The Crazy Son-In-Law

“What about the workers? How are they now?” Yao Cen asked.

“Oh, I calmed them down early in the morning. They have all gone back to their dormitories. I temporarily told them to take a half-day paid leave and wait for things to be clear.”

“What did the environmental protection department say?” Yao Cen asked again.

“They didn’t say much, just that we should wait for the investigation results.”

Yao Cen nodded, then turned to look at Xiao Shun.

“I have checked the raw fluid from Starline Health. It has no toxicity at all. My formula is even less likely to be toxic, as it is just some herbal medicine. Moreover, the poisoning caused by wastewater should not be so urgent. There must be something fishy. I can almost confirm that those villagers were not poisoned due to the wastewater discharged from our factory. I need to personally see the patients and find out exactly what poison they have taken.”

Xiao Shun said thoughtfully.

He remembered the person in the crowd who was fanning the flames. Maybe someone was intentionally causing trouble behind the scenes and trying to frame Starline.

“With so many journalists outside, I’m afraid that even if we clarify that it’s not related to us, Starline’s reputation will still be criticized by the public. This might be irreversible. Even if we clarify later, the public will still have a fixed impression.

“People are to be feared, especially in this era of developed internet. Some people don’t care about the truth; they just want to watch the drama,” Yao Cen said, her eyebrows furrowed and her face full of worry.Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

“Or should we find someone to suppress the news?” Zhuang Jin asked, looking at Xiao Shun.

Xiao Shun waved his hand: “No need.”

He had the power to do so, but only in Stillwater, and he was afraid this news couldn’t be suppressed.

Moreover, he knew that it was better to drain than to block. The more you try to hide such things, the more people think there’s something going on. It’s better to lay everything out in the open and deal with the problem directly.

If it’s really because of Starline, we should take responsibility.

Xiao Shun knew the efficiency of government departments. If we wait for them to investigate clearly, not only Starline can’t wait, but those patients probably can’t wait either.

“If there’s a loss of life, Starline will definitely be pushed into the spotlight, which would only add to the trouble. It’s better to take the initiative. Here’s what we’ll do,” Xiao Shun gently tapped the coffee table and said, “you urge the environmental protection department to investigate as quickly as possible and give us a result. I’ll head to the hospital right now to check on the patients’ conditions. Let’s try to clear this up as soon as possible.”

“Alright, I’ll head to the environmental protection bureau right away to inquire about the situation and urge them to speed things up. You can handle the hospital,” Yao Cen said, rising from her seat to leave. However, she quickly remembered the crowd blocking the entrance and turned back to Xiao Shun with a helpless look.

Xiao Shun tugged at the corner of his mouth, “I’ll go out with you.”

“We should have had the guys wait outside,” Zhuang Jin said.

The group he had brought seemed to be a rowdy bunch, and Xiao Shun was afraid they would clash with the villagers at the door.

“It’s okay. I’ll go to the hospital with the relatives of the patients; this way they won’t worry about me running away,” Xiao Shun replied with a chuckle. He then turned to Mai Yaqin and said, “I’ll leave the company in your care for now.”

Mai Yaqin nodded, “Rest assured, Mr. Xiao.”

Xiao Shun, Yao Cen, and Zhuang Jin left the office building together. From a distance, they could see that the villagers were still gathered at the entrance of the company, seemingly prepared to camp out there until they received an explanation.

As Xiao Shun and the others approached, the crowd began to stir. This time, they were armed with crude weapons like spades and rakes, clearly agitated by Zhuang Jin’s group.

“Don’t let them escape. Once they’re out of here, we’ll never find them.”

“We need an explanation today. No one leaves until we get one, no matter who it is!”

Xiao Shun stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

An invisible, yet powerful force seemed to move through them, wrapping them in a chill that quickly quieted them down.

Standing behind the retractable gate, Xiao Shun spoke calmly, “Everyone, please calm down. I am the owner of Starline. Can anyone tell me who informed you that your family members fell ill because of wastewater discharged by our factory? Is there any substantial evidence?”

He had a hunch that someone was deliberately stirring trouble behind the scenes. This question was also aimed at drawing that person out.

“Your factory is right next to our village. If not you, then who else? More than twenty people fell ill overnight after coming into contact with the dirty water your factory discharged. You can’t deny it.”

“That’s right. Don’t let him fool you. The environmental protection department has already been here. Could it be fake?”

This question seemed to fall into a paradoxical loop. Because the villagers fell ill and someone reported Starline, the environmental protection department began an investigation. This solidified the villagers’ impression that Starline was to blame.

Clearly, trying to reason with them now was futile.

Xiao Shun exhaled and continued, “Here’s what we’ll do. I am not only the owner of Starline, but also a doctor. I’ll go with you to the hospital to see the patients. Rest assured, if Starline is indeed to blame, we will take full responsibility. But for now, please go home. There’s no need for you to block the entrance. Neither my wife nor I will run. The factory is here; where can we run, right?”

“You talk a good game, but what if you really run away? Who will we find then?” a villager asked skeptically.

“I’m going with you to the hospital. How could I run?” Xiao Shun retorted.

He then sincerely added, “I know you’re all very anxious, and I understand your feelings. But please believe me, I will do my best to cure your relatives. If it’s our fault, I won’t shirk my responsibility. I will see it through to the end.”

In the past, he wouldn’t have had the patience to deal with such chaos. But now, with so many reporters outside, if he appeared too domineering, it would immediately become great material for their articles.

These days, newspapers and some small portal websites, in their pursuit of sales and click rates, would not hesitate to sensationalize any story. At this moment, it was best to be a bit restrained to avoid further damaging Starline’s reputation.

“You say you can cure my daughter’s illness?”

At this point, the previously hysterical middle-aged woman pushed through the crowd. Her hair was disheveled, her face pale, and she asked the question in a weak voice.

“Don’t believe him. He’s so young, and even the experts can’t do anything. Rely on him to save lives? Don’t be ridiculous.”

Again, that instigating voice echoed through the crowd. Xiao Shun’s gaze hardened. He followed the voice but still couldn’t make out who was speaking. A touch of disappointment surfaced in his heart. It seemed the other party came prepared.