Chapter 230 - 175 News from Hometown

Chapter 230: Chapter 175 News from HometownSister Xue brought lots of news from her hometown. Director Yu and Political Commissioner Wang took the opportunity to assist the Port Supervision Bureau in law enforcement, organizing public security police from the Water Police Station to inspect ships entering and leaving the Yangtze River through nine river locks, gathering numerous clues about crimes committed on the water. Given that most crimes involve roaming offenders, and the territorial divisions on the river are not as clear as those under the Port Supervision Bureau, it was difficult for the Binjiang Water Police to crack down alone. Therefore, they reported to their superiors and gained significant attention from the Provincial Department. The Provincial Department spearheaded a meeting with the maritime security departments of police bureaus in Yanjiang cities in Binjiang, and after the meeting, they launched the "Rigorous Water Crackdown." Director Yu, in collaboration with the district county police departments in Yanjiang, and with the assistance of brother cities, smashed seven criminal gangs at once, arresting more than forty water bandits, six of whom were eligible for the death penalty! There were also a dozen criminals still at large, and efforts were being organized to capture them. During the arrests, the Yanjiang Police Station played a significant role. Director Xu and Captain Wang piloted boat 001, and Instructor Li with Old Zhang piloted 002, covering over two thousand kilometers just last month. Transporting the policemen from the Water Police Station to encircle and even chase suspect boats, they followed downstream to the sea and upstream to the border waters with Yangzhou, burning a lot of fuel and almost using up all the funds previously legally collected by the station. While cracking down, Director Yu set up three maritime police squads, thirteen water police units, and eight maritime security checkpoints in one go at Port Supervision Bureau, Tiansheng Port Pier, Gaoru Port Pier, and several major river locks. The duty staff of the three squads were all policemen from the Water Police Station, and the staff of the water police units and maritime security checkpoints were mainly policemen from the district county police bureaus and members of the Cooperative Defense Team along Yanjiang. Ships passing through Binjiang Waters at night can see a brightly lit "Water Station" every twenty to thirty kilometers. Now, those who run boats feel that security in Binjiang is good, as anchoring there at night hardly involves worrying about water bandits climbing aboard to rob. However, many ship owners and crew members feel that Binjiang’s regulations are too strict, as the Binjiang Water Police not only check for the Seaman’s Certificate, but also assist the Port Supervision in checking for violations and complete procedures. The penalties are severe, making everyone fearful when talking about Binjiang. The rice on the passenger ship isn’t good, but the dishes are well-prepared, especially the fish meatballs, which are really delicious. Han Xiangning finished the last meatball, pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her mouth, and then proudly said, "Our Traffic Control Center building and the new office building have been topped off. The police bureau leadership said we should be able to move in by next May at the latest." Han Yu put down his chopsticks and sighed, "Your fancy office building is also largely thanks to us; at least two floors were ’fined’ out by us." Han Xiangning couldn’t help but recall the scene of taking safes and a pile of fine receipts to Bailong Port, giggling, "You helped us tremendously, but not just us; during joint enforcement, you also issued fines." "Fines of five yuan, can you compare with that?" "A single fine may be just five yuan, but it adds up. There are fewer boats in Bailong Port, so your station is not fining much money now, but in other places where there are many boats, Sister Zhu said Political Commissioner Wang from the Water Police Station is focused on fines, inspecting every boat that comes in, having fined at least a hundred thousand since the establishment of the substation." "How many boats need to be checked, how many crew members fined!" "They guard the river locks and piers, inspecting daily, and many crew members forget easily, probably thinking it’s just a five yuan fine, too lazy to go back home to get the Seaman’s Certificate, resulting in getting a fine from Political Commissioner Wang each time they come to Binjiang." "So, you’re saying there’s money for the residential building?" "I’m not sure if it’s enough, but the office building has started construction already, and Sister Zhu said the residential buildings should also start by the end of the year." Han Yu didn’t expect Political Commissioner Wang to act so quickly, frowning miserably, "If it starts by the end of the year, and we need to pay into the funding pool, I don’t have enough money!" Han Xiangning, realizing the gravity for his junior, instinctively asked, "How much have you saved." "Thirteen hundred, plus the over two hundred you brought, makes fifteen hundred." Han Yu thought for a moment, then continued with a somber expression, "Last year, the bank staff said saving for three years earns higher interest, so I deposited for a three-year term; withdrawing now definitely won’t be calculated at the three-year fixed interest rate." "Your probationary pay is only around fifty yuan a month, how did you save so much." "There are bonuses, awards from the bureau, travel allowances, and the red packets I received during the New Year." Han Xiangning inquired further, "Do you know how much the capital contribution needs to be?" Han Yu took a deep breath, disheartenedly said, "When I asked Political Commissioner Wang the last time I went back, he said the ground floor is the cheapest, but it still requires around sixteen thousand." "How many square meters." "Over sixty square meters, two bedrooms." "You only have fifteen hundred now; the shortfall is quite a lot." "If it really doesn’t work out, then forget it, wait until I have saved enough." "This is a funding construction project, missing this opportunity there won’t be another chance." "My father has borrowed so much money outside, it’s impossible for me to ask him for money. My sister doesn’t have much either, I don’t want to borrow from her." "I’ve actually saved up two thousand, but even lending you this won’t solve the problem." Han Xiangning was helpless, silently muttering, "It’s definitely not just you who lacks money, Political Commissioner Wang has brought many contract-based policemen from Linghai, they probably can’t come up with so much money right away either, Director Yu and Political Commissioner Wang will certainly consider your situation." "How will they consider?" "Let the unit cover the construction costs first, and then have you all pay once the apartments are built." "Building the residential building will surely be done by the same construction team as the office building, they build very quickly. If it starts by the end of the year, it’ll be finished in at most a year and a half, but by then I still won’t have enough money." "There will always be a way." Han Xiangning was very aware of how important owning an apartment ashore was for his junior, patting his arm, "You’re officially employed now, you hardly spend money normally, you can save a thousand a year. By the time the apartment is ready, you’ll have saved three thousand. This major housing project, your dad will definitely help you, he now has a bigger boat and earns money fast, supporting you with three to four thousand should be no problem. Then borrow some from your sister and brother-in-law, Director Xu is so fond of you, he certainly won’t ignore this." "I don’t want to borrow money." "Who doesn’t borrow money when pooling funds for building a house?" Han Xiangning retorted with a smile, "I should also start saving up, and hopefully, I can save up to four thousand to help you out. Let’s get the house first." Han Yu was moved and hurriedly said, "Sister Ningning, that’s four thousand, not just four hundred. How can I borrow from you and take all your money?" "I am your sister; besides, this is a loan to you, which you will have to pay back in the future." "What if you lend me the money and then run out of money?" "I’m a woman; I don’t need to pool funds to build a house. Even if I get married in the future, my parents will give me a dowry. Instead of keeping it in the bank, it’s better to lend it to you." "No, borrowing so much at once, I won’t be able to return it." "You can return it slowly over time, just pay me a little interest then." Knowing he felt awkward, Han Xiangning quickly changed the subject, "San’er, how did you help your senior brother and Sister Zhang Lan warm their bed? Zhang Lan gave birth to a girl, and her mother-in-law doesn’t seem very happy. She hasn’t gone back since her confinement." "That’s too superstitious and feudal, besides, it’s not like I wanted to help them warm their bed." Han Yu turned back, and muttered, "The people in his family are really something. In this day and age, they still favor boys over girls." "His family is always problematic. Sister Zhang Lan says she never wants to go back to his family." "Just because she had a girl?" "Not just that, there are other issues as well." "What other issues?" "When they got married, the city rewarded them with a color TV. Your master said that a black-and-white TV had already been included in her dowry, so they left the color TV at her parents’ place for them to use. When her mother-in-law sees people, she complains that the color TV was rewarded to your senior brother, but Zhang Lan kept it at her parental home." Sёarᴄh the NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Last time I went to warm the bed, I could tell Mrs. Xu was formidable. It seems like everything in the Xu Family is decided by Mrs. Xu; she seems knowledgeable about everything, but her actions are lacking, otherwise, she wouldn’t have neglected to invite the boat pilot who came to fetch the bride to the meal. Having such a mother-in-law, Zhang Lan is really unlucky. Han Yu was silent for a moment, then asked, "What’s the attitude of my senior brother?" Han Xiangning, being very close to Zhang Lan and knowing everything about the Xu Family, spoke with a mix of sympathy and disdain, "Despite your senior brother being a fearsome leader of the Criminal Investigation Team in public, he holds little sway at home, neither daring to confront his mother nor Sister Zhang Lan. He can’t afford to offend either side, which is incredibly frustrating." On one side is his mother, and on the other is his wife; it’s indeed hard being stuck in the middle. Han Yu sympathized deeply with his senior brother and asked, "Does Director Xu know about these issues?" "He knows. He even held a family meeting at your senior brother’s place regarding the issue of having sons or daughters, and lectured your senior brother’s family." "Did it have any effect?" "It did at the moment; no one dared disobey him when he spoke. But your senior brother’s mom... how should I put it, she’s the kind of rural woman who can make up trouble out of nothing. It only takes a few days for her to start gossiping again." "Is Sister Zhang Lan very upset and sad?" "Sister Zhang Lan is definitely not happy, but it’s not so much about being sad or upset. After all, she’s been with your senior brother for so many years and knew well what his mother is like. She says she married your senior brother, not his mother. If worse comes to worst, she just won’t visit his home in the future." Chatting along, Han Xiangning suddenly remembered something, and couldn’t help but laugh, "You can’t imagine the things the Xu Family people do." "What else happened?" Han Yu asked curiously. "Now that there’s a reform in funerals, everyone has to be cremated. In May this year, your senior brother’s grandmother passed away and was sent to the Linghai Funeral Parlor for cremation. All the family relatives went there for the funeral." "Then what?" "There were many people at the funeral, so Director Xu helped find two large trucks; everyone went there sitting in the truck beds. Xu Mingyuan’s mom was like a commander, giving orders here and there, but on the way back, they forgot her uncle." "How could they forget?" "Sister Zhang Lan said that their uncle had never been to a funeral parlor before. He wandered around, looking here and there. When they left, his mom didn’t check the number of people, and just left her uncle at the crematorium. When they got home and saw that the uncle was missing, they were terrified." Isn’t that cursing the uncle to death? In the countryside, this is a massive issue! Han Yu couldn’t believe such an oversight could happen, and asked anxiously, "What happened later?" "Fortunately, your senior brother had a walkie-talkie. He immediately called the Police Station back in their hometown, and asked them to help get in touch with the bureau’s office to have colleagues from the Criminal Investigation Team rush to the funeral parlor on motorcycles to bring the uncle back." Han Xiangning paused for a moment, then added, "According to Sister Zhang Lan, your senior brother’s mom never got along with his grandmother. While the old lady was alive, she wasn’t filial, but after the old lady passed away, she suddenly became overly diligent in handling the funeral, getting into arguments with your senior brother’s aunt and his uncle’s wife, causing a lot of trouble." Such a woman is too scary. Listening to all this, Han Yu felt a chill and muttered silently after a pause, "Thankfully, Sister Zhang Lan is a public security police officer, otherwise the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship would be even more difficult to handle." "Indeed." Thinking of what Zhang Lan had said, Han Xiangning covered her mouth and laughed, "She only dares to talk behind Sister Zhang Lan’s back, not to her face. But there’s a person in their village who is a distant relative of Sister Zhang Lan’s family, and whatever she says always reaches Sister Zhang Lan’s ears." Thankfully, Sister Zhang Lan gets along well with your senior brother. Otherwise, the marriage arranged by Director Xu would have been a complete failure. Han Yu scratched his head, speaking thoughtfully, "My mom is not like her; my mom treats my sister-in-law very well." Having met his mom and knowing his family’s situation, Han Xiangning heartily agreed while tidying up the desk, laughing, "Your mom is different from her. Your mom has seen the world with your dad; of course, she’s more reasonable and understanding."