Chapter 118 "That night at Old Ice Cliff, you..."

That day, Shu Ran was called to attend a symposium on the education work of the entire division, chaired by Deputy Political Commissar Lin.

In addition to relevant leaders from the division headquarters, attendees included cadres in charge of education from various regiments and a few representatives of students from the training classes. Shu Ran was also among those invited due to her outstanding performance in the group.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was serious. Deputy Political Commissar Lin sat in the main seat, speaking little, but every word he uttered was to the point. After listening to reports from several regiments, he turned his attention to the training group.

"I heard that you've formed a small group during this training course to summarize grassroots experiences? Who's in charge?"

Director Sun quickly gestured to Shu Ran: "Deputy Political Commissar Lin, this Comrade Shu Ran is in charge. She used to work in the animal husbandry company on literacy and basic education, and she's very capable. She's also done a very thorough job in summarizing this work."

All eyes were on Shu Ran.

Shu Ran stood up and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Reporting to Deputy Political Commissar Lin, Shu Ran, the temporary head of the grassroots experience summary group of the study class, is currently following Director Sun's instructions to sort out and refine the core methods and principles of literacy and basic education applicable to different environments throughout the division."

Deputy Political Commissar Lin sized her up a few times, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment, as if trying to discern something beneath her calm exterior.

"Oh? Core methods and principles? Tell me about them."

Shu Ran was well-prepared and succinctly explained the core principles formed in the group discussion. She also incorporated actual cases from the Livestock Company and the companies where Zhao Hongying and Wang Tiezhu were located. Her language was concise, her logic was clear, and her points were both insightful and practical.

After listening, Deputy Political Commissar Lin showed no expression on his face, simply nodding before asking, "I heard that your working methods in the livestock company are somewhat different from Comrade Lin Xuezhou's?"

This was a rather sensitive issue, and the meeting room fell silent. Everyone knew about the relationship between Lin Xuezhou and Deputy Political Commissar Lin, and had also vaguely heard about the "domestic vs. foreign" debate at Qiming Elementary School.

Shu Ran's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly calmed down. She couldn't belittle Lin Xuezhou, nor could she deny herself.

"Reporting to Deputy Political Commissar Lin, Comrade Lin Xuezhou has a profound theoretical foundation and is conscientious and responsible in his work. We only had some discussions on specific teaching methods. I believe that theoretical guidance and practical exploration complement each other. The systematic knowledge that Comrade Lin brought is very helpful in broadening the children's horizons and improving the standardization of teaching. And some methods that we have explored in practice may provide richer footnotes and tests for the theory. Our goal is the same, which is to do our best to teach the children well."

Her words affirmed Lin Xuezhou while also defending her own values, defining the differences as discussions and mutual support under the premise of shared goals, leaving no room for error.

Deputy Political Commissar Lin glanced at her, and after a long pause, slowly spoke: "We share the same goal, and we can discuss the methods. Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. It's very good that you can learn from each other and complement each other's strengths."

He didn't press further, but instead inquired about the work of another group.

Shu Ran secretly breathed a sigh of relief and sat down, her palms slightly sweaty. She knew that she had passed that hurdle. Deputy Political Commissar Lin's attitude seemed to lean towards a balance and a wait-and-see approach. As long as she and Lin Xuezhou could run the demonstration site well, he didn't want to get too involved in the debate over methods, and might even be happy to see it happen? This was a favorable signal for her.

After the meeting, Shu Ran followed the crowd out of the conference room. Yang Zhenhua and others waited at the door, giving her an approving look and whispering, "You handled it very well."

Shu Ran smiled but didn't speak. This subtle power struggle among high-level officials left her feeling somewhat weary.

When she returned to the guesthouse, she found something at the door—a small packet of dried apricots wrapped in oil paper, and a brand-new glass ink bottle next to it.

There was no note.

But Shu Ran knew who had put it there. Dried apricots were a specialty of the frontier, and the ink bottle was one of the things she needed most right now, because the group used up ink very quickly while organizing materials.

She picked up her things, stood up, and went inside. She picked up a dried apricot and put it in her mouth, the sweet and sour taste spreading on her tongue.

She walked to the window and looked at the division headquarters compound. The stagnation in her heart seemed to be dispelled by the smell of dried apricots.

She cannot let her guard down. She has only just begun to understand the complexities of the division headquarters and is far from being truly at ease.

She turned back to her desk and spread out the manuscript paper.

The work of the experience summary team is nearing completion, and a report that embodies everyone's hard work has finally been completed. As the main author and editor, Shu Ran devoted a great deal of energy to it, not only systematically outlining the methods but also adding numerous vivid examples and data comparisons, making the report comprehensive and persuasive.

After the report was submitted to Director Sun, it quickly received high praise. Director Sun specially called Shu Ran to his office, his face beaming with undisguised joy.

"Xiao Shu, well done! This report is of very high quality, even better than I expected! I've already had it printed out quickly and will distribute it to all regiments for discussion and study, and it will also be submitted to the relevant departments of the Corps."

Director Sun patted the report, his tone excited, "You've made a great contribution to the grassroots education work of our division, and even the entire corps!"

"You flatter me, Director. This is the result of the joint efforts of all the team members," Shu Ran said modestly.

"Your contribution is the greatest, and everyone can see that." Director Sun waved his hand, then changed the subject, his tone becoming serious. "The training course is about to end. The organization has already made preliminary considerations regarding your next work arrangements."

Shu Ran knew that the crucial moment had arrived.

Director Sun looked at her and slowly said, "The organization has decided to formally transfer you to the Education Section of the Division Headquarters as a staff member, mainly responsible for promoting and guiding the literacy campaign throughout the division, as well as summarizing and refining grassroots experiences. At the same time, you will continue to serve as the liaison and guidance officer for the Qiming Primary School demonstration site in the Animal Husbandry Company, and will regularly go down to inspect and guide the work. What are your thoughts?"

Although she had expected it, Shu Ran still felt a surge of excitement when she officially heard the appointment.

As an officer in the Education Section of the Division Headquarters, she officially entered the division headquarters, where the platform, resources, and development opportunities were incomparable to what she had experienced in the company. Furthermore, her concurrent role as the liaison instructor for the livestock company ensured her continued connection with the grassroots.

This is the best position she can currently secure.

She immediately stood up and said, "Thank you for the organization's trust and training! I will resolutely obey the organization's arrangements and will continue to work hard in my new position to contribute all my strength to the education work of the entire division!"

"Good! Good!" Director Sun nodded repeatedly. "I knew you wouldn't let the organization down. Keep up the good work! The Education Section needs energetic, thoughtful, and capable young comrades like you!"

As I stepped out of Director Sun's office, sunlight streamed through the corridor windows, making it bright and warm.

She succeeded. Through her own abilities and hard work, she forged a path for herself in this unfamiliar land.

The news spread quickly. Her classmates congratulated her, their eyes filled with envy and admiration. Yang Zhenhua was the first to approach her, beaming with joy.

"Shu Ran, congratulations! I knew it was only a matter of time before you stayed at the division headquarters. Now that's great, we'll be colleagues, and we'll have more opportunities to communicate and collaborate at work."

"Thank you, Officer Yang. I'll have to learn more from you in the future," Shu Ran replied with a smile.

Becoming colleagues meant more contact with Yang Zhenhua, and she would need to skillfully handle and maintain his favorable feelings. For her, this was both a valuable interpersonal resource and something she needed to carefully navigate.

She also didn't forget to write to the livestock company. In her letters to Sister Wang, Li Xiulan, and Xu Junjun, she explained in detail her decision to stay and work at the division headquarters. Her tone was sincere; she explained that it was to better promote the experience of Qiming Primary School, to secure more resources for the company, and promised to visit them and the children often. She hoped to gain their understanding and support.

As for Chen Yuanjiang… she hesitated for a moment and didn’t write a separate letter. That taciturn man probably wouldn’t like this kind of formalistic notification. Besides, subconsciously she felt that he probably already knew through his own channels.

On the day she officially moved into the single dormitory assigned by the Education Department, Shu Ran tidied up a bit.

The conditions were better than in the guesthouse. She stood in the center of the room, looking around; a new and challenging life was about to begin.

She opened the window and looked at the bustling crowd in the division headquarters compound. There was none of the hardship of the company level here, but there were more complex rules and fiercer competition.

But Shu Ran is never afraid of challenges.

As night deepened, she was preparing to organize her work thoughts when a knock came at the door.

It was Xiao Liu, an officer from the publicity department, who came over with several documents that needed to be countersigned by the education department.

"Comrade Shu Ran, Director Sun said to take a look at these publicity drafts and check the content related to education."

"Okay, put it on the table." Shu Ran took the document.

Xiao Liu put down the documents but didn't leave immediately. With the excitement of a young man who couldn't hide his excitement, he lowered his voice and said, "Comrade Shu Ran, there's something else... Officer Yang, you know, Officer Yang Zhenhua, asked me to ask you privately if you're free these days. He wants to invite you to see a movie; they're showing a new film in the division auditorium tomorrow."

Shu Ran was slightly taken aback. She was considering how to politely decline when she caught a glimpse of the light dimming at the doorway out of the corner of her eye.

Chen Yuanjiang stood there, his figure tall and straight. His face was not clearly visible in the shadows of the corridor lamp, but the atmosphere around him seemed to have suddenly become more oppressive. He was holding an oil paper bag containing several packets of candy and an aluminum lunchbox.

When Xiao Liu turned around and saw him, he was startled and immediately stood at attention: "Special Envoy Chen!"

Chen Yuanjiang didn't respond. His gaze first fell on Shu Ran's face, then on Xiao Liu, and finally on the documents on the table, his eyes turning cold.

"Um."

Feeling uneasy under Chen Yuanjiang's gaze, Xiao Liu quickly said to Shu Ran, "Well... Comrade Shu Ran, the documents are here, and as for Officer Yang..." Before he could finish speaking, under Chen Yuanjiang's watchful eye, he swallowed the rest of his sentence and practically scurried away along the wall.

Only the two of them remained in the room.

Chen Yuanjiang stepped in and gently closed the door behind him. He placed the net on the table with steady movements, but Shu Ran noticed that something was wrong with his expression.

"I passed by the cafeteria and saw some freshly made meat dishes." He pointed to the lunchbox, his voice devoid of emotion, and then picked up a few soup dumplings. "They're brown sugar filled. I remembered you seem to have a sweet tooth."

Shu Ran's heart softened, and she said, "Thank you, you're so kind."

Chen Yuanjiang didn't look at her again. His gaze fell on the document left by Xiao Liu, or perhaps he looked elsewhere.

He stood silently for a while, and the atmosphere in the room became somewhat stagnant.

Then he chuckled softly, with a hint of self-deprecation.

"It seems I've arrived just in time."

Shu Ran's heart skipped a beat, and she vaguely understood something.

His gaze returned to her face, which was churning with complex emotions.

“Shu Ran,” he called her name, “the situation at the division headquarters is more complicated than you think. Some eyes and some thoughts cannot be seen clearly at a glance.”

He took a step forward, as if in an eagerness to confirm something.

“Yang Zhenhua’s background…” He paused, seemingly weighing his words, and finally said in a deep voice, “His closeness to you is not necessarily…”

Seeing the tension in his eyes, Shu Ran interrupted him: "So, is Special Envoy Chen here to conduct a background check on me, or to issue a warning?"

Chen Yuanjiang was taken aback by her question, his Adam's apple bobbing. He looked into her clear, honest eyes, which held no trace of joy or anticipation at Yang Zhenhua's invitation, only understanding and a hint of...teasing?

His nameless anger and panic were somewhat soothed by that look, but what surged up afterward was an even stronger impulse.

He took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.

"No, that's not it. I'm here to tell you that I regret it."

Shu Ran was taken aback.

“I regret thinking it would be safer for you to stay down there, I regret not…” He paused, as if each word required immense effort, “to stand beside you sooner…”

“Shu Ran,” he called her again, his voice slightly hoarse, “I was standing outside just now, and I heard the sounds inside… I suddenly realized that I couldn’t bear it.”

"What can't you stand?" Shu Ran looked up at him and could clearly smell the faint scent of soap on him.

“Unbearable,” he repeated, his gaze tracing her features as if trying to lock her in his eyes, “Imagine you sitting next to someone, smiling. Even just imagining it, here—” he tapped his heart with his finger, “it feels like something has twisted it.”

Shu Ran's heart skipped a beat as she looked at the tenderness in his deep eyes.

“You probably don’t know,” he said, his voice low like a lover’s whisper, “that night at Old Ice Cliff, when you came close to me, half of my body was numb with cold, while the other half… felt like it was burning up.”

"You are like...like a spark that accidentally drifted into my frozen soil. I thought you would go out, but you just happened to burn in my heart."

Shu Ran felt her cheeks getting hot.

"Shu Ran," he took another half step closer, their clothes almost touching, and looked down at her, his eyes filled with an almost pious earnestness, "I'm not good with words, and there's not much I can offer. Our futures are uncertain, and the nature of my work means I can spend little time with you. I used to feel that this wouldn't do, that I couldn't hold you back. Logically, I should stay away from you."

His fingertips twitched, as if he wanted to lift them, but he restrained himself and clenched them into fists, letting them hang at his sides.

“But I can’t do it. You started this fire, so you have to take responsibility.”

"I dare not ask for too much, I only ask that you allow me... I..."

His words caught in his throat, as if a crucial word was tightly held back by his reason and trepidation, making it difficult for him to utter.

He looked at her, his eyes filled with struggle, longing, and a hint of fear of rejection. He laid bare all his concerns and disadvantages, then offered her his only, and all, self—perhaps his most complete surrender in the face of love.

Shu Ran's heart had already softened, but she was determined not to let him get away with it so easily. Instead of helping him out, she tilted her head slightly, her clear eyes gleaming with cunning, like a cat teasing its prey that had fallen into a trap.

"What do you mean by 'allowing you'?" she asked softly, her tone innocent yet subtly suggestive. "Do you mean I'll continue to stand at a safe distance and watch me? Or do you mean I'll care for you silently, like you're giving me these candy packets?"

With each word she spoke, the struggle in his eyes deepened, and his knuckles turned slightly white from his clenched fist.

"Chen Yuanjiang," her voice softened, carrying a gentle seduction, "say what you want to say. If you don't tell me, how will I know, and how... how will I take responsibility?"

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Author's Note: This chapter was really hard to write, so I'm posting it late, everyone. Please leave some comments below! [gold ingots]