Going to the small repair shop meant returning to his old trade.
Though it couldn’t compare to the Chengshui Machinery Repair Factory, let alone the research institute, Qi Fang had previously chosen to become a chainsaw operator just to protect his teacher’s legacy.
Yan Xue couldn’t hide her surprise, but Qi Fang had already given it careful thought.
What was the point of keeping a low profile?
He’d been hiding like a stray dog in this remote mountain area for years, yet Wu Xingde still managed to track him down.
Not only that, after Qi Fang explicitly said he had nothing left, Wu Xingde took advantage of his absence to ransack his home…
Qi Fang’s fingers, which had been pressing against Yan Xue’s, now gently brushed her cheek. “If I don’t react at all after losing everything, won’t people find it suspicious?”
But in the original book, it was mentioned that he worked as a lumberjack for over a decade, right up until the era of reform and opening.
Yan Xue was puzzled, but the next second, the tip of a finger lightly grazed her long lashes. “After all, I’m a man with a family now.”
Wu Xingde’s words were all nonsense, but he was right about one thing—Qi Fang wasn’t alone anymore. He had Yan Xue now. He couldn’t let her suffer in poverty forever.
Yan Xue worked so hard to build a life. She wouldn’t want to see others trampling over them while he just cowered and endured.
Besides, the logging team went up the mountain when the snow fell and didn’t return until March or April the following year. That meant nearly half a year spent in the mountains with no way to come home.
Qi Fang couldn’t resist touching those delicate lashes again. “And it’ll save me from having to watch someone else’s salary eventually surpass mine.”
Yan Xue shied away, ticklish. Hearing his pointed remark, she couldn’t help but retort, “Actually, his salary’s already higher than yours.”
Qi Fang paused, his peach-blossom eyes narrowing as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.
Yan Xue stated the facts. “He’s over a year older than you, so his seniority is longer.”
Qi Fang stiffened again. “You know quite a lot about him.”
“Aunt Qiufang told me.” Yan Xue’s eyes curved into crescents, mirroring the sliver of moon above. “She also said he’s incredibly hardworking—his aunt’s family used to rely on him for all their harvest work.”
She’d once mistaken Qi Fang for Qi Fang (a different person) and even suspected his aunt treated him poorly, unfairly tarnishing Aunt Qi’s reputation.
As she spoke, Qi Fang’s gaze darkened, deeper and deeper, until he finally muttered, “Why does Aunt Qiufang tell you everything?”
Of course, it was because Aunt Qi had confided in Shan Qiufang, not wanting people to think poorly of her nephew.
Yan Xue simply tilted her face up, smiling brightly at him. “Aunt Qiufang also said he’s in excellent shape—never gets tired no matter how much he works, never falls ill. He’ll definitely live to eighty or ninety.”
The first part was Shan Qiufang’s exact words. The rest? Pure personal embellishment.
Serves him right—in the original book, he’d ruined his health and died young, all because he refused to properly treat his ailments!
Yan Xue poked his waist, ready to tease him further, but suddenly, his fingers gripped her chin, tilting it up as his lips sealed hers.
The kiss was urgent, punishing, his mouth claiming hers with a fierce suck that made her gasp.
He took advantage, deepening the kiss until she was utterly breathless.
The last time they’d kissed, lying on the kang, the height difference hadn’t been an issue. Now, standing, Yan Xue—barely reaching his chin—had to strain upward, her neck aching.
Her waist was hoisted up, her toes barely touching the ground. Uncomfortable, she soon began to slip.
Qi Fang had to bend low, which was just as awkward, especially when he tried to cup the back of her head to intensify the kiss.
So it didn’t last long before the clumsy positioning forced them apart.
Yan Xue touched her lips with the back of her hand. “Why so rough? You’ll make them swell…”
Before she could finish, strong arms lifted her clear off the ground.
He planted another firm kiss on her mouth. “Let’s relocate.” Then he carried her off.
The sudden lift made Yan Xue clutch his shoulders. When he started walking, she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist.
Qi Fang’s steps faltered. So close, she even heard his sharp inhale.
Then his pace quickened, one hand shifting to support her thighs.
“If it’s too much, just put me down. I can walk,” Yan Xue said, clinging tightly.
“Who said it’s too much?” His breathing had grown uneven, though the distance wasn’t far.
Soon, they stopped. Before her feet touched ground, his hand was already cradling her head, pulling her into another searing kiss.
Yan Xue groped for footing, her toes landing on something unsteady—the stump he used for chopping wood.
With no balance, she could only cling to his shoulders, letting herself be devoured like a sweet surrender.
The night breeze was cool, but in the quiet darkness, one spot burned hotter than noon sunlight.
Much later, amid the chirping crickets, a soft murmur broke the silence. “Loosen your grip… you’re pressing too hard.”
Then came ragged breaths and his husky voice: “When is Jigang going back?”
Of everyone in the household, Qi Fang seemed the most concerned about Yan Jigang’s return date.
After all, who’d have thought they’d been married nearly half a year without consummating it?
Back then, houses were small, rooms few—entire families often shared a single kang. Yet that never stopped children from coming one after another.
The next morning, Yan Jigang couldn’t shake the feeling that his brother-in-law was eyeing him strangely.
Dislike? Impossible. Qi Fang treated him wonderfully—letting his sister bring him over, even carving him a toy gun.
But if it was fondness, why did those handsome eyes hold such depth, their silent gaze so hard to decipher?
After breakfast, Qi Fang finally spoke up: “Is there anything else you want?”
So that was it? Yan Jigang, ever the dutiful child, quickly insisted he lacked nothing.
Too dutiful. After a pause, Qi Fang said, “You can want something.”
Touched, Yan Jigang racked his brain. “Th-this really… isn’t necessary.”
How these two landed on a punchline decades ahead of its time, Yan Xue had no idea. She burst out laughing.
When Qi Fang pressed further, she pinched his waist. “Stop bullying my brother.”
Her fingers barely made a dent. He caught her hand, gave it a light squeeze, then released it calmly. “I wasn’t.”
Really? Then why was he trying to bribe Yan Jigang into leaving, clearing the way for his own plans?
Yan Xue didn’t buy it. But their sweet, guileless Yan Jigang? He totally did.
Little Yan Jigang was completely unaware of his brother-in-law Qi Fang's well-intentioned scheming and meticulous planning. He even tried to defend him earnestly, "S-sis, brother-in-law d-didn’t... he’s b-been really n-nice to me!"
Afraid Yan Xue wouldn’t believe him, he widened his big eyes at her, silently pleading: Believe me, believe me! Just look at my serious little face!
Yan Xue couldn’t help but laugh, shooting Qi Fang a sideways glance. "You’re not even as sensible as a child."
Qi Fang neither confirmed nor denied it, simply reaching out to pat his little brother-in-law’s head. "If there’s anything you want in the future, just tell me."
Yan Jigang nodded vigorously. Once Qi Fang left, he tugged at Yan Xue’s sleeve and whispered, "Sis, brother-in-law r-really didn’t b-bully me."
"I know, you little traitor," Yan Xue pinched his cheek, then sighed. "I just wish you could speak as smoothly as you do in your dreams."
This made Yan Jigang blush, and he quickly scurried off to help with chores.
Since Qi Fang had already decided to transfer to the small repair workshop, the matter of the chainsaw operator training slot was no longer urgent. He simply carried on with his usual tasks.
But while they weren’t in a hurry, someone else was. Liu Weiguo, having heard the news from who-knows-where, rushed over under the blazing sun. "Is this for real?"
"It’s real," Qi Fang admitted without hesitation, though his hands never stopped drilling holes into the log sections with the hand crank.
Liu Weiguo grew anxious at his calm demeanor. "And you’re just letting it go? Who’s the jerk behind this?"
When Qi Fang still didn’t react much, Liu lowered his voice. "The new list hasn’t been submitted yet, right? Maybe you could pull some strings? If nothing else, my family still has an old ginseng root..."
This was the kind of offer only a true friend would make. Everyone knew the Liu family had valuables, but they also knew they weren’t selling because they didn’t need the money—they were saving it for emergencies.
Qi Fang looked at Liu Weiguo seriously. "Thanks, but it’s not necessary yet."
Liu perked up. "So you’ve got a plan?"
Not one to discuss unfinished business, Qi Fang neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, he asked, "When are you getting married?"
Originally, the Liu family had delayed building a new house because of the second round of sapling cultivation and the undecided wedding date. Surprisingly, this had saved them from disaster—had they built it, the flood would have either ruined a brand-new home or left construction half-finished, either way a nightmare.
Liu Weiguo grinned at the question. "Not sure yet. My mom wants to wait until the house is fully fixed up before going to her family to discuss it."
"Let me and Yan Xue know once it’s settled."
"Of course! We already agreed our kid will call Yan Xue godmother."
Liu had a good memory—he still remembered the casual promise they’d made back in the mountains.
What he didn’t notice was the pointed look Qi Fang gave him at the mention of their kid.
Helping Qi Fang move the drilled logs, Liu asked, "What’re you guys working on anyway?" Then he nudged him with an elbow. "Didn’t you say you’d have ‘two in three years’ by now? So? Am I an uncle yet?"
"In a hurry?" Qi Fang gave him another look.
"You’re the one who said it’d happen this year! Half the year’s already gone—what’s the hold-up?"
"If you’re eager to call me ‘Dad,’ I can make it happen right now."
The words stunned Liu for a second before he nearly jumped out of his skin. "Damn it, Qi Fang! You’re messing with me!"
After drilling enough logs for Yan Xue’s use, Qi Fang washed his hands and headed to the small repair workshop.
Inside, chaos reigned. The flood had spared the tractors, but other machinery, too heavy to move, had been submerged. Now that the waters had receded, repairs were underway. With the entire forestry station relying on this one workshop, Xu Wenli was swamped.
Seeing Qi Fang, Xu assumed he’d come to borrow the lathe again. "The machines might not be usable yet—I haven’t had time to check."
He’d been busy fixing the generator and other equipment for the station office, leaving the workshop unattended.
Qi Fang paused but didn’t leave. Instead, he asked, "Mind if I take a look?"
Xu, who mentored apprentices himself, had always admired Qi Fang’s quiet efficiency and quick learning. It was a shame he hadn’t joined the workshop officially.
So he didn’t see the request as a nuisance. "Go ahead, but no guarantees."
Thanking him, Qi Fang entered. Instead of suiting up immediately, he first powered on the machine to test it.
As expected, it didn’t work. Unfazed, he borrowed some tools, dismantled the machine, and laid out the parts in what seemed like chaos but had an underlying order.
Noticing Xu watching, Qi Fang glanced up. "Mind if I use the welder?"
Xu checked—a welded metal component had cracked. Though he’d seen Qi Fang assemble and polish parts before, he’d never seen him weld. After a moment’s thought, Xu nodded. "Go ahead."
But he didn’t leave, handing Qi Fang protective gear and suiting up himself to observe.
Qi Fang didn’t mind. Mask on, he began welding.
The first time Qi Fang had come to polish parts, Xu had remarked on his steady hands. Indeed, Qi Fang had an uncanny ability to focus completely, his fingers moving with precision. If a part needed three strokes, he never made four. His welds were startlingly smooth, unlike the rough seams left by others.
"You’re as good as some seasoned masters," Xu said, inspecting the work. "You sure you never worked at the town’s repair shop?"
Usually, Qi Fang wouldn’t answer. This time, he did. "I did."
Xu blinked. "I knew it! This isn’t something you pick up casually." Then, puzzled, "So why’d you end up as a lumberjack?"
Qi Fang reassembled the cleaned parts, voice even. "Got demoted in ’66."
Xu understood immediately. "Those idiots! Wasting talent like yours in the logging team..."
Qi Fang said nothing, oiling the parts before reassembling and testing the machine again.
This time, it started smoothly. Xu watched the young man, regret deepening.
Before he could say more, someone rushed in. "Uncle Xu, Director Yu wants to know when the speakers will be fixed. It’s been days!"
"And how many times have you asked?" Xu snapped. "I’m buried in work here—when do I have time for speakers?"
The forestry station housed two to three hundred families, spread out enough that the main station’s loudspeaker couldn’t cover everyone. Each household had a small speaker wired to the central station—a rudimentary but functional broadcast system.
This thing is quite convenient to use—whether for broadcasting announcements, news, or playing songs to liven up everyone's leisure time—but repairing it is a hassle, especially after a flood.
The small repair shop had no spare hands, and even Xu Wenli found it troublesome, especially since the shop was already swamped with work.
The visitor knew this too. "I'm just following orders from above. Whatever they tell me to do, I have to do."
"Just go back and tell him I'm too busy to handle it right now," Xu Wenli dismissed the man, only to remember Qi Fang was still there when he turned around.
Qi Fang had already taken off his protective suit. Glancing in the direction the visitor had disappeared, he asked, "Is the broadcast urgently needed at the farm?"
"Not necessarily urgent," Xu Wenli said. "But this falls under Director Yu's responsibility, so he’ll definitely push to get it fixed as soon as possible. Never mind how swamped the repair shop is already..."
At this point, he suddenly paused and studied Qi Fang carefully. "Xiao Qi, is your thing urgent?"
Qi Fang didn’t actually have anything pressing, but he still replied, "Not too urgent. Why?"
"If you're not in a hurry, could you help me deal with Director Yu?"
Though the request was a bit abrupt, Qi Fang had borrowed equipment from him before, so they had some rapport.
True to form, Qi Fang didn’t react negatively. He simply asked, "Repairing the speakers?"
"Exactly. Otherwise, he’ll send someone to pester me eight times a day."
Xu Wenli was clearly fed up with the constant reminders. "Just do me this favor—handle it temporarily until I can free up some hands here."
He even gave Qi Fang an encouraging look. "If you can fix a lathe, a little speaker should be no problem for you."
He knew Qi Fang’s capabilities, but when Director Yu saw the person he’d brought, he frowned. "Why’d you bring him?"
Xu Wenli had personally escorted Qi Fang precisely because he anticipated this reaction. "Don’t underestimate Xiao Qi. He’s from the town’s machinery repair factory—way more skilled than our small repair shop guys. He just fixed a lathe for me."
Seeing Director Yu still skeptical, Xu Wenli laid it out plainly: "If you don’t want him, I’ll take him back. I’m swamped as it is. But just so you know, your job will have to wait at least five or six days, after I’ve finished repairing the generators and everything else."
By then, it’d be too late. Left with no choice, Director Yu agreed to let Qi Fang try.
Still, he wasn’t fully convinced, so he assigned someone to follow Qi Fang—ostensibly to assist with tools, but really to keep an eye on him. If Qi Fang couldn’t fix it, he’d be replaced immediately.
So on a scorching hot day, Yu Yongzhi was lounging at home, fanning himself, when Qi Fang walked in wearing a short-sleeved shirt, trailed by a familiar face carrying a toolbox.
Yu Yongzhi was baffled. "What’re you doing at my place?"
Qi Fang frowned slightly at the sight of him shirtless again. "Here to repair the speaker."
"Why you? You’re not from the repair shop."
Yu Yongzhi still didn’t get it, but Qi Fang ignored him, already reaching for the small speaker mounted on the wall.
Left with no choice, Yu Yongzhi turned to the familiar face. "What’s going on?"
The man couldn’t explain outright. "Manager Xu recommended him. The repair shop’s too backed up."
"Backed up or not, they shouldn’t send him. What if he breaks it?"
If he broke it, they’d just stop him—simple as that. The farm had been broadcasting continuously to identify which households had faulty speakers, and the ones Qi Fang and the assistant had visited earlier were all fine. The assistant had no idea if Qi Fang could actually fix them.
While they were talking, Qi Fang had already disassembled the speaker, inspected it, and retrieved a new diaphragm from the toolbox.
The diaphragm was the core component for electroacoustic conversion, usually made of paper or fabric—the part most likely to fail after water damage.
After replacing the diaphragm, Qi Fang reassembled the speaker, reattached it to the wall, and reconnected the wire to the farm’s main broadcast system.
Whoosh—
Yu Yongzhi and the man assigned to monitor Qi Fang both turned their heads, waiting to see if the repair worked.
Then, the speaker began playing the melodious tune of The East Is Red.
Though slightly distorted, what speaker in this era wasn’t?
So Qi Fang really could fix it?
Before they could process it, Qi Fang had already packed up his tools and glanced at his companion. "Next house."
The man hurried after him. Yu Yongzhi, perhaps addled by the heat, inexplicably followed too.
They visited three more homes before finding another faulty speaker.
This time, Qi Fang took it apart but didn’t replace anything—just put it back together as-is.
"So… did he fix it or not?" Yu Yongzhi couldn’t help asking the assistant.
The assistant had no clue. If he knew how, he’d have done it himself instead of letting Qi Fang take over.
So both men stared intently—only to find the speaker didn’t work after reinstallation.
For some reason, Yu Yongzhi felt relieved. "I told you—"
Before he could finish, Qi Fang unplugged the speaker again, pulled a new one from the toolbox, and plugged it in. Still no sound.
Yu Yongzhi’s words died in his throat.
Ignoring him, Qi Fang disconnected the new speaker and left the old one unplugged. "Note this down—it’s probably a wiring issue."
He couldn’t replace the wiring—he hadn’t brought enough supplies.
The assistant understood and, clearly prepared, immediately jotted it down.
Qi Fang glanced at the note, packed his tools, and carried the box himself this time. "Next house."
Yu Yongzhi, still inexplicably tagging along, followed until Qi Fang had finished repairing speakers on several streets. Only then did he slap his arm. "Damn, it’s roasting out here!"
The assistant wasn’t faring much better, even though he’d only been carrying tools and taking notes.
In contrast, Qi Fang, though sweating and clearly hot, remained composed, his expression unchanging.
So much so that when Qi Fang checked his watch and announced he was heading back to the repair shop, the assistant was momentarily surprised.
He’d half-expected the man to be some kind of machine, working nonstop until nightfall.
Xu Wenli, buried in work, had nearly forgotten about Qi Fang too. It took him a couple of seconds to recall the speaker repairs.
"How many did you fix?" he asked Qi Fang.
The assistant was still thinking when Qi Fang replied calmly, "In the southeast section of the farm, there are 74 households in total. Forty-two had no issues, 21 needed diaphragm replacements, five required new coils… and nine need wiring repairs—Zhang Dawei’s, Wang Lizhi’s…"
No one knew how he’d managed to memorize so many details while working, let alone recite them flawlessly in one go.
The assistant hesitated before handing Xu Wenli the list of homes needing wiring fixes.
Xu Wenli skimmed it—exactly nine households, every name correct. They could head straight over to replace the wires.
Having worked at the repair shop for a decade, he’d never seen anyone so efficient. He studied Qi Fang for a long moment before musing, "Is the second round of young forest cultivation starting soon?"
Before Qi Fang could answer, Xu Wenli added, "I’ll talk to your team leader. We’ll borrow you for a few days."
Qi Fang: What do you mean my health isn't good? Dare you send my brother-in-law back?
P.S. "Duanmu" isn't a typo—it refers to logs of wood.
