Chapter Ten: A Conversation with Tao Shouli (Part II)

Tao Shouli decisively interrupted Zhang Maolin, waved his hand at him, and continued:

"Geese fly south and winds blow north; these are things no man can change. The facts have already proven that Wen Lu misused his precious natural gifts and ultimately committed a grave error. He is truly not worth anyone’s heartache.

Over these past few days, my wife and I have made a pact: we will no longer inquire about any news regarding Wen Lu, nor will we believe any rumors about him. We will simply wait at home for the organization’s final conclusion. We are merely asking the organization for an explanation; that shouldn't be too much to ask, should it? Regardless of whatever merits or faults Wen Lu had at his workplace during his lifetime, there must be a conclusion for him as an individual. My two children, in particular, have been under immense psychological pressure during this time. You know, Tao Ye is an outstanding middle-level manager at the Municipal Audit Bureau, and she is very driven in her work! She often goes to other provinces to participate in centralized projects for the National Audit Office. Every year, she brings me back a stack of gold-embossed certificates! This incident with Wen Lu has been a devastating blow to Tao Ye; lately, the child has been absent-minded and struggling to keep her composure. For this reason alone, we must demand an explanation. As for the more than three hundred thousand yuan in the demand deposit account under Wen Lu’s name, we will not accept it. That is not money; that is a ticking time bomb! I hope you can understand me."

"Mm-hmm..."

Zhang Maolin nodded repeatedly, then asked, "Old Tao, have you shared this viewpoint with President Wang?"

"Sigh..."

Tao Shouli let out a heavy, helpless sigh.

"That President Wang wouldn't even let us get a word in! That day, he invited me and Xiao Ye over to exchange views. But from start to finish, he, the honorable President, did all the talking himself; the scene was practically like he was giving a report to us father and daughter. Although President Wang’s attitude was indeed very sincere, he specifically emphasized that the funds in the demand deposit passbook belonged to Wen Lu himself. As family members, Tao Ye was qualified to withdraw them. As for the paperwork, the bank would handle everything; he only asked us to write a few explanatory notes on some related accounting vouchers. Before we could even state our position, his phone started buzzing incessantly. Then, President Wang said he had an urgent matter to attend to and left in a great hurry.

Afterward, I pondered a question: since President Wang Weixin took the initiative to invite us for a talk, it suggests he treated this as a serious professional task. If so, both parties should have sat down and exchanged views calmly. But thinking back on his anxious state and his one-sided monologue, it felt as if he were just going through the motions or doing it deliberately. What I found particularly incomprehensible and unacceptable was that every time Tao Ye tried to express her thoughts, she was interrupted by Wang Weixin’s loud voice! It made us both feel very helpless, and Xiao Ye was even quite annoyed! Is that any way to communicate? It was as if we were there just to listen to a lecture and take orders. What we found even more unacceptable was that after Wang Weixin finished his smooth-talking performance, he had someone bring over several colorful forms and some strange agreement, asking us to sign and seal them, saying that once that was done, we could go to the finance department to collect the money..."

"What? Did you sign them in the end?"

Zhang Maolin interrupted Tao Shouli, asking urgently.

"Don't be ridiculous! What does Wang Weixin take us Tao family members for? The reason my daughter and I went there was to understand the situation, not to beg for charity! Wang Weixin’s glib and 'brilliant' performance only made us feel that he had ulterior motives, or at the very least, he was certainly not acting with the intention of solving the problem. Since the other party lacked any sincerity, why would we sign any absurd documents for him?"

Tao Shouli said firmly.

"Oh, I see. But are these points you just mentioned your own thoughts, or the attitude of the whole family? Can they represent Xiao Ye’s opinion?" Zhang Maolin asked.

"Why wouldn't they? Do you think my child would want that money? Even though her own life is not exactly affluent." Tao Shouli countered.

"No, that’s not what I meant. But after all, Xiao Ye is Wen Lu’s wife, and our municipal branch should still seek her opinion in person. It is a necessary procedural step. There are indeed certain specific documents that require her personal signature," Zhang Maolin added.

"Hey? Maolin, why are you acting so strange today? You aren't having a formal talk with me in your capacity as the Discipline Inspection Secretary of the Municipal Branch, are you?" A sudden look of suspicion appeared in Tao Shouli’s eyes.

"Give me a break! Why would I skip my weekend to talk work with a stubborn old man? Would you pay me overtime? But this works out; I’ll talk to Tao Ye in a couple of days. If we are to communicate about this matter with Tao Ye from the organization’s perspective, it must be done by President Wang Weixin himself. Only he can represent the stance of the Songyang Xingshang Bank leadership," Zhang Maolin said.

"Forget it, I don't think it's necessary," Tao Shouli said firmly.

"Firstly, because Wang Weixin has already contacted our family several times, and I am clear on his intentions. Secondly, because our whole family has reached a unified opinion: apart from Wen Lu’s death-in-line-of-duty pension, we will absolutely not accept any extra money from Songyang Xingshang Bank! It’s not that we look down on the organization’s sentiments, but we simply don't want to—and don't dare to—invite any more trouble. Taking a step back, for the sake of my son, we must not have even a shred of greed. Otherwise, how could Tao Kan continue to get by at Xingshang Bank?

Do you know, Maolin? Wen Lu’s incident was a huge blow to Tao Kan! In the past, he always looked up to his brother-in-law as a 'benchmark' and was always proud of him! Tao Kan’s greatest wish in private was to see his brother-in-law succeed one day, hoping he could share in the glory. Yet, life is unpredictable. Wen Lu’s departure in such a manner effectively snapped Tao Kan’s emotional support, even ruining his life’s goals. Especially with all the negative information about Wen Lu circulating lately, Tao Kan truly cannot bear it. He has cried in front of me several times—and you must know, my son is not that kind of person at all! A father knows his son best. I understand that this is due to the excessive repression in his heart with nowhere to vent; he simply cannot understand why Wen Lu would drink and drive, leading to such a disaster! Tao Kan remains trapped in this mental knot, suffering immensely..."

Tao Shouli seemed to have reached an emotional point, his gaunt face flushing in the cold wind.

"Indeed... This Wen Lu, how many unsolvable mysteries has he left for everyone at Xingshang Bank?..." Zhang Maolin muttered to himself.