Chapter Forty-One: Traveling Together

Kang Ning sat in the passenger seat, gazing at the scenery outside the window and responding half-heartedly to the endless questions of the three women.

“Hey, I noticed just now that the Yao youth treated you really well. Are you Yao?” asked the short woman in the back seat.

Kang Ning realized he didn’t even know the name of the young driver, and sighed, “I’m not Yao, but the Yao here are all my good brothers.”

The three women were quite surprised. From the guide, they had learned that the Yao people were outwardly polite but very guarded, yet once they considered you a friend, they would go out of their way to help. Hearing Kang Ning call the Yao his good brothers, they understood the depth of his connection with them. Recalling the Yao youth who had been so reluctant to part ways, stepping back as they left, the three beautiful women suddenly found themselves interested in Kang Ning.

“We’ve known you this long and haven’t even introduced ourselves. I’m Lu Jing, the short one at the back is Zheng Yi, and the long-haired one is Qu Mengmeng. We’re all from Lei River in Sichuan and have been friends for years,” said the female driver, glancing at Kang Ning. “What’s your surname? Where are you from?”

Kang Ning thought for a moment and replied, “My surname is Wu. I’m from Guangxi.”

“You’re so skilled at fixing cars, but your complexion is good and you seem refined—not at all like someone who does heavy, dirty work. Can you tell us what you do?” Zheng Yi asked out of curiosity.

Kang Ning found their incessant chatter exhausting, wishing he could ask them to stop and get out of the car, but as he was riding in their vehicle, he could only endure it. So, with a hint of irritation, he replied, “You guessed right. I really am a mechanic, but the factory closed down, and I lost my job. Now I just wander around, work wherever I find something, stay a few days, and move on once I’ve saved enough money. I go wherever the scenery looks good!”

Qu Mengmeng exclaimed loudly, “Wow! That’s so cool! So romantic! I really like your free spirit—going wherever you please. Why don’t you come back to Lei River with us? Sichuan is beautiful, full of scenic spots. If you come, I’ll show you around and take you sightseeing. Besides, if our car breaks down on the way, we’d be lost without you!”

Kang Ning nearly choked, never expecting his casual words to spark so much conversation.

As Kang Ning was berating himself for being too talkative, Lu Jing, who was driving, made an earnest suggestion. “I think Mengmeng’s idea is great! Xiao Wu, why not visit Lei River? I opened a repair shop there a year ago. Seeing your skills and character, I’d love for you to help out. Name your wage—if it’s reasonable, I’ll agree. It’ll save you the trouble of wandering around.”

Page 1/3

The two women in the back seat chimed in, urging Kang Ning to accept.

Kang Ning was tempted; he had no plans at the moment, and settling down for a while sounded appealing. Wandering endlessly was risky, after all. After thinking it over, he explained to Lu Jing, “I’m only skilled at repairing off-road vehicles. I don’t know much about other cars, especially luxury sedans. I might affect your business.”

“No problem! The masters at my shop always say that once you understand the basics, you can handle anything. Besides, you’re good with off-road vehicles, which is just what we need. My shop isn’t big, and we’re short a mechanic for off-road vehicles. It’d be great if you could join us!” Lu Jing replied happily.

And so, before the car even reached Libo, Kang Ning’s next destination was decided within half an hour.

Since Lu Jing and her friends had traveled from Libo to Lao Village, they didn’t stop at Libo and instead drove north toward Dushan, a town over ninety kilometers away. At 1:10 pm, they entered Dushan’s urban area and stopped for lunch. Along the way, Kang Ning learned through their conversation that Lu Jing and Qu Mengmeng were unmarried, while Zheng Yi’s husband was a businessman often traveling nationwide. These three bold, lively women, whenever they had time, would drive around sightseeing, living a fulfilling life.

During lunch, Kang Ning noticed Lu Jing’s fatigue and discreetly paid attention. Upon learning that Lu Jing was the only one with a driver’s license, Kang Ning grew concerned—it was fatigue from days of driving that had caused her to veer into a rice field.

Lu Jing, attentive as ever, was surprised by Kang Ning’s refined eating habits and upright posture. She sensed from his demeanor and actions that he wasn’t an ordinary mechanic, but more like a well-educated professional. She took the opportunity to share her suspicions with Zheng Yi in the restroom, but Zheng Yi brushed it off, saying, “Good manners don’t require lots of schooling. Plenty of well-read people have no manners!”

Back at the table, Lu Jing saw Qu Mengmeng chatting animatedly with a rather indifferent Kang Ning and found it amusing. She sat down and asked him, “Can you drive?”

Kang Ning replied reluctantly, “I can drive, but I’ve never had a license.”

“No problem, you can drive for a while. We know this route well, and there are no police. I heard that around the time of Hong Kong’s return, the traffic cops were busy for two months and are still tired out,” Lu Jing said without hesitation.

Kang Ning glanced at her weary face and thought it over, then agreed, “All right, but if we get fined, you’ll have to pay.”

Page 2/3

Lu Jing laughed and assured him it wouldn’t be an issue. Zheng Yi teased, “I never thought someone as handsome as you would be such a penny-pincher.”

Qu Mengmeng and Lu Jing laughed, making Kang Ning feel embarrassed. He got up and went to the restroom. When he came out, he saw the three women huddled together whispering, sighed, and went to the counter to pay the bill—at just one hundred and twenty yuan, it wasn’t expensive, and he considered it a token of gratitude to Lu Jing.

The sight of Kang Ning paying for lunch made the three girls feel a bit sentimental, and they lowered their heads for another round of discussion. After leaving the restaurant, Kang Ning bought a bag of snacks and water and returned to the car, prompting the girls to stand up, laughing and talking as they walked to the parking lot. Eager as ever, Qu Mengmeng immediately opened the bag, found four bottles of purified water, some shell-free snacks, and chewing gum, and praised Kang Ning, “I love this brand of bayberry!”

“Give me a piece of gum,” Zheng Yi said, reaching out to Qu Mengmeng.

Lu Jing glanced at the bag and turned to Kang Ning with a smile, “Why didn’t you get the sunflower seeds I like?”

“It’s not good to eat sunflower seeds in the car—the tiny shells easily fall into cracks and are hard to clean. After washing the car, moisture gets into the seams and can cause corrosion. Also, tossing the shells means you have to keep opening the window. Opening the window repeatedly increases air resistance and wastes fuel, and it’s not good for your skin,” Kang Ning replied without thinking, leaving the three women astonished. They had never considered such issues before.

Watching Kang Ning skillfully reverse the car, carefully driving onto the highway and through the city, Lu Jing was both impressed and reassured by his driving. Zheng Yi and Qu Mengmeng in the back seat also praised him, the three women chattering non-stop—sometimes laughing, sometimes whispering, even teasing Kang Ning, which left him feeling rather frustrated.

As the SUV moved steadily and smoothly along, the three women finally fell silent, drifting into a deep sleep. Through the rearview mirror, Kang Ning observed them, then glanced at Lu Jing sleeping in the passenger seat, and smiled slightly as he gently accelerated—for it had been a long time since he’d had the chance to enjoy driving.

When Lu Jing awoke, the sun had not yet set. Glancing at a roadside sign, she was startled. She stared in amazement at Kang Ning, who looked completely at ease: the car had already entered the outskirts of Guiyang. She couldn’t fathom how, on those winding mountain roads spanning over two hundred kilometers, Kang Ning had managed to drive here in less than four hours, when it had taken her seven hours before. What’s more, at such speed, she had slept soundly the entire way, utterly unaware!

Page 3/3