Night falls, and the lights are bright in the dining hall of Bailong Port Passenger Pier, filled with laughter and merry voices.

Last night, we celebrated the retirement of Old Zhang, Old Ding, and other comrades, with more than a dozen tables, leaving behind a lot of leftovers. Even after using every pot and pan, there was still too much. Old Qian had no choice but to buy five large enamel basins, combining several soup dishes together, making a mixed stew to be eaten slowly.

After a few years, Old Qian has taken charge of the cafeteria once again.

Tonight, a large table of leftovers is prepared, and while greeting Director Ge and Han Ning who just got off work, someone asks, "Ningning, is Salted Fish coming back?"

Han Xiangning takes Little Han Han from Sister Wei's arms and turns around to say, "He called this afternoon and said he'll have dinner out; he told us not to wait for him."

"Now that he's both the director and a leader of the Port District, he can't escape social engagements. It won't be easy to have a meal with him in the future," Comrade Old Ge has transformed into a family man, helping to distribute the bowls and chopsticks.

Han Ning couldn't help but laugh, "Director Ge, you make it sound like San'er is a glutton who just loves to feast."

"It's not that he loves to overeat; it's all part of his job. He needs to interact with many departments and assist with investment promotion. In China, we are a society based on relationships. We can't just ignore visitors, and some guests can't even be invited on a usual basis. In short, he will be very busy in the future."

Eating out every day, being constantly busy to the point of not coming home, that's what being a leader looks like.

Seeing Salted Fish grown up and having meals outside, Old Qian feels very proud and then jokingly asks, "Director Wei, when will Haoran and Xiao Qin come back?"

Sister Wei, who used to be the women's director in the village and later transferred to Linghai Town to work as an ordinary agricultural equipment saleswoman, is still habitually referred to by colleagues and friends as Director Wei, despite her position.

Seeing Old Ge looking over with a smile again, she quickly turns around and says, "Haoran and Xiao Qin are not coming back for dinner either; Haoran is meeting with several high school friends tonight."

Embarrassed like a young girl, the master's wife makes Han Xiangning unable to hold back her laughter.

According to her mother-in-law, these past few days Comrade Old Ge has been shamelessly lovestruck.

Before setting out to make the most of his retirement in Sanhe in the morning, he would always stop by the master's wife's dormitory to say, "Gui Feng, I'm off to work." Upon returning in the afternoon, he would look for the master's wife everywhere, bringing her sunflower seeds and fruits.

This morning was even more amusing: right after he left, his son's wife came over with a child and a big bag of fruits and nutritional supplements. She said it was to visit the master's wife, but the real intention was obvious, making the master's wife feel obligated to give her grandson a red envelope of one hundred yuan.

Mrs. Han knows Director Wei is embarrassed and quickly changes the subject: "Director Ge, I heard there's land acquisition and demolition going on in Sanhe. How is the land acquired, the houses demolished, and how much compensation can one get?"

There's no work in the evening, so some drinking is definitely in order.

Old Ge signals Zhang Jiangkun to pour less while smiling and saying, "There's not much money in land acquisition, mainly just compensation for young crops. If houses are demolished, they are first assessed. The size of the house, whether it is a multi-story building or a bungalow, the condition of the house—there are standards for all of these. For a two-story building like Xiao Yu's, the demolition compensation can be forty thousand."

"No money for the land? If the government wants it, do we have to hand it over?"

"Farming doesn't make money; in fact, it might result in a loss. Moreover, the government doesn't just acquire land for nothing. They offer non-farming status to the household's lands that are acquired and contribute towards the pension insurance for those who reach fifty, ensuring a retirement pension when they reach retirement age."

Old Ge wipes off the wine spilled on the table, continuing, "At the same time, depending on the amount of land acquired, two to four 'land workers' are arranged for one family, which means the government arranges jobs for them. Overall, the acquisition policies are pretty good."

Old Qian is just as interested, asking curiously, "Even older people get job arrangements?"

"There are only so many villagers by the river, the Port District construction requires many people, and once the port is built, workers will be needed all the same."

Comrade Old Ge smiles and adds, "I don't know how many workers the enterprises need, but I do know the Port District Management Committee alone will require quite a few. Older adults can go to the Port District Sanitation Department for landscaping and cleaning, while younger, educated people can find jobs through recruitment at institutions like the Port District Investment Bureau. Less educated young people can work as auxiliary police like Salted Fish."

Think about it; if Sanhe develops, its people won't have any trouble finding jobs.

Not to mention anything else, just consider that Huang Jiangsheng and Zhang Erxiao's rice factory, once started, will recruit many workers.

What's worth mentioning is that although Old Zhang has retired, he still plans to contribute. Interestingly, he has been hired by Huang Jiangsheng and Zhang Erxiao as the deputy general manager of "Longgang Rice Industry" to oversee the construction of the rice factory, and later to assist in its management.

But on the other hand, although Huang Jiangsheng is capable and knows how to handle things, he mainly stays in East Sea, attending to sales.

Zhang Erxiao may have become a Political Consultative Conference Member, but he isn't familiar with government departments, and setting up a factory is a big deal that requires the help of an old cadre.

Old Ding has work to do as well.

Boss Wu wants to move the shipyard to Sanhe. The existing orders need to be built at Bailong Port, and land needs to be acquired in Sanhe for foundation construction. An effective person is necessary to be in charge. Following Huang Jiangsheng and Zhang Erxiao's lead, Old Ding is appointed as the deputy general manager of Linghai Shipyard.

Thinking about the few retired from Yanjiang Police Station, only Instructor Li Weiguo is idle, and Old Qian can't help but ask, "Director Ge, Instructor Li's home is in Sanhe. Will the land acquisition affect his land, and will his house be demolished?"

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