Chapter 68 Take care of the present first

The stronger the spring atmosphere became, the more tense the atmosphere in the company became.

Various rumors and gossip began to circulate.

When Shu Ran went to the cafeteria to get food, she could always hear employees gathering in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones.

"Have you heard? We're going to get a lot of work done this spring! A huge project is starting in the newly reclaimed area!"

"That's right, they say it's to bring in water, the project is huge!"

"How many people would we need to pull out? We're already short-handed..."

"Sigh, if all the people are taken away, who will farm the land? Who will feed the livestock?"

"Who knows? It's just a matter of a word, but we'll have to run ourselves ragged."

As Shu Ran listened, she recalled Chen Yuanjiang's earlier warning, which seemed to be true.

If a large number of the company's labor force is drawn away, not only will production be affected, but her small literacy class and school will probably also be difficult to maintain.

Women and children who have just developed an interest in learning are likely to be pulled back to work.

What bothered her even more was that news about the teachers' performance and the "Outstanding Educator" selection seemed to have stalled.

There was no further news from Officer Yang, as if the previous excitement had been nothing but a false alarm.

That day, Shu Ran was leading the children in reading the text aloud in the classroom when Company Commander Ma Zhanshan and Party Branch Secretary Liu walked in with serious expressions.

"Teacher Shu, are you busy?" Secretary Liu asked, his tone more somber than usual.

The children immediately quieted down and looked at the leader with curiosity.

Shu Ran had a bad feeling.

She told the children to study on their own first, and then followed the two leaders outside the classroom.

“Teacher Shu,” Ma Zhanshan rubbed his hands together, his brows furrowed, “you’ve probably heard about the situation. After the spring, the regiment issued a strict order: the task in the newly reclaimed area is the top priority, and each company must send its strongest and most capable laborers. Our company… has a very heavy task.”

Secretary Liu picked up the conversation, his tone apologetic: "Yes, Teacher Shu. We know that things are just starting to look up at your school and literacy class, and you're preparing for the performance. But production tasks take precedence over everything else. It's possible that even Wang Guilan and Li Xiulan will have to be assigned to some auxiliary work depending on the situation. Your teaching time will probably be greatly affected."

Shu Ran's heart sank. Her worst fears had come true.

She remained calm and asked, "Company Commander, Party Secretary, what about the division's performance and evaluation..."

“We’ll definitely go to the performance! It’s a political mission, and it’s also an honor for our company!” Ma Zhanshan immediately stated, but then his tone softened. “However, the preparations… Teacher Shu, you’ll probably have to work harder and squeeze in some time. The company really can’t spare any more people to help you. As for the evaluation… sigh, let’s focus on the present first.”

Although she had expected it, hearing her leader say this still made Shu Ran feel a wave of helplessness wash over her. All her plans and efforts seemed utterly insignificant in the face of the production tasks.

She was silent for a moment, then raised her head. "Company Commander, Secretary, I understand. Production tasks are important, and I will obey the company's arrangements. As for the preparations for teaching and the performance, I will find my own way and try my best not to affect the overall situation of the company."

Ma Zhanshan and Secretary Liu exchanged a glance and both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Teacher Shu, you are truly outstanding! You understand the bigger picture and prioritize the overall situation!" Ma Zhanshan praised repeatedly.

"The difficulties are temporary. Once the projects in the new reclamation area are on track, the situation will definitely improve," Secretary Liu could only offer this consolation.

After seeing the two leaders off, Shu Ran returned to the classroom and looked at the children below with their bewildered eyes, feeling a mix of emotions.

She forced herself to stay alert and maintain order in the classroom, but her mind was already preoccupied with the impending predicament.

Finally, school was over, and all the children left the classroom. Shu Ran sat behind the podium, looking out the window at the gradually melting snow, feeling somewhat lost.

Production trumps everything; the power of this slogan is something she can't change no matter what she does.

"What's wrong? You seem distracted." Xu Junjun's voice came from the doorway. She was carrying a medicine kit, clearly having just returned from her rounds. "Company Commander Ma and Secretary Liu came to see you earlier. Were they talking about requisitioning labor?"

Shu Ran looked up and saw her friend's concerned eyes. Her heart warmed, and she nodded: "Yes. The ditch digging project in the newly reclaimed area this spring will require a lot of manpower. Sister Wang and Xiulan will probably have to participate in auxiliary labor, and their teaching time... I'm afraid it will be difficult to guarantee."

Xu Junjun walked in, put down her medicine box, and frowned. "I've heard about it too. This mission is very heavy. Even the clinic might have to be reassigned to the construction site for emergency support. This is really..." She sighed, "What about your performance and competition?"

"The leaders said the performance was a political task and we had to go, but I have to squeeze in time for the preparations myself. As for the evaluation... I can't worry about that for now." Shu Ran smiled bitterly. "What worries me most right now is that the children and the literacy class were just starting to make progress, and now we might be back to square one."

The two girls remained silent, both able to sense the helplessness in each other's eyes.

In the face of the torrent of the times, individual efforts seem insignificant.

"Let's go back first." Xu Junjun pulled her up. "Worrying won't help. Let's go back and talk to Sister Wang and Xiulan, and then we can all think of a solution together. Even three heads are better than one!"

Back in the dugout, Sister Wang had already brought back the small pot of corn porridge she had cooked in the kitchen shed: a pot of mushy cornmeal porridge and a small dish of pickled vegetables. Li Xiulan was helping to set the table.

During the meal, Shu Ran tried to speak calmly about the company's decision and the difficulties they faced.

Upon hearing this, Sister Wang put down her bowl and raised her voice: "What? You want us all to dig ditches? What about the literacy class? What about the children? They've just started to learn!" Her face was filled with anxiety and indignation. "Teacher Shu, it's not that I'm saying this, but... this is such a waste of time!"

Li Xiulan echoed softly, her eyes filled with worry: "Yes, Teacher Shu, if the literacy class is interrupted..."

Looking at them, Shu Ran felt both moved and heartbroken. Their first thought wasn't about doing even harder work themselves, but about how their studies and the children's lives were being disrupted.

"Big sister, Xiulan, I know what you're thinking," Shuran comforted. "But the production tasks in the company are important, and we have to follow the arrangements. I called you back so that we could discuss with each other how we can keep learning and teaching going under such difficult circumstances."

Silence fell over the dugout.

After a while, Sister Wang suddenly slapped her thigh and said, "I think we should do this! Working on the construction site isn't all day long without a break! There are always times to rest at noon, and we finish work early in the evening! Can we move our studies to these spare moments? We can teach a few words at noon and review them in the evening. The location is easy to find; we can just find a sheltered spot near the construction site to study!"

Li Xiulan's eyes lit up, and she added, "Yes, we can also write the words on paper so that everyone can carry them in their pockets and take them out to look at them during breaks..."

Xu Junjun chimed in, "I think it's a good idea. Besides, Ranran, aren't you still thinking about the pastoral area? The company is short of manpower, but after the busy period of lambing and raising lambs in the pastoral area in the spring, there will be some free time. You can go to the pastoral area more often during this time and help build the knowledge yurt there first! Let Sister Wang and Xiulan fill in for the teaching during the spare time here."

With everyone chiming in, the previously subdued atmosphere instantly became lively. Once ideas were opened up, it seemed that there were always more solutions than problems.

Looking at her three companions, Shu Ran felt much of the gloom in her heart dissipate.

“Okay,” Shu Ran smiled. “Let’s do it that way! Sister Wang, Xiulan, from now on, we’ll have to rely on you two to organize and host the midday and evening study sessions. Dr. Xu, please come and give us some pointers on hygiene when you have time.”

"Sure! Leave it to me!" Sister Wang patted her chest and said confidently.

"I will do my best!" Li Xiulan nodded vigorously.

“No problem!” Xu Junjun said with a smile.

Shu Ran thought to herself that they might not be able to change the overall policy direction, but they could use their own methods to fight for a space for learning for themselves and for the children.

After two days of feeling down, Shu Ran forced herself to cheer up. Complaining wouldn't solve anything; she had to find a way to survive in this predicament.

She first reorganized the schedule. She concentrated academic classes in the mornings as much as possible, and arranged more hands-on and group activities in the afternoons. This way, even if she occasionally needed to go out or was called away to help out, the children could still do some self-study.

For the literacy classes, she sped up the pace, prioritizing teaching the most commonly used words and practical methods to Sister Wang and Li Xiulan, ensuring that even when she was not there, they could lead other women in review and simple learning.

One morning, she arrived at the classroom and found a bundle of neatly shaved thin wooden sticks and a small jar of black ink on the teacher's desk. The sticks were the perfect thickness and length for making pen handles, and although the ink was coarse, it was much better than lime.

There was no note, no message, but she almost immediately thought of that person.

Two days later, she found a stack of discarded report papers in the corner of the classroom. The back of the papers was smooth, making them more suitable for practicing calligraphy than the rough paper the children used.

What surprised her most was that she even received a booklet titled "Simple Drawing Methods" with yellowed and fuzzy paper, which contained some simple stage layout and prop making diagrams.

Each of these items precisely addressed her immediate needs. She stopped trying to expose anything and simply made good use of the supplies, feeling an ever-growing sense of gratitude and warmth in her heart.

He was telling her in his own way that he understood her difficulties and that he was trying his best.

At the same time, she also began to take the initiative. She used her rest time after dinner to chat with the families of employees who had children in school. She didn't talk about difficulties, but only about the children's progress and the benefits of learning, subtly trying to gain their understanding and support.

She even mustered up her courage and went to see Zhao Weidong again.

This time, she didn't make any demands. She simply showed him the improved handwriting of the children and the simple notes that the women in the literacy class could begin to understand, and subtly indicated that even during busy production periods, if the most basic learning time could be guaranteed as much as possible, it would be beneficial to improving the quality of employees and their families, and even to production itself, in the long run.

Although Zhao Weidong's face remained expressionless, he finally said curtly, "As long as it doesn't interfere with important matters, you can arrange it yourself. But don't even think about manpower."

This is already a rare concession.

Shu Ran also set her sights on the pastoral areas.

She asked Adil to tell old Akhen and Turdi that the knowledge yurt could be set up, and that during the relatively quiet time in the pastoral areas, children could be organized to have concentrated literacy classes, even if it was just learning the names of the most common livestock, numbers, and simple Chinese conversation. She would go there regularly to provide guidance.

Old Akhen's response was also very positive. He welcomed the idea and even offered to provide an empty yurt as a temporary teaching point. For the herders, knowledge is also a hope for changing their destiny.

Once she opened up her mind, Shu Ran felt that the predicament she was in seemed to have eased a lot.

She no longer relied solely on the company's resources and support, but began to try to take advantage of every possible opportunity and space to continue her educational career.

The snow and ice melted, and the roads finally became passable. The official notice for the division's performance was issued, scheduled for the end of April. The livestock company's performance, an excerpt from "The Red Lantern," was included.

The news caused quite a stir in the company. Company Commander Ma and Secretary Liu were very pleased and specially issued a note allowing the women and children participating in the performance to be exempt from work for the next two days so they could focus on rehearsals.

Even Zhao Weidong, unusually, did not complain, only muttering, "If you go, don't embarrass the livestock company."