The moment the words "can't wield a knife anymore" were uttered, Qi Fang's gaze instantly froze on her.
As if afraid he didn’t understand, Yan Xue deliberately glanced at their son between them, then at the distance separating the two.
This time, Qi Fang didn’t just stiffen his stare—his jaw tensed as well. Yet after watching her for a long moment, he neither spoke nor moved.
This was so unlike Comrade Qi Fang that Yan Xue was taken aback. "You really can’t wield a knife anymore?" she teased.
Back when they first married and were still unfamiliar with each other, his restraint made sense. But now, with a child between them, it wasn’t like him to suddenly turn cold again.
Yan Xue studied the deepening intensity in his eyes. "Unless… you never actually liked women at all? Married me just to continue the family line, and now that you’ve got—"
Before she could finish the word "child," the man accused of being a fraudulent groom reached over, picked up their son, and placed him on his other side.
Yan Xue reacted quickly—the moment he moved to grab their child, she scooted back. But Qi Fang was faster, seizing her ankle in an iron grip.
The next second, she was dragged toward him, and then his body pressed down, pinning her firmly beneath him.
"Weren’t you quite the talker just now?" he murmured before capturing her lips in a kiss laced with punishment.
Ever since the last time he’d angered her, he’d been treading carefully. It had been a while since Yan Xue had seen him this aggressive.
And she could already feel the unsheathed blade of the guard, the teacher’s ruler from the cabinet, and the secretary’s ever-present little assistant…
Honestly, his condition seemed excellent. She managed to catch her breath mid-tangle and countered, "Seems like you’re plenty energetic to me."
No sooner had she spoken than his lips sealed hers again, his scorching fingers slipping beneath her clothes to grip her waist.
Two years of marriage had taught him exactly where her weaknesses lay. Her body instantly melted, her voice softening into a whimper.
Only then did his relentless kisses gentler, trailing downward, past valleys and ascending peaks…
Now Yan Xue wasn’t just weak—she hastily pushed at his shoulders. "Are you really stealing food from your own son?"
Qi Fang seemed slightly caught off guard too. With that push, he released her, but the milky scent lingered as he continued his descent.
Soon, Yan Xue was beyond words, stifling her sounds by biting into the blanket.
Master Qi proved with practiced ease that his hands were as steady as ever—whether handling machinery or her, he was more than capable.
Sometimes, Yan Xue felt like a piece of cotton candy, soft and sweet for him to savor. Other times, she was a pool of spring water, losing all shape under his touch.
By the time Qi Fang sat up, wiping his lips with the back of his hand, she was utterly spent, flushed from head to toe.
"Can I still wield a knife?" he asked, holding her gaze with those peach-blossom eyes, still brushing his mouth.
The sheer desire radiating off him was overwhelming, yet his clothes remained perfectly fastened, not a single button undone—a stark contrast that made her reach for his collar.
She wanted to see that tiny mole, but he caught her hand.
A featherlight kiss landed on her fingertips. "Not yet?" His eyes never left hers as his lips traveled from her fingers to her knuckles, then her shoulder…
Pink blossoms bloomed on snow, reigniting the barely cooled heat. Yan Xue bit the blanket again.
This time, she was drenched in sweat, too exhausted to lift a finger as he fetched water and tenderly cleaned her from head to toe.
Just as drowsiness began to claim her, she felt a soft little bundle placed back beside her.
Yan Xue jolted awake, turning to see Qi Fang already lying down, pulling up the covers as if ready to sleep.
He had her wound up like a drawn bowstring, only to leave her unraveled while he settled in?
She sat up abruptly, clutching the blanket as she scrutinized him. "Qi Fang, something’s wrong with you."
Her tone wasn’t questioning—it was certain.
Narrowing her eyes, she added, "Are you hiding something from me?"
There was no dodging it now. Qi Fang met her gaze. "No."
"No?" she echoed lightly, arching a brow.
He immediately sat up, surrendering. "I just… didn’t want you to get pregnant again."
Yan Xue blinked. He pulled her into his arms. "Wei Xiaochuan’s wife is expecting again."
Before she could wonder who Wei Xiaochuan was, he explained, "A coworker at the repair shop. Their last child is only nine months old."
Nine months, and already another pregnancy. Not only would the older child lose its mother’s milk, but such frequent childbirth took a severe toll on the mother.
Qi Fang cupped Yan Xue’s face, his expression solemn. "Xue, one is enough for us."
He glanced at their peacefully sleeping little one. "This one’s all we need. I’ll go get a vasectomy in a couple of days."
She hadn’t expected him to be serious—she’d thought his earlier mention of it was just talk.
Most men prized their virility, preferring their wives to undergo sterilization rather than themselves.
After a pause, she searched his face. "Have you already done it, or…?"
"I promised I’d discuss things with you first," he said, holding her gaze.
That reassured her. She’d been afraid he’d take matters into his own hands again.
Vasectomies in this era were still risky, with high chances of complications.
Yet after hearing him out, she pushed his hands away and lay back down. "Then go ahead."
Her reaction clearly surprised him, especially when she turned her back to him.
"Wife?" he called softly, but Yan Xue didn’t turn. "I’ve heard men lose stamina after vasectomies."
Her tone was casual, as if discussing the weather. "No strength left, can’t even handle slightly heavy work."
Qi Fang stiffened. He’d only vaguely known vasectomies prevented pregnancy—not that they might weaken him.
Yan Xue cared deeply about that. After all, there was still that other Qi Fang, the one with exceptional stamina…
"And," she added, glancing at him, "some men become completely useless afterward."
Now he was rigid. But Yan Xue had already closed her eyes. "It’s fine, go ahead."
Her voice was calm, even amused. "You’ve always had good luck. This kind of misfortune won’t happen to you. And even if it does, it’s no big deal."
She left unspoken why it wouldn’t matter, and Qi Fang wasn’t eager to ask.
He sat in silence for a long moment before leaning close, his lips brushing her ear. "Then what do you suggest?"
He truly didn’t want her to go through another pregnancy—the exhaustion, the danger of childbirth. That day, waiting outside the delivery room, it had felt like awaiting a death sentence.
For a moment, he’d wondered: if something happened to Yan Xue, what would he do? What could he do?
His fingers traced her cheek, wordless, yet everything was conveyed in that tender touch.
Yan Xue glanced at him and said, "Pulling out, safe period, condoms... Can't you think of any other way? Does it have to be a vasectomy?"
There is no absolutely safe contraceptive method in this world, except for doing nothing at all.
But it wasn’t yet the time for family planning policies, and if they got pregnant, they’d have no choice but to abort. They had tried their best, but if it still happened, it would be a gift from heaven.
Yan Xue didn’t know how others felt, but she wasn’t particularly fixated on having only one child.
In her past life, she had lived alone with her father, and during the hardest times, she had even wished for a sibling.
Even if that sibling couldn’t be relied on, just having someone like that would have been a kind of emotional anchor, a place for her weariness and uncertainty to rest occasionally.
During the most chaotic period of her memories in this life, it was Ji Gang who had stayed by her side, taking care of her, warming her heart, and helping her recover day by day.
She turned around and gently touched her son’s little face. "Besides, you never asked our son—what if he wants a little brother or sister?"
Her gaze was warm and tender, making Qi Fang pause for a moment as his eyes lingered on the mother and child nestled together.
But after a while, he still asked, "What’s a condom?" The question caught Yan Xue off guard.
She had almost forgotten the limitations of the era—even a prodigy who entered university at fourteen had gaps in his knowledge.
Yan Xue kept her expression neutral as she continued looking at the baby. "I don’t know either, just heard someone mention it."
"You’ve heard of quite a few things," Qi Fang murmured, still watching her. "You even know that vasectomies can have side effects and harm the body."
Here he was, a grown man preparing to get a vasectomy, yet she knew more about it than he did.
Qi Fang was realizing more and more how little he understood Yan Xue. But before he could probe further, the little one beside them stirred and began fussing.
That was a sure sign he was about to cry. Whether it was feeding or changing diapers, they had to act fast—otherwise, he’d wail loud enough to shake the roof.
The couple had no choice but to tend to the baby first. By the time they finished, Yan Xue’s eyelids were already heavy with exhaustion.
Later, Qi Fang still found time to go to the town hospital and inquire. The staff were surprised by his questions about vasectomies.
In this era, people were encouraged to have as many children as they wanted—families with four, five, or even six or seven kids were completely normal. Who would even ask about sterilization?
Condoms were the same—hardly anyone knew about them. After asking around for a long time, he finally got an answer.
But knowing what they were didn’t help. There were none for sale in Chengshui, nor were they distributed. The person who told him had only heard about them from somewhere else.
Qi Fang grew even more puzzled but decided to set it aside for now. He went to the town’s Forestry Bureau to see Qu Mingli.
With the new year just beginning, work was slow, and logging was nearly finished—the perfect time to bring up certain plans.
When Qi Fang arrived, Qu Mingli was on the phone. "Wasn’t it agreed on twenty-one carts? Why has it jumped to eighty?"
Spotting Qi Fang, Qu Mingli motioned for him to sit and wait while he continued, his brow furrowed. "Yes, we only want the tree tops and the substandard logs, not the branches. But even those are just firewood at the logging site, sold for ten yuan a cart."
Clearly, some town had reneged on a prior agreement to sell lumber, suddenly demanding more and quoting an outrageous price—eighty yuan per cart.
Last year, when Jinchuan Forestry Farm grew mushrooms, other farms had sent them wood for free.
Though Chengshui and the other town were on equal footing, with no authority to requisition their leftover logging materials, eighty yuan for a single horse-drawn cart was practically daylight robbery.
Unsurprisingly, the negotiation went nowhere. Qu Mingli hung up and rubbed his temples. "Liu Lake Town must have caught wind of something."
Otherwise, why would they suddenly go back on their word when everything had been settled, just waiting for the post-holiday cleanup before transport?
Qu Mingli was familiar enough with Qi Fang, and since this matter somewhat involved Yan Xue, he added, "It’s fine. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll just buy from another county."
Still, in terms of convenience, buying locally was best—which was probably why the other side had dared to ask for such an exorbitant price.
Qu Mingli took a sip of water from his enamel mug and asked, "What brings you here today?"
Qi Fang was never one for small talk. Without preamble, he handed over a thick notebook. "There’s something I’d like you to take a look at."
Just like Yan Xue, he had a habit of quietly working on proposals and springing them on people.
Qu Mingli immediately straightened, accepting the notebook and flipping through it. It was titled Repurposing Idle Tractors: A Manual.
This version was even more comprehensive than the last, detailing not just bulldozers and excavators but also adding a crane.
"This is mainly for construction projects, so it might not be widely applicable," Qi Fang explained. "But I wanted to ask—could we organize a training program in Chengshui for these modifications?"
"A training program?" Qu Mingli’s interest was instantly piqued, and he set the notebook aside. "Tell me more."
Since he had chosen to go through Qu Mingli, Qi Fang had been considering the best approach since before the new year. "I think our repair factory is understaffed and can’t meet the demand for modifications. Plus, many tractors from other regions can’t easily be transported to Chengshui for retrofitting."
He wasn’t a magician—trying to handle all the modifications himself would be exhausting.
"And as the saying goes, 'Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.' I’m willing to share this technology to benefit more areas."
"So how large do you envision this training program? Which regions would you invite to participate?" Qu Mingli, sharp as ever, zeroed in on the key question.
"The first session would naturally start within our city."
Qi Fang didn’t elaborate, but the words "first session" and "start" spoke volumes.
Qu Mingli lowered his gaze, mulling it over, and the more he thought, the more feasible it seemed.
Simply helping others with modifications was thankless work, but sharing the technology would earn Chengshui goodwill from every participant.
And how many tractors could they modify themselves? A training program would spread the knowledge far wider, letting more regions know about it.
At the very least, after the first city-wide session, he’d have enough leverage to organize a second, a third…
Qu Mingli kept the notebook. "I’ll bring this up at the bureau meeting. Once we have a decision, I’ll call you."
Then, unable to resist, he added with a look at the young man before him, "You’ve got quite the ideas. Did your Yan Xue give birth yet?"
There was not just approval in his tone but also a hint of familiarity—most superiors wouldn’t casually ask subordinates such personal questions.
At the mention of Yan Xue, Qi Fang’s usually indifferent expression softened slightly. "Yes, a son."
"Congratulations." Qu Mingli smiled, even standing to clap him on the shoulder. "Keep up the good work."
Later, Qu Mingli presented the proposal at the meeting. "I think Comrade Qi Fang’s idea is excellent. Since we’re ahead of the curve, we should lead others forward, benefiting more regions instead of hoarding advantages for ourselves."
He sighed, "Our resources are still too limited. Forget the whole country—almost every region in the province is still relying on manual labor to dig mountains and build roads for construction."
If he had said Qi Fang wanted to change something again, people might have hesitated. But organizing training was a different story—low cost and practically a guaranteed profit.
Moreover, how long would it take for their machine modifications and road repairs to gain recognition? With this training program, word would spread to the city and even the provincial level immediately.
No one had expected Qi Fang to be so adept not only at machinery but also at playing the political game to build achievements.
Of course, no one objected. They hadn’t planned to oppose it in the first place, especially after Qu Mingli had humiliated them so thoroughly with the mushroom cultivation project.
Besides, if Qu Mingli succeeded in this endeavor, the entire Chengshui Forestry Bureau would benefit, and it wouldn’t require much effort from them. Why oppose it?
Even Director Liu kept quiet. After realizing few people still stood by his side, he had toned down considerably.
But he also lost his spirit. After work, he would head to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a couple of ounces of liquor, drowning his sorrows at home.
A colleague on good terms with him, seeing him like this, couldn’t help but say, "I don’t think you need to take it so hard. Let him handle it if he can. It’s not like you’re losing out."
Not losing out? Now his authority in the bureau meant nothing—how was that not a loss?
Director Liu glanced at the man but said nothing.
The colleague genuinely believed what he said. "He’s been in the bureau for almost two years now. With achievements like these, he’s bound to get promoted, right?"
"With his connections, he’d get promoted even without achievements," Director Liu snorted.
But then it hit him—Qu Mingli would inevitably rise, and when that happened, wouldn’t the position of secretary fall to him?
Not just the secretary position—everything Qu Mingli was doing now, from mushroom cultivation to machine modification training, would eventually become his.
So Qu Mingli wasn’t building achievements for himself—he was doing it for Director Liu.
Even Qu Mingli’s mentorship and promotion of Yan Xue and Qi Fang wasn’t for his own benefit, but for Director Liu’s...
With this realization, Director Liu’s mood lifted. He looked at the man who had consoled him, his eyes brightening with amusement. "You’re right."
Why should he stand in the way of his own future? Not only should he not oppose it, but he should actively support it.
The next day, Qu Mingli noticed the change in Director Liu’s attitude. Gone was the sullen expression as if everyone owed him money—instead, he was proactive, almost like a different person.
Qu Mingli suspected he might be plotting something again, so he continued bypassing him and assigning tasks to others.
Qu Mingli had already reported the training program to higher-ups. They had no objections, but neither did they offer any support, leaving him to handle the logistics himself.
After all, the training was being held in Chengshui, not the county seat. Whether it succeeded or failed, it was Chengshui’s responsibility—why should the county bother?
But Qu Mingli hadn’t expected help anyway. He quickly drafted the list for the first training session, targeting towns with forest farms in the city.
After finalizing the list, he first notified those who had approached him the previous year, followed by another town in the same county. Liuhu Town, however, was deliberately left out.
Those who received the call assured him they would send people, and even those who hadn’t initially planned to participate promised to consider it seriously.
Then Liuhu Town realized they’d been excluded. The secretary of Liuhu’s Forestry Bureau waited for days, but no notification arrived from Chengshui.
Even towns from other counties received invitations—yet Chengshui seemed to have forgotten about Liuhu.
The Liuhu Forestry Bureau secretary grew anxious. If everyone else attended while they were left out, not only would it be embarrassing, but they’d also miss out on practical benefits.
He quickly called Qu Mingli to inquire, but Qu Mingli pretended not to recognize him. "The lumber matter isn’t urgent."
The secretary immediately understood—Qu Mingli was punishing him for reneging on the promised twenty-one truckloads by deliberately excluding them.
What could he do? "Ah, right, I wanted to discuss that. On second thought, since we’re part of the same county’s Forestry Bureau, twenty-one truckloads would be more appropriate."
Qu Mingli feigned recognition. "Oh, it’s you. No need—I’ve already checked with other counties. They’re willing to do fifteen per truck."
Now he was bargaining? The Liuhu secretary gritted his teeth. "We’ll match fifteen. I’ll arrange the trucks for delivery."
Buying from another county was troublesome, and there was no guarantee the price would actually drop to fifteen. Qu Mingli hesitated. "It’s the substandard lumber, right? The tree heads and off-spec logs?"
"All of it. If there’s anything you don’t want, just send it back."
But Qu Mingli still didn’t trust him. In the end, the secretary had to deliver part of the lumber upfront to settle the matter.
The materials were sent directly to the forest farm where they’d be used. Soon after, the training dates were finalized—starting after May Day, lasting half a month.
Before that, the logging team wrapped up the season’s work and descended from the mountains, and the Forestry Bureau held its annual commendation ceremony.
Jinchuan Forest Farm was unsurprisingly named this year’s outstanding unit. Even without the mushroom cultivation pilot project, they consistently exceeded logging quotas.
Then came Yan Xue and Qi Fang, each awarded as outstanding individuals—a rare honor for two young people from the same unit.
As the two stood on stage, their striking presence undeniable, Secretary Lang’s eyes gleamed with pride, as if he were up there with them.
This year had already been full of triumphs for him, and there were more to come—the mushroom cultivation season hadn’t even begun, and Qi Fang’s modification training was still pending.
The thought made the others green with envy, though they forced smiles to congratulate Secretary Lang, Yan Xue, and Qi Fang as they stepped off the stage.
Yan Xue hadn’t been to town in months. After receiving the award, she glanced at the man beside her. "Should we celebrate with a nice meal at the restaurant?"
"Whatever you say." Qi Fang took the award from her, freeing her hands to tuck into her pockets for warmth.
She didn’t argue, but as she looked up, she spotted a familiar figure among the students pouring out of the town’s Forestry Bureau middle school, chatting with someone.
"Chuncai!" she called out with a smile. The girl turned, her face lighting up. "Sister Yan Xue!"
Liu Chuncai excused herself from her classmate and bounded over, her twin braids swaying. "Sister Yan Xue, Brother Qi Fang, what brings you here?"
"Just picking up an award," Yan Xue said, gesturing to the items in Qi Fang’s hands without elaborating. "Have you eaten yet?"
Liu Chuncai’s eyes widened. "That’s amazing!" Then she shook her head. "No, I just got out of school."
"Perfect timing. Sister Yan Xue and Brother Qi Fang are treating you today," Yan Xue said, nodding toward the slope where the restaurants were.
Liu Chuncai flushed with shyness, making Yan Xue laugh. "Look at you, all grown up and learning to be polite."
She slung an arm around the girl’s shoulders. "Come on, it’s not like we haven’t eaten at your place plenty of times."
Liu Chuncai relented, and the three headed to the state-run diner together.
Just didn’t expect that as soon as Qi Fang pushed the door open, his steps faltered.
"Maybe we should find another place?" He turned back to look at Yan Xue, his expression rather…
hard to describe.
Qi Fang: How the hell is this place so tiny? So damn tiny!
