It wasn’t that the person introduced by Jin Baozhi's mother was problematic—it was just that she looked far too young.
Yan Xue herself was petite, but the girl standing before her was even smaller, barely reaching her chin.
She was thin, bundled in a worn-out padded jacket, her face tiny with only her eyes appearing unusually large.
Unconsciously, Yan Xue softened her voice, as if afraid of startling her. "How old are you?"
Seeing her gentle demeanor, the girl seemed less nervous than when she first entered, though her voice remained small. "Sixteen."
While formal employment required workers to be at least eighteen, it wasn’t uncommon in those days for children to start working at sixteen or seventeen—whether farming in the production teams or taking on temporary jobs elsewhere.
Yan Xue understood the hardships of the era: large families, scarce resources, and children forced to fend for themselves to put food on the table. But she doubted the girl was truly sixteen.
"May I see your household registration?" Her tone stayed kind, yet the question instantly flustered the girl.
"I can work hard!" the girl pleaded urgently. "I can wash clothes, cook, fetch water, feed chickens—I can do it all!"
She even turned to Jin Baozhi's mother, who had brought her, for support. "Aunt Jin, you know I’m capable, right?"
But her desperation only made her voice sound even younger.
Yan Xue also looked at Jin Baozhi's mother. "If she were really sixteen, I’d take her. But she doesn’t even look thirteen."
Even by the standards of her past life, this was the age of an elementary school student. She wasn’t heartless enough to employ a child.
Hearing this, the girl’s eyes reddened. "I really am sixteen—I’m just small for my age. Please, please let me stay..."
Jin Baozhi's mother sighed. "I’m not trying to trouble you, but her family has no able-bodied workers left. If she doesn’t work here, she’ll have to earn work points in the fields. Look at her—do you think she can survive that? She has a father and younger siblings to feed."
Compared to farming, the work at Yan Xue’s place was lighter, at least not requiring her to break hard soil row by row under the sun.
But what caught Yan Xue’s attention was the phrase "no able-bodied workers" and "father and younger siblings." "Did something happen to her family?"
Jin Baozhi's mother nodded. "Last year, her father tried to save a child and was hit by a train. Both legs were amputated. He was the family’s only breadwinner. With him bedridden, they’re desperate—too many mouths to feed. What choice does she have but to work?"
She didn’t mention the family of the child her father had saved, but it was clear they couldn’t support her household either. In such cases, gratitude often soured into resentment.
And in those days, the country was poor—no handouts of food or money. The eldest child had to step up, whether assigned a permanent job in the city or sent to the fields to earn work points.
It was cruel for a child this young. Even working in the city would be a struggle, let alone swinging a hoe under the scorching sun.
As Yan Xue looked at the girl, she saw her own past reflected—though she’d been luckier by comparison.
Still, she shook her head. "She’s too young. I really can’t take someone this small..."
Before she could finish speaking, the little girl’s tears fell, but she quickly wiped them away and said nothing more.
Ever since her father had been disabled, she had already witnessed the harsh realities of human nature and knew she was burdening others.
Jin Baozhi’s mother wanted to say more, but even Aunt Guo couldn’t bear it. "Isn’t the pay based on work? Why not give her a little less?"
No one expected Yan Xue to suddenly shift the conversation. "But I can hire her father instead."
The girl looked up in shock, her tears still clinging to her cheeks. "H-hire my father?"
Jin Baozhi’s mother was equally surprised, while Aunt Guo, after a moment of astonishment, seemed to recall something and her eyes lit up.
Sure enough, Yan Xue’s gaze softened. "I have some work here that only requires hands. The question is whether your father would be willing to do it."
This made the girl hesitate again. "But... can my father manage?" She sounded deeply uncertain.
Aunt Guo, however, remembered Guo Chang’an from back then. "Whether he can or not isn’t for us to decide. Let him come and try. I once thought Chang’an couldn’t do it either."
And so, before the day was over, Third Uncle Jin returned with his ox-cart, carrying a man whose legs had been amputated at the knees and placing him on the kang in Yan Xue’s house.
The man was only in his thirties, but his temples were already streaked with white hair. The little girl who had visited earlier that morning stayed close by his side, tending to him.
Yan Xue poured water for everyone before sitting down at the writing desk. She asked the man, "Aunt Jin must have told you everything when she got back?"
The man nodded, his expression numb, as if he had long grown unaccustomed to conversation. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "You said you didn’t want my girl... you wanted me."
When he first heard this from Jin’s wife, he had been stunned. In his mind, a man without legs was nothing but a burden—unable to farm, unable to work, even needing help to relieve himself.
But Yan Xue assured him firmly, "There are indeed tasks here that only require hands. As for daily needs, there are male workers willing to assist you. If mobility is an issue, I can also arrange a tool to help you get around. It’s up to you whether you’re willing."
Sometimes, it’s not the body that breaks a person—it’s the spirit.
A broken body can still rise again if the will remains strong. But a broken spirit? Even the strongest body is useless.
Yan Xue could lend a hand to those who wanted to stand, but she couldn’t lift a soul that chose to wallow in the mud.
She waited for his answer, and for a moment, the room fell into a silence so thick it was almost suffocating.
Third Uncle Jin grew impatient. "Xu Wanchang, say something! It’s just work. If you can do it, I’ll come fetch you every day."
The walk from Dahuan Village to Jinchuan Forestry Farm was only twenty minutes, and by cart, it was even faster. "It won’t take long. I’ll just treat it as taking the ox for a stroll."
The man pressed his lips together, his face twisting in conflict. Third Uncle Jin turned to Yan Xue. "See? Stubborn as a mule. Always afraid of troubling others, never stopping to think that his Xiaoli is only twelve—what can she even do?"
He couldn’t help sighing. "Just bad luck, really. A man who used to earn twelve work points a day, one of the hardest workers in the village, and now this."
At these words, the girl named Xiaoli lowered her head, her eyes reddening again. The man finally spoke, his voice tight. "If you’ll have me... I’ll come and work."
This meant agreement. Third Uncle Jin breathed a sigh of relief, and Yan Xue also smiled, saying, "Then I’ll have Chang'an guide you when the time comes."
The young girl, still so small in age, immediately burst into tears, repeatedly thanking Yan Xue.
Watching this, Yan Xue paused. "But I do have a condition."
This took everyone by surprise. She then turned to the man. "Now that you have work, your daughter should go back to school."
Yan Xue softened her voice. "When times were tough, the child had to sacrifice—forced to earn money for the family at such a young age. But now that there’s a way, she shouldn’t have to suffer anymore. At her age, even if she doesn’t study, the most she can do is take care of the household."
The man instinctively glanced at his daughter and noticed the flicker of hope in her stunned eyes. But under his gaze, it quickly dimmed.
"I won’t go. I don’t like school at all. I’ll just stay home to cook and look after the kids," she muttered, as if convincing both others and herself.
The man let out a long sigh. "You should go to school. The younger ones should be in school too—they don’t need you to watch them."
And so, the matter was settled. The next day, Third Uncle Jin drove them over, and the man began working under Guo Chang'an, tending the boiler, monitoring temperatures, and removing impurities.
Along with them came a large bundle of firewood. "Xiaoli said she had nothing else to give, so she gathered these for you to burn—as thanks for letting her father work here."
Only after everything was finalized did Yan Xue ask for the man’s name. She learned he was Xu Wanchang, and his daughter was Xu Xiaoli.
It surprised her that before she could even pay his first day’s wages, they had already sent firewood. She wondered if the girl had gathered it herself after returning home yesterday.
Yan Xue didn’t mention that the lumberyard had no shortage of firewood. Third Uncle Jin likely knew this too, but they still accepted it, allowing the girl to express her gratitude in her own way.
Originally, Yan Xue had wanted to make a wheelchair for Xu Wanchang, but she couldn’t figure out how to construct one. Instead, she asked Master Jia to craft a simple wooden cart—just a sturdy plank with two wooden wheels on each side, moved by pushing off the ground with wooden blocks.
Yet Xu Wanchang clearly found it better than lying in bed all day. He quickly mastered its use, even learning to load items onto the cart while moving.
To avoid burdening others, he drank as little water as possible during work hours and brought his own lunch from home, eating quickly before returning to his tasks.
However, news that Yan Xue had taken in another amputee soon spread through the lumberyard. Within days, someone else came to introduce another person in need.
First, they brought an eighteen or nineteen-year-old deaf-mute girl, explaining that she had lost her hearing to a childhood fever.
Yan Xue observed that the girl was neatly dressed, her hands calloused from labor, and asked whether she could read or write.
Hearing that she had attended elementary school but hadn’t finished, and knew only a few characters, Yan Xue handed her a dictionary and instructed her to communicate through writing as much as possible before deciding to keep her.
But Yan Xue’s willingness to help those with disabilities, born from her past life’s experiences, didn’t mean she was a fool who handed out kindness indiscriminately.
As she watched the girl before her grinning vacantly and looking around, Yan Xue’s smile faded. "Auntie, what did you just say? Could you repeat that?"
She had obviously heard and understood perfectly well, but her words were merely giving the other party an easy way out, allowing them to retract their request themselves.
Yet the other person clearly lacked both the perception and self-awareness to take the hint.
The woman who had previously tried to introduce her niece to Guo Chang'an stood right in Yan Xue’s courtyard. "Aren’t you hiring? My niece Caixia is just sitting around at home—why don’t you find her a job?"
Her tone was utterly presumptuous, even going so far as to blame Yan Xue. "You never said you’d take just anyone. If I’d known earlier, I would’ve sent her over sooner."
Yan Xue was usually good at keeping her emotions in check, but this nearly made her laugh in disbelief. "And what exactly can your niece do?"
"Isn’t this the kind of person you’re hiring for?" the woman retorted. "Don’t worry, she won’t be any trouble. Just find a spot for her to stay, that’s all."
"Then why don’t you go to the forestry station and ask them to find her a spot? Or better yet, why not have the bureau assign her a place?" Yan Xue’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. "Auntie, do you think I’m an easy target? Maybe I should go ask the station—am I running a charity here?"
If the girl had been slow but capable of basic communication and work, even if it took her longer, Yan Xue might have considered it.
But someone who couldn’t even understand simple words, still wetting herself in her teens? This wasn’t a shelter.
Without giving the woman time to react, Yan Xue turned to leave. "Since the logging team’s back from the mountains, I’ll go ask Secretary Lang and Acting Director Ning about this."
That was the last thing the woman wanted. The forestry station had just finished an outstanding logging season and was holding an awards ceremony at the station office. If Yan Xue showed up and started talking, the leadership would be furious—and her own husband would lose face.
The woman grabbed her niece and stormed off. "Fine, we’ll leave! If you don’t want her, forget it!"
Still seething, she muttered under her breath, "Thought she was so kind-hearted. Probably just mad we didn’t bring gifts. Hope her kid ends up just like Caixia—"
Before she could finish, a broom came swinging at her from behind. Second Old Lady was furious. "Shut your filthy mouth!"
The old woman was livid. Yan Xue was pregnant, and this woman had the nerve to curse her unborn child.
Yan Xue’s expression turned icy. Without another word, she headed straight for the station office.
The woman tried to stop her, but Second Old Lady whacked her again with the broom. "Can’t you speak like a human? All that comes out is garbage!"
Yan Xue walked all the way to the station’s small square, where the awards ceremony was still underway. Secretary Lang was announcing this year’s outstanding workers.
Unsurprisingly, Qi Fang—though no longer part of the logging team—was recognized for his contributions to the entire county. Since he was now in town, Liu Weiguo accepted the enamel mug and towel on his behalf.
Spotting Yan Xue afterward, Liu Weiguo quickly handed them to her. "You should’ve come earlier—could’ve let you accept it for him."
Yan Xue smiled faintly but said nothing. She waited until the ceremony ended, then immediately approached Secretary Lang.
His microphone was still on, so everyone heard clearly—
"What? Someone tried to force a mentally disabled girl on you and cursed your unborn child?"
The crowd froze. Several of Yan Xue’s close friends turned pale with anger on the spot.
Secretary Lang’s expression wasn’t much better either. Frowning, he scanned the crowd below and asked, “Which comrade surnamed Pan has a niece from his wife’s side with intellectual disabilities?”
Pan Dagao stood among the crowd. Hearing the earlier remark, he had already sensed trouble, and now many around him were staring his way.
Secretary Lang didn’t name names. “Comrade Yan Xue has a kind heart and is willing to give opportunities to those with disabilities. But do you really think her kindness means she’s easy to take advantage of? And let me remind you—again—that mushroom cultivation is a crucial project for our forestry center and even the bureau. If you can’t contribute, at least don’t cause trouble.”
Even without naming names, everyone knew who he was referring to. Pan Dagao’s face turned pale, then flushed with shame, as if he wished he could vanish on the spot.
Secretary Lang didn’t drag it out. After delivering the reprimand, he shifted to the upcoming construction at the pilot site, urging everyone to pitch in for volunteer labor.
Yan Xue hadn’t expected this to escalate much. By confronting Secretary Lang publicly, she simply wanted him to issue a warning.
With his words, anyone else thinking of dumping unwanted relatives on her would now have to consider whether she—or the forestry center—would tolerate it.
But she wasn’t about to let the matter slide. After thanking Secretary Lang and returning, she blacklisted anyone connected to Pan Dagao’s wife.
Pan Dagao and his brother both worked at the forestry center, and his younger brother’s wife had signed up for short-term work under Yan Xue.
With the logging team already back from the mountains and the cleanup work for the families’ team nearly finished, she was about to start at Yan Xue’s project. But now, Yan Xue suddenly refused to take her on.
When the sister-in-law found out it was because Pan Dagao’s wife had tried to force a mentally challenged niece onto Yan Xue, she stormed over and fought with her.
After the fight, she came begging to Yan Xue, but Yan Xue remained unmoved, simply stating that she had enough workers for the year. Furious, the sister-in-law went back and fought Pan Dagao’s wife again.
Blocking someone’s livelihood is like killing their parents. Losing a well-paying job that earned over a yuan a day meant this grudge would last. Every time she remembered, she’d curse Pan Dagao’s wife.
Yan Xue’s harsh example worked. After this, no one dared to cross her again, and the construction of the workshop and the inoculation of fungal strains proceeded smoothly.
The uneven temperatures in the cultivation room had initially caused inconsistent growth rates among the mycelium, but this turned out to be useful. They could now inoculate in batches—taking the faster-growing ones first and shifting the rest accordingly.
By mid-April, Yan Xue had completed all the fungal strain inoculations. After a few more days spent cleaning glass jars and storing them, she finally had some free time—just as Qi Fang suddenly returned.
His return was unexpected. If he had finished his work at the town’s machinery repair plant, he should have brought tools or materials. If he was back on leave, it wasn’t the repair plant’s scheduled day off.
Worse, he hadn’t taken the small train back but had hitched a ride on the bureau’s internal combustion engine. This made Yan Xue suspect something was wrong.
When she asked, he hesitated, then looked at her. “Inspectors are coming down to decide whether to replace the hydrostatic system.”
When they first installed that hydrostatic system, they had boasted about its efficiency and fuel savings. But as soon as logging started, problems arose.
Though Qi Fang had managed a temporary fix to keep operations running, the components wore out much faster than the old hydraulic system, and they couldn’t even run at full power.
Previously, the logging team had been too busy with their work, but now that they had come down from the mountains and the machinery had been stored away, the forestry bureau began considering the issue.
Several months had passed, and it was clear Wu Xingde still hadn’t come up with a solution. The forestry bureau no longer held out hope that he would.
Yan Xue noticed the furrow between Qi Fang’s brows and reached out to smooth it with her fingers. “If this batch of hydraulic systems is replaced, will Wu Xingde’s project have to be suspended?”
“Not necessarily.” Qi Fang didn’t let her massage him for long, taking her hand in his instead. “Even if they decide to replace them, it’s not guaranteed. The cost of switching systems is substantial.”
Sure enough, when Qi Fang went to the repair workshop, the inspectors from above made their rounds, asked many questions, but left without confirming whether the systems would be replaced.
That night, before turning off the lights, Qi Fang was quieter than usual, sitting at the desk and sketching diagrams for a long while.
Since becoming pregnant, Yan Xue had been noticeably more prone to drowsiness. She yawned as she watched him. “Do you regret it?”
She didn’t elaborate, but Qi Fang understood what she meant—whether he regretted letting the research on static hydraulics remain unresolved.
The question made his pen pause. “No. The technology wasn’t meant to be introduced at this stage anyway.”
Still, Wu Xingde’s system was built on Su Changqing’s foundation. To have it dismissed, doubted, and possibly replaced so soon—Qi Fang guessed Wu Xingde had endured plenty of harsh criticism that day.
Yan Xue thought for a moment, then brought up the phone call she had overheard in Qu Mingli’s office. “He seemed quite familiar with that official from the provincial government. His connections must run deep.”
Qi Fang knew what she was implying. “We’ll see.” Noticing another yawn from her, he stood and began putting away his things. “I’ve kept you from sleeping.”
“It’s fine. I’ve just been busy, and now that things have settled, I’m extra tired.”
Yan Xue slipped under the covers first. Soon after, she felt Qi Fang turn off the light and lie down beside her, his hand resting on her abdomen.
At first, it was just a light touch, but then he stroked it once, then again. “Did Doctor Song misjudge? It’s been over three months.”
Meaning, after three months, shouldn’t there be something noticeable?
Yan Xue couldn’t help but laugh. “At three months, it’s only about the size of a lemon. If you could feel anything, it’d just mean I’ve gained weight.”
Qi Fang fell silent. After a long pause, he asked, “You know about lemons?”
Yan Xue, nearly asleep, jolted awake at the question.
In this era, even bananas were a rarity in the north—where would she have seen a lemon? She must have been too drowsy.
Still, she didn’t panic. “I heard someone mention them before.” A foolproof excuse.
Qi Fang was quiet again for a while. “How old were you when you went to the Yan Family Village?”
“About nine, by the traditional count.” Though unsure why he suddenly asked, she added, “I was almost old enough to start school, but it didn’t happen.”
Between the sudden relocation and the famine that struck soon after her mother remarried into the Yan Family Village—Yan Jigang had barely survived.
It was only because her stepfather had somehow secured a connection outside, often bringing back fish and shrimp, that the family managed to scrape by.
Qi Fang, however, was thinking that at nine, she should have remembered quite a bit. Yan Xue was sharp—her memory couldn’t be much worse than his.
Could she really have learned all this from her biological father’s side?
At the very least, life in the Yan Family Village wouldn’t have given her such broad knowledge…
Qi Fang pondered for a moment, about to ask more, but Yan Xue clearly didn’t want to dwell on the past. "Haven’t you finished modifying that bulldozer and excavator yet?"
She remembered the man had said it would take half a month, but now it had been almost a month, and he still hadn’t returned.
Qi Fang didn’t press further. "Almost done, but there’s someone being a nuisance."
"You mean Chen Jizhong?" Yan Xue understood immediately. "Is he causing trouble for you again?"
"A part broke before, delaying things for nearly a week. I suspect it was his doing."
Qi Fang spoke calmly, but there was a hint of calculation in his tone. "So before coming back this time, I specifically told them to keep an eye on a certain component. Otherwise, all our previous efforts would go to waste."
Now this was something Yan Xue couldn’t ignore. She rolled onto her side, propping herself up on an elbow to look at him. "You’re setting a trap for him?"
Qi Fang’s gaze lingered briefly on her smooth, fair skin, realizing that perhaps not everything had stayed exactly the same…
He tugged the slipping blanket back up, covering her from shoulders to neck, before murmuring a low "Mm."
Yan Xue didn’t notice his lingering look. "How are you planning to catch him red-handed?"
"I added a device inside. If anyone tampers with that part, it’ll spray them right in the face."
"Paint?"
"No, dye from the textile factory." Qi Fang glanced at her leisurely and added, "The kind that doesn’t wash off skin."
Qi Fang: Let’s see him try to weasel out of this one!
