Chapter 132 Dilemma
For half a month, Shu Ran spent her time in the office writing and revising her manuscript.
Ultimately, she finished writing her speech, focusing on three main topics: "how to solve the literacy problem of children of workers and herdsmen in accordance with local conditions" at mobile teaching points, "how to closely integrate cultural learning with production and life practices" and "how to run schools frugally and diligently by relying on the wisdom of the masses under conditions of material scarcity".
Regarding the spirit of the document, she did not deliberately pander to criticism. Instead, she cautiously added a paragraph at the end, emphasizing that in teaching practice, "we should always pay attention to ideological guidance and cultivate children's love for the motherland, the Production and Construction Corps, and labor." She also linked literacy education with "studying famous quotes and understanding the Party's policies." This was a subtle way of skirting the issue, reflecting political considerations without deviating from the reality of her work.
After finishing the draft, she first showed it to Director Sun for review.
Director Sun read it carefully, pondered for a moment, and said, "Hmm... it should work." He looked at Shu Ran with a hint of worry in his eyes, "However, Shu, the winds have shifted a bit. Your draft... is too honest and might not be sharp enough. If any leaders ask about your views on the spirit of the current educational revolution at the meeting, you need to be prepared and respond flexibly."
“I understand, Director.” Shu Ran nodded. “I will act according to the circumstances.”
The night before he was to depart for headquarters, Chen Yuanjiang came to Shu Ran's dormitory. He was carrying a file folder.
"Here you go." He handed over the file folder.
Shu Ran opened it; inside was a thick book of documents, the cover blank. She flipped through it with a puzzled look; inside were densely packed handwritten notes, meticulously categorized and recording the working styles of the main leaders of each division and regiment of the Production and Construction Corps, even their pronouncements at public meetings. The handwriting was clearly Chen Yuanjiang's. The last few pages also included summaries of several recent policy documents issued by higher authorities related to the fields of culture, education, and health, with key points marked in red pen.
Shu Ran looked up in shock, about to speak, when Chen Yuanjiang interrupted her.
"Take it." Chen Yuanjiang's tone left no room for doubt. "During meetings, listen more, observe more, and speak less. If necessary, it won't hurt to know who's sitting on the stage and what their style is." He paused, then added, "Burn it after you've read it."
"Thank you." All of Shu Ran's words ultimately boiled down to these two words.
The Corps headquarters was located in a larger city in northern Xinjiang. The several-day meeting had a tight agenda and a much more serious atmosphere than at the division headquarters. Representatives from all the divisions of the Corps gathered together, and Shu Ran, as one of the few grassroots representatives who needed to make a keynote speech, attracted particular attention.
When it was her turn to go on stage, she could feel countless eyes focused on her from below the stage. Some were curious, some were scrutinizing, and some were openly questioning—what real skills could such a young woman have? She probably just benefited from being a "model" for others.
Shu Ran calmed her slightly nervous emotions, walked to the microphone, and recited her ideas, experiences, and practices without notes.
Her language remained simple and unpretentious, and every detail revealed her dedication. When she spoke about Adil's initiative to learn from a veterinarian and his desire to return to help the pastoral area, many representatives from the grassroots level in the audience nodded frequently, their eyes showing resonance.
The results were even better than she had anticipated. Her speech was met with enthusiastic applause. Director Zhang, who chaired the meeting, also gave a special comment, affirming Shu Ran's working approach of "starting from reality and considering the needs of the people."
Shu Ran secretly glanced at the description of Chen Yuanjiang in his notebook: pragmatic and results-oriented. She breathed a slight sigh of relief.
However, trouble still came knocking during a break in the meeting.
A man wearing glasses, who looked to be in his early thirties, walked up to Shu Ran. The badge on his chest indicated that he was from a department directly under the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.
"Comrade Shu Ran, your speech is quite...unique." The man pushed up his glasses, a slight smile on his lips, but his tone was somewhat intriguing. "My name is Zheng Tao, and I work in the Propaganda Department of the Corps."
"Hello, Officer Zheng." Shu Ran maintained a polite smile, but inwardly she became wary.
This name was mentioned in Chen Yuanjiang's notebook, with a note next to it: "Deep theoretical foundation, sharp writing style, keeps up with the times, and is one of the activists of the 'educational revolution'."
"Comrade Shu Ran's work has indeed solved some practical problems at the grassroots level." Zheng Tao then changed the subject, "However, after listening to your speech, I have a question. Your emphasis on practicality and fundamentals seems to have a different focus from the spirit of the documents we are currently advocating. In your opinion, in border areas, should we first lay a solid foundation in literacy and arithmetic, or should we pay more attention to cultivating children's revolutionary ideology?"
This question was extremely pointed and contained an obvious trap. Several other representatives in the audience also pricked up their ears.
Shu Ran knew she couldn't confront them head-on. Her smile remained unchanged, and her tone was sincere: "Officer Zheng's questions are excellent and insightful. I believe these two things are not contradictory, but rather complementary. Our mobile teaching points teach children to read and do arithmetic, to understand newspapers and national affairs, and to learn about national and Party policies. This is itself the most practical and effective way to make the masses feel the care of the Party and the Production and Construction Corps. Isn't this the most vivid manifestation of proletarian politics?"
She paused, looked at Zheng Tao, and turned the tables on him: "If the children don't even have the most basic education and only have slogans, how can they truly understand the principles of the revolution, and how can they grow into qualified successors to build and defend the frontier? The children of our corps will be able to pick up a hoe and a gun in the future. How can they do it without cultural foundation?"
Her words were reasonable, closely related to the realities of the border region, and elevated to a higher political level. Zheng Tao was momentarily speechless, his eyes behind his glasses flickered, and he couldn't find the right words to refute her.
An older representative from a border regiment couldn't help but interject, "Comrade Shu Ran is right! In our area, children who can read and do math are better than those who can recite a hundred slogans! The people value practicality!"
The others chimed in. Seeing this, Zheng Tao's face darkened. He chuckled dryly, "Heh, Comrade Shu Ran is indeed eloquent. It seems you have your own… unique understanding of the education revolution." He emphasized the word "unique," gave Shu Ran a meaningful look, and turned to leave.
Shu Ran watched his retreating figure, knowing this wasn't over. This Zheng Tao had probably already remembered her.
On the final day of the conference, the agenda was nearing its end. The host announced the preliminary list of personnel to be drawn from the Leading Group Office for Educational Revolution and solicited opinions from the various divisions. A slight commotion arose in the meeting room, and many people craned their necks.
Shu Ran sat in the audience, not particularly concerned. She felt that as someone working at the grassroots level, handling practical matters, she shouldn't have any connection with such an abstract, high-level organization. She even drifted off into thought, considering how to improve the second phase of teacher training when she got back.
However, when a certain name was called, her heart skipped a beat.
"...Shu Ran, Education Section, X Division."
In an instant, Shu Ran felt as if the air around her had frozen. The voices reading the list on stage continued, but she could no longer hear who was next.
The Office of the Leading Group for Educational Revolution is a corps-level organization that directly connects with the highest decision-making level. Once seconded there, it means leaving the division level and entering a broader platform.
With her abilities and forward-thinking perspective, she could easily rise to prominence in that position if she handled things properly. This would mean greater power, a wider network, a higher starting point, and potentially even influence the formulation of educational policies for the entire production and construction corps and beyond.
This was a shortcut to her dream of reaching the pinnacle of her career, an opportunity that countless people within the system would fight tooth and nail for. A department-level unit—she understood all too well the weight that term carried in the future. Staying was almost a certainty; her career trajectory would be completely altered, a meteoric rise.
On the other hand, there was her almost instinctive vigilance and resistance as an educator. The atmosphere she sensed at this meeting was one of uncertainty and ideological struggle; it could be a hotbed of controversy. Her limited grassroots experience might be completely inadequate there, and she could easily become a victim.
Opportunities and risks coexist; temptations and traps are intertwined.
Rationally, she knew that the temporary transfer was a stepping stone to promotion; emotionally and intuitively, however, she was filled with unease and resistance towards that unknown field.
Feeling the various gazes directed at her, she sighed.
The list was finished. The host began with standard pleasantries about soliciting opinions from each division and handling subsequent procedures. Shu Ran, however, couldn't hear a single word. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts: one moment a vague vision of a future where she could command respect on a higher platform, the next the clear, yearning eyes of the children in the livestock company, then the spirit conveyed in the documents, and then Chen Yuanjiang's words, "Choose the path you believe in."
She was reluctant to leave this land at the grassroots level, but she was also afraid of the seemingly bright future that might actually be fraught with undercurrents.
After the meeting, just as she was about to leave, Director Zhang's secretary came over: "Comrade Shu Ran, please wait a moment. Director Zhang would like to talk to you."
What was bound to happen has finally happened. Shu Ran followed the secretary toward Director Zhang's temporary office.
Director Zhang sat on the sofa, his attitude relatively mild, and gestured for Shu Ran to sit down.
"Comrade Shu Ran, your speech was excellent and very persuasive," Director Zhang said bluntly. "The organization has recognized your abilities. It was my suggestion to add you to this transfer list."
Just as I expected. Shu Ran remained calm.
Director Zhang looked at her and continued, “The education revolution is a major event at present. We need young comrades like you, who have practical experience at the grassroots level and are also enterprising, to promote and implement it. In that position, you can play a greater role and make a greater contribution. This is also a very good opportunity for your personal growth.”
The expectations and implications in the words were quite clear. This was an organized conversation, and to some extent, an order. To refuse outright would be ungrateful.
She said with a firm gaze, "Director Zhang, I am very grateful for the organization's trust and training. It is my honor to be able to enter the leading group office for learning and training. However... I have a request."
"Oh? Go ahead." Director Zhang was somewhat surprised.
“The mobile teaching sites I’m in charge of have just opened three new locations, and the teacher training has only been conducted once. Many things are still in the exploratory stage, and the foundation is very unstable. I’m worried that if I leave now, the effort I’ve put in so far may be greatly diminished, or even abandoned halfway.”
Shu Ran said earnestly, "Could you please consider allowing me to stay in my original position for the time being, to thoroughly solidify the framework of the teaching point, and to cultivate a few backbone personnel who can stand on their own before I am transferred to another post? I believe that only when the foundation at the grassroots level is solid can any reforms and revolutions at the top level truly take root and flourish."
Director Zhang pondered for a moment, his fingers lightly tapping the sofa armrest. He admired Shu Ran's pragmatism and competence, and was also aware of the difficulties of grassroots work. What Shu Ran said made sense.
"Hmm... your considerations make sense." Director Zhang finally spoke. "How about this, let's put the transfer on hold for now. Go back first, handle your own affairs thoroughly, and produce even better results. As for the leading group office... we'll talk about it later."
"Thank you, Director Zhang!" Shu Ran felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders and quickly stood up. "I will definitely live up to the organization's expectations and do my job well!"
Emerging from Director Zhang's office, Shu Ran felt a chill run down her spine. She knew this was only a temporary respite. The winds had already risen, and for someone as small as her, it would be difficult to completely avoid them. She needed to grow faster, to make her work more solid, so solid that no one could deny its value.
Back at the division headquarters, Shu Ran accelerated the compilation of supplementary teaching materials, prepared for the second phase of training for substitute teachers, and more frequently went to various teaching sites to solve specific problems.
Chen Yuanjiang saw her efforts and anxieties. He didn't say anything, but he brought her meals when she worked overtime and made sure she was safe when she went to the countryside to make arrangements.
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