Chapter 30

Town officials came to visit, village officials came to visit, school teachers came to visit, health clinic doctors came to visit...

Acquaintances and strangers alike came in a steady stream, the alley entrance was packed, and the cigarettes for hospitality were downgraded from Yuxi to Hongmei. This afternoon was a torment, spent mostly on lamenting poverty and entertaining guests.

Gao Changxing arrived quickly, riding on the back of an insurance agent's motorcycle.

Car No. 7 couldn't get out, so they had to wait until the vendors packed up at night. Having worked in the Public Security Brigade for several years, he had no shortage of dealings with the Sihé Town Police Station. He placed the temporary license plate in the Santana and sat at the alley entrance chatting with Chief Chen, Old Huang, and other leaders and police officers from the Sihé Town Police Station.

The insurance agent calculated the policy, collected the money, and squeezed to the southern bridgehead to ride the motorcycle back to the county. The insurance contract would be delivered to the security department of the silk factory tomorrow. Since Gao Changxing had introduced the person, there was no need to worry.

Forced donations could be avoided, but hosting a banquet couldn't.

The police station had been a great help, and they had to be invited.

The village officials were like bandits; it was impossible not to invite them. In the countryside, for weddings, funerals, housewarming parties, or any significant event, the village officials had to be invited. The Hans were outsiders, not from Sihé Village, so they had to invite them even more, especially since they had already asked to be invited.

Since they were inviting the village officials, they couldn't ignore the town officials who were loitering around and wouldn't leave. The town center primary school was nearby, and they would need to borrow the school's large canteen and kitchenware, so they had to invite them as well. The water conservancy station, tax office, transportation station, veterinary station, and the kindergarten where his sister worked—all those who had any connection and were present had to be invited.

Fortunately, in the countryside, hosting a banquet wasn't so complicated; it was just a matter of chicken, duck, fish, and meat.

Everything that could be bought from the ready-to-eat food stall was bought there: boiled peanuts, mixed gluten, mixed tofu threads, pig's head meat, pig's ears, chicken feet... all cheap dishes. The good wine at home wasn't used; they bought 6-yuan bottles of Sigan Daqu from a small store, 1.5-yuan bottles of beer, and the drinks were orange water made from tap water at the town soda factory.

All the relatives were there, and the whole family mobilized. Sixteen tables were set up without much trouble, and the party went on until around ten o'clock.

"Dad, did you drink too much?"

"I'm not stupid. I can drink with them, but the bottles were filled with water, which your aunt poured in."

Just now, he saw him toasting round after round, and he was really worried that he would be overwhelmed by a group of "alcohol-tested" officials. It turned out to be water, and Han Bo felt relieved.

Li Taipeng didn't go to the primary school canteen to help or eat there. He stayed by the car, afraid that the "red-eyed" people would cause trouble.

Just as he was about to ask how he would solve his dinner, Chief Chen, who had just patrolled the street, came. Many vendors hadn't left for the night, planning to continue business the next day. With hundreds of outsiders suddenly in town, he felt uneasy without a patrol.

Gao Changxing had sat with them during the meal and had just gone on a patrol with them. He was now standing by Car No. 7, smoking and talking with Old Huang.

"Mr. Han, now that there's no one around, I want to talk to your son, Xiao Bo. Xiao Gao, Old Huang, come over too."

"Sure, sure, talk away. I'll go get cigarettes and chairs since I didn't treat you well just now."

"I understand. There were too many people, and you couldn't entertain them all. No matter how much you have, it wouldn't be enough for them."

"Dad, you and Xiao Bo stay with Chief Chen. I'll go get the chairs and cigarettes."

Li Taipeng wasn't heartless, but he wasn't blind either. The first thing an apprentice had to do was to serve the master well.

They gathered around the car, and the standard for hospitality cigarettes was upgraded from Hongmei to Yuxi. It wasn't one cigarette per person but one pack per person, and a box of canned Sprite was brought. Li Taipeng still felt something was missing and went to buy a few pounds of five-spice sunflower seeds, making it look like a tea party.

It was only at this moment that Comrade Lao Han learned that his son had voluntarily requested a transfer to the Public Security Bureau.

Transferring to the Public Security Bureau meant starting over, and he might not stay in the county but be assigned to a town. The transition from the county to a town was hard to accept.

"According to what you said, it's better to transfer early than late, and it's better to request a transfer voluntarily than to be transferred by the personnel department. But why is the silk factory, which is so prosperous, with an annual output value of over 100 million and profits of over 10 million, being restructured?" Chief Chen was puzzled about why the silk factory was being restructured.

"Changxing, you know the situation. What do you think?" Han Bo, who had been busy preparing for the bar exam recently, couldn't explain it clearly.

"Pressure from the top, as required by the central government."

Gao Changxing, who had attended several mobilization meetings, explained: "In March, the State Council approved the National Economic and Trade Commission's 'Implementation Opinions on the Reform of State-Owned Enterprises in 1996,' proposing that urban reform pilots should be combined with enterprise reform, and that the reform and development of state-owned enterprises and enterprise groups should be promoted.

"In May, the General Secretary, during his inspection of the East Sea, delivered an important speech titled 'Firmly Believe, Strengthen Leadership, Implement Policies, and Accelerate the Reform and Development of State-Owned Enterprises.' He emphasized the transformation into modern enterprises and the establishment of a modern enterprise system with clear property rights, defined responsibilities, separation of government and enterprises, and scientific management. State-owned enterprises should become independent, self-sufficient, self-developing, and self-regulating legal entities and market competition subjects.

"The Silk Factory is the largest state-owned enterprise in the county and ranks among the top in the entire Nangang City. It has been selected as a pilot for the city's reform. Yesterday morning, Vice Mayor Yu, who oversees industry, and the director of the city's economic system reform committee came to inspect the progress of the reform, accompanied by Secretary Guan and County Chief Ye. Both the county and city governments are giving it high priority."

National affairs were too distant for a grassroots police officer. Old Huang laughed: "Xiao Bo, no matter what, your leaders are treating you well, securing a training spot in the young cadre class and promoting you to a full section chief. If you were in the Public Security Bureau, you'd have to wait. I've worked for decades and probably won't get a promotion before retirement."

"Full section chief?" Han Baoguo looked puzzled.

"Your son is getting a promotion, soon to be at the same level as Chief Chen. If assigned to a town, he could be a police station chief or political instructor. If assigned to the criminal investigation team or traffic police, he could be a team leader or political instructor. If he stays in the bureau, he could be at least a deputy team leader. With his high education and youth, his future is bright."

"Really?"

"What do you think? Xiao Bo, work hard. When you become a leader, I'll benefit from your success."

Now he was in charge of the factory's security, albeit as a deputy.

If he became a police station chief, he would be in charge of the town's security.

This was a promotion, and Lao Han was visibly pleased. "Chief Chen, Chief Huang, my son is just starting his career and doesn't know much. I don't know anyone, just you two. Please help him, remind him when necessary, and criticize him when needed."

Chief Chen laughed and waved his hand. "Lao Han, your son doesn't need reminding. He has already been recognized for his contributions during the crackdown and received a commendation from the bureau. We should learn from him."

"Chief Chen, Uncle Huang, my father is right. Security work is different from police work. Without pre-job training, I wouldn't know anything. You've seen me grow up, and you are my elders. Please help me more."

He was very humble, no wonder the leaders of the Silk Factory held him in high regard.

If he could help, he might need his help in a few years. Chief Chen said, "The training at the Party School isn't intense, just a few classes a day. If you're willing, you can come back to town after class and familiarize yourself with the work process at our station. You've taken the bar exam, so you understand the law. The main focus will be on case procedures, police document writing, and some record-keeping, which are quite simple."

"Okay, I'll start interning at the station tomorrow."

"Interning isn't important; what matters is the job assignment. Xiao Gao, you and Xiao Bo are partners. You need to play your role and ask Deputy Commissioner Niu for help when necessary."

"Chief Chen, my uncle doesn't have much influence in the bureau." If my uncle had real power, would I have worked for six or seven years without even getting a position? Gao Changxing shook his head, feeling helpless.

"The assignment of full section chiefs is decided at the bureau party committee meeting. Your uncle is a member of the bureau party committee and has a say."

Personnel assignments are decided by the bureau chief and political commissar. Gao Changxing didn't dare to make false promises. Recalling something his uncle mentioned yesterday, he couldn't help but smile. "Chief Chen, actually, Mr. Han doesn't need to worry about his job assignment. You may not know, but it's already a hot topic in the county. Factory Manager Hou is about to be transferred to the county as a member of the county party committee and deputy county chief. With Factory Manager Hou in the county, would the bureau let Mr. Han sit on the bench?"

The Public Security Bureau doesn't have much status. Although Chief Zhang is an assistant to the county chief, it's not a substantive position. He is still a full section chief, just ranked ahead of other full section chiefs in the government system and nominally listed as a "county government leader."

Factory Manager Hou is already a deputy department-level leader, a two-term national people's congress representative, and widely recognized as the most capable official in the county. Even if the news is baseless and he doesn't become deputy county chief, the bureau would still give Factory Manager Hou face and properly arrange for the officials transferred from the Silk Factory.

Chief Chen realized this and nodded repeatedly. "Xiao Gao is right. With Factory Manager Hou, we don't need to worry. We were being overly concerned."