The last number was simply saved as an emoticon . It was the emoticon of a house .
Yu Lili recognized the emoticon straightaway . It meant “home . ” She flipped the phone open and made the call . Based on the calling code, the number came from a small city in the Kang Province .
Kang Province wasn’t very far from Kingstown . Yu Lili had stayed there for a period of time when she was vacationing . It was a pleasant little city .
The call was answered quickly by an old lady . As though very agitated, the woman had a tremor in her voice as she yelled over the phone, “Hello? Laowu? It’s you, Mi Laowu? Are you home?”
She was speaking in Cantonese . Yu Lili could understand it .
Laowu*? Was Wen Fenglin the fifth son in his family?
Yu Lili cleared her throat and raised her voice to be heard through the line . “Hello . Do you know someone by the name of Wen Fenglin?”
“Who’s speaking? Why are you using my fifth son’s phone to call the house?” the old woman asked .
“Eh… I’m Yu Lili, a friend of Uncle Wen . May I ask how you’re related to Uncle Wen?” Yu Lili asked .
“Hold on . I’ll get my grandson to speak to you,” the old lady said . She hollered in the background, “Ajiu! Come and pick up the phone! It’s your fifth uncle calling!”
Yu Lili could hear footsteps coming through the phone, followed by a young man’s voice . “Hello, Fifth Uncle?”
The voice sounded like it belonged to a man who was around 25 .
“I’m not Fifth Uncle . May I ask if you know Wen Fenglin?” Yu Lili asked .
“He’s my fifth uncle,” the young man said .
“This is the situation . We’re currently in Kingstown,” Yu Lili said . “He’s in the hospital due to a coronary heart attack . Can you come over?”
There was silence on the other side of the line . The old lady’s voice could be heard in the background asking, “Who’s that?”
The voice of the young man came through the phone again . “Was it my uncle to told you to make this call?”
“No . He’s currently in the Emergency Room . I felt that it was only right for me to notify his family, so I…”
“I understand . Which hospital is it? I’ll come right away,” the young man said . “What’s your relationship with my uncle?”
Yu Lili paused a moment and said, “I guess we’re friends…”
“Alright . Thank you for notifying us . Can you give me the address? I’ll write it down,” the young man said .
Yu Lili read out the address . The call quickly ended .
It was approximately 20 or 30 minutes before the doors to the Emergency Room opened . The doctor and nurses walked out .
Yu Lili rushed up to them and asked, “How is it?”
“He’s still hanging in there . It was a close shave, but he’s out of danger . He’ll need to be under observation and admitted into the Intensive Care Unit,” the doctor said . “Please settle the payment . ”
Yu Lili gave a sigh of relief and nodded her head .
After settling the payment, Wen Fenglin’s phone began to vibrate . This time, the caller was an unsaved number .
Yu Lili picked up the phone . It was the same young man from before .
“Hello, Miss . I’m Wen Hejiu . What’s your cell phone number? Let me jot it down,” he said . “Let’s not use my uncle’s phone to communicate anymore . I’m afraid he’ll blame you later . ”
“Why?” Yu Lili was astonished, but then something came to mind . “Uncle Wen was saved in time . The doctor said that it was a close shave, but he’s out of danger . ”
Wen Hejiu seemed to heave a sigh of relief and replied, “That’s good to hear . I’ll be there in about an hour . Don’t tell my uncle I’m coming . And, please erase the call log . Thank you . ”
A clueless expression appeared on Yu Lili’s face . They both had the family name of Wen . That meant Wen Hejiu was probably Wen Fenglin’s nephew, didn’t it? If so, why was he being so secretive? Furthermore, the call she made previously was clearly to his home .
*Laowu literally means “ol number five . ”