Chapter Three: The Disquiet of the Discipline Secretary, Part One

According to Zhang Maolin’s routine, as long as there were no special circumstances occupying his days off at work, every Sunday he would meet with Tao Shouli for tea and conversation.

Since the May Day holiday in 1997, when his wife left Songyang to take care of their grandchild in Wuxi, Zhang Maolin had been living alone.

Whenever he chatted freely with Tao Shouli, Zhang Maolin often deliberately steered the conversation toward Wen Lu. Naturally, Tao Shouli’s face would light up with pride as he spoke endlessly in praise of his son-in-law. Yet, beneath this joyful expression, Zhang Maolin always sensed that Tao Shouli was deliberately evasive, avoiding certain topics in his words and between the lines.

Zhang Maolin had noticed this early on, but since Tao Shouli never openly addressed the substantive issues, Zhang Maolin would just play along with a lighthearted chuckle. These two close old friends had long learned to accurately read each other’s thoughts and maintain a unique intimacy just right for their bond. Decades of friendship had also made Zhang Maolin well aware of Tao Shouli’s personality — a man who strove for perfection in everything he did. Tao was introverted, cautious, and extremely sensitive, qualities that had allowed him to serve successfully as the personnel chief and office director at the city branch for eight years before retiring with honor.

One evening, after some drinks, Tao Shouli asked Zhang Maolin about the current loan recovery rate of the Xing Shang Bank in Songyang City. Zhang Maolin replied that as a full-time discipline inspection secretary, he was not responsible for credit business and knew nothing about specific figures. Tao Shouli immediately grabbed Zhang Maolin’s large ear and teased him, “You’re such a powerful discipline secretary at the city branch, and yet you shamelessly say things that insult your own integrity. As a member of the city bank’s party committee and the large loan approval team, how could you not know about such important indicators? Even if you ignore politics, anyone with half an ear would have a rough idea! How could you be clueless like a silly girl eating dumplings?”

At this point in the conversation, Zhang Maolin would gaze steadily at Tao Shouli’s puzzled expression and say, “Old friend, since you no longer ride horses, why do you keep worrying about the saddle’s condition? Isn’t that like Wu Dalang worrying about Wu Erlang being bullied—just pointless fretting?”

Tao Shouli would laugh and retort, “You old fox, and you’re still a section-level cadre! Even if all the other city branch leaders have become mere facades, Zhang Maolin, you shouldn’t lose your own sense, especially since you grew up eating Songyang rice! Besides, you’ve been called the iron-faced secretary by the media on TV and in newspapers! And my son-in-law Wen Lu is the youngest middle-level cadre at the city bank. Although he has made progress, he is still a child. I can’t count on others to help, but you, as his uncle, must keep a close eye on him! At least you must consider me! Young people often have passion and drive but lack the ability to take responsibility. Once they achieve even a small success, they easily lose control and may stray or become reckless. Especially Wen Lu, as the head of the credit department at the city bank, he holds considerable operational power. Every year, loans totaling one or two billion yuan across the city must be reviewed, approved, and disbursed by his department, carrying enormous business risk. Songyang, as the province’s most impoverished area, has scarce idle capital and limited financing channels. Governments, enterprises, and individual business owners treat loans from financial institutions as more precious than their own eyes! With so many competing demands and so little supply, the loan market is clearly a seller’s market dominated by banks. Worse, in recent years, local government interference in bank credit allocation has not diminished but intensified. Once administrative interference infiltrates Xing Shang Bank’s decision-making, the likelihood of loan losses rises sharply, and the resulting negative impacts grow more severe. These consequences inevitably affect many departments and personnel, with the city bank’s credit management department bearing the brunt.

Naturally, when these risks turn into accountability, the credit department head cannot escape responsibility. I heard Wen Lu has been included in the provincial bank’s reserve talent pool, a distinction that might make him complacent! As his discipline secretary, you should often douse him with cold water to keep him clear-headed. This is not just out of concern for a young cadre but also because of our personal friendship. It’s something we must do!”

Zhang Maolin lay awake almost all night, the words Tao Shouli had spoken about Wen Lu echoing in his mind. He began to ponder the deeper meanings behind each phrase. Gradually, a profound sense of guilt gnawed at his heart. Questions about Wen Lu swirled relentlessly in his thoughts. From Tao Shouli’s accounts, he seemed to understand things he had never noticed before—information that, at first, did not seem sensitive. But now, with Wen Lu’s sudden passing, if one were to mix those revelations with Wen Lu’s past experience and reexamine certain matters, would unpredictable outcomes arise? Might Wen Lu have left behind secrets difficult to unravel? If such unexpected events did occur, how many city bank staff might be implicated? And with only two or three years left before Zhang Maolin himself retired from his deputy section-level post, why did such a thorny situation emerge at this critical moment?

The tree wants calm, but the wind does not cease.

These scattered thoughts left Zhang Maolin’s mind in turmoil.

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Wang Weixin and his party returned to Songyang City from the provincial capital on the afternoon of the following day. He went straight to Zhang Maolin’s office and bluntly asked, “Maolin, have Wen Lu’s family or relatives come to the bank? Have they made any requests?”

Zhang Maolin replied wearily, “No. Wen Lu’s parents, father-in-law, and relatives are all at the provincial funeral home, right? You should have met them.”

Zhang Maolin found Wang Weixin’s question somewhat irrelevant, even suspicious.

“Ah, yes, we only met briefly. The elders were reasonable and didn’t make any excessive demands in front of me. Maybe, maybe it’s just not the time yet,” Wang Weixin said sheepishly.

“What do you mean by ‘not the time’? Do you think Wen Lu’s family would choose a specific time or moment to make requests or express opinions?” Zhang Maolin countered immediately.

“Oh no, I mean the handling of this matter hasn’t reached the final showdown yet. I suppose only when money is involved will it become the core issue both sides must face,” Wang Weixin replied, glancing at Zhang Maolin standing by the window. “Tomorrow, let’s find time for a leadership meeting. The city bank needs to formulate a comprehensive plan to handle Wen Lu’s aftermath and then report it to the provincial bank in the form of meeting minutes.”

As Wang Weixin spoke, he approached Zhang Maolin.

Wang Weixin gently patted Zhang Maolin’s shoulder and said slowly, “Maolin, I understand how you feel and know the many years of friendship between you and Director Tao. I’ve heard that the bond between Tao Shouli and Wen Lu was very deep, so this matter must be a huge blow to old Comrade Tao. Therefore, whether from the perspective of enforcing relevant regulations or showing humanistic care for retired cadres, we must fully utilize the available compensation policies. When dealing with specific issues, you can represent the city bank party committee to make decisions. Of course, for matters that require my direct involvement, I’ll coordinate closely with you. Simply put, if it can be resolved financially, you need not hesitate. I hope you understand my intention.”

His tone was gentle, and he nodded slightly to express sincerity and goodwill.

The room fell into a brief silence.

After confirming Wang Weixin had no further words, Zhang Maolin, with a slightly hoarse voice, replied, “Thousands of car accidents happen daily worldwide. After partings and deaths, life must go on—both publicly and privately. It’s just that Wen Lu was someone we knew well, and everyone finds it hard to face and accept immediately. This is not extortion. As for reaching a point where both sides confront each other, I believe both the Tao and Wen families are reasonable and won’t trouble the organization unnecessarily. Especially Tao Shouli, whose party consciousness and moral standards are no less than ours. Even if Wen Lu’s parents act a little rashly, old Tao will step in to mediate. I’m not worried about that. What concerns me now is that Wen Lu’s relatives are still in a short-term state of numbness and silence caused by intense grief. Once they stabilize emotionally, they will gradually feel the pain of loss. I think the organization should provide thoughtful support during this phase.”

Wang Weixin quickly took up the thread, “Exactly, Maolin, your analysis is spot on!” He gave Zhang Maolin a thumbs-up and continued, “Now, we first need to observe the Wen family’s attitude—mainly Wen Lu’s wife Tao Ye and his father-in-law Tao Shouli. Perhaps they are also waiting for our stance. Several provincial bank managers have already inquired about this, especially Deputy Manager Teng Deming, who oversees credit. I can tell Teng is particularly concerned about Wen Lu’s accident and has expressed this to me multiple times. This is understandable since Teng has always looked out for Wen Lu. Among the four or five hundred section-level cadres in the province’s credit system, how many catch Teng’s attention? He repeatedly instructed me to make full use of the provincial bank’s policies for deceased employees. If our city bank faces difficulties in budget allocation, we can flexibly adjust according to Songyang’s specific circumstances. Teng also specifically said that if disputes arise over compensation with Wen Lu’s family, he will personally intervene. He said Wen Lu made significant contributions to credit management across the province. It’s a pity he died young. The organization should consider increasing the compensation amount appropriately, and the exact standards need not be rigidly confined to the existing regulations,” and so forth.

Facing the silent Zhang Maolin, Wang Weixin stood in the center of the carpet, hands on hips, launching into a continuous, energetic monologue.

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