Chapter 25 "Returning Home in Glory

Sister and brother-in-law left, everything returned to normal.

The only difference from before was that after finishing work and returning to the station, there was no need to cook anymore, and cook Old Qian would come to the shipyard to help out when he was free.

Old Qian was sixty-one, skinny, fond of cleanliness, and always had a smile on his face, speaking in a gentle and tender voice.

He had a steel pen clipped to his chest pocket, which gave him an educated air, like a teacher, not like a cook.

He had no family and used to live in the Four Factory Cooperative Society. He could have gone to a nursing home after retirement, but he didn't want to.

If Chief Ding from Four Factory Police Station hadn't recommended him to come cook at Yanjiang Police Station, he would have already gone to help someone watch over a fish pond.

Han Yu couldn't figure out how a man like him ended up single. Seeing Boss Wu approaching with a crystal glass, he became curious and began to inquire about Old Qian.

Everyone from Four Factory has been to the Cooperative Society.

Boss Wu knew Old Qian quite well, looked up to see Yanjiang Police Station in the distance, and explained: "Although Qian Dafu was a soldier and participated in the Korean War, his family was landlords before liberation, a bad class background, and no poor peasants' family wanted to marry their daughter to him."

"Why didn't he find a partner later? Nowadays, we don't fuss over class background."

"Maybe he got used to being alone. Besides, although he had a bad class background, after he returned from the army, he was arranged to cook at the Cooperative Society and didn't suffer much. He likes cleanliness and is a bit particular, probably doesn't think highly of unsophisticated rural women."

"Does he have any relatives?"

"He has two nephews with the surname Tao, I forgot their names, just know they are called Tao Da and Tao Er. Being single seems contagious; Tao Da and Tao Er also didn't find wives, one works in the fields and farms, the other manages fishing cages, both are bound for the nursing home in the future."

While gossiping, suddenly a burst of static came through the walkie-talkie brought in the morning.

Then, Xu Sanye's voice shouted through the walkie-talkie: "Salted Fish, Salted Fish, respond quickly if you hear me."

Han Yu quickly wiped his hands, picked up the walkie-talkie and pressed the talk button: "Received, received, Director Xu please speak."

"Quickly wash your hands, come back, change your clothes, it's too busy here, help me handle some things at the Bureau."

"Alright, I'll be there soon."

...

After tidying up the tools, locking the cabin door, he hurried back to the station.

Xu Sanye and the instructor were preparing to leave, and as soon as they saw him, they pointed to a pile of materials in the office.

"Salted Fish, take these to the Security branch, tell them to hurry up, say I will come to get the judgement document early tomorrow."

It turned out to be procedures for security punishment.

Han Yu realized, just about to assure delivery, when Li Weiguo playfully asked: "Xiao Han, have you chosen your major for the self-taught exam? If you have decided, go to the Political Work Office along the way, let the comrades there know so they can help you register."

"I've chosen."

"What major?"

"Marine Engineering."

"Why choose marine engineering? I thought you would choose law."

"Can't I choose marine engineering?"

Li Weiguo didn't know what to say, while Xu Sanye laughed: "Learning technology is good, we need legal talents as well as technological talents."

Li Weiguo thought it was misleading, reminded him: "Director Xu, Xiao Han is now a police officer, he cannot be ignorant of the law."

Xu Sanye lit a cigarette, assertively said: "It depends on what kind of talents we need right now. Previously there were few who understood the law, now everyone is studying law, either participating in self-study exams or correspondence courses, everyone is learning en masse, what's the point."

"But you can't be ignorant of it."

"Salted Fish doesn't understand, you do. After we get through this busy period, you can teach him, but the main thing is still to learn technology. A person needs to have a skill."

Han Yu agreed with Director's words, no matter what one studies, it should be based on personal circumstances.

Family conditions are poor, must find ways to earn money.

Getting a diploma in law won't offer much in the future, but studying marine engineering is different, almost reaching eighteen by the time he gets the diploma, having two or three years' service on a ship.

Then he can sit for the promotion exam, get the competence certificate for inland river ship positions, and find a better job, earning big money on big ships!

Xu Sanye didn't know these, his support for Salted Fish to study technology related to his own educational background.

Workers, peasants, and soldiers from universities had a shallow foundation, mostly studied liberal arts.

No technical skills, unable to do research, even without political influences, would still be looked down upon by those who entered universities through the national college entrance examination.

He raised his arm to check the time on his watch and continued: "Also, take a trip to the logistics division and ask Zhang Lan where the Bureau's envelopes are printed."

Before Han Yu could speak, Li Weiguo puzzledly asked: "Why ask about that? If you need envelopes, you can get them from the Bureau."

"We have to return the ticket money overcharged by scalpers to more than four thousand passengers, sending letters to more than four thousand passengers, asking for so many envelopes from the Bureau at once, they will definitely make a fuss.

Moreover, since we are returning the money and sending the letters, why should we use the Bureau's envelopes!"

"We are originally from Linghai County Police Bureau's Yanjiang Police Station."

"Linghai County Police Bureau is big enough, I'm not as high-minded as they are, if I do a good deed, I want my name on it, sending letters must use our Yanjiang Police Station envelopes!"

His way of thinking always differed from others, Li Weiguo was completely convinced, Han Yu couldn't help but laugh.

After going upstairs to wash and changing into clean clothes, he came downstairs, took the security punishment materials, put them in his bag, rode his bicycle straight to the county.

Twenty miles, not too far.

Upon reaching the Bureau, he delivered the materials to the Security branch, and as expected, was teased a bit.

The Political Work Office had only two police officers, both busy writing materials, didn't have time to tease him, the youngest police in the history of the Bureau, but they looked a bit strange upon hearing Han Yu wanted to study marine engineering.

Entering the logistics department office, Zhang Lan and an older sister were busy pasting invoices.

As soon as Zhang Lan saw him, she immediately put down the invoice in her hand and asked with a grin why he was not wearing his uniform.

Talking about the very thing he wished to avoid.

Han Yu, feeling embarrassed, quickly brought up the matter at hand.

Once Zhang Lan understood the ins and outs, she was about to speak when the older sister joked: "There are plenty of envelopes in the warehouse, but you insist on printing your own. Is Director Xu planning to declare independence and split from the bureau?"

"Sister Jiang, please don't misunderstand; Director Xu mainly considered that we need to mail too many letters..."

"I'm just teasing you. I wouldn't dare to misunderstand Director Xu."

The older sister did not want to get into trouble, so she turned around and laughed: "Zhang Lan, you have the contact number for the printing factory, write it down for Salted Fish."

"Alright, right away."

Zhang Lan still admired Xu Sanye greatly. She opened the drawer, took out a small notebook, found a number, wrote it on a piece of white paper, and handed it to Han Yu.

"Thanks, Sister Zhang, I'll head back first."

"Why not stay for a meal?"

"No thanks, I have things to do."

"This child, too shy."

...

Han Yu did not return to Bailong Port but went directly to the "Water Village" in Northern City.

Though called a village, it was actually three rows of dormitory buildings beside Bin Qi River.

Years ago, the shipping company sought to solve the aging shipman's retirement and their children's schooling by coordinating with the county to acquire a plot of land and built these three rows of houses.

However, with over a thousand shipman households, these three buildings were far from enough.

The Han family was not very eager to have a house on land at that time and did not compete for one, regretting it only later.

From the roadside, the environment looked quite nice.

However, by the riverbank, it was a different scene. Many shipman who did not get a dormitory still lived on their boats, old vessels moored along the riverbank, heaps of household trash, overgrown weeds, sewage flowing across, and mosquitoes and flies buzzing around.

Han Yu was trying to find the boat where his childhood friends lived when a familiar middle-aged woman emerged from a boat cabin, joyfully shouting: "Isn't that San'er?"

"Aunt Zhang, didn't you go out on the boat?"

"I just came back a few days ago. Weren't you studying at vocational school, what brought you back?"

"I graduated."

"So soon? When?"

"This year."

These were all "old neighbors". When he was admitted to vocational school, his parents invited guests over, setting up more than twenty tables along the riverbank, even hiring a film projection team for a movie screening.

Exaggerated as it may sound, at that time, he was truly the pride of all the shipman from the shipping company.

Aunt Zhang was loud, and it wasn't long before the riverbank filled with people. Even her fourth daughter and Lin Xiaohui, with whom he played as a child, popped out of the cabin and snuck into a corner, giggling.

Returning here felt truly like coming home; Han Yu had too many people to greet.

"Already working, and even got into the Police Bureau!"

"I've been at work for almost a month now."

"Which department in the Police Bureau?" an elder excitedly asked.

Han Yu smiled and replied: "At Yanjiang Police Station."

A young man squeezed forward and asked with a laugh: "San'er, are you talking about the police station by Bailong Port lock?"

"That's the one."

"Why didn't you say earlier? I passed by your station just last night."

"Now that you know, remember to call out next time you pass by. I'm at the station every day."

Aunt Liu asked enviously: "You're a policeman now, why aren't you wearing the police uniform?"

Seeing so many old neighbors, Han Yu truly felt the sensation of returning home in glory. Glancing over at her daughter, he explained: "It's not convenient to wear the uniform outside."

Aunt Liu turned her head back, unable to suppress a chuckle: "Xiao Hui, what are you hiding back there for? Come and say hello to San'er."

"Oh."

Lin Xiaohui was a bit embarrassed, hesitated for a moment before squeezing forward, made eye contact with Han Yu, and quickly lowered her head to fiddle with her clothes.

She had grown taller and more mature, with her hair tied in a thick braid, looking prettier than her sisters before they were married.