Little Dong's Memorial Service!

In a small restaurant.

The people from the Health Bureau came and went in a hurry, tearing up the fine slip and preparing to leave.

They were giving Dong Xuebin face. Dong Xuebin wasn't one to press his advantage. He pulled out the box of Japanese cigarettes "confiscated" from the ship and offered them around. The life-and-death experience at sea these past few days had matured Dong Xuebin a lot, and his temperament had become slightly more stable than before. He could feel it himself. "Comrades, I'm sorry you had to make a wasted trip. Here, have a cigarette."

"Hey, no need."

"Have one before you leave. Not having one means you look down on me."

"That's not what I meant. Okay then..."

"Hehe, let me light it for you."

"Don't bother, I have a lighter. I'll do it myself."

Hearing the Beijing accent in Dong Xuebin's voice, the leader of the Health Bureau felt even more that this kind of person was not to be offended. He might be the offspring of some central leader.

The Boss Lady finally came back to her senses and hurriedly said, "Please sit down, I'll make you some tea."

The leader said, "Don't bother, we're leaving now."

"Have a cup of tea before you go."

The man waved his hand and said, "I'm not being polite, I really don't want any. There's another report I haven't checked yet. By the way..." He suddenly lowered his voice a little and said to the Boss, "Leave me a cell phone number. These days, there are tasks from above, and the hygiene dead spots are being checked very strictly. When there's a surprise inspection, I'll let you know in advance so you can prepare. As long as the hygiene is generally passable, it'll be fine."

The Boss said with a 'yo' sound, "Thank you so much."

"It's nothing," the man said. "It's not easy for you to do business."

The change in attitude before and after was simply too great.

After speaking, the leader began to cozy up to Dong Xuebin, trying to probe his background indirectly, hoping to make a friend if possible.

The Boss Lady couldn't help but take a deep look at Dong Xuebin, who was smoking. Who is this grandpa? How come he didn't mention knowing anyone, and these people from the Health Bureau changed their attitude? Tsk, she thought to herself that her husband was still perceptive. What was a meal worth dozens of yuan? Not only did they save a five-thousand-yuan fine, but they also established a relationship with the Health Bureau. In the future, they wouldn't have to worry about the Health Bureau causing trouble again.

A few minutes later, the people from the Health Bureau left.

The Boss Lady had a thick skin. She seemed to have forgotten the look she gave Dong Xuebin for eating and drinking for free. She ran over with a smile and made him a pot of tea. "Here, drink some water." She now knew what it meant to not judge a book by its cover. He looked young and ordinary, and didn't even have money for a meal, but who would have thought he had so much face? He just showed up and intimidated the people from the Health Bureau. Anyone could tell that this kind of person was not ordinary.

Dong Xuebin took the teapot. "Hey, Sister, don't bother, I'll do it myself."

"Don't take it, don't take it, it's hot."

The Boss looked at Dong Xuebin. He really didn't expect the other party to have so much face. "Brother, thank you this time."

Waving his hand, Dong Xuebin said, "Hehe, it has nothing to do with me. Your hygiene here is originally good."

The Boss Lady poured water and said, "What's the use of being good? Isn't it up to the Health Bureau to decide? This time, it's all thanks to you. By the way, didn't you eat well just now? It's my fault, it's my fault. I'll cook two more dishes for you, I'll cook them myself!"

"No, I'm too full."

"Eat some more."

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

After chatting for a while, Dong Xuebin brought up something he had been thinking about. "Brother, do you have a telephone here? Can I borrow it to make a call?" Actually, Dong Xuebin had been thinking about finding a cell phone to make a call before eating, but he didn't have a penny on him, and he had eaten a free meal from the Boss. He was too embarrassed to ask to borrow a cell phone to make a long-distance call. Now that he had paid back the favor, Dong Xuebin opened his mouth naturally.

The Boss got up and said, "Wait, I'll get it for you."

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

"Okay, thank you."

Touching the pink phone, Dong Xuebin's emotions fluctuated greatly. He took a breath, but for a moment he didn't know who to call first. Right, Aunt Xuan is in Beijing, call her first.

Da da da da, Dong Xuebin dialed Zhai Yunxuan's number, "I'm sorry, the telephone you dialed is switched off"...

Switched off? Dong Xuebin frowned, and dialed his Mom's phone, "I'm sorry, the telephone you dialed is switched off"...

Dong Xuebin was speechless, and dialed Xie Huilan's phone number for the third time.

It was still switched off!

What's going on? None of the three turned on their phones?

Dong Xuebin felt uneasy, afraid that something might have happened to them, so his face changed a little. He hurriedly recalled some of the numbers he remembered, and dialed Yu Meixia's phone, the telephone of Xie Huilan's Family Compound, Zhai Yunxuan's fixed telephone at the North Entrance of Heping Street, and even Hu Silian and Deputy Captain Feng's phones. But the fixed telephones were all in an unanswered state, and all the mobile phones were switched off!

It seemed that none of the people Dong Xuebin knew had their phones on!

It can't be such a coincidence, right? What the hell happened? The telephones can't get through??

Dong Xuebin was anxious. If it was just Aunt Xuan and Mom, it would be fine. Aunt Xuan sometimes didn't turn on her phone at night, and Mom usually turned off her phone when she was in class, but Xie Huilan and Hu Silian's telephones could not be switched off, because of their positions, they basically had to keep their phones on twenty-four hours a day, so as not to be caught off guard in case of any emergencies, but now even their phones are not on?

Something big happened?

This is bad!

The Boss saw his face change drastically and asked, "What's wrong, buddy?"

Dong Xuebin returned the phone to him, "Something came up, I have to go first."

They both saw that Dong Xuebin had something urgent to deal with, so they didn't keep him, "Then drive carefully, come over next time when you have time, your sister will treat you to a meal."

Leaving the restaurant, Dong Xuebin hurriedly drove towards the North Entrance of Heping Street.

Five minutes...

Ten minutes...

Twenty minutes...

The car arrived, and Dong Xuebin quickly ran upstairs, knocking on the door of Zhai's house.

No one opened it!

Fortunately, Dong Xuebin didn't lose the key on his body, so he immediately took it out, inserted it into the door lock and twisted it. With a click, he pushed the door open and entered the house, "Aunt Xuan!"

The house was a bit messy, but there was no one there.

The porcelain cup that should have been on the coffee table was now broken on the ground, and water and tea were spilled. The cabinet door was open, and a piece of pajamas was half-draped on the bed sheet, with the hem hanging on the ground. The kitchen light was still on, and there was a rotten tomato on the cutting board, which looked like it had been there for more than ten days!

Dong Xuebin was extremely anxious!

Where are they all? Where did they all go?

Looking at the telephone on the table, Dong Xuebin grabbed it and continued to dial again!

Switched off!

Offline!

Everyone's phone is offline!

Damn it! Are they trying to make me anxious!?

Dong Xuebin paced back and forth in Zhai Yunxuan's living room. Finally, he suddenly remembered a number and hurriedly dialed it. This was the number for the County Government's Secretariat Section. Because it only differed by one digit in the middle from Sister Xie's Family Compound fixed-line telephone, Dong Xuebin had remembered it when he first saw it. Having lost his phone, he only knew a few numbers now.

Beep beep beep... Beep beep beep... Beep beep beep...

The telephone finally connected.

"Hello, Secretariat Section One." It was a female voice, sounding quite young.

Dong Xuebin didn't bother with pleasantries and immediately said, "Is Hui Lan there? Is she in the office?"

"Hui Lan?" The girl in the Secretariat Section was slightly taken aback, hesitating, "Are you... County Chief Hui Lan?"

"Yes, where is she? Why can't I get through to her phone?" Dong Xuebin was anxious, "Transfer me to her office telephone!"

"...County Chief Hui Lan is not here."

"What about Secretary Hu?"

"Secretary Hu... is also not here."

Dong Xuebin's heart leaped. Neither of them was there, and their phones were off. This...

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

Even a fool could tell that the person on the other end of the telephone had a close relationship with County Chief Xie. Not many people dared to call her Hui Lan so casually. Thinking that the caller must be a relative of County Chief Xie, she didn't hide anything and said, "County Chief Hui Lan and Secretary Hu went to attend a memorial service this morning. Many county leaders also went. It's at the Memorial Hall of the North Suburbs Crematorium. If you're looking for County Chief Hui Lan, it's there..."

Dong Xuebin blinked, "Memorial service? Whose?"

The female clerk paused and replied, "It's for Director Dong."

"?" Dong Xuebin was immediately dumbfounded, "My memorial service?"

The girl hurriedly said, "Do you also have the surname Dong? It's not yours, it's for Director Dong Xuebin."

Damn it!

Isn't that still me!

Hanging up the telephone, Dong Xuebin finally understood why everyone's phone was off. It turned out they had all gone to attend his memorial service. Phones had to be turned off for etiquette reasons. What the heck, a memorial service? They're holding it without even finding my body? I'm still alive and well, what's there to mourn! However, Dong Xuebin also understood that his funeral should have been held long ago. After all, the plane crash had happened half a month ago. It was only being held today. Perhaps Mom and the others had been waiting for Japan to recover his body, but yesterday's news reported that some bodies had already sunk into the sea and couldn't be found, so the memorial service was delayed until today, sigh...

No, I have to go back to the County immediately!

Dong Xuebin immediately rummaged around Aunt Xuan's house, found a thousand yuan in the drawer of the bedside table in the inner room, stuffed it directly into his pocket, went downstairs, drove to the gas station, filled up the tank, and then Dong Xuebin stepped on the accelerator like crazy, got on the highway, and headed straight for Yantai County. The top-of-the-line Cayenne had much more power than the Mercedes Business, running smoothly whether on mountain roads or highways, overtaking one car after another.

80...

100...

120...

On the way, Dong Xuebin couldn't help but laugh and cry.

He was rushing to attend his own memorial service. He was probably the first person in history to do that. Look at this, what the hell is going on!