An Xin had already informed Kaizi earlier that she would cover the cost of diesel for transportation and meals for the team.

San Mao and Xiao Zhong, who had been silent up until now, both turned to look at Kaizi with surprise. While transportation work had been discussed before, the matter of meals hadn’t been brought up.

Unexpectedly, An Xin had thought of everything, including ensuring they’d have warm meals during their transportation work. The three men were single and often had irregular meals. Having someone provide them with hot food during their job was a welcome relief compared to scavenging for food on the streets while hungry.

Kaizi, ignoring the looks from the two, nodded and said, “Alright then, we’ll trouble you during this time.”

An Xin waved her hand dismissively and said, “Oh, come on, no need for such formality! We’re all working to complete this transportation project as soon as possible. Ensuring everyone has food to keep them going is my responsibility. Just don’t expect gourmet cooking—I’m just an average cook, so don’t be too picky.”

Seeing how straightforward An Xin was, Kaizi relaxed and replied with a grin, “Don’t worry about that. For us, having something to eat at all is already a blessing. We’re not in a position to complain!”

As bachelors who weren’t great at cooking, Kaizi, Xiao Zhong, and San Mao were already grateful. Someone cooking for them was more than enough; they had no reason to criticize.

With the transportation and meal arrangements settled, An Xin led the group toward the truck and called out, “Alright, now that everything’s agreed upon, let’s head to the docks!”

Kaizi quickly agreed, “Yes, let’s check out the situation on-site first.”

The four of them climbed into the truck and sped toward the docks.

At the dock, the morning mist hung heavy, and the salty sea breeze carried a peculiar scent. The distant roar of cargo ships and the bustling activity of workers moving goods gave the area an air of chaos. Machines hummed, voices shouted over one another, and a jumble of cargo was strewn across the area.

An Xin led Kaizi and the others through the crowded docks to the designated area. However, the cargo yard was unusually quiet. Aside from a few workers organizing neatly stacked cargo containers, there was no sign of anyone sent to liaise with them.

Kaizi jumped out of the truck first and knocked on An Xin’s window. “An Xin, are you sure we’re in the right place? It’s so quiet here.”

From his experience, transportation teams usually arrived to find workers and equipment ready at the loading site. It was odd to find the place so deserted.

An Xin glanced around and quickly hopped out of the truck. “You all wait here. I’ll make a call and figure out what’s going on.”

She hurried to the nearest public phone booth and dialed the number she had.

Holding the receiver, she listened to the ringing on the other end, which continued for a long time before someone finally picked up.

“Hello? Who’s this?” A man’s voice, groggy and tinged with irritation, came through. Clearly, he’d been woken by the call.

“Hello, this is An Xin. We agreed on transporting your cargo today. I’m looking for Liu Qiang—is he available?”

The man paused, seemingly surprised, before replying gruffly, “Oh, it’s you, An Xin. I’m Liu Qiang. Why are you there so early?”

An Xin raised an eyebrow but maintained her composure. “Secretary Liu, it’s almost 8 a.m. now—not exactly early. The contract specifies we need to complete this shipment as quickly as possible. We came early to ensure we meet the deadline. Can you send someone over to help load the cargo onto the trucks?”

Liu Qiang glanced at the clock on his wall—it read 7:50 a.m. With ten minutes until his shift officially began, he couldn’t help but feel annoyed at being disturbed so early. Typically, drivers from the provincial transportation company wouldn’t arrive until around 10 a.m., but here was An Xin, showing unexpected enthusiasm for her work.

Sensing Liu Qiang’s reluctance, An Xin quickly made a mental note: if Liu Qiang delayed or tried to sabotage the operation, she would escalate the matter to his superior, Su Yipeng. Delays like this were unacceptable, especially with 30,000 tons of cargo to move.

After a brief silence, Liu Qiang finally relented. “Fine, just wait. I’ll arrange for someone to assist you.”

An Xin heard him calling out to someone, his voice muffled as though he covered the receiver. Moments later, he returned to the phone and said, “The workers live on-site. Just wait there for a bit, and they’ll come to load the trucks.”

As Liu Qiang prepared to hang up, An Xin spoke up, her tone light but strategic. “Thank you, Secretary Liu. Oh, by the way, a friend of mine recently brought some high-quality cigarettes from the north. I’ll bring you a few packs later—please let me know if you like them. If so, I can have more brought down for you in the future.”

An Xin knew how to handle people like Liu Qiang—small gestures and bribes could smooth over many inconveniences. She didn’t want to waste time every morning negotiating with him for workers. Offering a bit of goodwill now would save countless headaches later.

Liu Qiang’s hearty laugh echoed through the receiver. “Oh, Anxin, you are so polite. You even brought me a gift. How can I accept this?”

When An Xin heard this, she knew that Liu Qiang had accepted her gift but was just pretending to decline. She immediately followed up with a string of flattering compliments.