Zhang Fan’s was destined for greatness, and she, having secretly sabotaged Zhang Fan’s relationship with Anxin and shamelessly clinging to him, was determined to become the wife of a high-ranking official.

She absolutely didn’t want Anxin and Zhang Fan to have any further contact. The idea of rekindling their old flame was utterly repulsive to her.

However, on second thought, Anxin was already married to Bai Yichen, and they now lived in completely separate worlds. It was unlikely for Anxin to cross paths with Zhang Fan again. Perhaps she was being overly cautious.

With this thought, the unease that had recently surged in An Ling’er’s heart gradually subsided. She hooked her arm around Zhang Fan’s and walked in the direction of the provincial government building.

Meanwhile, Anxin and Bai Yichen returned to their rented house. After finishing their meal, Bai Yichen took out a phone number from his pocket and handed it to Anxin.

“Since you’ll be working in the provincial capital, if you encounter any problems, call this number. They’ll figure out a way to notify me.”

This was the landline number for his base in the provincial capital. Huzi and the others often kept someone stationed there. Bai Yichen planned to notify them later that he had given this number to Anxin.

If Anxin had any emergencies, she could contact this number, and Huzi’s team would respond immediately.

The provincial capital wasn’t overly large or small, but Bai Yichen had established his foothold there for a long time. His team should be able to handle most issues on her behalf.

“Thank you!”

Anxin hadn’t expected Bai Yichen to provide her with an emergency contact. She took the number and expressed her gratitude.

She never thought that, behind Bai Yichen’s cold exterior, he would be so meticulous in his actions. Having a backup plan in a place like the provincial capital indicated that her husband was far more capable than he appeared.

Noticing her teasing gaze, Bai Yichen turned his head awkwardly, his ears reddening as he spoke stiffly.

“Why thank me? I told you already, we’re family. No need to be so polite.”

“Mm.”

Anxin nodded, keeping her thoughts to herself. She couldn’t help but feel a slight guilt for teasing her seemingly bashful husband, who now resembled an innocent young man.

A week passed in the blink of an eye. During Chen Hongyan’s hospital stay, Anxin and Bai Yichen settled into a rhythm. On the days Bai Yichen worked, Anxin drove a taxi around the provincial capital, selling goods and taking care of their family in the provincial hospital.

One day, as Anxin was about to finish her shift, two men dressed in Zhongshan suits got into her taxi.

“Take us to Riverside Road,” one of them said as they sat in the backseat, conversing in hushed tones.

“Got it!”

Anxin responded cheerfully, stepped on the gas, and headed for Riverside Road. Initially, she paid no attention to their conversation. After all, in this era, only the wealthy or high-ranking individuals could afford taxis. Such people usually discussed workplace matters or gossip, topics Anxin didn’t find worth eavesdropping on.

However, the lack of soundproofing in taxis at the time made privacy nearly impossible. Soon, one of the men, wearing glasses, spoke loud enough for her to overhear.

“A cargo ship will dock at the port tomorrow, carrying approximately 30,000 tons of goods. You’ll need to transport it to the train station as quickly as possible and distribute it to provincial sales points. We need to have the goods on the shelves before the New Year.”

Hearing this, Anxin perked up her ears and observed the men through her rearview mirror.

The man in glasses, dressed in a black Zhongshan suit, exuded a scholarly yet commanding aura, likely the result of years in a high-ranking position. The other man, in a blue Zhongshan suit, listened respectfully, nodding at his every word.

It was clear to Anxin that the man in glasses was a leader, perhaps even the head of their unit.

“Director, this shipment is quite large—30,000 tons in one go! Transporting this much at once is going to be a challenge,” said the man in blue, his tone betraying concern.

From his words, Anxin deduced that they were short on land transportation resources.

While driving, Anxin quietly listened to the conversation. The glasses-wearing man replied calmly, “Transportation isn’t an insurmountable issue. Contact the provincial capital’s transportation companies; they’ll find a way to handle it. This shipment was secured with great difficulty from coastal cities, and we aim to capitalize on the New Year season to make a good profit.”

He sighed and continued, “Most of the goods are clothing and daily necessities. They must be on the shelves before the Spring Festival to fetch the best prices.”

“Yes, Director. I’ll reach out to the transportation companies in the provincial capital and see if we can get the goods to the train station within two weeks,” the man in blue replied.

Anxin mentally mapped the distance between the port and the train station, which lay on opposite ends of the provincial capital. Moving 30,000 tons of cargo across the city would depend on the organization’s manpower and resources. If they lacked sufficient trucks, it might not even be feasible within two weeks.

The glasses-wearing man, however, frowned. “Two weeks to get the goods to the train station? That’s far too slow. You’ll need to expedite this. Aim to have everything delivered within a week and distributed promptly.”

The man in blue, referred to as Xiao Liu, looked troubled. “Director, a week is nearly impossible. The provincial capital’s transportation companies only have three or four trucks, and they often break down. Last time, it took nearly eight days just to move ten tons of goods.”

Anxin could tell that the root of the issue lay not just in the trucks but also in the inefficiency of state-run transportation companies. Drivers were paid the same regardless of how many trips they completed, so most preferred to take it easy, running one or two trips a day.

Seeing Xiao Liu’s reluctance, the glasses-wearing man’s expression darkened. “I don’t care how you do it. You have ten days to get those goods to the train station.”