The grand award ceremony just concluded and ushered in the year 1999.
This year marks the return of Macao, the conclusion of the first phase of the Linghai Port project, and the last year of this century!
The New Year should bring new hopes; all the city leaders are busy with economic activities, except for one vice mayor who continues overseeing the Yangtze River levee project left unfinished last year.
The flood of '98 didn't cause any breaches across the province, no fatalities, and they even managed to protect the few Jiangxin islands on the Binjiang section, thanks largely to the massive investnt in repairing the Jianghai Flood Control earlier. This year, there's a push to finalize unfinished levee sections quickly; only by making them impregnable can future floods be safely avoided.
But these matters have little to do with Han Yu.
During the New Year's holiday, Han Yu and his senior sister took Little Han Han early to Cosco Shipyard to attend the delivery ceremony of the cargo ship "Fenghai" built after Cosco's investnt in establishing a shipyard in Linghai!
Not liking socializing doesn't an one doesn't enjoy looking at ships.
As a sailor, personally witnessing a new ship's delivery is quite significant.
Xiao Yu was also invited but not standing ashore to watch. Instead, he was steering Xiao 001 on the river alongside Yangtze Police 110, Supervision 39, and Supervision 48, providing escort for the new ship soon to be taken away by the captain and crew sent by the shipowner.
For both Linghai and Binjiang, Cosco delivering a new ship is a major event.
Secretary Lu ca, and Secretary Ye as well, many leaders on the shore.
Han Yu, avoiding trouble, had so desserts akin to a buffet, thought a bit, and packed so in a plastic bag. After greeting his senior sister, he took a traffic boat to reach Xiao 001.
"Salted Fish, this is for Little Han Han, how can I eat a child's cake!"
"It's for you, eat it quickly, I'll steer the ship."
"For ?"
Xiao Yu was doubtful, not believing Salted Fish would be so generous.
Looking at the brightly decorated shore, Han Yu laughed, "There's a lot onshore, laid out like a buffet, with a long table. Leaders and foreign guests don't eat; I got so for you and Uncle Zhu."
"Stolen!"
"What do you an stolen, I took it openly!"
"Can you take so? How about I go ashore to get so more?"
"The delivery ceremony is ongoing; as soon as it ends, the new ship will set sail. No ti."
Zhu Baogen stood outside the cabin, eating and smiling secretly at the two brothers, still shaless as ever, eating and grabbing more, wanting to take even more—instead of being ashad, they took pride in it.
Xiao Yu didn't feel embarrassed, took a bite of the cake, gazed at the newly replaced big sign on shore, and confusedly asked, "Salted Fish, does the character with the mountain radical combined with strange signify 'Qi'?"
"Reading half the character isn't wrong; it's pronounced 'Qi'."
"Then how did Cosco beco Cosco Kawasaki?"
The na change seed odd.
Han Yu glanced up, holding the helm, explaining, "Cosco Shipyard was initially a joint venture between Cosco and Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries, signing a joint shipbuilding project contract back in '95. Partnerships are tricky; Director Feng said there have been disputes between China and Japan over so issues these years, and it was just this year, actually last year, that things finally got settled."
Xiao Yu surprise-asked, "Cosco ford a Sino-Japanese joint venture?"
"Cosco remains Cosco, only the shipyard is a joint venture with a Japanese company."
"Who's the major shareholder?"
"Of course, it's Cosco."
"Are there Japanese people onshore?"
"Yes, several ca; today are the Japanese managent personnel, heard several technical staff are coming soon." Han Yu thought and laughed, "The Fenghai's design was by the Japanese side, and many of its facilities were imported from Japan."
Xiao Yu mumbled, "Why does a good shipyard need to joint venture with Japanese devils?"
"Their managent and technology are more advanced than ours. In fact, before the Ministry of Shipbuilding Industry was abolished, dostic large shipbuilding companies had already begun introducing technology from Japan. The country organized dostic shipyards to pair with Japanese shipyards, and that's when Cosco started dealing with Kawasaki Heavy Industries."
"Shenglong Shipyard didn't form a joint venture with Japan, yet still builds big ships, right?"
"Shenglong benefits from Hong Kong, receiving Hong Kong shipowner's orders, hiring technicians from Southeast Asia. Though it's not a joint venture, it still imported foreign advanced technology."
Can't deny, foreign-built ships are better than those made in China.
Xiao Yu didn't want to talk further on this topic, curiously asked, "Where are Sister Ningning and Han Han?"
"They're with Director Zhu, who also ca today."
"Where to eat lunch? Does the shipyard provide a al?"
"Seems like there's a reception banquet at noon."
"You going?"
"I can't drink, so why should I go."
Speaking of drinking, Xiao Yu felt quite apprehensive.
At the Linghai flood relief celebration banquet, he really drank too much, had a headache for two days, only recovering today.
However, regarding the celebration banquet, Old Ge is the most terrified.
That evening, he was thoroughly embarrassed by Secretary Lu and Vice Army Commander Lu, turning out a disgrace. Luckily, most of the Linghai Reserve Camp officers were heavily drunk; otherwise, he would've been even more humiliated if seen by the juniors.
Though Master's wife felt awkward, she was visibly happy in her embarrassnt, as getting a marriage certificate and approval for childbirth felt sneaky, as if doing sothing shady.
Now compensated with a wedding, and with Binjiang City leaders and army commanders organizing, it's considered "officially married," so no more need to fear ridicule from others.
Han Yu sighed deeply, suddenly his phone rang.
No fixed-line phone on the ship, had to answer.
"Director Zhou, any instructions?"
"Salted Fish, just received a notice from the superiors, a mont ago, leaders from the Ministry of Police and General Administration of Customs attended the launch ceremony of the Smuggling Cri Investigation Bureau in the Capital!"
Waiting anxiously for three whole months, finally reached this mont.
Han Yu excitedly said, "Great, did the superiors say when we will launch in Jiangnan Province?"
Zhou Huixin equally excited, grinning as he walked downstairs: "Liu Guan said Jiangcheng might need to wait a few more days to launch due to so incidents."
"What incidents?"
"Superiors decided not to abolish the investigation bureau; Customs Investigation Bureau will handle administrative cases, while the Smuggling Cri Investigation Bureau will deal with smuggling-related criminal cases. Thus, previously confird personnel transfers into the investigation bureau can't proceed—so staffing adjustnts must be made."
"How long expected for adjustnts?"
"Not only Jiangcheng needs adjustnts, our side in Binjiang too; at best, half a month."
"Alright, half a month then."
...
Can wear the police uniform again, soon to return as a police officer.
Han Yu was truly delighted, thinking of Guo Weitao and Xiao Gong also awaiting news, he splurged once, phoning the Rescue Boat Team's duty line, informing Guo Weitao of this good news.
Xiao Yu enviously didn't wish to discuss the Smuggling Cri Investigation Bureau topic, suddenly said, "Salted Fish, major events will happen this year, might even be the world's end!"
"What world's end, where did you hear that?"
"Last night at the factory dinner, the two college students Lin Xiaohui recruited from the East Sea were discussing."
So college students are inexplicably gullible, even believing extre and absurd notions.
Years ago, many college students were obsessed with UFOs; later, many believed in Qigong, now so actually believe the apocalypse is nigh.
Han Yu was puzzled about what to say.
Xiao Yu continued, "Did you hear about Millennium Bug? After this year, it's 2000, and once 2000 cos, Millennium Bug arrives!"
Han Yu rembered soone ntioning "Millennium Bug," seed related to computer software; instinctively he asked, "Then what?"
Understanding sothing Salted Fish didn't, Xiao Yu felt accomplished, exuberantly saying, "Millennium Bug arrives, all computers will malfunction. Aircraft systems, hospital systems—anything using computers—will crash!"
"I'm not flying, so aircraft system issues don't affect . Would I fear planes dropping on ?"
Han Yu didn't find it that terrifying, chuckled, "I'm healthy, wouldn't go to hospitals, so hospital system issues aren't relevant either."
Xiao Yu quickly asked, "What happens if bank systems fail?"
Han Yu smiled, cheerfully replying, "I only have loans, no savings in the bank. If the bank systems fail, I'd be delighted, sparing from repaying loans!"
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