Qiannan Prefecture: Determined to Call Back the Sunshine (7)

Tong Xifeng wanted to open the door for several times, but the inner misgivings still made him hesitate. Through the window, he saw Kong Fanjie crouched down. Jiang asked him what was wrong. Kong said: “I suffer from rheumatism and now feel sore in the leg. I can’t stand for any longer and must squat for a while.” Jiang Shaoying said hastily: “Then let’s go now and come back tomorrow!”

Kong shook his head and said: “no, I must persuade him today!” When Tong Xifeng saw this, he could no longer bear it, opened the door, and said with embarrassment: “Officer Kong, Director Jiang, I let you down! I will go to work tomorrow!”

After returning home, Kong Fanjie lied in the couch, constantly patted his left leg, and didn’t want to move again. His wife said with both sympathy and blame: “I really do not understand. Those people do not want to earn money, and hide from you. Why would you bother?

Kong Fanjie forced a smile: “they are different from normal people for the moment”. To his gratification, the effort was finally well repaid.

Tong Xifeng returned to the factory and went to the workshop immediately after taking methadone every day. He acted enthusiastically in the factory, positively carried out management education on other trainees, and even mobilized several other drug addicts to come to work in the “Love Processing Factory”. One day, an employee named Luo Bin fainted due to frail body condition. The administrator happened to be absent at that time. Tong Xifeng hastily left his work and helped Luo Bin to the rest room, poured some boiled water for him, and provided meticulous care. This subtle move greatly impacted the trainees. These people came from different family backgrounds, had different experiences, and different drug addiction durations. After entering the factory, they were still very distant from each other at heart. But the changes in Tong Xifeng affected the others like a spring breeze. An employee named Wu Guojun once relapsed after compulsory treatment and shared the needle with his drug friend, causing AIDS as a result. He was despair of life and hated the society. The administration staff tried to talk with him for more than once but with little effect. He did not respond to anyone.

Tong Xifeng voluntarily offered to accompany Kong Fanjie to go to talk with Wu Guojun. This time, Wu’s attitude changed dramatically and even happily smiled. It was only afterwards that Kong Fanjie found out why. One night not long before that, Wu Guojun, who lived alone with not a single friend around, caught a stomachache. He tried calling Tong Xifeng for help. Tong immediately rode a bicycle to send Wu to the hospital.

These subtle little matters like bits and pieces of spring rain gradually moistened the dry hearts of the trainees. Gradually, many drug addicts and their families knew about this special factory and tried to “squeeze” into it.