Chapter 910: The Landlady Auntie's whereabouts!
Chapter 910: The Landlady Auntie's whereabouts!
Translator: Legge Editor: Legge
The next day.
He happily slept in until it he woke up naturally. Since the outline of the documentary on air pollution was already given to the staff, Zhang Ye did not bother with the rest of the production or how they were going to shoot it. He had already applied for some time off and was preparing to sleep well. He did not wish to do anything at all in the coming few days.
His mother was making breakfast.
His father was watching the morning news.
His mother asked, "Up already?"
Zhang Ye returned, "What are we having?"
His mother replied, "Buns. I steamed them myself."
Zhang Ye said, "OK, I'm gonna go out for a run first and eat when I come back."
His mother remarked, "Heh, you're quite hardworking, aren't you?"
Zhang Ye said, "It's just some exercises to build up my stamina and recharge myself."
His father inquired, "Didn't you take the week off? You might as well take a vacation and enjoy yourself."
Zhang Ye said, "That sounds good too. I'll think about it."
Outside.
Zhang Ye ran a long lap around Caishikou and found it not satisfying enough, so he ran another two laps and ended up at Guozixiang where he got recognized by someone at the bus stop. There were two girls shouting and yelling like they had gone crazy!
"Look, it's Zhang Ye!"
"Quick, come and take a look, it's Zhang Ye!"
"Heavens! It's really him!"
Zhang Ye quickly adjusted his sunglasses before running back the other way.
The two girls chased him with all their might as the crowd grew larger and larger. In the end, it turned into a pack with at least a dozen people "jogging" together behind Zhang Ye.
After becoming an A-list celebrity, Zhang Ye could clearly feel that the treatment he was receiving was totally different from when he was just a B-list celebrity. When he left work yesterday and was behind the wheel stopped at a traffic light, he nearly got surrounded by the people who recognized him.
After reaching home.
Zhang Ye was panting heavily. "Aiyo, I'm so exhausted!"
His father looked at him and asked, "What's the matter? Why did you run so hard?"
"Some people were chasing after me!" Zhang Ye quickly took a towel to wipe away his sweat and said, "Fortunately, this bro has been training and running from time to time over the past two years, or I would have really been surrounded by them!" Ever since he had learned Taiji Fist…alright, after eating the Taiji Fist Skill Books, he had gained a greater enthusiasm for training his body. At times, his training would be delayed when he got too busy with work. But once he had some free time, he would go for a run to keep himself active.
"Chenchen, get up and eat breakfast!" Zhang Ye went to her room to wake her up.
However, he found Chenchen still sleeping very soundly.
Suddenly, Zhang Ye's cell phone rang in the living room. He went out to check who it was from and saw that it was actually Rao Aimin calling him. He immediately answered and said angrily: "Old Rao, why was your cell phone switched off for the past few days?" He was very unhappy with Rao Aimin since he did not even address her as Big Sis Rao anymore, but instead directly addressed her as Old Rao!
At the other end, the landlady auntie's lazy voice spoke: "Where's Chenchen?"
Zhang Ye snapped: "She is still sleeping. I tried to wake her but she won't get up."
Rao Aimin said: "Uh, it's been hard on you, kid."
Zhang Ye chuckled: "You telling me that, are you? Did the sun rise from the west today?"
"And thank your parents on my behalf too," Rao Aimin added calmly.
Zhang Ye said: "Alright, don't talk about those useless things. When are you coming back? Before you left, you said that you would be back within the month, or at most be gone for an entire month. Just look at which day it is already! Which year it is already! Every month I called, you always said that you would be back soon, so where did you go to? It's already been more than six months!"
Rao Aimin answered: "It will be soon for real this time. I'll be back in Beijing in another two days."
Zhang Ye paused for a moment, then asked in bewilderment: "Did something happen to you?"
Rao Aimin said: "Just a minor matter."
"But why do I feel that something is not right?" Zhang Ye had already gotten used to Rao Aimin's venomous mouth which she would always use to deride him and not say anything nice the other times she had called. But what was wrong with her today? She acknowledged how it's been hard on me and even thanked me?
However, Rao Aimin sounded quite spirited. "I'm very good. In fact, I've never been better. Alright, I'm not going to chitchat with you any longer! I'll be back in at most another two days." However, Rao Aimin's next lines made Zhang Ye shudder with fear. "If I don't make it back, take good care of Chenchen. My houses at Jiaomen will all go to you. That's all, I'm hanging up now!"
"Eh, what do you mean by that? Hello? Don't hang up!"
The connection was severed!
Zhang Ye hurriedly called back but her cell phone was already switched off!
Dammit!
Don't make it back?
Take good care of Chenchen?
The houses will all go to me?
What's the meaning of all that!
Sensing something amiss, his mother quickly asked, "Was that Chenchen's aunt? What's wrong?"
Zhang Ye quickly whispered, "I don't know. She said she would be back in two days, but at the end of the call, she added that if she didn't make it back, her houses at Jiaomen would all go to me and requested that I take good care of Chenchen!"
His father was startled. "What happened?"
"Why…why would she not make it back?" His mother was also badly shocked and said, "Was she just kidding?"
His father immediately said, "Is she suffering from some illness? Did she go away to treat her illness for the past six months? Is she getting surgery?"
Zhang Ye immediately said, "Nonsense, I've never even seen her catch a cold. Even if I die twice from illness, she would still be alive!"
"Pui!" His mother said angrily, "Why are you saying such inauspicious things during the new year?! Why are you talking about dying!"
His father also said with worry, "Something serious must have happened to Chenchen's aunt!"
"It is definitely something big!" Zhang Ye said, "For a miser like Big Sis Rao who would even pick up a cent from the ground and wipe it clean before pocketing it, she is actually saying that she would leave me those dozens of small-sized apartments over at Jiaomen for free? Fuck! Something really serious must have certainly happened!"
His mother: "…"
His father: "…"
Zhang Ye quickly searched through his cell phone's contacts, saying, "That won't do, I have to ask around!"
If Rao Aimin had switched off her phone, then he would have to call up Old Rao's junior brother, Lu Yuhu who was working at the Ministry of Public Security.
However, when he called, that phone was also switched off.
What was happening?
What sort of situation was this?
He made another call to Director Dong of the Internet Surveillance Bureau, who was also the head of Big Saber Bro's—Fan Yingyun's—department. Back then, when Zhang Ye was sent to the police station after beating up Lee Anson at the Spring Festival Gala, it was Rao Aimin who got Lu Yuhu to contact the Internet Surveillance Bureau's Old Dong to let Zhang Ye seek refuge there.
Du, du. The call connected.
"Haha, Teacher Zhang, congratulations! You're an A-list celebrity!" Old Dong said.
Zhang Ye did not have time to thank him and immediately said: "Director Dong, can you contact Lu Yuhu?"
Old Dong was dumbfounded. "Why? Can't you get through to him?"
Zhang Ye said: "His cell phone is switched off!"
Old Dong sounded surprised and replied: "Alrighty then, I'll help you ask around."
Zhang Ye said: "Please help me ask around. I'm looking for him regarding some urgent matters!"
However, he received a call back a few minutes later.
Director Dong said: "Sorry, I was also unable to get through to him. Who knows where he might have gone for a mission again. Their Ministry of Public Security is constantly very busy with something!"
After hanging up, Zhang Ye couldn't help but let out a curse as he felt very anxious. Although the landlady auntie was very sharp-tongued, when he had just graduated from university and was without a job or money for food, it was Rao Aimin who helped him out. Now that she had suddenly left behind what was seemingly her last words, Zhang Ye's heart was thumping furiously in anxiety!
I don't really have any guts, so please don't scare me like that!
Where on earth did you go?
Finally, Zhang Ye went back into his room and closed the door behind him. Then he powered on his computer and hacked into the airport, the train ticketing system, the car rental stop, the cell phone service provider, and some other websites, hoping to check up on Rao Aimin's whereabouts. In his impulsiveness, Zhang Ye even hacked into the bank system to trace the balance of Rao Aimin, to see which city she had used her bank card at. Since Zhang Ye was the most wanted hacker with the highest bounty in the world, this action was extremely risky for him. Even so, Zhang Ye still could not find any information. It was not that his hacking skills were bad, but because a lot of the websites and access points were not under the same network. If he were to really check them one by one, it would be too much work for him to avoid all the firewalls and web security at any given time. If he really had to run an in-depth trace, it would take at least three to five days to track her down. Judging from Rao Aimin's tone, her event was definitely going to happen within the next two days!
What should he do?
What should he do?
Zhang Ye had no ideas left as he pushed open the bedroom door and scolded, "Where on earth did that Rao Aimin disappear t—" Before he finished, he quickly shut his mouth. "Chenchen, you're awake already?"
Chenchen looked at him. "What happened to my aunt?"
His mother quickly signaled to her son.
Zhang Ye just laughed it off and said, "It's nothing, it's nothing. Your aunt called just now and asked whether you did your homework and how your learning is progressing. I told her everything was good."
Chenchen could sense something was off as she stared at him and asked, "Where's my aunt?"
Zhang Ye stuttered, "She…will be back in another two days."
"Let's have breakfast!" His mother changed the topic as she smiled and said, "Come, Chenchen, taste the big buns that Grandma made and steamed."
His father picked up his chopsticks and gave a bun to Chenchen with a smile. "Try it. It's delicious."
Chenchen didn't move and simply stared unblinkingly at Zhang Ye. "Zhang Ye, where's my aunt?"
"Didn't I already tell you?" Zhang Ye forced a smile and said, "She'll be back very soon."
"Have some buns, Chenchen." His mother smiled and said, "They're going to turn cold."
Chenchen's expression sank and she jumped right out of the chair. She went over and tugged on Zhang Ye's arm, ordering, "Zhang Ye! Bring me along to find my aunt!"
This child was way too clever!
Zhang Ye said, "Stop making a fuss."
Chenchen shouted, "Zhang Ye! Zhang Ye!"
Zhang Ye tried to scare her. "I'll get angry if you keep making a fuss!"
Chenchen was not even listening as she continued pulling Zhang Ye's clothes at the direction of the door while yelling, "Zhang Ye! Bring me to find my aunt!"
This was the first time that Zhang Ye had seen Chenchen get so anxious!
When his mother saw this, she could no longer pretend and felt her heart wrench as she teared up!
Zhang Ye was also feeling a sense of uneasiness. "I would like to know where she is too. Where am I going to find her?!"
Chenchen's cries were getting louder and louder. "Zhang Ye! Bring me there!"
"I don't know where we can find her." Zhang Ye's heart softened the more he heard her cries.
Chenchen shouted, "Zhang Ye! Bring me along to find my aunt! Zhang Ye! Zhang Ye! Zhang Ye!" The child's voice was turning hoarse from all that shouting!
Thinking of Rao Aimin.
Looking at Chenchen.
Zhang Ye's heart was wrenching!
"Zhang Ye! Zhang Ye!"
Suddenly, Zhang Ye clenched his teeth and slapped his thigh. "Fuck! Alright! I'll bring you along to find her! Even if she is hiding in the Sahara Desert, I'll goddamn locate her!"
Chenchen was finally quiet.
"It wasn't easy for me to get a few days off, do you think I have it easy?!" Zhang Ye turned around and said to his parents, "Dad, Mom, I'm gonna be out for a few days!"
His mother asked anxiously, "Where on earth are you going to find her?"
Zhang Ye said exasperated, "God knows where! I'll think of a way!"