Chapter 116 "Teacher Shu, come back soon..."

Shu Ran told Sister Wang and Li Xiulan that she was going to the division headquarters soon.

Sister Wang was sewing shoe soles when she heard this. She rubbed the needle against her scalp and grinned, "Great news! Teacher Shu, you're getting a promotion! I knew it! Gold shines wherever it is! Our lousy company can't keep you here." Her words were filled with joy for her, but also with a hint of regret.

Li Xiulan smiled, but beneath the smile lay an unconcealed sense of melancholy: "Teacher Shu, you've gone to the division headquarters... will you come back?" She now shuttles between the literacy class and the tofu shop, and she seems much more energetic and speaks with more confidence. But Shu Ran is practically her closest sister on the frontier, and the thought of her leaving leaves her feeling empty.

Shu Ran put down the vegetable seeds she had been picking, without answering immediately. She looked out the window, her gaze distant. After a few seconds of silence, she turned back, her tone less light and more deliberate: "The training course will only last a month. After it ends... we can't say for sure what the organization will do."

She avoided giving a direct answer, but also offered no assurances.

"The division headquarters offers a larger platform and more opportunities..."

Sister Wang, being an experienced woman, immediately understood the meaning behind her words. Her smile faded slightly, but she still managed to maintain her composure: "I understand, I understand! Studying is all about aiming for a better future. It would be even better if you could stay at the division headquarters; that place is definitely better than this dirt clod of earth."

Shu Ran sensed the hint of disappointment in Li Xiulan's tone, and her heart ached a little. She reached out and patted Li Xiulan's hand, her voice softening, "Even if... even if I can't come back right away, my heart is here. Qiming Elementary School, the literacy class, and all of you, I can't let go of any of it. Besides..."

"I'm just going to learn some skills and see how things go. Maybe...maybe I'll learn better methods and be able to help our company in return? We have to keep moving forward and see what happens."

Sister Wang looked at her, sighed, and then seemed relieved: "You're so thoughtful. Wherever you are, just be well! If you need anything, send a message back!"

Li Xiulan nodded vigorously, her eyes a little red: "Teacher Shu, you can definitely do it! We're waiting for your news."

Sister Wang leaned closer and lowered her voice, "I heard that Special Envoy Chen's injuries have almost healed, and he's been packing up these past few days. It seems he'll be reporting back to the division's security department soon."

Shu Ran didn't reply, continuing to pick through the seeds, though her movements were a little slower. That day in the field, after she told Chen Yuanjiang about burning the transfer order, his suddenly brightened eyes and the almost undisguised smile that followed had lingered in her mind for days.

This person can be so straightforward that it's both funny and exasperating.

Just then, footsteps came from outside the door, sounding deliberately loud.

"Is Teacher Shu here?" It was Lin Xuezhou's voice.

"Yes, Ms. Lin, please come in," Shu Ran replied.

Lin Xuezhou pushed open the door and came in. He saw Sister Wang and Li Xiulan, nodded, and that was his way of greeting them.

"Teacher Shu, the notice from the division headquarters' training course says to report next Monday." He handed Shu Ran a document stamped with a red seal. "Director Sun specifically called the company headquarters to ask you to prepare in advance, as there may be new work arrangements after the training."

Shu Ran took it, glanced at it, and saw that the contents were the same as those Chen Yuanjiang had sent before. "Thank you, Teacher Lin."

Lin Xuezhou looked at her, adjusted his glasses, and said with his characteristic seriousness, "This is a great opportunity. The division headquarters has a larger platform and you can access more systematic educational theories and resources. I hope you can seize this opportunity, as it will greatly benefit your personal development and the future construction of the demonstration site."

His words were impeccable. Shu Ran nodded: "I will."

Lin Xuezhou seemed to want to say something, but after glancing at Sister Wang and Li Xiulan beside her, she swallowed her words and only said, "Then you go ahead and do your work. The company will arrange the specific schedule," before turning and leaving.

Sister Wang pursed her lips towards the direction of the curtain: "This Teacher Lin, she always talks like she's giving a report."

Li Xiulan whispered, "He seemed genuinely happy for Teacher Shu too."

"Who knows?" Sister Wang snorted. "They say nice things on the surface, but who knows what they're thinking. Teacher Shu, when you go to the division headquarters, you'd better be careful, don't let anyone take all the credit."

Shu Ran smiled but didn't speak. She could roughly guess Lin Xuezhou's thoughts. He longed to achieve something and prove himself, but at the same time, he carried a touch of intellectual arrogance and a subtle disdain for her old-fashioned methods.

This training course is an opportunity for her, but for Lin Xuezhou, it's probably also a pressure. Now that she's gone, the focus of the demonstration site's work will naturally fall on him; success or failure will be a test for him.

A few days later, the company headquarters issued a notice arranging for Shu Ran to ride in a logistics truck to the division headquarters to pick up supplies. On the evening before departure, Shu Ran was packing her simple luggage in the house when she heard familiar footsteps outside the door.

A knock came at the door.

"Please come in." Shu Ran didn't turn around and continued folding clothes.

Chen Yuanjiang pushed the door open and came in. He paused at the doorway for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Are you all packed?"

"Mmm," Shu Ran responded.

Chen Yuanjiang walked in, his gaze falling on Shu Ran's face before quickly shifting to her packed suitcase.

"Tomorrow, it's Lao Zhang's car." His voice was a little dry.

"I know." Shu Ran stuffed the last piece of clothing into the suitcase.

The two fell silent for a moment.

“A month…” Chen Yuanjiang suddenly spoke, “and it will pass quickly.”

"Hmm." Shu Ran looked at his awkward expression and found it a little funny. "It's just studying, it's not like you're not coming back."

“I know.” Chen Yuanjiang seemed to have made a great decision. He turned his head and looked at her with a deep gaze. “The division headquarters is more complicated than the company headquarters. Think things through more carefully and don’t rush to take the lead. If you encounter difficulties…” He paused, as if choosing his words carefully, “…find Director Sun, or have someone send me a message.”

Shu Ran nodded: "Don't worry, I can handle it." She paused, then deliberately asked, "Send you a message? To where? The security department?"

Chen Yuanjiang was taken aback by her question, his ears turning slightly red, and he mumbled, "Mm."

Seeing him like this, Shu Ran suddenly remembered his words, "I can't bear to part with you," when he was unconscious at the foot of the old ice cliff. He was a completely different person now than he was then.

"Chen Yuanjiang," she called his name.

"Um?"

"I'm leaving now. Please keep an eye on things at school for Teacher Lin. Especially in the pastoral area, the children travel back and forth, so safety is the most important thing."

"Okay," he agreed readily.

"And what about Sister Wang and the others? If they have any heavy work to do..."

"I know."

Shu Ran looked at him and smiled: "It's nothing, just some instructions."

Chen Yuanjiang looked at the smile on her face, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he seemed to want to say something, but in the end he just nodded: "Tomorrow, I'll see you off."

The next morning, the sky was overcast and the temperature was still low. The familiar, dilapidated Jiefang truck was parked at the entrance of the department, its cargo bed already half-loaded with supplies to be transported to the division headquarters, mostly agricultural and sideline products.

Sister Wang, Li Xiulan, Xu Junjun, and a group of children including Shitou, Shuanzhu, and Ayiman all came, chattering away as they said goodbye.

"Teacher Shu, come back soon!"

"Teacher Shu, bring us some candy from the division headquarters!"

"Teacher Shu, don't forget us!"

Shu Ran responded to each of them, put the two still-warm boiled eggs that Sister Wang had given her into her pocket, and then touched Ayman's little braids.

Lin Xuezhou also arrived, standing a little distance away. After the children had finished speaking, he stepped forward and extended his hand: "Teacher Shu, have a safe journey. I hope you achieve good results in the training class. I will do my best at the demonstration site."

Shu Ran shook hands with him, "Thank you, Teacher Lin, you've worked hard."

Chen Yuanjiang stood beside the truck's cab, whispering something to the driver, Lao Zhang. He was wearing a military uniform, his posture ramrod straight, his face expressionless, but his gaze occasionally swept over Shu Ran in the center of the crowd.

"Alright, alright, stop crowding around. Let Teacher Shu get in the car; it's a long way," Sister Wang said.

Shu Ran glanced at everyone again, took a deep breath, grabbed the side panel of the carriage, and prepared to climb up.

"Sit in the driver's seat," Chen Yuanjiang's voice rang out from the side. He had walked over at some point and reached out to take the camphor wood box from her hand. "The road is bad, and the carriage is too bumpy."

Driver Zhang also leaned out of the driver's seat, smiling broadly: "Yes, yes, Teacher Shu, sit inside, it's warm!"

Shu Ran glanced at Chen Yuanjiang, but he didn't look at her. He had already put her suitcase in the driver's seat. She didn't refuse and opened the door to get in. The driver's seat was filled with the mixed smell of tobacco and engine oil. It was cramped, but much more comfortable than the passenger compartment.

Chen Yuanjiang closed the door for her, glanced at her through the dusty glass window, his lips moved but no sound came out, but Shu Ran understood, it was the three words "report that you are safe".

He took a step back, the truck engine roared, and then it drove away.

Shu Ran watched through the car window as the people seeing her off gradually shrank in her field of vision. Sister Wang was still waving, and the children chased after the truck for a few steps. Chen Yuanjiang stood still until he turned past the mud-brick houses of the company headquarters and could no longer be seen.

The road was indeed as bumpy as expected. The truck swayed and rattled along the uneven dirt road, kicking up yellow dust.

Old Zhang was a talkative man. While skillfully steering the wheel to avoid the pothole, he chatted with Shu Ran.

"Teacher Shu, you're going to the division headquarters for training this time, right? That's great!" Old Zhang shouted, his voice rising above the engine noise. "Special Envoy Chen came to see me a few days ago and told me to drive carefully on this trip. Hehe, he rarely asks for such trivial matters."

Shu Ran gripped the side window handle to steady herself, and smiled when she heard this: "Master Zhang, thank you for your trouble."

"No trouble at all!" Old Zhang laughed heartily. "Special Envoy Chen may seem cold, but he's warm-hearted. He's a former reconnaissance soldier who used to work on the border, which was really tough. This road is actually quite good!"

"He used to spend most of his time on the border?" Shu Ran asked, following up on the conversation.

"That's right! The higher-ups originally wanted to keep him in the headquarters, but he asked to go to the grassroots level. He just loves going to the toughest and most dangerous places. Everyone says he's foolish, giving up a comfortable life." Old Zhang shook his head, his tone filled with admiration. "But, it's precisely because he's running around on the ground that he's been able to get a clear picture of many things. Wasn't it him who led the men to subdue that group of enemy agents last time?"

Shu Ran listened quietly, nodding occasionally.

The truck had been bumping along for almost a day, stopping briefly at a military post to rest and eat some simple rations. As darkness fell, the outline of the town where the division headquarters was located finally appeared in the distance.

The truck stopped in front of the division headquarters guesthouse. Shu Ran felt as if her bones were about to be shaken apart, and her legs were numb.

She got off the bus with her suitcase, thanked Old Zhang, and had just stood still when she heard a familiar voice with a smile: "Shu Ran! Over here!"

Shu Ran looked up and saw Yang Zhenhua walking briskly out of the guesthouse. He was dressed in neat cadre attire and had a warm smile on his face.

"Officer Yang?" Shu Ran was somewhat surprised.

"Director Sun estimated you'd arrive around this time, so I came to check on you." Yang Zhenhua naturally reached out to take her suitcase. "You must have had a long journey. Traveling by truck must have been quite an ordeal."

Shu Ran paused slightly, but still handed the box to him: "It's alright. Thank you, Officer Yang."

"Don't be so polite with me." Yang Zhenhua led Shu Ran into the guesthouse. "Your room has been arranged. Take a rest first. The training course doesn't start until tomorrow. You can familiarize yourself with the environment today."

The guesthouse was much better than the company's. There were clean beds, individual tables and chairs, and even a radio.

Yang Zhenhua helped her put her suitcase away and said, "You pack first, I'll take you to the canteen for a meal later. The food at the division canteen is pretty good."

"Officer Yang, you've gone to so much trouble." Shu Ran thanked him again.

“No trouble at all.” Yang Zhenhua looked at her with gentle eyes. “I’m really glad you came to the division headquarters to study. There’s a wider world here, and you can play a greater role.”

He said with a touch of emotion, "To be honest, when I first heard that you chose to stay in the livestock company, I felt it was a bit of a pity. But now it seems that gold always shines, and this experience at the grassroots level has actually been a good thing for you."

He spoke earnestly, with a hint of appreciation. Shu Ran smiled and said, "I've learned a lot in the company."

“Yes, practice makes perfect.” Yang Zhenhua nodded. “Director Sun values ​​your experience very much. This training course is also an opportunity to let everyone see how we grassroots educators get things done.”

After exchanging a few more words, Yang Zhenhua left first, promising to pick her up again at dinner time.

Shu Ran closed the door and let out a soft sigh. Everything in the division headquarters exuded an atmosphere that was both more standardized and more complex.

Yang Zhenhua's friendliness, Director Sun's expectations, and the new work arrangement that was not yet fully clear all led her toward an unknown direction.

She walked to the window, looking at the deepening night and the scattered lights that appeared outside. There was no wild wind like in the pastoral area, no noisy children, and no one as taciturn as he always appeared at crucial moments.

She took out the army green water bottle from her shoulder bag, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. The water was cold and had a slightly rusty taste, but it inexplicably calmed her down.

She looked out the window. Could this be her new beginning?