Chapter 34

“You say?”

“Have you heard of employee fidelity insurance?” Fang Qingye asked in return.

“I’ve seen this term online,” Xia He replied.

“It’s an insurance product implemented in some places: if an employee engages in disloyal conduct during employment—such as favoritism, fraud, or other actions causing economic loss to the company—the insurance company assumes liability for compensation...”

Here, Xia He suddenly understood: “You mean our branch is also offering employee fidelity insurance?!”

“Exactly. We insure staff in key positions prone to problems. If they commit economic offenses—like embezzlement, corruption, misappropriation, illegal diversion, or forgery—the insurance company covers the compensation.”

“The advantage is damage control. It prevents situations like the Pingdong branch incident, where so many people got dragged down. It’s protection for both the unit and you, Senior Sister.” Fang Qingye smiled.

“That’s fantastic! Xiao Fang, how did you come up with such a brilliant idea so quickly?!” Xia He was excited.

Fang Qingye smiled faintly but said nothing.

“Following your logic, I think this insurance shouldn’t target individuals but specific positions!” Xia He calmed down, thinking aloud.

“If someone in that position is transferred and a new employee takes over, the fidelity insurance automatically applies to the new person—no need to amend the contract or notify the employee... Better yet, let them never know about the insurance. Otherwise, it’ll seem like I don’t trust them.”

Fang Qingye nodded.

Xia He was still sharp—she grasped it instantly.

“Then it’s settled! I’ll call an expanded branch manager meeting this afternoon to discuss it. Once approved, we’ll contact the insurance company immediately!” Xia He said, then added to Fang Qingye:

“I’ve signed off on this document. Please deliver it to Director Su right away for circulation.”

“Wait... don’t rush,” Fang Qingye spoke up.

“What? Did I say something wrong?” Xia He looked at him, puzzled.

“You’re absolutely right. I just have a small personal request.”

“You say?”

“Senior Sister, Director Wu just assigned me to draft all office documents. The workload is too heavy. I’ve only been here a year—I’m still new, and I don’t understand half of it. I can’t handle it.” Fang Qingye complained.

You’re new, sure, but you claim you don’t understand much?

I think you understand more than anyone else!

Xia He found it amusing—this guy was trying to slough off work.

But then again... she couldn’t trap him in piles of tedious paperwork. That would be a waste of his talent. He had a bigger role to play.

Thinking this, Xia He feigned contemplation before saying: “Alright, I’ll tell Director Wu that routine summaries—year-end reports, semi-annual reports—will go to Mu Youzhi. Official document drafting too. You, on the other hand, focus on economic analyses.”

“But I need you to write the materials I require—especially important reports submitted to higher-ups. I trust your ability,” Xia He emphasized at last.

“Senior Sister, you’re making me your secretary,” Fang Qingye chuckled.

“Yes! Our branch doesn’t have a dedicated secretary position for the branch manager—or else I’d have assigned it to you immediately! And Xiao Fang, help me brainstorm ideas, just like today,” Xia He smiled brightly.

“Oh come on... Senior Sister, I’m not just your secretary—I’m also your chief strategist. Should I take on a full-time driver role too?” Fang Qingye joked.

“Mm-hmm... you’re thinking ahead too well!” Xia He stifled her laugh.

Of course, it was just a joke.

Fang Qingye took the documents to Su Ming’s office. He had little to say to him, dropped off the papers, then returned to the second floor to leisurely read through the dull files.

Xia He acted swiftly. That afternoon, the branch manager, deputy manager, and heads of the Credit Department, Finance Department, and General Office agreed to purchase employee fidelity insurance for 68 positions: tellers, client managers, financial advisors, accountants, cashiers, and clerks—including the branch headquarters, its business hall, and three savings offices.

Xia He told Fang Qingye about it that evening via QQ.

“None of the major insurance companies in Nanzheng County offer this service. I contacted insurers in Jinghai City and found out Pacific Insurance recently started this product. Tomorrow I’ll send someone to the city to arrange it—we’ll insure each person for one million.”

One million?

Xia He had real guts.

Fang Qingye had originally estimated five hundred thousand per person. Higher coverage meant higher premiums. Insuring 68 people meant a substantial annual expense.

Lying in bed, Fang Qingye typed with both thumbs: “Was the meeting smooth?”

Xia He replied quickly.

“Fine. Most agreed with me. Of course, people have different opinions—but they don’t affect the outcome.”

“Was it Director Yu from Finance who disagreed?” Fang Qingye typed back.

“Hah, you’re spot-on. Did you read the meeting minutes?”

Meeting minutes recorded every participant’s exact statements!

For major decisions, after the minutes were finalized, everyone signed them to confirm their own recorded remarks.

In any unit, casually reading important meeting minutes was a serious taboo.

But wasn’t it obvious?

Five people attended the meeting. Su Ming had just been promoted to deputy manager—he wouldn’t oppose Xia He, especially since this insurance protected him too.

Zhang Qunying from Credit was Xia He’s own protégé; he wouldn’t oppose her. Wu Shengli from General Office was a sly old fox—he’d stayed neutral during Xia He’s power struggle with Zhao Wenjun, and he wouldn’t stir trouble now.

Only Director Yu from Finance, a senior employee with close ties to Zhao Wenjun, could possibly oppose it.

Of course, Fang Qingye wouldn’t say any of this outright.

No need to.

He immediately typed:

“Senior Sister, I’m innocent! I strictly follow the branch’s confidentiality rules: I never read what I shouldn’t, never ask what I shouldn’t, never say what I shouldn’t.”

“Alright, alright, even if you did read them, I wouldn’t blame you. After all, you’re my secretary—secretaries naturally know more. I’ll share important meeting content with you from now on. Help me analyze it. You’re my strategist, after all...”

Seeing this message, Fang Qingye was speechless.

Now she’s clinging to me?

Nanzheng Branch quickly arranged employee fidelity insurance with Pacific Insurance in the city. Xia He even made a special trip to the city branch to report the matter to top leadership.

Some city leaders supported it; others opposed it, calling it unnecessary—a waste of funds, since such incidents didn’t happen every year.

Especially Liu Baosheng, in charge of discipline, argued that focus should be on bank leaders at all levels. According to years of case statistics, leaders—especially branch managers and deputy managers—were the most frequent perpetrators of economic crimes.

But soon, a sudden incident at Nanzheng Branch shattered his assumptions.