WHEN Ding Yi assumed his position, it was the busiest time of the year for bank employees—the end of December. His handover with Gao Weihua was swift, taking only a morning to transfer all responsibilities.

　　The reason was simple—the work overseen by the Commission for Discipline Inspection Secretary was both fixed and relatively straightforward.

　　This wasn’t a special treatment unique to Ding Yi. Hedong Commercial Bank had long-standing policies that clearly defined the scope of work for the Discipline Inspection Secretaries at each branch.

　　According to these policies, the Discipline Inspection Secretary was only responsible for overseeing audit and disciplinary inspection tasks. They were strictly prohibited from being assigned any other business tasks to prevent the confusion of being both a “player” and a “referee.”

　　Since the audit and disciplinary inspection tasks for 2018 had already been completed—and because these tasks were specially assessed and not included in the business performance evaluations—while everyone else was caught up in a whirlwind of activity, Ding Yi spent his days in the office familiarizing himself with the job and studying various rules and regulations.

　　No matter how good or bad business performance was, no one could stop the passage of time. After the chaotic and busy December, the bank employees finally welcomed the dawn of a new year, 2019.

　　This day, the Risk Manager had a dispute with the Office Director over the initial work arrangement proposal drafted by the Office, just as President Syueh Honghuei walked in on them.

　　Syueh Honghuei publicly criticized both of them in front of the staff for shirking their responsibilities and setting a bad example within the department.

　　After understanding the whole situation, Syueh Honghuei instructed the Office Director to gather the relevant department managers for a meeting to arrange the specific tasks.

　　At the meeting regarding the handling of non-performing loans, Syueh Honghuei assigned Ding Yi to personally oversee the task. The Audit Department would carry out the specific actions, and a special task force would be established to thoroughly investigate the status of non-performing loans.

　　Ding Yi understood that Syueh Honghuei, being newly appointed, would have arranged for this task even without directives from the head office. After all, the quality of non-performing loan management would directly affect his future career advancement.

　　Privately, Ding Yi was quite willing to take on this task. Because it provided him an opportunity to investigate old loans without arousing suspicion.

　　Two days before the Lunar New Year holiday, Ding Yi received a call from his good friend Jhan Syudong, inviting him over for dinner. That evening, he left work on time and headed over.

　　When he arrived at the entrance of Jhan Syudong’s residential complex, Jhan Syudong was already waiting. After greeting the security guard, Jhan Syudong got into the passenger seat and directed Ding Yi to drive into the underground parking lot.

　　As they entered the elevator, the polished walls reflected their images so clearly that even the pores on their faces were visible.

　　“Wow! It’s only been a little over a month, and you already look more like an elite,” Jhan Syudong grinned and teased.

　　Jhan Syudong was the captain of the city’s Criminal Police Brigade. When Ding Yi first arrived, Jhan Syudong was swamped with a complex anti-gang case that seemed never-ending. He was working overtime every day and didn’t have much time to catch up with Ding Yi, except for a quick dinner together.

　　Back then, Ding Yi still bore the marks of exposure to the elements. Now, after just over a month, his complexion had lightened, and his hair had grown out a bit. The rugged, masculine aura cultivated from years in the military was still evident, but he looked a bit more refined.

　　Hearing old friend’s comment, Ding Yi deliberately sized him up from head to toe.

　　“You still look as handsome and dashing as ever, but you seem a bit drained. Better watch your sexual intercourse with your wife, or you might end up spent!” he said teasingly.

　　With such cheeky banter, it felt as if they were back in their school days again.

　　Both Ding Yi and Jhan Syudong were from Hedong, and they had been friends since childhood, Both of them were known for their athletic prowess. They could focus intently on their studies but were also notorious for their wild antics when playing.

　　During their younger days, they had their fair share of mischief and fights together. At that time, Hedong No.1 High School was renowned as a main place for sending students to top universities nationwide, and its reputation was stellar.

　　Near No.1 High School was a vocational school that housed many delinquent students. These kids often mixed with unsavory elements from society, smoking, drinking, fighting, and dyeing their hair in a riot of colors. They particularly despised the well-behaved students of No.1 High School and seized any opportunity to bully them.

　　Today, such behavior would be labeled as school bullying. Whenever Ding Yi and Jhan Syudong encountered these bullies, they fought back fiercely, making those vocational school thugs doubt their own street credibility. Through these altercations, Ding Yi and Jhan Syudong became well-known in the area.

　　Despite their frequent fights, they consistently ranked among the top students in their grade. This left their homeroom teacher and other faculty members in a constant state of love-hate. During exams, the teachers were thrilled with their top scores, but when their brawls led to conduct point deductions, the same teachers wished these two didn’t belong to their class.

　　After high school, Jhan Syudong got into the Police University, while Ding Yi, following his interests, applied to a university for technology. Since then, their meetings had been rare. Now, with Ding Yi in Linghai, the best part for him was being able to see Jhan Syudong more often.

　　Hearing Ding Yi’s teasing, Jhan Syudong didn’t retort. Instead, he leaned closer to the elevator wall and scrutinized his face, lamenting.

　　“I wish it were just as you said. Do you know? Since we last met, I’ve been working overtime non-stop until yesterday. Look at my face. At this rate, I’m going to work myself to death!” he said helplessly.

　　“But you’re on break now, right? Once you’re back to work, you’ll be as energetic as ever,” Ding Yi said, giving him a hearty slap on the shoulder.

　　“You’ve changed a lot,” Jhan Syudong frowned at Ding Yi, and said.

　　If it had been before, Ding Yi would have responded with mockery and jabs. They could banter back and forth over such trivial topics for dozens of rounds without getting tired. That was how they used to interact.

　　Since Ding Yi joined the army, they had met about eight or nine times. Each time, Jhan Syudong could sense the changes in him. Ding Yi had become increasingly quiet and thoughtful, the two vertical lines between his eyebrows growing more pronounced. Even though he was only thirty-five, when he wore a serious expression, he looked closer to forty.

　　Jhan Syudong knew that Ding Yi’s transformation stemmed from a major incident that occurred after his university graduation, though he wasn’t clear on the specifics. In his senior year, Jhan Syudong had taken the civil service exam and was accepted into the Linghai Public Security Bureau. Then he moved to Linghai. After graduation, Ding Yi, along with two university classmates, started a tech information company, ready to make a big impact. Jhan Syudong had genuinely wished for Ding Yi’s success.

　　One of Ding Yi’s business partners was a university classmate named Liou Yan, who also happened to be their high school classmate. Most of what Jhan Syudong later learned about Ding Yi came from her. When Ding Yi’s company was founded, it was at the beginning of China’s rapid information technology boom. With the right timing, location, and support, the company quickly thrived, and Ding Yi’s entrepreneurial journey seemed smooth and promising.

　　A year later, Liou Yan suddenly called Jhan Syudong, saying that something had happened to Ding Yi. He had become gloomy and withdrawn, stopped going to the company, and ignored all business matters. She had visited him several times, but Ding Yi would lock himself in his room and refuse to see anyone. Desperate, she called Jhan Syudong, hoping he could persuade Ding Yi.

　　That year, Jhan Syudong took some vacation days to return to Hedong and stay with Ding Yi for a few days. Ding Yi’s mood improved somewhat, but Jhan Syudong still couldn’t get him to reveal what had happened. From the scattered conversations he overheard from Ding Yi’s family, he speculated it might have something to do with Ding Yi’s background.

　　Less than half a year after this incident, Ding Yi sold his shares in the company and enlisted in the military.

　　“Of course! You can’t expect a man in his thirties to still be as childish as a high schooler,” Ding Yi replied with a bitter smile.

　　Jhan Syudong’s thoughts were pulled back by Ding Yi’s voice just as the elevator arrived at their floor. Walking out one after the other, Jhan Syudong glanced at Ding Yi beside him, feeling a wave of nostalgia.

　　This was a person who should have been the chosen one! Although he was still impressive now, Jhan Syudong felt that something was missing.

　　Entering the apartment, Jhan Syudong’s eight-year-old son was playing with building blocks with his three-year-old sister. When the children saw Ding Yi, they dropped their toys and ran up to him, calling out, “Mr. Ding!”

　　“Yangyang! Rourou!” Ding Yi was pleasantly surprised and said. The last time he saw them at dinner, they had been very shy.

　　“The toys you bought for them were just perfect,” Jhan Syudong laughed and said.

　　Ding Yi understood then—they were eagerly awaiting more gifts from him! Unfortunately, he might disappoint them today. He had been busy with external audit work these past few days. When he got the call from Jhan Syudong last night, he was still working late at the office. By the time he remembered to buy gifts, it was already eleven o’clock.

　　He pulled out two Hongbao from the inside pocket of his suit and handed them to the children.

　　At that moment, Jhan Syudong’s mother came out of the kitchen with a dish and, seeing Ding Yi’s action, quickly stopped him.

　　“Mr. Ding, you shouldn’t have to do that!” she said.

　　“Hello! Madam Jhan, you’re here in Linghai?” asked Ding Yi.

　　Madam Jhan was a retired worker from the Provincial Statistics Bureau. According to Jhan Syudong, since his wife’s job was relatively flexible and she had time to take care of the children, his mother had not moved to Linghai.

　　“Yes, it’s almost New Year, and it’s easier for the whole family to be in Linghai than to go back to Hedong,” she replied.

　　The children didn’t care about the conversation. They happily took the Hongbao, thanked Ding Yi with big smiles, then ran off.

　　“Look at these two kids—” Madam Jhan said and shook her head at their behavior.

　　“Take it easy, Madam Jhan! I’m heading back to Hedong the day after tomorrow for the New Year. This is just some early New Year’s money for them,” said Ding Yi.

　　“By the way, Mr. Ding, have you had a girlfriend yet?” Madam Jhan changed the topic and asked.

　　Ding Yi was momentarily taken aback and didn’t respond immediately.

　　For this instant, Jhan Syudong’s wife called from the kitchen, “Someone please come and help me with this beef!”

　　Madam Jhan had no choice but returned to the kitchen, allowing Ding Yi to breathe a sigh of relief.

　　“Seriously, you really should think about it,” Jhan Syudong picked up the conversation and said.

　　“You don’t understand. Someone like me isn’t suited for marriage and family,” Ding Yi shook his head and replied.

　　“Is it related to your background?” Jhan Syudong cautiously probed and asked.

　　Ding Yi nodded. Jhan Syudong had spent some time with his family back then and likely had some idea about the situation. Ding Yi had never intended to keep it a secret from him.

　　“But your father treats you the same as always,” Jhan Syudong said and sighed inwardly. What a carefree and spirited person Ding Yi used to be!

　　“I know. My parents and elder sister have never treated me as an outsider. It’s a long story, we can talk about it in detail some other time,” Ding Yi said.

　　Seeing his wife and mother setting dishes on the table, Jhan Syudong didn’t press further.

　　“Where’s your father?” asked Ding Yi. He remembered that when he passed through the lobby of the Operations Department the previous afternoon, he had run into Jhan Ye. “I saw him yesterday.”

　　“You know about the fire three years ago. Ever since that incident, he’s changed completely. He rarely spends time with us now. He often buries himself in work. The caretaker at his villa told me that sometimes he’s so busy he doesn’t even come home,” Jhan Syudong replied with a deep sigh.

　　Talking about his father, Jhan Syudong felt a pang of confusion. How could someone change so drastically, almost as if they were a different person?

　　“Let’s not talk about him. There’s something else I want to mention to you.”

　　“What is it? Something work-related?”

　　“As you knew, the branch president, Lin Haichao, committed suicide before you joined. We initially investigated it as a criminal case, but it turned out to be a suicide,” Jhan Syudong said. Talking about this, he’s expression grew serious.

　　Ding Yi listened quietly. He had heard colleagues mention this incident. Jhan Syudong couldn’t divulge too many details, but he highlighted the key points.

　　“The motive for his suicide was mainly economic. Before transferring to your branch, Lin Haichao was the chairman of the Langhai Rural Commercial Bank. That bank got entangled in the Rongsin bond scandal and faced severe penalties from the Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission. The responsible leaders not only faced hefty fines but also the possibility of being permanently banned from holding senior positions,” he said.

　　This Rongsin bond scandal had been making waves in the industry recently, and Ding Yi had thoroughly researched it. In short, a company named Rongsin was short on funds and couldn’t repay its loan to GF Bank. To resolve this, Rongsin issued private bonds through a local equity exchange company, which then used ZC Bao as the fundraising channel. Then, ZC Bao required Rongsin to enhance its credit.

　　Rongsin secured a guarantee from an insurance company, which in turn required a counter-guarantee from Rongsin. Rongsin then sought a counter-guarantee from GF Bank to fulfill the insurance company’s demand. GF Bank, aiming to recover its loan on time, issued a guarantee letter for Rongsin. Consequently, Rongsin successfully issued the bonds, raised the funds, and repaid GF Bank.

　　However, when the bonds matured, Rongsin couldn’t repay the two billion yuan owed. The bondholders sought repayment from the insurance company, which in turn claimed that GF Bank, having issued the guarantee letter, was responsible for the debt.

　　Later, GF Bank directly announced on its website that the stamp on the guarantee letter had been forged, and they had reported the matter to the police. This kicked off a prolonged legal battle between the bank and the insurance company.

　　Linghai Rural Commercial Bank played the role of a capital provider in this situation, violating CBIRC regulations by using operational funds to purchase Rongsin’s bonds. Regardless of the lawsuit’s outcome, both GF Bank and the insurance company were doomed to face hefty fines from the CBIRC.

　　“Is that the only reason?” asked Ding Yi. He found it hard to believe that a ruined career would lead someone to suicide.

　　Jhan Syudong shook his head.

　　“We found out that Lin Haichao was deeply in debt. After scrutinizing his activities on the day of his suicide, we discovered he took his life right before a loan review meeting. We then reviewed the materials from that day’s meeting and interviewed your credit department manager. We found a suspicious detail—one of the loans discussed that day was for a subsidiary of the Huihuang Real Estate Group. The CEO of Huihuang, Gu Wei, is from Langhai, and his rise to success is anything but clean.”

　　“Did he involve in the gang crimes?” Ding Yi asked.

　　He had met Gu Wei, who had sought out Syueh Honghuei at least twice that week. The saying goes, “When someone is overly attentive, they either want something or are up to no good.” This seemed to fit perfectly; such a person needed to be watched.

　　“Much more serious than that!”

　　“Tell me about it.”

　　“I can’t. The case has been handed over to the economic crimes unit. But, when you have some spare time, could you do me a small favor?”

　　“What could I possibly help you with?”

　　“Keep an eye on Lee Mu for me. During his statement, he seemed evasive. I think he’s hiding something.”

　　No wonder Jhan Syudong had been so kind to give a heads-up—he needed a favor!

　　Lee Mu was the first person to discover Lin Haichao’s suicide, and certain details were crucial to the case.

　　“But I remember your case has been handed over to the economic crimes unit, right?” Ding Yi asked with suspicion.

　　“So what? Can’t I just be curious?” Jhan Syudong glared at him and said.

　　In truth, it was a joint investigation, but the details couldn’t be disclosed.

　　Just then, Madam Jhan called them to the dining room for dinner.

　　“Alright, I’ll satisfy your curiosity,” Ding Yi stood up, looking at him with a faint smile and said.