Chapter Thirteen: Brewing (Part Four)

"Enough, enough! Stop belittling yourself. I think you're being a bit too extreme, you old dog," Zhang Maolin said with a wry smile, trying to soothe him.

"Right now, the news about President Wang Weixin’s transfer and my succession is probably flying everywhere. Since that's the case, I’ll just face it calmly and pay no mind to it. But until I receive the official appointment document from the provincial branch, I can only treat it as a rumor in private. I can’t exactly go around boasting about it myself, can I?"

"Hmm, that’s true." Tao Shouli nodded calmly and continued, "Regarding this matter, you have your own judgment and considerations, which is understandable. As for me, I absolutely believe what my daughter said. Tao Ye is a very reliable child; if it weren't rock-solid information, she never would have gone out of her way to tell me."

Zhang Maolin said, "Let's leave Xiao Ye out of this. Suppose—and I mean suppose—this is true, tell me, what should I do next?"

Tao Shouli rolled his eyes at him. "What should you do? Hmph, I think you're asking the obvious! Do what you have to do; play by the rules—first, performance; second, popularity; third, connections; and fourth, flattery! This routine is like the four legs of a donkey; you can't be missing a single one! Otherwise, don't even dream of climbing into that golden saddle. Have you ever seen a three-legged donkey gallop in the real world?"

"For the past ten years, there’s a reason why no local has ever held the top spot at the Songyang City Xing-Shang Bank. There may be many reasons, but one is paramount: we Songyang people have never been able to shake the shadow of the 'three types of people'!"

Zhang Maolin smiled and asked, "Three types of people? What does that mean? Are you implying that remnants of the rebels from the Cultural Revolution still exist in our ranks? Hahaha..."

Tao Shouli replied, "Don't play dumb with me! You mean to tell me you don't know the witty remarks that even the boiler room attendant at the city branch knows? Do you really have to make me say it out loud?"

"Hehe, I am all ears, old man!" Zhang Maolin replied slyly.

Tao Shouli continued, "It’s just some self-deprecating banter that the staff at our Songyang Xing-Shang Bank often use: A widow sleeping alone—no one at the top; a mistress sleeping around—frequent changes; a married couple sleeping together—one family 'handling' the whole family. My dear Secretary, you understand the meaning, don't you?"

Zhang Maolin’s smile gradually faded, replaced by a grave expression. He had heard these jibes before in other settings, especially from his driver, Tao Kan. But hearing them from Tao Shouli in this context truly made him feel a lump in his throat.

As a native of Songyang, Zhang Maolin hadn't been without such thoughts in his younger days. He had once honestly spoken his mind at a seminar on talent development held by the provincial branch, hoping they would consider recruiting more local cadres for the Songyang branch leadership. He argued it would be significant for business marketing and fostering a healthy corporate culture. But his ideas always ended up like 'scooping the moon from the water'—meaningless. He had always held a grudge about this, once even cursing his ancestors over drinks.

What Zhang Maolin hadn't expected was that this rash act would quickly reach the ears of Vice President Teng Deming of the provincial branch, leading to a stern reprimand. That was when he realized someone had snitched on him. Upon reflection, he admitted his behavior had been abrupt. After that lesson, he never displayed such extreme views again.

...

He could not deny that the current state and style of the Songyang Xing-Shang Bank leadership had not truly shaken off the situation of these "three types of people."

Looking at Tao Shouli’s indescribable expression, Zhang Maolin gave a bitter smile. "If this actually comes to pass, I will be the oldest 'number one' in the history of the Songyang Xing-Shang Bank! Who would have thought that I, a nearly withered old 'cucumber vine,' could actually sit in that chair with dignity? Isn't that scene just ridiculous and absurd? Hahaha..." Zhang Maolin seemed to be mocking himself.

"I wouldn't call it ridiculous; to be accurate, it’s heartbreaking! Of course, I mean for our Xing-Shang Bank team. As for you, you’re in your prime—fifty is the flower of manhood!" Tao Shouli also smiled and continued, "'At fifty, one knows the mandate of heaven!' This saying should have special meaning for you. What is the mandate of heaven? I understand it as the development of our bank. You’ve been grinding in this circle your whole life. Over two thousand employees, more than twenty sub-branches, and over a hundred business outlets—you know what every person looks like and which way every office door opens. This comprehensive knowledge is something you already know by heart! Never underestimate it; this is political capital, the foundation you need to throw your weight behind and achieve greatness."

"Although President Wang Weixin has been in Songyang for six or seven years—over two thousand days—aside from those thirty-something section-level cadres and the pretty young women in the office building, who else does he know? Who else does he care about? Has his heart ever truly taken root in the soil of Songyang? When has he ever truly cared about the fate of our bank? My son Tao Kan often mutters that their President Wang always walks with his chest out and head held high, his slicked-back hair never drooping, his eyes never looking down at all! I didn't believe it, so I asked Tao Kan, if your president always walks like that, isn't he afraid of tripping and falling flat on his face? My son said that's impossible. When does President Wang ever walk alone? He's always surrounded by an entourage, moving in a formation! Even when traveling light, he’s accompanied by the office director, a secretary, and a driver—three people to serve him. Let alone walking with his head held high, he could walk with his eyes closed and face no risk."

As he spoke, Tao Shouli deliberately puffed out his chest and strutted around the living room, swinging his arms...

Tao Shouli’s vivid performance made Zhang Maolin roar with laughter, leaning back and forth.

"Don't think I’m exaggerating; even this is a toned-down version. It’s not hard to imagine that this is exactly the kind of air your President Wang carries!" Without waiting for a reaction, Tao Shouli continued, "Compared to such a cadre, why do you need to show weakness? Why do you need to maintain this low-profile, miserable facade? Even if you, Zhang Maolin, are just a clod of dirt on a doorstep, you are imbued with the essence and vitality of the Songyang land! You are a living map and a living encyclopedia! Everything about the Songyang Xing-Shang Bank is in your heart. These intangible assets are so important for the job of a 'number one'! The fact that the provincial branch chose you to take the helm shows that the current leaders have finally played the role of Bo Le. It’s just a pity that your promotion is a little late! If you had been in charge instead of Wang Weixin’s team, the Songyang Xing-Shang Bank would never have ended up in this hick-like state. Sigh!"