Chen Bin knew that He Chaoping was the kind of person who cared greatly about saving face.
For him to ask someone for a favor was indeed a very rare occurrence.
Yet there’s a saying that debts of gratitude are the hardest to repay, and he didn’t want He Chaoping to owe someone a favor because of him.
"Let’s just forget about it. I think going out and gaining experience might actually be a good thing. After all, sooner or later, I’ll leave Qingshi County anyway."
Hearing this response, He Chaoping couldn’t say much more and could only nod slightly.
"Alright. With your abilities, I think you’ll shine and excel no matter where you go."
The next afternoon, Tianhai City’s Party Organization Department issued a notice.
It informed Chen Bin to report to the Dragon Mountain County Committee the following Monday morning.
When Xu Ruoxuan learned of the news, she felt utterly dizzy.
After a long moment of blankly staring into space, she finally called Chen Bin into her office.
"Brother, what’s going on here?"
Chen Bin quickly feigned confusion and shook his head, "I don’t know either. This appointment came out of nowhere."
Xu Ruoxuan didn’t hesitate and immediately called Xu Tai.
The latter, however, informed her that everything was Cao Sanjin’s decision and that he couldn’t do anything to change it.
Seeing her last hope crushed, Xu Ruoxuan dropped her phone and collapsed over her desk, sobbing.
Chen Bin hurriedly stepped forward to console her.
But the more he tried to comfort her, the harder Xu Ruoxuan cried.
In the end, having no other choice, he gently held Xu Ruoxuan in his arms, letting her continue to sob.
After crying her heart out, Xu Ruoxuan suddenly found the situation deeply suspicious.
There was no connection between Cao Sanjin and Chen Bin—no family ties, no interactions whatsoever.
Why would he suddenly transfer Chen Bin?
Moreover, a place like Qinghe Town was so remote and poor. How could Chen Bin possibly achieve anything significant there?
With these thoughts, Xu Ruoxuan began to suspect that Feng Lei was the one orchestrating this from behind the scenes.
Determined to uncover the truth, she drove back to Tianhai alone after work that evening.
When she entered Xu Tai’s home, she confronted him directly.
"Dad, did you know all along that Chen Bin was suddenly being transferred?"
"No, I just found out today too."
"Is Feng Lei the one behind this?"
"I already told you over the phone. Everything was Secretary Cao’s decision..."
"Enough! Stop trying to fool me. Since it’s already decided that Chen Bin has to leave Qingshi County, just tell me the truth!"
Sipping his tea leisurely, Xu Tai replied calmly.
"I’ve been truthful from the start. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do about that."
Faced with his attitude, Xu Ruoxuan was overcome with fury.
Ignoring Xu Tai, she turned and walked straight toward the door.
Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly stopped and turned back.
She said coldly, "If this was Feng Lei’s doing, and you allowed it, let me tell you now—no matter what happens, I will never agree to get remarried!"
Slightly frowning, Xu Tai placed his teacup on the table with force.
"Wouldn’t that be a little selfish of you? Don’t you want Xiao Ya to have a complete family?"
Xu Ruoxuan, both angry and upset, spoke with an increasingly frigid tone.
"Selfish? You call me selfish? If it weren’t for you, would I have even married Feng Lei? All these years, I’ve had enough. Even if you threaten me with my child, I still won’t bow down. Unless I’m dead, I will never remarry!"
"You’ve been married to Feng Lei for so many years. Don’t you have even a shred of affection for him as your husband? It was his fault for bringing another woman into your home, but weren’t you keeping yourself busy too? For the sake of your career, I suggest you think twice about remarriage."
It was at this moment that Xu Ruoxuan realized her relationship with Chen Bin had already been exposed.
Feeling utterly humiliated, she stormed out in anger.
On the drive home, she cried all the way back to Qingshi County.
As soon as she entered her dorm room, she called Chen Bin.
"Brother, come to my room for a moment!"
When there was a knock at the door, and she saw it was Chen Bin, Xu Ruoxuan immediately pulled him inside.
After shutting the door, she collapsed into Chen Bin’s arms and began crying again.
"It’s my fault. It was the Feng family’s doing that you were transferred."
Upon hearing this, Chen Bin didn’t seem the least bit surprised.
He gently patted Xu Ruoxuan’s back, comforting her as he spoke.
"Sis, don’t be upset. Actually, going to Dragon Mountain County isn’t entirely a bad thing. Once I’ve gained some experience, it’ll be easier for me to climb upward. The only downside is that we won’t get to see each other as often anymore."
Seeing Chen Bin take it in stride, Xu Ruoxuan heaved a sigh and decided not to say any more.
She simply clung tightly to Chen Bin, her heart full of reluctance.
On Saturday, Chen Bin returned to the city during his day off.
In the kitchen, Zhao Xinmei was dressed in a loose nightgown, busy cooking as she swiftly sent messages on her phone.
Noticing the smile on her face, Chen Bin asked curiously.
"Mom, what’s got you in such a good mood?"
Putting away her phone discreetly, Zhao Xinmei answered impatiently.
"Adult matters. Kids should stay out of it!"
Seeing how cold her attitude was, Chen Bin immediately mentioned his job transfer.
Her brows knitted tightly as Zhao Xinmei appeared greatly surprised.
"Did you offend someone? Why would they send you to such a remote place for no reason?"
"No, it’s just a normal job transfer."
"Which department exactly will you be working in?"
"Qinghe Town. I’ll be the head there."
Nodding slightly, Zhao Xinmei sighed faintly.
No matter how much Chen Bin usually irritated her, he was still her son.
Hearing he’d been assigned to a challenging post, Zhao Xinmei couldn’t help but feel deeply concerned.
Supporting her waist with one hand, she slowly walked over to the dining table.
Seeing Zhao Xinmei’s pregnant belly, Chen Bin quickly stepped forward to help her.
"Mom, please be careful."
After a brief hesitation, Zhao Xinmei finally placed her hand on Chen Bin’s arm.
When she sat down, Chen Bin quickly served the food and joined her at the table, eating and chatting alongside her.
As he talked about his recent work, Zhao Xinmei casually shared about her life lately.
After the city learned of Zhao Xinmei’s pregnancy, they granted her a one-year leave of absence.
Considering Wang Jun’s death in the line of duty, the TV station approved the arrangement without any objection.
These days, Zhao Xinmei spent her time at home with nothing to do. Occasionally, Li Mengying would come over to keep her company.
However, due to her husband’s strict rules, Li Mengying was only allowed to stay overnight once in a while.
Most of the time, Zhao Xinmei’s isolation was still profound.
After hearing all this, Chen Bin didn’t know how to console her and opted to remain silent.
Then, out of the blue, Zhao Xinmei suggested with a negotiating tone.
"Xiao Bin, how about I find you a stepfather?"
"What did you just say?!"
With wide eyes, Chen Bin looked utterly incredulous.
But Zhao Xinmei clarified, "I recently met someone. He’s a good man, currently divorced, and doesn’t mind that I’m pregnant. What do you think..."