Chapter Nineteen: Sparring (Part III)

Teng Deming's sudden demand indeed put Zhang Maolin in a difficult dilemma. Over the past few days, Tao Shouli had been in frequent contact with him. Ever since Zhang Maolin obtained Wen Lu's notebook, Tao and his daughter had been calling regularly to inquire about his reading progress and thoughts.

What worried Zhang Maolin the most was that turning off his phone would easily cause misunderstandings. He had never had such a habit, and furthermore, the provincial branch had enacted a clear regulation years ago: leading cadres at the section chief level and above must ensure that their communication channels remain open twenty-four hours a day. What occupied Zhang Maolin's mind the most were the inspection updates of the two working groups that had already been stationed in various branch banks for credit audits. Perhaps Bian Zecheng or Yin Sen, who led the teams, might need to communicate with him at any moment. If he suddenly lost contact with the outside world, it could lead to unpredictable consequences.

Despite hesitating repeatedly, Zhang Maolin ultimately had no choice but to turn off his mobile phone under Teng Deming's persistent insistence.

"What on earth is wrong with Teng Deming today?!"

Zhang Maolin could not help but secretly guess the other man's intentions.

Teng Deming took several sheets of printed paper out of his leather bag and handed them to Zhang Maolin. Printed on them were multiple tables, filled densely with tiny, fly-head-sized characters and numbers.

Teng Deming cleared his throat with an air of great solemnity and said:

"Brother Maolin, a few days ago, I came across a very famous veteran traditional Chinese medicine doctor in the provincial capital. Many top brass from the provincial party committee and provincial government have consulted him. The old man can be considered an unofficial health consultant for several major 'yamen' gates. A few days ago, I mentioned your asthma to him, and the veteran doctor specially prescribed a few formulas, saying they are his family's ancestral secret recipes with miraculous effects. I have already instructed my secretary to express mail two doses of medicine to you, which are estimated to arrive in Songyang in two or three days. This list contains the specific prescription details as well as the veteran doctor's contact number. If you find it effective, you can contact him directly. I have already arranged everything, and all expenses will be billed to my account."

"Oh, thank you so much for your concern, President Teng! I really don't deserve this! Regardless of the medicine's effectiveness, your thoughtfulness alone is enough to cure my illness!"

As Zhang Maolin examined the prescription, he could not help but be secretly startled!

What kind of prescription was this? It was entirely made up of precious tonics: wild mountain ginseng, velvet antler, tiger bone, ganoderma...

"President Teng, why did you go to such great and expensive lengths?!"

Zhang Maolin appeared extremely polite.

"If you insist on speaking with official titles, then I can only address you as President Zhang! Otherwise, it would seem that I, Teng, do not know how to respect others. Especially since you have just 'ascended the throne and entered the hall,' aren't you desperately in need of verbal validation from others?!"

Teng Deming looked sideways at Zhang Maolin with a trace of displeasure.

"Very well, then we shall address each other as brothers! However, acting so presumptuously in front of the president of the provincial branch—doesn't that make me seem discourteous?"

Zhang Maolin said.

"Come on, old brother! We are both from Songyang, why must we resort to that nauseating surface-level formality?"

Teng Deming smiled warmly.

"Very well. Then as my younger brother wishes, what would you like to eat today? Since my brother has come from the provincial capital, how joyous it is! I will also break my rule and simply have a hearty drink!"

Zhang Maolin's enthusiasm surged instantly, and he made a gesture of raising his arms!

"Ha-ha, how rare. There are probably not many people outside the Shanhai Pass who could make Brother Maolin utter such words!"

Teng Deming replied.

"Look at what you are saying, are you trying to kill me with praise? Actually, avoiding alcohol is not my innate nature, if not for this damned asthma! You know, when I was young, I was someone who loved cigarettes and alcohol as much as my own life!"

Zhang Maolin wore a sincere expression.

"The heart's intent is known to the Buddha! It is still better to prioritize one's health, especially at our age. To speak more rationally, nothing is worth a man nearing fifty sacrificing his own health to strive for. Don't you agree, old brother? As long as you can raise your glass tonight, that is enough! As for the other details, we don't need to worry about them! Haha."

There seemed to be a hidden meaning behind Teng Deming's smile.

"Today I am the host. If my brother does not allow me to seize this rare opportunity to express my sentiments, then don't ever acknowledge me as your elder brother again!"

Zhang Maolin had already made up his mind that he must demonstrate his sincerity as a host today.

For days, Zhang Maolin had been repeatedly pondering a vexing problem: how to handle his future relationship with Teng Deming. In the past, as the Secretary of Discipline Inspection, the two of them had almost no operational intersections, so Zhang Maolin could disregard this. True to his character, Zhang Maolin always felt there was truly no need for unnecessary communication with Teng Deming outside of work. Firstly, it stemmed from Teng Deming's massive 'appetite'; it was rumored that ordinary gifts could not possibly touch the 'nerves' of this bureau-level figure. Secondly, it stemmed from the fact that Teng Deming usually repelled people from the discipline inspection and supervision lines, let alone showing a trace of affinity. Therefore, even as fellow townsmen, Zhang Maolin and Teng Deming did not have much contact.

However, now that he had risen to the position of 'top leader,' all factors had to be taken into consideration. In particular, personal relationships with the members of the provincial branch leadership team had to be harmonious. This was not only a work requirement but also the bare minimum network foundation for a tier-two branch president. In this, Zhang Maolin firmly believed.

For the Songyang Branch, the backward reality in operations and management was truly difficult to reverse rapidly in a short period. Therefore, he had to excel in horizontal communication.

"Wool comes from the sheep, calculate the big picture rather than petty accounts; if the east isn't bright, the west will be, and if both ends are dark, you're in trouble!"—This was a classic catchphrase that Wang Weixin used to apply in this regard. When handling the relationship between the Songyang Branch and the provincial branch, Wang Weixin repeatedly demanded that all departments firmly memorize the 'Sixteen-Character Mantra' in their daily routines! According to his own classic summary, it was: weekly phone calls, monthly visits, quarterly red envelopes, and seeking help at year-end!

'Weekly phone calls' required the middle-level cadres of the branch to ensure they communicated by phone with the leaders of the competent divisions (offices) at the provincial branch at least once a week. As for the specific content, whether official or personal, it did not matter. The important thing was to narrow the emotional distance so that future meetings would not feel unfamiliar;

'Monthly visits' meant ensuring a monthly visit to the competent departments of the provincial branch to report on work, with the specific content of the communication chosen freely. One of the main components was hosting a banquet. Never underestimate these dinner banquets; sometimes they yielded unexpected marketing results;

Quarterly 'red envelopes' meant conducting thematic public relations at the end of every quarter before the performance evaluation results of the provincial branch's professional departments were announced! Whether targeting division chiefs or staff members, one had to separately express a unique Songyang 'sentiment'...

Regarding this, Wang Weixin further explained that such operations embodied the humanistic sincerity of our impoverished and backward region, and what it bought in return was inevitably the understanding and sympathy of higher-level leaders. The result of this 'courtesy demanding reciprocity' was—the crying child gets the milk first! Operating this way, there was no fear of failing to secure 'special policies' from the provincial branch at the end of the year.

The 'seeking help at year-end' stage was easy to understand. Before the annual financial settlement results were announced, Wang Weixin would personally take command and lead several leadership members to the provincial branch to pay respects to the 'Buddha'! This juncture best demonstrated Wang Weixin's communication artistry and personal charm. Often, for ten days or half a month, Wang Weixin would immerse himself entirely in various drinking banquets in the provincial capital. To describe it in his own words, during this time of year, he had no other choice but to hand half his life over to Xing Shang Bank! Even though all performance indicators ranked at the bottom, he was determined to secure those reward treatments. The only effective method was relying on public relations operations, paying the price with his own stomach and intestines, and fighting desperately for those limited resources.