Chapter 37

"Whatever you're saying, are you talking about me behind my back?"

Speak of the devil, and he will appear.

Factory Director Hou walked into the private room with a cup in hand, a smile on his face. He was in his forties, fair-skinned, and refined, more like a scholar than an entrepreneur. Han Bo had only seen him from a distance once in the two months he had worked at the textile factory. Now, being so close, Han Bo felt a bit excited.

"Xiao Han, I know you. You've done well in the security department. I heard you won a grand prize. Lao Ding, Lao Yu, Engineer Li, come on, let's all share in Xiao Han's good luck. Let's drink to this and buy lottery tickets tomorrow. Whoever wins will treat everyone like Xiao Han."

"Hello, Director Hou, please sit down."

The leader was affable, without any airs, even placing his left hand on Han Bo's shoulder in a natural gesture. Han Bo was flattered and quickly pulled out the chair reserved for him.

"Director Hou, if I win the grand prize, I'll take a month off and have two meals a day."

"Xiao Han, did you hear that? Engineer Li is thinking about the next meal. Looks like you'll have to come back tomorrow."

"Sure, as long as the leaders are willing to come, I'll come every day."

"No more jokes. I'm here on leave. The people in the next room are waiting."

Factory Director Hou put down his cup and patted his shoulder, saying, "Xiao Han, the police force is a place for training. Being a police officer, especially a public security officer, is a career that requires dedication and is also a high-risk job. You face life-threatening situations and various temptations at all times. You are a cadre from our factory, and I coordinated with the organization and personnel department, the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and the Public Security Bureau to transfer you there. You must do well and not let us down."

He was one of the first batch of college graduates after the resumption of the college entrance examination, truly capable. He could talk about technology with Engineer Li for an entire afternoon and operate all the imported machines in the workshop. His English was so good that he could communicate with foreign businessmen without a translator. A junior college graduate in English was assigned to the sales department two years ago, thinking he was very impressive, but the translation he did was corrected by Factory Director Hou in over twenty places.

He was truly capable, a pioneer of the reform and opening up, turning a half-dead small enterprise into a thriving one.

A large company in the south wanted to hire him as a general manager with an annual salary of 400,000 yuan, which was even reported in the newspaper, but he didn't go. It wasn't until the county implemented the factory manager responsibility system that his salary increased to over 4,000 yuan. He was a truly respectable leader.

"Yes!" Han Bo stood up and saluted, his attitude sincere.

"Sit down, don't be nervous. There's no one else here."

Factory Director Hou patted his arm and continued, "I heard a bit outside. The police budget is tight, not just in Sigon, but nationwide. The leaders of your bureau are not deliberately making things difficult for you. Don't have any negative thoughts. I'll help you with the silk company's phone call. As long as we can stop the outflow of cocoons, 50,000 to 60,000 yuan a year should not be a problem. You have energy, ideals, and a good family background. With the budget, you won't make financial mistakes."

"Director Hou, rest assured. I will be clean and disciplined and will not let you down or bring shame to you."

To promote the reform of the enterprise, to set an example of a proactive job transfer, and to help him realize his dream, he was transferred to the Public Security Bureau.

This might not seem like much to the employees of the factory, but in the eyes of the colleagues in the county's political and legal system, he was undoubtedly a trusted confidant. Rather than being misunderstood, it was better to solidify this relationship. Moreover, the young man was indeed good, worth cultivating, especially his enthusiasm for learning, which truly reminded him of himself when he was young.

Going to Liangzhuang as a public security commissioner was a difficult task for the Public Security Bureau, but it wasn't right to assign a newly transferred colleague to such a position. With his education, degree, and lawyer qualification, such a cadre should be placed in the legal department, even as a deputy director.

Factory Director Hou was somewhat dissatisfied with the Public Security Bureau's seniority-based approach, so he hoped he would achieve something significant, saying earnestly, "Xiao Han, you didn't graduate from a police academy, and you haven't served in the military. With the help of Secretary Ding and Director Qian, and with our textile factory as a stepping stone, your starting point is higher than others, but only temporarily. To make a name for yourself in the police force, you need to study more. You just passed the lawyer qualification exam, so you can take advantage of this momentum to take the self-study examination.

First, apply for law. You already have a bachelor's degree, so you can exempt from the English and public courses. The other professional courses are not difficult for someone with a lawyer qualification. Our Jiang Province is different from others; you can take the exam four times a year. Getting another bachelor's degree in law will give you a double degree. If you have the determination and perseverance to study criminal investigation and criminal technology, having three or four degrees in hand will broaden your future prospects."

"Thank you, Director Hou, for your advice. I will definitely study hard and strive to get a degree within a year without affecting my work." To hear such valuable advice on their first meeting, Han Bo was deeply moved.

Not only he but also others who had already been transferred or were about to be transferred to the Public Security Bureau were present. Factory Director Hou raised his glass and went to another table to toast Gao Changxing, Yang Xiaomei, and Wu Yongliang, wishing them success in their new positions.

The security department had never been favored, and they had never received such high treatment. Moreover, everyone knew that the factory director was about to become the vice-county magistrate. With the old leader's support, it was not impossible to become a real police officer after being transferred to the Public Security Bureau. Wu Yongliang, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Dan were extremely excited.

Being able to speak with the future vice-county magistrate was equally thrilling for Yang Xiaomei. After drinking, she returned the toast, saying that the leaders could drink casually, but she would finish her glass.

Encouraged by Secretary Ding, Deputy Factory Director Yu, and Director Qian, she showed no less spirit than the men and drank three glasses in a row. It wasn't for herself but for her husband, Qian Peng. Such opportunities were rare, and she had to seize them.

Factory Director Hou returned to continue entertaining guests from a large import and export company in the south. Secretary Ding and other factory leaders also got up to toast in the neighboring private rooms.

Everyone who came to the Silk Hotel for dinner was a relation. They went to others, and others came to them, toasting and returning toasts, making for a lively scene.

A public security commissioner, a section-level cadre, was a big deal in the eyes of the common people. In the textile factory and the Silk Hotel, he didn't even have the qualifications to go and toast others. Jiang Guoping had always been on the fringes and rarely came to the Silk Hotel, so he didn't need to go to and fro. The two former partners simply picked up their utensils and squeezed to the tables of their former subordinates, who were about to go their separate ways, to strengthen their bonds.

"Changxing, after you leave, there will be few people left in the night market. Whether it's the patrol police or the night market, where you go, you still patrol. Walk around more at night and help Xiao Yang."

"Section Chief Jiang, rest assured about the night market's security. We didn't patrol before due to a lack of manpower. With more manpower in the future, we will frequently patrol the areas in the city prone to incidents. Besides, the night market is our base. If other places are not well managed, our base must be well managed."

"Alright, let's drink to that."

Factory Director Hou was not only helping his former deputy find funding but also reminding him to study more. "A broader future" meant a bright future!

With a high starting point, a good foundation, and the support of the future vice-county magistrate, working in the grassroots for a few years, then transferring to the county party committee and government, and finally returning to the Public Security Bureau as a deputy director was not impossible.

Jiang Guoping cherished this period of working together. He couldn't help much, but he could help a little. Putting down his cup, he said, "Xiao Han, the armed minister of Liangzhuang, Niu Qingshan, is my comrade-in-arms. We joined the army in the same year, and he was discharged three years earlier than me. Whether he has power or not, he is still a member of the township party committee. I'll call him later. Having an acquaintance is better than having none."

"Section Chief Jiang, thank you so much. I don't know anyone in Liangzhuang and need the help of a leader familiar with the situation."

"It's no big deal, no need to thank me. Besides, what kind of relationship do we have?"

"Section Chief Han, I'm from Liangzhuang, how can I not know anyone?"

Xiao Dan patted his chest, not without pride, and said, "I know the armed minister, who sent me to join the army. I know several village cadres. The village party secretary is my uncle. I'll call him, and when you arrive in Liangzhuang, it will be like coming home. There's one patrol officer per village. The one from our village is Zhang Shurong, who joined the army with me. He has a rural household registration, so he can only be a patrol officer. I have an urban household registration, so I was assigned to the textile factory."

"Why didn't you say this earlier?" Han Bo was delighted, feeling that what he sought for a long time was easily obtained.

"You didn't ask."

In the police force, having acquaintances in the area made a big difference.

Jiang Guoping tapped the table and said firmly, "Xiao Dan, I'll give you a week off. Go back to Liangzhuang early tomorrow and return after Section Chief Han is familiar with the situation. There are plenty of people now, so one more or one less doesn't matter."

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