Chapter 117 The security personnel are truly amazing...
Yang Zhenhua arrived as promised at dinner time.
The division canteen was much more spacious and brighter than the company canteen, and the dishes were more varied. Although it was still communal cooking, at least you could see real meat in the food.
Yang Zhenhua was good at creating a lively atmosphere. While serving food to Shu Ran, he introduced the situation of various departments in the division headquarters and some inside information about the training class.
"...This training course is ostensibly for training purposes, but in reality, it is also for selecting key personnel to advance the next stage of education work across the entire division. Director Sun intends to take this opportunity to systematize and promote some effective grassroots experiences. He has read your report many times."
Shu Ran listened quietly, occasionally asking one or two key questions. She noticed a subtle change in Yang Zhenhua's tone when he mentioned "Deputy Political Commissar Lin".
“Deputy Political Commissar Lin has always been very concerned about education,” Yang Zhenhua said, carefully choosing his words. “He especially believes that the construction of grassroots demonstration sites is an important part of breaking down educational barriers and consolidating the border regions. Comrade Lin Xuezhou is also under considerable pressure over there.”
Shu Ran understood immediately. Lin Xuezhou was the nephew of Deputy Political Commissar Lin, and his behavior, to some extent, also concerned Deputy Political Commissar Lin's reputation and policy stance. The conflict between her and Lin Xuezhou was probably more than just a dispute over teaching methods.
“Professor Lin has a solid theoretical foundation and has his strengths,” Shu Ran said calmly. “The construction of demonstration sites requires collective wisdom.”
Yang Zhenhua glanced at her, smiled, and didn't continue the topic, instead talking about the course schedule for the training class.
After the meal, Yang Zhenhua escorted Shu Ran back to the guesthouse.
At the door, he stopped, his gaze particularly sincere in the night: "Shu Ran, the situation at the division headquarters is more complex than at the company level, with intricate personnel relationships. You're new here, so observe and listen carefully. If there's anything you don't understand, or if you need any help, feel free to ask me anytime."
"Thank you, Officer Yang, I will." Shu Ran nodded.
Back in her room, Shu Ran didn't rest immediately. She took out her notebook and, by the light, began to organize the information she had gathered that day, as well as the possible situations she might face next.
She knew very well that this training course was both an opportunity and a test. She not only had to learn well, but also had to seize this opportunity to gain the capital to establish herself in the division.
The higher-ups' intention to transfer her to the division headquarters is probably not just a matter of Director Sun's appreciation. Does Deputy Political Commissar Lin want to use her achievements to validate a certain policy direction? Or does he want to place her alongside Lin Xuezhou to check and balance each other, or... to select the best candidate?
Regardless of the situation, Shu Ran would never be content to be just a passive pawn.
She wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to build her career at the division headquarters. It truly offered the broader horizons, more resources, and tranquility she desired, far removed from the petty squabbles of the company.
Here, she can obviously create even more trouble.
She put away her notebook and waited until the lights were off. In the darkness, she suddenly thought of Chen Yuanjiang. What was he doing now? Was he once again engaged in those dangerous and confidential missions?
The training course officially began the following day. It was held in a single-story classroom next to the division headquarters auditorium. More than thirty education personnel from various regiments and companies across the division participated in the training.
Shu Ran's appearance caused a small commotion. She was too young, a woman, and more importantly, she came from the most remote livestock company, yet she was already a model cadre nominally recognized by the division headquarters.
The instructors included provincial-level education officials and several domestic experts. The course content ranged from interpreting education policies and standardizing textbook writing to basic psychology and exploring teaching methods, making it much more systematic than simply working behind closed doors in the company.
Shu Ran listened attentively and took detailed notes. She realized that she had already explored and applied many theoretical concepts in practice, but lacked systematic summarization and refinement.
During the break between classes, some people came up to her and chatted with her, curiously inquiring about the livestock company and Qiming Primary School. Their words contained both admiration and skepticism.
Shu Ran answered with neither arrogance nor servility, explaining the difficulties realistically while confidently showcasing her achievements. Her skillful words often prompted the questioner to think deeply.
Yang Zhenhua would occasionally come over to check on her, and each time he would chat with Shu Ran for a few minutes, his attitude friendly and natural. His favoritism subtly elevated Shu Ran's status among the students.
That afternoon, after class, Shu Ran was called to Director Sun's office.
Director Sun was even more amiable than when they last met. He invited Shu Ran to sit down and poured her a glass of water.
"Xiao Shu, how's your studying going? Are you keeping up?"
"Thank you for your concern, Director. I feel great and have learned a lot of new things," Shu Ran replied respectfully.
"That's good." Director Sun nodded, flipping through a document in his hand, which was the summary report that Shu Ran had submitted earlier. "I've read your report many times. Many of the methods mentioned in it are indeed effective."
He looked up at Shu Ran and said, "I'd like you to lead a group during your studies to specifically handle this matter, and to compile the experience of the livestock company, especially in literacy and early childhood education, into a more systematic and practical plan. What do you think?"
Shu Ran's heart skipped a beat. Letting her take the lead meant acknowledging her core role and giving her an excellent opportunity to demonstrate her organizational and summarizing abilities at the division level.
Without any hesitation, she stood up immediately and said firmly, "Thank you for the organization's trust! I will do my best to complete this task and live up to the director's expectations!"
"Good, that's the kind of drive I'm looking for!" Director Sun smiled with satisfaction. "You can select the personnel from the training course. If you need any support, just ask the department directly. I hope to see some initial results by the end of the training course."
"yes!"
As Shu Ran left Director Sun's office, she knew she had made the right move.
She wasted no time; upon returning to the training class, she immediately began selecting group members. She chose several students who seemed reliable and hardworking, had some grassroots experience, and had expressed agreement with her methods. She knew very well that this group needed people who could get things done and understand her thinking, not just those who talked theory or had complicated backgrounds.
Her decisiveness and clear goals quickly won the trust of this group. The team held its first meeting that very evening, where Shu Ran clarified the division of labor and progress, and the discussion was lively.
Shu Ran didn't return to the guesthouse until after 9 p.m. She was a little tired, but her spirits were high. As she pushed open the door, she was surprised to find a folded letter slipped under the door.
She picked it up and opened it. The handwriting on the letter was strong and powerful, a style she recognized. It contained only a few words: "Are you well? If there are any problems at the division headquarters, you can seek out Sun, or tell me. Everything is fine, don't worry. Chen."
Shu Ran held the letter in her hand, stunned for a moment.
The security personnel were indeed elusive.
"Everything is fine, don't worry." She repeated the last few words softly, her fingertips gently tracing the words "don't worry."
She folded the letter and put it in the cabinet, then unfolded the notebook and the group's work plan again.
Relationships are important, but right now, seizing the opportunity for career advancement is even more important. She needs to show the person who wrote the letter that the person he's thinking about can not only establish herself in the deep waters of the division headquarters, but also swim better than he imagined.
*
Leading the experience summary group was not as glamorous as it seemed on the surface. Shu Ran soon discovered that the group members came from different units and had different backgrounds, and each had their own thoughts.
There was a male officer named Wu Jianguo, who came from a relatively well-off school directly under the regiment. He looked down on Shu Ran's old-fashioned methods and preferred to standardize and regulate everything. He questioned Shu Ran in several discussions.
"Team Leader Shu, I believe that the ultimate goal of summarizing our experiences is to develop a standardized teaching process and textbook model applicable to the entire division. Wouldn't overemphasizing localization and real-life application, like in the Animal Husbandry Company, lead to inconsistent teaching quality and negatively impact the overall educational quality?"
Before Shu Ran could even speak, Zhao Hongying, another female instructor in the group from an even more remote agricultural production team, couldn't help but retort: "Teacher Wu, you make it sound so easy! We often run out of chalk where we are. The children have to walk more than ten miles to school, and when they get home they still have to feed the pigs and chop firewood. Your standard procedure template simply won't work where we are! The way Group Leader Shu teaches by combining theory with practice is the only way the kids can learn and the parents will be willing to send them here!"
“Exactly,” another dark-skinned, short, and stocky male trainee, Wang Tiezhu, chimed in. “When you tell the kids in our area ‘lotus can be picked in Jiangnan,’ they think lotus is the flower of camel thorn! We have to do what Team Leader Shu said and teach them to recognize their own crops, work points, and their parents’ names first!”
Shu Ran listened quietly to the argument between the two sides, and only spoke after the noise subsided: "Teacher Wu's concerns are reasonable. The standardization and regulation of education are indeed important, and this is the direction we should strive for."
She first affirmed Wu Jianguo, which eased his expression slightly, and then changed the subject, "However, what Teacher Zhao and Teacher Wang said is a reality we cannot avoid. We compile our experience not to put it in a filing cabinet for show, but to ensure that it can truly take root, blossom, and bear fruit in every corner of the division, especially in the most difficult and grassroots places."
Her gaze swept across the room. "What we need to do now is not to force a rigid set of standards to fit a mold, but to extract methods that can work in different environments. These methods should be followed whether in the regimental headquarters school, the animal husbandry company, or the agricultural company. As for how to implement them, we can be flexible and adapt them according to the actual situation."
She picked up the chalk and wrote the words "principle" and "flexibility" on the blackboard.
"What we want to provide is a toolbox. The teaching quality issues that Teacher Wu is worried about require the effective methods we have summarized, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach."
Wu Jianguo opened his mouth, but couldn't find the words to refute. Zhao Hongying, Wang Tiezhu, and the others nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Shu Ran seized the opportunity and readjusted the division of labor.
Although Wu Jianguo was still a little awkward, he could only accept it in the face of Shu Ran's reasonable arrangements and the inclination of most people in the group. After several rounds of adjustments, he had to admit that Shu Ran's approach was indeed effective. The coordination skills and keen grasp of people's sentiments that she had honed at the grassroots level were something that he, who had always been in a relatively standardized environment, lacked.
The group's work proceeded smoothly as a result. Shu Ran attended training courses during the day and led group discussions and organized materials at night, often working until late at night.
Her professional skills, leadership abilities, and tenacity not only impressed the team members but also greatly pleased Director Sun, who was observing from the sidelines.
Yang Zhenhua came more frequently, sometimes on behalf of the publicity department to check on the progress, and sometimes simply as a friend to show his concern.
He always managed to bring the latest developments from the division headquarters, or conveniently helped Shu Ran solve some minor supply problems, being considerate yet never overstepping his bounds.
"Shu Ran, you've really made a name for yourself lately." After class, Yang Zhenhua walked with her side by side on the way back to the guesthouse, half-jokingly saying, "Now, who in the division headquarters doesn't know that the Education Section has a capable and beautiful Team Leader Shu? Even the Political Department has people asking about you."
Shu Ran smiled, her tone tinged with self-deprecation: "Officer Yang, please don't make fun of me. I'm just being forced into this role. I'll do my best to do a good job and not embarrass Director Sun and our Education Section."
"You're too modest." Yang Zhenhua looked at her profile with gentle eyes. "Director Sun has nothing but praise for you. After the training course ends, you might officially stay at the division headquarters."
Shu Ran's heart stirred slightly, but she remained outwardly calm: "I will follow the organization's arrangements. Right now, I just want to do my job well."
She knew in her heart that Yang Zhenhua's words were not unfounded. Director Sun's decision to have her lead a group was itself a form of training and testing. If her results were impressive enough, staying in the division's education section would be a natural progression. This suited her perfectly.
However, occasionally when she was alone late at night, she would think of the night sky over the livestock company, the children's clear reading voices, Sister Wang's care, Li Xiulan's hesitant expression, and... the letter that was slipped under her door.
She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of those thoughts. Life must be taken one step at a time; now was not the time to be distracted.
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