According to rumors, Kang Lianming was an uncle who appeared kind but was harsh at heart.
Xia Xiaolan didn’t trust him much, but what choice was there? Kang Wei had no father, and his mother Xie Yun only knew how to cry. At times like these, only Kang Lianming could step forward.
Du Zhaohui thought the same way.
Never mind an uncle—even his father, Du Chengrong, was just the same with him.
To clever people, everything was negotiable; if talks failed, it only meant the benefits offered weren’t enough. While Du Zhaohui was still calculating how much compensation to offer, Kang Lianming stood in the hospital room studying this young Hong Kong merchant for a long while, then silently dragged a chair to the bedside and sat down.
“Kang—”
Du Zhaohui’s words were cut off by Kang Lianming.
“Look at yourself—wearing expensive designer clothes, staying in a private room, bodyguards stationed outside. Your driver was behind the wheel, you’re a Hong Kong merchant with investments worth hundreds of millions in the Special Zone, and you think no one can touch you, right? Why is that? Because you were lucky enough to be reborn as a Hong Kong merchant’s son. Never mind injuring two people—even if you killed someone on the spot, it wouldn’t matter. Just throw some money at it, right?”
Kang Lianming spoke flatly without emotion or sarcasm, yet his words made Du Zhaohui deeply uncomfortable.
What did this man know?
Being Du Chengrong’s son might mean never lacking money, but that was all.
Just because he bore the Du surname didn’t mean he would naturally inherit the family business. Too many people were eyeing his inheritance—if one attempt to kill him failed, a second would soon follow!
Du Zhaohui wanted to refute Kang’s implications about his privileged birth.
But sitting close to Kang Lianming, Du Zhaohui realized this man’s aura was overwhelming. Not the kind of presence backed by fine clothes and money that all those used to give orders possessed—though that varied in strength—but Kang Lianming’s was extraordinarily powerful!
Du Zhaohui had an animal instinct that Kang Lianming would be extremely difficult to deal with.
Kang Lianming suddenly smiled, “You think human life is cheap because your own life is worthless. The Du family has more than just you for a son. If something happened to you, someone would quickly take over the Du family’s investments in Pengcheng. Your father might shed a few tears, but with enough compensation—say, more favorable policies—would he earnestly investigate your death?”
Under the covers, Du Zhaohui’s hands clenched into fists. Kang Lianming’s words struck all his sore spots, and he couldn’t refute them because they were true!
“What are you getting at?”
Who was he threatening? Whatever punishment was coming, Du Zhaohui felt he could take it!
He disliked this ambiguous way of speaking.
“You don’t understand? I’m telling you that your life is worthless because the Du family doesn’t lack sons, but Kang Wei’s life is precious. He’s my elder brother’s only son. When my brother died on the battlefield, Kang Wei wasn’t even born yet. I watched him grow from a wrinkled infant, let him idle away his days because he lost his father before birth—I wanted him to enjoy life… but you nearly killed him. Your momentary carelessness and willfulness have left our entire family to bear the consequences.”
The Kang family couldn’t bear losing Kang Wei.
Never mind Kang Lianming himself—look at Xie Yun, who still hadn’t fully recovered from losing her husband. The early death of Kang Lianming’s elder brother was the Kang family’s unmentionable scar.
If anything happened to Kang Wei, Xie Yun would surely lose her will to live.
Then there were the Kang family elders—the old master might bear it better, but Grandmother Kang, who treated Kang Wei as her treasure, would certainly not survive it!
If it had been just an accident, Kang Lianming would have accepted it. But this accident could have been avoided—if Du Zhaohui’s convoy hadn’t treated Pengcheng’s streets like their private road, Kang Wei wouldn’t have been hurt!
Afterward, Du Zhaohui’s attitude also disgusted Kang Lianming.
This person didn’t value human life. Even if he apologized verbally, it would be hypocritical—Kang Lianming could see through Du Zhaohui’s facade at a glance.
What, did Du Zhaohui think he could put a price on Kang Wei’s life? Did he think that because Kang Lianming was just an uncle, he would reach an agreement once the price was right and let the matter slide?
Du Zhaohui wasn’t entirely wrong—everything was negotiable.
He just underestimated Kang Wei’s importance to the Kang family.
Compensation? How much?
Kang Lianming had no interest in money!
For leading cadres like him, the desire for money wasn’t that strong. Their salary covered all daily expenses, housing was state-allocated, transportation was provided, and even after retirement, their benefits wouldn’t decrease. Cadres in the 80s had their political aspirations… Money spent was gone, but their work in office could influence many people.
Put more pretentiously, people like Kang Lianming sought to leave their “mark” on changing times.
What Du Zhaohui could offer, Kang Lianming scorned!
Kang Lianming was especially angry now—because of Kang Wei’s injury because Du Zhaohui cheapened human life. Kang Wei was vital to the Kang family, yet Du Zhaohui was so casual, thinking some money or favors would suffice… Kang Lianming truly felt the urge to find a car and run over Du Zhaohui too.
Then he could discuss settlement terms with Du Chengrong in front of Du Zhaohui, letting him feel how worthless his own life was.
Both of Du Zhaohui’s hands were clenched into fists. In all his life, he’d never been scolded like this by an outsider.
Usually, Du Zhaohui looked down on others—money could buy life, and countless people rushed to take bullets for him, Xia Dajun being one!
Was Kang Wei’s life too expensive for him to buy?
Kang Lianming stood up from his seat, his elevated position allowing him to see Du Zhaohui’s expression.
Young people don’t hide their thoughts—or perhaps they disdain to hide them, thinking Beijing is far away. The Du family mainly operated in the Special Zone, and Kang Lianming, being from Beijing, wasn’t in direct authority—surely he couldn’t do anything to Du Zhaohui.
“You’ll see.”
You’ll see how important Kang Wei is to the Kang family.
Just as Kang Lianming finished speaking, his secretary entered as if right on cue:
“Leader, he’s awake.”
Kang Wei was awake!
Kang Lianming didn’t waste another moment and turned to leave. Inexplicably, Du Zhaohui felt relieved. The pressure Kang Lianming had just applied told Du Zhaohui that if Kang Wei hadn’t woken up, Kang Lianming would truly have killed Du Zhaohui to avenge him—forget about the driver, Kang Lianming didn’t buy that excuse. Without Du Zhaohui’s permission, would the driver dare to speed through Pengcheng’s streets?
As soon as Kang Lianming left, Du Zhaohui got out of the hospital bed. While his bodyguards thought the young master was going to see the injured party, Du Zhaohui grabbed the bedside chair and smashed it to pieces.
After venting, Du Zhaohui rubbed the half of his face where he’d lost his tooth:
“Have someone bring Xia Dajun to Pengcheng!”