Chapter 17

Seeing the situation, the workers spontaneously collected donations and over a thousand dollars to send over. Having lived in poverty for most of his life, Oliver felt uneasy when he suddenly possessed more than two thousand dollars. After the diagnosis at the hospital, it was confirmed that Josh had suffered a significant impact, resulting in several fractured ribs, but there were no other noticeable injuries. However, since he had hit his head on the ground, he might have had a mild concussion, which was why he remained in a coma. When Ava arrived at the hospital, she was already in tears, having fainted several times. In addition to Zack and his friends, many people from the town and the county visited Josh. Jonathan had already reported the incident to the higher-ups, and upon learning that a young man had saved the distillery, they were both surprised and relieved. Had there been a catastrophic accident resulting in hundreds of casualties, they all would have faced severe consequences. So, the county directly issued orders to ensure Josh's safety at all costs. Once he recovered, the county would commend him and reward him accordingly. This ensured that the hospital dedicated all its resources to his treatment, with medical staff monitoring him 24/7. Finally, three days later, Josh woke up. As he groggily opened his eyes, he heard a chaotic commotion around him, with many people loudly talking. As his awareness slowly returned, he saw Ava crying at his bedside. Oliver was also there, emotional and wiping away tears; he felt at ease now that Josh had woken up. In just three days, the couple had both lost a significant amount of weight. "Josh, does it still hurt? You scared me to death," Ava said, still in tears. Seeing her swollen eyes, Josh knew she had cried many times over the past few days. Although his head was still dizzy, he reassured her, "Mom, I'm fine. By the way, how's the distillery doing?" "The distillery's workshop burned down badly, but everyone is okay." Oliver glanced at the door and whispered, "There have been dozens of people from the factory here daily, keeping vigil in the hospital corridor for you. You saved their lives, and they're truly grateful to you." Josh looked toward the door and saw many workers peeking in, eager to come in but afraid of disturbing him. He smiled and said, "Thank you, everyone; I'm fine now." The workers by the door also smiled back. "Why are you thanking us? We should be thanking you! Josh, please get better soon; we're all looking forward to your sandwich!" "Right! Our whole family is wondering when we can eat them!" "Could you keep it down? Josh just woke up. Why are you all so noisy?" "I forgot. I get excited and forget my manners." Josh felt elated while listening to the workers' simple yet caring words. Saving a life like this was the most meaningful thing he had done since his rebirth. At that moment, Oliver suddenly pulled on Ava's arm and asked, "By the way, should we tell Josh about that matter?" "Maybe we shouldn't. He just woke up," Ava replied. Josh looked at his parents with confusion and asked, "What is going on?" Oliver hesitated, but in the end, he couldn't hold back, saying, "Well, the Holt family is having a wedding today." He didn't say it outright, but what kind of wedding could it be at the Holt residence? Josh froze upon hearing this, and his body went cold. He sat up straight in bed and asked in a deep voice, "Is Janice marrying Caesar?" "You're making Josh anxious. I told you not to mention it!" Ava realized she couldn't keep it a secret anymore. She scolded her husband and then continued, "The Kain family sent over the wedding gifts yesterday, and they're getting married today. "Josh, you like her, but she will marry him now. You need to accept that and move on. As long as you recover well, you can find a better wife in the future." "I only want Janice!" Josh shouted, yanking out the IV needle from his arm, throwing off the covers, and trying to get out of bed. But his legs felt weak, and he almost fell to the floor. Ava hurriedly supported him, but his eyes were already brimming with tears when he looked up. "Mom, help me get back. I can't just watch Janice marry that useless Caesar and ruin her life!" "You…" She had wanted to advise him more, but seeing his bloodshot eyes, she couldn't bear to stop him any longer. She gritted her teeth and said, "Alright, I'll help you back." Oliver rushed over, helping Josh on either side. The doctor tried to intervene, but Josh simply said, "If I don't go back today, I'd rather die right here! You wouldn't want to bear that responsibility, would you?" Thus, the doctor had no choice but to step aside. They really couldn't afford such a responsibility. The workers watching Josh being helped out looked surprised, wondering what had happened. Why was he so determined to leave the hospital, even when his injuries weren't fully healed? Someone advised, "Josh, whatever the matter is, you need to prioritize your health!" Josh looked at the workers' concerned faces and said, "I know everyone cares about me, but I can't bear to let the woman I love marry a man who's unworthy of her. If I don't go back, I won't be able to get over it for the rest of my life! If you truly care about me, please make way for me. Thank you!" The workers, stunned, instinctively made way for him. Watching Josh being helped by his parents, they exchanged glances. "What do we do now?" someone asked. The corridor fell into a brief silence, but soon, someone shouted, "What else can we do? Didn't you hear Josh? His woman is being taken away by someone else. He's a real man; he's injured and insists on returning. We can't just stand by and do nothing!" "Exactly! Josh saved our lives; we can't ignore his problems! Anyone who tries to take his woman is our enemy!" "Let's stop talking nonsense and act quickly. Those who dare to steal his wife must be looking for trouble!" "Let's drive over. Anyone who can drive should drive, and those who can't should ride bikes or run. No matter what, we're going to help Josh! No one can stop us!" Immediately, everyone was filled with righteous indignation, and the workers began contacting others. Upon learning that Josh had just regained consciousness and rushed out of the hospital because someone was trying to take his first love, everyone was outraged. Who would dare to steal Josh's woman? Who had such guts? "Let's go! Everyone who doesn't help Josh is a coward and shouldn't return to the distillery! The distillery can't afford that kind of person!" Unbeknownst to Josh, hundreds of workers from the distillery quickly mobilized. Some took vans, others rode bicycles or motorcycles, and some even called relatives to come with minibusses. A large group of people set off toward the small village. Meanwhile, the village was beautifully decorated, radiating joy. In a brand-new groom's outfit, Caesar accepted congratulations and praises from those around him, beaming with pride. No one realized that a storm was about to descend upon them!