Chapter 91 Reputation

Lin Xuezhou's attempt to formalize teaching failed, but it did not discourage him; instead, it led him to change his strategy.

He was no longer in a hurry to fully implement his own methods in the classroom, but instead began to observe Shu Ran's teaching. At the same time, he also went to the company headquarters more frequently to report his thoughts to Secretary Liu, Company Commander Ma, and even Zhao Weidong, and exchange "some immature ideas about the future development of the school".

Shu Ran observed coldly, her mind perfectly clear. Lin Xuezhou was taking the upper hand, attempting to pave the way for his ideals by influencing the leadership.

His "immature ideas" were essentially about standardizing textbooks and teaching methods, only packaged more subtly and emphasizing "long-term planning" and "aligning with the directives of higher authorities."

After a while, he started to do things his own way, using the afternoon self-study time to give extra lessons to a few children he thought had potential, teaching them pinyin and simple arithmetic rules, using the standard textbooks he had copied by hand.

This led to a chaotic situation: in the morning, Shu Ran taught practical vocabulary and simple calculations, while in the afternoon, Lin Xuezhou instilled systematic knowledge. The children's already limited learning energy was scattered, and the younger children with weaker foundations were even more confused, mixing up what they had learned in the morning. Shi Tou privately approached Shu Ran, puzzled, and asked, "Teacher, what about the α, o, and e that Teacher Lin taught this afternoon? Are they related to what we learned in this lesson?"

Shu Ran realized that the problem lay not only in the difference in teaching philosophies, but also in the ambiguity of management responsibilities. Both of them were teachers, but there was no hierarchy or division of labor. It was like a carriage with drivers insisting on going in different directions, which would only go around in circles or even overturn.

She must obtain clear management authority and follow the established pace, not only for her own benefit but also for the benefit of the children.

The opportunity soon arrived; it was time to report to the Education Section of the Division Headquarters again each month.

This time, Shu Ran was exceptionally well-prepared. She not only brought her routine work report, but also carefully prepared a written document entitled "Suggestions on the Current Teaching Situation and Optimization of Management at Qiming Primary School".

In her materials, she objectively described the diverse composition of her students and the vast differences in their academic backgrounds. She listed the practical results achieved by adopting life-oriented and practical teaching methods, such as children being able to identify work point tickets, record simple family accounts, and help their families understand pesticide labels. She also frankly mentioned the differences in teaching philosophy and methods with teacher Lin Xuezhou, as well as the resulting problems such as inconsistent teaching plans and students feeling lost.

Instead of blaming Lin Xuezhou, she focused on the problem of a lack of unified coordination and clear division of labor, which affected teaching efficiency and effectiveness.

Upon arriving at the division headquarters, Shu Ran first gave her routine report, outlining the progress of student reinforcement and the literacy class. Director Sun listened, nodding occasionally, and as usual, offered a few words of encouragement at the end.

Just as the report was about to end, Shu Ran took out the supplementary suggestions and handed them over with both hands: "Director Sun, these are some of my immature ideas on the next steps for the development of Qiming Primary School, especially regarding teaching management and the division of labor among staff. Please review them."

Director Sun took the materials, adjusted his glasses, and began to read them carefully.

Shu Ran waited quietly.

After a long silence, Director Sun looked up at Shu Ran and said, "Comrade Shu Ran, I understand what you mean. You think that the current demonstration sites need someone who can take overall charge and be responsible?"

"Yes, Director." Shu Ran met his gaze, her tone sincere. "It's a good thing that Qiming Elementary School now has two teachers, but our efforts need to be focused. Whether we stick to the existing methods or try Teacher Lin's new ideas, we need a unified plan and arrangement. Otherwise, internal friction will outweigh our combined efforts, and ultimately, it will harm the children's learning. I need a formal title, not for personal reasons, but to better coordinate the school's work, clarify the responsibilities of Teacher Lin and me, and form a cohesive force."

She didn't say exactly what she wanted, but the meaning was obvious.

Director Sun pondered, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. He understood Shu Ran's intentions, and was well aware of the complexities of grassroots work. Shu Ran's achievements were undeniable; although she used traditional methods, they were indeed effective in the specific environment of the livestock company. Lin Xuezhou was someone he had assigned to bolster their forces, but now it seemed to have created new problems.

"Hmm..." Director Sun slowly began, "Your considerations are reasonable. Although the school is small, it has all the necessary functions, and it really can't function without someone in charge. How about this, your Livestock Company's Qiming Primary School teaching point will officially appoint a person in charge. The company's Party branch will nominate the person, and the matter will be reported to the Education Section for record-keeping. I think you should take on this responsibility for now."

Shu Ran felt relieved and immediately said, "Thank you for your trust, Director! I will do my best to do my job well, unite with Comrade Lin Xuezhou, and run Qiming Primary School well!"

“Alright,” Director Sun nodded, his tone becoming more serious. “Since you’re in charge, you must shoulder the responsibility. You must adhere to effective methods while also having the magnanimity to absorb reasonable suggestions. Comrade Lin Xuezhou has a formal academic background and solid theoretical knowledge. You should work together to learn from each other.”

“I understand, Director,” Shu Ran replied solemnly.

Stepping out of the Education Section office, Shu Ran didn't feel relieved. Although Director Sun had nodded, the title of "person in charge" still required formal nomination and procedures from the company's Party branch. Moreover, she still harbored doubts about Lin Xuezhou's background. His arrival was too sudden, his attitude too resolute—was there truly some force behind it?

She decided to go find Yang Zhenhua. As a member of the publicity department, Yang Zhenhua was well-informed and might know something.

At the entrance of the publicity department, she happened to run into Yang Zhenhua, who was carrying a stack of documents.

"Shu Ran? Here to report on your work?" Yang Zhenhua smiled when he saw her.

"Yes, I just finished reporting." Shu Ran glanced around and lowered her voice, "Officer Yang, there's something I'd like to ask you about. Is it convenient for us to talk for a few minutes?"

Yang Zhenhua understood and led her to a quiet spot in the corridor: "What is it? Tell me."

"It's about our new teacher, Lin Xuezhou," Shu Ran said bluntly. "What's his background? He was sent directly from the regimental headquarters; it seems a bit unusual."

Upon hearing this, Yang Zhenhua revealed an "I knew it" expression, and lowered his voice: "You've hit the nail on the head. This Lin Xuezhou is the nephew of Deputy Political Commissar Lin."

Shu Ran's heart skipped a beat. Deputy Political Commissar Lin was one of the division leaders in charge of culture, education, and health, holding a high position and wielding great power.

“However,” Yang Zhenhua changed the subject, his tone slightly ambiguous, “don’t overthink it. Deputy Political Commissar Lin is an upright man. Sending his nephew to the most arduous livestock company doesn’t seem like he’s simply going to ‘reap the rewards.’ I heard that Lin Xuezhou himself insisted on going to the grassroots. He… has a bit of intellectual pride and idealism. He probably feels that only at the grassroots level can he realize his educational ambitions. Deputy Political Commissar Lin probably also wants him to be tempered and toughened up.”

"I see." Shu Ran suddenly understood. It was true that they had connections, but they weren't there to steal the fruits of others' labor; rather, they had the air of idealistic young people going to the countryside. This also explained Lin Xuezhou's "bookishness" and his insistence on "formalization."

"I understand, thank you, Officer Yang." Shu Ran felt reassured. Although Lin Xuezhou was troublesome, he wasn't unapproachable and could even become a positive force, provided... he was used in the right way.

"Don't mention it." Yang Zhenhua smiled and added meaningfully, "Now that you're in charge, you'll have to put some thought into how to coordinate the work."

When Shu Ran returned to the livestock company, it was already evening. She first went to the company headquarters to report to Secretary Liu and Company Commander Ma that the division headquarters had agreed to establish a school administrator.

Secretary Liu and Company Commander Ma had no objections. Secretary Liu said on the spot, "Comrade Shu Ran, we all know your abilities. You are the only one who can take this position. Tomorrow we will hold a branch committee meeting to go through the procedures and formally nominate you."

With the official appointment about to be finalized, the next step was figuring out how to handle Lin Xuezhou, a person with a unique background and vastly different ideologies.

As Shu Ran watched the setting sun gradually sink outside the window, she already had a plan in mind.

The nomination process by the company's Party branch was swift. The following afternoon, Secretary Liu formally announced the appointments in a classroom at Qiming Elementary School, in front of Shu Ran and Lin Xuezhou.

"Based on the opinion of the division's education department and the decision of the company's party branch, Comrade Shu Ran is appointed as the person in charge of the Qiming Primary School demonstration site, and will be in charge of the daily work of the demonstration site. Comrade Lin Xuezhou, you should actively cooperate with Comrade Shu Ran's work."

Lin Xuezhou stood below the stage, listening to the appointment, his face expressionless. He simply adjusted his glasses and nodded slightly. He seemed unsurprised by the result.

After Secretary Liu left, only Shu Ran, Lin Xuezhou, and a group of curious children remained in the classroom.

Shu Ran walked to the front of the classroom and looked calmly at Lin Xuezhou: "Teacher Lin, we are now a formal team. In order for the school's work to proceed better, we need to clarify the division of labor."

Lin Xuezhou raised her head, her eyes filled with a wary look as if she were about to argue her case: "Please speak, Manager Shu."

Shu Ran ignored the resistance in his tone and said directly, "In terms of teaching, we will initially group students according to their foundation and needs. You have solid theoretical knowledge, so you will be responsible for systematically expanding and consolidating the knowledge of children with a certain foundation and strong learning ability, such as the older children like Shi Tou and Chun Cao. Pinyin, basic arithmetic rules, and the literary appreciation you have prepared can all be included in your teaching scope."

This arrangement partially acknowledged Lin Xuezhou's value, assigning him his area of ​​expertise and preventing him from teaching children with absolutely no prior knowledge who required extensive practical guidance, thus reducing the possibility of direct conflict.

Lin Xuezhou was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Shu Ran to voluntarily entrust him with the task of systematic teaching. He pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

"In addition," Shu Ran continued, "I am responsible for the school's academic management, communication and coordination with the company and pastoral areas, and the main work of the literacy class. But what I need your assistance in is to record and initially organize the effective teaching methods we use and the children's learning progress. You have good writing skills, so I hope you can contribute more in this regard. We will compile the data regularly, which can be used as materials for reporting to the division headquarters, and can also accumulate material for compiling teaching materials that may be more suitable for the local conditions in the future."

Shu Ran's consideration was to leverage Lin Xuezhou's strong writing skills and give him something to do. At the same time, this was also a form of constraint, making him realize that his work was tied to the entire school and to her, the person in charge.

Lin Xuezhou pushed up his glasses again, this time as if he was weighing something. Recording and organizing—this work sounded trivial, but it did align with his habit of emphasizing standardization and summarizing.

“I have no objection,” he finally said, his tone much more conciliatory.

“Okay.” Shu Ran smiled and extended her hand. “From now on, let’s divide the work and work together to teach the children well.”

Lin Xuezhou looked at Shu Ran's outstretched hand, hesitated for a moment, and then reached out to shake her hand.

The light at the classroom door dimmed, and a figure walked in.

It was Chen Yuanjiang. He seemed to have just returned from patrol; the hem of his military uniform still had some dust on it. His gaze swept across the classroom as usual, lingering on Shu Ran's face for a moment before landing on Lin Xuezhou beside her.

Chen Yuanjiang's gaze remained unchanged, but upon closer inspection, it seemed to hold a hint of scrutiny.

"Special Envoy Chen?" Shu Ran was somewhat surprised that he would appear at this time.

"Hmm." Chen Yuanjiang responded, acknowledging the greeting. He walked to the podium, casually inspected the area, and said in a flat tone, "I heard someone was appointed to be in charge, so I came to check. Are the doors and windows still secure?"

His words sounded like a routine expression of concern.

"It's quite sturdy, thank you for your concern, Special Envoy Chen," Shu Ran replied, pondering his purpose for coming.

Chen Yuanjiang then turned his gaze to Lin Xuezhou, his tone still businesslike: "Comrade Lin Xuezhou, are you settling in alright?"

Lin Xuezhou met Chen Yuanjiang's gaze and seemed to feel an invisible pressure. He subconsciously straightened his back and pushed up his glasses: "It's okay, I'm getting used to it. Thank you for your concern, Special Envoy Chen."

"Hmm." Chen Yuanjiang simply responded, then turned to Shu Ran, speaking to both of them, "The work at the school is arduous, especially in terms of safety. Comrade Shu Ran now has an even heavier burden, so Comrade Lin should provide more assistance." He paused, as if suddenly remembering something, and added, "Officer Yang from the division headquarters inquired about the school's situation a few days ago; he is quite concerned."

His words came out of nowhere, and his tone was flat, but the name "Officer Yang" sounded unusual to Shu Ran.

She looked up at Chen Yuanjiang, but he had already looked away.

"Officer Yang is quite concerned about our work," Shu Ran replied, finding it somewhat amusing. Was he reminding her of Yang Zhenhua's enthusiasm, or... something else?

Chen Yuanjiang said no more, gave the two a slight nod, and said, "You two are busy." Then he turned and strode away.

Shu Ran withdrew her gaze, suppressed the strange feeling in her heart, and looked at Lin Xuezhou again, "Then, Teacher Lin, you can arrange the rest of the time as you wish."

Lin Xuezhou was still immersed in her brief encounter with Chen Yuanjiang when she heard this, and her reserved expression returned: "Okay."

With the division of labor clearly defined, the school's operations indeed ran much more smoothly. Lin Xuezhou organized the advanced group of children he was in charge of and set up a study corner in a corner of the classroom to teach them pinyin and arithmetic. When he began to keep a teaching log, he also had to observe more carefully how Shu Ran taught those children with weak foundations.

Shu Ran then devoted more energy to coordinating the school's curriculum, strengthening her connections with key figures such as Sister Wang and Old Aken, consolidating the literacy class, and beginning to think about how to use the materials compiled by Lin Xuezhou to further optimize her teaching.

A few days later, on her way back to the dormitory from the company headquarters, Shu Ran ran into Chen Yuanjiang again. This time, it seemed as if he had been waiting there on purpose.

"Special Envoy Chen," Shu Ran greeted him.

Chen Yuanjiang turned around, looked at her, and remained silent for a few seconds before speaking, "Lin Xuezhou is Deputy Political Commissar Lin's nephew."

Shu Ran nodded: "I've heard about it."

"He's... fairly upright," Chen Yuanjiang continued, "but he's a bit bookish and stubborn at times. You have to be tactful when using his words." He paused, as if mentioning it casually, "He's probably a bit better than that Yang clerk."

Shu Ran was almost certain this time that there was something more to his words. The last sentence, comparing him to Yang Zhenhua, only served to make it clearer that he was trying to cover something up.

She couldn't help but look at his profile, hidden in the twilight: "It seems like Officer Chen doesn't have a very good impression of Officer Yang?"

Chen Yuanjiang seemed to stiffen for a moment, then regained his composure and said in a stiff tone, "I can't say I have any impression of him."

He paused, then finally turned his head, looking at Shu Ran with a deep gaze, "You now... have a heavy burden on your shoulders, so be careful in everything you do."

"I know." Shu Ran met his gaze, her tone softening. "Thank you."

Chen Yuanjiang seemed a little uncomfortable with her "thank you," quickly looked away, mumbled an "um," and almost hastily said "I'm leaving," before disappearing into the night.

Shu Ran looked in the direction he disappeared and couldn't help but laugh. This person clearly wanted to express concern, but he insisted on putting on a businesslike face and awkwardly brought up Yang and Lin Xuezhou for comparison. His little scheme was simply a cover-up.

Shu Ran straightened her clothes and walked briskly towards the dormitory.