My wife and I are both time travelers.

Chapter 133 Telephone
Although Cheng Jiandong relaxed his surveillance of Zhou Jiye, Zhou Jiye knew that it was unlikely that Cheng Jiandong would truly trust him for the time being. So even when he went out, he still made sure to inform Liangzai Jun as requested, and that the other man would accompany him.

Finally, Zhou Jiye could stand firmly on the streets of Hong Kong, feeling an unprecedented sense of relief. Looking around at the familiar yet unfamiliar streets, he felt both familiar with Hong Kong's dazzling lights and unfamiliar with the feeling of being different from Shanghai.

Handsome Jun led Zhou Jiye to a small shop on the street where they could make phone calls. Zhou Jiye asked how to make international calls and then started dialing.

Although Hong Kong's telecommunications industry is much more developed than that of the mainland, making a phone call from Hong Kong to Shanghai is not so easy. Mainland telecommunications still rely on manual transfer; dialing requires manual processing instead of an automated system. Making a call is incredibly difficult, often taking over an hour. Zhou Jiye failed countless times, either unable to get through or getting a busy signal. If Zhou Jiye hadn't simply pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and slapped it in front of the shopkeeper, the shopkeeper would have been furious.

"Take your time on the call, I'm going to get some dessert across the street first." After keeping Zhou Jiye company on the phone for so long, Liangzai Jun was getting impatient. It was already summer, and the streets of Hong Kong were unbearably hot. He was sweating profusely and extremely bored after standing there for so long. Besides, he didn't know when the call would end. He couldn't just keep keeping Zhou Jiye company forever, could he?
Zhou Jiye nodded, indicating that he understood, and continued to press the call-back button to hang up the phone in Shanghai.

Handsome Jun turned around and walked across the street, disappearing into a dessert shop. Ignoring him, Zhou Jiye continued making a phone call. He had almost finished the cigarette he was smoking. He spat out the cigarette butt and casually took out another cigarette from his pocket. Before he could even light it, the long-lost ringtone came through the receiver.

Suddenly energized, Zhou Jiye listened intently, holding his breath. When the ringing stopped and a woman's loud voice, though not very clear, came from the other end of the receiver, Zhou Jiye was extremely excited.

"Hello! Can you hear me? Is this a public phone in XX Street? Could you please pass on a message? Yes, this is an international call. Please tell Lin Ying at No. XX, Lane XX that I am her husband, Zhou Jiye. Tell her I'm fine, I'm okay, I'm in Hong Kong, and she shouldn't worry. I'll be back in a few days. Tell her I... Hello! Hello!"

Zhou Jiye was speaking urgently, but before he could finish, the other end of the phone suddenly went silent.

In his haste, Zhou Jiye shouted "Hello, hello!" repeatedly, but soon the receiver went dead.

Stunned, Zhou Jiye held the receiver, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

The call, which he had finally managed to get through to, was cut off after only a few words. He wondered if the person on the other end had understood what he had said. Somewhat worried, Zhou Jiye pressed the switch and tried to call back, but this time, just like before, he couldn't get through no matter what.

"Young man, that's enough. How long are you going to keep making calls like this? I still need this phone." The shop owner couldn't help but stick his head out and say this. Although Zhou Jiye was generous, this was the first time he had ever seen someone make a phone call like this. He couldn't keep hogging the phone forever, could he?

"I'll take one more!"

Zhou Jiye answered without looking up. The boss shook his head, pulled his head back, and closed the sliding glass window. It was sweltering outside, and opening and closing it would only let the cool air out, wasting electricity.

Zhou Jiye dialed again, not entirely confident he could get through immediately. Recalling the duration of his previous call, he figured the other party should remember most of what he said, which should be enough. As long as he could relay the message back to Lin Ying that he was safe and sound in Hong Kong, the call would have temporarily achieved its purpose. As for contacting home again, Zhou Jiye thought it best to write a letter; he didn't know when another call would connect.

While the handsome young man was away, Zhou Jiye glanced across the street and, after confirming that the handsome young man was still in the dessert shop across the street, Zhou Jiye turned slightly to the side and took out the note that Abang had given him from his pocket.

After returning home, Zhou Jiye took out the note and examined it carefully. It only contained a phone number and nothing else. As for why Abang would secretly slip him such a note, Zhou Jiye couldn't figure it out for a moment, but the matter kept nagging at him. Now that he had the chance, Zhou Jiye felt he should call and ask what the other party was up to.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Jiye dialed the number listed above, and this time it went smoothly and the call was answered immediately.

The phone rang twice, and the person on the other end picked it up; a man's voice came through.

"Which one?"

The voice sounded very familiar. Zhou Jiye recognized it immediately. Wasn't that Uncle Lin's voice?
"Who is it? Speak up!"

Uncle Lin's voice continued, seemingly puzzled that no one spoke after the call was connected, and also showing impatience.

"Speak! Hello, hello!" Uncle Lin shouted again, unable to hold back his curses. Just as he was about to hang up, thinking it was a prank or a wrong number, a stiff Cantonese voice came from the other end of the line: "Hello, are you... Uncle Lin?"

"I am, who are you?" Uncle Lin asked warily. Zhou Jiye hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice, "Is it Huang Mao... no... the number Abang gave me..."

"Abang?" Uncle Lin was taken aback for a moment, then quickly came to his senses, his tone softening instantly: "Oh, I know, you're A-Dong's henchman, A-Ye, right?"

"It's me, Uncle Lin. Why did you ask Abang to give me this phone number...?"

"Hehe, we'll talk about that later. Let me ask you something first." "Please ask Uncle Lin."

"What's your name? Where are you from? How long have you been here?" Uncle Lin asked anxiously on the other end of the phone.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jiye was stunned. Uncle Lin had gone to such lengths, having Abang slip him a phone number in this way just to ask this? What kind of scheme was this? He couldn't understand it at all. And why was Uncle Lin asking for his name and background? Could it be that he was his long-lost son? Was he about to stage a dramatic search for his son? That was impossible!
For a moment, Zhou Jiye fell silent, unsure whether to say yes or no.

Uncle Lin on the other end of the phone waited a moment, and seeing that Zhou Jiye did not answer, he patiently said, "Don't worry, Aye, I'm just asking and I don't mean any harm. You can answer or not answer. Whether you answer or not, I can pretend that you didn't make this call today, and I won't cause you any trouble."

"Uncle Lin, may I ask why?" Zhou Jiye asked tentatively.

Uncle Lin's laughter came from the other end of the phone: "Actually, it's nothing. It's just that an elder is looking for a younger person, and recently asked me to help. I think you look a bit like the person this elder is looking for, so I'm asking."

"Who is this elder of yours...?"

"Hehe, an uncle."

"Uncle?" Zhou Jiye was a little confused about the relationship. Uncle Lin did not explain, and then asked Zhou Jiye if he was willing to tell him his name and background.

After thinking it over, Zhou Jiye decided it wouldn't hurt to tell him. He didn't know anyone in Hong Kong anyway, and apart from Cheng Jiandong and his group, no one else would have any designs on him. Moreover, Zhou Jiye had a vague feeling that this matter was related to him, so after hesitating, he still told the other party his name.

"You said your name is Zhou Jiye?" Upon learning Zhou Jiye's name, Uncle Lin's voice suddenly became excited. He quickly asked, "Zhou as in weekend? Jiye as in inheriting the family business?"

"Yes, what's the problem?"

"Are you from Shanghai? Did you cross the strait to Hong Kong on [date]?"

"How did you know?" Now it was Zhou Jiye's turn to be surprised. Apart from the Hong Kong boy who brought him here, his boss, and Cheng Jiandong's group, no one else knew how he came to Hong Kong. Where did Uncle Lin get the information from?

A hearty laugh came from the other end of the phone. After laughing a few times, Uncle Lin said to Zhou Jiye, "Good! Good! Good! It really is you! That's wonderful! Ah Ye, the person my elders are looking for must be you. Where are you now? Come over quickly, I'll take you to meet them."

"Uncle Lin, your elders are looking for me? This... shouldn't be?" Zhou Jiye asked, puzzled. He racked his brains but couldn't think of any big shot in Hong Kong who knew him. Uncle Lin was no ordinary person; what else could his elders be but big shots?
"There's no mistake." Uncle Lin laughed. "Since your name is Zhou Jiye, and you came from Shanghai, and you arrived in Hong Kong by boat on the same day, who else could it be but you? Don't worry, Uncle Lin won't harm you. This is a good thing. Or tell me where you are now? I can have Ah Kun and the others come and pick you up."

For a moment, Zhou Jiye was unsure, but judging from Uncle Lin's tone, he seemed to have no ill intentions towards him; on the contrary, he appeared quite polite. However, when Uncle Lin said he would send someone to pick him up, Zhou Jiye hesitated again. If he were completely free, it wouldn't be a problem, but the issue was that he had come out with Handsome Jun. Although Cheng Jiandong had lowered his guard against Zhou Jiye, he was still keeping an eye on his movements. If Cheng Jiandong found out that he had been in contact with Uncle Lin in private and misunderstood, who could predict what might happen given Cheng Jiandong's suspicious nature?
Thinking of this, Zhou Jiye smiled wryly and told Uncle Lin that he was not available at the moment, as he had come out with Liangzai Jun and would be going back soon.

Cheng Jiandong was his older brother, and he couldn't let his brother misunderstand. Although Zhou Jiye hadn't explained in detail, Uncle Lin, being an old hand, immediately understood his meaning in just a few words. After a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, he said to Zhou Jiye, "I understand. This matter is a bit tricky. Here's what we'll do: you go back first and call me again when you're sure everything is alright. Also, I'll think of something here. As for A-Dong... hehe, no rush."

After saying that, Uncle Lin hung up the phone. Zhou Jiye was lost in thought, recalling what Uncle Lin had said, holding the phone in his hand. Just then, someone suddenly patted him hard on the shoulder. Zhou Jiye was startled and turned around to see that Handsome Jun was standing next to him at some point.

"What are you doing? Just spacing out!"

"Still can't get through..." Zhou Jiye smiled wryly and handed over the receiver. Liangzai Jun took it and put it to his ear, only to hear a dial tone.

"Why haven't you gotten through after all this time?" Handsome Jun couldn't help but ask.

"I got through once, but the call dropped halfway through. It kept happening the next time I called." Zhou Jiye shrugged, shook his head, picked up the phone, and hung up. He wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced at the sky. "I'm not calling anymore. I'll try again in a few days. It's almost noon, and I'm getting hungry. Ah Jun, is there anywhere to eat nearby? You show me, and I'll treat you."

"Okay!" Handsome Jun immediately smiled, put his arm around Zhou Jiye's shoulder, and the two left arm in arm like close brothers, heading towards the tea restaurant not far away.

(End of this chapter)