Chapter 11

PS. Here's today's update, and I'm also asking for votes for the 515 Fan Festival on Qidian. Everyone has 8 votes, and you'll get Qidian coins for voting. I humbly request your support and appreciation!

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

“Mr. Han, are you a police officer or a factory cadre now?”

“Clothes make the man, and a handsome man looks even better in a uniform.”

...

Once again, the two hundred female workers of the day shift were stopped, and the entrance became lively again. The security team was larger today, with over ten people from the sub-factory. Director Jiang was sitting in the guardhouse reading documents, while Director Han and his team had all changed into police uniforms. Next to him stood an unfamiliar man with a police badge.

Yang Xiaomei, who had been the women's committee head in her village before getting married, was the only employee in the security department and the only female police officer in the sub-team. She knew her role well. With a stern face, she patrolled the crowd, her eyes often glancing at the baskets on the bikes or the bags hanging on the handlebars, or staring at the workers who wore long sleeves on a hot day.

With the gate closed and surrounded by a dozen police officers, a few women who liked to take small advantages were nervous, fearing that the male officers would search their bags and the female officers would search their bodies. They wanted to throw away the stolen goods but couldn't, and they didn't dare to return them.

Those with nothing to hide laughed and joked, teasing Director Han.

“Director Han, I almost didn't recognize you in your uniform. Are you all police now? Are you going to talk about safety again today?”

“Yesterday, I asked my wife, and she's busy. The day shift is fine, but the night shift is really scary. Tomorrow we'll switch shifts. Director Han, could you escort us? Xiao Hui lives the farthest. By the time I get home, she still has two or three miles to go. Xiao Hui, come here, why are you hiding? Director Han, take a good look. Where can you find such a pretty girl?”

“Our team's Xiao Yun is also very nice. Where did that girl run off to? I'm introducing you to a match.”

“Sister Wu, don't talk nonsense!”

“Who said they liked Director Han in the shower? If you like him, just say it. What are you afraid of?”

“That's called confessing.”

“Come on, confess.”

A few girls, who were quite pretty, blushed under the teasing of the older women.

Xiao Yun, the one with the ponytail, mustered the courage under their encouragement and shouted, “Director Han, I like you!” After shouting, she quickly hid behind someone else, earning a round of cheers.

Li Suhong, who had enthusiastically requested to participate in the evening operation, was furious and cursed these shameless women in her heart.

“Comrades, let's save the jokes for later. Please quiet down, I have a few things to say.”

Being in a position means fulfilling one's duties. Since they had gathered, he couldn't miss this opportunity to address the issues. Han Bo pointed to Gao Changxing, who looked serious, and introduced him solemnly: “This is Comrade Gao Changxing, the new political instructor of the economic police sub-team, who has just transferred from the county police. Comrade Gao is an experienced police officer who has worked in the police station, the criminal investigation team, and the public security team.

He has been a police officer for seven years, participated in solving over sixty criminal cases, and apprehended dozens of criminal suspects, one of whom was sentenced to life in prison. During the 'Severe Crackdown,' the police force was tight. I believe everyone understands why Comrade Gao was transferred to our factory at this critical moment.”

Things are different now. It's said that the police have quotas for arrests.

Each police officer has to catch a certain number of criminals, detain some, send some to labor camps, and sentence some. They also have to collect a certain amount in fines. If they don't meet their quotas, they will have their salaries docked and won't be promoted.

He must have come here because he couldn't catch anyone outside. Silk and silk fabric are expensive, not like cheap cotton yarn or cloth. If he catches you, and if he takes it to the extreme, you could be sentenced to three to five years during the 'Severe Crackdown.'

A few women who had hidden fabric in their bags or on their bodies were terrified, their legs trembling uncontsciously.

The factory is trying to implement reforms such as the silk reeling sub-factory contracting, the hiring of workshop directors, and performance-based wages. Stability is paramount. If workers are sent to detention over a bit of silk fabric, their relatives in the factory or those who have retired will surely cause a commotion.

“Loss of state assets,” “abuse of power,” “embezzlement,” “extravagant spending”... whether true or not, rumors will spread. A few anonymous letters will ensure you are in a mess.

It's not about being lenient, but about the bigger picture and human relationships.

His sharp gaze swept over a few suspicious workers, and Han Bo continued, “Comrade Yang Xiaomei just checked the bathhouse and found that some comrades don't care about the environment, throwing things around. Some are careless, either leaving their lockers unlocked or forgetting to take their clothes. The same is true in the workshop. This habit is not good.

Now, please all go back to the bathhouse and the workshop to check and tidy up before leaving. This is the first time I've encountered this as deputy director of the security department and captain of the economic police sub-team, and I hope it's the last. I understand you, and I hope you understand me. It's getting late, so please go and check, and move quickly.”

The bathhouse was clean, and there were no hygiene issues. It was impossible for anyone to be forgetful.

No one is a fool, and everyone could hear the underlying message. Many had taken fabric home, not just once but repeatedly. If someone was caught, what would happen if they implicated others?

One must not refuse a polite offer and accept a harsh one.

One of the women who had been the most playful earlier realized this and said, “What are you waiting for? Don't you want to go home? Let's go back and check!”

The few women who had hidden fabric finally breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly pushed their bikes back.

After waiting for ten minutes, everything that shouldn't have left the factory was returned to its original place. The women came back to the gate, which was still closed. Han Bo seemed like a different person, smiling and emphasizing traffic and personal safety again. This time, no one dared to joke, and they all nodded in agreement.

The day shift workers went home, and the factory became quiet, but the entrance was bustling with people. A dozen clothing stalls set up their stands, connected batteries, and hung lights. The stalls selling daily necessities were simpler, just a cloth on the ground with goods displayed, and the owners sat on small stools, calling out to customers. Several large food stalls were already open, with dozens of folding tables full of people.

Boiled peanuts, boiled soybeans, cucumber salad, tofu silk salad, stir-fried snails... the demand was high, and the beer kegs were stacked high. The large glass cups filled the tables, and no one knew how many would be served in the evening.

The labor service company opposite was a subsidiary of the factory, which had been prosperous for a few years after the reform and opening-up. Many people had taken unpaid leave to do business, selling everything and trading everything. The ground floor was a storefront, the upper floor was an office, and the back was a warehouse. At its peak, there were over a dozen managers. Now, it was all gone, and they could only rent the ground floor to others.

Large ice cabinets were moved to the entrance, and bottled beer was carried out in bundles. There were five or six cold drink stalls from east to west. With a large flow of people, business was good, and the ice cabinets would sell out of cold dogs and ice bricks in no time. The wholesale cold drink warehouse was nearby, and the stall owners were ready to ride their bikes to restock.

The barbecue vendors were starting their fires, with several stoves over two meters long. They had their own tables, but not as many as the large food stalls. When busy, some customers would order small dishes and beer from the side, while others would order skewers from the large food stalls.

Some were making egg pancakes, and others were pushing carts to sell braised dishes, such as roasted chicken, roasted duck, pig's head meat, pig's ears, pig's tongue, sausages, braised pork belly, fried peanuts, chicken feet, and century eggs... anything you could find in a braised dish store was available here.

After walking around, he even found a stall selling jelly, which was doing incredibly well. It was a skilled job, and not just anyone could do it.

The stall owners had noticed that the factory's security team had become police officers and that a police officer and a market regulator had arrived. So what? Business was important, and at worst, they could offer a cigarette or a few drinks.

The stall owners who had connections with the factory knew the deal. Wu Yongliang had already arranged it: pay first, and half would be refunded later, with the other half as a deposit. If they kept their mouths shut, they would get it all back at the end of the year. If they talked, they wouldn't get the deposit back and wouldn't be able to set up their stalls again.

“Director Jiang, Director Han, let me get the drinks, I'll go get them.”

“No need for drinks, we're not thirsty, and Director Han doesn't smoke.” Jiang Guoping took out a disposable lighter and laughed, “Old Wu, you're listless at work but full of energy when you set up your stall. That's not right.”

“How can that be? I'm dedicated and hardworking. Director Han, don't believe Director Jiang. I'm an excellent worker at the factory and an excellent worker outside. Watch my performance.” Old Wu peeked at the neighboring stalls, making funny faces, as if they shared a secret.

Calculating the time, the police reinforcements were almost here.

Han Bo patted his arm and said sincerely, “Old Wu, you're a veteran. I heard you were elected a city model worker twice. Making money is important, but your job is equally important. Get some rest at night so you have energy for work the next day. Your wife can watch the stall, and we'll keep an eye on it. What could go wrong?”

“Right, right, Director Han is right. I promise not to stay past 10 PM, and I'll go to bed on time.”

As they were talking, seven or eight police cars came from the middle of Renmin Road.

There were officers from the public security team, the patrol team, and the traffic police. The silk factory paid tens of thousands of yuan in public security fees to the Chengxi Police Station each year, and the police station on Renmin West Road was set up in the factory's guardhouse. The Chengxi Police Station also sent people. A public security officer led four patrol team members on bicycles.

The loiterers from last night were there, and seeing so many police officers, they turned to run into the alley. Wu Yongliang was prepared, and eight economic police officers were already hiding in the alley. They quickly caught them.

The more police officers there were, the more people gathered to watch. The stall owners and passersby crowded around to see.

“Report to Director Han, these guys are suspicious.”

“Hand them over to the police station.”

“Yes!”

Several police officers, accompanied by Gao Changxing, came forward, saluted, shook hands, and introduced themselves. The deputy head of the public security team led the operation, and over thirty public security officers, patrol officers, and traffic police arrived.

The two directors needed to play good cop and bad cop, and the police and market regulators were there to assist. Han Bo politely took command: “Chief Cheng, please help us manage traffic and maintain order. Comrade Lao Shen, please help us distribute documents and do the work. Instructor, you're in charge of coordination...”

[The 515 Fan Festival is coming soon. I hope to continue to make it to the 515 red envelope list, and on May 15th, the red envelope rain will reward readers and promote the work. Even a small amount is love, and I will definitely update well!]

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