Chapter Fifteen: Undercurrents (Part Four)

Teng Deming slowly stood up, raising his fists above his head and stretching his arms upward. His belly and back bulged and shifted like a hula hoop moving up and down.

"Boss, you really have a strong body!" Yin Sen circled around from behind the sofa to stand in front of Teng Deming, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Hmph! Flattering words are child’s play, and your choice of words is seriously inaccurate! But I do enjoy hearing compliments. It seems you haven’t quite mastered the art of sophisticated flattery. When you have time, read the biography of He Shen."

Teng Deming smiled, though it was a forced smile. He patted Yin Sen’s thin, uneven shoulders and continued:

"A true hero never dwells on past glories. Compared to us old-timers, your generation is incredibly fortunate and blessed! You have knowledge reserves, a solid foundation, and a nurturing environment for growth and success. These natural advantages were what our generation dreamed of but could never attain!

The financial sector can be called the 'golden' industry of today’s society. Climbing the ranks here offers a high likelihood of fulfilling one’s life value!

If you look back over thousands of years of our nation’s history, you’ll see our ancestors loved change and were keen on stirring things up. But there is a saying: 'No matter how much things change, the essence remains the same.' In other words, within each of us lies a deeply rooted 'core' that everyone must respect and worship. No matter if it’s Confucius, Mencius, or Sunzi, they are all talking nonsense. Faced with the temptations of fame and fortune, everyone is just a mortal! We all must submit to that 'core,' the axis in our spiritual realm—official status and money reign supreme!

No matter the dynasty or era, no matter which so-called mainstream culture the court promotes, or how society’s values shift, the true factors that influence and change a person’s fate invariably boil down to three things: wealth, power, and fame! These words will entangle your entire life without exception. If you bind yourself firmly to any one of these, the other two will inevitably follow, naturally accompanying you. Thus, with these twin pillars supporting you, your life’s totem becomes magnificent and romantic!

Young man, you may not fully agree with me, since you have received so-called higher education. But let me ask you: where does your knowledge come from? Basically two sources—teachers and books. Then, where do your teachers’ worldviews come from? And the authors of the books you read? Like us, they all live in their own times and spaces. At life’s core, we are all flesh and blood, born of father’s seed and mother’s blood, mere mortals! We are two-legged animals, indulging in earthly desires and emotions. Our survival must obey certain rules; from dinosaurs to ants, all must abide by their survival laws. Otherwise, anyone who breaks the rules is doomed! Foolish boy, don’t you agree?"

Teng Deming wore a particularly proud smile, swaying left and right as he looked at Yin Sen.

---

"Profound and brilliant! It’s like a revelation!" Yin Sen nodded eagerly, his body slightly bent.

...

"Little Yin, how long have you been working in Songyang?" Teng Deming asked lazily, running his hands through his hair as he reclined on the orange sofa.

"Oh, almost six years now. Back then, it was all thanks to your support!" Yin Sen replied.

"Six years—not too long, not too short. Judging by your social skills, I believe you must have built your own network in Songyang. These days, if you want to truly develop and progress, you can’t get far without connections, because they are crucial for accomplishing things. Of course, this isn’t a simple topic. Sometimes work requires connections—that is, someone in your team to lead the charge and cheer you on. Public relations skills rely on networking to function and succeed. As head of credit business at the city branch, tell me, how do you approach your position? Be honest! Ha ha."

Teng Deming’s tone was calm and even.

"Hmm, I can’t say much else, but at least I live by one principle: know your place and don’t overstep it, work hard and don’t slack off."

Yin Sen’s voice was low and resolute.

"Good, that’s an accurate and succinct summary!"

---

Teng Deming nodded slightly at Yin Sen.

"But that only shows your subjective attitude toward your role; it doesn’t fully reflect your understanding of the position, nor does it reveal the operational skills involved! Young man, do you know? The most important thing for a deputy is not just to know what you should do, but to absolutely understand what you must never do! This is crucial.

I often hear people stress the importance of knowing their place. But very few truly grasp what this means and put it into practice. So what does 'knowing your place' mean? The core is to renounce all pride and self-respect before your superior. In other words, be willing to be the subordinate, be the humble one, be skilled at playing the role of the underling! At critical moments, even if it means being a 'toad,' you must accept it wholeheartedly, sincerely, and obediently!

For example, at the dining table, if your boss is voraciously eating meat, you must only drink soup! Remember, you must drink the soup willingly, with delight, savoring it! If you cling to your insignificant pride and refuse the soup, your act of submission will seem forced and unnatural, and you won’t achieve the desired effect. This will arouse your superior’s suspicion and dissatisfaction, and in the end, you won’t be able to survive the environment!

Similarly, when your boss is having fun in a private room and allows you to join, you must not act aloof or pretend to be serious and leave. You must join the merriment wholeheartedly, reveling until you lose yourself. You must let your boss know that your nature is even more vulgar and crude than his—you enjoy smoking, drinking, gambling, and women even more! Of course, the words may sound harsh, but the reasoning is sound. Only such thoroughgoing conduct can earn your boss’s recognition and trust.

Remember this: doing a hundred good deeds with your boss counts for little. But doing one disgraceful deed together will make him regard you as a brother, yielding excellent results!

Of course, these are exceptional cases. Ultimately, you must be cautious and discerning when the moment calls for it! Normally, I think it’s best to keep a low profile and not always show off. Songyang is remote and poor; the more backward a region, the more fickle and peculiar the local customs, and the more obvious the locals’ xenophobia. I can clearly sense that over the years you haven’t fully integrated into the local culture for this reason. The only thing that needs to change is yourself. Luckily, you will leave here sooner or later, so there’s no need to hold grudges. Otherwise, the one who suffers will always be you.

Always remember this: the world is full of temptations, but you must not expect to have too much. Even if you have the strength to monopolize, you must not do so. Always leave others a bowl of rice and a bone! Otherwise, sooner or later someone will rise up against you. If your reputation doesn’t take them down, a hidden dagger will; sooner or later, they will topple you or even kill you!"