The sky collapsed, and in the blink of an eye, I found myself transported to Nanluoguxiang.

At the transportation station, shortly after Secretary Liu and Political Commissar Chen's groups left, Master Fang and Master Niu also said their goodbyes and left.

Station Master Zhao stepped forward, his face beaming with smiles: "Happy, congratulations! From now on, you're the face of our transportation station."

"You flatter me, station manager. I was just lucky today," Li Kaixin replied truthfully.

Station Chief Zhao assumed Li Kaixin was being modest and didn't pursue the topic further. Instead, he asked, "Kaixin, Secretary Liu asked you to go there earlier, but I didn't quite understand what he meant."

"It's Secretary Liu's father's birthday, and he invited me to dinner," Li Kaixin said without hiding anything.

"Is that so?" Station Chief Zhao was a little surprised for a moment, but quickly smiled and asked, "How about I, Lao Xie, and you go together then?"

A strange expression appeared on Li Kaixin's face.

Upon seeing this, Station Chief Zhao immediately explained, "You don't know this, but my father and Lao Xie's father were both former subordinates of Secretary Liu's father, so they'll have to go too."

Li Kaixin then realized and waved his hand, "Station Chief, that won't be necessary. Secretary Liu will send someone to pick us up."

Just then, Director Xie arrived with a large group of people from the transportation station.

"I'm so happy! I knew you could do it!" Director Xie's voice arrived before he even got close.

Li Kaixin turned her head and saw a large group of people approaching from below the stage. She forced a smile and said, "Director Xie, you've all come over?"

"What's wrong? We came to congratulate you, and you're not happy about it?" Director Xie pretended to put on a stern face.

Li Kaixin quickly waved his hand: "That's not what I meant..."

"That's not what I meant!" Director Xie interrupted him with a smile, then turned to the smiling crowd behind him and called out, "Everyone, go up and give our happy congratulations!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of people rushed forward.

Seeing this, Li Kaixin instinctively wanted to ask Station Chief Zhao for help, but when he turned around, he couldn't find him anywhere.

When they looked back, the crowd had already gathered around, and congratulations and compliments rang out incessantly.

"Mr. Li, you really made our transport station proud today!"

"A deputy level-two driver, this is the first one in our transportation station, right?"

Li Kaixin was squeezed in the middle and was momentarily at a loss, only able to nod and say repeatedly, "Thank you, thank you everyone."

Just then, Zhou Zhiming suddenly shouted from somewhere, "Everyone, make way! I need to sit next to my master!"

The crowd was kind enough to give him face, smiling and making way for him.

Zhou Zhiming immediately crawled in front of Li Kaixin, spread his arms, and made a gesture of protecting her.

This display of force not only confused those surrounding them, but even Li Kaixin was puzzled: "Zhiming, what are you doing?"

"Master, didn't you say that next time something like this happens, you'd ask me to stop it for you?" Zhou Zhiming asked earnestly.

Li Kaixin was stunned for a moment, then laughed and cried at the same time: "No need for that, these are all brothers from the station. I asked you to help me stop those I don't know."

"Oh!" Zhou Zhiming then put his hand down and chuckled.

Upon seeing this comical scene, everyone burst into laughter.

Outside the crowd, Station Chief Zhao and Director Xie stood together.

Station Chief Zhao turned to look at Director Xie and joked, "Old Xie, aren't you afraid that he'll come after you later? I know how afraid he's of being surrounded by people these past few days."

"It's alright, I understand." Director Xie smiled and looked over there. "Isn't this just to prevent the masters and apprentices from becoming estranged from him?"

After listening, Station Chief Zhao nodded: "What you said is really flawless."

The two then looked at each other and laughed.

This lively scene didn't end until close to lunchtime.

In the afternoon, everyone was still discussing Li Kaixin's passing the deputy level two driver assessment, but they stopped talking about Li Kaixin while waiting for Director Xie to announce today's tasks.

Time passed slowly, and just when everyone thought the day would pass peacefully, Director Xie walked out with a solemn expression.

He clapped his hands, his voice a few decibels deeper than usual: "Everyone come here for a moment, I have an urgent task."

Everyone stopped their discussion and gathered around him.

Once everyone had arrived, Director Xie took a deep breath and slowly began, "Our mission this time is to go to Inner Mongolia. However, this time we're not hauling cargo, we're hauling a hundred people."

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted in uproar.

"One hundred people? Going to Inner Mongolia?"

"They don't even know how to manage the roads, is this some kind of joke?"

Captain Wang frowned, stepped forward, and asked, "Director Xie, what if something happens on the way to transport so many people to such a remote place?"

Director Xie sighed, his voice tinged with helplessness: "Old Wang, I know. But this is an urgent order from above, and we have to carry it out."

Director Xie's words silenced the room for a moment, then a low murmur of discussion arose again.

Captain Wang frowned even more deeply and pressed, "Director Xie, then give me the inside scoop. Who exactly are these hundred men? I have to be responsible for my brothers."

His biggest fear right now is that these hundred people are criminals or something. If something happens along the way, their entire transport team will be wiped out.

"Don't worry, they're all refugees from Henan," Director Xie quickly explained.

Captain Wang finally breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good."

Once everyone had calmed down a bit, Director Xie announced, "We'll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning, and this trip will last about ten days. Everyone can go home now to prepare."

Li Kaixin stood in the crowd, her mind racing with calculations.

Having been away in Inner Mongolia for so long, I'm afraid I won't be able to return for the next deal I arranged with Zhao Zhengping. I need to go there today.

After Director Xie finished explaining the tasks, everyone dispersed in twos and threes, packing their things and going home.

Li Kaixin and Zhou Zhiming walked together towards the parking area.

Zhou Zhiming leaned closer, his eyes filled with curiosity: "Master, are there any particularly cheap things in Inner Mongolia?"

Ever since he tasted success in Haicheng last time, he's been thinking about this kind of thing.

Li Kaixin smiled and said, "Yes, things like beef and mutton are much cheaper here than here."

"Really?" Zhou Zhiming perked up immediately, almost jumping for joy.

"Of course, when we get there, I'll take you there."

Li Kaixin patted him on the shoulder and reminded him, "By the way, remember to bring a cotton coat tomorrow, it's much colder over there than here."

"Okay, thank you, Master!" Zhou Zhiming replied cheerfully.

The two walked to the vehicle, Zhou Zhiming packed his things, said goodbye to the driver, and then left the transport station separately.