Waterway traffic safety and water fire safety are both managed by the Ministry of Transport, and the security on the water is also governed by the Ministry of Transport Police.

From this perspective, the Binjiang Water Fire Fighting Association should actively accept the "incorporation" by the China Water Fire Association. Moreover, the conditions they offer are very generous; after incorporation, the Binjiang Water Fire Fighting Association becomes a branch of theirs, equivalent to provincial-level treatment, instead of being relegated to a lower-level branch.

If this matter is handled successfully, the Changhang Bureau will not only have picked a ready-made fruit but also regained a piece of "lost territory."

Han Yu knows very well that Director Wang, if not considering the future of his old subordinate, would never hand over the association to the Changhang Bureau, let alone accept the "incorporation" by the China Water Fire Association. After all, no matter how influential the China Water Fire Association is, it is still just a social group that cannot control the Water Police Division.

Listening to the three leaders exchanging words, Han Yu felt both touched and awkward, and he couldn’t help but raise his head and say: "Director Zhu, I’ve been formally transferred to the Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau for only a year, my seat isn’t even warm yet, and now we’re discussing transfer matters. What will my superiors think, and how will my colleagues view this?"

"You can rest easy on this point."

Sister Zhu picked up her teacup, smiling as she said, "Huang Yuanchang has helped inquire, and the Ministry of Transport just submitted the restructuring plan of the Yangtze River Port and Navigation Public Security Organs to the National Council. This involves unit organization, personnel organization, and future funding sources, requiring repeated study by the superiors, and it won’t be approved in less than a year or a year and a half."

Director Qi laughed and said, "I estimate it will take at least a year. By then, your working record at the Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau will be full two years, and when you return to the Changhang Bureau, no one will say anything."

Wang Wenhong, although reluctant, felt this was an opportunity.

After all, there’s a space for every position, like at the Smuggling Crime Investigation Branch, there was previously a vacancy for a deputy department-level leadership position. Now, as the former captain of the Binjiang Branch of Armed Police is placed in the Smuggling Crime Investigation Branch, even if Han Yu’s performance is excellent, there is no chance of promotion to deputy department-level in the next three to five years.

He took several deep breaths and seriously and solemnly said: "Salted Fish, you can’t wait for the dust to settle before taking measures; you must plan ahead. For us, who depend on government jobs, being one step ahead means every step is ahead, while being one step behind isn’t just slow, it might mean staying stagnant forever."

"Salted Fish, you must listen to us on this matter!"

"You’re a man; you can’t be worse off than Ningning in this regard. In fact, you’ve already fallen behind Ningning. All you can do now is strive to catch up."

Fearing that Salted Fish might get confused again, Director Qi thought for a moment and added, "Your master painstakingly trained you to become the best at operating boats and the most knowledgeable about shipping as a water police, wasn’t it for this day? I know you like large law enforcement vessels; the Customs 825 vessel looks impressive, but how much can you contribute on the ship?"

Wang Wenhong agreed deeply, looking at Han Yu with a smile: "You need a broader vision; your achievements shouldn’t stop at being a boat captain."

The 825 vessel is indeed impressive, with powerful firepower, but unfortunately, it’s not useful on the river.

Smuggling at sea, while sea smuggling in Binjiang is rare.

There is smuggling at the estuary and on the river, but deploying the 825 vessel is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut; the fuel consumption for using the 825 vessel to crack down on smuggling upstream is equivalent to the total of Binjiang Police’s 002, 003, and Yangtze Police’s 110, 111. It’s not cost-effective no matter how you calculate it.

For this reason, the superiors designated the 825 vessel as the mobile force for anti-smuggling on the water; otherwise, they wouldn’t have ordered the 825 vessel to go to South Sea on rotational duty.

Han Yu was silent for a moment, sighed lightly, and said: "It’s true, thinking about it, Jiang Shengqi and the others can all handle ship driving. In terms of boarding and inspecting, Guo Weitao’s skills are better than mine and Xiao Yu’s. As for the electrical and mechanical on the boat, Xiao Gong has become proficient, and if I continue to stay at the Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau, it seems I’ll only end up going to the bureau for meetings every now and then."

"It’s good that you understand, only by transferring back to the Changhang Bureau can you play a larger role." Director Qi gently patted his arm, deeply gratified.

Han Yu hesitated for a moment, then said with some embarrassment: "But now there’s a problem; my mother-in-law and Ningning want to buy a house in the East Sea, and I have to scrimp and save to pay the mortgage. If I transfer back to the Changhang Bureau, even if I can get promoted to deputy department-level, how much more salary can I get each month?"

...

"You’re going to buy a house in the East Sea again!"

"Yes."

"Didn’t you already buy one in the East Sea? Why are you buying again?"

Seeing the three leaders’ astonished expressions, Han Yu poured out his grievances.

Sister Zhu understood the whole story and couldn’t help but laugh, saying: "Director Xiang and Ningning’s consideration makes some sense. It’s just carrying some loans, and it’s not like you haven’t done it before. This time, you’re buying a smaller unit, the loan won’t be as much as last time, and the repayment pressure won’t be as big. Your family has four people earning an income, it definitely won’t be a problem."

"Yes, don’t always think about money; you should have some aspirations!"

"I know that money isn’t everything, but how can we live without it?"

"Are you reluctant to leave the benefits of the Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau?"

"It’s false to say I’m not; after all, the benefits are vastly different."

This is indeed a very practical issue.

Director Qi didn’t know what to say, but Sister Zhu smiled and said: "If things don’t work on one side, they might on the other; when you transfer back to the Changhang Bureau, you can still make some extra money."

"What kind of extra money?" Han Yu asked, curious.

"You’re a fire engineer, you’ll soon be able to be evaluated for a higher title. Although currently, administrative cadre wages aren’t tied to title. As long as you become a council member of the China Water Fire Association, and join a professional committee, you, like your father-in-law, become an expert and can participate in various evaluations related to water fire safety."

Sister Zhu paused, then continued: "Moreover, you can submit articles to fire-type journals to earn manuscript fees. You have frontline water fire work experience, and Mayor Yu taught you how to write such articles. Academic research wouldn’t be hard for you."

Wang Wenhong chuckled, patting Han Yu’s shoulder, and said: "Yes, it’s not like you haven’t done this before."

A person should know what’s good for them.

Although Han Yu was very reluctant to leave the benefits of the Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau, he realized that this is indeed a rare opportunity. After weighing it, he agreed.

Nevertheless, such a big matter needs to be discussed with his senior sister.

In the afternoon, he accompanied the vice chairman and the secretary-general from the China Water Fire Fighting Association on an onsite visit, then went to the Changhang Bureau to attend a seminar, reporting Binjiang Water Fire Fighting Association’s work to the association leaders, and was busy until dark before heading to Xu Haoran’s house to dine with Zhang Lan and her daughter who had just arrived from afar.

What surprised Han Yu was that when he mentioned that the leaders of the Changhang Bureau and the Changhang Police Bureau wanted to transfer him back to the Changhang Division, without saying that he could be promoted to deputy department level after the transfer, his senior sister readily said, "Transferring back to the Changhang Division is good, since the superiors want you transferred, you should go back."

"But the salary at the Changhang Division is not as good as at the Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau."

"Think long-term."

Han Xiangning put down her chopsticks and giggled, "Our goal, why are we buying a house in the East Sea, isn’t it because we want to work and live in the East Sea in the future? Although the Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau is also a vertically managed unit, the Binjiang Smuggling Crime Investigation Branch is separated from the East Sea Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau by the Jiangnan Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau.

Transferring to the Changhang Division is different, the Changhang Police are really one family, otherwise, Sister Han Ning wouldn’t be able to transfer over. Anyway, if you just go back to the Changhang Police, you’ll have a chance to transfer to the East Sea Branch. At worst, go find your old leader, Director He will definitely help."

"And then?" Zhang Lan couldn’t help but ask.

"If San’er transfers over, wouldn’t San’er and I be living far apart, and that’s a challenge. By then I can justifiably request the superiors to transfer me too. As long as I transfer to the East Sea Maritime Bureau, it doesn’t matter if I become a department head or not, I’m fine doing traffic management!"

Everyone has dreams and goals.

Han Xiangning’s goal is clear, which is to transfer to the East Sea.

Han Yu can’t believe she became a wife of Linghai, didn’t learn anything else but learned from Linghai people to head to the East Sea, her longing for the East Sea can be described as open and unreserved.

Xu Haoran couldn’t help laughing.

Lin Xiaoqin even half-jokingly said: "Ningning, if Ming Yuan and Zhang Lan go to Shenzhen, and you and San’er really transfer to the East Sea, how lonely would Haoran and I be in Binjiang, you can’t do this!"

"Binjiang is not far from the East Sea, once the bridge is completed, going to the East Sea will be even more convenient, by then you can bring Junjun to my house to play."

"..."

"Is the East Sea that good?"

"Yes, the East Sea is really very good!"

Han Xiangning is getting more excited as she talks, decided to go see houses in the East Sea with her mom the day after tomorrow.

Han Yu was amused and exasperated, so he took advantage of Xu Haoran and his brother-in-law’s smoke break on the balcony to step out and talk about Niu Bin’s matter.

"The clues reported by Niu Bin, I’ve handed over to the Anti-Smuggling Department, they’re planning to check them in the coming days. If verified, punishment is certain, but they say verification isn’t easy."

"Hard to gather evidence?"

"Those bosses selling smuggled phones won’t stack the phones in their warehouses waiting for customs to check. If you go to those phone shops, you’ll see most of what’s displayed on the counters are models. Only when the customer is sure about buying, they’ll bring out a real phone for the customer to see."

Xu Haoran flicked his cigarette ash and continued, "Moreover, even if it’s verified that those people are selling smuggled phones, punishing them is not easy. They might say they are second-hand phones, collected from others, refurbished and sold as new ones, which falls under the jurisdiction of industry and commerce rather than customs, not rising to criminal charges, and our branch can’t easily intervene."

There are many phones on the market without network access certificates.

No need to ask, most have entered the country through improper channels.

The problem is, Hong Kong and Macao have returned, more people are going abroad than before, bringing a phone from abroad is reasonable and legal, using it for a few days and selling it isn’t illegal.

Those selling phones exploit this loophole, claiming they are second-hand phones collected from others.

Phone sales don’t require real-name registration, not even for SIM cards, they say they don’t remember who sold them, or the phones without network access certificates have changed hands many times, how can you investigate thoroughly?

Han Yu is well aware that verification is difficult, and murmured, "To solve the problem of rampant smuggling phones, we must tackle it at the source. It’s heard that the senior brother can seize dozens or even hundreds of smuggled phones every day, there are even Hong Kong people dedicated to this, bringing phones into the country every day and they can’t check it all."

"So that Niu Bin kid has set us a tricky problem."

"Brother Haoran, I feel that kid has an ulterior motive, he came back and immediately reported the clues, he must have an agenda."

"Using our hands to suppress competitors?"

"Might not be that simple."

"Then what does he want?"

"I can’t figure it out now, I can only ask the second senior brother to keep an eye on him."

Zhang Jiangkun, who had been quietly smoking, raised his head and said, "He rented a place, heard it’s in a good location, and the area isn’t small, so the rent probably is not cheap, I estimate he will make moves soon."

Han Yu nodded, "I’d like to see what tricks he’s up to!"

...

PS: The update is late, let me explain to my readers.

Every year during summer vacation, I take my two kids out for a few days.

This year is special compared to previous years, my daughter finished her entrance exam, this might be my last time taking her out to play, because high school for three years she’ll have no time, and after college she won’t want to play with me, then perhaps the only reason she would reach out to me is if she runs out of money and asks dad for some.

Despite this, I still try to keep updating.

In middle age, with elderly and children to manage, I can’t compare to young authors, once again asking readers for understanding.