At nine o'clock in the morning, a small truck with "Huimei Clothing" written on it slowly drove into the old dormitory area of Bailong Port Passenger Pier.

Old Qian, Old Liang and his wife, and Zhu Baogen had been waiting for a long time, and as soon as the truck stopped, they went up to greet it.

"Director Wei, why is it just you and the child, where is Ge Diao?" Mrs. Liang helped hold Little Siqi, looking curiously at the passenger seat and asked.

"He's behind us, he rode a motorcycle back, said it's inconvenient without one." Sister Wei picked up her luggage and carefully jumped off the truck.

After staying in the city for a long time where the dialect was different, Sister Wei particularly missed her hometown.

Afraid of being laughed at if she went back to her old home in the countryside, going back to her home in Linghai City felt the same. It seemed that only returning to Bailong Port, no one would laugh at her for having a child at such an age. Plus, Boss Han had bought the entire dormitory area at the pier; there was not only a place to live but also some small patches of land by the river where one could grow fruits and vegetables.

However, compared to her bringing the baby back, Old Qian was more concerned about Old Ge's situation. While helping unload kitchenware and other household items, he curiously asked, "Director Wei, is Ge Diao officially retired?"

"Officially retired; the procedures were completed yesterday. Now he's relaxed, focusing entirely on taking care of the child, without worrying about being called by the city to do this or that."

"Did the city do anything as a gesture for his retirement?"

"When someone leaves, the tea cools; the city showed no gesture. Mayor Shen wanted to invite him for a meal, but he was determined to come back to move home, so he didn't go."

"Retiring is good, fewer complications; stay a few more days this time!"

"Old Qian, we've decided to stay until Siqi starts school before moving back to the city."

"That's best; living in the city is meaningless, you don't know anyone. Living in Bailong Port is much livelier, Salted Fish called yesterday saying whenever he has time, he'll come back too."

Old Ge and Director Wei moving back for a little stay, Old Qian was the happiest.

As one grows older, the fear of loneliness increases. Now it's good, Old Ge and Director Wei will be living in Bailong Port for at least two years, thinking about it makes it feel lively.

Zhu Baogen was equally happy. Just as he moved a big cardboard box into the dormitory he helped tidy up yesterday, Old Liang laughed and said, "Director Wei, Baogen also retired; he processed his retirement certificate last month, from this month on, he'll have money every month!"

"Really?"

"Director Wei, I'm different from Ge Diao; I'm a staff retiree, not much money each month."

Old Qian teased, "Even though your retirement pay isn't as much as Ge Diao's, you have side income! Just as you processed your retirement certificate, the Changhang Bureau rehired you, four hundred and twenty a month, can at least work another ten years."

Zhu Baogen smiled awkwardly, "If it weren't for Xiao Yu saying something to the leader, how would I have a job right after retiring."

"Even if Xiao Yu said nothing, the leader of Changhang Bureau would still ask you back."

Zhu Baogen was both an old crew member and an experienced corpse retriever. Besides Salted Fish and Xiao Yu, no one was more familiar with little 001 than him, making him a highly needed talent for Changhang Bureau, so calling him back to continue working was entirely expected.

Just as Sister Wei was about to congratulate him, Old Ge rode up on a large scooter.

As soon as he parked, he couldn't wait to hand out cigarettes to everyone, without even bothering to take off his helmet.

"Ge Diao, come have lunch at my place at noon; we've prepared everything." Old Liang accepted the cigarette, chuckling, "Principal Gao and Director Chen are coming at noon too; they said they wanted to celebrate for you, give you a nice welcome."

"What Ge Diao, I'm like you guys now, a common citizen!"

"Even retired, you're still an official; hospital visits get more reimbursed than us."

Old Qian looked envious.

Old Ge was amused to the point of laughter, thinking how funny it is to be flattered this way; who in their right mind would want to go to the hospital?

Having unloaded everything necessary for living from the car, settled into the new home, sent off the driver sent by Yu Zhen, everyone gathered, laughing and chatting as they made their way to Xiao Yu's place.

Just as Old Liang said, the moment Old Ge sat down, Principal Gao from the former Bailong Port Primary School, Director Chen from the former Bailong Port Health Center, and the old party secretary from Bailong Port Village arrived.

These three were the most respected figures in Bailong Port.

A few days ago, when processing retirement formalities, Old Ge truly felt what it meant to be "cooled off", but returning to Bailong Port was entirely different; it felt as if he hadn't retired, being treated like the center of attention, even regaining a bit of the sensation of being a leadership cadre.

As they sat down, they habitually started chatting about big and small matters in Linghai, from the former Four Factory Town Mayor Wang Facai being investigated by the Disciplinary Committee, to changes in the city leadership and major officials at respective bureaus and offices, then moving on to national affairs.

"A few days ago, the town called me for a meeting, to study the Three Represents. I've been retired for several years now, what's the point of calling me to study?" Principal Gao tapped the ashes off his cigarette, animatedly saying, "Later found out everyone has to study; the Political Consultative Conference organized studies too, Zhang Erxiao studied for two days."

"Erxiao is now a Political Consultative Conference member; although not a state cadre, he enjoys the political treatment of one, so he surely needs to study."

Without a doubt, Zhang Erxiao was the most outstanding youth in Bailong Port Village, talking about Zhang Erxiao brought a gratified smile to the old party secretary.

Though Salted Fish and Xiao Yu were also quite accomplished, they didn't have as much money as Zhang Erxiao, and weren't "rooted straight and pure" Bailong Port villagers, thus naturally couldn't be compared.

Their conversation gave Old Ge a reminder, he immediately got up and went to use Xiao Yu's family's phone to call Han Yu's mobile.

Using the list of fugitives onshore to compare against the shipmen on water definitely wouldn't find anything.

The grand action of water chasing and water smuggling investigation could only pause temporarily, Han Yu was currently in the Rescue Boat Battalion Camp with leaders of the three participating units, summarizing the gains and losses of this joint action, researching and analyzing the illegal criminal clues collected during the action.

"Director Zhao, Old Ma, have a cup of tea, smoke a cigarette; I'll go next door to make a call first."

"Go ahead, no rush."

Han Yu walked out of the conference room, entered the office where the Big Commander and Political Commissioner shared work, and used the fixed phone to call back.

"Salted Fish, it's me, I'm at Xiao Yu's place, are you busy, is it convenient to talk?"

"Not busy, all good," Han Yu knows that he and Master's wife are moving today, and can't help but smile and ask, "Uncle Ge, have you settled in?"

"There wasn't much stuff, we've settled in long ago."

Old Ge looks back at Principal Gao and others, holding the phone with a smile, "Salted Fish, there's something you might be too busy to notice."

Han Yu asks instinctively, "What's the matter?"

"The General Secretary proposed the important thought of 'Three Represents'. Your bureau must have organized studies, and the Linghai Armed Forces Department and Binjiang Reserve Group also organized the Linghai Reserve Camp soldiers to study. Everyone is learning, your Rescue Boat Team should also organize studies!"

The Linghai Reserve Camp has a superior, and it actually has two superiors.

The situation for the Rescue Boat Team is different, currently, it only has the Navy Headquarters as a superior. The Navy Headquarters has so many tasks, usually, it doesn't remember the Binjiang Naval Reserve Rescue Boat Brigade.

Han Yu suddenly realizes Old Ge's words make sense, and after weighing it, says, "In two months, I will visit with the naval vessel fleet, and once I leave, it'll be for two months. I don't know if the work for the second half of the year will be a lot or busy. How about this, we use the next month to organize all reserve soldiers for military training and political study."

"That's best, after all, at least twelve days of training are needed each year."

"But talking about other things is okay, talking about the important thought of Three Represents, I can't!" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"If you can't, you can invite someone to talk, the Binjiang Municipal Party School, Linghai Municipal Party School, they have many teachers who can talk, that's precisely their job."

"I'm not familiar with the Party School, in fact, I've never been trained there."

"You're not familiar, I'm familiar. You can discuss it with Commissar Fang later, and once the military training and political study schedule is set, I'll help you invite teachers from the Party School according to your schedule."

"Okay, thanks, Uncle Ge."

"No need to thank, you go on with your busyness."

...

The recently finished call brought up a thought for Old Ge.

He pressed the snap and quickly dialed Wang Wenhong's mobile phone.

Wang Wenhong is the chief of the Water Police Station, his mobile must be open twenty-four hours. As soon as he saw the caller ID, he answered, unlike Han Yu, who is used to treating the mobile phone as a pager.

"Director Ge, I'm Wang Wenhong, what instructions?"

"I'm a retired person, even if I weren't, I wouldn't be managing you, how could I dare have instructions."

Old Ge chuckled, and got back to business, "Old Wang, I suddenly remembered something, Salted Fish has been working for so many years, but it seems he hasn't participated in the training organized by your police system, nor the training organized by the organization department. Though he's been learning consistently, learning quite a lot, but mostly in business areas, he hardly attended any political thought studies."

Wang Wenhong paused, pondered, "Director Ge, had you not mentioned it, I'd have forgotten. Salted Fish doesn't seem to have attended police system training or youth training classes.

"That's a shortcoming that needs addressing." Afraid Wang Xiazhi might not take it seriously, Old Ge emphasized, "For young cadres, whether they've attended such training is very important."

"I understand, Director Ge don't worry, I'll call Director Qi of the Changhang Bureau later."

"No need to call Changhang Bureau, Salted Fish hasn't moved there now, a call to Zhou Huixin would be more appropriate."

Old Ge thought for a while and continued, "If the Customs system doesn't have any corresponding training programs in the short term, I'll call Mayor Qin and Military District Political Commissioner Chen and see if there's relevant training available to secure a spot for the Smuggling Crime Investigation Branch so Salted Fish can go and learn well."

"Okay, that's best."

...

At the same time, Sister Zhu is thoughtfully looking at a newly issued document from the superior.

Director Xu smiles and asks, "Director Zhu, this is the first cadre job exchange organized by our Maritime System since its establishment, and both Jiangnan Maritime Bureau and the Binjiang Municipal Party Committee and Government attach great importance to this. Who do you think is suitable to go to the region for job exchange?"

"How about sending Xiang Ning for regional job exchange?"

"Indeed Xiang Ning is suitable for regional job exchange, but she is currently a member of the 'Bridge Office', can she leave?"

The document clearly states that the Binjiang Maritime Bureau is a dispatched agency from the Jiangnan Maritime Bureau stationed in Binjiang, with low personnel mobility and less regional contact. There's a necessity to broaden young cadres' development routes.

Organizing young cadres from the Maritime System for regional job exchange allows "the personnel to go out and invite ideas in." Such a training exchange is a form of training for young cadres.

Going out not only can broaden vision, strengthen qualities, improve abilities, and showcase a good maritime image. It can also, through personnel exchanges, build bridges of interaction between maritime and regional governments, creating a favorable environment for harmonious development, friendship, and information exchange.

Xiang Ning's current work is assisting regional economic development, interacting with the region every day.

Sister Zhu will retire in two years, and doesn't want to miss the valuable opportunity to give Xiang Ning another push. She puts down the document and smiles, "If it's for a remote assignment, Xiang Ning indeed isn't quite suitable, given the involvement with the Yangtze River Bridge construction, she really can't leave. But as this is in Binjiang, it's fully plausible to ask the Binjiang City Committee if Xiang Ning can take a deputy director role at the Binjiang Transportation Bureau.

Now the Maritime Bureau is different from the previous Port Supervision Bureau.

Previously Port Supervision Bureau was a Standard Department Level unit, with several dispatched Maritime Departments being Full Department Level units.

After reforms, the dispatched Maritime Departments have all been upgraded to Deputy Department Level units, which means promoting to Deputy Department wasn't as difficult as before, because several Deputy Department ranks became available. But entering the bureau's party committee becomes harder now, due to increased competition.

In other words, although Xiang Ning is a female with certain innate advantages, her qualifications aren't enough for a deputy director position like Sister Zhu.

Director Xu naturally understands Sister Zhu's sincere intentions, and can't help but smile, "If going for a deputy director role at Binjiang Transportation Bureau, she will be running between the city district and Changzhou. Why not ask the Binjiang City Committee if Xiang Ning can take a deputy mayor role at Changzhou instead, assisting the deputy mayor in charge of transportation."

Although the role of deputy director at the Transportation Bureau and Changzhou City deputy mayor are both deputy department ranks, they differ greatly in essence.

Sister Zhu's eyes lit up, smiled, and said, "Taking a role at Changzhou for job exchange is good, after all, they wouldn't let job exchange cadres handle specific tasks, Xiang Ning's role at Changzhou is just right to accommodate her current work."