Chapter Forty-Two: Checking In

Lu Jing took a comb from her handbag and began to brush her chestnut-dyed hair as she asked, “How did you drive so fast?”

“There weren’t many cars on the road, so the trip went smoothly,” Kang Ning replied, not wanting to dwell on the topic. After this casual explanation, he changed the subject, “I’m not familiar with Guiyang. You’ll have to give me directions, or better yet, why don’t you drive?”

Lu Jing yawned. Perhaps feeling embarrassed by how wide she’d opened her mouth, she quickly covered it with her hand. Seeing that Kang Ning was focused on driving and hadn’t noticed her lapse, she tied her hair into a ponytail. “You drive. I’m really tired. Let’s rest in Guiyang for the night and set out again tomorrow. I know a good hotel and will guide you there.”

Once they entered the city and drove north on Baoshan Road, it wasn’t long before they saw a tall building at the northwest corner of a crossroads ahead—the famed Jinzhu Grand Hotel of Guiyang.

The SUV turned into the parking lot and stopped. Only then did Zheng Yi and Qu Mengmeng, who had been dozing in the back seat, wake up, still groggy. They muttered to each other for a moment, then quickly took out makeup kits from their small bags and began to touch up their faces with great care. Kang Ning walked around the car and returned just as the three women, now freshly made up, appeared reinvigorated and lively.

As they entered the hotel lobby, Zheng Yi asked Kang Ning for his identification and went to check in. Kang Ning had just pulled out his wallet when Qu Mengmeng, sitting on the sofa, chirped, “No need to pay. Sister Yi isn’t short on money—of all things, that’s the last thing she lacks! Besides, we have our division of labor: Sister Jing handles fuel, tolls, and tickets; Sister Yi takes care of accommodation; I’m in charge of food. Save your money!”

Zheng Yi booked two rooms: one double and one triple. After they exited the elevator and reached their floor, Kang Ning took the key card and his ID from Zheng Yi, glanced at the room number, and went to his assigned room. Upon opening the door, he found it surprisingly nice—the spacious, tidy double room was elegantly arranged, and the bedding was all new.

Kang Ning set down his backpack and took out his toiletries, intending to enjoy a good shower. Just then, someone knocked on the door. He opened it, about to ask what was needed, when Qu Mengmeng barged in with no ceremony at all. “Wow! This is much nicer than our triple! Even the wall has an ink painting—tsk, tsk! You can’t move yet—we’re switching rooms!”

Qu Mengmeng shot Kang Ning a beaming smile and dashed out. In a moment, she returned with Lu Jing and Zheng Yi, and the three women explored the room, clearly impressed. Seeing this, Kang Ning stood, picked up his sports bag, and smiled lightly at them. “All right, let’s switch.”

“No need to trouble yourself, Xiao Wu. There are only two beds for three of us—we won’t all fit,” Lu Jing said politely, stopping Kang Ning as he was about to leave.

Qu Mengmeng shouted, “Jing, I can share a bed with Yi! I’ve done it before, haven’t I? There are more of us than him, and this room is bigger and more comfortable than the triple. I say we take it!”

Kang Ning laughed agreeably. “If that’s the case, let’s switch. I don’t mind. Any bed here is better than sleeping on dry grass during a campout.”

Zheng Yi and Lu Jing exchanged glances with the delighted Qu Mengmeng and didn’t argue further. They accompanied Kang Ning to the triple room across the hall. Once inside, the three women hurriedly gathered the underwear and clothes they’d laid out for bathing, quickly left, ran back to the double room, and shut the door. They all collapsed onto the beds, laughing out loud.

Sitting up, Zheng Yi sighed, “I bet that kid’s still a virgin. Did you see how embarrassed he looked? It killed me!”

They laughed for a while longer. Then Lu Jing rubbed her stomach and said, “He mentioned camping—looks like he’s an avid traveler, maybe even a real hiker.”

“Probably. Didn’t we meet him in the Yao Mountains?” Zheng Yi agreed, then suddenly remembered something from check-in. “His full name’s Wu Xiaohua. Born July 1971—he just turned twenty-six last month! He’s a year younger than me. Hard to believe, right? With that steady, mature air, I thought he was almost thirty.”

“Really?” Qu Mengmeng’s eyes lit up with delight.

Seeing her expression, Zheng Yi pinched her waist. “You little rascal! Always with that look in your eyes—you’re hopeless!”

Qu Mengmeng yelped and pounced on Zheng Yi, the two of them wrestling on the bed, while Lu Jing shook her head, grabbed a change of clothes from her travel bag, and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

After a satisfying hot shower and scrubbing his clothes, Kang Ning wrapped himself in a bath towel and opened the door to let the steam escape. He wiped the large mirror above the sink with a towel and examined his reflection closely. His complexion was now somewhat darker; frequent exercise and intense hunting had burned off much of his body fat. His pectorals and biceps were firm and well-defined, and even his once slightly rounded chin had slimmed. The loss of facial fat made his nose look straighter and more prominent, and the sword-like brows above his slightly protruding brow bone had returned to their original shape—there was no trace of old injuries. Overall, he appeared leaner and more resolute.

Satisfied with how his rib injury was healing, Kang Ning trimmed his mustache with a small pair of scissors, put them away, tidied the sink, then stood under the shower for a quick rinse. After drying off, he changed into clean shorts, hung up his washed clothes, and sat on the bed to read the paper. After finishing one section, he found himself ravenous. Knowing women could spend ages getting ready, he turned on the TV and saw it was already 8:45 p.m.

He pulled on a fresh white crew-neck T-shirt, new jeans, and running shoes, planning to wait downstairs. Just as he opened the door, he saw the three women coming out of their room across the hall.

The three of them were momentarily struck by how good Kang Ning looked in his new casual outfit. They stared at him for a while before Lu Jing exclaimed, “I’m starving! Let’s go eat!”

The four of them dined in the hotel’s Western restaurant, seated in a comfortable hall filled with the sounds of a gentle cello concerto. For a moment, Kang Ning thought of his beloved, Liu Yiqing—so many dates they’d shared in just such a setting. Seeing a thriving monstera plant beside their table reminded him of the one in his own living room, his parents, and Su Fang’s bright, affectionate eyes…

Qu Mengmeng and Zheng Yi whispered together, exchanging opinions on the dishes and wine, while Lu Jing ate quietly. She glanced up, noticing Kang Ning gazing pensively at the plant, his gentle eyes brimming with sorrow. The melancholy in his gaze moved her deeply, sending a subtle tremor through her heart.