Chapter Six: The Contest Within "818" (Part One)

—The final pass had oddly rolled over, leaving me no choice but to extend my leg and make a move.

Zhang Maolin clearly realized: this grand official Teng’s opening performance was finally drawing to a close! From now on, the opponent would begin to formally ‘play their hand.’ Although he still found it difficult to accurately pinpoint the true nature of this master of persuasion before him, he knew he could not let the atmosphere grow cold. Well then, it would be rude to receive without giving in return!

Holding the warm stainless steel tea cup with both hands, Zhang Maolin lowered his head and deeply inhaled the fragrant tea aroma wafting upward, then slowly spoke:

“It’s rare, my old friend, that you still carry such touching and comforting concern. In truth, over these years, all the staff at Songyang Commercial Bank have looked up to you, President Teng Deming, as their role model! Especially the young idealists among us—they quietly regard you as the benchmark for a career in officialdom. Since the day Songyang established its Commercial Bank branch, you alone have risen through personal effort from a humble front-desk clerk to a senior official at the bureau level. This not only marks your own career success but embodies the collective pride of the people of Songyang. Of course, I don’t mean to imply that only official rank defines one’s full life value, but rather to emphasize the respect everyone holds for your ability, courage, and accomplishment.

“In the cultural fabric shaped by thousands of years of Chinese tradition, the recognition of wealth and official status remains paramount! This understanding is the singular point of consensus shared across both dominant and marginalized cultures through the ages. Strength begets power; power begets authority; and once authority is secured, it signifies the ultimate realization of life’s highest goal!

“Within our Commercial Bank system, those who manage to successfully navigate the path of officialdom and reach their intended goals are exceedingly rare—truly as scarce as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Take Wen Lu as an example. No matter how we analyze his case now, the answer remains a large question mark. I say this because last week, in his office, we discovered a staggering sum of over three million yuan. These few simple digits almost completely erased the decade-long fond memories I held of him and utterly overturned my longstanding appraisal of his character.

“At present, I am not in a position to express any opinion, as the full circumstances remain unclear. However, it is foreseeable that the Wen Lu incident has evolved from a simple traffic accident into a sensitive economic case. As a provincial bank leader, your taking time from your busy schedule to come to Songyang to pay attention to this matter already shows your deep care for your hometown and the seriousness with which you regard it! Personally, I believe that the fact Governor Tan Yiwu entrusted you to represent the provincial party committee and himself in resolving this issue here speaks volumes about your personal charisma, professional competence, and the weight of your office.”

He was singing a hymn of praise, feeling his way forward...

—This was Zhang Maolin’s sole thought at the moment.

Teng Deming reclined quietly on the sofa. He seemed to have anticipated Zhang Maolin’s oblique and flattering reply, hesitated briefly, then raised his plump hand to glance at the radar watch on his wrist. Turning his head slightly, he smiled at Zhang Maolin and said:

“Heh, old brother, I hardly deserve such high praise! I have merely done what any ordinary leader should on the platform of their post. If you were in my current position, perhaps your impact and the results you achieved would far exceed mine. Yet, when it comes to personal diligence, I dare say I can hold my own.

“So I often pondered how I might escape the cashier position that I disliked. Back then, I knew nothing of worldly ways, but I observed that those transferred from grassroots branches to the head office were typically the top performers—model workers and exemplary employees. I was fortunate to awaken to this insight early on and promptly began to put my plans into action. To be honest, I had already started courting my fiancée. Now, think about it—for a young man barely in his twenties, the allure of romance is hardly slight. Yet I solemnly informed my fiancée not to expect me to meet for the next six months, as I had matters more important than love to attend to.

“In the following hundred days, I spent every early night practicing abacus and banknote-counting skills, absolutely keeping it secret—everything done quietly.

“At the close of 1980, the Songyang Commercial Bank held a professional technical competition across all jurisdictions. I signed up for abacus and banknote-counting events. From the county branch preliminaries to the city finals, I triumphed again and again. Ultimately, I won first place citywide in the ‘single-finger, single-note banknote counting’ event and third place citywide in ‘abacus calculation with one hundred vouchers, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.’

“A once-invisible, naive young man suddenly received such great honors. Brother, can you imagine how I felt then?

“On the day of the awards ceremony, I was so overwhelmed with joy I nearly fainted on the spot. I was simply ecstatic! As I stepped down from the podium, Section Chief Tao Shouli embraced me and spun me around repeatedly, praising me as the branch’s top contributor and calling me ‘the monkey who jumped out from a crack in the stone!’

“Since then, every event organized by the county branch’s labor union saw me personally invited by Chief Tao. I felt the profound care and favor from this venerable leader—such recognition is unforgettable! My subsequent career truly unfolded exactly as I had envisioned. The following spring, when the branch accounting department underwent restructuring, I was appointed comprehensive staff officer. A year later, I was assigned to the business department as the resident loan officer at the county’s leading brick factory. At that time, resident loan officers were the most coveted, challenging positions within the loan officer corps. Being sent to a loan enterprise meant consideration as a middle-management candidate—a solid foundation enabling my smooth transfer to the city and provincial banks later.

“Reflecting now, these experiences were invaluable opportunities for my future official career. Even today, I still remember those unforgettable scenes...”