The deep night of November already held a chill in the air.

Inside the guard room at the entrance of the Linghai Bus Station parking lot, it was warmer, with Li Weiguo and Director Ge smoking inside.

The room was filled with choking smoke, and Zhang Lan, who couldn't stand the smell, simply pulled Xu Mingyuan—who had come along to receive Mrs. Han—outside to check out the new car Director Ge had bought a few days ago.

Zhu Feng 125, the best scooter around!

It's an original import with powerful performance and a sleek design. Compared to it, the once-trendy Mulan 50 light motorcycle should be tossed aside.

Zhang Lan caressed the front of the car and said enviously, "Director Ge really doesn't hesitate to spend money, this car costs over twenty thousand, and he just bought it like that."

A car's price equals several years' salary for a couple...

Xu Mingyuan also felt envious, glanced back at the guard room, and chuckled, "As a director, he'd ride in a sedan and even have the driver pick him up directly from downstairs. Now that he's stepped back, he's out of favor, making travel inconvenient. He's someone who values face, so it makes sense he'd begrudgingly buy a scooter."

"Isn't it because of Mrs. Han's influence?"

"It's related to Mrs. Han somewhat. Actually, finding a partner for an older person is much like for the young, needing to have a motorcycle, pager, and all that."

"Hahaha."

"What's so funny? Don't let others hear you."

Xu Mingyuan turned to look at the van parked by the curb; Director Ge's nephew had also arrived, currently sleeping inside the van.

Linghai people are hardworking and only know to earn money, not to enjoy life.

Linghai City District has hardly any nightlife; the streets become deserted once it's dark, and you simply can't find any restaurant open all night.

Thinking that Mrs. Han had prepared a meal and would head straight to Bailong Port after picking up the guests, Zhang Lan couldn't help asking, "Ming Yuan, are you really going to Sanhe?"

"The Political Commissioner talked to me, and I've already handed over my work to Fang Zhiqiang at the station. If not Sanhe, where else could I go?" Xu Mingyuan had only found out about the work changes when he returned from a business trip this afternoon and still felt as if he was in a dream up to this moment.

The Sanhe Police Station is to be upgraded to the Port District Bureau. Zhang Lan had long known that the bureau would adjust some middle-level cadres. Naturally, promoting two deputies would free up two main positions, causing a chain reaction, with a bunch of people relocating with them.

But she never expected Xu Mingyuan to take up the post of Deputy Director at the Port District Bureau, since he had been involved in criminal investigation since joining the force and there were already rumors of him being promoted to Deputy Commander.

Both being deputy positions, the Deputy Director of the Port District Bureau and the Deputy Commander of the Criminal Investigation Team are not the same.

Firstly, the Director and Instructor of the Port District Bureau are Deputy Directors, while the Deputy Director and Deputy Instructor are main positions, similar to the Commanders of various teams and the Directors and Instructors of various stations, all being middle-level cadres. But the deputy positions in these teams and stations are not.

Secondly, being called a Deputy Director sounds nice; from now on when people see him, they would have to address him as Director Xu.

The more Zhang Lan thought about it, the more excited she got, and she urgently inquired, "Is Salted Fish really going to be a director?"

"Yep, but we can't talk about it until it's officially announced."

"That way, you and Director Shi would both become subordinates to Salted Fish, under his command!"

"No more patting his head or joking about his ill-fitting police uniform when he first joined, having to wear your old ones, hahahaha." Xu Mingyuan laughed as he recalled Salted Fish's early days when he was allocated to the bureau.

Zhang Lan found it funny too, but still pretended to be displeased and grumbled, "Director Xu really plays favorites. We're both his protégés, yet he's so good to Salted Fish."

Xu Mingyuan didn't find it embarrassing to be working under his junior brother, instead felt proud, and quickly replied, "The decision to transfer Salted Fish back as the bureau head was made by the City Committee, not much to do with our bureau here. The City Committee entirely considered the port construction, even Political Commissioner Sun admitted no one's more suitable for bureau head than Salted Fish."

"He and Xiao Yu chose a different path from you and Fang Zhiqiang."

"Yeah, using the master's words, this is like 'a unique trick that masters all situations.'

"I heard the Port District Party Working Committee and the Port District Management Committee are only going to be formally established on Wednesday. It's probably the same for the Port District Bureau. Did Political Commissioner Sun say what you're going to do in the next two days?"

"He did; he said the crackdown in the first half of the year was tough, told me to take a break for two days."

"Taking a break for two days is good; just the right time to spend with Mrs. Han and the rest."

As they were chatting, an Iveco minibus turned the corner with its indicator blinking.

Director Ge and Li Weiguo also noticed it and hurriedly opened the door to welcome the arrival.

Night buses are different from daytime long-distance buses; there's no need to drive into the station to unload passengers, so it just slowly stopped by the entrance.

Seven or eight people, also there to pick up friends and relatives, crowded around. The black taxi drivers and motorcyclists who loitered near the station to grab customers at this late hour also gathered around.

The black taxi drivers who trolled for passengers at the station were "local tyrants". Seeing the Iveco's door open, they bellowed as usual, asking the passengers onboard where they were headed.

Xu Mingyuan glanced back, and several recognized him as the head of the criminal police, scaring them into quickly backing away.

"Where you headed, not taking fares today?"

"Captain Xu!"

"What Captain Xu?"

"The Captain of the criminal investigation unit."

"Ah..."

The other black taxi drivers caught on and hastily made way.

One bold black taxi driver hastily fished out a cigarette, ingratiatingly asked with a smile, "Captain Xu, are you here to pick someone up, too?"

"Yep, you guys go about your business."

These guys were annoying, but as night owls, they often provided clues to the Criminal Investigation Team. After some thought, Xu Mingyuan reminded them, "Mind your manners. The bus station is Linghai's public face; don't spook people with your fierce looks and affect our Linghai's public image."

"I know, Captain Xu, rest assured."

Xu Haoran, carrying a large suitcase, disembarked from the minibus. Xu Mingyuan, with no time to pay further attention to them, hurried forward to take the suitcase, smiling and asking, "Haoran, where's your mom and Xiao Qin?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.