It was almost dawn, and the windows on the 40th floor of the Bomanjia Apartment were still lit. After Xiang Mingzhang came back, he went straight to the study, turned on the computer, and looked at the information while checking it.
The Fuhua Bank was founded in 1915 when Shen Zuorun was only 20 years old. His ancestral home was Ningbo, Zhejiang.
Xiang Mingzhang looked up and found out that in the late Qing Dynasty, trade at Ningbo Port was developed, and a large number of money houses were opened locally to facilitate the transaction and circulation of funds.
The money houses are basically run by families. These wealthy and powerful businessmen have accumulated a lot of wealth and formed the powerful "Ningbo Business Group".
Later, foreign powers invaded and foreign capital poured into the country. In order to compete with them and adapt to the trend of modernization, the Ningbo business community began to establish Chinese-owned banks.
Ningbo Capital once accounted for three-quarters of the banks in this city.
Shen Zuorun is a member of the Ningbo business community. He moved here with his family when he was 20 years old and founded Fuhua Bank. It can be seen that the Shen family has strong capital and this man is extraordinary.
In addition to being the president of Fuhua Bank, Shen Zuorun also held an important position in the Municipal Bank Union in 1935.
By 1941, Shen Zuorun officially resigned as president of Fuhua Bank to focus on his trade union duties.
Unfortunately, however, such an outstanding banker died before he was fifty years old.
In the second year after Shen Zuorun's death, Fuhua Bank was officially closed.
Xiang Mingzhang was not surprised. In times of war, nothing can last forever. The country is still in turmoil, and the hardships of a bank standing for thirty years cannot be explained by a few pieces of information.
Xiang Mingzhang was filled with inner emotion, and he held the pen and unconsciously wrote the number "thirty" on the paper.
He suddenly noticed a problem.
Fuhua Bank existed for thirty years and closed in 1945, but Shen Zuorun ceased to serve as its president in 1941.
Who was the bank president during those last four years
Xiang Mingzhang read the information again and found that there was indeed no relevant content. He searched the Internet but could not find any more information.
Those four years were during the turbulent times, the most tense political situation and war situation. It was not easy to do business, and it was impossible for a bank to be without the top officials who held the power.
Even if the data is incomplete and we can't piece together the details, there should at least be some fragments of information, right
Even if it's just a name.
But Xiang Mingzhang could not find any trace. It was too late, but he could not wait any longer and rudely called the old professor.
After asking, the old professor replied with four words: no evidence.
Xiang Mingzhang didn't understand: "This person's identity is insignificant?"
The old professor's guess was exactly the opposite. He said: "This person is very important and special. The information about his existence must have been deliberately erased."
Xiang Mingzhang asked: "Why?"
The old professor answered cryptically: "During that period, this person may have participated in secret activities. Erasing the information is a way for the organization to protect him."
After hanging up the phone, Xiang Mingzhang was stunned for a moment. As a modern man, he could not imagine many things that actually happened in that era.
This unknown person, no matter how much hardship, glory, sorrow or even life and death he has experienced, is just an untraceable blank in today's time and space.
Xiang Mingzhang was a little frustrated. He had dealt with many difficult problems and solved countless troubles, but this was the first time he felt so helpless.
At today's meeting, Chu Shichen said, "Those involved are often confused."
Xiang Mingzhang jumped out of the current thinking circle and looked at this information from a farther distance. Fuhua Bank, Shen Zuorun, Ningbo Shen Family…
His original intention of the investigation was because of Chu Shichen, but what does all the above have to do with Chu Shichen
How much does Chu Shichen know about Fuhua Bank, and where does his knowledge about the banking industry come from
Xiang Mingzhang couldn't find any connection between the two. After thinking about it, a ridiculous idea flashed through his mind: Could the Chu family and the Shen family be relatives
This document mainly records the changes in the old site, and does not contain much information about Shen Zuorun's family affairs. It is not certain whether the Shen family still has descendants.
Xiang Mingzhang sat in the study room for half the night, too lazy to even go back to the bedroom. He moved to the sofa and took a nap before dawn.
At daybreak, Chu Shichen went out to the company, three hours earlier than the normal working hours.
The project is in progress and every minute and every second is urgent. Chu Shichen needs to compile the bank's data analysis report as soon as possible.
He divided the business team into two parts, one part followed him to do the organization, and the other part was responsible for communicating with the bank. With this two-pronged approach, the plan went smoothly as expected.
Chu Shichen was busier than ever, working almost non-stop. He had to analyze the data himself and teach everyone professional rhetoric targeting the bank's interests. Several banks paid more attention to the project and had people come to discuss the matter in detail, so he had to entertain them one by one.
However, Chu Shichen was willing to do so. In this new era, he was able to use his strengths in the field he was most familiar with. In addition to satisfaction, he also felt a great sense of security.
The only trouble was that people kept asking him, "Secretary Chu, how do you know all this?"
Chu Shichen treated others with respect and was unwilling to evade questions, but every time he was asked he either changed the subject or smiled and passed it off as a vague answer, there was no other way.
He knew that he had exposed himself too much and that he was taking risks with this project.
Even ordinary colleagues were surprised, and since Chu Shihui was also in the company, it was hard to guarantee that she would not be suspicious.
Another war-like day ended. As night fell, the lights in the office buildings went out one by one, and the departments were empty.
The secretariat was always lit, and Chu Shichen stayed behind to write an analysis report. As soon as he finished, Peng Xin, who was on standby, could proceed to the next step.
He worked overtime without distraction, discussing the deep meaning, analyzing the superficial aspects, and revising and leaving blank spaces as appropriate. This coarse-grained report had to be carefully considered, so as to surprise Hu Xiushan but also make him dissatisfied.
At three o'clock in the middle of the night, Chu Shichen typed the last word and saved the file. His tense spirit of the past few days suddenly relaxed.
Chu Shichen let out a long sigh, then felt extremely tired and sank into his chair, not wanting to move at all.
Just when he was about to fall asleep with his head down, the door was pushed open and Xiang Mingzhang appeared from nowhere, holding an access card and a bowl of porridge.
Chu Shichen said in a daze: "Didn't you leave a long time ago?"
Xiang Mingzhang stayed in the computer room to work and left the lights in the president's office on. Chu Shichen would help him turn them off after work. If they were still on, it meant he had not left.
After returning from the R&D center, Xiang Mingzhang took a look downstairs, packed some snacks, and said, "You are in charge of business, and I am in charge of technology. I am also very busy."
Chu Shichen was too tired. His back was not straight. He rested his right elbow on the armrest of the chair, his palm resting on his cheek. He used his remaining strength to make a joke: "Mr. Xiang, this month's overtime pay..."
Xiang Mingzhang said in cooperation: "You won't lose anything. I'll double it. How about you come with me?"
Chu Shichen was overthinking and seemed a little slow: "Ah?"
Xiang Mingzhang asked: "Or do you plan to go home?"
I have to hand over to Peng Xin tomorrow morning, and it won’t be too much trouble to come back home. Chu Shichen said, “I’m not going back.”
Xiang Mingzhang walked over, pulled Chu Shichen out of his chair, and took him to the private lounge on the top floor.
The two came up for the first time since that drunken night.
The bed was tidy and the carpet was clean, but Chu Shichen recalled the morning when he woke up and saw mess everywhere. He didn't dare to look closely and just put on his clothes and ran away.
Xiang Mingzhang put down the porridge and said, "Are you hungry? Eat something."
Chu Shichen drank half a bowl of the most ordinary white rice porridge, which was hot. There was a disposable toothbrush in the bathroom, so he washed himself briefly, lay on the bed, and sat next to her properly.
Xiang Mingzhang came back from throwing away the garbage and saw Chu Shichen holding up his eyelids. He said with a smile, "Aren't you sleepy? Are you still reminiscing about the past?"
Chu Shichen asked: "Review of what?"
Xiang Mingzhang said: "Look back at how you turned your back on your words last time."
Chu Shichen thought to himself, he made him sound like a cold-hearted person: "So you brought me up here to bring up old scores?"
Xiang Mingzhang walked to the bed and sat down, resting one hand on Chu Shichen's side, and said, "You are not in good spirits right now, I am worried about letting you go home alone."
Chu Shichen blinked slowly: "What are you worried about?"
"I'm afraid you'll be kidnapped." Xiang Mingzhang said, "So why don't I just kidnap you right under my nose."
Chu Shichen was drowsy: "What about you?"
Xiang Mingzhang asked gracefully: "Secretary Chu, can I get on the bed?"
Originally, it was your Mr. Xiang's lounge. Chu Shichen knew this trick very well and deliberately refused to be fooled, saying, "No."
Xiang Mingzhang's true colors were revealed: "I bought the bed, so I have the final say."
Lifting the corner of the quilt, Xiang Mingzhang was lying next to Chu Shichen with his clothes on. The two tired bodies were pressed against each other. It was not very ambiguous, but only the warmth that lasted through the early winter remained.
Chu Shichen fell into a light sleep soon. Xiang Mingzhang stretched out his hand, which had calluses on his fingertips, and touched Chu Shichen's cheek with the back of his fingers.
With doubts in his mind still lingering, should he continue to delve deeper
Pocket watch, Fuhua Bank, what is the connection between them and this person
Xiang Mingzhang pondered, and Chu Shichen moved. He took his hand away as if he was guilty, and just as he put it back into the quilt, Chu Shichen unconsciously hooked his fingers.
Xiang Mingzhang felt soft-hearted and even wanted to just remain ignorant, pretending that he had never seen the CT film and that everything was just his imagination.
He always remembered Chu Shichen's denial in his sleep in the hotel in Beijing.
Xiang Mingzhang decided to take a gamble and try again. If Chu Shichen agreed, he would just think he was being suspicious.
Xiang Mingzhang called softly, "Chu Shichen."
The person on the pillow side did not respond.
For some unknown reason, Xiang Mingzhang said, "Do you know... Shen Zuorun?"
Suddenly, Chu Shichen let go of him and curled up in the quilt in fear.
Xiang Mingzhang was stunned for a moment, then raised his hands to hug Chu Shichen's back. After a while, the body in his arms was stable, and he lowered his head - Chu Shichen's eyes were wet, as if he was grieving in his sleep.
(End of this chapter)