Chapter 211: Public Self-Criticism

Liang Youwen mused for a few seconds before speaking. “Just an apology won’t cut it. This matter requires criticism before the entire unit. You two will also have to make a thorough self-criticism before everyone at the unit-wide assembly!”

The key was making this arrogant couple bow their heads and admit their mistake in front of everyone.

When He Wei heard she’d have to make a public self-criticism, her face instantly went pale.

Only one thought remained in her mind.

‘I can’t be humiliated in public. I absolutely cannot let everyone watch me bow my head and admit I was wrong.’

Reading a self-criticism in front of hundreds of people?

‘It’s worse than being skinned alive!’

She clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms.

But Wu Xin was nodding his head frantically.

“A self-criticism! We’ll do a self-criticism! As long as the leaders are willing to go easy on us, we’ll do whatever it takes!”

He repeatedly wiped one hand on his pants, while the other firmly gripped He Wei’s arm.

As soon as Wu Xin finished speaking, Liang Youwen raised a hand, signaling for Director Cheng to take them away.

He turned and first stopped by the small shop at the hospital entrance to buy a few bags of apples and oranges, then carried them into the inpatient building.

Inside the hospital room.

Yang Wanqing was rubbing her wrist while muttering to herself.

“Sigh, these old bones are useless. I can’t even put any force into a slap!”

She sighed that neither of her daughters was around, otherwise she’d have pinned that shrew to the ground and taught her a lesson ages ago.

The tea was slightly bitter. She smacked her lips and put the cup back where it was.

Shen Rongjing turned his head and asked his wife.

“Is your hand still stinging?”

Guo Shushu opened her palm and shook it.

“It doesn’t hurt. I’m just upset that the strap on my bag broke.”

She rubbed the torn spot with her thumb, then lowered her head and blew on it.

Shen Rongjing reached out and gently rubbed her knuckles.

“Don’t worry. Next time, I’ll ask a colleague who’s going abroad on business to bring you back a few fashionable ones.”

After a pause, he added,

“Remind them to bring back a few foreign magazines, too. Didn’t you say you wanted to learn about styling?”

Guo Shushu’s eyes lit up instantly.

“Alright! I’ll take this bag home and sew it up a bit. It’ll still be usable.”

She hugged the bag to her chest again and rubbed her chin against its surface.

“It’s quite handy for carrying to and from work,” she added cheerfully.

She stood up, did a little twirl on the spot, then switched the bag to her left hand and held it out to see how it looked.

Her hair swayed with the movement, the ends brushing past her shoulders.

Yang Wanqing then started praising her granddaughter-in-law with a beaming smile.

“Heh, Shushu might look all slender and delicate, but she sure doesn’t mess around in a fight! That old shrew got three red welts on her face right away. She was jumping around, screaming in pain louder than a pig at slaughter.”

Her eyes crinkled as she smiled, and she reached out to pat Guo Shushu on the back.

After speaking, she even raised her eyebrows in Shen Zhenwu’s direction, as if seeking praise.

Guo Shushu then turned her bag over and pulled out the several hard books inside for everyone to see.

She pulled out the one on top: *Foundations of Emergency Medicine*.

Shen Rongdan: “…”

Li Hanchen: “…”

Their gazes shifted from the book to Guo Shushu’s face, then quickly darted away.

Shen Lixin and the other elders were all stunned.

Shen Zhenwu cleared his throat, covering his mouth with his fist as he coughed twice.

“Ahem, we have Shushu to thank for stepping in today. Once Song Yao is out of the hospital, I’ll treat everyone. The whole family will get together for a lively reunion dinner.”

After speaking, his gaze swept over everyone in the room before finally resting on Song Yao’s face.

Song Yao immediately piped up.

“Where are we eating?”

Shen Zhenwu smiled and asked back.

“You pick the place?”

“How about the National Guest House?”

Song Yao asked expectantly, her eyes darting about.

“Done! That’s the place.”

“Then I’ll get discharged right now!”

Shen Rongdan quickly stopped her.

“Didn’t we agree we were going to teach them a lesson?”

Song Yao waved her hand dismissively.

“The beating was good enough for me. All I wanted was for them to get roughed up.”

She looked down and patted her belly, a little regretful.

“Too bad this belly is so inconvenient, or I would’ve done it myself.”

But Shen Zhenwu said with a serious expression,

“Just getting beaten isn’t enough. They still have to apologize in person!”

The words had barely left his mouth when there were two knocks on the door, followed by a voice from outside.

“Sir, Leader Liang is here.”

Shen Zhenwu gestured.

“Let him in.”

Liang Youwen strode in, carrying two large bags of fruit.

His eyes immediately fell on Song Yao in the hospital bed.

“Song Yao, are you feeling any better?”

He casually placed the bags of fruit on the bedside table.

“I saw someone selling fresh fruit on the way, so I picked some up. Not sure if they’re to your taste.”

Song Yao found the man familiar; they had probably met at the wedding banquet.

But there were too many people that day, and she couldn’t put a name to the face, so she secretly glanced at Shen Zhenwu.

Shen Zhenwu introduced him with a smile.

“This is your Uncle Liang.”

Song Yao immediately gave a sweet smile.

“Thank you, Uncle Liang! You’re so thoughtful!”

As soon as she said this, Liang Youwen’s shoulders relaxed, and the corners of his mouth lifted.

“I’m glad you like them, glad you like them!”

He rubbed his hands together and grinned at Shen Zhenwu.

“Leader, I just called everyone in for a talk. That couple, they’ll have to get on stage and make a self-criticism in front of the whole work unit and thoroughly explain what they did wrong. Also, Mr. Yang’s wife must bring her mother-in-law here to the hospital to bow and apologize to Song Yao. No mincing words.”

“Furthermore, all of Song Yao’s expenses for this hospital stay—the medical bills, check-up fees, plus the cost of any nutritional supplements for her recovery—will be on their tab. They won’t be short a single cent.”

As for Yang Lei himself?

‘Hmph. As for his job… it’ll gradually be taken away.’

Once the summer break ends, he’ll be dismissed. No further discussion needed.

Shen Zhenwu just gave a slight nod.

“It’s your call. Do as you’ve said.”

He lowered his gaze to the plain silver ring on his left ring finger.

“I trust you to handle things.”

The meaning was clear: he was satisfied with how the matter was being handled and gave his approval.

Hearing this, Liang Youwen immediately turned back to Song Yao with a smile.

“Ah, Song Yao, rest well and put on a little weight. I’ll come see you again in a couple of days with more fruit!”

As he spoke, he switched his briefcase to his left hand, pulled a set of car keys from his pocket with his right, and then casually patted his suit pocket.

“Oh, right. I also picked up two boxes of imported calcium pills on the way. I’ll have Rong Dan bring them in for you in a bit.”

Song Yao quickly waved her hands to refuse.

“Uncle Liang, please don’t trouble yourself! You’re so busy with work, I can manage!”

She pulled the thin blanket on her lap up a little higher.

“Really, no more fruit. Grandma just bought a couple of pounds of apples at the market this morning; they’re perfectly fresh.”

Shen Zhenwu turned to Shen Rongdan and said, “Rong Dan, see your Uncle Liang out.”

Shen Rongdan agreed and followed him out.

When he reached the door, he glanced back at Song Yao.

Seeing she was peeling an orange with her head down and hadn’t looked up, he gently closed the door behind him.

No sooner had Liang Youwen left than Yang Wanqing stomped her foot inside the room.

“I’m so mad! Just thinking about it makes my blood boil!”

She placed a thermal container on the bedside table and lifted the lid, releasing the fragrant aroma of stewed black chicken.

“Who does she think she is? That she’s a guest just because she walked into our home? And she dared to give us attitude? We didn’t even get to offer her a glass of water before she started picking fights!”

Song Yao laughed and took her wrist.

“Grandma, think about it. She thought I was some country girl, fresh in the city and easy to push around. And what happened? WHAM! She’s the one who took a huge fall! Now she has to make a public self-criticism. How is she going to show her face in public? Her heart must be bleeding!”

She broke off a segment of orange and popped it into her mouth, the sweet and sour juice spreading across her tongue.