Chapter 157 A Harmonious Reciprocation
The next morning at 9:30, Shu Ran got ready and left.
She changed into her crispest blue Lenin suit, her hair neatly combed. She applied some face cream to moisturize her skin. She looked exactly what the era expected of a progressive young woman.
In her handbag, besides her personal belongings, she had also carefully wrapped a small pot of jasmine she had bought in a nearby alley. The plant wasn't large, but its leaves were lush and green, and it had several tiny white buds. It wasn't expensive, but it was full of life, making it a perfect gift for a meeting.
She greeted Lin Jing and Xiao Zhao, saying she was going out to run some errands and wouldn't need to wait for lunch. Xiao Zhao wanted to ask something, but Lin Jing stopped her with a look.
At 5:50, Shu Ran arrived at the post office at the street corner east of the guesthouse. The entrance was bustling with people—some mailing letters, others sending remittances or telegrams—it was quite lively.
Chen Yuanjiang was already waiting there. He was wearing a military uniform today, which made him look even more upright. He stood under a locust tree, his gaze occasionally sweeping towards the guesthouse. When he saw Shu Ran appear, he immediately strode over to her.
"Have you been waiting long?" Shu Ran asked.
"No, I just arrived." Chen Yuanjiang took the jasmine flowerpot from her hand, looked at it, and said, "This is quite nice."
"Let's go, let's find somewhere to talk," Shu Ran said.
Chen Yuanjiang led Shu Ran not onto the main street, but turned into a small alley next to the post office. The alley was very narrow, only wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The ground was paved with bluestone slabs, and the sides were lined with gray brick walls, with tree branches occasionally peeking out from the tops of the walls.
After walking for about five minutes, Chen Yuanjiang stopped in front of an inconspicuous little wooden door. The Spring Festival couplets pasted on the door had faded, and there was a blurry house number on the lintel. He took out a key and opened the door.
Inside was a clean and tidy courtyard. The ground was paved with blue bricks, and there were three rooms facing north, with windows that were spotless.
“This is a place my comrade-in-arms lent me temporarily; he’s away on a business trip,” Chen Yuanjiang explained, pushing open the door to the central room. “Come in; it’s quiet here.”
The room was small, containing a table, two chairs, a bed, and an old bookshelf with books and documents on it. On the table were two clean enamel mugs and a thermos.
Chen Yuanjiang poured Shu Ran a glass of water, and the two sat down at the table.
“It’s easier to talk here,” Chen Yuanjiang said first, his tone more relaxed than last night. “Let me briefly tell you about Uncle Chao’s family situation.”
Shu Ran nodded and took out her notebook and pen.
“No need to write it down.” Chen Yuanjiang smiled helplessly. “Just listen to me. Uncle Chao is an old revolutionary who fought many tough battles. He used to work on the front lines of defense. He has a straightforward personality and doesn’t like beating around the bush. He may speak bluntly, but he is clear about his principles and doesn’t judge people personally. He admires down-to-earth and capable people the most and hates ostentation and formalism the most.”
Shu Ran listened attentively, sketching out the image of a stern old soldier in her mind.
“Auntie’s surname is Fang. She used to be a member of the military’s cultural troupe, and later worked in [unclear - possibly a government office]. She has a gentle personality, likes flowers and plants, and also likes cultured young people. She’ll definitely be happy if you bring Jasmine.” Chen Yuanjiang glanced at the flowerpot on the table.
“They have a son and a daughter. The son is a few years older than me and is in the army in Northeast China, so he is away from home most of the year. The daughter is two years younger than me and is studying at a foreign language institute. She usually lives on campus and only comes home on weekends. So today at noon, it was most likely just my uncle and aunt, and maybe the nanny who takes care of us, Aunt Wang. There were no outsiders.”
Shu Ran silently noted down these relationships.
"Meals are just ordinary home-cooked meals. Uncle Chao's requirements are very simple: four dishes and a soup, with both meat and vegetables. He eats quickly and doesn't talk much. But after the meal, he might drink tea, and that's when we start chatting," Chen Yuanjiang continued. "He might ask about your family situation, your work in the border region, or your views on current education issues. Just be honest, say what you know, and if you don't know something, say you need to study it or do some research. Don't pretend to know what you don't, or say empty words or clichés. He can tell."
"I understand," Shu Ran replied. This was roughly what she had expected.
"Also," Chen Yuanjiang paused, looking at Shu Ran with an unusually solemn tone, "if... he mentions my work, or some future plans, including the directions Minister Zhou talked to you about the other day, just listen. You can share your understanding and thoughts, but don't ask questions or make any promises. Issues involving organizational arrangements and personnel are very complicated, so let's not talk about them too much."
This is drawing a clear line between public and private matters, and it's also protecting her. Shu Ran nodded: "I know what I'm doing."
Chen Yuanjiang breathed a sigh of relief and took a sip of water. "Don't be too nervous. Uncle Chao may be serious, but he never makes things difficult for the younger generation. Auntie is even more kind. Just think of it as... going to see two elders who care about us."
He used the word "we". Shu Ran looked up at him; his gaze was sincere and encouraging.
"I'm not nervous." Shu Ran smiled and closed the notebook that hadn't been filled with a single word. "I've prepared everything I need to. I'm just a little curious about what this old chief is like."
Chen Yuanjiang smiled, a hint of warmth in his smile: "You'll see when you get there. It's almost time, let's go. His house isn't far from here, about a twenty-minute walk."
The two stood up. Chen Yuanjiang carefully picked up the pot of jasmine. They walked out of the courtyard, locked the door, and returned to the alley.
The morning sun was shining brightly as they wandered through the winding alleyways. Chen Yuanjiang knew the area well and walked quickly. Shu Ran followed him, occasionally glancing at the buildings on either side.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, Chen Yuanjiang stopped at the entrance of a seemingly wider alley. This alley was noticeably more orderly, with many small gatehouses on both sides. The alley was very quiet, with almost no pedestrians.
Chen Yuanjiang walked to a large door. There was no doorplate on it. He knocked rhythmically on the door knocker.
Footsteps soon came from inside, the latch rattled, and the door opened a crack. A woman wearing an apron peeked out, and upon seeing Chen Yuanjiang, her face immediately lit up with a smile: "Yuanjiang's here! This must be Comrade Shu Ran, right? Please come in, the leader and Sister Fang are waiting."
"Aunt Wang," Chen Yuanjiang greeted her, stepping aside to let Shu Ran go in first.
Shu Ran smiled and nodded at Aunt Wang before stepping over the threshold. Inside was a courtyard house, facing south. The courtyard was square and spacious, and spotlessly clean.
Aunt Wang closed the door and led them towards the main house. Just as they reached the bottom of the steps, the curtain of the main house was lifted, and an elderly woman wearing a traditional Chinese jacket came out. She had a smile on her face and bright eyes.
“Auntie,” Chen Yuanjiang called out immediately.
"Hello, Aunt Fang," Shu Ran greeted her, bowing slightly.
"Oh, good, good." Aunt Fang stepped forward, her loving gaze falling on Shu Ran's face. She looked her up and down and nodded repeatedly. "Yuanjiang mentioned in his letter that she is a very capable and thoughtful girl. And indeed, she looks more spirited than in the photos."
"Aunt Fang, you flatter me." Shu Ran was a little embarrassed and handed over the pot of jasmine with both hands. "I heard from Yuanjiang that you like growing flowers. I saw it on the way and brought it with me. It's not a rare variety. Please see if you like it."
Aunt Fang took the flower, examined the leaves and buds carefully, and smiled even more broadly: "I love it! I love it! Jasmine is wonderful, fragrant, and easy to care for. These buds are about to bloom. Sister Wang, please put them on the windowsill of the east wing; the sunlight is good there." She handed the flower to Aunt Wang and naturally took Shu Ran's hand, "Come on, let's go inside and talk. The old man is still inside reading the newspaper."
She pulled Shu Ran into the house. Chen Yuanjiang followed behind, a smile on his face.
The main room was spacious, but the furnishings were extremely simple.
An elderly man sat on the sofa against the east wall. He was wearing an old, military-green uniform without collar insignia, holding a newspaper and reading it with his reading glasses on. Hearing the noise, he put down the newspaper, took off his glasses, and looked over.
His appearance was somewhat different from what Shu Ran had expected. He wasn't the stern man she had imagined, but rather more square-faced. When his gaze swept over her, it held a scrutinizing quality born of experience. It was very similar to the gaze she had first seen Chen Yuanjiang.
"Uncle Chao," Chen Yuanjiang stopped and greeted him respectfully.
Shu Ran straightened up and greeted him politely, "Uncle Chao, hello. I'm Shu Ran."
Uncle Chao's gaze lingered on Shu Ran's face for a few seconds before he nodded. "Yes. Sit down." He gestured to the sofa opposite him.
Shu Ran sat down on the sofa as instructed, her back straight, her hands folded on her knees. Chen Yuanjiang sat down next to her, keeping a small distance between them.
Aunt Fang brought over a tea tray and placed a cup of hot tea in front of everyone. "Try it, it's Tieguanyin sent by my husband's comrade-in-arms," she said with a smile, trying to liven up the atmosphere.
Uncle Chao didn't reply. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then looked back at Shu Ran, getting straight to the point: "Comrade Shu Ran, Xiao Sun showed me your materials. Your 'Tomb Seed' model is quite interesting. In a place like the border, empty gestures are useless; you have to get real results."
He skipped the pleasantries and went straight to work. This actually relieved Shu Ran; discussing work was one of her strengths.
"Yes, Uncle Chao. We explored at the grassroots level and found that education must first be something that the masses find useful and applicable before they are willing to learn it, and only then can education truly take root."
"Hmm." Uncle Chao nodded. "The example you gave in your materials, the child named Adil, later went to study veterinary medicine. That's very good. Education in the border regions is not just about teaching a few words, but also about promoting national unity and enhancing identification with the country and the community. You're on the right track in this regard."
He affirmed the political significance of Shu Ran's work, demonstrating his astute insight.
"Thank you for your affirmation, Uncle Chao. We also gradually discovered that as long as we sincerely care about the people and do our work practically, people of different ethnic groups can understand and accept us, and can become good friends and partners."
"Hmm." Uncle Chao looked at Shu Ran. "These things are easier said than done. Especially persevering in harsh environments for a long time is even more difficult. It's not easy for a girl from Shanghai like you to be able to settle down in the frontier and make a name for yourself. Do your parents support you?"
The topic shifted to family. This was expected.
Shu Ran was prepared, and she answered honestly: "My parents are in Shanghai. They are old and their health is not very good. When I came to support the border region, it was partly due to the demands of the times and partly due to some family reasons. They were very worried at first, but after seeing that I gradually settled down there and was still able to do some things, they slowly understood. They mainly told me to be careful and take care of my health. We correspond regularly."
Uncle Chao listened, remained silent for a moment, and tapped his fingers on the sofa armrest. Aunt Fang sighed softly beside him, "Parents' hearts are always full of love and concern. It must be tough for you to be all alone in such a faraway place."
“Young man, it’s a good thing to train in tough places,” Uncle Chao said calmly. “Family background is determined by history; the key is personal performance and stance. Your performance on the frontier is recognized by the organization. As for your parents, as long as they love their country, abide by the law, and understand and support their children’s efforts in building the country, then there’s no problem.”
Shu Ran felt a great weight lifted from her shoulders. "Thank you for your understanding, Uncle Chao. I will continue to work hard and live up to the organization's trust."
"Hmm." Uncle Chao responded, picked up his teacup and took another sip. He then turned his gaze to Chen Yuanjiang and changed the subject, "Yuanjiang, you've been in Beijing for a while now. How are you adjusting to your studies and work here?"
Chen Yuanjiang sat up straight: "Reporting to the commander, I'm still getting used to it. Working in the office is different from working on the front lines, and there's a lot to learn."
"It's good that you know it's different." Uncle Chao's tone became more serious. "I sent you here not to enjoy yourself, but to give you more responsibility and broaden your horizons. You must bring out the same spirit you had on the frontier, learn more, observe more, and think more. Only then can you shoulder heavier responsibilities when you go back in the future."
"Yes, I understand," Chen Yuanjiang replied in a deep voice.
Uncle Chao's gaze swept back and forth between Shu Ran and Chen Yuanjiang before he suddenly asked, "How well did you two work together when you were on the frontier?"
This is a somewhat delicate matter. Shu Ran glanced at Chen Yuanjiang, who immediately replied, "Comrade Shu Ran has overcome many difficulties and achieved remarkable results in carrying out educational work in the border regions. When I was in charge of security and some coordination work, I did my best to create a safe and stable environment for her and provide necessary support. Her enthusiasm and ability are worth learning from."
His answer was very official.
Shu Ran chimed in, "When Comrade Chen Yuanjiang was in the border region, he was principled and familiar with the local situation. He provided us with a lot of help in communicating with pastoral areas and ensuring the safety of teaching sites. His support was very important for the smooth progress of our work."
The two worked in perfect harmony, keeping their relationship firmly confined to the scope of mutual assistance among revolutionary comrades, leaving no room for error.
Uncle Chao listened, his face expressionless, only giving a soft "hmm," his expression unreadable. Aunt Fang tried to smooth things over, saying, "They're good partners at work and can look after each other in life, that's good. Yuanjiang is a quiet boy, he likes to shoulder things on his own. Xiaoshu, you're more quick-witted than him, so remind him more often."
Shu Ran blushed slightly and whispered, "Aunt Fang, I will."
Uncle Chao didn't continue the topic, but instead asked Shu Ran about her specific thoughts on the future development of education in the border regions. The questions were very professional and insightful. Shu Ran answered them one by one, offering many suggestions based on her own experience, and also frankly discussing the difficulties and bottlenecks she currently faces.
Uncle Chao listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with a question or two about a detail, but mostly he listened.
Before they knew it, they had been chatting for almost an hour. Aunt Wang came in to remind them, "Chief, Sister Fang, dinner is ready."
"Let's eat first." Uncle Chao stood up, his movements still brisk.
Lunch was indeed as Chen Yuanjiang had predicted—simple yet substantial. It consisted of four dishes and a soup: braised pork, home-style tofu, stir-fried bean sprouts, smashed cucumber, and a tomato and egg soup. The staple foods were white rice and steamed buns.
The dinner table was quiet. Uncle Chao ate quickly and hardly spoke. Aunt Fang kept putting food on Shu Ran's plate, saying, "Eat more, you're so thin. How's the food in the frontier?"
"It's great, the Corps and the company have taken good care of us," Shu Ran said, expressing her gratitude.
Chen Yuanjiang ate his meal in silence, occasionally exchanging a glance with Shu Ran.
After the meal, we moved to the main room for tea. Uncle Chao seemed more relaxed and asked Shu Ran some questions about Shanghai's customs and traditions, and also chatted about the differences in climate between the capital and the border regions. The conversation became much lighter.
After sitting for a while, Shu Ran saw that it was almost time, so she got up to say goodbye: "Uncle Chao, Aunt Fang, thank you for your hospitality. It's getting late, so I won't bother you any longer."
Aunt Fang held her hand, very reluctant to let her go: "Are you leaving already? Stay a little longer. Next time you come here, you must come to our house."
"Definitely, Aunt Fang," Shu Ran replied.
Uncle Chao also stood up, looking at Shu Ran with a much gentler gaze than when they first met: "Comrade Shu Ran, I had a very good chat with you today. You have ideas, methods, and drive for education in the border regions. This is a good thing. When you go back, continue to work diligently. National development, especially the long-term stability of the border regions, needs millions of young people like you who are willing to use their brains, endure hardship, and take responsibility. Yuanjiang," he turned to Chen Yuanjiang, "you see Comrade Shu Ran off."
"Yes," Chen Yuanjiang replied.
Aunt Fang saw Shu Ran all the way to the front door and gave her a few more words of advice. Aunt Wang pointed out the jasmine plant that had already been arranged to Shu Ran and said that she would take good care of it.
Stepping out the gate and back into the quiet alley, Shu Ran finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her palms were even slightly sweaty.
Chen Yuanjiang walked beside her and asked in a low voice, "How are you feeling?"
Shu Ran thought for a moment and said, "Uncle Chao is very serious, but he's reasonable and insightful. Aunt Fang is very kind." She added, "She's better than I expected."
Chen Yuanjiang raised the corners of his mouth: "I've said it before, Uncle Chao isn't that kind of person."
"Mm." Shu Ran nodded. Although she was tense throughout the meeting, the outcome was undoubtedly positive. The old leader acknowledged her work, showed understanding of her family background in principle, and while he didn't explicitly state her relationship with Chen Yuanjiang, Aunt Fang's attitude and Uncle Chao's final words conveyed tacit approval and support. More importantly, she wasn't treated as a dependent family member or an ornament, but rather as a professional with independent value and contributions.
This made her feel at ease and respected.
"My train leaves tomorrow afternoon," Shu Ran said. "When...can you return to the frontier?"
Chen Yuanjiang paused for a moment, then shook his head: "It's not certain yet. The mission isn't over; there might be other arrangements." He looked at her, "When you get back, pay close attention to your work. The ministry's research team coming down is an opportunity, and also..."
"I understand," Shu Ran replied. "I will keep things in check."
The two walked side by side until they reached an intersection near the guesthouse, where Chen Yuanjiang stopped and said, "I won't go in. I'll try my best to see you off tomorrow."
"Okay." Shu Ran looked at him. "Take care too."
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