Chapter 73: The First Signs Emerge

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The four of them traveled together, laughing and chatting, their spirits soaring. Especially Qu Mengmeng, who, after letting go of the burden that had weighed so heavily on her heart, regained her radiant, flower-like smile. She was so excited she nearly broke into song. Yet the true origin of the hundred thousand yuan remained shrouded in suspicion. No matter how the other three pressed her, Kang Ning stubbornly stuck to his original explanation.

Kang Ning knew he was quite safe now. Racing along the highway at a hundred and fifty kilometers per hour, no matter how fierce or unruly the three women might be, they wouldn’t dare unleash their usual tricks—after all, their lives mattered most.

They returned to Lei River at 4:40 in the afternoon. Kang Ning remembered that Gao Qinghua would be visiting the factory that evening. After parking the BMW in Zheng Yi’s garage, he requested to take his leave from the three women, but none agreed. They insisted he stay for dinner at Lu Jing’s home before departing. Kang Ning considered it and agreed.

As usual, Lu Jing was at the stove with Zheng Yi assisting, leaving Kang Ning and Qu Mengmeng idle.

Qu Mengmeng, flushed with gratitude, brewed Kang Ning a cup of tea and handed it to him, her cheeks crimson. “I honestly don’t know how to thank you. After the Wang family called off the engagement with my family today, I’ll be heading home tomorrow.”

“You should go back and visit. I imagine your parents didn’t have much of a New Year this time,” Kang Ning replied, taking a sip from the cup. Noticing tears in Qu Mengmeng’s eyes, he quickly set down his cup and gently comforted her.

Qu Mengmeng wiped away her tears and murmured plaintively, “I missed you so much while I was away.”

Kang Ning nodded in response. “That day, after we parted ways in the city center, watching you slowly drive off in the taxi, my heart hurt so much. But now you’re back, and that’s all that matters.”

Remembering the words spoken as they left Zheng Yi’s house together, Qu Mengmeng’s fair face flushed even deeper. She lowered her head shyly and sat opposite Kang Ning, saying nothing, her clear gaze occasionally drifting toward him, tempting him almost beyond restraint.

After dinner, Kang Ning drove Lu Jing’s Passat back to the factory. He discovered that the neighboring Antong Auto Repair Factory had somehow demolished its wall, and five or six engineering vehicles were busy at work on site. After Yusheng opened the gate, Kang Ning parked by the office and walked over to him.

“Have you eaten?”

Yusheng beamed. “Yes! By the way, big brother, this morning the Antong factory next door set off a long string of firecrackers. Over thirty luxury cars arrived to celebrate the start of construction. They said they were rebuilding and expanding Antong. I heard from a friend across the street that Antong has a new owner, though I don’t know exactly who. Seems like they’re quite wealthy—they even bought the dozen or so acres of ponds behind our factory. They’re planning to fill them in and merge with Antong, making it the largest factory in Lei River, five times bigger than Dachuan across the way.”

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Kang Ning immediately became alert. “Yusheng, grab a ladder and set it against the warehouse wall. Let’s get up on the roof and take a look.”

“Alright!” Yusheng replied. In truth, the flat-roofed warehouse wasn’t very tall, just over three meters. Kang Ning could easily have scaled it with a running jump, but since Yusheng was present, he climbed up the ladder obediently.

Upon reaching the roof, Kang Ning instantly saw that this was a major project. If their own factory and the seventeen-acre pond behind Antong’s wall were filled in, combined with Antong’s current three acres, the new factory would span about twenty acres. None of the auto repair shops in Lei River could rival that.

After a while, Kang Ning prepared to climb down, but as he walked, a troubling thought struck him. He paused and looked back more closely. He realized that once Antong filled the pond, his own factory would be conspicuously out of place—like a small patch in the lower left corner of a “field” character, occupying only an eighth of the total area, an awkward blemish.

Back on the ground, Kang Ning resolved to ask Gao Qinghua to investigate the identity of Antong’s new owner, sensing there was some connection he hadn’t yet uncovered.

At eight-thirty that evening, Gao Qinghua arrived as promised, bringing a pound of fine tea. After chatting for a while, Gao Qinghua eagerly requested Kang Ning to teach him a few moves. Kang Ning asked Gao Qinghua to demonstrate first, and he obliged, stretching and then launching into a vigorous set of military boxing.

Kang Ning saw at once that this wasn’t ordinary military boxing—it was likely a special routine for elite troops, every move sharp, concise, and practical. Kang Ning silently admired whoever had developed this set; with eight or ten years of foundational training, it would be formidable indeed.

He walked over and asked quietly, “Do you practice stance training?”

“We do, but rarely. The army doesn’t have much time for that sort of thing,” Gao Qinghua answered honestly.

Kang Ning said, “I think your routine might not be entirely complete. I’ll repeat what you just demonstrated; tell me your impressions afterward.”

Kang Ning stepped forward and repeated Gao Qinghua’s moves. His swift power and clever footwork stunned Gao Qinghua, leaving him speechless—he couldn’t believe Kang Ning had memorized the routine after just one viewing, executing it more smoothly and effectively, with at least twice the force. It was even more impressive than the first time he’d seen his instructor perform it.

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Kang Ning stood silently before Gao Qinghua, who shook his head in awe. “I have to hand it to you. Looks like I’ll never reach even a tenth of your level in this lifetime!”

Kang Ning smiled slightly. “Not at all. Your foundation is excellent and well-suited for Xingyi. If you’re willing, I’ll teach you a method—just over a hundred words. Memorize it and reflect on it, and within half a year your skills will improve dramatically. If you master it, you could be twice as strong as you are now.”

“Really? That’s fantastic!” Gao Qinghua’s confidence soared.

Kang Ning nodded. “Truly. Next, let’s practice together. It’s similar to the Tai Chi push hands people do in parks, but you must be careful—once you make contact, you may be knocked down at any moment. It’s not nearly as relaxed as park Tai Chi. After a few tries, you’ll start to grasp the subtleties. Ask me about anything you don’t understand.”

Gao Qinghua nodded and squared off with Kang Ning. But the moment he made contact, he was knocked to the ground. Frustrated, Gao Qinghua got up and tried again, only to fall even harder. After several attempts, he calmed himself, reflected, and said to Kang Ning, “I’m starting to understand. When I attack you, there’s nowhere to apply force—it’s like poking a ball floating on water with a stick. No matter how hard you try, you can’t push the ball under.”

Kang Ning looked at Gao Qinghua in surprise, deeply admiring his insight. Kang Ning himself had needed a month to grasp that feeling. He remarked, “You’re far more perceptive than I expected. With this, I’m confident you’ll quickly improve in half a year, as long as you stick to stance training—at least one and a half hours a day. Can you manage that?”

“No problem,” Gao Qinghua replied, delighted by Kang Ning’s praise.

Kang Ning continued, explaining the essentials of stance training to Gao Qinghua, then asked him to practice alone while Kang Ning went inside to copy down the method.

Two hours later, Gao Qinghua stopped, drenched in sweat, and gratefully took the method Kang Ning handed him. He immediately returned to his mini car and brought out a small booklet he had compiled over several days about identifying and making traps, generously gifting it to Kang Ning. He smiled and said, “Reflect on it slowly. Ask if you have questions.”

As Gao Qinghua departed, Kang Ning told him he didn’t need to come every night—he could practice alone and call if he had doubts. Finally, Kang Ning asked him to discreetly investigate the new owner of Antong. Gao Qinghua instantly grasped the issue and agreed without hesitation.