? Did you hit someone, or did someone hit you? Are you hurt? Is it serious?"

"Tell me which hospital you're at. I'm coming over now!"

"The Third Hospital. Don't rush on the road, be careful."

"You idiot, don't state the obvious. With your own car as a warning, do you think I’d be reckless?!"

At the hospital, I sat outside the emergency room with the little girl, waiting for her mother to come out.

Zhao Xinze hurried over, and seeing me sitting there as if nothing had happened, his first words were a "warm and friendly greeting."

"Watch your language—can't you see there’s a child here?!"

The girl hid in my arms, peeking out at Zhao Xinze. I covered her ears with my hand and glared at him.

Only then did Zhao Xinze notice the little girl. He remarked with curiosity, "Where did this little girl come from? She looks like a doll!"

"Her mother hit me with a Raptor. My car is being towed by the 4S shop, and all that happened to the Raptor was a dented bumper."

"Her mother probably just passed out from the airbag impact. She should be fine."