Chapter Ninety-Three: Making It All Add Up

Kang Ning sat in the car, leisurely chewing gum, his eyes drifting now and then to the white van as he waited without hurry or impatience.

It was not until two forty in the morning that the four men, full from food and drink, staggered one after another into the vehicle. The yellow-faced driver started the engine, lit a cigarette, and only then pulled away, while the owner and the craftsmen, who had earned a single cent of none of it, could only sigh in helpless resignation as the van disappeared into the distance.

No one noticed a jeep following some seventy meters behind the van. The two vehicles traveled on together until, a little later, they took different turns at a fork on the northern side and vanished from sight.

Kang Ning watched the white van drive into a courtyard beside the road, then continued straight ahead at an unhurried pace. Glancing at the signboard under the courtyard gate light, he turned the wheel and drove off into the night.

Twenty minutes later, Kang Ning’s jeep had circled around and around the area centered on Leijiang Sixth Construction Engineering Company. He carefully observed the layout of every road and alley nearby, as well as the buildings within the company grounds, and only then turned toward Jiangnan.

After going home and taking a shower, Kang Ning slipped into the guest room where he was staying. In her drowsiness, Meng Meng instinctively wrapped her arms around him, murmured a few words, and fell asleep again.

Since Meng Meng had moved in, she had been sharing this guest room with Kang Ning. During this period, the pregnant Lu Jing had often felt tired and sleepy, and under ordinary circumstances Kang Ning and Meng Meng did not disturb her rest. In this way, Kang Ning had lost a little pleasure, but he had also spared himself a great deal of explanation.

Now Kang Ning, having discovered the murderer’s whereabouts and lair, was too excited to sleep. Lying in bed, he repeatedly considered his next move and every detail of the plan. First, he intended to use Gao Qinghua to learn the background of the Sixth Construction Company before deciding how far he should go. Second, once he made a move, trouble would surely follow; if he was not careful, he might alert the mastermind behind the scenes, and even draw police scrutiny. For that reason, every step had to be weighed again and again.

Meng Meng awoke just after five. Seeing that Kang Ning was still awake and thinking, she lazily nestled against his chest and said, "Where did you go last night? I waited until midnight before I went to sleep."

"I went to chat with Big Brother Gao. We talked so happily I lost track of time. Meng Meng, did you miss your big brother?" Kang Ning said softly, stroking her full, tender breasts, and leaving kisses now and then at the corner of her mouth and along her neck.

"Mm..." Meng Meng answered in a pleased murmur.

After a period of intimate closeness and deepened understanding with Kang Ning, Meng Meng’s attachment to him had grown stronger and stronger. Whenever they were together, they were inseparable, speaking of everything under the sun. Kang Ning, with his extraordinary bearing, gentleness, courtesy, and learning, along with his calm smile and his firm, powerful physique, often made Meng Meng feel boundless happiness and contentment, allowing her to sense the delight and enchantment of a world shared by just the two of them.

From her early awkwardness to her present maturity, only a few dozen days had passed, yet they had led Meng Meng from a willful and naïve girl into someone richer in spirit and more serene. Under Kang Ning’s skillful guidance, the sensitive and pliant Meng Meng had changed greatly, and even in bed she revealed remarkable potential. At that moment, every movement of hers filled Kang Ning with effortless delight, especially her full, supple lips, which brought him endless pleasure and irresistible attraction.

By seven in the morning, Kang Ning was once again at the breakfast stalls in the market. After buying breakfast, he hurried home, boiled some milk, fried several eggs sunny-side up, and dressed a small plate of fruit with salad dressing. Since learning that Lu Jing was pregnant, Kang Ning had taken over the kitchen on his own. The elegant dishes in north and south China that he had learned from his mother delighted Lu Jing and Meng Meng to no end, while also filling them with a deep sense of contentment and intoxication.

Lu Jing’s discomfort had eased considerably, and a happy smile often lingered on her face. Meng Meng, bathed in the morning glow like rain and sunlight, had also shed her former bold mischievousness and gradually regained her graceful, charming poise. The three of them sat together around the clean dining table, breakfasting while speaking softly.

"Meng Meng, if you have time, could you bring me some books on early childhood education?" Lu Jing asked with a smile, a small fork held between her lips.

Meng Meng wiped the corner of her mouth and replied, "Sure. But I think you should read some books on prenatal education first. Oh, Sister Jing, what kind of name are you planning to give the baby?"

Lu Jing glanced at Kang Ning and smiled. "I still don’t even know whether it’s a boy or a girl. Besides, I’ll have to ask him about that."

Kang Ning had not expected the two of them to be talking about this so early, and he could not bear to spoil their good mood. After a moment’s thought, he smiled faintly. "Then let’s do this: whether it’s a boy or a girl, let the child take its mother’s surname and be named Lu. How about that?"

"Really?" Lu Jing asked, delighted.

Kang Ning gently stroked her face. "Really. Your family doesn’t have any boys, does it? Letting the child bear the surname Lu will carry on your family line. Uncle Wang mentioned this regret to me the last time he drank with me. I’ve always remembered it, but I didn’t expect you to be with child so soon."

With reddened eyes, Lu Jing gripped Kang Ning’s hand tightly. "I don’t know how to thank you..."

"Stop right there. Happy things aren’t for tears." Kang Ning tightened his hold on her hand, then turned to Meng Meng so that Lu Jing would not grow too excited. He pinched Meng Meng’s pretty cheek and said with a smile, "Meng Meng, you have to work hard too!"

Blushing, Meng Meng pinched Kang Ning back. "I’ll pinch you to death, you thick-skinned brute! Dream on if you think I’m going to let you have your way. All right, I’m off to work. Goodbye, Sister Jing!"

Kang Ning and Lu Jing burst out laughing. After Meng Meng left, they chatted a while longer. When everything had been tidied away, Kang Ning climbed onto Lu Jing’s big bed to catch up on sleep, while Lu Jing picked up a book and sat quietly beside him to read.

After making a simple but nutritious lunch, Kang Ning called Gao Qinghua and arranged to have lunch together. Then he said goodbye to Lu Jing, drove his Passat to a restaurant called Hongyun near the Justice Bureau, and unexpectedly found that Gao Qinghua had also called Du Jianwu, who was on compensatory leave. The three of them took a small private room and chatted warmly.

"Little brother, I heard from Xiao Du that you can perform surgical operations?" Gao Qinghua asked with interest.

Kang Ning really did not want to linger on the subject, so an idea flashed through his mind and he answered with a smile, "When I was young, I watched my father do such operations. With my skill, I’d probably fail even as a veterinarian. By the way, Brother Du, how come you’re free today?"

After laughing, Du Jianwu let out a sigh. "The shooting case on my desk has been solved, and all three men have been arrested and brought in. Alas. Two were let off yesterday, and only one man took the fall. I reckon he won’t get many years before he’s out."

"How could that happen? Last time you said this was a major injury case! What about the two victims whose kidneys and spine were damaged?" Kang Ning was astonished, and at the same time he became even more wary of the underworld’s power.

Gao Qinghua shook his head and answered for Du Jianwu. "What else can be done? The victims accepted the money and chose not to pursue it. I suspect there was plenty of intimidation and inducement behind that. Now, even when the court summons them to testify, they don’t show up. Whenever people see a case involving Ni San, most of them think it’s better to avoid trouble. They just close their eyes and let it pass. As long as no one dies, nobody takes it too seriously. You don’t know how difficult this case was for Xiao Du. He nearly fell out with his colleagues over it. Ah well, let’s not talk about these filthy matters. Drink!"

Kang Ning drank the wine with mixed feelings and fell silent. Seeing him like that, Du Jianwu hurriedly said, "Xiao Hua, how about we go have some fun in the gym at Big Brother Gao’s office tonight?"

Kang Ning shook his head and declined politely. "Sorry, Brother Du, I’m not free tonight. Lu Jing has arranged to have dinner at home with a few friends, and I have to go back to cook."

Gao Qinghua became interested at once. "Is that so? Why don’t I bring Lu Lin along as well? Xiao Du, you should bring your wife too. You know my elder sister as well. The more people, the livelier it’ll be."

"No, my wife hasn’t been feeling well lately. You all go ahead and have your gathering. We can talk another day when there’s time."

Du Jianwu gave them his reason for not going, and only then did Kang Ning feel at ease. He had not expected that a casual suggestion would create extra trouble for him, so he could only smile and agree to Gao Qinghua’s idea. Kang Ning thought that, after all, Gao Qinghua was practically his brother by marriage; even if he noticed that Lu Jing was pregnant, Kang Ning would not be too embarrassed. He would just have to call Lu Jing later and ask her to invite Zheng Yi, so the story would make sense.

Before long, the three of them drifted into talk of martial skills. Under Gao Qinghua and Du Jianwu’s occasional questions, Kang Ning gave his honest opinions, and this greatly increased their interest and benefit from the conversation. In their hearts, they could not help but feel even more admiration and respect for the young Kang Ning.

Kang Ning knew that Gao Qinghua would be coming over in the evening, so he temporarily set aside the idea of asking him to investigate the Sixth Construction Company, intending to bring it up privately later at night.