Chapter 62: Someone Always Leads the Times

The moment the door opened, a brief, sharp chime sounded inside the room—neither harsh nor long, lasting only a second or two.

This chime serves to alert those inside that someone is entering, providing a short buffer to avoid awkward moments.

George stood up. Beside him were three young men who, following George’s lead, greeted Lynch as he entered.

Lynch walked over calmly and shook George’s hand. George was somewhat reserved. After exchanging a few polite words, he introduced the three young men behind him.

“These are outstanding client managers from Golden Exchange Bank…” Ignoring their names, Lynch already understood George’s meaning.

He would not keep this deal for himself, nor would he personally get involved. Lynch would negotiate loan intentions with these three client managers, and the pledged assets Lynch held would become their performance metrics.

For George, it didn’t matter who signed Lynch’s business. At his level, individual achievements no longer mattered. Even if he didn’t close a single deal all year, no one would consider him useless.

As Credit Department manager, his performance was measured by the department’s collective results. If he didn’t personally sign these deals, why not distribute them to build goodwill?

Where there are people, there is competition. Where there is competition, factions form. These three young men were George’s staunch supporters—young with potential. Securing these deals would elevate their status.

George himself, as manager, would also benefit. Why not be a generous boss?

Moreover, this was a safeguard. If anything went wrong on Lynch’s side that threatened the bank’s interests, George could immediately distance himself. He only facilitated introductions and confirmed loan review processes; any wrongdoing would not implicate him.

If cooperation succeeded, he’d gain credit for overseeing these multi-million loan deals, boosting his reputation within the branch and headquarters.

The bank’s senior management, especially the Credit Department, always prioritized risk assessment and prevention above profits. They could afford low earnings but not large losses.

Led by George, the conversation began with small talk, quickly evolving into a discussion of recent federal economic trends.

The economy seemed to be loosening suddenly, with minor problems across industries. Loan issuance by the six major banks in the first half of the year compared to previous years showed a subtle societal shift.

George ceded control of the discussion to the younger men, observing Lynch closely.

A copy of the new contract from Gatner Financial Company had reached the branch. Their legal advisors believed the contract’s additional clauses carried great significance and planned to launch their own new contract between Q2 and Q3 next year.

The delay was partly to exhaust current contracts and save printing costs, and partly to investigate any conflicts with state laws.

George took credit for this progress. He didn’t believe these contract innovations came from uneducated financial company owners or their lawyers—otherwise, they would have appeared sooner. It was clearly linked to Lynch.

George watched Lynch’s confident demeanor and sharp insight on future financial trends with growing respect.

“The market’s persistent weakness may cause overcapacity. If the federal government fails to address this, capitalists will start layoffs. Mass unemployment could trigger intensified social conflicts and upheaval.” Lynch’s confident discourse silenced the other young men, some of his points quite unsettling.

Economists usually spoke of growth rebounds after peaks, with optimism prevailing despite uncertain timelines.

Lynch’s contrarian view caught attention immediately. As one young man respectfully addressed him as Mr. Lynch, George stood up.

All eyes turned to him. He smiled apologetically. “I need to take a call…” His eyes revealed something unspoken.

Eyes are a unique medium—sometimes called windows to the soul. Though many doubt eyes can communicate meaning, there are moments when a glance conveys messages like Don’t or Understand.

Lynch nodded and said, “Go ahead.” After George left the room, the young men ceased their questions and began the real business.

This meeting was mainly a deep preliminary discussion. The contract wouldn’t be signed here; if it were, Lynch would face no problems, but these three young men might lose their jobs or even face prison.

They reviewed materials Lynch brought. With George’s backing—if he didn’t support the deal, they wouldn’t have met—things were set; only details remained.

About forty minutes later, George returned, apologizing with a slight smile. “I have an important call and must join a teleconference. I can’t stay… It’s almost noon. You can have lunch here or wherever you prefer. Just be at the bank by 2 PM. Understand?”

At this point, the deal was nearly certain. After signing the agreement in the afternoon and completing bank approval, the funds would transfer to Dyson Asset Management’s corporate account.

But the business wouldn’t stop there. George knew that once Lynch secured more capital, Gatner would gain more mortgage agreements—a rolling snowball bringing huge profits and prestige.

On the way back, George saw the worried faces of passersby and recalled Lynch’s earlier, somewhat alarming remarks.

He also remembered the bank’s recent internal report on establishing a personal credit system and the directive to lower deposit interest rates…

The wind no longer carried a sweet fragrance but the scent that comes just before a storm.