Xie Changning’s confusion wasn’t feigned; it was genuine.

’What could he possibly accomplish by transferring his son to Chuncheng? Just to have him pop over and visit his grandparents? Or does he expect Yue Yihan to take him on life-and-death missions?’

"He loves to scheme. Bringing his son here is just the beginning. Next, he’ll have him cozy up to Ashan, and in the end, he’ll expect Ashan to take responsibility for his son..." Mr. Han told Xie Changning his suspicions.

Xie Changning nodded in sudden understanding.

"But it seems you’ve forgotten, sir. This is Chuncheng, not Beijing," Xie Changning said to Mr. Han. "The way things are done in Beijing won’t work here."

He might have the influence to get his son transferred to Chuncheng, but his reach absolutely did not extend into the Chuncheng military region.

’So what if he’s a master schemer?’

Xie Changning’s words made Mr. Han realize that he had indeed forgotten this point.

He and his wife were thinking out of habit. In the past, this was how he had slowly curried favor with his second son’s family and his daughter’s family.

Now, he was trying to use the same method to get on good terms with Xie Changning and Yue Yihan, but they certainly wouldn’t bend to his eldest son’s will the way his other children had.

At this thought, Mr. Han breathed a sigh of relief.

"That’s good. I was a little worried..."

"Thank you, sir. I know what to do. Please don’t worry. Yihan is not someone who can’t think for himself." Xie Changning felt that Yue Yihan would never accept Han Yuanzhong’s son in the first place.

He wouldn’t let the higher-ups transfer him into Yue Yihan’s regiment.

And that was indeed the case.

-

He Liuzhang called Yue Yihan into his office and showed him a file. "Take a look. Do you want this soldier?"

Yue Yihan had been wondering if it was a particularly outstanding soldier.

He was actually looking forward to it.

But when he opened the file, he saw the name Han Jiu, followed by a familiar-looking photo. He remembered that when Han’s parents visited last time, Han Jiu had tried to intimidate him by challenging him to a fight.

Yue Yihan asked, "Do you think I would want him?"

He Liuzhang let out a hearty laugh.

"Someone specifically requested to be placed under your command. As a matter of public duty, don’t I have to ask?" He Liuzhang felt no pressure at all. In the army, obeying orders was the most basic requirement.

If a soldier couldn’t even obey orders, then he’d be better off going home sooner rather than later.

Yue Yihan lowered his gaze and placed the file back on the desk.

"This soldier’s temperament is still a bit reckless. I suggest he be polished up a bit before we consider anything else." ’His ego is too big; he’s not suited for the battlefield.’

He didn’t want him.

He Liuzhang didn’t make things difficult for Yue Yihan. Since he didn’t want the soldier, He Liuzhang didn’t argue, simply nodding. "Alright. When he arrives, I’ll transfer him to another regiment."

Yue Yihan nodded, indicating he had no objection.

"Do you know why he’s being transferred here?" After finishing with official business, He Liuzhang started to gossip a bit with Yue Yihan.

Yue Yihan frowned and shook his head.

"His father personally arranged the transfer and specifically requested he be placed under you."

"..." Hearing this, a phrase his wife often said floated through Yue Yihan’s mind: ’He must be dreaming!’

Seeing Yue Yihan’s expression, He Liuzhang knew he was disgusted.

Not just with Han Jiu, but with Han Yuanzhong as well.

Han Yuanzhong held the same rank as He Liuzhang. The main reason he was so well-connected in Beijing was because of Mr. Han’s influence there.

Therefore, people who had climbed the ranks on their own merit didn’t think highly of Han Yuanzhong.

That included He Liuzhang. He didn’t think much of him either.

They were all soldiers in the same military region; none of them were fools. It wasn’t like they didn’t know what Han Yuanzhong was thinking.

His methods might work in Beijing, but in Chuncheng, no one was going to coddle him!

And so, when the transfer order came down that day, it was a direct slap in the face to Han Yuanzhong. Yue Yihan... had rejected his son!

However, while Yue Yihan didn’t want him, Chuncheng did!

This infuriated Han Yuanzhong!

When Han Yuanzhong’s wife found out, she threw a fit. "Our son was doing just fine in Beijing! You just had to transfer him to Chuncheng, and look what happened!"

"What do you know!?"

"I don’t care! You get our son transferred back!"

Faced with his wife’s hysterics, a look of embarrassment flashed across Han Yuanzhong’s face. He scrubbed his face with his hands. "I’ve already communicated with the people in Chuncheng. They rejected me outright."

Only now did he feel regret. He never expected that his younger brother, who had already accepted their parents, would be so merciless.

Not only had he rejected his son, but the Chuncheng military region had flat-out refused his request to withdraw the transfer order.

"I want my son back!"

"Stop making a scene!"

Han Yuanzhong roared at his wife, "You think I wanted this? Who knew he would be so unappreciative!"

At this thought, a feeling of utter frustration washed over Han Yuanzhong.

’I just wanted to be a good big brother. Did Yue Yihan have to be like this!?’ 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Far away in Chuncheng, Yue Yihan had long anticipated that Han Yuanzhong would be displeased with him for not taking his son under his command, but he didn’t care.

He continued his training every day, rain or shine.

He was completely unaware of the Han Family’s movements in Beijing.

He didn’t care.

When Han’s parents learned of this, they both felt a sense of relief. They really didn’t want Han Yuanzhong to have too much contact with Yue Yihan. After all, Han Yuanzhong was the reason Yue Yihan had gotten lost in the first place.

After all these years, it was already a blessing that Yue Yihan didn’t blame or hold a grudge against him.

’And he still wants to get Yue Yihan under his thumb? He should take a good look at himself and see if he even has what it takes!’

Just when everyone thought the matter was over, something unexpected happened—

One day, Xie Changning was handling work in her office when the phone suddenly rang. She answered it instinctively, "Hello, this is the Anong County Machinery Factory, Xie Changning speaking."

Hearing Xie Changning’s voice, the person on the other end paused for a moment before speaking.

"Hello, I am Han Yuanzhong’s wife. You can probably call me sister-in-law."

The call was completely unexpected for Xie Changning.

She put down her pen and began to take the call seriously. "Hello, ma’am. May I ask why you’re calling?"

Xie Changning did not go along with the woman’s suggestion to call her sister-in-law.

Instead, she asked for the purpose of the call.

’She didn’t have time for pleasantries with this woman.’

’The woman was calling either about Han’s parents or about Han Jiu. Whichever it was, Xie Changning had no intention of getting involved.’

"It’s like this, my son was transferred to Chuncheng. You should know about that, right?"

"I do not."

"...We originally wanted him to learn more under his uncle’s guidance, but Yihan seems to have a problem with us and didn’t accept Han Jiu. We—"

"Military matters are handled by military leadership. I’m a civilian; I can’t resolve military affairs."

"You!"

"Ma’am, if this is all you called about, I suggest you don’t waste any more of your money. I can’t help you."

With that, Xie Changning hung up the phone.

’Her phone bills cost money too!’

’She had no time to listen to the woman’s accusations.’