Little Dong's Memorial Service!

Inside the home-style restaurant.

The Health Bureau people had come in a hurry and were leaving just as hastily. They tore up the fine slip and prepared to leave.

They had done this to give Dong Xuebin face, and Dong Xuebin did not press his advantage. He pulled out the box of Japanese cigarettes he had "confiscated" from the ship and handed them around. The life-and-death struggles at sea over the past few days had matured him greatly, and even his temper had become somewhat steadier. He could feel it himself. "Sorry to have made you come all this way for nothing, comrades. Come on, have a smoke."

"Oh, no need."

"Have one before you go. If you refuse, you're looking down on me."

"That's not what I mean. Then... all right."

"Heh, I'll light them for you."

"No, no, I've got a lighter. I can do it myself."

Hearing the Beijing accent in Dong Xuebin's voice, the leader of the Health Bureau group became even more convinced that he was not someone to offend. For all he knew, Dong Xuebin might be the son of one of the Central Leaders.

Only then did the Boss Lady snap out of it and hurriedly say, "Please sit down. I'll make you some tea."

The leader said, "Don't trouble yourself. We're leaving now."

"Have a cup of tea before you go."

The man waved his hand. "I'm not being polite. I really can't drink any. We still have another report to investigate. Oh, right..." His voice suddenly dropped as he spoke to the owner. "Leave me a phone number. There've been orders from above these days, and they're cracking down hard on sanitation blind spots. If there's a surprise inspection, I'll give you a heads-up beforehand so you can prepare. As long as your sanitation is passable, it'll be fine."

The owner exclaimed, "Then thank you so much."

"It's nothing," the man said. "It isn't easy for you people doing business either."

The change in attitude before and after was simply enormous.

After that, the leader began trying to get close to Dong Xuebin, probing indirectly to find out his background. If he could make a friend, then all the better.

The Boss Lady could not help giving Dong Xuebin, who was smoking, a deep look. Who exactly was this young man? He had not even mentioned knowing anyone important, yet these Health Bureau people had changed their attitude? Tsk, she thought, her husband really did have a good eye. What was one meal worth a few dozen yuan? Not only had they saved the five-thousand-yuan fine, but they had also established a connection with the Health Bureau. From now on, they would not have to worry about the Health Bureau causing trouble again.

A few minutes later, the Health Bureau people left.

The Boss Lady had thick skin. It was as though she had forgotten how she had glared at Dong Xuebin earlier for eating and drinking for free. She ran over with a beaming smile and brewed him a pot of tea. "Here, have some water." Only now did she understand that appearances could be deceiving. He looked young and ordinary, and he had not even brought money for his meal, yet who would have thought he had so much influence? The moment he stepped in, he had intimidated the Health Bureau people. Anyone could tell he was no ordinary person.

Dong Xuebin took the teapot. "Hey, ma'am, don't trouble yourself. I can do it."

"Don't take it, don't take it. You'll burn yourself."

The owner looked at Dong Xuebin. He truly had not expected the other man to have such influence. "Brother, thank you for this."

Waving his hand, Dong Xuebin said, "Heh, it had nothing to do with me. Your sanitation was good to begin with."

As the Boss Lady poured the water, she said, "What good is that? Whether it passes or not is just one word from the Health Bureau. We really have you to thank this time. Oh, right, you didn't get to eat properly earlier, did you? My fault, my fault. I'll fry up two more dishes. I'll cook them myself!"

"No need. I'm stuffed."

"Have a little more."

"You're too kind. I'm really full."

After chatting for a while, Dong Xuebin finally brought up something he had wanted to ask all along. "Brother, do you have a phone here? Could I borrow it to make a call?" Before eating, Dong Xuebin had already been thinking about finding a phone to call someone. But he did not have a cent on him, and after eating the owner's meal for free, he had been too embarrassed to ask to borrow a phone for a long-distance call. Now that he had repaid the favor, he naturally opened his mouth.

The owner stood up. "Sure, I'll get it for you."

"Use mine." The Boss Lady enthusiastically handed over a pink Nokia.

"Thanks."

Holding the pink phone, Dong Xuebin's emotions surged. He took a deep breath, but for a moment, he did not know whom to call first. Right, Aunt Xuan was in Beijing. He would call her first.

Tap tap tap. Dong Xuebin dialed Zhai Yunxuan's number. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is switched off..."

Switched off? Dong Xuebin frowned and dialed his Mom's mobile number. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is switched off..."

Dong Xuebin was speechless. He dialed Xie Huilan's number next.

It was switched off too!

What was going on? All three of them had their phones off?

Dong Xuebin's heart skipped a beat. Afraid that something had happened to them, his expression changed. He hurriedly recalled the few numbers he remembered and dialed Yu Meixia's mobile, the Family Compound landline at Xie Huilan's place, the landline at North Entrance of Heping Street where Zhai Yunxuan lived, and even the mobile numbers of Hu Silian and Deputy Captain Feng. Yet every landline went unanswered, while every mobile phone was switched off, switched off, switched off!

It was as if not a single person Dong Xuebin knew had their phone on!

Could it really be such a coincidence? What on earth had happened? Why could none of the calls get through?

Dong Xuebin was frantic. It would have been one thing if Aunt Xuan and Mom's phones were off. Aunt Xuan sometimes turned hers off at night, and Mom usually switched hers off during class. But it was impossible for Xie Huilan and Hu Silian to turn off their phones. Given their positions, their phones basically had to remain reachable twenty-four hours a day in case an emergency arose. Yet even their phones were off?

Had something serious happened?

This was bad!

Seeing his expression change drastically, the owner hurriedly asked, "What's wrong, brother?"

Dong Xuebin handed the phone back to him. "Something came up. I have to go."

The two of them could see that Dong Xuebin was in a hurry, so they did not try to keep him. "Drive carefully, then. Come back when you have time. Big Sister will treat you to a meal."

After leaving the restaurant, Dong Xuebin drove hurriedly toward North Entrance of Heping Street.

Five minutes...

Ten minutes...

Twenty minutes...

He arrived. Dong Xuebin rushed upstairs and banged on the Zhai family's door.

No one answered!

Fortunately, Dong Xuebin had not lost the key on him. He immediately took it out, inserted it into the lock, and twisted it. Click. He pushed open the door and entered. "Aunt Xuan!"

The house was somewhat messy, but there was no one inside.

A porcelain cup that should have been on the Coffee Table now lay shattered across the floor, water and tea leaves spilled everywhere. A cabinet door stood open. A set of pajamas lay half-draped over the bedspread, its hem hanging to the floor. The kitchen light was still on, and a rotten tomato sat on the cutting board. It looked like it had been there for more than ten days!

Dong Xuebin could not wait another second!

Where was everyone? Where had they gone?

Seeing the phone on the table, Dong Xuebin grabbed it and dialed all the numbers again!

Switched off!

Switched off!

Every number was switched off!

Damn it! Were they trying to worry him to death!?

Dong Xuebin paced back and forth through the Zhai family's living room. At last, he suddenly remembered a number and hurriedly dialed it. It was the number for the County Government's Secretarial Section. Because it differed from the Family Compound landline at Sister Xie's home by only one digit in the middle, Dong Xuebin had remembered it when he saw it before. With his phone gone, he only knew a limited number of phone numbers now.

Beep, beep, beep... Beep, beep, beep... Beep, beep, beep...

The call finally connected.

"Hello, Secretary Section One." It was a woman's voice, and she sounded quite young.

Dong Xuebin had no time for pleasantries. He immediately asked, "Where's Hui Lan? Is she in the office?"

"Hui Lan?" The girl from the Secretarial Section was slightly taken aback and hesitated. "You mean... County Chief Xie?"

"Yes. Where is she? Why can't I reach her phone?" Dong Xuebin was beside himself with anxiety. "Transfer me to her office line!"

"...County Chief Xie isn't here."

"What about Secretary Hu?"

"Secretary Hu... isn't here either."

Dong Xuebin's heart leaped into his throat. Neither of them was there, and both phones were off. This...

However, the other party's next sentence left Dong Xuebin stunned!

Even if the girl was slow, she could tell that the person on the phone had an unusual relationship with County Chief Xie. Very few people dared to call her Hui Lan like that. She assumed he was probably a relative of County Chief Xie, so she did not hide anything. "County Chief Xie and Secretary Hu went to attend a memorial service this morning. A lot of County Leaders went as well. It's at the Memorial Hall of North Suburb Crematorium. If you're looking for County Chief Xie, then there..."

Dong Xuebin blinked. "A memorial service? Whose?"

The female clerk paused, then answered, "Director Dong's."

"?" Dong Xuebin immediately froze. "My memorial service?"

The girl hurriedly said, "Your surname is Dong too? Not yours. It's for Director Dong Xuebin."

Holy crap!

Wasn't that still his?

After hanging up, Dong Xuebin finally understood why everyone's phones were off. They had all gone to attend his memorial service, and etiquette required them to turn off their phones there. What the hell, a memorial service? They had not even found his body, so why were they holding one? He was still alive and well! What was there to memorialize? Still, Dong Xuebin understood. His funeral should actually have been held long ago. After all, it had already been half a month since the Plane Crash. The reason it was not held until today was probably because Mom and the others had been waiting for the Japanese side to recover his body. But yesterday's news had said that some of the bodies had already sunk into the sea and could not be found, so the memorial service had been postponed until today. Sweat...

No, he had to hurry back to the county!

Dong Xuebin immediately rummaged through Aunt Xuan's home and found one thousand yuan in a drawer of the Bedside Table in the inner room. He stuffed it directly into his pocket, went downstairs, and drove straight to a gas station. After filling up, Dong Xuebin floored the accelerator in a panic and headed onto the highway toward Yantai County. The top-tier Cayenne had far stronger performance than the Mercedes Business. Whether on mountain roads or the highway, it ran smoothly as he overtook car after car.

80...

100...

120...

As he drove, Dong Xuebin could not help feeling both amused and exasperated.

He was rushing to attend his own memorial service. He was probably the first person in history to do that. Seriously, what the hell kind of situation was this!