Chapter 001: Spitting on One's Own Face

After a long night of sleep, Meng Xiaobai woke up in the morning, refreshed and full of energy, having sweated profusely. A new day had begun. However, for him, each day was merely a repetition of the same routine, engaging in the same activities. Would today be just like any other day?

The man glanced at the small sign and angrily said, "Isn't this a bank? Why do I have to go across the street to make a payment?"

Now, Lao Yu has become the accounting supervisor, while Meng Xiaobai has merely been transferred from savings to the cashier position, still quietly fighting on the front line.

If Meng Xiaobai had understood this principle earlier, he might have already been promoted to the position of section chief by now. Unfortunately, in his youth, he was overly ambitious, and by the time he gained profound insight, he had lost everything.

Meng Xiaobai's counter faced the main entrance, and everyone who came in to ask for directions or inquire about matters approached him. He had to mechanically repeat the phrase "For traffic fines, please go to the savings bank across the street" dozens of times each day. When people were upset, they would scold him; if they found his expression displeasing, they would scold him as well. After enduring so much scolding, Meng Xiaobai's brain developed an automatic transfer function, shifting all received insults onto his superior. To the eyes of several younger colleagues, this was profound and mysterious, and everyone admired his composure.

Laughing heartily, he watched as a pair of hands pushed a file bag over. Director Chang placed his hand on the file bag, pondered for a moment, then chuckled and said, "General Manager Niu, since you put it that way, I can't really refuse any longer. However... this matter does require special approval from the provincial bank, and I can't guarantee anything!"

At that time, Meng Xiaobai was utterly astonished; the people at the bank were indeed more formidable than those in the government offices! Unfortunately, times have changed. The bank staff of that generation had made life miserable for their customers, and now they are facing swift retribution. Due to intense competition, coupled with the historically poor reputation of the banks' bureaucratic style, public opinion often leans heavily in favor of the customers whenever issues arise. Now, it has come to the point where anyone who steps through the bank's doors, even a scavenger, can take advantage of them.

Oh? Are you going to get angry? Meng Xiaobai's bottom seems to be equipped with a spring, as he suddenly bounced up from the chair, immediately wearing a sly smile on his face. He pointed diagonally across and said: "Sir, look, that savings bank is not far away. If you go out, cross the road, and walk thirty meters to the right, you'll find it. I am at the cashier's counter, which is a public window, so I do not collect fines"

The person across said: "Look at what you said, isn't it a bit distant? But what does it matter? Even if it doesn't work out this time, I believe that when it is convenient for Section Chief Chang in the future, he will still think of old friends first!"

If the heel touches the ground first, due to the steepness of the stairs, the following leg must bend first, making it even more difficult to exert force coherently. It can only produce a thud sound, unable to sway the shoulders like Chief Chang, who walks down the stairs amidst a series of "thud thud thud" drum sounds.

When it comes to the collection of counterfeit currency, the great significance is often spoken of without restraint. Yet, when faced with large depositors, these principles seem to be easily disregarded. Betrayal! He felt a sense of being sold out.

The person, upon hearing this, angrily raised his chin and pointed at Meng Xiaobai, saying: "Stop talking nonsense with me. What do you mean by a public service window?"

It is better to avoid trouble than to seek it, which is the insight of Meng Xiaobai after enduring multiple setbacks. Who would believe such words? Is there any evidence? Such minor cases do not reach higher authorities. As for the district... everyone knows Director Chang well, and if he were to report it, he might find that the other party faces no consequences, while he would be labeled as someone who falsely accused others. Wouldn't he then have to deal with the repercussions? He certainly did not see it, he must not have seen it, Meng comforted himself in his heart.

It seems there is another person on the opposite side, but his appearance cannot be seen through the crack of the door. I can only hear him laughing heartily as he says to Section Chief Chang: "Section Chief Chang, who doesn't know that you are the capable person at the Wangdong Branch? Since it is officially not allowed in principle, it can still be overlooked in practice. Our cooperation has not been for just a day or two; I am well aware of your abilities. Of course, the requirements are strict now, and facilitating things will cost quite a bit. I certainly won't let you bear this expense. Here is 80,000 yuan; you can take it to help me sort things out. Once the matter is accomplished, I will give you another 80,000 yuan to treat those friends who helped to a trip. It's all about maintaining a steady flow!"

Speaking of this note, although it consists of only a short line of text, it has undergone several revisions. The first version printed was: "Comrades paying fines, please go to the opposite side!" After being scolded numerous times for the fact that the opposite side refers to the glass curtain wall of the bank, Meng Xiaobai changed it to: "Comrades paying fines, please go to the road opposite to pay!" After being criticized multiple times for the fact that the road opposite refers to a copy shop, it was revised to its current form.

His only relative, his uncle, was a bank employee. He remembers that when he was in elementary school, he once went to play at his uncle's savings office. There, he witnessed a dispute between a teller and a customer. The teller suddenly stood up, pointing outward with an abacus in hand, and angrily shouted: "You bold and audacious commoner..."

The person slammed the counter heavily and shouted: "What nonsense is this about public and private? Aren't you a government agency? Aren't you here to serve the people? Why don't you consider the inconveniences faced by us common folks? I can see that you are about to get off work soon. If I go over there to line up, will I still make it in time? Why is there no window here for individuals, so that we can get things done when we come? If I don't submit it today, it will be overdue, do you know that? Has all that money in your bank been pocketed by individuals?" Why is there no window here for individuals, so that we can get things done when we come? If I don't submit it today, it will be overdue, do you know that? Has all that money in your bank been pocketed by individuals?

This price was not calculated by Xiao Meng, but by Wang Xiaohua, who was also a cashier. She was a girl with yellowish hair and a yellowish complexion, always silent. Due to her sensitivity to numbers, she was recommended by Section Chief Chang to be transferred to the underground vault of the bank a year ago, where she spends her days counting and organizing the leftover currency.

In a fit of anger, Meng Xiaobai flatly refused and, for the first time, left in a huff in front of his superiors. As a consequence, he was subjected to six months of retraining. When he returned to his job, feeling dejected, he became a teller at a remote small savings bank. Even more disheartening was that his girlfriend, Ye Feixue, who had once nestled in his arms and lamented about his eyes, had also found a new boyfriend.

Director Chang tapped his fingers on the table a few times, chuckled, and said, "Alright, then I won't be polite. In any case, I will do my utmost!"

After careful analysis, Xiao Meng concluded that only when Section Chief Chang stepped onto the floor with one foot while the other foot was already in the air could he walk down the stairs so majestically. Therefore, he immediately put this into practice, but the result was that his left foot stepped on his right foot, and he tumbled down the stairs in a series of somersaults. Since then, this heroic style of walking has remained the exclusive domain of Section Chief Chang, while Xiao Meng paid a bloody price and still did not learn it.

The cash transport vehicle has arrived. Xiao Yang and Xiao Li picked up the money bags, while Meng Xiaobai took the receipt book and followed them out to complete the handover procedures with the security department, then returned to the building. Xiao Yang had just dealt with a client from https://m.hetushu.com.com and had been receiving constant phone calls; he couldn't wait to change his clothes and leave. However, Xiao Li took out a table tennis paddle and said to Meng Xiaobai, "Brother Meng, shall we go upstairs and play for a while?"

Outside, a light rain has begun to fall, and the smooth, bright marble floor has become dirtier than the streets due to the passage of people

The accounting supervisor at the inner accounting counter, Lao Yu, heard the shouting and cursing from outside. He let out a slight sigh, scratched his balding head, and lowered his head to continue looking at the reports, pretending he had heard nothing. Meng Xiaobai was his classmate; they both joined this bank six years ago. At that time, Meng Xiaobai was far more prominent than him, having won the citywide financial system competition in computer data entry, cash counting, and abacus skills, and was the director of one of the top 100 savings institutions in the country, with a bright future ahead.

Meng Xiaobai was taken aback upon hearing this, involuntarily stepping back a few paces until he reached the edge of the stairs. He hurriedly ran down, but as he stepped down, a thud echoed, which, though not particularly loud, resonated like thunder in the silent darkness, causing Meng Xiaobai to break out in a cold sweat. He quickly lightened his footsteps, held his breath, and tiptoed down the stairs in haste

Meng Xiaobai was so affected by this blow that he seemed like a different person; the feeling of boundless energy when working had vanished. He became taciturn, arriving at work and leaving on time every day, resembling a walking corpse. Gradually, he was overlooked by others.

As soon as that person left, the section chief returned from outside, and the expressions on the faces of several people in the cashier's office instantly reflected a sense of relief. Fortunately! ... What if that person had delayed leaving for a moment longer? ... Meng Xiaobai also felt a deep gratitude towards that person; being scolded was nothing. If it weren't for his kindness in leaving a moment earlier, they would have been taken upstairs for a thorough reprimand.

Meng Xiaobai's demeanor is absolutely impeccable, having reached a level where it seems to dry naturally in the face of disdain. There was once a girl who remarked that his gaze was somewhat mischievous, and when he smiled with a slight twist of his lips, it evoked a sense of Tony Leung. However, if you were to see his smile now, you would find no trace of Tony Leung's charm; it is undoubtedly a humble, submissive, and even somewhat foolish smile, leaving you with no room to find any fault.

Meng Xiaobai smiled and said: "The public service window is specifically for corporate clients. Here, due to the proximity of the savings office, we do not have a personal service counter... that is, a counter for individual business."

Subsequently, he had someone replace it with a steep iron staircase made of hollow iron columns and iron plates. This indeed saved a significant amount of space on the first floor, although the female employees found the restroom so unpleasant that they moved upstairs to use the facilities. Meanwhile, the male employees were still troubled by the restroom, which was inadequately marked with the phrase "In a hurry to come, in a rush to go" in eight large characters.

Meng Xiaobai shook his head and said weakly, "No, I have a bit of a heat-induced cold and feel too lazy to move. I will go upstairs and lie down on the sofa for a while!" At the innermost part of the second floor is the entertainment lounge, lined with fitness equipment against the wall, and in the center is a table for table tennis. Xiao Li and several others from the credit department on the second floor, including Old Liu, were enthusiastically playing table tennis.

Meng Xiaobai pushed open the glass door that was affixed to the wall of the house. Inside was a game room, with a long sofa in the corner. Meng Xiaobai lay down on the sofa, and the fatigue and soreness of his body pressed against the soft cushions brought him a sense of relief. After lying there for a while, drowsiness overcame him, and he fell into a deep sleep.

His section chief's surname is Chang, with a pale, monkey-like face. When he drinks, it transforms into a monkey face with a buttocks on it. It is evident that he has been drinking again.

Moreover, in China, we have not yet reached the point where everyone uses checks. As long as there are many people using cash, it is certain that one will have to wait in line at any bank. If there are more tellers than customers, who has the spare money to support them

With a faint smile on her face, Meng Xiaobai did not offer any defense. The spittle gradually blurred the glass in front of her, and the more fiercely the person cursed, the more a perverse sense of pleasure welled up within Meng Xiaobai.

As a result, Meng Xiaobai spent an entire day in the Human Resources Department to "assist in the investigation" and wrote two self-reflections before the matter was settled. When he returned, he looked straight at Lao Yu and said, "Simply appeasing the situation, not caring for what is right, nor supporting it... Is someone asking for directions considered a customer?" He then let out a bitter laugh twice. From that point on, Meng Xiaobai only focused on the money in his own account, completely ignoring everything else.

At that moment, Meng Xiaobai felt her face flush with embarrassment upon hearing Bai Xi's words. Had she done something wrong by following the rules? Not only was she being scolded without retorting, but now she was also expected to apologize? Her subordinates, those ten or so tellers, were all watching her; could she really allow such a thing to happen?

When he woke up again, the entertainment room was quiet, and the light from the street lamps outside was casting through the glass window. Meng Xiaobai only felt dry and parched; he got up to find his shoes, groggily went to the bathroom, and was just about to head downstairs when he suddenly noticed that the section chief's office was still lit. Meng Xiaobai was quite surprised and quietly approached to take a look inside. Through the slightly ajar door, he saw Section Chief Chang sitting at the desk smoking, frowning as he spoke: "Director Niu, this is not a matter of brothers not helping each other. The lending quota for the first half of the year was too large, and the indicators have already been exhausted. The provincial bank requires us to strictly reduce the scale of loans. In principle, loans are not allowed except for AAA-rated enterprises."

However, perhaps being a leader is truly exhausting. Meng Xiaobai looks almost no different from when he just graduated, while his classmate Lao Yu, who was originally three months younger than him, has now become quite overweight. The chubby face, filled with wrinkles, makes him appear at least twenty years older, and his once thick hair has gradually thinned to the point of being half bald

One day, when the cashier of the company came to make a payment, a counterfeit bill was discovered inside. The teller checked it and found the counterfeit. The company's junior cashier smiled and tried to explain for a long time, but Meng Xiaobai refused to return the counterfeit bill to her. To prevent her from seeking help from the external staff who had close connections with the bank, Meng Xiaobai even stamped the counterfeit bill with a "Counterfeit Stamp" in front of her.

The matter did not end there; subsequently, Meng Xiaobai's complaints continued unabated. Superiors kept pressing for answers, demanding that the branch resolve the issue. Consequently, the branch leadership required him to publicly apologize to the company's cashier and to compensate the young lady with one hundred yuan, which, of course, would be covered by the bank.

This incident stirred up a hornet's nest; the very beautiful young cashier immediately began to scold without restraint. From that lovely mouth came an unexpected torrent of unpleasant words, leaving Meng Xiaobai momentarily dumbfounded.

"Go to hell, you little brat, are you trying to teach me a lesson? I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice! Are you all at a loss? You all have barely left school for a few years, and yet you sit here earning more than we do, each of you acting all high and mighty..." The person was already furious.

After having a large bowl of hand-pulled noodles at the restaurant upstairs, I returned to the room to find my roommate sitting at the edge of the bed, bare-chested and shrugging his shoulders, typing away on the keyboard. He seemed to be happily chatting with someone, and merely greeted me upon my return. Meng Xiaobai usually spent all his time chatting and playing online games, but tonight he had no interest in turning on the computer. He lay on the bed, pondering his thoughts about Tu Shu, and eventually fell asleep to the sound of his roommate's typing.

After descending the stairs, he was already drenched in sweat from nervousness. The roll-up door of the business hall was half closed, and the old watchman, feeling the heat, was sitting on the steps chatting idly with a few other old men. Since he was facing away from the entrance, Meng Xiaobai crouched down and quietly slipped out from under the half-closed roll-up door, hurriedly unlocked his bicycle, and sped away.

When Meng Xiaobai first transferred to that small savings office, he was genuinely excited for a while. He noticed the man who always sat outside exchanging foreign currency and bonds, who came in every day carrying a mineral water bottle to fill it up. After he used the restroom without flushing, Meng Xiaobai kindly and tactfully reminded him. The next day, several people rushed in under the pretext of asking for directions, claiming that he was unfriendly, and they scolded him harshly. Meng Xiaobai clearly remembered that these individuals were friends of the man who exchanged foreign currency. After he used the restroom without flushing, Meng Xiaobai kindly and tactfully reminded him. The next day, several people rushed in under the pretext of asking for directions, claiming that he was unfriendly, and they scolded him harshly. Meng Xiaobai clearly remembered that these individuals were friends of the man who exchanged foreign currency.

What is even more remarkable is that the sound he made while descending the stairs was also "thud thud thud," resembling the beat of a drum, which certainly posed a challenge. It is worth noting that when this office space was purchased, the corner originally featured a spacious marble staircase. However, due to Section Chief Chang's intention to provide a more ample working space for the front desk staff, the elegantly designed yet impractical staircase was removed.

After enduring numerous setbacks, Meng Xiaobai had long since grasped the thoughts of those leaders. Those in high positions only care as long as no one causes them trouble. This is especially true for their superiors. Those without shoes are not afraid of those who wear them. It does not matter whether the troublemakers have a valid reason; it is irrelevant whether their own employees are right or wrong. As long as there is a commotion, it affects their reputation. If there are further complaints or if a newspaper reports on the issue, it impacts them regardless of who is right. Therefore, it is acceptable for employees to endure some grievances; those without justification must apologize, and even those with justification must also apologize. It does not matter whether the troublemakers have a valid reason; it is irrelevant whether their own employees are right or wrong. As long as there is a commotion, it affects their reputation. If there are further complaints or if a newspaper reports on the issue, it impacts them regardless of who is right. Therefore, it is acceptable for employees to endure some grievances; those without justification must apologize, and even those with justification must also apologize.

Meng Xiaobai let out a long sigh, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint smile, as he sat back in his chair, feeling a sense of relief while remaining silent as the person continued to berate him increasingly harshly. He raised an eyebrow slightly, noting that the surveillance camera was right above him. Glancing at the electronic clock on the wall, it read 16:55. Alas! It seemed this person was in no hurry to pay the fine. Let them scold away, continue scolding! ... Five minutes later ... it seemed this person was still in no hurry to pay the fine. Let them scold away, continue scolding! ... Five minutes later ...

The bank has a lot of money, but that is all the deposits of the public, and we have to pay interest on it. What do we do with the money we receive? It is meant for lending, but if the loans cannot be repaid, we would be in serious trouble. However, deposits are different; we can never owe money to depositors, can we? Being so close, opening a savings counter would be a waste of resources. If you were in business, you wouldn't operate at a loss like this, would you?

The staircase is so steep that when descending, one usually lands on the toes first, making it difficult to produce the thudding sound akin to muffled thunder. Meng Xiaobai had once tried this on the stairs; if landing on the toes first, the center of gravity shifts forward, preventing the thudding sound. If one exerts more force, there is a risk of tumbling headfirst down the stairs.

Meng Xiaobai listened to the man's scolding with an air of indifference, silently transferring all the curses intact to her superior in her mind. At 5:03, the scolding lasted a full eight minutes. Seeing that Meng Xiaobai remained silent and did not avoid the confrontation, the seasoned driver picked up his teacup and left with a flourish after venting his frustrations.

After this scare, he broke out in a sweat, but he felt much lighter. The gentle breeze felt extremely comfortable against his body. After riding for a while, Meng Xiaobai gradually calmed down. He was walking quite fast, and the old watchman had not noticed him. Surely, Section Chief Chang wouldn't know that he had seen him accepting bribes related to the library, would he?

Meng Xiaobai's somewhat dazed gaze was following the colorless tea leaves bobbing up and down in the plastic bottle. Upon hearing the loud shout, it quickly shifted to the crumpled note, and then, with a furrowed brow, he pointed to a small sign next to the large hand, which was neatly printed in bold black characters: "Comrades wishing to pay fines, please go to the savings office across the street. Thank you!"

In the past, when the city roads were dimly lit, Meng Xiaobai often complained about it, but tonight... What the hell, why is it so bright? Is there electricity with nowhere to use it?

Unfortunately, his future was ruined because of a counterfeit bill. Three years ago, a real estate development company that had an account with this bank frequently violated regulations by circulating large amounts of cash at both the corporate and personal windows due to its high cash usage. Being a major client of the bank, the institution had always turned a blind eye to these practices.

Meng Xiaobai's roommates have long learned to be wise. If someone has a good temper, they will send another person to persuade them gently. If someone is more difficult, each person will just mind their own business. Especially when it comes to paying fines, having suffered grievances from the police and not daring to retort, they will take any little dissatisfaction here as an excuse to vent their anger with incessant curses, and they have become accustomed to it.

The door was pushed open, and a burly man in his fifties rushed in. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt and was holding a large plastic bottle in his hand. He walked up to the window and with a thud, slammed the plastic bottle onto the counter. Then, he pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his back pocket and slapped it onto the counter, shouting loudly: "I am here to pay the fine!"

In response to the barrage of questions, Meng Xiaobai calmly replied: "Sir, first of all, we are not a state agency; only the People's Bank of China is a state agency. We are a business, just like a factory, and we need to make a profit in order to pay salaries. We cannot ignore the costs, can we?"

It is a pity that it is summer now; if it were winter, Section Chief Chang's ascent up the stairs would possess greater aesthetic appeal. The bored Xiao Meng had witnessed the Section Chief multiple times draped in a fur coat, walking to the stairway, his shoulders swaying alternately, the sound of his footsteps echoing with a thud. The luxurious mink fur gently brushed against the bends of his knees, swaying lightly from side to side. Xiao Meng felt that this scene resembled an ancient hero clad in a cloak, even though this hero had a face reminiscent of a monkey.

As he reached the stairway, Section Chief Chang stamped his feet and, shaking his shoulders, ascended the stairs with a series of "thud thud thud" sounds. Meng Xiaobai looked up at his exceptionally graceful ascent with admiration, feeling a deep sense of appreciation in her heart

Meng Xiaobai swiftly bundled the hundred-yuan bills with seals and stamped his personal mark, then sat idly by the window, staring blankly outside. His arms and legs felt somewhat sore, and he was extremely drowsy, likely suffering from heat-induced cold. The other boys in the room were all sensitive to heat but not to cold; the air conditioning was set too high, making the difference between stepping out of this room and experiencing winter and summer. Alas! It is difficult to avoid catching a cold.

However, after some thought, Xiao Meng felt relieved. The renovation of this staircase cost a total of 47,300 yuan, consisting of 29 steps, with the cost of each iron plate per step being 1,631.03 yuan. Such an expensive staircase is certainly meant to be stepped on by individuals of status to stand out as exceptional.

Meng Xiaobai was raised by his uncle and has faced disdain from his aunt and cousins since childhood. Ever since his uncle passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage two years ago, his aunt and cousins have driven him out. Alone, Meng Xiaobai was fortunate to have studied finance and received assistance from his uncle, which allowed him to secure a job at a bank, thus obtaining a stable career. As a result, he shares a rental with others and lives in a rather modest apartment.