Chapter Thirteen: Brewing (Part Three)

Seeing the unexpected expression on Zhang Maolin’s face, Tao Shouli’s playful banter came to an abrupt halt. He handed him a cup of hot tea and said calmly:

"Old friend, I’m not teasing you. I am truly happy for you from the bottom of my heart! I’ve already heard the gist of this matter. Good! Maolin, the people of Songyang can finally stand tall this time. You should throw yourself into this with everything you’ve got. I believe every man and woman at the bank will support you. Everyone knows that only when someone like you takes charge of the overall operations can the Songyang Xing-Shang Bank stand firm, and only then will there be a little extra meat in the bowls of us common folk!"

"Old Tao, it seems you really have heard—"

Zhang Maolin had barely started to speak when Tao Shouli waved his hand, signaling that there was no need for further explanation.

Tao Shouli continued: "Exactly. I only half-believed the news Tao Ye gave me over the phone, but since you’ve come in person to share the good news, I can be certain it’s true."

Tao Shouli’s face blossomed like a peach flower in spring, glowing with a rosy light.

"So, Tao Ye was the one who told you?! How could that girl possibly know about this?" Zhang Maolin felt a surge of suspicion.

The information Tao Shouli revealed was genuinely startling. This unexpected turn of events instantly cleared away the many questions that had been swirling in Zhang Maolin’s mind. As for his original plan to ask Tao Shouli to help verify the truth of the information Liu Dong had passed on, that now seemed entirely meaningless.

At this moment, Zhang Maolin had to face the reality: Wang Weixin was indeed leaving Songyang, and he was the one slated to take over as president. What left him feeling slightly perplexed, even anxious, was how Tao Ye—an outsider to the Xing-Shang Bank—had managed to stumble upon such sensitive internal information. Zhang Maolin could easily imagine that beyond this conclusive news, she likely knew even more detailed circumstances, a situation he found difficult to comprehend.

Zhang Maolin’s initial agitation gradually settled and subsided. He realized, with some accuracy, that information concerning him was beginning to spread at a pace and in a manner beyond his control. He couldn't grasp the source of these rumors, but he knew this situation was likely very bad for him. The anxiety and inner conflict that had been building since Liu Dong’s disclosure two days ago and Tao Shouli’s questioning just now weighed heavily on him. His only priority now was to uncover the source of the Tao family’s intelligence.

Tao Shouli seemed to have guessed his thoughts and said: "I find it quite strange myself. Tao Ye usually isn’t interested in the affairs of the Xing-Shang Bank. Beyond her personality, it’s also due to her professional background. When Wen Lu was alive, the two of them rarely discussed their work with each other. But this time, regarding your situation, I feel my daughter is very focused and concerned. Yesterday on the phone, she was very brief and direct, telling me straight out that Uncle Zhang would soon be taking over Wang Weixin’s position. I found it sudden, too, and intended to chat a bit more, but she hung up in a hurry..."

Zhang Maolin said, "Haha, so my niece has become my secret informant! Shouli, I came here to discuss this very thing with you. Something I never considered in the past is suddenly placed before me—what do you think is going through my mind? If this rumor is true, tell me, should I take on this burden or not?"

Hearing this, a flash of anger crossed Tao Shouli’s face. He glared and retorted: "Old Zhang, if you came to discuss *how* to take on this burden, we could talk all night. But if you are looking for my opinion to find an excuse to run away, then you might as well jump off the balcony right now! The doors of the Tao home have always been open to the brave, the honest, and the spirited! Is there anyone in this world who understands you better than I do?"

Tao Shouli’s previously pleasant expression turned irritable and even furious. His sudden, ragged breathing betrayed the intensity of his emotional shift. With eyes wide, he roared: "Listen to me, Zhang Maolin! For the sake of the bond we’ve shared since we were children running around naked, I will only warn you once: this is the only opportunity of your life. Whether you’re a late bloomer or a scholar finally passing the imperial exam, you have no second choice. If you choose to give up, I will never accept those so-called excuses of yours—your 'detachment from worldly desires,' 'wanting to live in seclusion,' 'taking fame as dirt'—that’s all complete nonsense. I would only conclude that you are a spineless coward, a useless eunuch of a man. Because you would be betraying your own past ambitions and casting aside the years of hope held by over two thousand employees at the Songyang Xing-Shang Bank! You would be emasculating the very spirit of righteous indignation that still exists within you. I’ll be even more blunt: you should hand in your resignation as Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission tomorrow and quickly vacate your position for someone lurking in the shadows, waiting for years to seize it. That would be perfect—a win-win for everyone, finally liberating your precious, 'noble' body that you hold so dear. From then on, don’t come to me with those insipid lamentations about being 'high-minded' or 'worrying about the state of the nation.' Just go find those sniveling, timid, leaf-fearing sycophants to hang out with. Play cards during the day, listen to ditties, chase women at night, and waste away your remaining instincts—that’s a way to live, too, just drifting with the current..."

Before he could finish, Tao Shouli turned and walked into the bathroom, splashing his face with cold water.

Zhang Maolin was stunned and flustered. He understood the sincerity of his friend’s words and felt the warmth in his own blood. He knew what the counsel of this lifelong confidant meant.

Seeing Tao Shouli emerge slowly from the bathroom, Zhang Maolin took a deep breath, walked over, grasped his thin arm, and said meaningfully: "My friend, if I intended to give up, would I have come to discuss it with you? Thank you for the encouragement, brother! Aside from talking to you, who else could I possibly discuss this with so candidly?"

"Hmph, that’s more like the Zhang Maolin I know! It seems I really have to use reverse psychology to squeeze the marrow out of you, you old goat. Fine, don't go home tonight; we’re closing the door and focusing entirely on your affairs."

Tao Shouli held Zhang Maolin’s hand and continued: "Rivers and mountains may change, but human nature is hard to alter. Everyone in Songyang knows you are upright and lack the knack for political maneuvering, but that doesn't mean you lack the sense to recognize the times. The stars have aligned for you; this is a situation where success comes naturally—a 'non-contention' that is actually a golden opportunity! Even if you don't care for your own sake, you must think of the two thousand employees at the Songyang Xing-Shang Bank! For years, our Songyang has been nothing but a testing ground for officials sent down from the provincial branch! They all come down hungry like wolves, and after a few years, they brush the dust off their backsides and leave, fat and bloated. They take away the refined political skills and experience, but they dump the heavy burden of their failed operations onto Songyang! Tell me, isn’t it ultimately the common folk of Songyang who pay the price for this? In the eyes of those big shots above, are we nothing more than a 'dumping ground'? In the end, they walk away, satisfied like customers in a brothel, leaving us locals to clean up the stinking, colorful mess they left behind!..."