Wei Ruolai
Family and Early Life
Ruolai grew up in Ji'an Jiangxi, an impoverished rural area in the mountains southwest of Shanghai. He was the younger of two brothers, and his father Wei Jien was a farmer. He was betrothed to Niu Chunmiao, a neighbour girl, when they were both children. According to Chunmiao, Ruolai was a timid and naive child, still wetting his bed at age seven and nearly carried off by kidnappers who tempted him with tanghulu. His childhood nickname was (puppy?). According to his brother he was a clever child, who excelled at school work. In the late 1920s he and his brother Wei Ruochuan travelled to Shanghai together in order to seek work, and for Ruolai to study. Their father remained behind in Jiangxi. Nothing is known of the boys' mother.
Career
Worked as a typesetter in Shanghai while studying accounting and finance at Lixin Accounting Institute, a night school.
Temped for "Hengmei Trading Firm" i.e. Qian Shaoling's axe gang, as an accountant.
After completing his accounting studies, in December 1930 Ruolai was employed at the Central Bank of China in Shanghai, as senior advisor Shen Tunan's personal assistant.
Resigned from the Central Bank (date?).
Travelled back to his home province of Jiangxi, and worked briefly in an accounting role for a local shopkeeper.
Started work for the Communist Jiangxi Soviet Bank, as Deputy manager.
Relationships
Father: Wei Jien
Elder Brother: Wei Ruochuan
Best Friend: Wen Youtian
Landlady in Qibao Street, Shanghai: Aunt Zhou
Employer and Shifu: Shen Tunan
Friend and comrade: Shen Jinzhen
Childhood betrothed: Niu Chunmiao (betrothal later cancelled amicably)
Superior at Jiangxi Soviet Communist Bank: Lei Ming