Binjiang Police Affairs
Chapter 107 - 95 I Have a Car!

Chapter 107: Chapter 95 I Have a Car!

Han Yu did not expect that her senior was genuinely tasked by their bureau leaders to negotiate work.

The Port Supervision Bureau, just like Binjiang Port Police Station, was generous enough to actually plan on sponsoring a depth sounder, which was a good thing, as it would prevent the 001 from grounding.

Arranging for Director Xu, Zhu Baogen, and Liang Xiaoyu to attend crew training was also beneficial, and they even brought the registration forms to fill out later.

The requirement was elementary education or above. Although Zhu Baogen didn’t finish primary school and Liang Xiaoyu never attended school, filling out the registration form was not a problem.

Because nowadays, regardless of whether someone has attended school or can read, the education field must state ’primary school’ or higher.

It is said that this is a requirement from the county, related to achievements in literacy campaigns, insisting even the uneducated possess education.

As for renting offices, arranging staff deployment, borrowing 001 to conduct law enforcement on the river... Han Yu was just the future director and couldn’t decide yet; she had to wait for the bureau leader’s visit to ask for instructions from Director Xu.

Han Xiangning didn’t want to run back and forth over this minor issue and insisted on waiting for a response.

Han Yu had no choice but to accompany her around the dunship with prospective bride Zhang Lan.

Who knew whether Director Dong had made empty promises due to being drunk, as he felt sorry for the bureau and emphasized during the noon task assignment to uphold the bureau’s interests as much as possible.

Han Xiangning didn’t dare to dismiss the matter lightly. Upon reviewing the dunship’s north gate and the board design drawn by Han Yu in the morning, she looked up and said, "Sister Zhang, if our bureau rents your office and stations personnel here, this place should also have our Port Supervision’s signage, not just yours."

"Xiao Han, don’t ask me, I’m just an accountant, you better ask Salted Fish."

"Salted Fish, what do you think?"

"Squad Leader, where do you want to hang the sign?"

On land, you police hold the power.

But on the river, Port Supervision reigns supreme.

Han Xiangning pointed at the drawing and smiled, "Our sign should be as big as yours, visible, and mounted on the top of the dunship."

"Are you talking about the big sign up there?"

"Yes."

"I’ll have to consult our Director Xu." Han Yu thought for a moment, then added with a smile, "Even if Director Xu agrees, your big sign can only be installed on this side facing the Yangtze River dam; it definitely can’t be installed on the riverside."

Han Xiangning puzzledly asked, "Why?"

Han Yu opened the south-facing door and pointed upwards from the corridor: "The ’Linghai Police,’ ’Water Shang 110,’ and the police emblem are already installed above. There’s no more space."

Han Xiangning looked up and distressedly noticed it was indeed fully packed. She complained, "We manage the safety of water transportation. If it’s installed on the back, those on the ship can’t see our sign."

"But we’ve already installed ours, and besides, this is our dunship."

"If we rent your office, we have the right to use it. Without prominent signage, our bureau leaders definitely won’t be pleased."

Fearing that Xiao Han might not take it seriously, Han Xiangning emphasized, "As for port supervision enforcement along the Yangtze, the Ministry of Transport is due to inspect. They’ve already inspected once last June and issued a notification document."

"The signs above were custom-made and paid for; surely we can’t just take them down." Han Yu wished to help her senior, but the signage belonging to their station was already installed, and she was helpless in this regard.

"You don’t need that many words, just the four characters ’Linghai Police’ and the emblem are enough."

"You say demolish it just like that?"

"How much money was spent on the ’Water Shang 110’ sign? We can compensate you for the loss."

Signage is crucial for the office; indeed, the Ministry of Transport had issued ’Decisions on Several Issues of Port and Navigation Supervision on the Main Channel of the Yangtze River,’ which asserted requirements for unit names, signage, and staff uniforms.

Han Xiangning felt this was a matter of principle, raising her arm to point above: "Take down ’Water Shang 110,’ move your police emblem and ’Linghai Police’ aside. Make some room for our Port Supervision emblem and the words ’Binjiang Port Supervision.’ We can make the font and size identical to yours, place it side by side upon installation to assure it looks neat."

The prospective bride surprisingly walked away quietly; faced alone with his senior, Han Yu was truly nervous, cautiously asking, "Squad Leader, you’re only planning to rent one office from us, yet you want half of our facade. Isn’t that a bit excessive?"

"You just want money, right? I know businesses hanging signs need to pay advertising fees. We can discuss the amount."

"It’s not about the money."

"Then what is it about?"

"If installed as you suggested, people might think this dunship belongs to both of us."

"We’re here to conduct joint law enforcement with you."

"Alright, I’ll go ask Director Xu in a bit."

Pleased, Han Xiangning nodded and re-entered the "Command Center," curiously asking upon seeing the carpenter’s work, "What’s this for?"

Han Yu explained, "This is the command desk. If the desk uses wooden panels, it requires painting, and waiting for the paint to dry would definitely be too late, so we bought marble."

"Who will be commanding here?"

"Our station leaders; this will also be the duty room in the future."

Han Yu pulled out a drawing, proudly describing, "The radio will be installed here, and we need to set up a row of sockets especially for charging walkie-talkies. This is the amplifier socket; the amplifier will be placed here..."

Standing in front of the command desk, the entire river surface was in clear view.

Even the windows facing the river were installed slanting outward above and curving inward below to prevent reflection and rain.

Han Xiangning felt that their bureau’s colleagues should not just sit in a small office on the first floor, otherwise, it’d seem as if the police were high above, with Port Supervision beneath them.

"Salted Fish, could you make two nameplates, one saying police, one saying Port Supervision, so that our colleagues can also come up for duty?"

The command desk is long enough to accommodate several more chairs.

Han Yu can’t decide on other matters, but he can still decide on this small thing. He immediately agreed, "Sure, I’ll find someone to do it."

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me."

"What about meals if our colleagues come over?"

"If your colleagues really come, they can eat in our cafeteria. Just bring some rice and pay a meal fee."

"Okay."

Thinking about the empty north wall in the command center, Han Yu asked, "Squad Leader, I can’t find a large map of the Yangtze River area. Your bureau definitely has one, can you help me get one to hang on the wall?"

Han Xiang Ning smiled and said, "We have a map of the Yangtze River Port and Navigation Supervision Bureau’s jurisdiction, no smaller maps of the Linghai North Branch."

"Director Yu from the Water Security Department at the City Bureau visited this morning. He wants to move the Water Police Division’s sign here, which means our station might soon be in charge of the entire security of the Binjiang Waters. Using a large map would also work."

"Alright, I’ll try to find one for you when I get back."

...

Now that everything has been said, he’s just waiting for their bureau’s leaders to leave, so he can go and report to the somewhat fierce-looking Director Xu.

Han Xiang Ning glanced at her watch and muttered, "Salted Fish, when are your bureau leaders going to leave?"

"I don’t know."

"When is the last bus from Bailong Port to the city?"

"Five-thirty."

"It’ll be troublesome if we miss the bus."

Han Xiang Ning sighed softly, pouting and muttering, "I hate riding in cars. I feel sick just from the smell of gasoline, and it’s even worse if someone smokes inside."

Han Yu instinctively asked, "Squad Leader Han, do you get carsick?"

"A bit." Following Han Yu off the dunship, Han Xiang Ning thought for a moment then turned back and said, "Stop calling me Squad Leader, it sounds weird."

"What should I call you then?"

"I am older than you, call me Sister."

Han Yu found it a bit hard to say but still smiled and said, "Alright, Sister it is. It’s just your name is similar to my actual sister’s, I’m worried I might mix them up."

Han Xiang Ning curiously asked, "What’s your sister’s name?"

"Han Ning, one character less than yours, and hers is Ning for tranquility, without the wood radical, but they sound the same."

"That’s quite a coincidence, then call me Sister Xiang Ning to avoid confusion."

"Okay."

Speaking of his sister, he wondered how she was doing at the Binjiang Port Police Station.

Han Yu suddenly wanted to visit Binjiang again, and considering his senior’s carsickness, he hesitated then asked, "Sister Xiang Ning, do you get motion sick on a motorcycle?"

"I don’t get sick on motorcycles."

"Then are you afraid of the cold?"

"I’m wearing thick clothes, not cold."

"In a while, I’ll ride you back on my motorcycle, and I can also visit my sister and brother-in-law."

From what he remembered, his family wasn’t very well-off. His clothes during school days were not just plain, but somewhat shabby, and the clothes he wore now were no better.

Han Xiang Ning grew more curious as she looked at him and laughed, "Do you have a motorcycle?"

Han Yu grinned, "I have a light motorcycle."

"What kind?"

"Mulan 50, the small, step-through style motorcycles that are always advertised on TV."

"That red light motorcycle in the yard of your unit is yours!"

"The leaders of the Binjiang Port Police Bureau rewarded it to me because I got injured during a mission to East Sea last time."

"Salted Fish, I didn’t see that coming; you’re doing pretty well!"

"Good luck."

That type of trendy and stylish light motorcycle is liked by every girl.

Han Xiang Ning enviously said, "Sister Guan from our unit bought one just like yours, also red, and she spent several thousand on it. The Binjiang Port Police Bureau really has money, to reward you with one."

With a little Mulan under his control, Han Yu felt more confident and laughed, "Sister Xiang Ning, would you dare to ride back with me driving? If you dare, I’ll ask Director Xu for leave after I report."

In Han Xiang Ning’s eyes, he was just a kid, and she chuckled, "What’s there to be afraid of, am I scared of you eating me?"

"I don’t have a driver’s license, I just learned how to ride. But the bike is easy to operate; it has an automatic transmission, no need to shift gears, just twist the throttle and you’re off."

"No driver’s license, no problem, you’re not scared, so what should I be scared of? That settles it then, I really don’t want to ride in a car again."

......

PS: I recommend a new book by my friend, author Chang Feng, titled "Above the Blade", a must-read for brothers and sisters who like anti-Japanese espionage themes!