Chapter 105 "Having...improper sexual relations..."

The room in the division headquarters guesthouse was dimly lit. Shu Ran sat at a small table by the window, with a well-organized report outline and a thick stack of handwritten materials spread out in front of her.

The poplar trees outside the window rustled in the autumn wind, and occasionally the horns of distant trucks could be heard. Chen Yuanjiang's water bottle sat on the corner of the table.

Shu Ran's pen tip lightly touched the paper, but she didn't write anything new.

Chen Yuanjiang's arrival stirred ripples in her heart. His barely audible "hmm," his deliberate act of shielding her from the wind, his stiff companionship and admonitions, and the unfathomable glance from Deputy Political Commissar Lin... these details replayed repeatedly in her mind.

She was not an naive young girl; her 21st-century soul made her perceptions even more acute.

She knew very well that in this era that emphasizes collectivism and obedience, simply showcasing achievements and recounting hardships was far from enough. What leaders needed to see was "obedience to arrangements," a "big picture perspective," and even some tacit understandings.

Lin Xuezhou's arrival, and the possible driving forces behind him, are a kind of tacit understanding.

Direct confrontation? That would be the most foolish thing to do. Not only would it offend Deputy Political Commissar Lin, but it would also likely accuse her of being arrogant, complacent, and disregarding the overall situation.

So, how do we break this deadlock?

"Troublesome..." Shu Ran put down her pen, rubbed her temples, and muttered to herself. In this era of class background and social standing, personal feelings must give way to the realities of survival. Moreover, Chen Yuanjiang's identity is special, his background is shrouded in mystery, and he seems to have a past relationship with Deputy Political Commissar Lin. Whether getting too involved with him will bring fortune or misfortune is hard to predict.

But deep down, there was an indescribable flutter in her heart. In this strange, unfamiliar world, there was someone who, upon hearing that another man had invited her to a movie, would quietly travel from her remote company to the division headquarters, using his awkward way to assert his presence and offer support. This feeling wasn't bad.

However, now is not the time to indulge in personal feelings. The information revealed by Yang Zhenhua hangs like a sword over their heads. Deputy Political Commissar Lin intends to let Lin Xuezhou lead the demonstration site, which means that the situation she has worked so hard to create may be used for someone else's benefit. Director Sun's attitude is ambiguous, showing both appreciation and possibly based on more complex considerations.

She must seize the opportunity to report the day after tomorrow.

Shu Ran leaned back, her gaze fixed on the night outside the window. She came from the 21st century and had witnessed far more complex workplace power struggles and battles for influence. That era taught her that sometimes, retreating to advance, tying one's own value to higher-level interests, was a more sophisticated strategy.

She couldn't just talk about what she had done; she needed to make the leaders realize how important her work, and the things that only she could do well, were to the reputation that the division and even the corps wanted to establish.

Her thinking gradually became clear. The core of the report should not merely be showcasing achievements, but also emphasizing her irreplaceable role as the founder and core practitioner. She wanted all attendees, especially the potentially higher-level leaders, to understand that the soul of Qiming Primary School and the literacy campaign lay in her practical wisdom shared with the grassroots and her ability to overcome challenges under extremely difficult conditions.

She picked up her pen again and quickly wrote down a few keywords in the blank space of the outline: replicability, sustainability, mass base, and potential risks.

She wants to mold herself into a symbol—the most representative, down-to-earth, and practically effective benchmark in the exploration of grassroots education in the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

She wrote the last point with extreme caution. It couldn't be a threat; it had to be a responsible concern.

She knew that Director Sun was a pragmatist who valued practical results. Although Deputy Political Commissar Lin might want to promote his nephew, as a senior leader, he cared more about political correctness and work performance; a failed demonstration project would do him no good.

What she needed to do was to subtly link the name "Shu Ran" with the goal of "the successful demonstration site" in her reports. She wanted the leaders to believe that maintaining the status quo and letting her continue to lead was the option with the least risk and the greatest benefit in ensuring the success of the demonstration site.

It shouldn't be written in a begging tone; it should demonstrate value.

With her thoughts clear, Shu Ran felt much of her mental block dissipate. She began to readjust the structure and wording of her report, repackaging the concepts of "core competitiveness" and "irreplaceability" from modern management thinking in language acceptable to this era.

It wasn't until late at night, when the faint snoring from the next room could be heard, that Shu Ran put down her pen and let out a long sigh of relief.

The report outline has been revised to be very detailed, highlighting key points and presenting a clear logic. It not only fully demonstrates the achievements but also subtly hints at the crucial aspects.

She stood up, stretched her stiff neck, and walked to the window. The chill of late autumn seeped in through the cracks in the window, making her shiver. She picked up Chen Yuanjiang's kettle, unscrewed it, and took a sip of the now-cold water.

"Do your best and leave the rest to fate," she told herself. But there was no trace of resignation in her eyes. She had fought for herself, she had tried her best, and no matter the outcome, at least she had a clear conscience.

The next day, Shu Ran barely left her house, devoting herself entirely to polishing and rehearsing her report. She declined all unnecessary interruptions, even asking the female staff member across the street to bring her lunch from the cafeteria.

In the afternoon, there was a knock on the door. Shu Ran thought it was the female cadre and said "Come in" without looking up.

The footsteps approached, carrying a familiar, steady sound. Shu Ran looked up, slightly startled.

It was Chen Yuanjiang. He had changed into a clean military uniform and was carrying a net bag containing two apples and a few books.

"Officer Chen?" Shu Ran put down her pen, somewhat surprised. "How come you..."

"On the way." Chen Yuanjiang placed the net bag on the corner of the table, his gaze sweeping over her desk covered with manuscript papers. "I see you didn't go to the cafeteria."

His explanation remained concise, but Shu Ran noticed that he didn't say "on the way to the meeting," but rather "on the way since you didn't go to the cafeteria."

"Preparing for tomorrow's report," Shu Ran said, pointing to the papers on the table. "Time is a bit tight."

Chen Yuanjiang hummed in agreement, his gaze falling on the papers covered with writing. He didn't ask for details, but simply said, "Work-life balance."

Then he picked up the books and handed them over: "See if they're of any use."

Shu Ran took them and saw that they were several old books on education, psychology and social surveys in the border areas. The pages were yellowed, but they were still in good condition.

"This..." Shu Ran looked at him in surprise, "Where did you find this?"

"The division library has some old books that cannot be borrowed according to regulations. I've spoken to the librarian, so you can look at them here."

As Shu Ran flipped through the pages of the book, she discovered that in one of the books, "A Preliminary Exploration of Education in Border Areas," there were extremely fine pencil marks next to certain paragraphs, and the key points highlighted coincided with some of the directions she was thinking about.

She looked up at Chen Yuanjiang, who was looking out the window.

She knew in her heart that he must have spent a lot of time and effort on it.

"Thank you," Shu Ran said sincerely, her fingers tracing the pages of the book. "Very useful."

Chen Yuanjiang turned back, his gaze meeting hers for a fleeting moment before quickly shifting to the net bag: "I bought the apples. I heard... they're a vitamin supplement."

Shu Ran looked at the two bright red apples, a rare sight in Xinjiang at this time of year. She picked one up; the apple emitted a fresh, fruity aroma.

A brief silence fell over the room. Shu Ran stroked the smooth skin of the apple, weighing her options. His concern was so obvious; pretending not to understand would be pretentious. Some things had to be said, for his sake and for her own.

She put down the apple, looked up, and stared directly at Chen Yuanjiang. Her tone became serious: "Chen Yuanjiang," she called him by his full name again, "aren't you afraid of what people will say about you? Aren't you afraid... it will affect your future?"

She wanted to know how much risk he was willing to take for this unspoken affection in this era of clear boundaries.

Chen Yuanjiang's body seemed to stiffen for a moment, but he did not avoid her gaze, only silently looking at her.

Shu Ran continued, speaking clearly and logically, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages: "Right now, there's all sorts of talk in the division headquarters about the demonstration site, about Teacher Lin, and about me. Everyone's watching closely. You're a cadre from the division's security department, yet you keep running to me, a female educated youth with a bad class background, every few days, and you're so... concerned."

She observed his reaction, and seeing that he remained silent, she broke the ice: "Aren't you afraid that someone will make baseless accusations and say that you have an unstable stance and can't draw a clear line between yourself and the capitalist's daughter? That you are using your position to engage in... improper relationships?"

She spoke the last few words softly and slowly, but the question she posed was sharp. In an era where conduct issues can ruin a person's future, this is by no means an exaggeration.

“Deputy Political Commissar Lin saw you yesterday too,” Shu Ran added. “He and you have a past relationship, but the more that’s the case, the more people will likely be watching you. Your future is bright; is it worth it for such a small matter?”

After she finished speaking, she looked at him quietly, waiting for his reply.

Chen Yuanjiang frowned for a moment, then relaxed, his eyes darkening.

He remained silent, and time seemed to stretch out. Shu Ran could see his Adam's apple bob slightly.

The air in the room seemed to freeze, and the faint sound of slogans could be heard outside the window.

After a long time, so long that Shu Ran thought he wouldn't answer and was about to change the subject with a joke, he finally spoke.

"When I do things, I only consider whether it's right or wrong, regardless of what others say."

"Should" and "should not" are his simplest and most fundamental principles.

“Whether it’s Deputy Political Commissar Lin or the old leaders,” he continued, his tone neither fawning nor fearful, “I respect them, but I will walk my own path.”

Finally, he concluded: "I will earn my own future. I won't rely on guessing what my superiors want or avoiding suspicion. If I can't even stick to what I believe is right for the right people and the right things, then I might as well not have this future."

Looking at his tightly pursed lips, Shu Ran felt as if something had struck her heart heavily.

In this day and age, it is so precious to meet such a stubborn yet sincere person.

She suddenly felt that all her previous calculations about pros and cons seemed rather narrow-minded in the face of his straightforward and frank words.

"I understand." Shu Ran picked up an apple and handed it to him. "Want to eat together?"

Chen Yuanjiang looked at the apple handed to him, then at Shu Ran's smiling eyes, hesitated for a moment, and then reached out to take it.

He held the apple, but didn't eat it; he just held it in his hand.

"Regarding tomorrow's report," he changed the subject, casually placing the apple he was holding on the table, "Deputy Political Commissar Lin might be present."

Shu Ran understood immediately and nodded, "I understand."

"Get ready." Chen Yuanjiang looked at her, his eyes full of encouragement. "You can do it."

Having said that, he seemed to have completed all his tasks for the trip and did not linger.

"I'm leaving." He turned and walked towards the door.

"Chen Yuanjiang." Shu Ran called out to him from behind.

He stopped at the doorway without turning around.

"Thank you," Shu Ran said gently, "the book, the apple... and your words."

Chen Yuanjiang paused for a moment, then opened the door and walked out without responding.

The door closed gently.

Shu Ran looked at the books and two apples on the table, picked up the apple that Chen Yuanjiang had held, took a bite, and found that the flesh was sweet and crisp with a hint of sourness in the juice.