Back to the 80s Machinery Factory

Chapter 428 I Can't Send This Invitation

Gao Hongming calmly met Secretary Wang's gaze, handed over the approval document he had just received, and said:

"Secretary Wang, I understand your concerns. But please allow me to explain a few points."

"Firstly, Chen Luyang is not only a student, but also the author of the ministerial-level teaching achievement, 'Practical English Communication Handbook,' which has been officially recognized by the Ministry of Education. This is not a small achievement within the department, but a nationally recognized project."

"Secondly, he did not go to the classroom as a student, but as a creator of achievements."

"Thirdly," he added slowly.
“Right now, all the teachers and students in the school are talking about the spirit of reform and innovative talents. If our school produces such a young role model, but we shut him out just because he is a student, and don’t even give him the opportunity to stand on the podium, then that would really be a loss for the school.”

By the end, Gao Hongming was already slightly angry.

Even as the head of a foreign language department, he disregarded department affiliation and personally went to the school's Youth League Committee to recommend an economics student to give a lecture.

On the contrary, the secretary of the Youth League Committee, who was strongly advocating "innovation and reform," was blinded by his own wisdom and resorted to rigidity!
"A student's identity is merely a certificate of enrollment."

"But anyone who can teach and nurture people can be called a teacher!"

Gao Hongming's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap, echoing throughout the Youth League Committee office.

Secretary Wang hesitated for a moment: "Director Gao, I understand what you mean. Well... I'll consult with the school leaders and conduct a supplementary investigation, and then I'll give you an answer."

Watching Gao Hongming's departing figure,
Secretary Wang muttered in bewilderment, "How can a student be so talkative! He's not satisfied with just talking in the Economics Department, he's even being asked to talk in the Foreign Languages ​​Department."

Although it is "illogical".

However, Secretary Wang still consulted with the school leaders and called the higher authorities for advice.

A fairly comprehensive examination was conducted, especially regarding Chen Luyang's academic achievements!

But it would have been better not to investigate at all.

After this inspection, Secretary Wang was completely shocked!
Chen Luyang's "Practical English Communication Handbook" not only fills a gap in domestic "practical foreign language" teaching and promotes language teaching reform,

Moreover, it is the first to systematically organize everyday communication, engineering, trade, and scientific terminology, teaching everyone "how to speak, how to ask questions, and how to respond," and has achieved a dual publication model of "text + audio," pioneering a new form of language learning!

In addition, the book had a remarkable impact on schools.

Although the Department of Foreign Languages ​​is not one of the school's "hard technology" majors.

However, the audio publication of this handbook, its national awards, and Chen Luyang's identity as a "Peking University student"...

This not only gave Peking University's Department of Foreign Languages ​​a "voice" in the wave of the "springtime of science," but also...
This has greatly enhanced the voice and influence of Peking University's Department of Foreign Languages ​​in the national foreign language education system!

It would be unreasonable to prevent Chen Luyang from giving the lecture now!

At this very moment, Chen Luyang, completely unaware that she had been targeted by the school, was watching the commotion from the arts department's office.

It's really strange.

The Department of Arts and Literature, a place that sounds like a gathering place for the arts and a vibrant community of diverse talents, ironically recruits students who are either from the Department of Mechanics or Engineering.

This year, the Literature and Art Department recruited a physics major.

Someone just shouted "Show a movie!" in the hallway.

A group of people who love excitement ran out and gathered at the door of the Literature and Art Department office, peering inside.

A short boy first set up a rectangular stand, then drew several guide lines on the blackboard with chalk to adjust the angle.
Then, with a "snap," the flashlight was switched on!
Instantly, a dynamic light and shadow animation was projected onto the wall, showing the silhouettes of several little people dancing.

"Wow!"

The onlookers couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

"This looks like a shadow puppet show."

"It really is shadow puppetry!"

The physics major excitedly explained, "Traditional shadow puppetry requires a screen and lights, but I use Fresnel lenses and motors to control it, which allows the images to change automatically and even add background music!"

The members of the Literature and Art Department stared in disbelief, then hesitated and said, "But our budget is limited..."

"It's free!" the boy said.

"The lenses were picked up from a junkyard, the motor was discarded from the lab, and I soldered the circuit boards myself!"

"Then... can it be used to accompany recitations? For example, when playing 'Ode to the Yellow River,' the background shows the surging Yellow River?"

"of course can!"

The boy's eyes lit up. "If you give me a tape recorder, I can also make voice-activated lights. When I recite a poem to a climax, the lights will automatically turn brighter!"

Yu Xia was a little worried: "Will it work? We can't mess it up!"

"Don't worry!" the boy grinned. "The laws of physics never lie!"
The student council members who were watching were in an uproar.

Some people worried that it might be "too flashy," but many more people excitedly discussed it:
"This can be used for the New Year's Eve party!"

"That's way cooler than putting up big-character posters!"

"..."

Chen Luyang stood in the crowd, her face full of envy.

No wonder people say that if you master math, physics, and chemistry, you'll be fearless anywhere.

Look at them!
A physics student is using technology to create art.

As a result, I couldn't even learn advanced mathematics well.

Doing even a simple problem feels like peeling off a layer of skin.

Just as he was feeling down, a voice came from behind him:
"What are you all looking at? Why are you all gathered here?"

Shen Fei had just returned from outside when he saw so many people gathered at the entrance of the Literature and Art Department. Curious, he went over to take a look.

"The arts and culture department hired a brilliant person who's now involved in shadow puppetry."

Chen Luyang's tone carried a hint of sourness.

"How awesome is it? Let me see?"

Shen Fei curiously craned his neck to peek inside.

Upon seeing the little figures moving and jumping on the wall, Shen Fei looked suspiciously at Chen Luyang, who was filled with envy.
"That's awesome?"

"What's so awesome about that?"

"Isn't it just a slide projector with a motor added?"

"Add a feedback circuit here, use a photoelectric sensor to synchronize the movement of the film, and replace it with a proper halogen bulb, and the brightness can be doubled."

Chen Luyang was shocked.

"Do you still understand this?"

Shen Fei shrugged indifferently: "What's there to not understand? It's child's play."

After saying that, Shen Fei put his arm around his shoulder and pushed him back to the External Relations Department office.

"Forget about others, let's go to the venue this afternoon and finalize the seat numbers."

“Okay,” Chen Luyang readily agreed.

The so-called arrangement of seat numbers is actually just reserving the front rows for school leaders and teachers, so that students won't take the seats and teachers won't have anywhere to sit.

The work isn't big or tiring; you just need to go and check things out.

"Where's Sister Ma? Where did she go?"

Chen Luyang looked curiously at Ma Tieli's location.

As half of the external relations department, Ma Tieli spends almost every day in the office.
I felt like something was missing when I didn't see her today.

“I’ve asked Tie Li to pick up the invitation from the Youth League Committee,” Shen Fei said.

“You delivered the invitation letter from the Chinese Academy of Sciences last time, and this time I’ll have Tie Li deliver it. We’ll take turns.”

Chen Luyang was surprised: "What about the teachers who were invited?"

The first lecture is about to begin this weekend.

Arranging this now means the speech draft might not even be finished, let alone pass review. And if it fails review, it'll have to be revised.
I felt like dying.

Just as Chen Luyang was wondering who this unlucky guy was, Ma Tieli walked in with a strange expression.

"What's wrong? Why that expression?"

Shen Fei sensed something was wrong and went over to ask, "Is this person far away? Hard to find?"

Ma Tieli gave Chen Luyang a very strange look, then shook her head.

"I can't deliver this invitation; you can deliver it yourselves."

Ok? ? ?
Shen Fei and Chen Luyang, two grown men, looked at each other.

Shen Fei was a little surprised: "Why are you still having a fear of difficulties at work?"

Ma Tieli gave Chen Luyang another strange look, and said quietly:
"I can't go there, you two have to go."

Shen Fei frowned: "What kind of place is this that only the two of us can go to... the men's restroom?"

"Let me see where it is!"

Shen Fei took the invitation with a suspicious look on his face.

He was delighted as soon as he opened the invitation.

“Little Chen, this person has the same name as you, Chen Luyang.”

"Same name as me? I thought my name was quite unique across the country."

As they talked, they opened the invitation and quickly scanned it:

"Is there anyone else who can call me by the same name?"

The two opened the invitation and saw that it read:

Comrade Chen Luyang:
Hello!

We cordially invite you, as the author of "A Practical Handbook for English Communication," to participate in Peking University's "Spring of Science" lecture series as a representative of foreign language teaching reform, and to share your insights with the entire university community.

Please prepare your lecture notes in advance and submit them to the school for review, and deliver the lecture next Saturday at 3:00 PM in Lecture Hall 2 of the Science and Education Building. Some faculty and students from other universities will be in attendance, and the Youth League Committee will organize publicity and reporting.

Thank you for your active participation and support!
……

Delivery address: Room 421, Building 24, East Campus, Peking University, for student Chen Luyang.
……

The room suddenly became so quiet that you could hear the ticking of the second hand.

No wonder Ma Tieli, a tough woman, looked so troubled and said she couldn't get into this place.

If it were a girls' dormitory, even men wouldn't be able to get in!
for a long time,

Shen Fei asked hesitantly, "Xiao Chen, do you live in apartment 421 of building 24?"

"I do live in 421."

Chen Luyang asked blankly, "But why am I being asked to give a lecture?"

These past few days he's been busy with the external relations department, preparing for all sorts of things related to the lecture.

I now have a clear understanding of the identity and academic standing of the lecturer.

These lecturers are either professors leading research groups or specially appointed experts from national project teams.
Each one of them is a prominent figure with a name and a body of work in major academic journals.

Although I'm pretty awesome myself,

But just because he wrote this one book, does that mean he can give lectures?
Shen Fei swallowed hard: "Goodness... We're always the ones sending out invitations, like we're delivering New Year's gifts. This is the first time we've actually sent an invitation to our own family."

Staring at the invitation for a long time,

Shen Fei couldn't help but ask, "What exactly does 'representing foreign language teaching reform' mean?"

"...Seriously, Chen, aren't you studying economics? Why are you writing about English textbooks?"

Chen Luyang explained blankly, "I used to work at a foreign guest hotel in the province, and I listened to a lot of radio broadcasts, which led me to write this popular book."

Ma Tieli's eyes widened.

"You write a book just by listening to the radio?"

"After listening to the 'Little Trumpet' program for so many years, I now find it difficult to write a story."

Chen Luyang smiled somewhat awkwardly.

"Brother Shen, I want to go to the Foreign Languages ​​Department to ask about the situation. I also need to prepare my lecture notes and the seat numbering. Is it okay if I don't go?"

Shen Fei quickly nodded: "No, no, I can't go, no matter how important it is!"

"Even if you want to go, I can't let you go."

Saying,

Shen Fei handed the invitation to Chen Luyang: "Then... you can just take this invitation?"

"Give it to me, I'll give it to myself."

Chen Luyang is still in a state of confusion.

After saying goodbye to Shen Fei and Ma Tieli, he hurriedly ran towards the Department of Foreign Languages.

He didn't know many people in Pian'er City.

The fact that the invitation letter stated "as a representative of foreign language teaching reform" is definitely related to Gao Hongming!

When I got to the Foreign Languages ​​Department office,
Chen Luyang then heard a voice reciting English, with occasional corrections to pronunciation.

...This noise sounds familiar!
He raised his hand and knocked lightly on the door twice, then peeked inside: "Excuse me, is Professor Gao here?"

The door wasn't closed properly, and as soon as the sound came in, a boy was seen standing in front of the desk, holding a manuscript paper in his hand, meticulously practicing pronunciation with the teacher.

That person was none other than Xu Yunfeng, who had been fighting tooth and nail for the venue at the recent freshman welcome party.

The moment the two met, sparks flew between them.

Suddenly, a sizzling sound filled the air, carrying a hint of gunpowder.

"Oh, Xiao Chen is here!" Gao Hongming's voice broke the awkward atmosphere.

"Come in, come in! I was just thinking of looking for you!"

Xu Yunfeng watched as the department head warmly welcomed Chen Luyang, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

Why is Director Gao being so enthusiastic towards this person?

Chen Luyang walked straight past "Xu Yunfeng," took out the invitation in her hand, and tentatively asked:

"Professor Gao, I'd like to ask... was it you who recommended me for this lecture?"

"It's me." Gao Hongming smiled gently and handed over a red-headed document from the table.

"This is the approval document that the school just received. Your book, 'Practical English Communication Handbook,' has officially won the second prize of the National Higher Education Outstanding Teaching Achievement Award."

What?
At almost the same time,

Just like when military training involves turning your head to count off, "Xu Yunfeng" suddenly had his head turned around with a "snap".

She stared at Chen Luyang in astonishment, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Chen Luyang slowly opened her mouth wide, looking at the contents of the approval document and the large seal at the end, word by word.

"How did I get this award? I had no idea about it."

Gao Hongming chuckled and sighed, "Your book won the teaching achievement award because it was jointly recommended by the school and the provincial university, and it was awarded under the name of 'Cross-School Collaborative Teaching Reform Pilot Project Achievement.' A lot of resources were mobilized in the process!"

"Although the audio recordings were the breakthrough point that the school seized."

"But it was Vice President Jiang from the provincial university who personally followed up on the actual sorting out of the teaching structure and sample timetable."

(End of this chapter)