Chapter 392: The Grassroots Police Officer Struggling to Get By

Break me?

Lin Dongfan was a bit dazed when he first heard the villager uncle's report; after thinking it over, he realized he meant the police had come to arrest people.

There was a chair under his feet; standing on it let him see higher and farther.

Lin Dongfan saw two uniformed officers walking toward the bonfire; as they passed beside the Rolls-Royce, they stopped, shone their flashlights around, and deliberately stared at the car emblem for a few seconds, seemingly trying to determine whether it was genuine or fake; then the female driver in the car, Yu Youwei, inconsiderately honked once.

I don't know if their hearts were startled enough to give a little thump.

One officer bent down and tapped the car window: "Miss, don't drive forward; the seawater's high salt content makes it highly corrosive, which does great damage to the car body."

"It's fine, my boss is wealthy."

Yu Youwei continued driving forward, slowly steering the car toward the beach.

The officer who had given the friendly reminder looked speechless; he solemnly adjusted his cap and walked toward the bonfire.

He swept his flashlight over the crowd and demanded: "Who is causing a disturbance by gathering here?"

The fishermen sitting around the bonfire were all frightened, their hearts in their throats, and none dared to speak.

The young fisherman hurriedly got up and ran to Lin Dongfan's side, whispering: "Brother Fan, this person is Officer Chen Shaokang from the Old Dock Police Station."

She did not introduce the uglier, chubby officer behind him.

It was clear the chubby officer was just tagging along to make up the numbers.

It wasn't important at all.

Lin Dongfan leapt down from the chair, stepped forward, and greeted Officer Chen: "Officer, I gathered the villagers here to discuss some matters—how did that become a disturbance by a crowd?"

"Gathering so many people here involves public safety and order; have you filed a report with the Public Security Bureau?" Officer Chen asked.

Lin Dongfan saw that the officer's tone was gentle and seemed without malice.

He then politely replied: "Officer, according to local public security regulations, a gathering of over five hundred people requires filing a report. We have only over a hundred, so there's no need to burden the Public Security Bureau. We're not gathering to cause trouble; we're just discussing livelihood issues."

"What livelihood issues are you discussing?" Officer Chen pressed.

Lin Dongfan replied: "Many villagers' homes and lands have been seized by illegal means, forcing them to live adrift on boats. Now the dock faces commercial redevelopment; soon no one will have a free place to moor their boats. How will we live from now on? These issues need someone to care about."

???

Officer Chen stared at Lin Dongfan in disbelief; he clearly hadn't expected this outsider to be a righteous man who cared about the people's livelihood.

But the local customs in Haishan are complicated.

As an outsider, he meddles without cause, directly challenging the local 'Dragon King'; isn't he afraid of ending up with no burial place?

Just thinking about it makes one break out in a cold sweat for him.

Officer Chen curiously asked: "Boss, what should I call you?"

"My name is Fan Donglin."

Lin Dongfan suddenly realized he still didn't have a new ID card; if he were ever stopped by the police, it would be a big hassle, and he'd have to file a report with his superiors afterward, so he hurried to get his ID sorted.

Fortunately, the Officer Chen he met today had no ill intent.

Officer Chen took him aside and whispered: "Boss Fan, I was also worried about what you just said, but we're small fry and can't handle this matter."

"I understand." Lin Dongfan smiled.

Officer Chen again whispered to Lin Dongfan: "To be frank, someone reported tonight that you were causing a disturbance by gathering here. Fortunately, I'm on duty; if it had been someone else, you'd be in trouble today. Do you understand? You've offended someone, and they want to get at you. Disperse quickly to avoid the spotlight."

"Officer Chen, may I dare to ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"So many villagers' homes and lands in the fishing village have been seized by illegal means; your local authorities must know—who is shielding the local tyrants?"

"This..."

When it involved the leaders' issues, Officer Chen hesitated for a moment.

It seemed he dared not speak of it.

Lin Dongfan, understanding, smiled and said: "I was just asking casually; don't take it to heart."

"Boss Fan, you'd better tell these people to disperse." Officer Chen emphasized helplessly: "Matters of the city's leaders are not for us lowly cogs to comment on."

"I still have another question I want to ask you."

"Go ahead, I'm listening."

"What do you think of me as a person?"

"All I can say is that I greatly admire your courage. If you ever face mortal danger, you can call me. Although I can't help you much, I still have the authority to stop violence."

Saying this, Officer Chen pulled out a ticket and wrote his phone number on the back.

Lin Dongfan took the ticket, examined it carefully, and couldn't help but joke: "You're supporting me, an outsider, like this—aren't you afraid they'll sideline you?"

"I'm more afraid of letting down this police uniform."

Officer Chen left with a heartfelt remark, turned around, and flicked his flashlight to signal the chubby officer to withdraw together.

In fact, he still had another fear unspoken: he feared the villagers would stab him in the spine.

His wife, Wu Qin, is a fishing‑villager.

As a son‑in‑law of the fishing village, when Zheng Sanshui seized the villagers' homes and lands, he lacked the ability to stand up and seek justice for them, so the villagers already held a deep misunderstanding of him.

On the way back to the police station.

Officer Chen reminded the chubby officer: "Boss Fan is doing practical work for the villagers; even if we can't help, we shouldn't make things worse."

"This is a bit tricky; if Zheng Sanshui storms the police station and overturns tables, what then?" the chubby officer said with a worried look.

Officer Chen furrowed his brow, thought, and replied: "The tables are government property; the higher-ups don't care, so why panic? As long as Zheng Sanshui doesn't slap us in the face with a big ear‑scraper, let him overturn them however he likes."

"What if he slaps us in the face with that big ear‑scraper?" the chubby officer went on and on.

Officer Chen gave him a gloomy sideways glance: "The taxpayers feed you like a fat pig, white and plump. Taking a slap for the public—does that really feel wronged? You won't lose any flesh."

Hearing that, the chubby officer instinctively touched his own cheek, as if he'd already been slapped, feeling a faint ache of resentment.

He harbored a bellyful of grievance, muttering: "That Boss Fan must have water in his brain—he doesn't even get the principle that a strong dragon doesn't overwhelm a local snake, and he shows up just to stir up trouble..."

Hold your complaints back for me.

He stirred up a hornet's nest, and we're the ones getting stung—can't I even vent my frustrations? Kang bro, are you possessed today? You know that Boss Fan pretty well, don't you?

Not familiar.

Then you're still shielding him from disaster?

He's doing work for the common people; if I don't help him, who will? Don't forget you're a police officer, not some societal scrap just loafing around. When it's time to shine and contribute, you gotta shine and contribute.

I can't stand this about you—you keep pulling out the education template at the drop of a hat.

If you don't want to be educated, then shut your mouth.