Chapter 141 — Old Buffon's Origins
Years of Heartflutter · Page 46 of 214
Once she had calmed down, Chen Shutang decided to give Yang Puqi a chance to explain. If he called looking for her, she would give him that chance.
Unfortunately, though, she waited all evening and Yang Juehuan's call never came. Early the next morning, Chen Shutang could not hold back any longer and phoned Yang Juehuan's home.
Calling Yang Ce's cell phone directly was still too embarrassing for Chen Shutang—why should she, the one he had wronged, be the one to call him first? But calling Yang Ce's home could be passed off as a New Year's greeting to Yang Juehuan's parents.
Besides, every time she called, Yang's mother would take the initiative to fetch Yang Ce to the phone.
With that thought, Chen Shutang called Yang Ce's home directly. Yang's mother answered, and Chen Shutang said without pause, "Auntie, this is Chen Shutang."
"Oh, it's Mengyan," Yang's mother said warmly at once. "What is it? Is something the matter?"
"Nothing much—just calling to wish you and Uncle a happy New Year." Of course Chen Shutang could not say outright that she was looking for Yang Juehuan.
"Heh heh, thank you. What a thoughtful child you are—Daming had barely left, and here you are calling to greet us so we old folks won't be lonely," Yang's mother said with a laugh. "I'm very happy."
"What? Yang Ce just left? Where did he go?" Chen Shutang asked in surprise.
"Didn't Daming go abroad on business? What, you didn't know?" Yang's mother was puzzled too—by all rights, if Yang Ce had gone out, Chen Shutang could not possibly not know.
"Abroad on business, ah." Chen Shutang's expression stiffened, then she said perfunctorily, "I—I knew. I just thought he hadn't left yet."
"Oh, he left last night," Yang's mother said. "Mengyan, come over and visit when you have time. With Daming gone, we old folks have nothing to do."
"All right," Chen Shutang answered hastily, then hung up.
Gone abroad? Yang Ce had actually gone abroad? Chen Shutang sat blankly on the bed. How could this be? Yang Ce, you really are something—going abroad without even telling me.
But after her anger passed, Chen Shutang suddenly grew afraid. Last time, because she had misunderstood Yang Ce and they had quarreled, he had gone out and come back with a Lan Ling. This time, it was the same situation—would Yang Yongjin bring back another one?
Heavens, what kind of mess was this? Why did it have to be so coincidental? Chen Shutang could not care about appearances any longer. She picked up the phone and called Yang Juehuan's cell, but what came from the other end was a cold female voice: "Sorry, the number you have dialed is powered off or out of the service area. Please try again later."
Yang Ce had gone abroad, so naturally he would not bring his phone. Europe and America used 1900 MHz GSM networks, different from the domestic 900 and 1800 MHz, and Yang Juehuan's SIM card had not activated international roaming. Besides, this trip was for killing someone—how could Yang Ce possibly use his own SIM card?
They had all bought temporary prepaid SIM cards and phones on arrival. That was why Sun Jie had never been able to reach Yang Juehuan.
Unable to get through to Yang Ce, Chen Shutang was frantic. What was she to do? If Yang Cenbin brought back yet another woman, she might as well die.
Just as Chen Shutang was at her wits' end, Zhao Ying called, inviting her out for tea. At this point Chen Shutang could not even spare the energy to be angry with Zhao Ying; having someone to talk it over with was surely better than fretting alone, and besides, Zhao Ying might well have been wrongly accused.
Chen Shutang said yes and rushed off to the café Zhao Ying had named.