The Chinese Restaurant.
The Health Bureau Staff tore the fine receipt and was about to leave.
Dong Xuebing did not continue since they relent and take out the Japanese cigarettes packet to give them. After the life and death experience in the middle of the sea, he becomess more mature and less rash. “Sorry to have you all making a wasted trip. Come, have a smoke.”
“No need…”
“Have a cigarette before leaving. Are you looking down on me?!”
“No, alright.”
“Haha… Let me light it for you all.”
“No need. We have lighters with us.”
The Leader of the Health Bureau staff heard Dong Xuebing’s Beijing accent and knew they must not offend him. Maybe he is the son of some Central Government Officials.
The Lady Boss regained her senses and quickly said. “Have a seat. I will prepare tea.”
The Leader replied. “Don’t bother. We are leaving soon.”
“Have some tea before you go.” The Boss added.
The Leader waved his hand. “Don’t mention it. We still need to attend to some complaints. Oh…” He lowered his voice. “Give me your number. The higher-ups had given us new missions. There will be inspections on the hygiene in the blind spots. Do take note of it, and I will inform you beforehand if there is sudden inspection.”
The Boss replied. “Thank you.”
“It’s fine.” The Leader continued. “I can understand how difficult it is to run a small business.”
The Health Bureau staff’s attitudes changed suddenly.
After saying these to the Boss, the Leader started chatting with Dong Xuebing. He wants to find out his background and see if he can befriend him.
The Lady Boss looks at Dong Xuebing and wonders who he is. He did not even mention who he knows and those Health Bureau staff changed their attitudes immediately. Her husband is smart to give him a treat. How can a meal which costs 50 RMB be compared to a 5,000 RMB fine? They also get to know these Health Bureau staff.
A few minutes later, the Health Bureau staff left.
The Lady Boss seems to have forgotten the bad attitude she showed to Dong Xuebing earlier and went over with a pot of tea. “Here, have some tea.” She realized what is called never judge a book by its cover now. This young man looks ordinary and cannot even afford to pay for his meal. But he can scare those Health Bureau staff away with just some questions.
Dong Xuebing tried to take the teapot from the Lady Boss. “Eh, let me pour it.”
“No need. It’s hot.”
The Boss looks at Dong Xuebing. He also did not expect him to be so powerful. “Thanks for your help, young man.”
Dong Xuebing waved his hand. “Haha… this has nothing to do with me. It’s because your shop is clean in the first place.”
The Lady Boss added. “What’s the use of having a clean shop? We still have to depend on those Health Bureau staff to determine it. Thanks for your help. Oh, you must still be hungry. Let me whip up a few dishes for you.”
“Wait… I am still full.”
“Have some more.”
“No… I am full.”
After chatting for a while, Dong Xuebing remembered something important. “Bro, do you have a phone here? Can you let me make a phone call?” He was thinking of finding a phone to make phone calls before coming to this restaurant. But he didn’t have any money with him and still have to let the Boss treat him for his food. That’s why he did not ask earlier. Now, he had repaid the Boss’s favor, and he asked the Boss.
The Boss stood up. “Yes. I will bring it over.”
“Use my phone.” The Lady Boss took out a pink Nokia phone.
“Oh, thank you.”
Dong Xuebing took a deep breath and thought, who should he call first. Aunt Xuan is in Beijing, and he should call her first.
Dong Xuebing dialed Qu Yunxuan’s number. “Sorry, the number you just dialed cannot be connected….”
Her phone is off? Dong Xuebing frowned and tried calling his mother’s phone. “Sorry, the number you just dialed cannot be connected….”
Dong Xuebing is speechless and tried calling Xie Huilan.
Her phone is also switched off!
What’s happening? Why are their phones switched off?
Dong Xuebing’s heart is racing, and he is worried something might happen to them. He thought about other phone numbers he remembered and called Yu Meixia’s mobile phone, Xie Huilan’s apartment landline, Qu Yunxuan’s apartment number, and even Hu Silian and Deputy Team Leader Feng’s numbers. But no one is answering, and all mobile phones are switched off!
It seems everyone he knows had switched off their phones!
This cannot be a coincidence. What is going on?
Dong Xuebing is anxious. It’s fine if it’s Aunt Xuan or his mother’s phones are switched off. Aunt Xuan will switch off her phone at night, and his mother will switch off her phone during lessons. But Xie Huilan, Hu Silian, and the rest should not be switching off their phones. At their positions, they must remain contactable 24 hours. But their phones are all switched off!
Did something happen?
Damn!
The Boss saw Dong Xuebing’s face changed and asked. “What’s wrong?”
Dong Xuebing returned the phone. “Something happened, and I need to go now.”
The Boss and his wife can tell Dong Xuebing is in a hurry and did not stop him. “Don’t drive too fast, and drop by when you are free. I will treat you.”
Dong Xuebing sped towards Heping North Street after leaving the restaurant.
Five minutes…
Ten minutes…
Twenty minutes…
Dong Xuebing reached and ran upstairs to knock on Qu Yunxuan’s apartment.
No one answered.
Luckily, Dong Xuebing still has his keys with him and used them to open the door. “Aunt Xuan!”
The apartment is in a mess, but no one is around.
The porcelain cup is shattered on the floor, and tea is splashed all over the place. The closet in the bedroom is opened, and pajamas are on the bed. The kitchen lights are still on, and there’s a rotten tomato on the chopping board. It looks like it’s been there for more than ten days!
Dong Xuebing panics!
Where is everybody? Where did they go?
Dong Xuebing saw the phone on the table and called all the numbers he remembered.
Their phones are all switched off!
Damn! This is making me nervous!
Dong Xuebing paced around Qu Yunxuan’s living room and suddenly remembered a number. He quickly called it. This is the County Government’s Secretariat Department’s number. He can remember this number because only one number is different from Xie Huilan’s apartment landline.
Ring… ring… ring…
The line finally got through.
“Hello, Secretariat Section 1.” A woman answered, and she sounded young.
Dong Xuebing doesn’t want to waste time. “Where is Huilan? Is she in her office?”
“Huilan?” The girl on the other line was shocked for a while. “Are you referring to Mayor Xie?”
“Yes. Where is she? How come her phone is switched off?” Dong Xuebing is anxious. “Transfer me to her office!”
“Mayor Xie is not around.”
“What about Secretary Hu?”
“Secretary Hu… is also not around.”
Dong Xuebing’s heart almost stopped. Everyone is not around, and all their phones are off. This…
What the other party said next made Dong Xuebing speechless!
The girl can tell the person over the phone is close to Mayor Xie, as no one dares to address her as Huilan. He must be Mayor Xie’s relative, and she did not hide anything. “Mayor Xie and Secretary Hu had gone to attend a memorial service this morning. Many of the County Leaders had gone too. It’s located at the North suburban crematorium memorial hall. If you are looking for Mayor Xie, you….”
Dong Xuebing blinked. “Memorial service? Who’s memorial service?”
The girl paused for a second and replied. “It’s Chief Dong’s memorial service.”
“Ah?” Dong Xuebing is dumbfounded. “My memorial service?”
The girl quickly reply. “Your surname is also Dong? It’s not you. It’s Dong Xuebing, Chief Dong.”
WTF?!
That’s me!
After hanging up, Dong Xuebing finally understands why everyone had switched off their phones. All of them are attending his memorial service and must switch off their phones. My body is not even found, and they are holding a memorial service for me?! I am still alive! After some thoughts, he understood. His funeral should have been held a long time ago as it’s been two weeks after the air crash. They had waited until today because they are still waiting for Japan to recover the bodies. But Japan had announced no survivors of the crash yesterday, and most bodies could not be recovered. That’s why they are holding the memorial service today.
No. I must return to the County immediately!
Dong Xuebing searched Aunt Xuan’s apartment and found 1,000 RMB from her bedside table drawer. He stuffed the money in his pocket and drove to a petrol kiosk to fill his tank. After that, he drove towards Yan Tai County, and Cayenne is much faster than Mercedes.
80 KM/H…
100 KM/H…
120 KM/H…
Dong Xuebing is speechless as he is driving.
He should be the only person in this world who is rushing to attend his memorial service. This is ridiculous!
