Liang Qimao couldn’t even remember how he had climbed onto the tractor. It wasn’t until his hands touched the familiar controls that he snapped back to reality, noticing the impatient gaze of the people below.
Qi Fang had actually managed to repair the tractor—despite Director Xu’s inability to fix it and the lack of spare parts. Even if the tractor couldn’t run properly in the end, the fact that Qi Fang had gotten it to start and modified the parts made him seem far from just a lumberjack.
Liang Qimao almost didn’t recognize the word “lumberjack” anymore. Yet, almost instinctively, he pressed the buttons ingrained in his memory.
The tractor sputtered to life and circled the repair yard. Whether moving forward or turning, it felt no different from before. He tested a few other buttons—all functional. It wasn’t just about starting the engine.
This made him glance down at the tall figure below, only to see Xu Wenli waving at him and shouting, “Take it out! Take it out for a test run!”
Since he was already on it, driving a little or a lot made no difference. He withdrew his gaze and steered the tractor out through the repair yard’s gate.
The yard wasn’t far from the main office, and soon enough, someone noticed the commotion. Secretary Lang quickly approached. “It’s fixed? Everything works?”
“It runs.” Whether he liked it or not, Liang Qimao had to answer truthfully.
Xu Wenli, who had followed behind the tractor, added, “Qi Fang fixed it. He even modified a spare part himself.”
“Modified a part?” Secretary Lang was genuinely surprised. “Qi Fang has that kind of skill?”
“Why else would I suggest letting him try? He’s done it once before in my shop. The folks at the town’s repair factory must be out of their minds—letting someone with such talent get transferred to the forestry station.”
Xu Wenli couldn’t help but grumble about it every time he remembered. But if the town’s repair factory hadn’t made that mistake, they wouldn’t have Qi Fang in the first place.
The two watched as the tractor circled the small square without issue. Liang Qimao brought it to a stop and asked, “Should I keep driving?”
“Leave it for now. I’ll send an engine crew later to haul it up the mountain.”
Secretary Lang let out a sigh of relief. With these two TY-12s operational, even if the logging trucks couldn’t be repaired immediately, the logging work wouldn’t be delayed too much.
Xu Wenli also relaxed. At least Qi Fang had fixed the problem—otherwise, his two apprentices would’ve made a mess of things.
Secretary Lang turned to Xu Wenli again. “See if you can patch up those logging trucks in the meantime. We can’t just leave them sitting idle.”
Xu Wenli was about to nod when he hesitated. “How about letting Qi Fang stay here on loan for a few more days?”
Liang Qimao, who had just climbed down from the tractor, overheard this and immediately felt uneasy.
Xu Wenli, however, pressed on, afraid Secretary Lang might refuse. “You’ve seen his skills. What if these TY-12s break down again before the town’s repair factory fixes the issue?”
Until the town’s repair factory identified and resolved the problem, they’d have to rely on these two TY-12s. And everyone knew the TY-12s were old Soviet imports—even more prone to breakdowns than the logging trucks, which was why they’d been replaced in the first place.
Xu Wenli had another consideration, though he wasn’t entirely sure about it, so he kept it to himself. Still, Secretary Lang nodded. “Fine. Let him stay here on loan for a while.”
In just a few sentences, Qi Fang was spared from returning to the harsh, snowy mountains for logging work. Liang Qimao felt a pang of frustration.
If he’d known Qi Fang had this kind of skill, why had he bothered provoking him? Why had he followed him down here? Now he just looked like a fool.
To make matters worse, upon hearing about the temporary transfer, Qi Fang asked, “Can I ride the engine crew’s vehicle up the mountain to fetch my things?”
How could Secretary Lang or Xu Wenli refuse? So Qi Fang ended up riding back up the mountain with Liang Qimao.
The entire way, Qi Fang remained expressionless, neither looking at him nor mocking him outright. But the lack of mockery somehow felt worse than mockery itself.
And did this guy know something? Liang Qimao couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that Qi Fang might drop another bombshell on him.
By the time they reached the mountain camp and parted ways, Liang Qimao was practically fleeing, walking so fast he might as well have been sprinting.
When Qi Fang returned to the camp dormitory, Liu Weiguo and the others had just come back from work. They were surprised to see him. “You didn’t stay down there for the night?”
If it had been them, once they’d made it down, why rush back? They’d have spent the night at home with their wives and kids, enjoying the warmth of the hearth.
Someone joked, “That’s just Qi Fang for you. If it were Weiguo, he’d have gone straight home to see his wife and kid.”
“No kidding. His mom came up to visit today, and every other word out of his mouth was about his wife and kid. His heart’s already back home.”
Liu Weiguo laughed along, not denying it, and even offered Qi Fang a handful of sunflower seeds. “My mom brought these up. My wife roasted them.”
He emphasized the last part, his pride practically oozing from his expression.
Qi Fang glanced at him but didn’t take the seeds. “I came back to pack my things.”
Liu Weiguo was taken aback. “Pack? Why?”
“I’m being temporarily transferred to the repair yard.”
For a long moment, Liu Weiguo was speechless. Then—
“Damn it, Qi Fang! You get to go home?! Why don’t I ever get lucky like that?”
They were supposed to be stuck up here together, living like monks. How come Qi Fang got to break the rules?
At least before, knowing everyone else was in the same boat, Liu Weiguo could console himself with the thought that even if he went home, he couldn’t do much—still better than the others. But now…
Liu Weiguo was downright miserable, especially when he saw Qi Fang pull out a stash of food from his locker and then roll up the bearskin blanket.
This guy was taking everything his wife had prepared for him, leaving only the bare essentials in the dormitory.
When Qi Fang returned with his bags, Yan Jigang and Second Old Lady were equally surprised. Yan Jigang’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Brother-in-law?!”
Yan Xue, however, didn’t seem fazed. She stepped forward to take his things. “How long are you staying this time?”
“Not sure.” Qi Fang didn’t hand them over, carrying them inside himself. When he came back out, he noticed the contraption they’d been fiddling with in the yard. “New?”
Yan Xue had just commissioned a sled, about the same size as the one Liu Chunca had used to haul things up the mountain. Yan Jigang had been playing with it for a while, even making Second Old Lady sit on it while he huffed and puffed, pulling her around.
Eager to explain, Yan Jigang piped up, “Sister said… for pinecone bombs!” His enthusiasm was palpable.
Qi Fang gave a quiet “Mm,” then lifted Yan Jigang onto the sled and pulled him around a couple of laps.
Soon, the yard was filled with Yan Jigang’s delighted laughter. Once he’d had enough, Qi Fang set the sled aside and went inside, washing his hands and removing his coat.
Second Old Lady still seemed uneasy about his sudden return. She approached and asked, “Everything alright?”
“No problem. The repair yard couldn’t fix the tractors, so they borrowed me for a few days.”
Qi Fang made it sound simple. But once they were alone in their room, he seized the moment, cupped Yan Xue’s face, and planted a firm kiss on her lips.
It really was a loud "mwah" sound when he kissed her, making Yan Xue swat at him. "Are you that childish?"
"You're the one who made me call you 'sister,'" the man shamelessly replied, even tilting Yan Xue's chin up as if to kiss her again.
This time, Yan Xue covered his mouth with her hand, causing him to lower his peach-blossom eyes and glance at her before pressing a light kiss to her palm.
Yan Xue had come to realize that while this man usually appeared quiet, aloof, and more mature than his peers, he occasionally displayed downright childish behavior when in a good mood.
Like just now, insisting on making that exaggerated kissing sound, or that time he deliberately touched her head with wet hands.
Remembering this, Yan Xue pushed his face away. "That day you came back from town and re-starched all the bedsheets at home—did something good happen?"
She had asked casually, but to her surprise, the man actually paused, his lashes lowering. "Which day?"
This was practically playing dumb. Yan Xue’s curiosity was piqued. "The day you went to town to buy bricks and tiles. You even brought me seaweed jelly—don’t tell me you forgot?"
Qi Fang hadn’t forgotten, of course, but he kept his handsome face expressionless as he replied, "Yeah, forgot."
How could he admit that he had run into Qi Fang and even wished him luck in finding a matchmaking partner?
Seeing that Yan Xue was about to press further, he lowered his voice. "While I was gone, you didn’t let Jigang come back, did you?"
His peach-blossom eyes fixed on her, making it impossible for Yan Xue to miss the suggestive undertone in his words.
So he really didn’t want to talk about it—resorting to this tactic. Yan Xue curved her eyes. "I did. Grandma and Jigang are both staying in our place now."
Qi Fang’s expression froze again, only for Yan Xue to laugh and push him. "Did you really think they’d want to squeeze in with me? They have their own place."
She took a couple of steps back and sat on the edge of the kang, shifting to business. "Is the issue with this batch of Jicai-50 tractors easy to fix?"
Something as big as a tractor couldn’t be discreetly moved to the repair shop, which was why Yan Xue hadn’t been surprised when the man returned.
Hearing her question, Qi Fang leaned against the writing desk. "Not exactly easy. There’s a design flaw in the hydraulic system."
Worried she might not understand, he added, "A flawed hydraulic system puts extra strain on connected components, causing them to wear out. It wasn’t a problem when the weather was warm, but now that it’s cold..."
No wonder they had been fine before, only breaking down after a few days of logging in the mountains.
But since he said it wasn’t easy to fix rather than impossible, he probably already had a solution in mind. Yan Xue didn’t understand the technicalities, so she didn’t ask further.
She just lowered her voice. "With such a major flaw, the person who designed this hydraulic system should be held accountable, right?"
"Who knows?" Qi Fang scoffed coldly. "He’s got connections, and those people are all in cahoots with him."
Some people and some things were beyond their reach—for now. But not everyone was powerless.
Yan Xue blinked at him. "The town’s repair shop is in trouble now. All the local forestry centers switched to Jicai-50 this year."
And trouble it was. After three straight days of nonstop work without identifying the root cause, the repair shop was in chaos.
First came the relentless calls from the forestry centers, then pressure from town officials. The office phone rang incessantly, giving everyone a headache.
The electricians, laborers, and apprentices had it easier, but skilled technicians like Chen Jizhong, who earned higher wages, bore the brunt of the pressure. He hadn’t slept properly in two nights, only catching short naps in his chair.
To make matters worse, people weren’t just calling—they were showing up in person to demand answers. "It’s been three days. Haven’t you found the problem yet?"
"Can you hurry up? The forestry centers need those tractors. We can’t just leave the logs lying around."
"Secretary Qu sent me to ask about these Jicai-50 tractors. The bureau still has quotas to meet this year."
At first, Chen Jizhong tried to placate them, but eventually, his patience wore thin. While he could tolerate the bureau’s people, he snapped at the forestry center workers. "You’re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? I didn’t make these tractors, and the county never said they’d have this issue!"
The visitor was taken aback, and a manager quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Don’t take it personally. Master Chen hasn’t slept in three days. He’s stressed, so his tone might be a bit sharp."
Then, by way of explanation: "When the county engineers came, they never mentioned this problem. We’ve already contacted them to send someone down to take a look."
"If the Jicai-50 can’t be fixed, can you at least spare some time to repair our TY-12s? We need something to keep working."
"We’d like to, but when? Just in this short time, three groups have already come to rush us."
What else could the visitor say? He left fuming, knowing he’d probably get an earful back at the center for failing his task.
To make matters worse, his stomach was acting up, so before leaving the repair shop, he ducked into the restroom.
As he was adjusting his pants, he overheard two workers grumbling outside.
"Three days straight—telling us to dismantle this, then that. Can’t they give us a break?"
"Quit complaining. He’s the master technician; we’re just laborers."
"When Qi Fang was in the technical team, he never acted like this. They pushed him out, and now look—nothing gets done."
The man, clearly fed up, added, "If Qi Fang hadn’t gone to Jinchuan, this might’ve been fixed already. He’s way more capable."
"I told you to keep it down. Keep going, and someone might report you to Master Chen."
After that, whether they stopped talking or just lowered their voices, the visitor couldn’t hear.
But one name stuck in his mind—Qi Fang from Jinchuan Forestry Center.
Instead of leaving immediately, he circled back and found another worker. "Hey, has Jinchuan Forestry Center been pressing you guys these past few days?"
"Of course. Which center hasn’t? The shop’s phone lines are burning up."
The answer disappointed him, but he pressed on. "Did they send anyone here in person?"
"Now that you mention it, no. They’ve only called a few times."
The visitor didn’t ask further. After thanking the worker, he left and reported back to his center right away.
"You think they’re not rushing because they’ve got a solution?" The center’s secretary sounded skeptical. "What solution could they possibly have?"
"Just call and ask. What’s the harm? Better than sitting around waiting."
Their center was practically at a standstill—three out of four Jicai-50 tractors were down, with only one barely functioning, and both TY-12s were out of commission.
So the call was made to Jinchuan Forestry Center. Secretary Lang was surprised when he picked up. "You’re asking about Qi Fang? Yeah, we’ve got him. Why?"
"He used to work at the town repair shop, right?" The caller double-checked.
When he heard the other party get straight to the point—"Tell me honestly, has your forestry center already found a solution? Is that why you haven’t been pressing the town’s repair plant?"—he realized something.
Some things are all about perspective. When you think you’re in a bad spot, only to find someone worse off, suddenly your situation doesn’t seem so dire.
That was exactly how Secretary Lang felt. When asked, he even took a sip of water before answering, "It’s not exactly a solution, but we’ve managed to get two TY-12s up and running for now."
The other party perked up at the mention of repairs. "Is it Qi Fang from your forestry center who fixed them? I’ve heard he’s even better than the master technicians at the town’s repair plant."
This was pure flattery, of course. When you need a favor, a little praise never hurts—it makes the request easier to bring up later.
Secretary Lang wasn’t fooled. He didn’t let the compliments go to his head or make any grand promises. "I’m not sure if he can fix them. You’d have to ask him yourself. If you’re in a hurry, I can call him over, and you can explain the situation."
The other side quickly agreed, saying they’d bring someone from their small repair shop to talk to Qi Fang.
After hanging up, Secretary Lang considered sending someone to fetch Qi Fang but hesitated, then decided to go himself.
When he arrived, Xu Wenli and Qi Fang were squeezed inside the cab of a Jicai-50, bent over and examining something. Qi Fang spoke, and Xu Wenli nodded along, his expression serious.
Secretary Lang paused, waiting for them to straighten up before calling out to Xu Wenli.
"Secretary Lang, you’re here? Any news from the town’s repair plant?" Xu Wenli asked immediately.
Secretary Lang sighed. "Not yet." He didn’t mention Qi Fang right away. "Find anything?"
It was just a casual question, but Xu Wenli’s expression brightened. "It’s an issue with the newly replaced hydrostatic system. Qi Fang and I were just discussing it."
Now Secretary Lang paid full attention. "You’re sure? Can it be fixed?"
"We’re sure about the problem," Xu Wenli confirmed. "As for fixing it, we’re still working on it, but we’ve got some ideas."
Secretary Lang glanced at Qi Fang again. "If you can get it working—even just barely—I’ll put in a request with the town to transfer Qi Fang to the small repair shop."
That was exactly what Xu Wenli wanted to hear. "You better mean that. Don’t come back later saying the shop’s already full and it’s too complicated."
"You’ve had him fixing the loudspeakers and the heating system—all to make this happen, right?" Secretary Lang saw right through him. "Enough. I need Qi Fang for something else." He turned to Qi Fang. "Naoshan Forestry Center has two more TY-12s. They want to know if you can fix them."
Without wasting words, Qi Fang washed his hands and followed Secretary Lang to the office. That same afternoon, Naoshan’s two TY-12s were hauled to Jinchuan Forestry Center by an internal combustion engine.
They came prepared, bringing spare parts they’d already gotten from the town. The head of their small repair shop tagged along, working with Xu Wenli to help Qi Fang get the machines running again.
Once fixed, they stopped worrying. With two TY-12s operational, they weren’t the worst off anymore. Why bother dealing with the town repair plant’s attitude?
Meanwhile, Chen Jizhong was still frustrated with the county machinery plant. No matter how many times the repair plant’s director called, the answer was always the same: "No time." The engineer Chen had contacted at the county plant was no better.
After days of pushing, someone finally showed up. They took a look, said it was the same issue as the tractors in two other towns—faulty hydrostatic systems—and left without a solution, only mentioning that the county was contacting the manufacturer.
Chen was tempted to mutter what others said about their repair plant: "Can’t even fix this after all this time? Some county machinery plant."
But then he realized something. The forestry centers that had been hounding them for repairs had gone quiet.
Rumors said a few had taken TY-12 parts from them—maybe they’d figured out how to fix the machines themselves.
Truth was, most had stopped bothering the town repair plant. Pressuring them wasn’t getting results. Better to focus on fixing what they could to keep logging operations running.
The well-connected forestry centers had already reached out to Secretary Lang, sending their broken TY-12s to Jinchuan.
Those slower on the uptake eventually caught on, asking around until they heard: Jinchuan had a guy named Qi Fang, formerly from the town repair plant, who could fix them.
Of course, some only caught bits and pieces before getting distracted. By the time they circled back, they’d forgotten whether the name was Jinchuan or Xiaojinchuan.
One such caller, after failing to reach the right office, dialed Xiaojinchuan Forestry Center instead. "Secretary Qian, wasn’t there a model worker at your center last year named Qi Fang?"
Secretary Qian remembered. "Yeah, hardworking kid. Always volunteering for extra tasks. Why?"
"Was he from the town repair plant?"
"Not sure. Let me ask around."
But no one knew for certain. Qi Fang was from town, sure, but whether he’d worked at the repair plant was unclear.
Checking the archives didn’t help—floods had damaged many records, leaving others illegible.
Finally, Secretary Qian called Qi Fang down from the mountains. "Qi Fang, did you used to work in town?"
Qi Fang was confused but admitted he’d left school early to work at a construction team for two years.
Secretary Qian sighed in relief. "So you can fix the TY-12s?"
Qi Fang froze. "No. I don’t know how to fix tractors."
Now it was Secretary Qian’s turn to be stunned. "You’re Qi Fang, right? From the town repair plant?"
"My name’s Qi Fang, but I never worked there."
Just then, the office phone rang. Secretary Qian picked up. "What? You got it wrong? It’s Qi Fang from Jinchuan?"
Qi Fang hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but the mention of his name made him look up.
Secretary Qian was exasperated. "I already called him down here, and now you tell me it’s the wrong guy? How do you mix up Jinchuan and Xiaojinchuan?"
But mix-ups happened. Like when Yan Xue’s aunt got it wrong, leading Yan Xue to the wrong person…
Qi Fang lowered his head, thinking the same—until Secretary Qian suddenly stood up.
"What? Jinchuan’s Qi Fang found a solution?"
Qi Fang: Seriously? When they mix me up, I get a wife. When they mix him up, I get extra work?
