Police officer Chen Shu

Chapter 568 The second half

After a few more drinks, Zhu Yiba clinked glasses with Chen Shu again and casually started talking about the immigration bureau's border inspection station. He said that some of his comrades had been transferred from the armed police to border inspection, which was just a matter of changing clothes, but the work they were supposed to do was the same as before.

Before, there was hope that I could work for a few years and then be transferred back home. Now that I've been laid off, it's like I've been abandoned in the middle of nowhere, and I have to stay there until I retire.

After saying that, he let out a long sigh.

This time, the border defense forces will either be transferred to the immigration bureau or the local public security bureau.

Dongzhou is a coastal city, and people are generally assigned to the local public security bureau. Even ordinary soldiers can become police officers as long as they pass the exam. If someone can't even answer the easy questions, they will be assigned to the auxiliary police force.

According to the immigration bureau, border guards along the border are being transferred in their current locations. Originally, as active-duty soldiers, their service time was limited; when their term ended, they would either retire or transfer to civilian life, so there was always something to look forward to. But now that they've been removed from the military, they have to work in these godforsaken places along the border for the rest of their lives. The sense of loss among the officers and soldiers is unimaginable.

"Why are you sighing? At least your salary has increased several times over. Think of a way to transfer from the border control to a nearby big city, or take some kind of exam for selection. There's always a way." Chen Chuan leaned over and casually put his arm around Zhu Yiba's shoulder, wanting to clink glasses with him, but the other politely declined.

"It's not that easy. This luck really can't compare to the brothers on the coast, tsk tsk." Zhu Yiba, who was drunk, had a hint of sadness in his eyes, as if he were the border guard of that border province who was about to be transferred to the border inspection station.

Upon hearing this, Chen Shu naturally understood that Zhu Yiba was definitely from the inland area. He was temporarily staying with the local border police station in Dongzhou during his vocational training before being transferred to the public security system.

No wonder he wasn't very familiar with the other border guards in Dongzhou.

At this moment, several new police officers at other tables, holding their wine glasses, approached the leader's table to offer the routine toast.

Squad leader Li Da was already quite drunk, and Deputy Instructor Xie Chi happened to come downstairs to pay the bill. At this point, only Chen Shu remained at the table as a squad leader.

The new police officers first clinked glasses with Chen Shu.

When it was Zhu Yiba's turn, the leader paused for a few seconds before respectfully addressing Zhu Yiba as "Old Squad Leader" and having a drink with him.

The same was true for the people following behind.

It was obvious from their stiff greetings and brief toasts that they weren't very familiar with Zhu Yiba. Compared to the other tables of new police officers who were arm in arm, singing and cursing, they were far too distant.

The men who came over to offer a toast probably assumed Zhu Yiba was a higher-ranking officer because he was sitting at the leadership table. They certainly didn't know his exact rank, otherwise they would have addressed him directly as "Company Commander Zhu," "Battalion Commander Zhu," or "Regiment Commander Zhu."

Chen Shu recalled his conversations with Yang Chang about things in the military.

Yang Chang, the captain of the Second Squadron, is nicknamed "Dalian Chang" in the Special Police Brigade.

The title "Company Commander" indicates that he transferred from the military and served as a company commander in the civilian sector; the word "Big" is mainly to distinguish him from Zhao Mingfeng, who also transferred from the military, is younger, and is also a company commander.

According to Yang Chang, when encountering unfamiliar sergeants or superiors in the army, one should either call them "squad leader" or "commander."

Regardless of what they shout, it's obvious they don't know each other.

However, the fact that Zhu Yiba was invited to sit at the leader's table clearly indicates that he is the highest-ranking military officer among this group, something that Xie Chi, who arranged the meal and went to the political office to pick up people, must have known.

After the group of new border guards who had been toasting left, Zhu Yiba, who had a low alcohol tolerance, was already drunk and talking more and more. Chen Shu, recalling his earlier statement that drinking would lead to trouble, actually believed him.

Zhu Yiba, with both arms linked with Chen Shu's right arm, enthusiastically recounted past events, which sounded like they happened years ago: "When I first joined the company, the situation during the Spring Festival was extremely tense. We all spent it in a state of combat readiness duty. On New Year's Eve, my comrades and I were watching the news on the third floor when the political instructor rushed back from the battalion headquarters and started calling for assembly in the hallway. Once everyone was there, he distributed paper and pens, saying we had to write our wills. Then he asked us, 'Are you scared?'"

"What's there to be afraid of!" Zhu Yiba's face turned red as he laughed and exhaled, his eyes filled with memories. "They also said that the company had quotas, and as long as you were an only child, you could apply to stay and work in logistics."

"The result was that we all gave him a piece of our mind. Hey, the instructor wasn't happy either, saying that he would find one of them to leave a mark on our company. Hey, that sounds like something out of a movie, is it really that exaggerated? Who are you trying to scare?"

His words conveyed nonchalance, yet Zhu Yiba's eyes betrayed a deep longing for the past. He fell silent, but this time it was quick, lasting only a few seconds.

“Chen Da, let me tell you, in the end, not a single person in our company stepped forward to apply to stay and do logistics work, not one.”

Zhu Yiba spoke earnestly, and Chen Shu listened attentively.

Time flies, and after a lot of drinks were downed, the banquet came to an end.

Because Li Da was leaving the special police brigade where he had worked for more than 20 years next month and being transferred to the legal affairs brigade, he didn't keep any money from this last banquet. He grabbed one person after another and drank one full cup after another.

By the end, he was completely drunk.

Everyone in the bureau said that he was being transferred from the captain of the special police brigade to the head of a powerful department like the legal system. Although the transfer seemed to be a lateral move, it was actually a promotion. But seeing him leaning back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling, it was likely that this veteran policeman who had worked in the special police brigade for over twenty years was still reluctant to leave this quiet and unassuming department that no one else liked.

Xie Chi, the deputy instructor, didn't usually drink, but he couldn't resist the enthusiasm of the new team members. Since it was the first time welcoming new members, he couldn't find a reason to refuse, and in the end, he made an exception and drank quite a bit. His face was flushed, and he looked like he was about to collapse.

One and a half of the three leaders of the brigade got drunk, and Chen Shu, the only one left, had to sneak out of the private room to hide in a corner to avoid drinking, also in case something happened later, so that there would be someone in the brigade who could take responsibility and handle it.

This time, I didn't go to the corridor. Instead, I went downstairs to the roadside, lit a cigarette, and figured that with the main gate guarding it, nothing would go wrong. I planned to drink until I was almost done before going in to tidy up.

In the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, the thin Xie Chi was seen supporting the somewhat dazed Li Da as they walked out of the restaurant.

Chen Shu stubbed out his cigarette and went over to help Li Da to the side of the road.

While waiting for the car, Chen Shu suddenly remembered the few times he had noticed Zhu Yiba's slight unusual behavior and couldn't help but ask Xie Chi about it.

After all, these transferred soldiers were all brought over from the bureau by Xie Chi, so he should know something.

Unexpectedly, Xie Chi knew nothing about it and even laughed at Chen Shu for being too sensitive. He said that since they would be colleagues in the same unit from now on, they would have time to get to know each other slowly.

After seeing the two off, Chen Shu heard a familiar voice.

It was still that unrestrained tone.

Hey, that's right, you should find a professional to handle these gossip matters. Chen Shu turned around with a smile.

(End of this chapter)