Chapter 50 – Looking for the Phone, Searching for the Phone.

For both Xiao Pang and Meng Ting, the fact that Jian Mei lost his phone was shocking. They knew Jian Mei well, and he was someone who could use a phone for three or four years without changing it. Despite being a budget smartphone, Jian Mei treated it like a treasure, and his reaction, was as if he had lost a piece of his soul.

Xiao Pang immediately suggested, “Don’t worry, try to remember if you had it with you at any point?”

“I hadn’t taken it out until I used it to contact Class Monitor at the mall,” Jian Mei said, but his words trailed off, and he hesitated. “Could it be that at that moment…”

Xiao Pang inquired, “You remember something?”

Jian Mei frowned, clearly vexed. “It’s possible that someone might have stolen it. I helped a child earlier, and then I got bumped into by someone.”

Xiao Pang grumbled, “Who would steal a knockoff smartphone!”

Jian Mei’s forehead creased in worry. He had never expected this to happen. However, just feeling anxious wouldn’t solve the problem. Finding the phone as soon as possible was the most critical matter. He stood up and said, “You two go ahead and eat. I’ll go find the mall’s security to see if they can check the surveillance footage.”

Seeing him get up, the other two couldn’t stay seated.

Xiao Pang quickly stood and said, “I’ll go with you.”

Of course, Meng Ting couldn’t sit down either, and she immediately joined in, “I’ll go too.”

Jian Mei, however, hesitated. “But you haven’t had your meal yet.”

“No problem, we can grab something to eat outside,” Xiao Pang was easygoing about it. “Right now, helping you find your phone is the top priority.”

Jian Mei was touched by his friends’ support, and he nodded, saying, “Alright, thank you.”

Meng Ting felt like she wasn’t contributing much to the situation, so she stepped forward and said, “Don’t worry, Jian Mei. We’ll all help you. If it comes down to it, you can just get a new phone. My family is in the mobile phone business, and I can assist you.”

As Jian Mei continued walking outside, he turned back and said, “I don’t want to get a new phone.”

Meng Ting was taken aback, not because of any other reason but because of the expression on Jian Mei’s face, a look she had never seen on him before. It was a seriousness and determination she hadn’t witnessed in him before. In the past, Jian Mei had appeared gentle and warm, but now he was entirely different, and this invisible change made her pause, realizing how important that budget smartphone was to him.

At the mall’s surveillance room, the responsible staff questioned Jian Mei in detail and seemed a bit hesitant. “It was stolen outside, right?”

Jian Mei replied, “Yes, I think so”

The staff explained, “We do have surveillance cameras outside the mall, but we can’t be sure if the person entered the mall. If not, the individual was also wearing a mask, making it difficult to identify their face, and tracking them down might be challenging.”

Jian Mei’s despair was growing, but he didn’t want to give up. He clung to that sliver of hope left and quickly said, “Please, help me out. I don’t mind the inconvenience.”

The staff reassured him, saying, “Of course, we will do our best.”

Xiao Pang and Meng Ting had already left to buy some food. Only Jian Mei remained, continuing to review the surveillance footage.

When they returned with food, they found Jian Mei still watching the footage with an anxious yet sincere expression on his face. His distress was genuine, not an act, and it was evident that he was deeply upset about losing his phone.

The staff informed him, “We can zoom in on the footage here, and you can clearly see the person’s actions. He did steal your phone. We’ll send this footage to you shortly. You should report it to the police.”

This was the only assistance the mall’s management could provide.

Jian Mei expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you very much.”

Unfortunately, the thief had never entered the mall, merely passing by the exterior plaza. So there were no additional security cameras capturing the person, which undoubtedly added complexity to the situation.

Xiao Pang approached Jian Mei and suggested, “Jian Mei, you’ve been watching for the whole morning. Take a break.”

However, Jian Mei couldn’t relax. He shook his head and said, “I’m going to the police station. Both of you should go back. Thank you for your help.”

Xiao Pang couldn’t leave his friend alone at this moment. He insisted, “You can’t go alone, Jian Mei. Here’s what we’ll do: you remember your family’s phone numbers; give them a call.”

Jian Mei explained, “My mom is on a business trip out of town, and my dad should be having surgery today. My brother is away at university.”

Xiao Pang fell silent.

He had always known that Jian Mei’s family was busy, but he didn’t realize just how busy they were, to the extent that they could not tend to other things.

Meng Ting said, “We’ll accompany you, Jian Mei. You don’t have to worry too much. I believe we’ll definitely find it. Nowadays, there are surveillance cameras everywhere, and technology is so advanced.”

Jian Mei smiled at her and said, “Thank you, class monitor, but Xiao Pang and I can go. Do you want to head back first?”

Meng Ting didn’t expect Jian Mei to suggest she return first. She was taken aback and responded, “No need. If you’re facing difficulties, I’m here to support you.”

Her words were somewhat unusual, speaking so warmly despite their distant relationship.

Jian Mei found it a bit strange. He looked at Xiao Pang, who merely shrugged his shoulders in a helpless manner. Jian Mei figured that perhaps the class leader felt responsible for her classmates, so he replied, “Alright.”

The group went to the police station. The police reviewed the surveillance footage, gathered some crucial information, and took down their contact details. Then, they told the students, “You can head back and wait for updates. We’ll contact you once we have progress.”

Jian Mei was worried and said, “Officer, that item is really important to me. I… Can I stay here while waiting for the results?”

The police officer looked at the anxious youth, thinking it was another case of internet addiction. He replied, “We understand your feelings, but the progress and results are uncertain, and you might end up waiting here for a long time.”

Jian Mei felt miserable but also knew the police officer’s point was valid. He had a poor expression on his face and softly said, “It’s alright. I’ll wait here until tonight.”

The police officer couldn’t force him, so he nodded, saying, “Alright then.”

In the afternoon, Xiao Pang had to return home due to a sudden family matter. This left only Meng Ting and Jian Mei at the police station. Since noon, Jian Mei had been sitting silently in a chair, seemingly lost in his own world.

Meng Ting hesitated and called out, “Mei Mei…”

After quite some time, Jian Mei finally reacted, turning his face to look at her, a hint of surprise in his eyes. “Class monitor, you’re still here?”

Meng Ting was taken aback by his response.

She felt annoyed, but then thought of how Jian Mei must be feeling, and her irritation dissipated. She asked, “Mei Mei, is that phone really that important to you?”

Jian Mei didn’t know how to respond.

He thought carefully about it. In reality, many features of that phone were different from others. It allowed him to buy rare herbs, access various valuable books and data, and even use certain VIP paid features with accumulated points. These were incredibly practical and extraordinary functions that anyone would be reluctant to lose.

However, after losing his phone, what troubled him the most was the fact that he hadn’t replied to DaZhuang ge yet today.

Jian Mei hesitated for a moment and then asked, “Class monitor, can I borrow your phone for a bit?”

Meng Ting, relieved that Jian Mei was thinking about something else, nodded and said, “Of course!”

A faint smile appeared on Jian Mei’s face, albeit a somewhat forced one. He said, “Thank you.”

Meng Ting shook her head and replied, “You’re welcome.”

Jian Mei received the phone and immediately tried to log in to his WeChat account. As he logged in, his heart started to beat faster, and even his breathing felt a bit tense. He wasn’t sure what he was worried or afraid about, but he had a vague suspicion. So when the phone’s screen was buffering during the login process, he couldn’t bring himself to look.

Perhaps deep down, he had some premonition, but he was too afraid to face it. That’s why he felt so anxious when he lost his phone.

When the WeChat page opened on the phone, Jian Mei looked at the screen. The name for Lun Xingwang in his friends’ list was gone, and his pin chat with him also were gone. Even after refreshing multiple times, he couldn’t find any trace of the account that had suddenly appeared in his life.

Seeing Jian Mei’s troubled expression, Meng Ting asked cautiously, “Mei Mei, what’s wrong?”

Jian Mei pursed his lips and refreshed the page several times before finally closing WeChat. He returned the phone to Meng Ting and said in a low voice, “It’s nothing. Thanks, class monitor.”

Meng Ting watched Jian Mei’s distressed expression and inquired, “Mei Mei, are you trying to contact someone?”

Jian Mei replied with a lost look, “Yes… but I can’t find him.”

Meng Ting suddenly felt a pang in her heart. She didn’t know who this person was, but in a single moment, even with few words exchanged, she could sense how important this person was to Jian Mei.

In the evening, Jian Shencheng finished work and rushed to the police station. It was drizzling outside, and the young man in the thin clothes was still sitting in the lobby. His elderly father’s heart tightened, and he hurried over, saying, “Meimei.”

Jian Mei looked up and greeted, “Dad.”

“Your classmate just contacted me. Why didn’t you call me?” Jian Shencheng inquired.

Jian Mei responded quietly, “Dad, you had an important surgery today. I wanted to wait until you finished work before calling you.”

During a major surgery, one couldn’t be distracted. It was a pre-scheduled operation, and not to mention the difficulty of securing time off work, even changing the surgeon could be a matter of life and death. Jian Mei had weighed the options and decided not to call in, as it wasn’t the best course of action.

Jian Shencheng sighed, saying, “You, my child…”

He then thanked Meng Ting and made sure both kids got in the car. He first dropped off the young girl at her home and then returned home with his son.

On the way back, he noticed that Jian Mei seemed listless and said, “Come on, it’s just a lost phone. You’re acting like you’ve lost your soul. How about I buy you the latest model?”

Jian Mei didn’t cheer up much and kept his head down, not saying anything.

Jian Shencheng knew his child was sentimental and sighed. In fact, he and his wife had considered getting a new phone for their child a couple of years ago, but Jian Mei had refused. Back then, he believed his current phone could still function. Now, it seemed that the reasons for refusing the new phone weren’t so simple.

Later in the evening, upon returning home, Jian Mei went to his room to rest. Jian Shencheng prepared dinner downstairs. After cooking, he went upstairs to call the kid down for dinner. He knocked on the door, but there was no response.

“Meimei?”

Jian Shencheng pushed the door open and found his son sleeping under the blanket on the bed. His face didn’t look too good. He was a bit surprised, and he quickly walked over, asking, “What’s wrong?”

Jian Mei’s face was somewhat flushed, and Jian Shencheng touched his forehead and realized it was quite hot. It was a sign of a low-grade fever. His heart sank. For most people, a fever might not be a big deal, but for a child with leukemia, especially for parents taking care of them, every fever felt like a terrifying ordeal.

Jian Mei hadn’t had a fever for a long time, and he wondered why he had a sudden fever. Jian Shencheng immediately took first-aid measures, placed a cooling patch on his forehead, prepared the necessary documents, and carried his son to the car.

Jian Mei woke up groggily and said, “Dad…”

“Meimei, are you feeling very uncomfortable?” Jian Shencheng drove the car out of the garage. “Dad will take you to the hospital, and you’ll be fine soon.”

Jian Mei looked out of the car window where the rain was falling. He said softly, “It’s okay. I’m not feeling very uncomfortable. It’s raining outside; Dad, please drive slowly.”

Jian Shencheng nodded and said, “I understand.”

Jian Mei leaned against the car seat and spoke quietly. Although his voice was low, it was still clear inside the car. “Dad, I’ve troubled you again.”

His father had spent the whole day performing surgeries and was exhausted. He knew he shouldn’t be causing trouble for his father on a night like this. If only he could let his father rest properly.

Jian Shencheng’s nose tingled, and he said, “What are you saying? You’re my son.”

He suddenly remembered a time when his child was very young. During chemotherapy, the child was still so little, but both of his hands were full of bruises from needles. At that time, Jian Mei’s condition was very poor, extremely poor. As a doctor, he naturally understood what this meant. Their primary doctor had prepared him and Shen Meina psychologically. They both felt as if their entire beings had been hollowed out when in front of their child.

Once, he was too exhausted and ended up falling asleep by the bedside. When he woke up, he saw Jian Mei looking at him. This child, who was usually very introverted, softly said, “Dad, I’ve caused trouble for you.”

At that moment, he didn’t say anything, but as soon as he stepped out of the ward, tears fell uncontrollably.

As parents, what more could they wish for? He treated illnesses, saved many lives, and his wife donated millions each year for the treatment of severely ill children. Their family hadn’t done anything wrong, and they didn’t have any great aspirations. They just hoped that if there truly was a higher power in the world, even if it showed a sign once, it could save their child.

On the other side:

Meng Ting returned home, feeling a bit preoccupied. During dinner, her mother asked, “Where have you been all day?”

Meng Ting replied, “I went out to hang out with classmates.”

“Always playing around,” her mother said. “You don’t even help your dad at his store. He’s so busy, taking care of you and your brother’s tuition and living expenses. You need to help out there tomorrow since you’re not going to school, you know?”

Meng Ting nodded. “Hasn’t Dad come back yet?”

Just as she asked, the front door opened, and a middle-aged man walked in. Her mother went over to help him with his coat and shoes, while Meng Ting continued sitting at the table to eat. She wouldn’t usually be bothered, but then she overheard her mother asking, “Why are you coming home so late today?”

“Don’t even mention it,” her father said. “Today at the store, we received a phone. It’s strange; I’ve been running my store for so many years, and I’ve seen countless phones. I dare say I can recognize almost any knockoff phone. But this phone, I’ve never heard of before. Someone brought it to me, wanting me to unlock it, and I still haven’t been able to turn it on.”

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