Chapter Eighty-Five: Modest Gains

At dawn, in a small alley at the entrance to a residential courtyard in the city, Xiao Cui clung tightly to Kang Ning for a long time, pressing heavy kisses upon him before turning and walking into the alley.

Xiao Cui refused Kang Ning’s offer to see her off, saying that farewells only brought heartache; she would simply gather her belongings and leave. Kang Ning watched as Xiao Cui, struggling with each step, disappeared through the courtyard gate, then turned away, glancing back with every step as he climbed into his Jetta. His mood was heavy and melancholic, his mind filled with Xiao Cui’s emotional tears, her near-mad passion, and the traces of red scattered between them.

Kang Ning could not fathom what that brief, tender night meant to a devoted girl, nor what mark it would leave upon her life’s journey. He wondered if this was Xiao Cui’s unique way of bidding farewell to her youth—beyond that, nothing was clear, nothing could be explained. Thus, Kang Ning was deeply worried: would Xiao Cui suffer because of the tumultuous night they shared?

Driving slowly back to the factory, Kang Ning could not shake the sadness from his heart. Such a gentle and kind girl possessed a rich and delicate world of feelings, and in their seemingly romantic and reckless moment, she had given herself entirely, laughing, crying, giving, and demanding with abandon. Perhaps, only after everything was over, she would realize the imprint left upon her heart—etched with sorrow, pain, and loss.

Unaware of all that had transpired, Yu Sheng saw Kang Ning open the gate himself and, quickly spitting out a mouthful of toothpaste foam, asked, “Big brother, when did you leave?”

“I was seeing Xiao Cui off.”

Kang Ning replied in a low voice, parking the car at the repair bay and returning to his dormitory to tidy up the bedding that still carried Xiao Cui’s lingering fragrance. He stood by the bed, lost in thought for a long time before finally changing into his work uniform and heading to the workshop, hoping that exhausting labor would dispel the shadow in his heart. For over half a year, Kang Ning had relied on this draining physical toil to find temporary peace of mind.

Thirteen days later, Kang Ning’s jeep modification was complete, easing some of the melancholy in his heart. During a test drive with Yu Sheng, after two laps, Kang Ning felt very satisfied and parked by the roadside, inviting Yu Sheng to experience the joy earned through sweat.

Yu Sheng eagerly switched places with Kang Ning, tested the accelerator and clutch a few times, released the handbrake, and began to move. Within ten seconds, the car was cruising at a hundred and thirty kilometers per hour on the straight road. After a few kilometers, Yu Sheng braked and turned, smiling as he drove, “It’s so smooth! Acceleration and braking are both excellent. Looks like our choice of hydraulic system was right. Big brother, it doesn’t feel like driving a Beijing Jeep at all.”

Kang Ning happily knocked Yu Sheng on the head. “Ha! Never mind our muscle, the engine and other parts cost me seven or eight thousand! The electrical and fuel systems have been optimized, we replaced the steering gear with one from a Cherokee, and all four wheels are now 215 wide tires. The only regret is we couldn’t make it full-time four-wheel drive. Drive a bit faster, pay attention, and see if anything needs adjusting when we get back.”

“I don’t see anything else that needs changing. The seats and interior are more comfortable than the Santana, but the body is so old and ugly—it doesn’t match the actual performance. When we get back, I want to make the exterior look beautiful!”

Yu Sheng usually spoke little and was so honest as to seem dull, but when it came to his profession, he became a different person. Kang Ning often marvelled at this.

Hearing Yu Sheng’s plan to refurbish the body, Kang Ning was startled—this was his tool for getting things done, and the less conspicuous, the safer. If Yu Sheng made it flashy, that would be a disaster. He quickly refused, “No! This is good enough. The car doesn’t have or can’t get a registration certificate, so why bother making it look nice? As long as it works, that’s all we need. Don’t even think about secretly repainting it.”

“But…”

“No buts. If you try to refurbish it, I’ll break your legs!” Kang Ning made himself clear, lest Yu Sheng keep thinking about it. He knew that otherwise Yu Sheng would really try it behind his back, and by the time he noticed, it would be too late.

Yu Sheng’s wonderful plans dashed, he felt a bit down and drove in silence. Kang Ning sighed, “Yu Sheng, this car is just for my daily commute. If the police ever confiscate it for lack of documentation, it’ll be hard to get back. So don’t waste more money. Though it’s the fruit of our hard work, we’ve learned so much from the process. Yu Sheng, just think—now you know a lot more about electrical and fuel systems, right? From now on, you can handle these problems yourself. That’s the biggest reward! Understand? Let’s head back.”

Yu Sheng brightened at Kang Ning’s words, flashed him a radiant smile, and focused on driving. In Yu Sheng’s eyes, Kang Ning was not only his mentor but also his elder brother, and he always remembered Kang Ning’s words.

Returning to the factory gate, Kang Ning was surprised to see Lu Jing’s Passat parked outside, honking for someone to open up. Kang Ning didn’t wait for Yu Sheng to stop the car, jumped out, hurriedly unlocked the gate, and opened it for Lu Jing to drive in.

The three women alighted and immediately launched a round of complaints at Kang Ning, making Yu Sheng laugh so hard his teeth showed. Kang Ning shot him a glare, and Yu Sheng quickly drove off to wash the car, still smiling as he glanced back at Kang Ning.

“You rascal, you haven’t been home for three days! We thought you’d eloped with some woman!” Zheng Yi finished with a charming smile, “But I really want to thank you. In February, the factory netted three hundred seventy thousand—amazing!”

“Sister Yi, you flatter me. It was everyone’s effort; I couldn’t have done much alone.”

After speaking to Zheng Yi, Kang Ning turned to the angry Lu Jing and Meng Meng, offering an apologetic smile. “I was just out test-driving the car, didn’t expect you all to come by. I’d planned to go home tonight anyway. The work on hand is finished, so no more frequent overtime.”

Lu Jing and Meng Meng’s expressions softened. Seeing Kang Ning’s tired face, Lu Jing felt a pang in her heart; she knew that healthy Kang Ning rarely looked so weary. “It’s obvious you’ve been working yourself to the bone. Go shower and change—later, let’s all go out for dinner.”

Kang Ning agreed and went into the dormitory. Qu Meng Meng, tugging Lu Jing’s arm, complained to Zheng Yi, “Sister Yi, look how you’ve been exploiting your workers—like some wicked capitalist!”

“Oh! Is this brat feeling sorry for him? Keep that up and I won’t let him leave! Then we’ll see who gets anxious.” Zheng Yi covered her mouth, laughing, and Meng Meng, annoyed, pinched her waist, the two soon horsing around.

After the laughter, Lu Jing said, “I think we need to ask Kang Ning’s opinion first. Let’s see what he says. If he’s not happy, we can’t force it.”

“Don’t worry about him! If he doesn’t listen, we’ll teach him a lesson!” Qu Meng Meng raised her cute chin with a spirited decision. “It’s for his own good—he works himself to death, so he can take a break for a while. If he wants to come back later, that’s fine, right, Sister Yi? You won’t turn him away?”

“Who would want to let such talent go? Isn’t that right, Sister Jing?”

Zheng Yi gave Lu Jing a teasing smile, making Lu Jing glare at her, signaling Meng Meng to join her in attacking Zheng Yi, which nearly sent Zheng Yi laughing to the floor.

In truth, Zheng Yi didn’t want to see Kang Ning so exhausted. She had always harbored a strange affection for him; even after her two friends became involved with Kang Ning, it didn’t diminish her feelings. On the contrary, she was even more fascinated and a little jealous. She often reflected on her complicated feelings, but ended up confused.

After a month’s transition, the factory was very stable, its reputation and profits rising swiftly. This pleased Zheng Yi, making her grateful to Kang Ning. After that phone call with Fang Xiong, Zheng Yi was deeply disappointed and hurt. She sensed something was wrong but couldn’t pinpoint the issue.

Though Fang Xiong repeatedly insisted that he had simply forgotten to inform her and generously gave her full authority to handle the acquisition of Lu Jing’s factory, Zheng Yi knew it was just an excuse and an attempt at compensation. She had never wanted to participate in any of Fang Xiong’s business affairs, but she couldn’t tolerate neglect and deception, and so, even now, she still couldn’t let it go.