There was a transfer order, which meant it was an official reassignment, not just a temporary transfer.
Qi Fang frowned slightly upon hearing this. "I didn't ask for this."
Qu Mingli also thought Qi Fang probably didn’t have the connections—otherwise, how could he have been pushed to the forestry station, working as a lumberjack for three years?
But this was strange. Unless the person was absolutely indispensable, it wasn’t easy for the county machinery factory to pull someone from below.
After all, the small repair shop wasn’t a direct subsidiary of the machinery factory. They’d have to submit a request to the bureau first, going through layers of approval.
And what Qi Fang could do, the town’s repair shop could handle just fine. There was no urgent need for him to go, so the county machinery factory was making an unnecessary fuss.
This made Qu Mingli’s expression turn serious. "So you really had no idea about this?"
Normally, if someone was being transferred, their opinion would be sought first—unless they were already in the know.
But Qi Fang said, "No idea." Then he asked, "Was it the county’s direct order, or did the machinery factory request it from the county?"
Qu Mingli wasn’t sure either, so he simply ended the call. "Wait, let me see if I can find out more."
That wait lasted until after work that evening, with no updates from Qu Mingli, so Qi Fang packed up and went home.
When he told Yan Xue about it, she was also surprised. "They’re going to such lengths?"
Given Qi Fang’s skills, working at the county machinery factory wouldn’t be a problem—in fact, it’d be a waste of his talent. But that was because Yan Xue knew he was destined to become a heavyweight in heavy industry.
The people at the county machinery factory didn’t know that. Even if they found out he was a university graduate—a prodigy who’d been admitted at fourteen—shouldn’t they have talked to him first if they wanted to recruit him?
There was probably something else going on. The couple exchanged a glance and decided to wait for Secretary Qu’s response.
The next afternoon, Qu Mingli finally called back. The transfer was indeed initiated by the machinery factory through the county forestry bureau, but the idea had come from an engineer at the research institute.
The engineer claimed that Qi Fang’s part design was exceptionally clever and expressed a strong desire to collaborate further, possibly optimizing it.
"They were in a real hurry and didn’t ask for your opinion, but if you want to go, it’s a decent opportunity."
After all, the county was better than staying at the forestry station. Qu Mingli thought Qi Fang would likely accept.
But Qi Fang only focused on one word from his explanation. "Research institute?"
"Yes, the one that developed this hydraulic system."
Qu Mingli couldn’t say too much, but he dropped a hint. "They sent an engineer earlier, supposedly to help us solve the problem, but after looking around, he left."
Qi Fang immediately understood—the institute’s proposed solution wasn’t as good as his, so they had no way to proceed.
Yet his peach-blossom eyes darkened, because no one knew better than him who had designed that hydraulic system.
Wu Xingde—or rather, his teacher. Wu Xingde had merely refined his teacher’s unfinished work.
The system had just suffered a major failure, and Qi Fang had only just devised a fix when someone rushed to transfer him to the county machinery factory. Wasn’t that too much of a coincidence?
"You think this is Wu Xingde’s doing?" Yan Xue raised an eyebrow at the mention of the research institute when Qi Fang told her later. "Does he still suspect you’re holding onto something?"
As sharp as ever, she didn’t need explanations to grasp the deeper implications.
No wonder Qi Fang never doubted he’d mistaken her identity—even at her age, before life had hardened him, he hadn’t been this perceptive or resourceful.
Meeting her calm, steady gaze, he didn’t commit to an answer. "Just a suspicion for now."
That was enough. With someone like Wu Xingde, no precaution was excessive—and no one had more motive than him.
"Seems like the issues with the Jicai-50 have been weighing on him," Yan Xue mused with a faint smile. "Otherwise, he wouldn’t have panicked the moment you made a move."
Qi Fang’s patch was indeed better than Wu Xingde’s, but it wasn’t based on his teacher’s work—it was his own solution.
He’d promised his teacher never to exploit his legacy, not even to fix Wu Xingde’s mistakes or advance his own career.
But Wu Xingde wouldn’t see it that way. A man like him, rotten to the core, always assumed the worst of others. Even if Qi Fang handed over his teacher’s research with both hands, Wu Xingde would still doubt its authenticity, suspecting Qi Fang had kept something back.
Yan Xue slowly sat at the writing desk, studying him. "So, what’s your plan? Are you going or not?"
"I’ll go." Qi Fang’s reply was brief. "I need to see what he’s plotting."
"Fair enough." Yan Xue nodded. "Better to let him show his hand now, so we can put his suspicions to rest. At least this time, we’re prepared."
They were lucky to have some rapport with Secretary Qu, who’d reached out to Qi Fang first when this happened.
Without that connection, without that call, Qi Fang would’ve been transferred without warning, completely defenseless.
And the town and forestry station? They’d have assumed Qi Fang had pulled strings himself, chasing better prospects after his recent performance.
Wu Xingde was truly troublesome—whether you acted against him or not, he’d always be watching. Yan Xue couldn’t fathom how Qi Fang had tolerated him for so many years in the original story.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, a deep voice sounded above her. "Is all this too much trouble?"
"It is quite troublesome," Yan Xue admitted, watching as his peach-blossom eyes lowered and his lips pressed into a thin line.
That made her eyes curve in amusement. "So, even though I’ve already opened the package, can I still return it?"
"Don’t even think about it," Qi Fang shot back.
Noticing the mischief in her gaze, he added firmly, "And no exchanges either."
This time, Yan Xue really laughed. "You’re never going to let that go, are you?"
But even if they’d decided to go to the county and see what Wu Xingde was up to, they couldn’t just follow his lead blindly.
There was Yan Xue’s household registration to consider, her wood ear cultivation, and the network they’d built in the forestry station and town—none of which extended to the county.
If Qi Fang were transferred, he’d be at a disadvantage in unfamiliar territory. After some thought, Yan Xue asked, "Is there any room to negotiate?"
She suspected Secretary Qu had approached them first instead of directly processing Qi Fang’s transfer because he wanted to hear their thoughts.
Sure enough, Qi Fang met her eyes. "I told Secretary Qu to arrange a temporary transfer for me."
Exactly what Yan Xue had been thinking—they had to go, but they couldn’t uproot themselves. A temporary transfer was the best option; those on loan weren’t under the town repair shop’s jurisdiction.
Of course a man like him wouldn’t walk into a trap willingly. "Did Secretary Qu agree?"
Qu Mingli naturally agreed. Setting aside the fact that Qi Fang had just helped him resolve an urgent crisis, both out of personal gratitude and common courtesy, he had to give Qi Fang some face if he made a request. Moreover, the county had transferred someone—and such an important person at that—without even consulting him, clearly not taking him seriously as the town’s Party secretary.
After confirming that Qi Fang truly didn’t want to go, Qu Mingli didn’t outright refuse the transfer order. Instead, he delayed its issuance, letting it sit untouched.
As expected, it was the county, not them, who grew anxious. Within two days, they called to press, asking why the person hadn’t arrived yet.
Qu Mingli immediately began airing his grievances—how the entire town’s burdens rested on his shoulders alone, how he was waiting for the county to provide a solution but received no clear response.
How they had finally found someone to fix the problem, but he wasn’t sure if it was done well, and how he’d been losing sleep worrying that someone might report the tractors breaking down again.
So, the person couldn’t be transferred—he was too badly needed here. If something went wrong again, borrowing help from the county would be difficult.
The county officials quickly grasped two things from his complaints: first, he genuinely didn’t want to let Qi Fang go, and second, he was dissatisfied with the county’s slow response to their problems.
But it wasn’t as if the county could solve the issue either. They had only managed to come up with a solution after the research institute sent someone, and even then, their fix wasn’t as good as Qi Fang’s.
Precisely because their repairs on the Jicai-50 tractors were unsatisfactory, and because they couldn’t replicate the part Qi Fang had made, the county officials were at their wits’ end. To make matters worse, Qu Mingli had deep connections, so if he refused to release Qi Fang, there was little they could do.
After some discussion, they finally conceded: Fine, if you won’t transfer him, at least lend him to us, won’t you?
Qu Mingli promptly brought up Qi Fang’s supposed illness—how the young man had been overworked, pulling long shifts with little overtime pay, and how his health still hadn’t fully recovered.
The county machinery factory staff quickly caught his drift and offered to cover overtime pay and meal allowances if Qi Fang was loaned to them.
After hanging up, they couldn’t help but grumble about the engineer from the research institute.
Why not just borrow someone from the town repair shop? It’s not like they couldn’t fix it. Why insist on Qi Fang? Now we’ve gone through all this trouble and even have to pay extra.
Qu Mingli, on the other hand, was in high spirits after the call. He soon informed Qi Fang about the temporary assignment—in addition to his regular wages, he’d receive a daily subsidy of one yuan.
If overtime was required, he’d be paid hourly, and working a full eight extra hours would count as an additional workday.
Even if Qi Fang only worked two extra hours a day, his monthly earnings would double what he made at the forestry station.
With such terms, Qi Fang had no reason to refuse. After all, he had intended to go anyway. He thanked Secretary Qu profusely for negotiating on his behalf.
When he told Yan Xue about it, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Secretary Qu drives a hard bargain, doesn’t he?”
It went without saying that the cost would ultimately fall on the engineer—and by extension, the research institute.
And since the research institute was under Wu Xingde’s purview, this meant Wu had already suffered a loss before even attempting any underhanded schemes.
Yan Xue jokingly suggested a mischievous plan: “Why not work slower? Stretch it out a few more days, put in extra hours at night.”
Qi Fang immediately turned to look at her, his peach-blossom eyes darkening. “Do you really not want me to come back?”
“Not really,” she teased before relenting. “Just don’t overdo the overtime. I don’t want you collapsing again after just recovering.”
The thought of Qi Fang’s early demise in the original novel still weighed on her. She was afraid he’d neglect his health the moment she wasn’t around to watch him.
Her concern softened his expression. He gazed down at her, his voice quiet but firm. “I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
News of the temporary assignment spread quickly, and even without knowing about the earlier transfer order, the forestry station workers were stunned.
Just a month ago, Qi Fang had been a lumberjack in the mountains. Four months before that, they’d all laughed when his training application was rejected.
Yet in such a short time, he had not only solved a problem the town repair shop couldn’t fix—forcing them to learn from him—but now even the county was relying on him.
Soon, “Little Qi” was upgraded to “Master Qi.” When Yan Xue ran into people outside, they’d ask, How’s your Master Qi doing?
But Master Qi himself wasn’t pleased. He had just come down from the mountains, and now he had to leave again, with no certainty of when he’d return.
Of course, his usual aloof expression gave nothing away. Only Yan Xue could detect the suppressed frustration in those peach-blossom eyes.
Then again, others weren’t subjected to the full force of that frustration—Yan Xue was the one who endured it every night.
Master Qi “rested” at home for two more days before finally “recovering” under the county machinery factory’s repeated urging and setting off for the county.
The factory, knowing he’d depart that day, sent someone to wait at the long-distance bus station. Spotting a young man who didn’t rush off after disembarking, the representative approached. “Are you Comrade Qi Fang?”
Qi Fang nodded. “I am.”
The man immediately introduced himself. “Hello, hello! I’m from the factory—you can call me Xiao Kong.”
Internally, though, he couldn’t help but wonder: He’s so young. Doesn’t look a day over twenty-five. Can he really solve the problem?
His skepticism was understandable—the factory had invested heavily in this. If Qi Fang failed, they’d lose big.
Even the engineer from Qinghua Engineering Machinery Research Institute, surnamed Shen, thought Qi Fang looked far too young.
Early twenties at most—in our institute, he’d still be fetching tea and running errands. And they say he came up with the solution? Shen was deeply doubtful.
Moreover, his superiors had hinted that he should sound Qi Fang out—see if he could truly resolve the issue.
A kid fresh out of the forestry station, barely out of his teens—what problems could he possibly solve?
Still, Shen smiled and shook Qi Fang’s hand. “So you’re Comrade Qi Fang. I didn’t expect you to be so young.”
Outside the forestry station, Qi Fang was even more distant and reserved. His long fingers briefly clasped Shen’s before he uttered just two words: “Hello.”
Without even asking where the dormitory was, he dropped his belongings in the nearest office. “Shall we start now?”
His no-nonsense demeanor caught Shen off guard. “If you don’t need to rest, we can begin immediately.”
Qi Fang simply asked where he could find work clothes, changed into them, and got straight to work without hesitation.
Shen glanced at Qi Fang’s abandoned belongings before quickly following, briefing him on the situation. “Out of 53 Jicai-50 tractors across two towns, we’ve repaired 41, but the results aren’t ideal. Time was too tight, and the institute wasn’t prepared.”
He couldn’t resist adding that last part—it wasn’t that they were incompetent compared to some small-town mechanic, just that they’d been too far away and lacked sufficient time.
Qi Fang listened without comment, his expression unreadable. Then, that very night, he dragged Shen into working past midnight.
At first, Shen kept up, privately noting that while the kid might not be exceptional in other areas, his focus and efficiency were impressive.
But he soon realized his mistake—Qi Fang had at least one undeniable talent: an inhuman endurance for long hours.
It was already this late, yet this person showed no signs of fatigue, his expression unchanged, like an indefatigable machine.
He really couldn’t hold on any longer. "I know you’re in a hurry, but the work can’t be finished in a single day. How about we call it a night for now?"
Qi Fang seemed to only just notice the time. He glanced at the others, whose eyelids were barely staying open, then back at him, his brow slightly furrowed. "I thought you were the ones in a rush."
Being in a rush doesn’t mean treating people like machines! He had overtime pay—no matter how much he worked, it all counted. The others might not be so lucky.
Especially Engineer Shen. He only had a travel allowance. Staying up all night with Qi Fang, who got paid for overtime, was practically madness.
It was only Qi Fang’s first day, and he was already grumbling inwardly about the tasks assigned by the institute. "Go get some rest. Even if you don’t sleep, the others still need to."
Only then did Qi Fang pack up his tools, change his clothes, and follow Xiao Kong, who was also exhausted, to the temporary dormitory to settle in for the night.
Before turning off the light after washing up, he checked the time—exactly 1 a.m. Yan Xue must have been sound asleep for hours.
That girl never cared whether he was home or not. She’d still set her traps, still roast pine cones as usual…
Yan Xue had indeed fallen asleep long ago, but for some reason, she woke up groggily.
Not feeling the familiar embrace, her first thought was that Qi Fang had gone up the mountain. After a moment, she remembered he’d already been transferred to the small repair factory.
Realizing Qi Fang had been temporarily assigned to the county town and wasn’t home, the last remnants of sleepiness vanished completely.
She stared at the dark ceiling for a while, then got up to drink some water. As she returned, the small clock in the opposite room chimed—1 a.m.
The next morning, Yan Xue woke up slightly later than usual, proving that it wasn’t just Qi Fang’s presence at home that made her sleep in.
As she stepped out, Yan Jigang happened to emerge from the opposite room, still half-asleep with his eyes closed. "Good morning, sis. Good morning, brother-in-law."
When drowsy, he spoke as smoothly as if sleep-talking, without his usual stutter, which amused Yan Xue.
But before her smile could fully form, the barely awake boy opened his eyes, puzzled. "Where’s brother-in-law? Still sleeping?"
Her amusement turned to resignation. "Your brother-in-law went on a business trip. Did you forget?"
After breakfast, Yan Jigang shouldered his schoolbag and left. While Yan Xue and the elderly woman were washing dishes, someone knocked on the door. "This old radio of mine isn’t working again. Is Qi Fang available to take a look?"
Another inquiry about Qi Fang. Yan Xue smiled at the visitor. "He’s been temporarily assigned to the county town. He left yesterday."
"Already left yesterday? I didn’t hear a thing. Thought he was still here."
The visitor was clearly disappointed. Since she was already here, she stayed to chat for a while, praising how capable Qi Fang was before finally leaving.
After finishing the dishes, Yan Xue noticed the water vat was only half full. She took the shoulder pole from the wall, wrapped the chain around it to secure the buckets, and headed to the river to fetch water.
By the riverbank, she ran into Liu Weiguo, who had just finished filling his own buckets and was about to head back. It was obvious he couldn’t resist sneaking home to see his wife.
Thankfully, as a chainsaw operator, his work was faster than others—he could finish two or three days’ worth in one, freeing up time for side jobs or a quick trip home.
The moment Liu Weiguo’s gaze landed on her buckets, Yan Xue preempted his question. "Qi Fang’s been assigned to the county machinery factory. He’s not home."
But Liu Weiguo just looked at her. "I know Qi Fang’s not home. I was just gonna offer to help you fetch water. The bank’s a bit slippery here—easy to fall."
Yan Xue paused. She’d assumed he, like everyone else, was going to ask about Qi Fang.
Noticing her reaction, Liu Weiguo chuckled. "What? Miss him already, and he’s only been gone a day?"
It wasn’t so much that she missed him—it was just that everyone kept asking…
Unfazed by his teasing, Yan Xue shot back with a smile, "Not as much as you miss your wife, I’m sure."
Liu Weiguo didn’t deny it. "Well, I’ve got two to miss now. There’s a little one on the way too."
He couldn’t help sharing the news. "Mom says she’s stopped feeling sick and has a big appetite—must be a sturdy little boy."
With Liu Weiguo away, Huang Fengying had brought Zhou Wenhui to stay with her, unwilling to leave her daughter-in-law alone.
Yan Xue often visited the Liu household and knew all this. Seeing his grin stretch ear to ear, she asked, "Did you hear about what happened at the forestry station the other day?"
Liu Weiguo immediately clutched his chest in exaggerated agony. "Why’re you just like Qi Fang, poking right where it hurts?"
Well, if he couldn’t keep his mouth shut and loved to show off, even Yan Xue sometimes felt the urge to tease him.
Being petite, Yan Xue didn’t refuse Liu Weiguo’s offer to help carry the water.
As they walked back, he called after her, "If you need anything while Qi Fang’s away, just go to my mom. Or come find me up the mountain."
It was the kind of offer only a close friend would make. Yan Xue smiled and nodded, then couldn’t help adding, "Qi Fang’s just in the county town—it’s not like he’s gone far. When he’s logging up the mountain, he’s gone for months too."
"It’s not the same," Liu Weiguo said. "When he’s on the mountain, you can visit anytime. If something comes up, a shout’ll bring him down. The county’s different."
That was true. Yan Xue had wondered why Qi Fang’s absence this time felt… different.
Like a real separation.
Back home, even the elderly woman was murmuring, "I hear that county machinery factory’s quite something. Half the parts in the forestry station’s engines come from there. Must be plenty of skilled folks around. Hope Qi Fang doesn’t get pushed around."
Yan Xue, pouring water into the vat, laughed at that. "You’re worried about someone bullying him? More like him bullying others."
"What kind of talk is that?" The old woman gave her a slow, reproachful look. "Qi Fang’s a good boy. Why would he bully anyone?"
That’s because you didn’t see the drama during that affair scandal, or how terrified Miss Yan was of Qi Fang.
Just as Yan Xue set down the empty bucket and picked up the next, Aunt Guo arrived, asking right away, "Has Qi Fang left yet?"
Yan Xue was getting used to this. Still pouring water, she replied, "He left yesterday. Did you need something?"
Aunt Guo gasped. "Already gone yesterday? Someone from the repair factory came looking for him."
Someone from the repair factory looking for Qi Fang?
Yan Xue paused mid-pour. "Do you know who was asking for him?"
"Some research institute fellow," Aunt Guo said, not entirely clear herself. "Said Qi Fang helped them solve some big problem. Came to thank him."
She clearly had a good impression of the visitor. "So humble too—a big shot like that coming in person."
Yan Xue listened, her long lashes lowering slightly.
It seems Wu Xingde's transfer of Qi Fang has some intentions behind it—though what exactly the county authorities have planned remains unclear. At least half of it is likely aimed at the forestry station.
The question is whether they're trying to gather information from others... or if they'll come straight for her.
Yan Xue: Well, well. How much are you willing to bleed for this?
