Binjiang Police Affairs

As the Spring Festival approached, Bailong Port, which should have been bustling, turned quiet by noon. However, the family residential area of the passenger pier only grew livelier.

Friend Han had completed the last cargo run of the year and brought his ship to Boss Zhang's shipyard, asking Boss Zhang to arrange for workers to scrape rust and paint over the Spring Festival, giving the cargo ship a thorough anti-corrosion treatment inside and out.

For the past few years, he celebrated the Spring Festival at his eldest son's home, but this year, it was to be celebrated at his younger son's. He moved all the bed linens, clothes for washing, and pots and pans from the ship to the family area of the passenger pier.

Upon hearing that both grandparents were at their second uncle's place, Dongdong came to Bailong Port with his homework as soon as the winter break started. Xunxun also had his dad, Han Shen, send him over once he learned his grandparents and brother were at their uncle's.

Zhang Ping's wife, Wang Xiaoxue, a ticket seller at Binjiang Port passenger pier, didn't want to live separately from her husband, so she took the initiative to transfer to Bailong Port Passenger Pier.

While others longed for a transfer to the city center, she actually wanted to come to Bailong Port. The leaders of Binjiang Branch of the Yangtze River Shipping Company were more than happy to swiftly agree.

Their family of three, plus Chen Zikun's family of three.

The family area of the former Bailong Port passenger pier thus became the family area of the Changhang Branch Bailong Port Police Station.

With five or six children, big and small, laughing and playing together, it was quite lively.

The old mother not only had to take care of the new mother in her postpartum period, help with the infant granddaughter wrapped in swaddling clothes, but also watch over the grandchildren and grandson, so she was incredibly busy.

However, Han Yu really enjoyed this atmosphere, listening to his mother chasing after Dongdong outside, telling him not to take Xunxun and Chen Zikun's Little Junjun to the riverbank, and looking at his daughter sucking her fingers in his arms, he laughed, "It's lively with children. This feels like home."

Han Xiangning chuckled and said, "Lively? Your mom is on the verge of collapse."

"A house full of children and grandchildren, enjoying the bliss of family. She says she's overwhelmed, but actually she's very happy."

"I almost forgot to tell you, Sister Zhang Lan came over this morning, bringing two old hens and two big grass carps weighing over ten pounds each!"

"Where is she?"

"She left."

"Why didn't you invite her to stay for lunch?"

"She said she had things to do at work." Han Xiangning carefully took her daughter, thought for a moment and then said with a smile, "Seeing how bustling our place is, she plans to send Xu Yuan over to play for a few days."

Recently, during Han Han's Baptism Wine ceremony, both the eldest brother and Zhang Lan brought Xu Yuan over. The little girl was so happy to see Dongdong and Xunxun she had arranged to play together once the winter break started.

With Xu Yuan coming over, there would be even more children.

Han Yu sympathized with his mother and couldn't help but laugh, "It's almost like a children's group."

"Don't worry, Sister-in-law Xiao Xue is only busy in the mornings; there aren't many ticket buyers in the afternoons. With the new year approaching and fewer people buying feed, Hualei sister also has less to do. They can help with the kids for a while."

"If they can't handle them, call Master Gao. Hahaha."

"As if you needed to say that?"

Han Xiangning countered with a question, urging, "Hurry up to the shipyard. Come back early in the afternoon. My dad called to say they'll come over as soon as they finish work."

Reluctantly glancing at his daughter once more, Han Yu stood up, "Okay, I'll get back to work."

"Don't forget to change into your work clothes."

...

Xiao Yu's parents couldn't bear to leave the apartment near the locks because they had drifted on the river for so many years, like rootless duckweed. It wasn't easy to finally have a home on land, which felt like having roots.

Old Qian insisted on returning to spend his twilight years for the same reason. He considered his home in Bailong Port to be his roots and wanted to return to them as he grew older.

Han Yu braced the biting cold wind and walked along the river embankment toward Boss Zhang's shipyard, thinking of his experiences over the years. He felt his roots were also in Bailong Port; Bailong Port was his true home. Even though the "new flat" in the city district was nicely arranged, it lacked the feeling of home, almost resembling a hotel.

While walking and reflecting, he reached the shipyard before he knew it.

His own ship was on the river beach, where several workers were busy removing rust from the ship's body, and his father was sitting in front of a row of portable houses, basking in the sun and maintaining the diesel engine that had just been dismantled that morning.

Old Qian was there too, playing chess with Old Yang, who was the gatekeeper of the shipyard.

"Dad, can we finish today?"

"It won't be that quick; it just got taken apart this morning."

"Do you want my help?"

"No, you do your work. Your ship is more important than mine."

Friend Han wiped his hands and unscrewed the lid of his thermos to take a sip of tea. Without the sound of the high-frequency radio and no one to argue with, he felt oddly unaccustomed.

Han Yu picked up a distant tool and placed it beside his father, then turned to the two elderly gentlemen engrossed in their next move and smiled, "Uncle Qian, Uncle Yang, how's the game going today?"

"This is the first game; we just started."

"Where were you this morning, Uncle Qian? I tried calling you to invite you for lunch, but couldn't get through."

"I was fishing this morning."

"What time did you finish fishing, and where did you have lunch?"

"At my place." Old Qian's return brought the most joy to Old Yang. He pointed to the kitchen, "Old Qian caught a few pounds of fish. I cooked a couple large bowls and stewed some salted pork. The two of us went through half a bottle of old liquor, didn't eat much of the veggies, and we'll continue tonight."

Han Yu laughed, "You've got fish and meat; the sustenance is pretty good!"

"As for me, I'm eating, using, and enjoying my way to poverty, but not only does Old Qian have a pension, but his daughter and son-in-law are also wealthy and so filial. He's truly living the good life without worry."

"You all seem very lively."

Friend Han nodded with a smile and asked, "San'er, do you also need to change the firefighting pump on your ship?"

"Yes, the one before didn't have enough power."

"The new firefighting pump has been delivered; I helped hoist it onto the ship."

"It's been delivered, and we've hoisted it onto the ship!"

"Hmm."

"I'll go take a look."

"You do your thing, don't worry about us."

...

001 entering dry dock for a major overhaul was a genuine big project.

Not only did it require changing the main engine, auxiliary engine, anchor engine, and firefighting pump, but it also needed to replace several steel plates of the ship's body. After all, it was built in 1963, and the anti-corrosion technology back then was not up to par, so the ship's body was seriously rusted.

In terms of regular maintenance, it was always about knocking off rust and painting.

Getting thinner as the steel plates get knocked, several spots even started to rust through forming small holes, which could only be patched up by welding on steel plates—just like fixing punctures.

Just patching it up wasn't enough; only a proper overhaul would allow it to last another ten years.

Han Yu arrived at the edge of the shipyard and greeted the bustling shipyard workers, climbed onto 001 using the gangway, put on gloves, picked up a crowbar, and pried open the wooden crate for the high-pressure firefighting pump. He then started inspecting the firefighting pump's parts and components against the instruction manual.

Captain Fan and Xiao Gong came over from the engine room, whose top had been entirely lifted, and said, "It was just delivered; we haven't had time to check it yet."

Xiao Gong curiously asked, "Director Yu, there is English on the crate; is this pump really imported?"

"Yes, it's original imported. We can use domestic equipment for other things, but not for firefighting pumps. This is our main equipment for firefighting, it has to be of good quality."

"How much does this set cost?"

"Over five hundred thousand."

"That's expensive!"

"You get what you pay for. We weren't planning to buy one this good, but the Water Police Station sponsored one hundred thousand, and Director Peng and Political Commissioner Wang said since we are replacing it, we might as well do it right. I had to grit my teeth and agree."

The leadership of the bureau was not very supportive of the major overhaul of 001.

Because 001 is an asset of the Port Supervision Bureau, the Changhang Bureau would only use it for a maximum of three to four years before returning it to the Port Supervision Bureau, which would then "lend" it to the Water Police Station.

Spending money on someone else's Law Enforcement Rescue Boat doesn't seem worthwhile, especially when the bureau's funds are already tight.

Han Yu's considerations went beyond just the work of Changhang Fire Department; it was about "great firefighting" across the Binjiang Waters. No matter whose law enforcement vessels they are, as long as they can strengthen the professional waterborne firefighting force in Binjiang Waters, that's what matters.

In order to overhaul 001, Han Yu went to Director He and Political Commissioner Jiang to report the work several times, finally convincing the bureau leadership to spend all of the seizures and fines returned from the joint operation with Linghai Police, Water Police Station, and Zhuangming County Police Department against fraudulent schools on 001.

Thinking about how the Water Police Station would "get for free" an upgraded and revamped Law Enforcement Rescue Boat in three to four years, Director Peng and Political Commissioner Wang must be secretly delighted. Captain Fan whispered, "Salted Fish, the old pump isn't broken. When Captain Wang procured it back then, the Port Supervision Bureau spent a lot of money on it. It would be a waste to sell it as scrap metal."

"How could it be sold as scrap metal? It will be removed for good use."

"What use?"

"I've discussed it with Liu Xinpei, it will be installed on his ship, and we'll also help him install a diesel engine."

"Turning Xiao Yu's family's ship into a firefighting ship!"

"It's not Xiao Yu's family's anymore, it's Liu Xinpei's now."

Han Yu smiled and explained, "Liu Xinpei does business in Yingchuan Port Waters, and his wife is also on the ship. The couple lives on the boat, and with a radio call, they can be reached immediately, unlike a few companies' tugboats by the river that are always either towing this or doing that. In case there is a fire incident on a ship on the river, the couple can be of help at that time."

The "store ship" drifts on the river every day, and it only stays within Yingchuan Port Waters, not going anywhere else.

Although the ship is not large, just over thirty tons, the goods on board are not heavy either. It can definitely be equipped with a diesel engine and a high-pressure firefighting system that's suitable for both foam and water without any problems. In times of emergency, it can indeed be of great help.

Captain Fan realized and couldn't help but ask with a smile, "Using someone else's ship, should we pay them?"

Han Yu laughed and said, "When the Port Supervision Bureau recruits civilian ships for fighting vessel fires or for rescue operations, they have to provide financial compensation to the owners as per regulations, after the fire is put out or the rescue operation is completed. Our police force recruiting civilian ships is the same, we can't have people helping out and then losing money in the process."

Liu Xinpei is now a small business owner, but he used to be a police officer at the Water Police Station.

Furthermore, doing business on the river is not easy, after all, a "store ship" is still a ship. Liu Xinpei and his wife need to hurry up and get their licenses; the ship also needs to have all the required documentation and comply with water traffic regulations...

If they actively serve as volunteer firefighters for the Port Supervision Bureau, Changhang Bureau, and Water Police Station, and turn the "store ship" into a dual-purpose business and firefighting ship, then they become "one of us." Although the documentation still needs to be complete, they will surely receive more care from the various government departments along the river in other respects.

Captain Fan pondered and said, "So, when the new ship is ready for use, if we encounter a fire on a ship again, we will be able to deploy three firefighting ships at the first moment."

In Han Yu's plan, the firefighting capability of Binjiang Waters cannot solely rely on professional firefighting power; it must be a joint defense and response effort.

001 and the soon-to-be-constructed new ship form the first echelon. Although the Binjiang Port Police Station Fire Brigade doesn't have specialized firefighting ships, their existing equipment can be dismantled and deployed within an hour to join the fight, similar to Liu Xinpei's "store ship," which forms the second echelon.

The law enforcement ships of various units along the river, port towing tugs, and several ferries at the ferry crossings form the third echelon.

If a major fire breaks out on the river, the first echelon must engage within an hour to control the blaze; the second echelon must join the battle within two hours, and the third echelon must arrive within three hours.

As long as the mobilization is timely and logistical support keeps up, even if a major fire occurs in the Hanwu Waters involving Jiangnan Shipping Company's oil barge fleet, it can be extinguished using Binjiang's current capabilities, without the need for the Provincial Department Fire Department or even the Ministry of Police Fire Department calling for assistance from the sibling provinces and cities.

Thinking of all this, Han Yu felt full of ambition and couldn't help laughing, "It's a pity there's only one old pump. If there was another one, it could be installed on Zhang Changsheng's boat. In the future, if we encounter a ship fire, we could deploy four firefighting ships at the fastest speed!"