Police officer Chen Shu

Chapter 565 Welcoming New Border Guard Brothers
Chen Shu put down the phone, feeling a little surprised by Julie's sudden invitation, but it was really difficult to switch shifts with someone on weekends these days.

Due to the new alcohol ban, police officers are no longer allowed to drink alcohol on weekdays, so their two days off on the weekend are naturally very enjoyable.

In addition, regardless of whether it's a weekend or not, whether you're on duty, working overtime, or the increasingly intense Level 1 and Level 1 Enhanced Duty, sometimes you even have to be frugal with your resources for these two days.

Trying to switch shifts at this time would be a nightmare.

It was almost time to leave work, so Chen Shu turned off the lights and closed the windows. After tidying up his office, he headed to the cafeteria on the first floor to eat before going home.

For single young people who aren't good at washing dishes, that's the good thing about the company cafeteria: breakfast, lunch, and dinner—you can eat as much as you want, it's cheap and delicious, and you can just leave your plate behind after you're done.

This is a real boon for single people who are too lazy to buy groceries or cook.

It's said that the benefits at the municipal police station's canteen are even more enviable. Although police officers have to pay by card for their meals, a nutritious meal with a mix of meat and vegetables costs only four yuan, which is practically free. By the way, the meal allowance on the card is 800 yuan per month, which is probably more than even a pig could eat in the canteen.

Normally, the subsidized meal allowance is saved up until the end of the year, and then exchanged for equivalent goods at the bureau's convenience store, usually cigarettes and gas cards. In recent years, Huawei mobile phones and tablets have also been added, so that everyone's meal allowance has a place to go.

The stir-fries in the cafeteria are a bit more expensive. The general price is 10 yuan per plate for meat dishes and 5 yuan per plate for vegetable dishes. They include fish, shrimp and meat. The taste is so-so, but the portions are large and filling.

According to police officers at the municipal bureau, paying by card is preferable; they wouldn't feel comfortable bringing their families to the unit's canteen for free. Rumor has it that some officers have dined with their wives, children, and live-in caregivers, paying fifty yuan per meal for the whole family. Even including travel expenses, it's still a good deal.

As Chen Shu passed by the newly built kennel in the team, he saw Big Gray, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly stand up, its tail wagging lightly, and its eyes showing happiness.

He must have been thinking about the delicious meaty late-night snack he had with Chen Shu during their last patrol.

"Big Grey, sit down!"

Perhaps feeling that the police dog wagging its tail was a bit embarrassing, Yan Song, the newly appointed trainer of the brigade, peeked out from the other side of the wall, frowned, and shouted a reprimand.

Chen Shu looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Yan Song was holding a small basin with a dog food and an egg on it.

Yan Song also saw Chen Shu, scratched his head, and said awkwardly, "Brother Chen."

When Chen Shu approached, he saw that in addition to dog food and eggs, there was also a piece of raw meat in the basin.

"Yan Song, did you prepare all this food? It looks pretty good."

Yan Song hung his head and sighed, "I just stayed at the team to eat every day because I didn't want to go home and cook. I never thought I'd end up having to take care of Big Gray."

When Big Grey heard someone mention his name, he raised his head and wagged his tail even more vigorously.

Chen Shu patted Yan Song on the shoulder: "Feeding Big Gray until it's shiny and healthy makes you look good when you take it out on patrol, doesn't it? You two are a great team now."

Yan Song hung his head and said weakly, "That's all we can do."

Chen Shu took the basin from Yan Song and helped place the items next to the big gray plant.

Despite their words, the two squatted by and watched Big Gray eat happily, feeling proud inside. After all, Big Gray was one of their own, and if you really thought about it, he was a comrade-in-arms.

Chen Shu waved his hand: "Let's go eat. What's for dinner at the cafeteria tonight?" Yan Song chuckled: "Thanks to Big Gray today, they gave us a lot more eggs. The auntie specially made us egg fried rice, saying she added a lot of eggs!"

Chen Shu patted Big Gray's head: "Haha, so we came here to freeload off Big Gray."

As the two walked into the cafeteria, they bumped into Xie Chi, the deputy instructor, who was walking out.

Xie Chi looked up at the two of them and said with a smile, "Do you have a mission tomorrow night? If you're not busy, why don't you have a meal with the new comrades?"

Chen Shu learned that a batch of new police officers transferred from border defense to public security had arrived at the branch office that day, with about ten of them assigned to the Zhengming Special Police Brigade. Therefore, Xie Chi, as the instructor, planned to organize a dinner to help them integrate into their new unit as quickly as possible.

Those soldiers who passed the exam became police officers, while those who failed became auxiliary police officers. However, the bureau gave them all permanent positions, which meant they had a secure job until retirement. The luckiest were a few who joined the army at the age of seventeen after graduating from junior high school; the following year, when they turned eighteen, they were also transferred to civil service positions.

Tomorrow is Saturday, so we can drink.

Xie Chi originally planned to only organize retired or demobilized soldiers in the brigade, since the entire brigade would have nearly a hundred members, and even after deducting the duty groups, there would still be seven or eight tables to set up.

Xie Chi, who was in charge of the brigade's finances and was naturally frugal, thought it best to save money wherever possible, so he didn't notify anyone else. Unexpectedly, he just received a call from the branch office saying that the bureau had specially allocated funds to the receiving unit, saying it was specifically for welcoming new employees.

Now that he didn't have to worry about meal expenses, Xie Chi naturally rallied the entire brigade, afraid of missing anyone, and even went to the canteen to gather people together.

Chen Shu tilted his head and thought for a moment before agreeing to Xie Chi's suggestion: a Western meal for a forensic doctor and a drinking party with his comrades.

"no problem!"

Saturday evening.

Xie Chi booked seven tables at a nearby restaurant that offered good value for money. Normally, such a large-scale event had never been held at the workplace. Even year-end celebrations were usually organized separately by company.

Except for the group on duty at the unit, almost all the members of the brigade were present this time.

Since everyone present was young, they quickly became acquainted.

Before the first hot dish was even served, the clinking of glasses filled the room. The sounds of people urging each other to drink, boasting, and patting their chests were incessant.

In particular, Yang Chang and Zhao Mingfeng, who had retired from the military and transferred to the special police a few years ago, felt right at home when they met this group of newly transferred armed police officers, who were much younger than them. They put on the face of experienced veterans and patiently taught them, but in reality, they were overjoyed.

Battalion Commander Li Da, Deputy Instructor Xie Chi, Deputy Battalion Commander Chen Shu, and several company commanders naturally sat at a large table at the far end of the hall.

Besides the special police officers, an unfamiliar middle-aged man sat to Xie Chi's right. Xie Chi introduced him as a section chief from the district's Veterans Affairs Bureau. There was also a young demobilized soldier named Zhu Yiba. Because he had the highest rank before retirement, he sat at the leader's table as a representative of this group of demobilized soldiers.

Following protocol, Chen Shu first toasted the arriving guest, the section chief, with a full glass of red wine, and then toasted the newcomer, Zhu Yiba, with the same full glass.

Both the section chief and Zhu Yiba downed their drinks in one gulp, and then, without hesitation, returned the toast.

This is so military-like! And so is police-like!
The other two brigade leaders and several company commanders also raised their glasses and stood up to offer a toast.

(End of this chapter)