Chapter 9

PS. Here's today's update, and I'm also taking the opportunity to promote the 515 Fan Festival on Qidian. Everyone has 8 votes, and voting also gives Qidian coins. I humbly request your support and appreciation!

Xigang is a small county town. Once it hits 8 PM, the streets are deserted, with hardly anyone around. It's hard to even find a place to buy a pack of cigarettes.

The night market in front of the silk factory is a spontaneous gathering of the factory workers, their families, and some individual vendors. It's the most bustling place in the entire county at night. This indirectly reflects the good performance of the silk factory, as people can make money by doing business here, which the factory leadership is proud of.

The factory leadership is somewhat "superstitious," believing that a lively and crowded place ensures the prosperity of the unit. Moreover, the workers have few entertainment options, and having a night market at the factory gate allows them to stroll around in the evening, improving their mood and making them more willing to work.

In short, the factory supports the night market.

However, the night market also has many problems. Vendors often argue and even fight over prime spots. With so many people, loafers and troublemakers often show up, leading to petty theft, hooliganism, fraud, and extortion, which seriously affect the security around the factory.

The hygiene issues are even more troubling, especially with the large food stalls and barbecue stands. The cooking creates a smoky mess, and the ground is covered with sewage and debris. Despite repeated warnings, the vendors often pay lip service but do not change their behavior. After all, the hygiene responsibility zones are not within the factory premises, and they feel secure outside the walls.

Han Bo, a newcomer, is not afraid to tackle the night market. With Jiang Guoping, an old hand, as his advisor, there's nothing to worry about. The factory doesn't have to spend a penny and can save on the salaries of two janitors. Why not do it?

Director Qian had no objections and encouraged him to go all out.

The West City Industrial and Commercial Office relies on the management fees from the silk factory for their salaries. The factory office director personally called, and the head of the security department and his deputy personally visited. The night market is a minor issue. They didn't even discuss a fixed quota; they just needed to solve the problem of one worker's salary, who would work at the gatehouse every night to maintain market order on behalf of the industrial and commercial department.

"Director Jiang, the individual vendors should pay the industrial and commercial management fees. Why don't they collect it themselves?" Han Bo asked on the way back, puzzled.

Jiang Guoping, holding his cup, chuckled and said, "Only those who register with them and have a license are considered individual vendors. Small merchants and vendors don't register. It's like farmers selling vegetables in the city; they have to pay a management fee to enter the market, but no one cares if they sell on the roadside. They want to manage and collect fees, but they don't have many people, and they don't have the same authority as the police. People aren't afraid of them.

I have a difficult family situation; this is how I make a living. I have no money, but I have a life. If you don't confiscate my goods, I'll bring my family to your office and your home to cause trouble. If you don't give me a way to live, I won't let you live in peace. They came once in the summer two years ago, didn't collect a penny, and haven't come back since."

"Our work shouldn't be that difficult."

"Definitely not. First, this is our territory. If we don't let you stay, you can't do business. Business thrives where there are crowds. The whole county only has one night market, and who would you sell to at other places at night? Second, we have an economic police detachment, and we are the People's West Road Police Station. We have the manpower and the authority."

Jiang Guoping took a sip of tea and added, "Xiao Han, you're now a big shot, leading a joint operation with the police, industrial and commercial, and security departments. You're like the head of the Comprehensive Governance Office, just without the official appointment."

At 6 PM, the people from the Industrial and Commercial Office would report for duty. With Gao Changxing, who just arrived today, it would indeed be a joint operation by the police, industrial and commercial, and the silk factory's security department.

Thinking about all the things to do on the first day of work, it was quite amusing.

Things went smoothly, and having a car made it convenient to go anywhere. He returned to the office at 9:30, and on his way up, he stopped by the infrastructure department.

Renovation is a novel thing.

Everyone was curious, asking about the cost and what it would look like. The news spread quickly, and all the staff and workers who wanted to get a house in the building soon gathered.

During working hours, the factory leadership didn't like it.

The head of the infrastructure department, Lu, made a decision to install the doors and windows and hand over the keys for Unit 102 in Building 3 in advance. He contacted the construction team, and Li Taipeng could start the work at any time. They would start with a model room to see the effect and to estimate the cost of making it look like the ones on TV.

"Director Han, is the labor cost really about the same as the material cost?"

"About half and half, but my family won't have to pay for labor. My father and my brother-in-law are carpenters, and even my mother knows a bit."

"Having a few skilled workers in the family is great. The Wang family in the second workshop are masons. When they built their house, they only needed to hire a few people to help with the roof, saving thousands."

...

The "Strike Hard" campaign is a major event for the national legal and political system this year. Setting up the economic police detachment and rectifying the night market are the major tasks for the security department at this stage. For many staff and workers, getting a house is their major concern this year. The financial department's sisters were still enthusiastic and followed him all the way to the third floor.

Gao Changxing didn't understand why, thinking that college graduates were indeed a step above. Just like him, he could be a leader, a deputy director, and the head of the economic police detachment, and was so well-received by the factory.

There were two desks, one for the director and one for the deputy director. He could only sit on the sofa, like an outsider. He was a temporary worker at the police station and a marginal figure at the silk factory. He didn't even react when Han Bo greeted him.

"Director Jiang, Director Han, you weren't here just now. I'm here to formally announce it. The factory party committee has decided to transfer Comrade Gao Changxing to your security department as the instructor of the economic police detachment. Considering the current difficulty in promoting cadres, he will participate in the work as a worker but enjoy the political treatment of a cadre..."

Union Chairman Liu knocked on the door and announced the arrangement for Gao Changxing, speaking with enthusiasm and modulation.

Enjoying the political treatment of a cadre means having the right to see documents that ordinary workers can't and the opportunity to attend meetings that ordinary workers don't need to. In comparison, Gao Changxing would rather enjoy the economic treatment of a cadre. He smiled weakly, imagining how disappointed he must be.

"Xiao Gao, sit down. Once you're in the security department, you're one of us. No need to be拘束. Here, have a cigarette, courtesy of Director Han."

"Director Jiang, Director Han, have mine."

"Cigarettes and alcohol go together. No need to be so formal. Smoking and drinking aren't good habits. You should learn from Director Han, who doesn't smoke or drink."

A cadre is a cadre, and a worker is a worker, let alone that he is not just a cadre but also a director and a deputy director. Gao Changxing was very respectful, took the cigarette, and said sincerely, "Director Jiang, Director Han, I just arrived and don't know much. Please criticize and help me..."

"Xiao Gao, you've worked in the police for so many years. The work in the security department should be familiar to you. I'll take a couple of days off to build my house, and the department will be in charge of Director Han. He is the head of the economic police detachment, and you are the instructor. You are partners, both young, and have a lot in common. Communicate well."

The security department is just a gatekeeping role in the factory. Jiang Guoping never considered himself a leader and wasn't used to saying formalities. He simply said a few words, held his cup, and went to the factory office to call the internal security team of the police and the West City Police Station, asking them to come at 2 PM to hang the sign for the economic police detachment and the People's West Road Police Station. He didn't mention a welcome party, showing the difference in closeness.

Since they would be working together, and there was another major task that required his help, they should have a good chat.

Sitting at the desk made it seem a bit condescending, so Han Bo sat next to him and asked with a smile, "What should I call you, Lao Gao, or Gao Instructor?"

"Whatever is more convenient for Director Han."

"Gao Instructor, it seems the police prefer this title."

"Okay, Gao Instructor."

"Although we both just arrived, you have many years of experience in the police, and you know the county better than I do. The work of the economic police detachment needs your help..."

Han Bo didn't say formalities either. They talked about work and family, making him more like a mentor.

"My wife works at the aquatic company, and my child is four years old. I don't want to embarrass you, Director Han, but coming to the silk factory was out of necessity. I've been a temporary worker at the police station for over six years. I have to think about my family."

Life is tough, and it's not easy.

Han Bo closed the office door and asked, puzzled, "You're a college graduate, and you graduated so early. How could you not have a permanent position, and how could it drag on until now?"

The past is not pleasant to recall. Gao Changxing smiled bitterly and explained, "I'm a vocational college graduate, specifically trained for a certain unit, not a regular college graduate. According to the rules, I should return to the unit that trained me, which is not part of the regular allocation. I had to beg a lot of people for the training spot. But before I graduated, the county started to abolish the districts and establish towns. The unit that trained me no longer existed, and I've been in limbo ever since."

What a stroke of bad luck, to encounter such a situation.

Han Bo thought for a moment and asked, "Can't the police station find a way? You graduated from a police academy, and your major is relevant, which gives you an advantage."

"Police academies are different. The provincial police academy is part of the police system, but the judicial police academy I attended is part of the judicial system. The police station prioritizes graduates from the police system and veterans. There aren't enough special legal and political positions. The county has no money and can't provide many public institution positions.

The 90-plus household registration police recruited eight years ago are still contract officers. In the traffic police, criminal police, and grassroots police stations, special legal and political positions only account for a quarter, and the rest are either public institution positions, contract officers, or temporary workers like me."

"You have a police rank and number."

"The bureau uniformly procures them. I can enforce the law within the county, but outside the county, people don't recognize it. The economic police are more formal; they are registered with the provincial department, and their police numbers are supervised by the Ministry of Public Security. People won't think you're a fake police officer wherever you go."

He had a dream of being a police officer, put in a lot of effort, and attended a police academy, but he couldn't work in the police force.

Han Bo sighed inwardly and comforted him with a smile, "No matter what, your salary and benefits will be higher after the transfer. Keep working, and if there's an opportunity, you can transfer back."

...

PS: I forgot to ask for your support. Readers, please help me out. Recommend, collect, and click. I need everything, please.

It's almost 515, and I hope to continue to impact the 515 Red Envelope List. 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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