Binjiang Police Affairs
Chapter 314 - 223 Housing Reform

Chapter 314: Chapter 223 Housing Reform

Cohabitation without marriage is no different from illegal cohabitation; it’s not good for one’s reputation if word gets out.

But this was not a problem for Han Yu, because he had two dormitory rooms at Yingchuan Port.

One was a combined office and dormitory of the squad, while the other was at the Water Rescue Center.

Captain Wang was getting older, his eyesight and attention were not as good as before; he could drive the 001 during the day, but not at night.

To assist the Port Supervision with water rescues more effectively, he stayed at the dormitory of the Water Rescue Center at night, which was perfectly reasonable. He only stayed at the squad office when on duty.

And his dormitory in the Water Rescue Center was right next to his senior sister’s dormitory. Since there were only a few people on night duty at the Water Rescue Center and Port Patrol Second Team, no one noticed when he "dropped by" senior sister’s place.

Moreover, Yingchuan Port was not far from the downtown area, and the two of them would head back at least three nights a week.

Back in the downtown area, not only could he and senior sister let loose, but Han Xiangmeng and Liang Xiaojun as well.

The father-in-law and mother-in-law were very understanding and had turned the two secondary bedrooms into new rooms for the elder daughter and son-in-law, and the second daughter and son-in-law, and everything felt so natural.

It’s just that the little sister-in-law and Liang Xiaojun came back less often, so it was still a household of four for the time being.

As soon as they got home, the parents-in-law started moving the electric fan for the elderly, the usual medicines, six big watermelons bought that afternoon, and some summer clothes to the jeep.

Although there were more cars now than before, drivers were still in demand; anyone who could drive a car home had skills, let alone when it was a police car, attracting attention from many neighbors, especially the children.

Han Shuqun, afraid that things would be stolen, pulled the car door to make sure it was locked, while leading his daughter and son-in-law upstairs, he curiously asked: "San’er, this is a car from the Yanjiang Police Station, right?"

Reminded of his master, Han Yu responded gloomily, "This is borrowed from Director Xu by the Binjiang Port Police Station, it’s said to be borrowed, but in fact, it is given to our station, and the leaders of Binjiang Port Police Station all know about it. So when Binjiang Port Police Station was incorporated into Changhang Police Bureau, it was not counted among the fixed assets to be transferred.

Neither did the Linghai Police Bureau consider it their vehicle; after Director Xu left, no one in the station could drive, so Director Zhang let me drive it to Yingchuan Port, and I’ve been driving it for the past two months."

Han Shuqun walked into the living room and after thinking for a while asked: "Not relying on either side, does that mean it hasn’t been registered, and there are no formalities?"

"There are none, no procedures at all now, just a police license plate."

"It won’t be a problem without formalities, right?"

"The budget is too tight; one police bureau is poorer than the next, there are many cars without formalities, some don’t even have license plates. Besides, the car downstairs has already driven over 300,000 kilometers, the engine is already failing, and at most, it can only be driven for another two or three years before being scrapped."

Han Yu put down the car keys and went into the bathroom to wash his hands under the tap.

Xiang Fan worriedly asked, "We are going to Si Gang tomorrow, driving that far, it won’t break down on the road, will it?"

"It won’t, I just repaired it a few days ago."

"San’er, can you fix cars?"

"The principles of gasoline engines and diesel engines are more or less the same, the transmission mechanism of the 212 is not complicated either..."

One skilled in repairing radars, fond of fixing various electrical devices.

The other capable of piloting and repairing boats, fond of fixing various machines.

Get this father and son talking about maintenance, and there would be no end to it.

Xiang Fan, not wanting to turn the family meeting into a son-in-law’s machinery repair sharing session, quickly said: "San’er, Ningning, there’s something I want to discuss with you."

"Mom, what is it?" Han Xiangning asked subconsciously.

"Our hospital has started housing reform; they raised the rent right away, forcing people to pay up and buy the houses they currently live in. I reckon it won’t be long before the reform reaches the Meteorological Bureau."

Xiang Fan looked up at her husband and then turned back to her son-in-law: "I’ve served a long military career, but my working time at the People’s Hospital has been short since demobilization, and the unit didn’t allocate a house to me. There are people willing to pay for the hospital’s houses and there are those who aren’t. Those who don’t want to pay are in a situation similar to ours; we have a place to live anyway, so we might as well move out."

The current three-bedroom apartment is one built by the Meteorological Bureau for its staff.

Although the mother-in-law worked at the People’s Hospital, she indeed did not enjoy the earliest housing benefits or the subsequent housing construction fund benefits from the hospital.

Han Yu realized what she was saying and asked, "Mom, are you saying that some houses have become available at the hospital, and they asked if you want one?"

Xiang Fan nodded slightly and looked at him with a smile, saying, "Although the houses available at the hospital are old ones, they are cheap to buy. Moreover, they are located in the city center, at a good spot. If you two are willing, I’ll buy one, and we won’t need the two-bedroom apartment from the Water Police Station anymore."

Han Shuqun was more traditional in his thoughts; compared to the location of a house, he cared more about the quality of the house, to be precise, the newness of the house, and he murmured: "The available ones are old houses that nobody wanted, and the floors aren’t good either."

The Water Police Station will also soon undergo housing reform; there have already been three meetings and three rounds of discussions, urging everyone to start saving money.

In any case, if we have to pay for a house, it doesn’t matter where we buy it.

Han Yu habitually looked towards his senior, all the money was with her, she would make the decision as the head of the family.

Han Xiangning felt somewhat embarrassed by the attention and quickly asked, "Mom, how much is the old house per square meter?"

"One thousand five hundred."

"San’er, what about the Water Police Station side?"

"At our station, it depends on the floor. The one we have now on a good floor is two thousand six hundred."

"Mom, which floors are the old houses vacated by your hospital on?"

"There’s one on the first floor, and three on the fourth floor, which is also the top floor."

Xiang Fan genuinely liked the old houses provided by the unit and added with a smile, "The one on the first floor is a two-bedroom apartment, sixty-five square meters, with a small yard at the entrance where you can plant flowers and grass."

Han Shuqun, who came from the countryside, believed that if one were to live in a house, it had to be an apartment and the higher the better. He didn’t like the first floor much, but like his son-in-law, he had no say in this matter and sat on the side, wanting to speak but hesitated.

Having worked by the river every day, who would want to live by the river if they could live in the city center?

Moreover, the old houses were cheap!

Han Xiangning was already reluctant to spend so much money on a house, giggling she said, "For just over nine thousand, you can buy a two-bedroom in the city center, where else can you find such a good deal, let’s buy!"

"Others definitely can’t buy it if they want to, only our hospital staff can get it."

"Mom, I know it’s thanks to you, so let’s buy it in your name."

"San’er, what do you think?"

"I have no objections."

"What about the house from the Water Police Station, do we still want it?"

The two now had savings of thirty-eight thousand, if they spent over nine thousand on the house, they would still have over twenty thousand left, how nice would it be to keep it in the bank and earn interest.

Han Yu couldn’t help but smile as he calculated secretly, "One house is enough, what do we need so many houses for. Once we’ve bought the hospital’s house, I’ll return the keys to the dormitory by the river to the bureau."

Han Shuqun reminded, "San’er, if you don’t want the dorm by the river someone else will, and once others have bought them, you won’t be able to even if you wanted to, think carefully about such a big decision."

"No need to think, I like the city center just like Ningning."

"That’s the right way to think."

Xiang Fan was very pleased that his son-in-law listened so much to his daughter and smiled knowingly, "Buying in the city center has its benefits. First of all, it’s close to the hospital, if your parents get sick and need hospitalization they can be cared for closely. And when you have children in the future, they can attend the First Experimental Primary School nearby."

Han Yu had not expected his mother-in-law to think so far ahead and gave a silly chuckle.

After dinner, Han Xiangning suggested they all go take a look, as after all, over nine thousand was not a small amount.

Xiang Fan felt it was very necessary, and hurried to the kitchen to cook.

After the meal, the family of four drove to the old family residential area of the People’s Hospital, finding the environment there completely different from the Meteorological Bureau dormitory, let alone comparing it to the family building of the Water Police Station by the river.

The old residential area was located in the city center, with the People’s Hospital right outside the west gate, and just a few steps outside the north gate was Youth Road, the busiest area of Binjiang, with many shops still open late at night, selling all sorts of things.

Exiting the south gate, they were greeted by the picturesque Hao River, with the Binjiang TV station tower visible just by looking up. In hot weather, many citizens who couldn’t sleep would go there to cool down by the river. It wasn’t just bustling, but also full of lively humanity.

Even though they couldn’t enter the old house on the first floor, they could still make out that there indeed was a small yard of about twenty square meters thanks to the streetlights.

Han Xiangning couldn’t be happier and even made plans about what flowers and plants to grow in the yard after buying it.

"San’er, do you like it?"

"If you like it, I like it."

"What do you mean ’if I like it, then you like it?’ If you don’t like it, say it now. It’ll be too late to regret after buying it."

"I really do like it." Afraid his senior wouldn’t believe him, Han Yu grinned and said, "With just over nine thousand, we can still save more than twenty after buying it."

"..."

Han Xiangning was at a loss for words, thinking that it’s really hard to change one’s nature; he only knew to save money and begrudged spending it.

But then again, who doesn’t like saving money?