Sun Gang said, "No, Zhao Hai, Chen Yang, Meng Yu, and I all have diarrhea. We just arrived at the city's central hospital."
Zhao Qiang was taken aback: "Diarrhea? How could someone suddenly have diarrhea? I'm at the Central Hospital right now. Where are you? I'll come find you right away."
Sun Gang cursed, "It must be because the seafood we ate at noon wasn't fresh. We're in the emergency room, come over here... I can't take it anymore, I need to go to the toilet again, I'm not going to waste my breath on you."
Luo Wei also looked surprised: "What happened? The seafood isn't fresh, but we both seem to have eaten it. Do you feel like there's something wrong with your stomach?"
Zhao Qiang said, "I don't feel anything. Maybe my constitution is different. What about you?"
Luo Wei checked herself: "Nothing seems wrong. Maybe I haven't eaten enough?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Who knows? Let's go to the emergency room right away."
When Zhao Qiang and Luo Wei arrived at the emergency room, they were shocked to find more than thirty people, all clutching their stomachs. People kept running out, heading towards the toilet. The people gathered in front of the doctor were mostly complaining of food poisoning, cursing the unscrupulous vendors and the restaurant for feeding them stale food.
The doctor was reviewing several lab reports, his brow furrowed in a deep frown. Zhao Qiang leaned over for a look, then quickly retreated. These emergency room patients reeked of the toilet; who knew if they had enough toilet paper?
Luo Wei came to find Zhao Qiang: "They're over there." Because there were too many people, it was only now that they found Sun Gang, Chen Yang, and others.
Sun Gang was still in the restroom and hadn't returned. Chen Yang, Zhao Hai, and Meng Yu were all squatting on the ground, clutching their stomachs. Zhao Qiang went over and squatted down, asking, "How are you? Have you seen a doctor?"
Chen Yang said, "We haven't even gotten a number yet, there are too many people. Damn it, what a coincidence, we all have diarrhea at the same time. Hey, how come you're okay? We ate the same things for lunch."
Zhao Qiang said, "I'm wondering the same thing. I don't really believe you guys if you say it's just an upset stomach."
Zhao Hai said, "Qiang, stop talking about that. Hurry up and help me out. Go buy two rolls of toilet paper. I can't hold on any longer. How can I go to the toilet without toilet paper? I'll wait for you in the toilet."
Zhao Hai clutched his stomach and hurriedly ran away. Zhao Qiang had no choice but to ask Luo Wei to buy toilet paper, which he then brought to Zhao Hai. When he entered the restroom, he saw that the guy was squatting in the corner waiting for a stall. There were people waiting in front of almost every stall, and those who couldn't wait kept shouting, "Are you done yet? I can't hold on anymore."
The hospital was in a state of chaos at midday. After a long wait, it was finally Sun Gang and the others' turn for their check-up. They were simply asked what they had eaten, and then given a test order to have their stool tested. Zhao Qiang helped the group into the restroom, while Luo Wei helped Meng Yu. They finally finished the tests, but there was no need to send the results to the doctor. Like everyone else, no pathogens were found. At this point, even if they were given an IV drip, it probably wouldn't be very effective.
Zhao Qiang frowned deeply. Luo Wei asked, "What's going on? The symptoms are the same as those of the branch office employees?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, it seems we need to find the source of this seafood supply immediately, otherwise the situation will continue to worsen."
Luo Wei said, "What can we accomplish with our influence? Let the government handle it."
Zhao Qiang glanced at the noisy hospital corridor and said, "I'm afraid it will take some time for this matter to attract the government's attention. I'm not familiar with Dongyang City, so it's not easy to handle. Let's ask Sun Gang about the source of the goods first."
Sun Gang and the others were crammed into the treatment room getting IV drips, but it wasn't working. They still had to go to the toilet every now and then, and it was very inconvenient to hold the IV drip in one hand. Their stomachs were empty long ago, just watery stools; if it weren't for the saline drip, they would have become dehydrated.
Upon seeing Zhao Qiang, Sun Gang burst into tears, saying, "Qiang, it's all thanks to you. Otherwise, I would have been stuck in the toilet with no one to bring me toilet paper. In times of crisis, it's always my old classmate who comes to my aid."
Zhao Qiang said, "Alright, stop crying. It's just diarrhea. A quick IV drip will do the trick. By the way, tell me right now where you got your seafood, especially the crabs."
Sun Gang said, "What's wrong with the seafood market of Dongyang City Aquatic Products Company? You suspect there's something wrong with my seafood?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Gangzi, don't forget what we ate for lunch today. I just asked the other people who had diarrhea, and they all ate seafood."
Sun Gang held up his medical record and said, "But look, there is no mention of food poisoning in the medical record. It only says that the cause of the illness is unknown."
Zhao Qiang said, "I think we'll be able to find out soon. The process is exactly the same as the poisoning incident involving employees of Haifeng Group's Dongyang branch."
Sun Gang was pale, whether from fright or diarrhea, it was hard to tell. "Ah, so the problem was with the seafood I supplied?"
Zhao Qiang patted Sun Gang on the shoulder and said, "Don't be afraid, I'll help you solve this. The main responsibility isn't yours, and I guarantee you'll get the payment back."
Chen Yang said weakly, "You guarantee it? Who would believe that? Qiang, we're deskmates, I know how capable you are. Stop bragging."
Zhao Qiang chuckled: "Then how do you think I can prove that I have the ability to help Gangzi get his money back?"
Chen Yang said, "I'll believe you if you can call Brother Gou 'brother'."
Zhao Qiang sneered: "That guy, I'm not the same kind of person as him."
Chen Yang said, "Don't brag. Since you look down on those in the underworld, then you and the municipal party committee brother have a go."
Volume 2 [390] No Appeal
[39o] No way to appeal
Zhao Qiang said, "I'm not going to argue with you anymore. I'd rather use this time to buy you another pack of toilet paper."
Sun Gang said, "Qiang, I thank you no matter what." Sun Gang wasn't just being polite; he was a generous person and a true friend to everyone.
Zhao Qiang said, "No need for thanks. I'll find someone to watch over you for me first, and then I need to go to the seafood market of the aquatic product company."
Sun Gang panicked: "You can't leave! If you leave, who will help me carry the IV drip to the toilet?" He was so weak from the diarrhea that he might fall in the toilet, which would be disastrous.
Zhao Qiang glanced around outside the emergency room. There were many taxis in the courtyard. He went up, opened the door of a car, and asked the driver inside, "How much do I pay you for an afternoon?"
The driver said, "It depends on how many roads we drive. It's best to use a meter, so everyone can feel more at ease."
Zhao Qiang said, "We won't run on the track, we'll just stay in this yard."
The driver said, "I can earn at least three hundred yuan in an afternoon."
Zhao Qiang pulled out three hundred-yuan bills from his bag and handed them to him: "Come with me."
The driver chuckled as he locked the car, saying, "I don't do tiring jobs; I can't handle that kind of hardship."
Zhao Qiang said, "You just help me watch over the patients. When they go to the toilet, you help carry the IV drip. If you need anything, you can go out and buy it. I'll take care of the money."
The driver was even happier: "Sure, no problem." It's just visiting a patient; I can earn three hundred yuan without even having to pay for gas.
Zhao Qiang and Luo Wei left the hospital and took a taxi straight to the seafood market of the aquatic product company. It was already four o'clock in the afternoon. Women were coming and going to buy vegetables, and there were shouts in front of each seafood stall. A lot of seawater was splashed on the ground, and the whole market was damp and smelly.
Zhao Qiang and Luo Wei hadn't found a crab stall yet when a commotion in front of them caught their attention. A plump woman was shoving a stall owner, yelling, "You won't pay? If you don't, I'll drag you to the Industry and Commerce Bureau!"
The stall owner said, "My crabs are all alive, how could they make you sick? So many people bought them this morning, and you're the only one who comes back saying my crabs aren't fresh? Isn't that trying to scam me?"
Zhao Qiang squeezed in. There were several baskets of crabs on the stall. He picked one up and smelled it. There was no obvious abnormal smell. The crab was also very lively and struggling. However, when he asked patients with diarrhea at the hospital, most of them had eaten crabs. There were a few who hadn't eaten crabs, but they were all related to seafood.
Zhao Qiang casually asked the stall owner, "Boss, where do you get these crabs from?"
The shop owner said, "Donghai City, most of the seafood in our city comes from there. My supply is definitely from legitimate channels. Look how lively the crabs are, how could they possibly cause diarrhea? It's her husband who has a weak constitution, and now he's trying to extort money from me. With her making such a fuss, who would dare to buy my crabs?"
Zhao Qiang didn't want to hear his boss's complaints. He said, "This afternoon, the city's central hospital admitted a lot of people with diarrhea, and it seems they're all related to eating seafood. Have you heard anything about it here?"
A stall owner nearby said, "It seems someone mentioned it before, but we eat seafood every day and we've never gotten sick from it before. It's impossible that something like this only happened today."
This matter must have happened a while ago, but it didn't attract much attention, so most people don't know about it. Zhao Qiang threw down the crab and squeezed out of the crowd, knowing that listening to their discussions was pointless.
Luo Wei asked, "What do we do now?" When Zhao Qiang was around, she couldn't think of anything.
Zhao Qiang said, "Call Xiaoya and have her check the situation at Donghai City Hospital immediately."
Luo Wei immediately took out her phone to dial a number, then handed the phone to Zhao Qiang. Xu Xiaoya's lazy voice rang out: "Wei, do you want to go shopping with me tonight? I haven't bought any clothes in a long time. Zhao Qiang isn't here tonight, so let's go out for a walk."
Zhao Qiang said, "It's me, we're in Dongyang City."
Xu Xiaoya's voice immediately returned to normal, "Zhao Qiang? You...you're with Wei?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, we came to Dongyang City together to investigate the poisoning of employees at the branch factory. Now the problem seems to be complicated. Please help me find out immediately how many patients with diarrhea were admitted to various hospitals in Donghai City this afternoon, and what their specific conditions are."
Xu Xiaoya didn't press Zhao Qiang and Luo Wei further. She simply said, "Okay, give me some time, and I'll have my dad investigate right away."
Luo Wei put away her phone and asked Zhao Qiang, "Is Xiaoya angry?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Don't worry, she never gets angry when it comes to important matters. Let's go, let's go take a look before the government offices close for the day."
The Dongyang Municipal Government office building is quite luxurious, tall, spacious, and imposing, overshadowing the surrounding buildings. These days, government office buildings are easily recognizable, just like a big head and thick neck indicate either a leader or a cook.
Zhao Qiang and Luo Wei were stopped by the security guard at the entrance. The guard was very polite and asked them to register. Zhao Qiang stared at the registration book for a while, unsure of who to fill in. He could only ask the guard, "I'd like to see the Party Secretary or the Mayor, but I don't know their names. Is that alright?"
The security guard rolled his eyes: "What do you think?"
Zhao Qiang scratched his head: "I think it's a bit unreliable. You won't agree to let me in."
The security guard said, "Good to know. This isn't a place for jokes. Don't wander around here unless it's absolutely necessary, or you'll be arrested."
Luo Wei said earnestly, "We have something important to report, please don't waste our time."
The security guard said, "If you have something to report, please follow the proper procedures. This won't work here."
A car that had just left the government compound suddenly stopped. The window rolled down, and a man poked his head out and said, "Hey, what are you two doing here?" It was Brother Wu, Sun Gang's friend.
Zhao Qiang said, "Brother Wu, please do us a favor. We'd like to meet with the leaders of Dongyang City. Could you please introduce us?"
Wu Ge chuckled coldly: "I already suspected you two were out of your minds during lunch. Do you think city leaders are your older brothers, whom you can just see whenever you want? This isn't your school. Please use your brains, okay? Stop causing trouble for your friends like idiots."
Zhao Qiang was furious. Not only did Brother Wu refuse to introduce him, but he also lectured him. Did he think city leaders were so high and mighty? If it weren't for urgent business, they wouldn't bother coming even if they were carried in a sedan chair.
At this moment, Luo Wei's phone rang. She glanced at it and handed it to Zhao Qiang. Zhao Qiang then had no time to chat with Brother Wu anymore and let him drive away. Of course, Zhao Qiang's plan to enter the government was temporarily thwarted, and he could only go to the side to answer the phone.
“Zhao Qiang, something seems wrong. My dad called several hospitals, and it’s not just this afternoon; there have been frequent cases of vomiting and diarrhea these past few days. But this afternoon’s situation is particularly serious; the total number has exceeded one hundred.”
Zhao Qiang said, "It's similar to Dongyang City. From what I understand, almost 100% of these patients with diarrhea have eaten seafood, mostly crab, but some have also eaten other seafood and developed the illness. According to my investigation, this seafood was transported from Donghai City by vendors at the Dongyang City seafood market."
Xu Xiaoya asked, "You suspect there's a problem with the seafood in Donghai City?"
Zhao Qiang said, "It can't be ruled out, so you need to inform your father immediately and make sure this matter is taken seriously. Set up a special team to deal with it, otherwise it will be impossible to control once the disease spreads."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Okay, my dad will definitely do as you say, don't worry about that."
Zhao Qiang was not worried that Xu Liming would not believe him. "Well, also, it seems that the disease cannot be detected by stool tests in the early stages, which would delay the diagnosis and treatment. We need to ask experts to study countermeasures. I am not a doctor and dare not give advice recklessly."
Xu Xiaoya said, "I understand. I'll call my dad right away. You need to be at ease in Dongyang City. Give the phone to Wei. I'll only say a few words to her."
Zhao Qiang handed the phone to Luo Wei, who put the receiver to her ear. Xu Xiaoya said, "Wei, take good care of Zhao Qiang. Don't let him suffer the same fate as when he went to the provincial capital. None of us can afford to let anything happen to him."
Luo Wei said, "I will, don't worry, Xiaoya." After saying that, the two of them put down their phones, because Xu Xiaoya had more important things to do.
Zhao Qiang paced around the government building entrance for a while, making the security guard almost call for reinforcements. Luo Wei was afraid that Zhao Qiang would beat up the guards at the government gate, so she pulled him aside and said, "Let's think of another way. Anyway, as long as we can save Donghai City, what does Dongyang City have to do with us? We have already done our best. It's their own fault for not cherishing this opportunity to turn things around."
Zhao Qiang cursed and said, "Since they're so shameless, then we won't give them any more face." With that, Zhao Qiang pulled out his phone, dialed Chen Xinyu's number, and said, "Isn't she the one who needs the most news material? Let her get famous again."
"Zhao Qiang?" Chen Xinyu on the phone could hardly believe that Zhao Qiang would take the initiative to call her.
Zhao Qiang said, "It's me. Are you busy?"
Chen Xinyu hurriedly said, "No, no rush. What do you need me for?"
Zhao Qiang chuckled: "Of course I have material. Are you currently in Beijing?"
Chen Xinyu said, "At the station, I'll edit the video you gave me and prepare it for a documentary."
Zhao Qiang said, "Okay, I'll provide you with another piece of material. I'll upload the relevant video to you right away. As long as you dare to report it, you'll become famous again. That way, you, Reporter Chen, will prove that you're not only an excellent war correspondent, but you're also better than others in urban life."
Chen Xinyu said, "Okay, I'll do whatever you tell me to do."
Zhao Qiang was somewhat surprised by Chen Xinyu's attitude. In his opinion, Chen Xinyu should have returned to a normal mindset after returning to Beijing and was unlikely to rely on him as much as she had in Africa. However, judging from her tone, she seemed to be the same person she always was, which made Zhao Qiang somewhat happy. He squatted down by the roadside, opened his notebook, and began to send Chen Xinyu a video that Wei had taken using the electronic watch on her wrist via QQ. This recording function was usually on 24 hours a day, since Wei's hard drive had plenty of space. In fact, Wei had already prepared the data according to the progress of the matter, saving Zhao Qiang the trouble of typing it out word by word.