Chapter 1491: Chapter 269: Little Cousin Is Here (2)
Huang Junming washed his hands and said with a bitter smile, "He drank too much, mistaking Building 9 for Building 6, and insisted that he didn’t need help to get home. He ended up bumping and scrambling to the door of 903, banging on the door in the middle of the night, shouting and yelling."
He was just drunk, nothing else happened.
Han Yu breathed a little easier and curiously asked, "What happened next?"
"The occupant of 903 was a young couple; the husband was on a business trip, and only the wife was home. They weren’t employees of the Port Authority; they bought the house from an old cadre of the Port Authority. She didn’t know Secretary Miao, and being home alone with someone banging on the door in the middle of the night, she really got frightened and called the police."
"And then?"
"When I got there and saw it was Secretary Miao, I was shocked. I quickly explained the misunderstanding, then took Secretary Miao home and got vomited on."
"Hahaha, I said alcohol isn’t a good thing."
"It happened, there’s nothing we could do; we’re all Secretary Miao’s old subordinates."
...
A few night shift workers went to the cafeteria to fix themselves some snacks before they had to work tomorrow morning. Han Yu and Huang Junming headed to the passenger terminal.
The Yangtze River Passenger Transport is truly struggling; the huge waiting room had only four passengers waiting to take the ferry to the East Sea.
But it’s not hard to imagine why—the passenger ferry is slow, and the boarding time isn’t convenient. Tickets are checked at 4:40, and the boat departs at 4:55. Should people come early and find a place nearby to stay, or just not bother?
They took a turn around the waiting room, greeted the duty police Old Xu, and walked along the floating bridge to the Dunship.
Several employees of the Yangtze River Passenger Company Binjiang Passenger Station had already arrived, dozing in the Dunship’s duty room, waiting to assist with mooring, loading, and unloading the tugboat’s baggage and cargo.
This place used to be bustling, with several rest rooms on the Dunship.
In an empty rest room, Huang Junming accompanied Han Yu and checked his watch, sighing softly, "Director Han, I heard the Passenger Company is losing badly; after the New Year, Jiang Shen and Jiang Han will cease operations."
"It’s inevitable when the trend demands it."
"We don’t have much to worry about, but what will happen to all those onboard police from the East Sea Branch and Hanwu Branch Passenger Police Team?"
"Those eligible for administrative post transfers will be assigned to each branch; those who aren’t will have to find other jobs."
"With bankruptcies, auctions, and contracts—all those layoffs, where will the jobs come from?"
The Changhang System has indeed had tough times these past two years.
Han Yu remained silent for a moment, then helplessly said, "Where there’s a will, there’s a way; there’s always a solution."
Realizing the conversation was too gloomy, Huang Junming changed the topic, "Director Han, when will we head to East Sea to welcome the Binjiang Ship?"
"The day after tomorrow."
Thinking of the Binjiang Ship "coming home for a reunion," and that the Rescue Boat Team could earn at least 200,000, Han Yu couldn’t help but smile, "Early the day after tomorrow, Xiao 001 and Binjiang Police 002, Hai Xun 48 will head to the Navy East Sea Base. Luo Wenjiang from the Water Police Station and Director Qian from the Maritime Bureau will lead the team."
"Isn’t the Water Police Station going to greet them, and we’re not sending a boat?"
"The Binjiang Ship is visiting Binjiang, not the Changhang System; everything has to be official, so the superior asks the Water Police Station and Maritime Bureau to escort the Binjiang Ship."
"Yet if Xiao 001 goes, doesn’t that mean we’re involved too?"
"It’s not the same; although Zhang Ping and Xiao Chen are police officers from our branch, Xiao 001’s hull number is Binjiang Police 001, so technically, this event doesn’t directly concern our branch."
Han Yu smiled and continued, "Initially, the superior didn’t plan for Xiao 001; they wanted 002, 003, and Hai Xun 48 to go. Considering the Binjiang Ship has been serving for 24 years and is about to undergo major repairs, no one can guarantee whether there’ll be issues on the way to Binjiang. I strongly recommended to the superior to include Xiao 001. After all, Xiao 001 is a tugboat; if something happens to the Binjiang Ship, Xiao 001 can tow it back."
Though there are more and newer law enforcement vessels on the river these days, most are small boats; at crucial moments, we still count on Xiao 001!
Han Yu’s mentor, Xu Sanye, was truly forward-thinking. Back then, he did everything possible, selling everything to repair and retrofit Xiao 001, which remains functional today. And it won’t retire within the foreseeable future of at least five years.
While Huang Junming secretly marveled, Police Old Xu accompanied Han Xiangning inside.
"Mayor Han, did you come personally to receive them?" When Han Yu went out to learn boating, Han Xiangning often visited the Binjiang Port Police Station looking for Han Ning, and Huang Junming would always joke with her.
Seeing a familiar face, Han Xiangning was pleased, sat down, and smiled, "Brother Huang, you’re my sister’s old boss, our Old Brother, how can you joke with me."
"Who’s daring enough to joke with you? If anyone does, I’m the first to disagree; after all, you’re the city leadership." Huang Junming glanced back at Han Yu with a serious air and said, "But municipal officials can’t compare to those in charge right here. Compared to you, the grand mayor, I respect the Salted Fish more because he directly leads me, he’s my direct superior!"
Han Xiangning burst into laughter, "Brother Huang, can’t we just have a normal conversation?"
"Aren’t we chatting now? You all just don’t believe me when I speak from the heart. I really don’t know what you leaders think."
"Brother Huang, if you keep this up, I’m going to find your wife!"
"What’s there to find her for."
"To ask her to rein you in."
While they were joking, a call came from the walkie-talkie in the adjacent duty room.
They stepped out of the rest room, and the dock workers who had been resting all emerged. They looked toward the river; the passenger ferry had arrived and was turning, preparing to dock; docking was safest against the wind and current.
Han Xiangning checked her phone, whispered, "It arrived five minutes early, today’s not delayed."
Not delayed, but still barely any passengers...
Han Yu sighed inwardly, then suddenly felt like borrowing the small camcorder from the Political Office, wanting to film the docking and the process of passengers getting on and off the ferry. The major ferries on the Yangtze might cease operations after the New Year; it’ll be tough to see passenger ferries on the river again.
In the loud hum of the main engine, the passenger ferry slowly docked.
As soon as the gangplank was set up and the railing opened, a forty-something onboard police officer led five passengers onto the Dunship.
Han Xiangning was so focused on eagerly watching that she even forgot to call her little cousin.
Han Yu was about to remind her when, under Huang Junming’s introduction, the onboard police officer approached and saluted, "Hello, Director Han, Director Han, this is your cousin, and this is your sister-in-law. This seems to be their first time visiting Binjiang; they haven’t met you before."
Huang Junming took the opportunity to laugh, "Director Han, Captain Wang is both an old colleague and an old friend of ours; you might not know Captain Wang well, but your sister knows him very well."
"Captain Wang, sorry to trouble you."
"No trouble at all, just lending a hand."
While they exchanged pleasantries, the big sister and little brother reunited.
Han Xiangning held her little cousin’s hand tightly, examined him up and down, and joyfully said, "Ai Tong, you’ve grown so tall! Time flies, remember last time when I visited, you were still wearing split pants."
"..."
Facing the vice mayor elder sister, Xiang Aidong didn’t know how to start a conversation; he just awkwardly smiled.
"You’re Red Plum, right? So pretty! Finding such a beautiful girlfriend, Ai Tong, you’re really lucky." Knowing her cousin and his girlfriend were a bit reserved, Han Xiangning warmly held the girlfriend’s arm and inquired about the trip and comfort: "Did you get seasick? Wearing so little, aren’t you cold?"
Her enthusiasm left everyone wide-eyed and speechless.
Han Yu found himself unmatched in the conversation, feeling quite surprised.
The little cousin is a chef, has been working at a restaurant since junior high, eating good food daily; if not chubby-faced, he should at least be more robust.
In reality, the little cousin was very slim, short, thin, fair, and clean with not only a well-arranged face but a slightly delicate appearance; upon closer inspection, he did resemble the sister-in-law and the young aunt, showcasing the Xiang Family’s great genes. No wonder such a lovely young girl would be attracted to the cousin.
But being so short and thin, how can he wield the spatula?
Han Yu was feeling curious when Han Xiangning pulled the two youngsters closer, warmly introduced, "Xiang Dong, Red Plum, this is your big brother-in-law! Your second sister and second brother-in-law were informed you were here; I called them last night, but they’re on a mission and really can’t make it."
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