Chapter 1420: Chapter 220: A Son Repays His Father’s Debt
Master Wu found driving alone too tiring, and Han Yu and Chen Zikun wanted to take turns driving, but they only had a C license and had never driven a Coaster minibus like this before.
The group originally planned to rest for a night at the Hui’an Province capital, but Xiao Yu wanted to reach Hanwu early and insisted on helping Master Wu drive.
"This is a minibus, not a sedan or a jeep. Do you even know how to drive it?" Chen Zikun was a bit scared.
Han Yu thought it’d be safer too, as he was about to speak up, Xiao Yu proudly pulled out his driver’s license: "You guys have a C license, but I have an A license! Don’t mention this kind of minibus, I can drive a large coach too."
After knowing each other for so many years, Han Yu really didn’t know he actually had an A license.
But speaking of which, usually spending most of his time in Binjiang driving police cars, no one bothered to check whether he had a driver’s license, not even needing to carry it.
Taking his driver’s license, Han Yu asked while looking at it with curiosity: "An A license is hard to get; when did you obtain yours? How come I didn’t know?"
"I got it while you were learning to drive a boat."
Xiao Yu couldn’t help but recall those days, explaining: "I was on the Cooperative Defense Team, and my master worried that I couldn’t find a girl. He said just repairing and driving boats wasn’t enough, and merely driving small vehicles wouldn’t do either, so he sent me to obtain the large vehicle license, first a B license, then an A license, as he planned for me to drive a large coach."
Large coach drivers, even ten years ago, were still quite sought after.
Han Yu realized that Master Yang never wanted Xiao Yu to remain at Yanjiang Police Station as a Cooperative Defense Team member, given the low salary and benefits, and Xiao Yu’s family’s poor financial conditions at the time, he started finding paths for Xiao Yu early on, and found several paths indeed.
Either driving boats or vehicles, no matter what, it was better than being a Cooperative Defense Team member.
He always thought for others, the only thing he didn’t anticipate was Xiao Yu muddling through to the Changhang Bureau, becoming a Changhang Public Security Officer, and even advancing to Deputy Director level.
He least expected that after Xiao Yu married Yu Zhen, their fortune turned around, a family that was dirt poor suddenly flourished with the winds of reform and opening up within a few short years, no longer needing to run boats or drive large coaches, and still enjoying a good life.
He changed his destiny, and Xiao Yu’s too, even enriching Old Qian’s latter life with a bit of color...
Han Yu was somewhat embarrassed, while Master Wu had already pulled the vehicle over to the roadside, unbuckling his seatbelt and turned around with a smile: "Xiao Yu, since you have the license, go ahead and drive. This vehicle is easy to drive; just don’t go too fast, I’ll keep an eye on things beside you."
"I don’t need you to watch; it’s just driving, after all."
As soon as Master Wu shifted to the passenger seat, Xiao Yu promptly moved over to transform into the driver with ease.
Chief Tao initially seemed a bit scared, but seeing Xiao Yu driving well, couldn’t help laughing: "Xiao Yu, you’ve kept hidden talents; you can even drive large vehicles."
"As my master said, having many skills won’t weigh you down, a person navigating society can’t be without a specialty."
"Besides driving boats and cars, what else can you do?"
"I have plenty of skills." Xiao Yu said excitedly while steering: "I know electrical work, welding, machine repairs, can operate loaders, and also excavators!"
"Do you have licenses?" Director Wang couldn’t resist asking.
Before Xiao Yu could reply, Chen Zikun laughed: "He does, Xiao Yu’s licenses rival Salted Fish’s quantity: Seaman’s Certificate, Competence Certificate, Electrician Certificate, Welder Certificate, Firefighter Certificate, Loader Driver Certificate, Excavator Driver Certificate, a drawer full of various water and land certificates, but sadly, they’re all professional qualifications, not much use in the bureau."
Xiao Yu protested: "Who says they’re useless? If they were, could I drive now?"
"They’re useful; you’re versatile, you’re our all-rounder, alright?"
Though Chen Zikun spoke like this, he pondered that within the system, all those certificates together weren’t as valuable as a regular high school diploma.
Han Yu also had many vocational certificates, and agreed with the master’s earlier notion that everyone must have a specialty, curiously asking: "Xiao Yu, when did you obtain the Loader and Excavator certificates?"
"In ’98, after returning from flood relief at Beihu."
Xiao Yu glanced at the rearview mirror, explaining: "Customs sold that excavator to the Road and Bridge Company, unlike the guerrilla teams doing earthwork, the Road and Bridge Company required certified operation. President Sun wanted to send Master Yang’s disciples for certification; Yang Jianbo called asking if I’d join. Since I could drive already, taking the certification seemed convenient, especially since the cost wasn’t on me, so I went with Master Yang’s disciple to take it."
Han Yu pursued further: "Who paid for the certification fees?"
"My certification fees were covered by the camp; the travel expenses on the exam day were reimbursed by the camp."
"That’s good to know, I should’ve gone for the certification too!"
"Our Linghai Reserve Camp is a mobile assault unit for flood relief, requiring personnel to operate excavators and loaders, I took the certification due to camp work requirements." Xiao Yu laughed, adding proudly: "Salted Fish, unlike you, with your certification fees you had to pay yourself, because you’re neither our camp commander nor a soldier in our camp."
Look at him gloating, but you can see through this the competence of Yang Jianbo the camp commander and Sun Youyi the Instructor.
After the Linghai Reserve Camp became renowned, these military heads didn’t rest on their laurels or shelve their weapons, continuing to think about ways to build the unit.
Thinking of Sun Youyi, Han Yu couldn’t help but recall Sun Youyi’s predecessor, raising his head: "Xiao Yu, Captain Chen, President Hao is doing engineering work at Beihu, we haven’t seen him for a long time, let’s give him a call later and ask where his site is. If it’s not far, we can visit him together."
