Chapter Ninety: The Secret Signal

In the afternoon, Old Su learned that his daughter had gone to Guangzhou to study, and he was deeply disappointed. For several months he had made three trips to Laning, yet never once seen her. When she called home, it was always to say that work was too busy or that she had to go on a business trip, which left him worried and helpless. Thinking back to the years when she was attending nursing school, when she could only come home during holidays, he comforted himself with the thought that it was much the same now, and that he ought to feel a little more at ease.

He had originally planned to visit his daughter and then return to the countryside. Now that she was away on a trip and impossible to meet, he felt regretful, but since he had come all this way, he decided he should use the opportunity to pay a call on the famous Dr. Kang Jimin and express his gratitude. Since practicing the inner method taught by Kang Ning, Old Su had felt his health improving month by month; his strength and energy had both risen markedly, and he had profited greatly from it.

Because the visit had been decided on the spur of the moment, Old Su had no proper gift. Knowing that Doctor Kang was from the north, he simply bought a Hami melon and two bottles of premium strong liquor from the shop outside the medical school gate, carried them in his hands, and went to the entrance to politely ask the guard how to reach the family compound. The guard told him to go straight to the intersection, turn left and continue ahead. After passing the second intersection, walk another three hundred meters and he would arrive; there would be a guard there, and he could ask directly.

Though the young guard gave him directions, his expression was cool and his tone curt. Old Su did not mind the young man’s rudeness. After nearly fifteen minutes on foot along that long stretch of road, he reached the entrance to the family compound and asked the guard there for directions.

The guard glanced at him sideways and asked whom he was looking for. Insulted yet again, Old Su was a little angry this time and truly wanted to turn and leave. But after a moment’s thought he still forced himself to say he was there to see Professor Kang. As soon as the guard heard that, his face broke into a smile. He warmly led Old Su in another direction, around the lakeside, to the entrance of the experts’ residential area.

The guard at the experts’ compound was much more formal. He first had Old Su register, then called Doctor Kang’s home. Kang Jimin, who answered the phone, knew he had no friend named Su and worried it might be a patient arriving because of his reputation. Since he had already fully retired, he was about to politely refuse in the usual manner, but hearing that the visitor seemed to be from the countryside, he courteously told the guard to have the man come to the phone.

Old Su took the receiver and truly did not know what to say. He exchanged a few polite, lukewarm greetings with Kang Jimin and was about to hang up when the anxious Old Su broke out in a sweat. His own name meant nothing, and he did not dare mention Kang Ning’s name. In desperation, he spoke into the phone: "Professor Kang, I happen to have a qigong method I would like to discuss with you. Could you spare me one minute?"

Hearing that, Kang Jimin became even less willing. In these times, the streets were full of so-called qigong that did people far more harm than good; frauds were as common as weeds. For a country bumpkin who could barely speak standard Mandarin to ask to compare qigong methods with him was absurd. Half amused and half exasperated, Kang Jimin was just about to put down the phone when Old Su began reciting, in a thick local accent, line after line that left him stunned: "..." Static to motion, qi flowing through. Form like a bear, hands like..."

"Ha ha, honored guest, please wait a moment. I shall come out at once to greet you!" Kang Jimin put down the phone and strode out of the house immediately, crossing the yard and heading briskly toward the compound gate more than a hundred meters away. Even as he walked, he kept puzzling over it in bafflement: how could this visitor know the Kang family method?

The gate guard was astonished to see Doctor Kang himself come out to greet someone. He had stood watch there for three years and had rarely seen Kang personally receive anyone, let alone escort them; apart from a few senior officers from the army, not even the major officials from the autonomous region or the city had ever been accorded such honor. Seeing him personally welcome a country old man today, the guard was deeply surprised, though still shrewdly and attentively explained the situation to Doctor Kang.

Kang Jimin laughed heartily at the anxious Old Su, politely thanked the guard, then seized Old Su by the hand and walked side by side back home, leaving the guard nearly staring out his eyes.

After they entered the living room and exchanged a few pleasantries, the clever Old Su immediately took the notebook he always carried in his satchel, turned to the middle where Kang Ning had written down the method, and handed it to Kang Jimin with both hands. Kang Jimin took it doubtfully and looked it over; at once, his pair of thick dark eyebrows rose high.

The old house, look after our honored guest today and prepare the finest food and drink! Ha ha! Kang Jimin handed the notebook back to Old Su with both hands, turned his head, and called loudly into the house. Ignoring Old Su’s polite refusals, he took him by the hand and led him into the study.

An hour later, the two came out together, laughing and talking as if they were old friends reunited after a long separation. They kept calling one another Brother Kang and Brother Su, their words flowing nonstop. Kang’s mother, who was bringing out the dishes, listened in utter confusion. Kang Jimin walked over to his wife and whispered a few words in her ear. Immediately, Kang’s mother, now filled with emotion, walked quickly up to Old Su, tears glistening in her eyes, and clasped both his hands while thanking him again and again.

Once they were seated at the table, Kang Jimin, ever the generous host, saw his wife bring out a bottle of Moutai and quickly waved it away. He went to the living room, fetched the bottle of strong liquor Old Su had given him from the table, and set it down before them. "Brother Su, don’t blame me for not letting you drink Moutai. Today I insist on drinking the liquor you brought. Keep the Moutai and take it back in a couple of days to drink yourself, ha ha! Come, let me fill your glass."

At that, Old Su was deeply moved and sighed to Kang Jimin, "The dragon begets a dragon, the phoenix begets a phoenix. Those words make sense indeed!"

"Ha ha, Brother Su, there’s no need to be so polite. Today it’s just the two of us brothers, so let us be casual. No need for formalities!" Kang Jimin laughed. "Thinking back to our meeting just now, it was rather interesting. We’re much like the older generation who once operated in enemy-held territory, having to rely on coded signals to make contact, ha ha! Quite something. Come, let’s drink!" He happily clinked glasses hard with Old Su, then drained his own in one gulp.

Old Su, too, felt it was indeed very much like that. Laughing, he raised his cup and emptied it at once. His liquor tolerance was excellent as well; once the strong spirit went down his throat, he tilted the cup toward Kang Jimin in acknowledgment. The two looked at each other for a moment and burst into laughter, and after three cups apiece the exchange finally subsided.

Kang’s mother warmly used serving chopsticks to put food into Old Su’s bowl, leaving him unable to tell whether to stop her or accept it. Kang Jimin, meanwhile, kept pouring him more drink and asked, "Brother Su, you said you came to visit your daughter and happened to stop by to get together, and that your daughter graduated from our affiliated hospital’s nursing school, correct?"

"Yes, the child graduated three years ago, in the summer of ninety-five. Ah, at the time I was worried about her being out there alone, so I had her come back and help at my little clinic, where I treated sprains and injuries. Who would have thought that last November she ran off again, saying the house was too dull and that she wanted to find work in Laning, to see the world and gain some experience. I thought it over and let her go. Young people—how could she spend her whole life with an old fellow like me in the countryside? Ha ha!" Old Su explained matter-of-factly, though worry still showed on his face.

Kang Jimin turned to his wife and asked, "Old lady, if Brother Su’s daughter entered school in the autumn of ninety-two, then you retired at the end of ninety-three. Do you have any recollection of the child?"

Kang’s mother smiled and asked Old Su, "What is the child’s name?"

"Su Fang, the Fang that means fragrance," Old Su answered hurriedly.

Kang’s mother said with delight, "I remember her! Oh, she was so beautiful and so quiet—she was the flower of our nursing school! I was headmistress there for more than ten years, and she was the first student I ever saw who was that outstanding. I even spoke with her myself! No, Brother Su, you must bring the child home one day. You and old Kang are like brothers, so little Fang is our child too. We must not stand on ceremony! Ah—just between us, I’ve never had the fate to bear a daughter. I have longed for one as though longing for the stars!"

Kang Jimin and Old Su laughed heartily. Then Old Su, feeling rather sad, spoke of what his daughter Su Fang had told him: "When the child came home after graduating, she told me that during her internship, one night while on the night shift, there was a doctor surnamed Xie who tried to take advantage of her. If not for Kang Ning arriving in time, that beast would likely have ruined her. We owe that good child, Kang Ning, so much!"

After hearing this, the Kangs were furious. They exchanged a glance and nodded, and Kang Jimin stood up and walked toward the telephone in the living room. Old Su hurried after him and, not allowing a word in edgewise, pulled him back to the table and made him sit down. "Brother Kang, calm down. It’s over now. The child wasn’t hurt, and besides, making a fuss helps no one. Kang Ning also asked my daughter what she wanted. She was kind-hearted and afraid it would damage her reputation, so in the end she forgave that doctor surnamed Xie and did not make the matter public. I think that was the right thing to do. Besides, it’s been nearly three years now. Let it go."

Kang Jimin wanted to scold Old Su a little, but seeing his kind and sincere manner, he could only sigh and raise his glass again.

Kang’s mother quickly gave Old Su a gentle explanation and sought his opinion. "That’s just how Old Kang is. He has always handled public matters strictly and cannot tolerate the slightest impurity. Don’t take it to heart. Even with Xiao Ning’s matter, he never sought favor from anyone; he has always believed that the Party and the government will restore Xiao Ning’s innocence. Ha ha! Brother Su, not only am I Su Fang’s teacher, I am also her elder. If Brother Su agrees and the child agrees as well, I would like to take her as my goddaughter. Would that be all right?"

"Wonderful idea! Let us take this goddaughter!" Kang Jimin said without waiting for Old Su’s answer, setting down his glass. "Isn’t the child working in Laning? When she comes back from Guangzhou, let her move in here. It will save her from renting a place outside, which is neither safe nor economical. A young girl alone out there has it hard!"

Old Su was so grateful he did not know what to say, and could only nod repeatedly. Seeing this, Kang’s mother smiled and said, "That settles it. Our home has two and a half floors and seven or eight rooms; the child can stay wherever she likes. It will be livelier with her here, and the two of us won’t feel so bored. This way, Brother Su, you can also rest easier. Whenever you want to come and see the child, just come. I can tell Old Kang and you are of one mind, and you’re a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner too, so the two of you can exchange ideas often."

"Thank you, sister-in-law! I agree to this. I think my daughter will be overjoyed! Her mother died early, and when she was little, seeing other children being led by their mothers, she often wiped away tears in secret. Ah—if she knew she had gained a mother like you, I wonder how happy she would be. Why would she not agree? Rest assured, sister-in-law, let’s do it as you suggested!" Old Su said with emotion, gazing at Kang’s mother with eyes full of gratitude and joy.

"Wonderful!" Kang’s mother stood up and poured Old Su more wine, then suddenly asked after some thought, "Brother Su, do you have the child’s phone number with you?"

Old Su quickly replied, "Yes. Her office number has changed twice, and I never memorized it, but I remember her mobile number. A mobile phone is convenient—you can reach her anytime."

After speaking, Old Su waited while Kang’s mother fetched a notebook, took the pen, and wrote down Su Fang’s number.

Kang’s mother read it aloud once, then said happily, "Today is a joyful day. Since you are here with me, let’s call the child right now. Ha ha, I can hardly wait!"