Binjiang Police Affairs

"Earning over a hundred thousand a month adds up to a millionaire in a year!"

"Sister Ningning, if you have time to come and see for yourself, you'll know the wholesale market business is really good. Before the crack of dawn, people are already heading there with big bags to pick up goods, especially now, as the New Year approaches, even clothes that were hard to sell before have buyers. In our market, someone like me is really nothing."

"The money is too easy to make!"

"I didn't expect it either."

"So, Han Shen has made a fortune with you?"

"I started with wholesaling beddings, and later, seeing that clothes sell well, I followed suit in the clothing trade. The clothes from Xiao Hui's side are pretty good – good quality and cheap, but they're export returns, with irregular sizes and limited quantities, so now I mainly get my supplies from bosses in Shuzhou."

Yu Zhen gently rocked the cradle and added, "I also sell Han Shen's beddings, and have laid out some samples for friends who do wholesale with me in the market. Now, I can move goods worth about fifty to sixty thousand a month."

Hanwu is not just a big city; it also has a developed transportation network, being a junction for five provinces.

You can imagine those who come to their market to wholesale clothing and beddings are probably small business owners from Hanwu and its surroundings, who are into retail.

Han Xiangning admired and respected that, and couldn't help but ask, "Have you talked to Xiao Yu's dad and mom about this? Are they willing to go?"

"They want to, but they have something holding them back."

"The business on the boat?"

"Not just the business on the boat, but also the home they cannot let go of."

"I see, they've been drifting on the river for so many years, and it wasn't easy to finally settle on land and build a house. To just up and leave like that, especially to go somewhere far, they must be reluctant to leave."

"Hanwu, like East Sea, has commercial housing for sale, I can help them buy a house!"

"Do they know you guys are back?"

"They know, I just called Uncle Li and Captain Wang, invited them over for dinner to discuss this. I want to hear Uncle Li's opinion. Of course, I also want to hear what you think."

"Hear what we think?"

Yu Zhen took Han Xiangning's hand with a hopeful expression, saying, "Sister Ningning, you know best about Xiao Yu's family situation. Without Director Xu and Uncle Li, they wouldn't be where they are today, so of course, we should discuss such an important matter with Uncle Li and you."

Han Xiangning could hear the implication in her words and patted her hand with a smile, "Since the money is good to make in Hanwu, then make the most of it while it's easy. I support you!"

"Really?"

"Why would I lie to you."

"What about Brother Salted Fish?"

"He will definitely support you too."

"Thank you, Sister Ningning."

"What's there to thank me for. If you become wealthy and turn into a rich woman, my Han Han and I will also benefit from your success in the future."

"What rich woman, I almost forgot, I brought some things for you and Han Han."

…

Just as Yu Zhen was eagerly fetching gifts for Han Xiangning, Xiao Yu was awkwardly telling Han Yu about the things that might not be possible to bring back.

"It's not that I don't want to come back, it's that Yu Zhen doesn't want to. She's so focused on money now, busier than me even. She heads out to the market to do business before it gets light out, sometimes too busy even to eat breakfast, often forgetting about lunch too."

"The business is that good, huh."

"So many people go there to get goods, the market area can't even accommodate all the buses and trucks. Especially in the morning, there are thousands of people going to stock up, and it's too crowded to even squeeze in."

Whether a person can become wealthy really depends on their luck.

Lv Xiangping and Liu Xinpei, who used to be contract police officers at the Water Police Station, complained of low pay and no hope of becoming regulars. One resigned to open a small restaurant in the city, and the other went to Shenzhen.

Yesterday, Ma Jintao came to drink Han Han's Baptism Wine and talked about them, saying Lv Xiangping didn't make much money from his small restaurant, so he scraped together fifty thousand yuan from various sources and gave it to a company specializing in labor export, preparing to work abroad.

Liu Xinpei isn't doing so well in Shenzhen either; he returned early to prepare for the New Year but feels embarrassed to visit his old colleagues and friends at his former workplace.

Who would have thought that, in less than a year, Yu Zhen would find her footing in Hanwu, making her clothing and bedding wholesale business so prosperous that she could earn millions a year?

When I think about how all the young people from Bailong Port who could get out of the town for education or business have gone, not only is there hardly anyone at the passenger terminal but even the village is left with only the elderly and children. Sighing, Han Yu said, "If you do well elsewhere, just stay there. There's no need to come back."

Xiao Yu said with a bitter face, "If I don't come back, what will happen to 001?"

"That's what I'm here for. What are you worried about?"

"You said last time that you wanted to build a new boat."

"Building a new boat can't be rushed. The city is changing every day. At first, they agreed to provide five million for matching funds, but as soon as we were ready to tender, the city changed its mind."

Xiao Yu asked in surprise, "Does the city not want to give the money?"

As Han Yu offered him an apple, he said helplessly, "In the city's view, our division is an outside monk. The city leaders also think that the firefighting capacity of the Port District and Water Police should be strengthened, but if these five million were really given to our division, it would be like throwing money into the water since the new boat, once built, wouldn't belong to the city."

Xiao Yu asked, "So what exactly is the city planning?"

"They say there are two proposals now. The first is that the city's Port and Shipping Enterprises want to set up a tugboat company, and the city plans to invest, encouraging the soon-to-be-established tugboat company to purchase a dual-purpose tug and firefighting boat; the second proposal is to allocate five million to the Water Police Station to build a professional firefighting and rescue boat."

Han Yu paused and added, "The Water Police Station now is also in charge of shoreline firefighting. For the city, as long as the requirements of the superiors are met and the equipment for Port District and Water Firefighting meet the expectations, that's enough. As for the five million, it's definitely better to give it to their own people than to an outside monk."

Xiao Yu didn't expect that, after all the maneuvering, the city would still, as before, not allow resources to benefit outsiders, and he couldn't help asking, "What did Director He say?"

"What can Director He say? He's also quite frustrated."

"So are we still building the new boat?"

"The new boat will still be built. After all, it's not like we don't have a penny of our own. We have five million ourselves, and we can probably get some sponsorship, too."

"With only five million, what kind of boat can you build?"

"We'll still build the type I told you about on the phone last time."

"That's not enough money!"

"Building a new boat isn't something that can be done in a day or two. Director He says to wait until the city has finally decided who gets the five million. Once the dust settles, we will organize a tender regardless of whether they provide us with matching funds. From design to launch, it will take at least three years at the earliest. The progress payments for the first two years should be fine, and we'll figure out a way for the rest over time. In three years, it should be solvable."

Actually, the dual-purpose tug and firefighting boat that the city had before is also quite good.

Han Yu thought it over and then said with a smile, "As for the city's five million, it's more likely to go to the soon-to-be-established tugboat company. Yesterday, Political Commissioner Wang came to drink Han Han's Baptism Wine and privately told me that he and Director Peng plan to organize the police after the New Year to prepare for taking over 001 in three years."

Xiao Yu asked puzzledly, "What preparations do they need to take over?"

"They can't just have a boat without a crew. They need to train captains, chief officers, and mechanical sailors urgently, preparing to turn the Third Team into a real team, and to appoint Ma Jintao as squad leader to lead some people for on-the-job training."

"I really don't feel at ease handing over 001 to someone else, but it's okay if it's to Brother Ma."

"That's what I think too. By the way, how are you doing now? Are you still catching pickpockets on the passenger ships?"

"The task on the passenger ships finished a while ago. I went back to school last month. They say I'm a police physical training instructor, but in fact, I'm a sparring partner for the cadets, which is quite interesting."

"Just sparring?"

"Not just sparring, I also have to teach driving and be responsible for the Inspection Team."

Xiao Yu smiled and then continued, "I can rest for a few days on New Year's Day, but not for the New Year. I must take cadets to the docks for internships. Actually, I'm going back the day after tomorrow to take the cadets to the several docks to help maintain order for the Spring Festival travel rush."

Someone as simple-minded as him is quite suitable for staying in the police academy.

Han Yu was happy he liked his current job and smiled as he patted his arm, "You don't have to worry about your parents or Yu Zhen. When Uncle Li and Captain Wang arrive, we'll work on persuading your parents together."