Chapter 144 Letter

Life at the V City Education Bureau proceeded in an orderly fashion.

The positive feedback from Shu Ran's handbook spread further than expected. Letters from educational institutions in more remote areas began to arrive sporadically, containing not only praise but also inquiries about specific issues.

Shu Ran always felt that the path she had explored had indeed addressed the pain points of many frontline educators.

Li Weiguo's attitude towards her was somewhat ingratiating. Wang Juan, on the other hand, practically became her little fangirl, working even harder. Shu Ran was well aware of this, but she didn't point it out, maintaining a dignified yet humble attitude. She performed her duties meticulously and never claimed credit for herself. She knew that in this position, stability was more important than brilliance.

That afternoon, as she was sorting through feedback from various places and preparing for a second minor revision of the manual, her correspondent, Xiao Liu, peeked out from the doorway: "Comrade Shu Ran, there's a letter for you, from the Production and Construction Corps, and also a registered letter, signed by the capital."

The capital? Shu Ran's heart skipped a beat, but she remained calm on the surface, put down her pen and walked over: "Thank you, Xiao Liu."

Two letters. One was thick, from the Education Department of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, presumably a summary of feedback from the handbook. The other was thin, with a common kraft paper envelope, and the signature was simply "Details Inside," but she recognized the strong yet slightly messy handwriting at a glance—it was from Chen Yuanjiang.

After Xiao Liu left, Shu Ran first opened the letter from the Corps. It was indeed an official document and a thick summary of opinions, written in a businesslike tone, but with an air of certainty. She quickly glanced through it, understood the gist, and carefully put the document away.

Then her gaze fell on the thin letter. She ran her fingers along the edge of the envelope before carefully cutting it open with a knife.

The letter was only one page long, and Chen Yuanjiang's handwriting looked somewhat hasty.

Shu Ran:

Seeing these words is like seeing the person in person.

I heard you're doing well in V City and your work is going very well; that handbook has already made a difference at the grassroots level. Although I expected it, congratulations anyway.

I'm doing well. My mission isn't over yet, and my return date is uncertain, but it shouldn't be too long. The frontier is tough, so take care of yourself and don't worry.

I'm too busy to say much. Take care.

Chen Yuanjiang in Beijing

The letter was short and dry. Apart from the opening phrase "Seeing this letter is like seeing you in person," which carried a hint of warmth, the rest was all formulaic explanations. It didn't mention any specific tasks, didn't explain why it was in Beijing, didn't respond to her concerns, and even seemed stingy with a decent word of concern.

"Heared"? Who told him? How long is "not too long"?

Shu Ran clutched the letter, her emotions a jumble. She wasn't disappointed; deep down, she longed for a more passionate response. But this letter, like him, seemed to conceal his true feelings completely.

She unfolded the letter and read it carefully again. His handwriting was on the three words "Congratulations." Was he emphasizing something, or was he trying to hide something?

Shu Ran carefully folded the letter, put it back in the envelope, and placed it at the bottom of the drawer, next to the first draft of the handbook. She walked to the window and looked at the gray sky over V City outside.

The capital city—a place so far removed from her current life. What was he doing there? Was the old commander looking for him merely because of a mission? This didn't seem to match the rumors she'd heard.

A sense of uncertainty lingered in her heart, but she quickly suppressed it. Chen Yuanjiang had his path, and Shu Ran, too, had her own journey.

Since he told her not to "think about it," then she wouldn't. At least not openly.

Her gaze cleared slightly. The success of the manual was a starting point, but not enough. She needed a larger platform to solidify her position. Only when she was strong enough could she have the confidence to make choices in the face of any changes.

An idea gradually became clear in her mind. A practical manual alone was not enough; she needed to systematize and theorize her experience, forming a memorable discourse that could attract higher-level attention. The V City Education Bureau had limited resources, but there was one place that might serve as a springboard for her.

A few days later, Shu Ran went to see the director with the compiled feedback manual and a new report outline.

"Director, this is a summary of feedback from various regions regarding the handbook, as well as a draft report outline I've prepared based on this feedback and some common issues I've recently encountered in the guidance group's work. It's about the core contradictions and countermeasures in the current border region literacy campaign and basic education stage." Shu Ran placed the materials on the director's desk, her tone respectful yet confident.

The director glanced through the thick summary of feedback and outline and nodded: "Comrade Shu Ran, your work is very thorough and your thinking is very systematic. How do you plan to write this report?"

“I think we can’t just stop at summarizing specific methods.” Shu Ran met the director’s gaze. “We should extract the core concepts of our frontier education work. For example, survival skills education must come first, which is key to resolving the argument that education is useless and gaining the support of the masses; on this basis, solid cultural knowledge education should follow steadily to lay a good foundation; and finally, we should guide the next generation to build the frontier. These three are interconnected and none can be neglected.”

A glint of light flashed in the director's eyes: "Survival education first, followed by cultural education, and ideal education as the guide... This is an interesting proposition. It's a very good summary and it fits the reality of our border region. Go ahead and write it, and show it to me first when you're done."

"Yes, Director." Shu Ran paused, then casually mentioned, "However, Director, I feel that such a good idea will have limited impact if it is only circulated within our organization. I wonder if our bureau and the Frontier Education Daily have regular submission channels? If we can publish our experiences and new ideas on that platform, it might resonate more and attract more resources to focus on education in V City and even the entire frontier."

The director pondered for a moment. The Frontier Education Newspaper is an authoritative educational publication covering the entire frontier region. Being able to publish an article in it is a great honor and publicity for both the individual and the organization.

He looked at the young female cadre in front of him. She was very composed, had her own ideas, and knew how to fight for opportunities for herself and her unit.

"Hmm... I've met Editor-in-Chief Hu from the newspaper a few times. Here's what we'll do: put your heart into writing this report. Once it's finished, I'll take a look at it for you. If it's truly of high quality, I can write a letter of recommendation and submit it for you. But whether it gets published depends on the newspaper's review process."

Shu Ran felt reassured and a grateful smile appeared on her face: "That's wonderful! Thank you for your support, Director! I will do my best to write the report and live up to your expectations!"

With the director's tacit approval, Shu Ran devoted almost all her spare time to writing the report. She no longer simply listed phenomena and methods, but attempted to construct a theoretical framework that met the demands of the times.

She repeatedly studied the latest policy documents and editorials to ensure that her arguments were both rooted in the frontier and aligned with the discourse of the superstructure.

She skillfully combined survival education with the call to connect theory with practice and serve the people; she explained cultural education as a necessary link in laying a solid foundation for socialist culture; and she naturally elevated ideal education to the lofty goal of cultivating successors to the cause of communism.

The cases she cited were all irrefutable real-life examples she encountered in her work.

The writing process is not easy; she often deliberates over a single word, striving to accurately express her thoughts while avoiding potential risks. Staying up late has become commonplace, but she enjoys it, finding it a challenge and a source of creativity different from the hustle and bustle of grassroots work.

During this time, Li Weiguo seemed to sense something and subtly inquired about what important project she had been working on lately. Shu Ran simply smiled and vaguely replied that she was organizing materials and summarizing preliminary work. She didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble.

Wang Juan was very considerate. Seeing that she was staying up late, she would sometimes quietly prepare hot water for her or bring her some food from the cafeteria.

"Comrade Shu Ran, don't push yourself too hard. Your health is the most important thing."

"It's okay, take advantage of this opportunity and write it down quickly." Shu Ran rubbed her throbbing temples and handed Wang Juan a few chocolates. "Try them, a friend brought them from out of town."

A month later, a first draft of the report was completed. It was nearly 20,000 words long, with rigorous logic, detailed case studies, and clear arguments.

She showed it to the bureau chief first. The bureau chief put on his reading glasses and examined it very carefully, spending the entire afternoon on it. After he finished, he took off his glasses and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Comrade Shu Ran, your article... is very forward-thinking!" The director said with admiration. "It's well-reasoned, insightful, and insightful, and it closely follows the current spirit! I think it's fully worthy of publication!"

He immediately took out a letter of recommendation and personally wrote a letter of recommendation to Hu, the editor-in-chief of the Frontier Education Daily, stamped it, and sealed it together with the report manuscript.

"I'll have the messenger mail it to you tomorrow." The director handed the envelope to Shu Ran and said encouragingly, "Do a good job, Shu!"

The days of waiting for a reply seemed to drag on. She continued with her work as usual, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the letter sent to the newspaper. She scrutinized every argument in the report, anticipating the questions that might arise.

Li Weiguo seemed to have finally gotten some inside information, but he didn't say anything, only becoming more cooperative at work.

Just as Shu Ran was about to ask about the progress, the correspondent, Xiao Liu, ran into the office breathlessly, holding a large envelope with the words "Frontier Education Newspaper" printed on it.

"Comrade Shu Ran! Your letter! It's from the newspaper!"

The office fell silent instantly. Li Weiguo looked up from his documents, and Wang Juan put down her pen, staring at Shu Ran.

Shu Ran took the envelope. It was quite thick. She opened it in front of everyone.

First inside was her handwritten manuscript, now covered with numerous pencil annotations. She quickly flipped through it and found that most of the annotations were "Good!", "This case is typical!", and "The argument is excellent!", with only a few asking for details or suggesting minor adjustments.

Then she saw a letter attached to the very top of the manuscript. It was a handwritten letter from Editor-in-Chief Hu.

"Comrade Shu Ran, your manuscript has been received and I was deeply inspired after reading it! Your theory of 'the integration of survival, culture, and ideal education,' based on your experience in frontline education in border areas, is incisive, insightful, and rich in vivid practical examples, making it highly valuable for promotion and theoretically profound. After review by our editorial board, we have unanimously decided to publish the full text and plan to feature it as a key article on the front page of the next issue."

Only a few details have been marked by the editor in pencil; please make the necessary corrections and return the article as soon as possible. Additionally, given the article's impact, an editor's note will be included with its publication, inviting you to write a short reflection on the article's creation, briefly explaining the theoretical formation process and core viewpoints, within one thousand words.

Looking forward to your reply!

Hu Mowen, *Frontier Education Daily*

Shu Ran read it word by word.

"Shu Ran, how is she?" Wang Juan couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

Li Weiguo also perked up his ears.

Shu Ran placed Editor-in-Chief Hu's letter on the table, a smile appearing on her face: "The newspaper said that the article has basically been approved, but a few minor revisions are needed."

She didn't mention the front page, nor the editor's note. Some things don't need to be publicized; the results will speak for themselves.

Shu Ran didn't delay. She used her weekend to carefully revise the manuscript based on the editor's comments and also meticulously wrote a reflection on her creative process. In her reflection, she reiterated that grassroots practice was the sole source of her theory and thanked the leaders of the V City Education Bureau for their support and her colleagues for their help.

After mailing the revised manuscript and her reflections, she stood at the post office entrance, looking at the azure sky, feeling that even the air in V City seemed much fresher. Experience told her that when that article appeared in the newspaper, her name and the theories she proposed would no longer be limited to V City, or even to her own military unit.

As for what awaits her next, she is looking forward to it and preparing for it.