Reborn in the 60s, I hunt to support my family and even seduce the village beauty.

He knocked on the door, and Zhang Qingfeng's voice came from inside: "Come in."

As soon as he pushed open the door, a strong smell of smoke hit him, making Chang Kun squint.

Zhang Qingfeng was leaning against the window, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a cigarette. The window was slightly ajar, and smoke drifted out, but the room still felt like it was on fire.

The broken ashtray on the desk was piled high with cigarette butts, some still emitting wisps of smoke, clearly indicating that one cigarette after another had been consumed without stopping.

Chang Kun glanced at the ashtray and laughed: "Section Chief, if you keep smoking like this, I'll have to call the fire department the next time I walk in."

Zhang Qingfeng paused for a moment, looked down at the cigarette in his hand, then at the ashtray on the table, and burst into laughter, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

He put the cigarette in his mouth, freed his hand to push the window open a little wider, and turned back to wave at Chang Kun: "Sit down, sit down, don't stand."

Chang Kun sat down in the chair opposite the desk, took out a cigarette and offered it to him.

Zhang Qingfeng glanced at the half-smoked cigarette in his hand, hesitated for a moment, then took it and tucked it behind his ear.

"Have you taken care of your mother-in-law's matter?" Zhang Qingfeng stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, turned around, leaned against the windowsill, and looked Chang Kun up and down.

"Thanks to Section Chief, we found him and brought him back," Chang Kun said with a smile.

Zhang Qingfeng nodded and remarked with emotion, "It's good that the family is reunited. These days, being able to reunite is a blessing."

Chang Kun responded and chatted for a few more minutes about Guangzhou. Zhang Qingfeng listened half-heartedly, occasionally interjecting with a question, as if he had other things on his mind.

Sure enough, after a few words, Zhang Qingfeng walked over from the window, sat down behind the desk, took the cigarette off his ear, tapped it on the desk, and slowly said, "Xiao Kun, come back to work tomorrow."

Chang Kun was taken aback for a moment: "Section Chief, I haven't finished my honeymoon yet."

Zhang Qingfeng put a cigarette in his mouth, lit it with a match, took a puff, and exhaled smoke from his nose, obscuring half of his face.

"I know, but there's no other way. We're short-staffed in the department lately. Come back soon and help me out."

Chang Kun glanced at Zhang Qingfeng. This was too fake. Did he not know whether Duan Li was busy or not?

The thieves have been caught by themselves, and Master Monkey and the others usually patrol the platform to maintain order, so there is never a shortage of manpower.

"Section Chief, has something happened?" Chang Kun asked.

Zhang Qingfeng paused for a moment, then waved his hand: "What could be wrong? Don't overthink it, just come to work tomorrow."

After he finished speaking, he lowered his head and flipped through the documents on the table, clearly indicating that he didn't want to talk anymore.

Chang Kun sat there without moving, staring at Zhang Qingfeng for a while.

Section Chief isn't usually like this; he's always straightforward. Today, he's speaking vaguely, just like Monkey King and the others.

Standing at the door, Chang Kun smoked half a cigarette. The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. He turned around and pushed the door open again, going back inside.

Zhang Qingfeng was leaning back in his chair smoking when he saw him return. He paused for a moment, then asked, "What's wrong? Did you leave something behind?"

Chang Kun didn't sit down. He stood in front of the desk, stubbed out his cigarette, and stared into Zhang Qingfeng's eyes: "Section Chief, tell me the truth, what exactly happened?"

Zhang Qingfeng felt uncomfortable under his gaze. He put a cigarette in his mouth, looked down at the documents on the table, and mumbled, "What could be wrong? Just be more serious about your work in the future, and stop taking so many days off..."

"Section Chief," Chang Kun interrupted him, his voice not loud but very deep, "If you think I, Chang Kun, am not trustworthy, then I'll leave now and won't ask you anything."

The office quieted down, with only the sound of the wind rattling the window frames.

Zhang Qingfeng, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, stared at Chang Kun for a long while, then sighed, stubbed out the cigarette, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his face.

"Sit down." His voice was much hoarse.

Chang Kun sat down without urging him.

Zhang Qingfeng sat there blankly for a long time before finally speaking: "Someone has their eye on my position."

Chang Kun was taken aback, his brows furrowing deeply: "Who is it?"

"Those with connections at the top," Zhang Qingfeng said casually, as if talking about someone else. "They come here to gain experience, work for a year or two, and then get promoted once they produce results."

He paused, then gave a wry smile: "Thanks to you, this section of the railway is very peaceful. There are basically no petty thieves, and those transient criminals and pickpockets avoid it whenever possible. Nobody wants to come here to cause trouble."

Chang Kun nodded.

He knew this better than anyone else. In the past few months of work, he and Brother Monkey had been patrolling the railway line, catching batch after batch of thieves and fugitives. The rest were too scared to come back.

This line is known as the safest line in the Beijing railway system, with the lowest crime rate and the highest crime-solving rate.

"It's precisely because it's peaceful that people are keeping an eye on it." Zhang Qingfeng put a cigarette in his mouth, squinted his eyes, and said, "Being a section chief here is worry-free and you can still achieve results. After a year or two, your resume will look great, and it will be much easier to get promoted."

After listening, Chang Kun remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "Section Chief, we're doing a good job, why should we give in?"

Zhang Qingfeng glanced at him and smiled, a smile tinged with bitterness and helplessness.

"Why? Because they have connections and influence. Xiao Kun, these days, just working isn't enough; you need a powerful backer. I, Zhang Qingfeng, have worked for so many years, relying on my own two legs and my mouth, while they rely on a letter and a phone call. I can't compare."

Chang Kun felt a tightness in his chest; he wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say.

During his time at the railway section, Zhang Qingfeng treated him well.

He is never stingy when it comes to taking leave, never hesitates to give awards, and is very generous to his colleagues, often taking out the unit's slush fund to reward everyone.

Such a good section chief is going to be squeezed out just because someone else wants the position?

The two of them smoked for a while without saying a word.

"Section Chief, has it been decided from above?" Chang Kun asked.

Zhang Qingfeng shook his head: "Not yet, but soon. I asked you to come back early so you could familiarize yourself with the situation. When the time comes... sigh, never mind."

He waved his hand as if to shake off these worries, and smiled at Chang Kun: "Alright, go back now, be on time for work tomorrow."

Zhang Qingfeng lit another cigarette, leaned back in his chair, and looked several years older than usual amidst the swirling smoke.

Chang Kun opened the door and walked out. A cool breeze blew in his face from the corridor.

He stood in the corridor and let out a long sigh.

These kinds of unsavory things happen everywhere you go.

You work your butt off and do a great job, and then someone else comes along to reap the rewards.

Picking peaches is one thing, but uprooting the tree planter is another.