Chapter 392 - 277: A Heavy Responsibility and a Long Road (Part 3)

Words : 2240 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

Chapter 392: Chapter 277: A Heavy Responsibility and a Long Road (Part 3)On the afternoon of the fourth day of the first lunar month, Box 888 at the Sailor Club. Zhang Junyan and Zhou Hong, former director of the Water Police Station and now deputy director of the Agricultural Bureau, were playing ’upgrade’ with Yu Xiangqian, the deputy director of Huaiyin City Police Bureau who returned to Binjiang for the New Year yesterday, and Yang Zhengguo, the former director of the Linghai City Police Bureau who was just transferred to the Binjiang Judicial Bureau last December. Today was a welcome banquet. Director Yu and Director Yang were the guests of honor, and since both hold the ranks of director and deputy director respectively, Wang Wenhong, the Bureau Political Commissioner of the Water Police Station, naturally stood aside watching them play cards, while Sister Zhu sat and chatted with Director Yu and Director Yang’s spouses about family matters. Yu Xiangqian threw down a pair of seven of hearts and asked with a smile, "Director Zhang, did you invite Salted Fish and Ningning over?" "They, the couple, were tied up on duty a few days ago and only rested yesterday. Yesterday they went to visit their grandmother and uncle in Sansing with their sister and brother-in-law, and early this morning they went with Master Han and his wife to Si Gang," Zhang Junyan responded with a smile, then added, "Besides, today’s banquet is to welcome you and Director Yang, why would we invite them?" "It’s better they didn’t come; otherwise, he’ll never grow up, and besides, he doesn’t drink." "It really is a problem that he doesn’t drink. Director Yang, you’re responsible for this. Salted Fish was under you for over six years, and you didn’t train him to hold his liquor." Zhou Hong wholeheartedly agreed, looking up and laughing, "How can you be a police officer if you can’t drink!" All the guests today were old friends of Xu Sanye and paid a lot of attention to the two ’fish’ at the Yanjiang Police Station. Faced with their concern, Yang Zhengguo felt a bit embarrassed and said half-jokingly, "Director Zhou, you haven’t been at the Agricultural Bureau for long, you can’t take a dig at the police once you’ve left, suggesting as if all public security police are a bunch of good-for-nothings." "That’s not what I meant, but what should a comrade do in situations where drinking is necessary if he can’t drink?" "I can’t be blamed for that; the fault lies with Xu Sanye for not training Salted Fish well and not developing his drinking capacity." Yu Xiangqian sighed slightly, "Sanye wanted to train him, he just didn’t have enough time." "Well, there’s you and Director Zhang now, isn’t there?" Director Yang asked with a laugh, discarding an Old K, "Director Yu, Director Zhang, I did not agree to sell the ship before the New Year, you’re not blaming me, right?" "How could we possibly blame you? You had your difficulties, and besides, the matter is already settled," Yu Xiangqian responded with a smile. Yang Zhengguo had been reflecting on his years of past work since his transfer to the city, and thinking about the recent changes in his old department, he couldn’t help but bitterly smile, "When Sanye was here, he often said that I was more capable than Zheng Dahuang, only less firm; if I were firmer, he would respect me more." "Is that so?" "Don’t believe me? Ask Old Wang, he knows best." Yang Zhengguo accepted a cigarette from Zhou Hong, lamenting, "Back then, I didn’t take it seriously, even thought of his words as nonsense. But now I realize there’s truth to them; a Police Chief must be firm in his role, otherwise how can work be carried out?" Xu Sanye taught you how to be a director, but you would not listen or take it seriously. Now transferred to the Binjiang Judicial Bureau, and by observing how the recently appointed Zhou Huixin manages work, and how in just over twenty days she has earned a new respect from the Linghai City Committee leaders, and even the admiration and support of all policemen and auxiliary police, you finally realize how poorly you performed as Chief, a realization that unfortunately comes too late. This is the case of good advice being unpalatable! Zhang Junyan sighed inwardly but casually remarked, "Director Yang, that’s just the new official enacting three new policies." Regardless of everything, Yang Zhengguo had been the one in charge for so many years and was well aware that his successor was truly capable. He couldn’t help but ask, "Does the City Bureau leadership know about his selling the ship and releasing people?" Zhang Junyan did not expect this former director to still be obssessed, unsure of how to explain and simply looked up. Wang Wenhong, noticing Zhang Junyan’s gaze, scratched his neck and said, "Director Chen probably doesn’t know, the ship belonged to the Linghai Police Bureau, and the person was previously a policeman of the Linghai Police Bureau. Whether it’s selling the ship or transferring Salted Fish here, there was no need to report to the City Bureau." Yang Zhengguo murmured, "Isn’t he worried that Director Chen would be unhappy if he found out?" There’s no work where you don’t offend someone. How could you possibly satisfy everyone, from top to bottom, in your job? Moreover, Zhou Huixin is taking such actions because you left behind a mess. Zhang Junyan didn’t want to discuss it further and was about to change the subject when Yang Zhengguo suddenly shifted the conversation, "Director Zhang, I don’t think the job arrangements for Salted Fish are quite appropriate." "Director Yang, I don’t quite understand what you mean." "Director Yu, Director Zhou, Old Wang, I know you watched Salted Fish grow up and care deeply for him, treating him like your own child, hoping he’d advance, but he’s only twenty-two this year." Zhang Junyan asked with a smile, "Director Yang, are you worried that we might be rushing his growth?" Yu Xiangqian said with a wry smile, "At twenty-two, getting promoted to deputy director is indeed too fast for a local police bureau, but the Changhang Bureau is different from local police bureaus. It’s the same reason why staff from the Provincial Department advance faster than grassroots police." "It’s not about age; I think the firefighting job is not easy, especially port firefighting, it’s too prone to accidents, and once accidents happen, there will be responsibilities!" Yang Zhengguo was genuinely worried, thought for a bit, and then asked, "Salted Fish is only twenty-two, is it appropriate to burden him with such heavy responsibilities?" Indeed, the burden is heavy. Zhang Junyan had considered this more than once before. Hearing Yang Zhengguo raise it, he explained, "First of all, the more difficult a job is, the easier it is to achieve results. Also, the age structure of our bureau’s officers means we can only let Salted Fish take on this heavy burden." "Is there really no one more suitable than him?" "Our division’s public security police are mainly composed of former security officers from the Port Authority, military transfer officials placed by the city, and officers promoted from rank-and-file employees like Han Ning. The average age is 44 years old, and the average educational level is high school. If it weren’t for the mobilization efforts in recent years to raise their levels of education, the average would be only at junior high school." Zhang Junyan paused before continuing, "We only have three police academy graduates, including Salted Fish, there are only seven with a college diploma, and not a single one with a bachelor’s degree. They say that good steel should be used on the blade’s edge. Tell me, if I don’t put Salted Fish in charge of firefighting, should I assign it to the older comrades who are nearly retiring or stepping back from the frontline?" Fighting fires is not like other jobs; it really needs young people. Although the older comrades have rich work experience, they can’t keep up physically. Yang Zhengguo didn’t know what to say when Zhang Junyan added, "We need to consider not only Salted Fish but also Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu is good in every aspect, just too honest, and can only work under the guidance of Salted Fish. With Xiao Yu’s qualifications, without doing firefighting, he wouldn’t be able to wear the police uniform, so we have to arrange it this way." Zhou Hong suddenly interjected, "I have a good spot, we’re really in need of people at my place." Zhang Junyan responded with a smile, "Old Zhou, I know you’ll soon have a Fishery Administration Ship, but since you came from our bureau, please don’t poach from your old unit." Sister Zhu couldn’t help turning around and saying, "Director Zhou, our three families share just one specialized Law Enforcement Rescue Boat. Salted Fish, Xiao Yu, and Old Zhu are the only three personnel capable of both working and law enforcement on the water. Please don’t compete with us for them." ... Meanwhile, Han Yu and Han Xiangning were strolling through the ancient street in Liu Xia Town. Small bridges over running water, everywhere was antique charm. In the low but historically rich houses, elderly men and women sat around small tables playing long mahjong, old comrades in glasses, clearly intellectuals, were trimming their bonsai, and an elder in front was intently feeding birds. More than a dozen children were running and playing behind, while a few in front were squatting on the ground searching through firecracker remnants for unexploded small firecrackers. Those fixing feet, cutting hair, making distiller’s grains, painting posthumous portraits, sharpening kitchen and craft knives... all sorts of livelihoods that you would only expect to see on TV or in movies were here, brimming with the atmosphere of life. "San’er, there’s a stage up ahead!" "Let’s go have a look." Just as Han Yu spoke, his pager suddenly beeped. Han Xiangning asked subconsciously, "Who is it?" Han Yu took out the pager, looked at the number, and smiled, "It’s Director Wang from the Building Materials Machinery Factory, probably reminding us to hurry over for dinner." The officials in Liangzhuang are much better at human relations than those in Dinghu. You help them, and they are very courteous to you. Before the Spring Festival, they called to ask when he was returning to Si Gang to be able to prepare for his arrival in advance. They even inquired about how he would return if by long-distance bus so they could arrange a pickup at the Si Gang bus station. Han Yu did not want to trouble them, he didn’t inform them when coming back with his father-in-law and mother-in-law, but with many informants, people from Liangzhuang arrived at the village shortly after he reached his ancestral home in Dinghu, bringing loads of New Year goods and warmly inviting them to Mrs. Fu’s Restaurant for dinner in Liangzhuang. It would be impolite not to go now that his whereabouts were known. With no other choice, Han Yu could only smile wryly, "Let’s hurry over; Secretary Lu might be there too." Tired of the rich diet over the New Year, Han Xiangning helplessly said while embracing his arm, "Okay, our parents can’t go, and if we don’t, it would upset them." The couple drove to Mrs. Fu’s Restaurant in Liangzhuang, only to find seven or eight sedans parked at the front, and the private rooms on the second floor were all booked. Mrs. Fu, the boss lady they had met before, was bustling about busily. "Captain Han, our room is on the left of the staircase." The Police Special Envoy from Liangzhuang, Li Shuncheng, greeted them with a warm handshake and said with a smile, "Director Wang has gone to the Red Flag Second Team to pick someone up; Secretary Lu is already here, playing cards with some leaders who have returned from the military." Han Yu curiously asked, "How many tables tonight?" "Two from the construction station, one from the Building Materials Machinery Factory, one from the Refractory Materials Factory, and one from the Glass Fiber Factory, a total of five tables tonight." "Agent Li, I don’t know a single person..." "They’re all from out of town, and many don’t know each other either. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, familiarity comes with time." In Liangzhuang, every Spring Festival there’s a lot of eating and drinking, but unlike in Dinghu, the locals don’t criticize Liangzhuang’s officials because the guests are there to help local businesses pull in contracts, and many are accomplished individuals who have left Liangzhuang. In fact, hosting meals is just a part of their gratitude activities. It is said that every year on the third or fourth day of the lunar new year, there is a tea party at the township government in the morning, and in the afternoon, a cultural performance is organized by Liang Middle School and Liang Primary School. If guests haven’t visited the businesses in Liangzhuang, they also organize tours. When there are too many guests to entertain, the village secretaries and heads of various enterprises and institutions must participate. And tasks are divided, with village secretaries accountable for entertaining the successful people from their own villages, and the costs incurred by the receptions are borne by the township, adding no burden to the villages.

Chapter 392 - 277: A Heavy Responsibility and a Long Road (Part 3)

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