Chapter 5: Giving You a Chance to Perform

Words : 2002 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Giving You a Chance to PerformXu Sanye had long wanted to own a law enforcement ship of his own, and couldn't help but release Han Yu's arm. Han Yu was afraid that Xu wouldn't believe him, and hurriedly struck while the iron was hot, saying: "Before the shipping company's restructuring, there were several tugboats. If they broke down in Linghai, they could be towed to the ship repair yard. If they broke down elsewhere, it was my dad and his colleagues who fixed them. Every winter and summer vacation I was on the boat, I can't even count how many times I've helped my dad." "You've only seen your dad fix them, you don't actually know how to do it yourself." "I originally applied for the marine engineering program. Later, because no one applied for Water Transport Management, I was transferred there. The school leaders knew this transfer was not fair to us and considering our future employment in Water Transport Management, they organized us to learn engine repair during our free time." Seeing the irrational Xu Sanye somewhat tempted, Han Yu played his trump card: "My brother-in-law works as a mechanical class leader at Binjiang Port. He is a Grade 8 fitter and can fix all sorts of cranes and engines." "Your brother-in-law is a Grade 8 worker!" Xu Sanye was greatly surprised. Han Yu said proudly: "My brother-in-law earns two hundred sixty-eight a month, his salary is even higher than their section chiefs." Xu Sanye believed that the children on the boat could sail. S~eaʀᴄh the ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He also believed that Little Salted Fish claimed to have a certificate. All boat crews in Binjiang had to go for training at their school; being formal students who were first to take the opportunity, it's quite normal to get some inland river's Certificate of Competence. Moreover, with a Grade 8 worker as a brother-in-law, he could indeed let him have a try. Xu Sanye was somewhat tempted but then shook his head: "This tugboat was built in 1967, it's older than you, and it's already been scrapped. Even if it can be fixed, it's useless, a scrapped boat can't be operated." "Who says it's scrapped?" "The boat doesn't have a scrapping period?" "Tugboats aren't passenger boats. As long as they pass inspection, using them for thirty or forty years is no issue." Han pointed to his handcuffed right wrist with his left hand, proudly saying: "When it comes to matters on the water, especially on the boat, I understand more than you." How to enforce the law on the river without a law enforcement ship? What kind of Yanjiang Police Station Chief doesn't have a law enforcement ship? If only he had a ship, he could do a lot, even make some achievements for the leaders to see... Xu Sanye saw that Han Yu didn't seem to be lying. He took out his key, unlocked the handcuffs, grinned, and said: "Alright, I'll give you an opportunity to show what you can do." Han Yu muttered: "I'm here to work, not to show off." "Yes, yes, yes, working, repairing the ship, and sailing it, that's your job. Once the ship is repaired, I'll let you be Captain." "I don't have any tools." "There are several shipyards along the Bailong River, if you don't have the tools, I'll help you borrow them." "I might need to tow the boat ashore." "None of these are problems; as long as you can get it fixed, I will fully support you." "If a part is broken and I need to buy spare parts to replace it." "You first take it apart to see where exactly it's broken, which spare parts need replacing. After you figure that out, I'll find a way." In Linghai Police Bureau, you can deceive anyone, but you absolutely can't deceive Xu Sanye, otherwise there will be no good outcome. Li Weiguo was worried that the kid was bragging and reminded: "Xiao Han, Director Xu isn't joking with you. You need to think carefully about whether the ship can really be repaired." 6135, an old machine, quite durable, not hard to repair. It's just that it's very noisy, lacks power, and it's very fuel-inefficient. Han Yu was confident, looked up with a smile and said: "As long as I have tools, a workspace, and parts, it can definitely be fixed." Xu Sanye seemed to see himself standing imposingly at the bow of a ship speeding down the Yangtze River. He slapped Han Yu's shoulder and smiled: "Ambitious. Let's first go to the ship and take a look, then take you to a few nearby shipyards to see where it would be best to get it repaired." Talk is cheap; actions speak louder than words. Pride in overambition—this was the kind of person he was. Li Weiguo cursed silently and said to him: "Director Xu, Xiao Han hasn't brought anything, let him go back and get his bedding and a change of clothes first. His sister lives in the Binjiang Port Authority dormitory, about fifty or sixty kilometers from here. If he leaves now, he can get home before it gets dark." "It takes three to four hours to cover fifty or sixty kilometers by bike; who would be at ease? I'll take you back." Xu Sanye, who had just now was hesitant to accept Little Salted Fish, now was somewhat worried that this kid who knew both how to repair and sail a ship might leave and not come back; he pocketed the handcuffs and pulled out his motorcycle keys. Han Yu didn't expect him to suddenly become so nice and hurriedly said, "Thank you, Director Xu, no need to escort me, the bicycle is my sister's, and I must return it to her." Xu Sanye lifted his arm to check his watch, declaring with finality, "So you need to send the bicycle back, right? There are several long-distance buses from Bailong Port to Binjiang every day. It's still early now. I'll take you to the bus later, you can take the bus, and the bicycle can be tied to the bus and taken away." Li Weiguo was also worried about Han Yu cycling back such a long distance and said with a smile, "Taking the bus is good too." "Salted Fish, come on, I'll take you to see the ship." Xu Sanye waved his hand grandly, leading Han Yu toward the dock behind the office building. Thinking that Yanjiang Police Station only operated internally, upon reaching the river, Han Yu was surprised to find the sign "Linghai County Police Bureau Yanjiang Police Station" hanging behind the office building, and "Linghai County Police Bureau Bailong Port Water Security Inspection Station" written in sixteen big characters on the back wall of the office building. However, upon reflection, it made sense since Yanjiang Police Station was responsible for water security after all. Every ship entering Linghai from the Yangtze River had to go through this river more than eighty meters wide, so the passing ships could see the sign hanging by the river. The moored tugboat had a total length of twenty-four meters, a beam of five meters two, and a depth of two meters two, with a draft of about one meter five. Sloping bow, "duck-tail" stern, two-tiered deck, the small pilot house on the second tier; the ship's design was very elegant and streamlined. Because it was so good-looking, Han Yu had a deep impression of it. Even though it had been painted to look like new, he still recognized it as the former "Linghai Tuo 012". After being exposed to the sun for most of the day, the entire tugboat was like a "teppanyaki grill," the deck temperature reaching at least sixty degrees. Walking on the deck, it felt like your shoes could melt; the sides and the walls of the ship were even hotter, almost untouchable by hand. Xu Sanye walked to a relatively cooler spot and pointed to the cabin below the pilot house, asking, "Salted Fish, what is this area for?" Han Yu knew he was testing him and replied without hesitation, "This is a small meeting room and dining hall. Previously, when navigating inland rivers, we would tow more than a dozen barges. Whenever there was something to discuss, the crew would gather here." "And what about this part here?" "Below this is the storage hold, this part is the Anchor Chain Room, with the anchor chains inside and the Hall anchors hanging outside, one on each side, I think each is a hundred kilograms." Han Yu, like a tour guide, continued to introduce while walking, "Inside the meeting room, there is a small kitchen and a small bathroom, and below that is the crew's quarters. The engine room is located in the middle of the ship, with fuel tanks on either side of the engine room. Behind the engine room is another crew's cabin, further back is the stern cabin with the propellers, and the very back is the ballast compartment." Xu Sanye didn't expect him to be so familiar with this tugboat and asked curiously, "Have you been on this tugboat before?" Han Yu smiled and said, "The shipping company's tugboats are all single-decked; only this one has a two-tiered deck with the pilot house above. It looks like a little warship; most of us kids from shipping company families have come to play on it." "That's why I wanted it because it looks like a little warship. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone to such trouble to bring it here and have it painted." "Inside, it wasn't descaled or painted with anti-rust paint, so it neither prevents rust nor corrosion. Painting it was pointless." Han Yu picked off a flake of paint and showed Xu Sanye the rusty iron board beneath. Xu Sanye was stunned and found himself at a loss for words. Sweat dripped from Han Yu's forehead. He opened the engine room door to peek inside, and saw that the oily water reached at least two feet high, with two 120-horsepower 6135 main engines simply soaking in the oily water. "Both main engines are there; it looks like their parts haven't been taken apart, otherwise not only I couldn't repair it, but even my brother-in-law wouldn't be able to." "Let's take a look at the back." "Alright." The stern anchor machine was there too, a hydraulic winch, same as the Bow Anchor Machine, both produced by Xishan Jiangnan Shipbuilding Equipment Factory. The electrical systems in the two-tiered pilot house were in terrible condition, rust all over the place. The electrical wiring was seriously aged; it seems necessary to have his brother-in-law help with the rewiring. After disembarking, crouching by the river to look at the stern, he could vaguely see that fishing nets were entangled around the propeller; the rudder was deformed from being welded multiple times. But for a tugboat built in the sixties, the condition was still acceptable, at least repairable. Xu Sanye washed his face by the river and asked, "Salted Fish, how long do you think it'll take to repair?" Han Yu thought for a moment then turned around to say, "This isn't just about overhauling the main engines, it's about overhauling the whole ship. If it's just me alone, without anyone assisting, at the least it'll take half a year." "That long?" "Not to mention anything else, just cleaning will take many days." "Fine, as long as we have time, I will work as a laborer and assist you!"

Chapter 5: Giving You a Chance to Perform

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