Chapter Forty-Five: A Stranger's Arrival (Part One)

At ten o’clock the next morning, Lu Jing arrived punctually by car at the hotel where Kang Ning was temporarily staying. The moment she pulled over, Kang Ning had already opened the door and slid into the back seat. Lu Jing seemed accustomed to Kang Ning’s reserved nature and said nothing superfluous, simply driving southeast toward her own repair shop.

Upon entering the compound, the car turned right and stopped in front of the office. Kang Ning stepped out and glanced around, quickly taking in the general layout of the sprawling thousand-square-meter premises: to the left stood a semi-open workshop constructed of steel pipes and aluminum panels, occupying a third of the area. Inside were a dozen or so various vehicles, three service bays, and five lifts. Attached to the workshop were two paint rooms. In the center stretched a row of flat-roofed warehouses, about thirty meters long, while the row of more refined flat-roofed rooms where he stood must be the offices.

A stocky, good-natured young man and a fresh-faced woman in her early twenties approached. After greeting Lu Jing warmly, they turned their curious gaze to Kang Ning. A few mechanics in the workshop also paused their work to look over. As Lu Jing opened the trunk, she instructed the young woman to unlock the door, and told the young man to carry the two large cardboard boxes from the trunk inside. She then closed the trunk, and she and Kang Ning entered the freshly tidied dormitory.

Kang Ning was surprised to find the so-called “storeroom” Lu Jing had mentioned so orderly, clean, and well-equipped. Not only were there bed, desk, and chairs, but beside the desk stood a new bookshelf, filled with over twenty well-thumbed automotive repair books, some blueprints, and paper and pens. A brand-new bamboo lounge chair rested against the far wall, and deeper inside was a small, four-square-meter private bathroom.

Grateful, Kang Ning turned to Lu Jing and said, “I feel truly undeserving to stay somewhere so nice when I’ve contributed nothing yet. Boss, you really shouldn’t pay me so much.”

Lu Jing, who had been wearing a serious expression, suddenly burst out laughing. “I’ve never met anyone like you. You look so honest, yet you talk so shrewdly. Are you worried I’ll pay you too little? Don’t worry. For now, your wage will be at the second tier. The highest is eighteen hundred a month, second tier is thirteen hundred, and third is nine hundred, with bonuses calculated separately. Including you, there are sixteen people here: twelve are repairmen, and of those, two senior technicians over thirty-five are first tier, getting an extra eight hundred to a thousand in bonuses. The second tier, including you, has five people; the rest are apprentices at the third tier, getting about half the bonus. Well? Satisfied?”

“That’s more than enough!” Kang Ning didn’t care about the salary at all; he just wanted to start working and be rid of his boredom. “I’ll start today. You go about your business. Just have someone show me around.”

Lu Jing accepted this matter-of-factly. “Settle in first. I’ll wait in the office and call the two senior techs over later so you can meet.”

After Lu Jing left, the accountant, Xiao Cui, helped Kang Ning make the bed and put away his things. Watching her brisk movements and proper demeanor, Kang Ning felt an immediate fondness for the clear-featured young woman. He took his clothes from his duffel, hung them on wire outside the bathroom, put the bag in his bedside cabinet, and took the room key from Xiao Cui with a word of thanks. Once she left, he changed into the dark blue canvas overalls and work boots Lu Jing had prepared for him, took a look around, and then headed next door to the office.

Inside, the two senior techs were already seated on the sofa with tea. Lu Jing introduced them. The stocky, unshaven man of about forty-five was Li Xiangdong; the leaner, medium-built man of thirty-five was Huang Yuanqing. Kang Ning greeted them courteously, then sat quietly on a side sofa as Lu Jing made small talk. Even without words, Kang Ning could sense from their manner that Li Xiangdong was a straightforward, warm-hearted man, while Huang Yuanqing’s perfunctory gestures and cold, evasive gaze put Kang Ning on guard. Instinctively, he knew this man would not be easy to get on with.

After a short conversation, Huang Yuanqing claimed to be busy and left first. Old Li politely took his leave of Lu Jing, then warmly accompanied Kang Ning on a tour, introducing him to every coworker along the way, before taking Kang Ning to his own workstation.

“From now on, just call me Old Li, and I’ll call you Xiao Wu. We’re all colleagues here—no need for formality.” Old Li, seeing Kang Ning nod modestly, wiped his forehead with his sleeve and continued, “The boss said you’re good with off-road vehicles. That’s perfect—I like those too. I used to work at a military factory, fitting machine guns and cannons on all kinds of vehicles. After the plant switched to civilian use, it was bought out, and our two hundred-odd old hands scattered. I only found some stability—and a decent meal—when I landed here last March.”

Though Old Li spoke lightly, Kang Ning could read the irrepressible nostalgia and sadness in his eyes. Kang Ning knew nothing he could say would be appropriate, so he simply nodded and said, “Brother Li, my skills are limited and I haven’t seen much. I hope you’ll teach me more in the future—if there’s any heavy lifting, just say the word.”

Old Li laughed heartily. “No need to be so modest, Xiao Wu! I can tell you’re not an ordinary person—believe me, in all my years I rarely misjudge someone. If you need anything, just come to me! Oh, and that young man who helped move your boxes is Yusheng. He’s a good, honest kid. He’s working on that 212 now—why don’t you go give him a hand? I’d better get back to work myself. If you need me, just shout!”

Kang Ning watched Old Li go with gratitude, then turned to Yusheng, who stood up awkwardly as soon as Kang Ning approached, greeting him with a nervous stammer. Kang Ning patted his shoulder and gently asked about the car’s issues. Only then did Yusheng, more at ease, explain fluently. After listening, Kang Ning immediately understood what plagued this ancient Beijing Jeep. He studied the open engine for a while, then went to the tall steel tool chest, selected the necessary tools, put them in a clean plastic bucket, closed the chest, and carried the half-filled bucket back to the broken-down jeep. With Yusheng assisting, he set to work methodically.

Twenty meters away, behind a Bluebird, Huang Yuanqing, a cigarette stub dangling from his lips, watched Kang Ning with narrowed, half-shut eyes. In truth, he looked down on this handsome, young outsider, but as he observed Kang Ning’s calm, systematic approach to choosing tools, surprise flickered in his eyes. Still, when he saw Kang Ning working on that battered 212, his face was all scorn.

While repairing, Kang Ning chatted with Yusheng. The two went from strangers to easy familiarity, soon talking about everything. From their conversation, Kang Ning gleaned that Yusheng was an apprentice with little formal education—he’d left school after junior high to work and support a younger brother and sister who were still studying. Over the past five years, he’d worked as a mason, a welder, and a painter. Though his limited schooling left him unable to read wiring diagrams or manuals, Kang Ning judged that Yusheng had real talent with bodywork.

After watching Yusheng work for over two hours, Kang Ning saw he was earnest and meticulous in everything he did. He resolved to help Yusheng improve his skills.

At lunchtime, everyone ate at the shop. Uncle Wang, the gatekeeper, and Xiao Cui the accountant handled meals for the dozen-plus staff. Eating from enamel bowls as big as half a washbasin, Kang Ning didn’t mind at all; he chatted with Yusheng and ate heartily. Afterward, filling a large plastic mug with water—one Lu Jing had bought for him—he returned alone to the shop to continue working. Seeing Kang Ning’s friendly manner, Yusheng hurried to gulp a few mouthfuls of tap water by the faucet, then ran over eagerly to join him.