Chapter 150 "Even more exciting than I imagined..."
Lunch was in a small private room in the Education Bureau's cafeteria.
The conversation revolved around work. Liao Cheng asked many questions about the current state of education in the border regions, which Shu Ran answered one by one. She could sense that Liao Cheng was observing her.
She pieced together details from the fragments of the original owner's remaining memories, trying her best to preserve some of the original owner's possible traits.
After the meal, the work group was to visit a grassroots teaching site. Shu Ran accompanied them.
Their first stop was a school for the children of factory workers in the suburbs. Liao Cheng observed it carefully and chatted with the teachers and students for a long time. Shu Ran followed beside him, occasionally adding a few words.
During the visit to the library, Liao Cheng suddenly asked a female student who was reading a book, "What kind of books do you like to read?"
The female student said shyly, "I like reading storybooks."
"What storybook?"
“‘Little Heroes of the Frontier’,” the female student said. “Teacher Shu recommended it to us.”
Liao Cheng looked at Shu Ran: "You recommended her?"
“Hmm.” Shu Ran walked over and took the book out of the bookshelf. “This book records some true stories from the early days of the Corps’ construction. If the children read it, they can understand how their parents’ generation took root in this land.”
Liao Cheng took the book and flipped through it: "You certainly know how to pick books."
"You have to choose something they can understand and something that's useful to them."
After leaving the school, Liao Cheng said to Shu Ran, "You've changed a lot, but some things haven't changed."
Shu Ran's heart tightened: "What?"
"You're still so considerate of others." Liao Cheng smiled. "Back in the social gatherings, you were always the girl who took care of everyone."
These words made Shu Ran relax a little. At least it meant that her acting wasn't too far off.
In the afternoon, I visited two more teaching sites, and it was already dark when I got back to the city.
Dinner was again at the guesthouse canteen. Liao Cheng let the others eat first, then called Shu Ran aside.
“We’re having an internal discussion tomorrow morning,” he said. “You need to attend. Also…” He took a manila folder from his briefcase, “This is some translated materials I’ve collected about basic education abroad; they might be useful to you.”
Shu Ran took the folder: "Thank you, Team Leader Liao."
"Don't mention it." Liao Cheng looked at her and suddenly asked, "Shu Ran, are you... still single?"
This question is too personal. Shu Ran quickly assessed how to answer—tell the truth? Her relationship with Chen Yuanjiang was no secret in the military corps; if Liao Cheng wanted to investigate, he certainly could. Lie? That was riskier.
“I started a family on the frontier,” she said, choosing a vague statement.
"Settled?" Liao Cheng was taken aback. "You're married?"
"I guess so." Shu Ran didn't go into details, but just smiled. "Life on the frontier always requires someone to rely on."
Liao Cheng was silent for a few seconds, then nodded: "That's good, someone will take care of you."
These words were spoken naturally, but Shu Ran detected a hint of regret in them.
"Where's Team Leader Liao?" she asked back, throwing the topic back at him.
"Me?" Liao Cheng pushed up his glasses. "I'm too busy with work to think about it."
A very official answer. Shu Ran didn't press further: "Then please take good care of yourself."
"You too," Liao Cheng said. "The frontier is tough, don't push yourself too hard."
After dinner, Shu Ran returned to her room and let out a long sigh of relief.
She'd passed this hurdle. She'd handled Liao Cheng's tests flawlessly, and her performance hadn't given anything obvious of her true colors. But they'd be spending the next few days together, so she couldn't let her guard down.
She walked to the table and opened the folder Liao Cheng had given her. Inside was a thick stack of translated materials about basic education models abroad.
She flipped through a few pages and suddenly saw a line of small print in the blank space of one page: "I hope this information will be helpful to you. You said you wanted to be a teacher back then, and now you really have become a teacher, and a very good one at that."
Shu Ran closed the folder.
The original owner's past with Liao Cheng was more complicated than she had imagined. Those returned letters and those conversations at the social gatherings didn't seem to have ended completely because of her rejection.
Now, this past has become a minefield that she must handle with care. She cannot get too close, nor can she be too distant; she cannot be too much like Shu Ran back then, nor can she be too unlike her.
She walked to the window and looked at the dark night sky outside.
Where is Chen Yuanjiang now? If he were here, she might be more at ease. But then she thought, if he were here, facing Liao Cheng, an old acquaintance, the situation might be even more complicated.
She rubbed her temples, deciding to put those thoughts aside for now. She had a meeting tomorrow, and she needed to prepare properly.
It was already late at night when Shu Ran finished washing up and lay down. She closed her eyes, and the inquisitive yet gentle look in Liao Cheng's eyes when he looked at her earlier that day came to mind.
That look made her uneasy, as if it were searching for something. Searching for the shadow of that Shanghai lady from years ago, comparing the past with the present.
She had to convince him that these differences were the result of the trials and tribulations of the frontier over the past few years, and not because the person inside had changed.
Shu Ran turned over, forcing herself to stop thinking about it. She closed her eyes and finally fell asleep.
She had a dream. In her dream, she returned to the classroom of the livestock company, where children were reading aloud. Sunlight streamed in through the windows. Chen Yuanjiang stood in the doorway and smiled at her.
...
Over the next three days, the work group visited seven teaching sites around V City. Shu Ran accompanied them throughout, setting off before dawn and returning to the guesthouse after dark each day.
Liao Cheng's meticulousness exceeded everyone's expectations. He not only inspected classrooms, textbooks, and homework, but also randomly interviewed students, visited their homes, and talked to parents about the changes in their children before and after starting school. At a teaching point in a pastoral area, he even learned from Shu Ran how to write on the blackboard with lime blocks, writing a few crooked words that amused the children.
"Team Leader Liao is really approachable," Wang Juan said to Shu Ran privately.
Shu Ran simply nodded. The more Liao Chengyue showed understanding and respect for grassroots work, the more careful she had to be—it meant that his observations were more in-depth and his judgments more accurate.
On the afternoon of the third day, on the way back, Liao Cheng suddenly asked, "Comrade Shu Ran, how far is the farthest of these teaching points from the company?"
"The closest is a dozen kilometers, the furthest is nearly a hundred kilometers," Shu Ran replied. "When the pastoral areas are relocated, we have to move along with them."
"How does the teacher get there?"
"Some rode horses, some hitched rides, and those who lived far away stayed near the teaching site."
Liao Cheng remained silent.
After a long time, he said, "I've been reading materials for several days, listening to reports for several days, and visiting seven locations in person. Your work is indeed solid, and the results are substantial."
Shu Ran waited for "but".
“However,” Liao Cheng indeed spoke up, “your model has a fundamental problem.”
"Please speak."
“It’s too reliant on you personally.” Liao Cheng turned to look at her. “Teachers at every teaching site say, ‘We’ll teach the way Teacher Shu teaches.’ Every parent asks, ‘Is Teacher Shu coming again?’ The manuals you compiled, the training you conducted, the standards you set—you’ve turned yourself into the sole fulcrum of this system.”
Shu Ran's heart sank. This was a hidden danger that she herself had realized.
“This is not a sustainable model.” Liao Cheng’s tone was calm, but his words were clear. “You are an excellent practitioner, but if you want to extend your experience to more border areas, you must extract ‘Shu Ran’ from the system and turn it into a replicable and scalable method.”
“I’m trying,” Shu Ran said. “The manual is just a starting point.”
“You wrote the manual,” Liao Cheng said incisively. “Your thinking, your language, your style. Others are learning ‘Shu Ran’s method,’ not ‘the method of frontier education.’”
Shu Ran couldn't refute it. It was indeed the truth.
“So,” Liao Cheng continued, “you were indeed considered for this selection of a spokesperson for the border region. But whether you are ultimately selected depends on your performance in the upcoming discussion.”
"I understand, thank you for your guidance, Team Leader Liao."
“It’s not guidance, it’s a reminder.” Liao Cheng looked at Shu Ran. “You have six days to prepare. Six days later, before the working group leaves V City, there will be a mock presentation. The members of the working group and I will serve as mock judges. You need to convince us why you are the right speaker within forty minutes.”
"good."
"In addition," Liao Cheng paused, "the entire report will be recorded and taken back as an important reference."
Shu Ran clenched her hands on her knees.
It was already 7 p.m. when Shu Ran returned to the Education Bureau. She didn't go to the cafeteria for dinner and went straight back to her office.
She needed to rethink the entire approach to the report. Liao Cheng was right—the previous report was too much like a personal work summary, showing "what Shu Ran did" rather than "how border education should be done."
She opened her notebook and began to outline.
It was already nine o'clock when the first draft of the outline was finished. Wang Juan brought in a bowl of noodles: "Shu Ran, have something to eat."
"Wow, it smells delicious! Thank you!" Shu Ran took the bowl with some surprise. It was clear broth noodles with a poached egg on top.
Wang Juan sat down opposite her: "What Team Leader Liao talked about today... was it difficult?"
“It’s difficult, but it’s the right thing to do.” Shu Ran picked up a mouthful of noodles with her chopsticks. “I was really too caught up in the specifics of the work and didn’t step back to see the bigger picture.”
"But your job is real and tangible."
“It’s real, but to make it so that others can do it too, we can’t just rely on ‘how Shu Ran does it.’” Shu Ran ate a few bites of noodles, put down her chopsticks, and said, “I need to figure out what the core issues of frontier education are, what the general methods are for solving these issues, and what my experience is in the process.”
Wang Juan nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
"You go back first, I'll leave later."
"Then don't stay out too late."
After Wang Juan left, Shu Ran was the only one left in the office. She spread out her manuscript paper again.
What are the core issues of education in border regions? They are resource scarcity, language and cultural differences, outdated parental attitudes, and high mobility.
She listed them one by one, and then wrote after each question: What methods did we try? Which worked? Which didn't? Why?
She paused her writing when she came to the issue of mobility in pastoral areas.
Adil's face flashed through my mind. That boy who once rushed into the classroom can now speak fluent Mandarin, help the veterinary station with disease prevention publicity, and teach other children in pastoral areas to read.
Why did he change?
Going to school allowed him to see a different world; knowledge enabled him to help his family and people; and he transformed from "someone who needs to be taught" into "someone who can teach others."
Shu Ran suddenly had an idea. She spread out a new sheet of paper and wrote down a new title.
She didn't finish writing until late at night. Shu Ran stood up, stretched her stiff shoulders, and walked to the window.
The winter nights in V City were quiet, with no pedestrians on the streets. She recalled the nights at the livestock company, when she could hear the wind, the distant barking of dogs, and the sound of Chen Yuanjiang's returning horse hooves.
She suddenly thought of Chen Yuanjiang.
I miss his brief words when he speaks, and the awkward way he expresses his concern.
If he were here, perhaps he could offer her some advice. But she knew that he must be somewhere else right now, doing something important, just like her.
Shu Ran returned to her desk and carefully put away the manuscript paper filled with writing. Starting tomorrow, she would spend six days refining this idea into a presentation that could impress the judges within forty minutes.
Starting on the fourth day, Shu Ran entered a period of seclusion. During the day, she accompanied the working group on their visits as usual, and at night she stayed up late revising the manuscript. She sought out Secretary Zhou and Director Han, asking them to conduct mock interviews; she consulted Liu Hui from the teaching and research office, asking her for professional feedback; and she even sought out Zhang Yaqin from the archives, asking her to observe the process from an outsider's perspective.
By the sixth night, Shu Ran had lost count of how many times she had revised the manuscript.
The mock presentation was scheduled for the morning of the seventh day in a small conference room at the Education Bureau. In addition to the five members of the working group, Secretary Zhou, Director Han, and Li Weiguo also participated.
Shu Ran arrived at the meeting room half an hour early to prepare.
Liao Cheng entered on time, followed by members of the work group. He was wearing a dark blue Zhongshan suit today, which made him look more formal.
"Are you ready?" he asked Shu Ran.
"Ready."
"Let's begin."
Shu Ran walked to the back of the podium and looked down at the audience. Liao Cheng sat in the center of the first row, his gaze focused.
"Distinguished leaders, I am Shu Ran. The topic I will be presenting today is..."
When she talked about the teaching site, she showed three comparison pictures: the original dilapidated shed, the later simple classroom, and the now slightly more standardized teaching site.
"The hardware is improving, but the core remains the same—the teachers are still the same teachers, the textbooks are still the same textbooks, and the methods are still the same methods. Why are the results getting better and better? Because we are iterating."
"In the first year, we explored: what kind of classes do students like to listen to? What kind of content do parents support? In the second year, we summarized: which methods are effective? Which ones don't work? In the third year, we standardized: we compiled manuals, trained teachers, and established standards. In the fourth year, we promoted: from one point to an entire area, from Han students to students of multiple ethnicities."
Shu Ran looked at the audience and said, “I call these four steps the ‘Spark Model.’ The teacher is the first spark, igniting the students’ thirst for knowledge; the students become the second spark, influencing their families and peers; and the family becomes the third spark, driving the entire area to value education. The spark doesn’t need me at every stage; it only needs people who are willing to be ignited and people who are willing to pass on the fire.”
"So, back to the question raised by Team Leader Liao: Is this model too reliant on my personal involvement?" Shu Ran turned to Liao Cheng, "My answer is: it used to be, but not anymore. Because what I'm doing isn't teaching, but igniting and passing on the torch. I've already ignited the first sparks, and they're igniting even more people. Even if I leave tomorrow, these sparks will continue to burn."
"The fundamental problem with education in border areas is the lack of a method to transform ordinary people into sparks of inspiration. My work over the past few years has been to explore this method. Now, it is beginning to take shape—it has manuals, a training system, evaluation standards, and a path for its promotion."
Shu Ran concluded by showing a chart: a central circle represents the "Torchbearer Teacher," radiating outwards to "Torchbearer Students," "Torchbearer Families," "Torchbearer Communities," and further outwards to regional promotion, standard establishment, and policy recommendations.
"This is what I want to report at the national conference: not what I have done, but what we have discovered; not how difficult education is in the frontier, but how it can be done; not how much resources are needed, but how to make the most of existing resources."
She finished her report, which lasted exactly thirty-nine minutes.
There was a few seconds of silence in the meeting room. Then, Liao Cheng led the applause.
"It was fantastic." Liao Cheng took off his glasses, wiped them, and put them back on. "It was even more spectacular than I expected."
Shu Ran stepped down from the podium and realized that her palms were sweaty.
The mock Q&A session began. Members of the working group took turns asking questions, each more pointed than the last: regarding budget estimates, teacher training cycles, specific operational procedures for teaching ethnic minority languages, and the scientific rigor of outcome evaluation…
Shu Ran answered each question one by one. She had prepared for some of them beforehand, while others required improvisation. There were two questions she couldn't answer, and she honestly said, "We are still exploring these, and we don't have a mature solution yet."
After the Q&A session, Liao Cheng gave a summary.
"Several points in Comrade Shu Ran's report impressed me deeply. First, the thinking was clear, moving from specific cases to methodology, and then back to practical guidance. Second, it was realistic, neither avoiding problems nor exaggerating achievements. Finally, it has promotional value—the concept of the 'Spark Model' is very inspiring."
He paused, then looked at Shu Ran: "But there are also shortcomings. For example, how do we quantify the effect of the fire transmission? How do we ensure its applicability to different regions and ethnic groups? These all require further consideration and demonstration."
“I understand.” Shu Ran nodded. “These are indeed the problems we need to solve next.”
"Okay." Liao Cheng closed his notebook. "This concludes the mock report. The working group will provide formal feedback before leaving. Comrade Shu Ran, you've worked hard these past few days."
"Of course."
After the meeting ended, Shu Ran was the last to leave the conference room. She tidied up the materials on the podium and prepared to return to her office.
Liao Cheng was waiting for her at the door.
"Shu Ran".
"Team Leader Liao."
"Let's take a walk together," Liao Cheng said. "There are some things I want to tell you privately."
"good."
The two walked out of the Education Bureau building. The snow had stopped, and a thin layer of white covered the ground. The sky was still overcast, but a sliver of light peeked through the clouds.
"Your report is very good," Liao Cheng said. "It's better than many reports I've heard in the ministry."
"Thanks."
“I’m not just being polite.” Liao Cheng stopped and turned to look at her. “I’m serious. You have the ability to extract theory from practice, which is something many grassroots cadres lack. You also have the ability to explain theory in a way that people can understand, which is something many experts and scholars lack.”
Shu Ran didn't know what to say, so she remained silent.
“So,” Liao Cheng continued, “I will recommend you to the higher-ups as a spokesperson for the border region. But the final decision is not with me, so you should be prepared.”
"I see."
"Also," Liao Cheng took an envelope from his briefcase, "here are some suggestions I wrote about areas where your report could be further improved. These are not official opinions, just my personal views. Take a look; if they are useful, use them; if not, just ignore them."
Shu Ran took the envelope; it was a thick stack of letters.
"Team Leader Liao..."
“You’re welcome.” Liao Cheng smiled. “If you can tell the story of education in the border regions well at the national conference, it will benefit everyone—the children in the border regions, the teachers working on the front lines, and us who make the policies.”
He spoke frankly, which made Shu Ran feel more relaxed.
"I will try my best."
"Hmm." Liao Cheng nodded, then suddenly said, "You know, before I came, I was actually a little worried."
What are you worried about?
"I was worried you'd still be like you were back then..." Liao Cheng looked at her, "but now it seems I was overthinking it. You're already able to take care of many people."
These words carried a touch of melancholy. Shu Ran chose the safest response: "People always have to grow up."
"Yes." Liao Cheng was silent for a moment. "Then I'll head back first. The working group is leaving tomorrow, you don't need to see them off, just focus on preparing for the work ahead."
"Okay. Have a safe journey, Team Leader Liao."
Liao Cheng turned and left.
Shu Ran looked down at the envelope in her hand, but didn't open it; she simply put it into her bag.
Back in the office, Wang Juan immediately came over: "How did it go?"
"It's alright." Shu Ran sat down. "Team Leader Liao said he would recommend me."
"That's great!" Wang Juan was so happy she almost jumped for joy. "I knew Sister Shu would be able to do it!"
"It's not finalized yet, don't get too excited."
"That's pretty much it." Wang Juan poured her a glass of hot water. "You haven't been eating properly these past few days, so go home and rest early this afternoon."
"Um."
After finishing her work in the afternoon, Shu Ran returned to her dormitory early. Zhang Yaqin and Liu Hui came over to ask her what had happened when they saw her return.
Shu Ran gave a brief explanation.
"That's good." Zhang Yaqin patted her hand. "Xiao Shu, you've had a tough time these past few years, and it's time for your reward."
“Exactly,” Liu Hui said. “Going to the capital for a meeting is such a great honor. We can show the whole country how education is being conducted in our border regions.”
Shu Ran smiled but didn't say anything.
That night, alone in her room, she finally opened the envelope Liao Cheng had given her. Inside were more than a dozen pages of paper, filled with densely packed writing.
The first part offered suggestions on the report content—how the structure could be adjusted, how the case studies could be strengthened, and how the data could be presented. Each suggestion was very specific, showing that it had been carefully considered.
In the latter half, the brushstrokes suddenly changed.
“Shu Ran, when I was writing these suggestions, I often thought of you at the social gathering back then. You said, ‘Young people should have ambitions to go far and wide and contribute to the country.’ Many people in the audience applauded, but I know that among those who say these words, very few can actually do them.”
“You did it. Not only did you do it, but you did it better than anyone imagined.”
"As an old acquaintance, I am proud of you. As an educator, I learn from you."
"Years have passed, and we've both changed. You've become more resilient, and I may have become more worldly. But some things haven't changed."
"I hope you can stand on a bigger stage and let more people hear the voice of the frontier. I also hope everything is well with you."
The letter ends here.
Shu Ran folded the letter and put it back in the envelope.
Large snowflakes began to fall outside the window again.
She remembered many things. She remembered the dugouts of the livestock company, her first lesson at Qiming Elementary School, the stories Chen Yuanjiang told under the starry sky, and the smiling faces of the children holding up their workbooks and saying, "Teacher, I understand."
These are the real things. That's a big part of why she's motivated to stand here.
As for Liao Cheng's appreciation, his sentiments, and his memories, those are other people's stories. She just happened to be in this body and happened to have to deal with these lingering emotions.
She knew what she had to do: accept recognition at work, maintain professional communication, and minimize personal entanglements. Liao Cheng was her superior, a judge, and someone who could potentially help her advance her career, but that was the end of it.
Shu Ran locked the letter in the drawer, turned off the light, and went to bed.
The work group will be leaving tomorrow. She will continue to do what she's supposed to do here.
The snow fell heavier and heavier, covering the streets, the rooftops, and everything in this frontier city.
-----------------------
Author's Note: When writing about the character Liao Cheng and his subtle past with Shu Ran, I hesitated for a long time.
I'm wondering if writing it this way would focus too much on Shu Ran's love life, making some readers feel that a modern, independent female protagonist who is focused on her career shouldn't have too many romantic storylines? Or, would having more than one man admire or have feelings for her cast a rosy shadow over her career storyline?
But then I thought, why can't we?
Shu Ran is intelligent, resilient, decisive, and compassionate; she has changed the destinies of countless people. That such a person is seen, admired, and even developed feelings for by the men around her is a reflection of her personal charm, not a dilution or stigmatization of her career achievements.
I seem to be surrounded by a set of rules: a career-oriented woman should ideally have a simple romantic history and not be favored by too many men, otherwise her efforts and achievements are easily tainted. But what if the genders were reversed? I don't want to follow this double standard.
Shu Ran deserves to be loved and appreciated, which is different from whether she wants to or accepts it. Her focus will always be on herself. But the fact that people are attracted to her and stop to support her on her career path is touching in itself and is part of her strength.
So, after much deliberation, I finally decided to write it this way. Let Shu Ran influence the world around her; she doesn't need to hold back, she deserves it all.
May we all break free from those constraints and see and write a broader chapter in our lives.
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