Chapter 21: Offering Favors for No Reason

The cook's skills were average, but his movements were quite nimble.

Ning Weidong and the other didn't say more than a few words before the kidney dish was brought up.

Ning Weidong picked up his chopsticks, signaled for Ning Wei to go fetch two bowls of rice, and tasted a piece of kidney; it was passable.

However, he hadn't expected a small shop like this to reach the standard of a large restaurant.

The other dish, potato stewed with beef, took a little longer.

Once it was served, Ning Weidong said, "Xiao Wei, go borrow a lunchbox and scoop out half of the potato and beef for Liushen to take back."

Ning Wei responded with a sound; since Ning Weidong had emphasized earlier that the beef should be stewed until tender, he had already guessed it.

After scooping it out, Ning Weidong finally picked up his chopsticks and brought up the real business.

"Xiao Wei, do you still remember Wang Jingsheng?" Ning Weidong picked up a piece of beef with tendon and stuffed it into his mouth.

The flavor was a bit salty; people at this time ate a lot of staple food, so cooking was generally on the salty side.

"Wang Jingsheng~" Ning Wei blurted out, "The one in Anping Lane?"

Back then, Ning Wei would occasionally see Wang Jingsheng while following Ning Weidong, but they weren't close.

It had been several years, so whether he could remember him was another matter.

Seeing Ning Weidong nod, Ning Wei said, "This guy is someone of note in our area..."

From Ning Wei's home to the Dazayuan where Wang Jingsheng lived, it was just separated by the Suifujing Building, not far away.

Ning Weidong nodded; yesterday at Wang Jingsheng's house, he had guessed that Wang Jingsheng had some off-the-books ways of making a living, and asked, "Are you familiar with him?"

"We aren't in the same circle, no real contact." Ning Wei shook his head, stared at Ning Weidong, lowered his voice, and asked, "Third Brother, are you looking to take him down?"

Ning Weidong ate a bite of food; it would be difficult if Ning Wei and Wang Jingsheng were on familiar terms.

He waved his chopsticks: "No, I have some business with him; help me keep an eye on him these next few days..."

Ning Weidong glanced at the cook, who was hugging his arms and huddled by the stove listening to the radio after finishing the dishes; he was several meters away from them, and with the noise of the radio, he couldn't hear anything.

He leaned forward slightly, drew closer to Ning Wei to whisper, and gave a rough explanation of the situation.

He didn't hide anything from Ning Wei; it wasn't that he trusted him that much, but mainly because there was no room for reservation.

Ning Wei was the only person he could use that he could think of after much deliberation.

And after Ning Wei finished listening, he was startled for a moment as expected, but it was only for a moment, then he straightened his expression and said, "Third Brother, don't worry, leave this to me."

Ning Weidong gave an "um," fished two Big Unity notes out of his pocket, and slapped them into Ning Wei's hand.

Ning Wei was stunned and instinctively raised his hand to decline: "Third Brother..."

But before he could speak, he was forcefully pressed down by Ning Weidong: "Xiao Wei, listen to me!"

Ning Wei tried to exert force, only to find that Ning Weidong's strength was surprisingly great.

He himself was naturally gifted among his peers; despite his lean build, he was quite strong, had quick reflexes, and had practiced wrestling and Grappling Hand, so two or three ordinary people couldn't get close to him.

Although pure strength wasn't his strong suit, the gap was still too large.

In an instant, Ning Wei felt as if he had returned to a few years ago; Ning Weidong was already nearing adulthood, while he was still a child, and the gap was just that big.

Ning Weidong didn't think much of it and continued: "This might not take long, you're my younger brother, doing things is expected, but you have to eat and live, I can't have you paying out of your own pocket..."

Ning Wei frowned; unable to struggle free, he stopped resisting and said with a bitter face, "But Third Brother, this is too much."

Ning Weidong smiled, patted his hand, and didn't argue further.

He wanted to give more; if he gave too little, it would be better not to give at all.

Ning Wei was currently in a state of being an unemployed drifter, and two Big Unity notes were definitely not a small sum for him.

Ning Weidong nonchalantly stopped mentioning the money and instead said carefully: "Don't worry about anything else, just keep a close eye on the construction site..."

Ning Wei was very smart; Ning Weidong saying all this, to put it plainly, was to guard against Wang Jingsheng eating the spoils alone.

He patted his chest and said, "Third Brother, don't you worry~"...

By the time this meal was finished, it was already two-thirty.

Coming out of the Erxunpu, Ning Wei carried the borrowed lunchbox and hurried back.

Ning Weidong watched him walk away and headed directly to the bus stop in the other direction.

As for how Ning Wei would tail him, he didn't ask for details; if he couldn't even do this little thing well, it would only show his ability was lacking.

Next was to wait and see if Wang Jingsheng could actually follow the vine to find the place where the Qi Family hid their things back then.

But then again, what the final result of this matter would be depended more on luck.

Ning Weidong hadn't pinned all his hopes on this one thing.

If it didn't work out, he would have to have other plans.

Ning Weidong thought as he walked toward the bus stop; after waiting a few minutes, the bus arrived and swayed its way toward the Red Star Factory.

He got off at the South Gate of the factory.

Ning Weidong intended to go check in first, but just as he entered the factory gate, he heard someone calling him.

Looking toward the sound, it was Wu Bingzhong coming out of the guard room at the South Gate.

Although they were both in the Security Division, there was a fundamental difference between Wu Bingzhong and Ning Weidong and the others.

Wu Bingzhong was in a large State-owned enterprise, his age and seniority were there, and he basically had nothing to do; not only did he work the day shift, but if he had something to do and left a little early, no one would mind.

"Brother Wu~" Ning Weidong responded, fished that pack of 'Great Front Gate' out of his pocket, took one out, and handed it over.

Wu Bingzhong took a look and said with a smile, "Not smoking that toad-skin stuff of yours anymore?"

Ning Weidong's mouth twitched; thinking of that newspaper-rolled biological weapon from the day he first transmigrated, he still had lingering fears.

He laughed it off and asked, "Did you call me for something?"

Wu Bingzhong took out a match to light the cigarette and gestured toward the factory with his chin: "Let's go inside and talk."

Ning Weidong followed, and the two arrived at the dormitory of the Factory Protection Team.

It was past three o'clock, and the Factory Protection Team was out for drills and patrols, so there was no one at the dormitory.

Ning Weidong also had to come over to sign in.

Although there was no one there, the stove in the room was burning, and a wave of heat hit his face as he entered.

To avoid sweating from the heat, Ning Weidong unbuttoned his overcoat and took off his hat.

Wu Bingzhong asked in surprise, "Did you get a haircut?"

Ning Weidong took a pen and made a mark on the attendance sheet on the small table, then said with his head lowered, "The New Year is over, time for a new hairstyle." As he spoke, he put down the pen: "Brother Wu, if you have something to say, go ahead."

Wu Bingzhong let out an "uh": "Sigh, about that... how are things coming along on your end regarding the matter with Dayong?"

Ning Weidong's heart stirred, and he couldn't help but become a bit more wary.

It seemed Wu Bingzhong was particularly concerned about this matter, having even made a special trip to his house on Sunday.

Although Wu and Lu lived in the same courtyard, in the original owner's memories, he had never been this proactive about other things.

Ning Weidong pondered secretly, wondering if he was overthinking it or if there was something fishy going on; he didn't show anything on his face, nor did he immediately reveal that the money was already prepared, waiting to hear what Wu Bingzhong had to say.

Seeing that he didn't respond, Wu Bingzhong naturally assumed he was tight on cash, sighed, and said, "Dongzi... it's not that I, your elder brother, am lecturing you..."

Ning Weidong listened patiently as Wu Bingzhong spoke earnestly at great length, finally saying, "Don't you worry, if it really doesn't work out... you can take that fifty from me first to handle the emergency."

Ning Weidong's heart stirred.

Offering favors for no reason made him even more certain that Wu Bingzhong was up to something!

(End of chapter)