Chapter Six: The Contest Within ‘818’ (Part Two)

At this moment, Teng Deming’s shiny, round face flushed red, and his narrow eyes seemed to emit a radiant halo—an expression Zhang Maolin had never seen before.

Teng Deming’s lengthy recollections, told with the intensity of recounting a family saga, stirred some deep feelings within Zhang Maolin. The restless anxiety he had felt earlier seemed to ease.

Zhang Maolin responded thoughtfully:

“From what I know of Shouli’s nature in this lifetime, he wasn’t looking out for you alone. Old Tao is like that—he spares no effort to support any young person with ambition and potential, helping them onto the horse and sending them on their way. This comes from his generous and kind character; he never considers what he might gain in return for his efforts. It’s rare that Director Teng shows such deep nostalgia; it truly moves me. Given your current position, even if you are not overwhelmed with endless tasks, it’s still rare to have half a day of leisure!”

Teng Deming’s expression revealed a trace of embarrassment at this unexpected compliment. He smiled without genuine warmth and replied:

“Not at all, Brother Maolin, you flatter me! Really, we’re all the same—living day to day from the ‘big pot’ of Xingshang Bank. Everyone has a sense of hometown pride; the higher the tree grows, the deeper its roots. It’s just that my attachment to my hometown runs a bit deeper. No matter where I go, I remind myself constantly—I am a Songyang man. To be honest, the Wen Lu incident has pained me deeply from the start. But as the story unfolded, my anger only grew. The Songyang branch has been unstable these past years, and this scandal is like adding insult to injury. What’s worse, I had always highly regarded Wen Lu. Two years ago, when the provincial bank selected reserve cadres for division-level posts, it was only through my strong recommendation that he made the shortlist. The selection was stringent—the number of reserves matched the actual vacancies at the deputy division level across the province. Within two or three years, those selected would be promoted to deputy division-level positions. With Wen Lu’s capabilities and connections, he was destined to be among the first promoted. But now? A living, breathing person has vanished in an instant, leaving behind inexplicable mysteries. You tell me, how do I feel? Sigh!”

The sheen drained instantly from Teng Deming’s face.

—Yes, it’s settled. Now we’re almost ready to get to the heart of the matter.

Zhang Maolin quietly calculated, glancing at Teng Deming’s plump, round face.

He didn’t know when the bright daylight outside had slipped away, replaced by thick, dark gray clouds. With the light gone, the warm atmosphere in the room quickly dimmed.

“Brother, sitting here lamenting, sharing feelings, or cursing our ancestors won’t help! More than a week has passed since Wen Lu’s case broke. The next step is handling the aftermath. I believe no one can avoid this crucial phase; it must be confronted honestly and dealt with properly. The provincial and municipal party committees must reach a consensus on this. Yesterday, Director Wang Weixin told me you would take the lead on this, so I want to hear your thoughts first.”

Before Teng Deming finished, a deep furrow appeared between his brows.

“Oh, my thoughts? Haha, Director! What weight do my opinions carry? As of now, the municipal party committee has not set the final ‘tone.’ Besides, I think the ultimate decision must come from the provincial bank.”

At this, Zhang Maolin visibly relaxed. He could tell that today’s conversation with Teng Deming would not be brief.

—

“So, Brother Maolin, you still haven’t formed a comprehensive or mature opinion on this matter? Really?”

Teng Deming’s question was blunt.

“Mature opinion? Haha, my dear Director! I’m just the discipline inspection secretary—what authority do I have to offer ‘mature’ opinions? Even if I did, the final word would belong to the municipal party committee’s decision,” Zhang Maolin replied.

“Oh? Well then, since that’s the case, no need for us to beat around the bush. Let’s speak frankly.”

Teng Deming raised his cup and drained the pale green tea in one gulp. Then he said:

“Take a look at this first. This shouldn’t be unfamiliar to you, right?”

As he spoke, Teng Deming slowly pulled a bulging envelope from a reddish-brown leather briefcase on the coffee table and gently set it down. His thick fingers tapped the table a few times, then he stood up slowly.

“Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.”

Zhang Maolin’s eyes felt as if someone had suddenly poked them sharply—aching and stinging. He rubbed his eyes hard to see clearly.

The materials Teng Deming produced were exactly the packet Zhang Maolin had recently sent as a special courier to the provincial bank’s top leader, Director Tan Yiwu, in person.

He quickly pulled out a stack of familiar manuscript pages from the envelope.

…

—How could this be? How could Director Tan act like this?!

The other party had suddenly played a “trump card,” leaving Zhang Maolin bewildered and even somewhat irritated.

—Tan Yiwu, Teng Deming; Teng Deming, Tan Yiwu… Their faces flashed back and forth in Zhang Maolin’s mind, spinning rapidly until they fused into a grotesque statue that suddenly crashed down upon his chest.

Zhang Maolin shuddered involuntarily.

He fought to control his emotions, taking several large sips of tea and striving to steady his suddenly rapid breathing.

…

The anxiety that had gripped Zhang Maolin moments ago began to subside.

He understood fully now: haha, the reason Teng Deming circled around so much was because he already held the outcome in hand and was now seeking confirmation from Zhang Maolin about the process that led to it.

Zhang Maolin could imagine that Teng Deming’s move meant Wang Weixin must also know about the private letter Zhang Maolin had sent to Director Tan Yiwu!

He heard the flushing sound from the restroom.

Before Teng Deming emerged, Zhang Maolin pondered again:

What I wrote was not a denunciation letter; nowhere did I directly accuse any specific leader. It was merely my candid attitude toward the Wen Lu incident. So why did Director Tan feed this important document back to Teng Deming so openly? Is it to make me aware of the private relationship between Tan and Teng? Or is Tan deliberately diverting conflict? Why doesn’t Tan come to Songyang in person to investigate the situation? Does he approve of my views, or reject them, or simply disdain them?