Chapter 1426: Chapter 223: The Assault Team Hasn’t Disbanded! (2)
"Xiao Yu, we came in Director Huang’s car."
"Director Huang... Director Huang, congratulations on your promotion."
Xiao Yu didn’t like Huang Yuanchang, greeted him half-heartedly, exchanged a few pleasantries with Captain Peng and others, then handed his luggage to the memorable 132 Regiment warrior Yang Xiaojun, and got into the off-road vehicle driven by Yang Xiaojun.
Li Shousong, seeing that Han Yu had the old troop leaders accompanying him, decided to get in the front off-road vehicle to catch up with Xiao Yu.
In fact, even if he was in the Coaster, he wouldn’t be able to join the conversation.
After all, back in the emergency mobile assault team, he was merely a camp commander responsible for minor tasks, whereas Han Yu, Captain Peng, Captain Feng of the Naval Engineering College, and Huang Yuanchang, who reached the Vice Director level, were the leaders of the assault team. Even though he is now promoted to Deputy Captain, he still doesn’t have a say in front of these old leaders.
Everyone was present, and the convoy set off.
As for the two cars that brought Huang Yuanchang and Xiao Yu, they were driven back by the drivers.
The Coaster had plenty of space, and there was a small table to play cards.
Seeing that Chen Zikun politely refused Captain Peng’s offer to join him at the table and sat watching from the side, Li Zhi naturally didn’t dare to step forward.
Han Yu and Huang Yuanchang partnered up, Captain Peng and Captain Feng teamed up, playing card games while reminiscing.
"Salted Fish, Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang also had Li Shousong invite Hao Qiusheng, but he couldn’t come to Hanwu as he’s too far, and drove directly to the military base. He won’t arrive tonight for sure, at earliest he’ll meet us tomorrow morning."
"Captain Peng, you’re doing so well, why do you want to change careers?"
"The camp remains but the soldiers move on, it’s bound to happen sooner or later. It’s better to transfer early than late." Old Peng threw down a card and, in thought, remarked, "Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang might transfer soon too, if not this year then next."
"Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang also wants to change careers?"
"You haven’t worked in the military so you wouldn’t know. Old Feng should be quite clear, whether in First Level or Military Level, even at the Regiment Level, reaching Deputy Chief of Staff is pretty much the end of the line."
"Changing careers is not bad either. How many people can work in the military for a lifetime?" Huang Yuanchang raised his head and laughed.
"So I’m turning to you, Director Huang. I’ll depend on your support in the future."
"Captain Peng, don’t joke around. When you transferred to the Yangtze River Maritime Bureau, I was still in Jiangcheng."
Han Yu was very aware Captain Peng was joking, as military transfer officials like him, due to their positions and age, rarely think about advancing, even if they wanted, it’s quite challenging. He couldn’t help but laugh, "Captain Peng, if the Jiangnan Maritime Bureau hadn’t separated from the Yangtze River Maritime Bureau, I would really ask you to look after my wife, after all, you’re a leader in the superior agency."
"I’m just a nominal Vice Director, who can I look after?"
"Vice Director?"
"The position is Vice Director Level, but the salary is as per Director Level." Captain Peng chuckled, curiously asking, "Salted Fish, Director Huang said your wife is currently a Vice Mayor?"
"It’s a temporary assignment, just for two years, and she’ll return to the Maritime Bureau once it’s over."
"They say you can stay on if you work well at the local level. Boss Huang, you’re more familiar with this than us, what do you think?"
"It depends on the situation." Huang Yuanchang thought for a bit, then smiled and explained, "Xiang Ning is a staff member in the transportation system; staying on would require transferring across systems. Unlike local Party and government officials who can simply remain if they perform well."
"Salted Fish was a police officer in your Changhang system before, he could transfer to local work, why can’t his wife?"
"If the superiors agree and Xiang Ning herself is willing, there might be hope to stay. But the superiors surely won’t agree, considering she was already a key candidate for development when she was at Yangtze River Maritime Bureau or Yangtze River Port Supervision Bureau."
...
They chatted back and forth, while Chen Zikun sat smiling but silent.
Even Chen Zikun couldn’t get a word in, let alone Li Guangrong, the "unexpected guest," who occasionally peeked at Huang Yuanchang, still unable to believe that a Changhang Bureau leader like Huang Yuanchang would directly accompany Han Yu, the "Binjiang Water Army Commander."
What surprised him even more was that at around 9:30 PM, the convoy arrived at the 105th army guesthouse.
The military commanders were indeed waiting. As everyone alighted and saluted the generals, Huang Yuanchang unexpectedly followed behind Han Yu, just like Captain Peng and Colonel Feng, instead of walking ahead based on administrative rank.
"Salted Fish, I had already told your Provincial Military District leaders and your City’s Secretary Lu that the assault team would not disband, and should hold an activity once a year. You are the team leader and should spearhead the organization. But look at you, you haven’t organized a single event!"
"Commander, it’s not that I don’t want to, I’m just too busy. Also, organizing activities requires funding."
General Lu tightly grasped his hand, laughingly scolded, "You’re just giving excuses, don’t tell me there’s no funding. If you really submit an application report to your City Committee and Municipal Government or Military District, will they not approve it?"
Han Yu chuckled, "I don’t want to bother the leaders."
"Enough jokes, Director Huang, Qingshan, Xiao Yu, it’s been years; welcome to our 105th army. This isn’t the place to talk, let’s go to the restaurant, chat while we drink!"
"Thank you, Commander."
"What’s there to thank for, let’s go."
"Commander, I don’t drink, I can’t drink." Han Yu said with a bitter face.
General Lu laughed heartily, put an arm around his shoulder, and said, "Don’t worry, I won’t make you drink. Master Ge called me last night, saying you’ve been forced to drink a lot by those Hanwu folks recently. If I knew they’d force you, I’d have sent Old Jiang to help you drink in Hanwu. It’s just drinking, who fears who!"
Han Yu turned to look at Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang of the 105th army, quickly saying, "Commander, you’re really joking, how could I ask Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang to help me with drinking."
"We’re comrades, life-and-death buddies, why can’t I help you drink." Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang turned around and pointed at Captain Peng, "Old Peng, you know best whether Salted Fish can drink or not; you also transferred to Hanwu, you’re responsible if Salted Fish was forced by those Hanwu folks."
"Old leader, I was on a business trip recently, and just got back yesterday. If I were in Hanwu, this would definitely not have happened."
They weren’t joking when they said "life-and-death buddies."
Feng Qingshan clearly knows that General Lu and Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang truly care about Salted Fish, genuinely treating Salted Fish as their own, unable to resist saying, "Report to the two commanders, though I’ve been at Hanwu all along, I could’ve helped Secretary Han with the drinking. But Secretary Han only remembers the 105th army, forgot about our Academy, didn’t even inform me when going to Hanwu for studies, leaving me criticized by our Academy’s leaders today."
General Lu remembers Feng Qingshan fondly for his fearless underwater blockage during those days, laughing heartily, "To begin with, the assault team comprised mainly of our army’s 132 Regiment and Salted Fish Camp, your diving team had only a few people, and on top of that those divers you trained were distributed to various units; only you remained at Hanwu, it’s normal not to remember you."
Han Yu quickly said, "Commander, how could I possibly forget Captain Feng, I just didn’t want to bother him."
"Since they’re life-and-death buddies, interaction should be more frequent, there’s no issue of being a bother." General Lu led everyone into the restaurant, inviting everyone to sit while laughingly asking, "Li Shousong, where is he? The three constituent units of the assault team, two unit leaders are here, why isn’t he?"
Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang quickly said, "Commander, he’s outside."
"Let him in."
"Yes!"
General Lu pulled out a chair and sat down, pointed at Han Yu, Feng Qingshan, and the newly arrived Li Shousong, turning sideways to his partner and sighed, "Political Commissioner, tonight this table is of high standard, in ’98 Military Commission held a flood commendation conference for the entire army, giving honorary titles to eleven units, tonight we have three units’ former military heads!"
The 105th army’s Political Commissioner Liu had taken office last year and wasn’t very familiar with the 105th army’s participation in flood rescue operations back then, hearing General Lu saying this, was greatly surprised, and couldn’t help asking how the three units had fought alongside each other back then.
Li Guangrong sat beside Chen Zikun, watching Han Yu chat and laugh with the two generals, feeling everything seemed so unreal. What shook him even more was that while they chatted, they somehow moved on to discussing commanders of several other units, all of whom were generals."
