Chapter 106 "Learning from Each Other."...
The next morning, the meeting room of the Education Section of the Division was full of people.
Besides Director Sun, Staff Member Li, Staff Member Zhao, and other staff members from the Education Section, several middle-aged cadres with composed demeanors whom Shu Ran didn't recognize sat in the front row. The most eye-catching was Deputy Political Commissar Lin, sitting next to Director Sun. He was dressed in civilian clothes, with a calm expression, yet possessed an aura of quiet authority.
To Shu Ran's surprise, Yang Zhenhua also came, sitting in a seat at the back, and nodded to her.
The atmosphere in the meeting room wasn't exactly serious, but it was far from relaxed either.
Shu Ran stood in front of the podium and took a deep breath. Today, she was wearing her neatest old military uniform, her hair was combed neatly, her eyes were bright, and her posture was composed.
She saw Chen Yuanjiang sitting in the corner. He still had that cold expression, but when she looked over, his expression softened, and he nodded at her.
She also saw Lin Xuezhou sitting a little further back.
"Distinguished leaders and comrades," Shu Ran began, her voice carrying the composure of someone who had experienced the trials of grassroots work, "My topic today is 'Rooted in the Grassroots, Pragmatic and Innovative—Practice and Reflection on Literacy and Basic Education Work at Qiming Primary School in the Animal Husbandry Company.'"
She didn't use any fancy opening remarks, but went straight to the point. She first showed the children's earliest workbooks, which were filled with crooked handwriting and drawings made with lime blocks, a stark contrast to the much neater handwriting and simple sentences they had now.
She didn't overemphasize her own contributions, but instead used a lot of vivid details to recreate the entire work process.
She talked about how to motivate students: "...Just talking about grand principles is useless; we have to show them tangible benefits. I told an illiterate mother that if she could read, she wouldn't be fooled when she received work points. I told a herder uncle that if his child learned some Chinese characters, he could understand the instructions for veterinary drugs and that fewer lambs would die from illness. They might not understand 'enlightening the people,' but they understand 'less loss' and 'more sheep alive.'"
Some people in the audience nodded slightly.
She recounted how they solved the resource shortage: "...When we didn't have chalk, we collected lime lumps and went to the lime kiln waste pile to find scraps of lime that we could write on. When we didn't have paper, we used the backs of old reports, or the children could scribble on the ground. Later, the families of the company members helped us collect used exercise books, and Comrade Li Xiulan found some burnt sheep bones from the sideline production team, which we sharpened to use as pens. There are always more solutions than problems; it just depends on whether you're willing to think of them and whether you're willing to do them."
She showed off her homemade lime pens, bone charcoal pens, and exercise books bound together with scrap paper.
She emphasized the concepts of "integrated production and learning" and "practical literacy": "...We moved the classroom to the ridges of the fields and the banks of the ditches, and taught them words related to production when they took a break from work. Sanitary worker Xu Junjun taught them hygiene knowledge. This knowledge can be used immediately after learning, so everyone is interested. Literacy is not for a diploma, but to make life better and to make people's minds clearer."
She mentioned the obstacles she encountered, such as Zhou Qiaozhen's obstruction, Zhao Weidong's initial lack of understanding, and the change in the family's attitude after the Li Dazhuang incident, but in the end, they were all resolved properly and she won support.
She didn't even shy away from the Zhou Wenbin incident, using it as a negative example to emphasize the importance of remaining vigilant in border areas and the necessity of character guidance in education.
When she gets to the key points, she naturally uses the few keywords she has prepared.
"...We believe that the key to the success of Qiming Primary School and the literacy campaign lies in the exploration of a sustainable model that is rooted in our production and daily life, does not deviate from reality, and therefore has the potential to be replicated and promoted in similar units."
"...This work cannot be separated from a solid foundation among the masses. The trust of the villagers in the pastoral areas and the understanding of the families of the production and construction corps are the prerequisites for our in-depth work. Any adjustment to the working methods needs to take into account whether it is conducive to maintaining and consolidating this foundation, and avoid potential risks that may affect everyone's confidence and perception of the demonstration site."
She made no mention of Lin Xuezhou, nor of any possible changes, but every word she spoke seemed to provide an explanation for maintaining the status quo. She elevated her work to the level of methodology and the mass line.
The audience was quiet, save for Shu Ran's clear voice and the occasional rustling of pages turning. Deputy Political Commissar Lin listened intently, while Director Sun wore a thoughtful expression.
In her concluding remarks, Shu Ran stated: "...During my time in the livestock company, my biggest takeaway is that grassroots education work cannot be divorced from reality, nor can it be aloof. We patiently understand what the masses need, what they worry about, and what they expect. The power of education lies not in how much profound knowledge is taught, but in whether it allows the masses to feel the power and dignity that knowledge brings. This path is difficult, requiring patience, wisdom, and even more so, a determination to take root. I am willing to continue on this path, to explore further, and I hope that my immature experiences and lessons can provide some reference for the development of grassroots education in our Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps."
After she finished speaking, there was a moment of silence in the conference room, followed by enthusiastic applause.
Shu Ran bowed, her gaze sweeping across the audience. She saw the approving look in Director Sun's eyes, the sincere admiration of Officer Li and the others, and the complex emotions in Lin Xuezhou's eyes—a mixture of shock and deep thought.
Finally, her gaze met Chen Yuanjiang's. He remained sitting solemnly in the corner, but Shu Ran noticed his hand on his knee clenching tightly before slowly releasing.
Deputy Political Commissar Lin turned his head and whispered something to Director Sun. Director Sun nodded.
Director Sun summarized the meeting, reaffirming Shu Ran's work and emphasizing the challenges of grassroots education and the importance of demonstration sites. He made no mention of personnel arrangements, only requesting the Education Section to quickly organize and refine the materials Shu Ran brought.
The report seemed to have concluded successfully.
After the meeting, people left one after another. Shu Ran tidied up the materials on the podium.
"Comrade Shu Ran." A voice sounded from the side.
Shu Ran looked up and saw Lin Xuezhou.
"Teacher Lin." Shu Ran nodded.
"Your report was excellent," Lin Xuezhou said sincerely. "It was much more insightful than I had imagined. I admit that some of my previous ideas were indeed out of touch with reality."
Shu Ran was somewhat surprised; she hadn't expected Lin Xuezhou to take the initiative to say these things.
"Teacher Lin, you're too kind. We just have different focuses," Shu Ran said politely. "Systematic knowledge is also important, especially after the children have a certain foundation. Our goals are the same."
Lin Xuezhou looked at her, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "My uncle... Deputy Political Commissar Lin, he just told me that practice makes perfect, and that I should learn more from you."
Shu Ran's heart skipped a beat, but she remained expressionless: "Let's learn from each other."
Lin Xuezhou seemed to want to say something more, but seeing that Deputy Political Commissar Lin seemed to have something to discuss with him, he hurriedly took his leave.
Director Sun walked over.
"Comrade Shu Ran, you spoke very well and thoroughly." Director Sun said with a gentle smile. "Your thoughts, especially on sustainability and the importance of grassroots support, are very insightful."
"Thank you, Director. I was just reporting the actual situation to everyone," Shu Ran said modestly.
Director Sun nodded, as if mentioning it casually: "Yes, as long as we're being realistic. By the way, Comrade Xuezhou will also be sharing his teaching experiences this afternoon. You are all young people, educated and full of ideas. You should exchange ideas more often in the future and work together to improve the educational work of our division."
Shu Ran's heart tightened, but her smile remained unchanged: "Yes, Director, I will definitely learn more from Teacher Lin."
Director Sun gave her a meaningful look, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
Yang Zhenhua walked over at this moment and said in a low voice, "That was very well said. I think Director Sun is very satisfied."
"Thank you," Shu Ran said, but she knew in her heart that Director Sun's satisfaction and his final suggestion about "more communication" were not contradictory. The art of leadership lies in balance.
Shu Ran walked out of the conference room with the materials in her arms and met Chen Yuanjiang, who was waiting for her in the corridor.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, his words still concise and to the point.
"It should be... alright." Shu Ran smiled, a hint of relief mixed with exhaustion.
Chen Yuanjiang looked at her, then suddenly reached out and swiftly removed a small piece of paper that had somehow gotten stuck to her hair.
Shu Ran paused for a moment, then looked up at him.
Chen Yuanjiang had already withdrawn his hand, holding the scrap of paper in his palm, and looked away.
"Go back and rest," he said. "There might be other arrangements later."
"What arrangements?" Shu Ran pressed.
"I don't know," Chen Yuanjiang shook his head. "Let's wait for notification."
He accompanied her to the guesthouse. They walked in silence for a while, and when they were almost at the guesthouse entrance, Chen Yuanjiang suddenly said out of the blue, "He's not as good as you."
Shu Ran was stunned, then chuckled. This man had such a unique way of comforting and praising people.
"I know." Shu Ran raised her head, a hint of smugness in her eyes. "I've always known."
Chen Yuanjiang looked at her bright eyes and slightly raised chin, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly, but the smile was fleeting.
"I'm going back to the company this afternoon," he said.
"So fast?" Shu Ran blurted out.
"Yes. I have a mission." Chen Yuanjiang looked at her. "Once things are settled here, come back soon."
"Okay." Shu Ran nodded. "Wait for me to get back."
Chen Yuanjiang glanced at her, said nothing more, and strode away.
As Shu Ran watched his figure disappear around the corner of the division headquarters office building, she felt a sense of emptiness in her heart.
She returned to her guesthouse room, sprawled out on the bed, and let out a long sigh of relief. The tension of the report gradually faded, replaced by a sense of excitement.
She walked to the window and looked at the people coming and going in the division compound.
The road ahead is long, things are not yet completely settled, and Lin Xuezhou's existence remains a variable.
She will definitely find a way to break the deadlock.
Just then, there was another knock on the door, accompanied by the voice of Director Sun's secretary: "Is Comrade Shu Ran here? Director Sun would like to see you."
Shu Ran's heart leaped into her throat. It's here. Is this the end of the story, or the beginning of new waves?
She stood up, straightened her collar and hair, took a deep breath, and opened the door.
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