Back to the 80s Machinery Factory

Chapter 483 Long Live the Youth!

As time went by, day by day.

As Pian'ercheng experienced its coldest day since the beginning of winter, Peking University also witnessed a vigorous "December 9th" commemoration movement!
Banners reading "Promote the spirit of December 9th Movement and dedicate ourselves to modernization!", "Youth prospers, the nation prospers!", and "Science and technology revitalize the country, starting with me!" were hung up early on campus.

In the square in front of the library, the torch relay team was as large as a sea of ​​people. The outer circle consisted of neat formations of students from various departments, while the middle was a temporary torch relay route with red ribbons stretched on both sides to maintain order.

As the radio station played the stirring "Yellow River Cantata," countless students stood amidst the rising winter morning mist on the shores of Weiming Lake as the torch relay ceremony commemorating the "December 9th Movement" solemnly began.

As a torchbearer

Chen Luyang stood at her post early in the morning, ready at any moment.

The torch relay team at Peking University consists of eighteen members from various departments and grades, symbolizing the passing down of the torch from generation to generation of young people.

Chen Luyang is the seventh batter.

Ahead of him, Pierre was running in place, rubbing his hands together, shivering from the cold.

His bright blue eyes were filled with excitement and anticipation. He would occasionally stand up and jump around, eager to see if the torch had arrived yet.

Applause erupted, followed by shouts of slogans.

Flames danced in the distance, as if ignited little by little from the depths of history, passed from one person to another, and then to the next.

When Pierre struck, the foreigner, whose face was red from the cold, suddenly rushed toward Chen Luyang, raising the torch high as if he were carrying the world's most glorious mission!

“Here we go! Chen!” he shouted, panting as he handed over the torch.

The moment Chen Luyang received the torch, her palms felt warm, and her heart pounded.

He gasped for breath, raised the torch high above his head, and couldn't help but shout:
Long live the youth!!!

As he took the torch and began to run along the path leading to the library,

The air was filled with shouts carried on the wind, and all around were a forest of banners and cheering crowds.

Among the students standing in rows on both sides, some clapped, some waved small flags, and some shouted slogans:

"Revitalize China, starting with me!!"

"When the youth prosper, the nation prospers!!"

"..."

The familiar shouts echoed from history, roaring through the corridor where the sounds of wind and voices mingled with the flame in his hand!

For a moment, it was as if he was no longer in 1981.

He walked through the streets of 1935, a historical scene where millions of young people took to the streets, braved the wind and snow, beat drums, and shouted slogans.

When he reached the eighth leg and steadily handed the torch to the female student from the mathematics department in front of him, an even louder round of applause and shouts erupted from all around.

"it is good!!"

"come on!!"

Go Peking University!

The torch relay continues.
The procession continued onward, heading towards the Red Monument Square outside the East Gate of Peking University—the location of the bronze statue of Mr. Li Dazhao.

The bronze statue stands tall in the cold winter wind, solemn and serene, as if silently watching over the younger generation who inherit his faith.

The square was already filled with students and faculty members.

The school radio station is reading a brief history of the December 9th Movement:
"On December 9, 1935, at a time of national crisis for the Chinese nation, thousands of young students in Beiping, spearheaded by Peking University, took to the streets, shouting the slogan 'Stop the civil war and unite to resist Japan,' thus opening a new chapter in the national anti-Japanese national salvation movement..."

Finally, when the last torchbearer—student council president Lu Zhengping—raised the torch high, and joined the crowds gathering from both sides to converge at the brazier in front of the bronze statue,

Thunderous applause!

The statue of Li Dazhao stands majestically, solemn and dignified amidst the falling snow.

The deep, powerful voice of male host Wei Chuxiong came through the radio:
"Please all stand at attention and observe a minute's silence to pay tribute to Mr. Li Dazhao!"

The entire audience shouted, "Salute!"

Eighteen torchbearers raised their right hands in unison and stood solemnly in front of the bronze statue of Mr. Li Dazhao.

The announcer led the reading of the oath in a clear and solemn voice:

We hereby solemnly swear—

Remember history, never forget national humiliation!
Inherit the spirit, dare to be the first!
Dedicate ourselves to serving the people!
Live up to the times, live up to your youth!
Study hard and explore bravely!
Dedicate yourself to the motherland and revitalize China!

Thousands of students echoed in unison:
"Dedicate yourselves to the motherland and revitalize China!!"

The shouts were deafening, echoing across the Yan Garden campus, as if even Weiming Lake was covered in a layer of sparkling light.

After the oath was taken,
Wei Chuxiong introduced the next segment: "Chen Luyang, a freshman representative from the Department of Economics, will give a speech as the representative of the new students for this commemorative event!"

Amidst enthusiastic applause,
Chen Luyang stood in front of the microphone and bowed to everyone.

He had no prepared statement; he took a deep breath, his voice clear and firm:
As Mr. Li Dazhao once said, "Youth are the soul of the nation."

Fifty-six years ago, on a similarly cold winter day, the pioneers of Peking University stepped out of the classroom and took to the streets. For the survival of the nation and the fate of the country, braving the bitter cold and enduring repression, they shouted the slogan, "Stop the civil war and unite to resist Japan!"

That was more than just a student movement.
It is also the starting point for the awakening of Chinese youth!
This is a glorious tradition that generations of Peking University students are still proud of!

It is their bloodshed and sacrifice that have brought us the peace and academic freedom we enjoy on campus today.

We must not forget!
Young people should not be satisfied with just reading and taking exams.

We must embrace the world and shoulder the mission of our times!
We must be professional, but we must also be idealistic;
You need to be able to turn the pages of a book, and even more importantly, you need to dare to climb mountains!

Fifty-six years ago, they shouted "Save the nation and ensure its survival";
Fifty-six years later, we shout, "Revitalize China!!!"

Back then, they shouldered the responsibility of upholding justice.

Today we should dare to go down into workshops and factories.

Go to the fields and villages.

In the tide of reform and opening up, be a truly reliable, capable, and dependable young person!

As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted!
The powerful song "We Are Walking on the Great Road" blared from the radio station, and Wei Chuxiong's excited voice came through the loudspeaker:

"The spirit of December 9th has not faded; it is being carried on by the youth of the new era in new ways!"

"Youth never ceases, struggle never stops, and the rejuvenation of China is our mission!"

……

Even as the oath-taking ceremony ended, Chen Luyang's ears were still ringing.

Applause, slogans, and the powerful strains of "We Are Walking on the Great Road" playing on the radio intertwined, enveloping him like a wave of heat.

He stood beneath the statue of Li Dazhao, his palms still warm from the torch relay, his breath filled with the biting cold of winter and the surging passion in his chest.

"Luyang, let's go, it's time to assemble!"

Shen Fei waved to him from behind, "We need to hurry to the auditorium!"

Chen Luyang then came to her senses.

To ensure that this "December 9th" commemoration was both enthusiastic and solemn, the school's Youth League Committee put in a great deal of effort, including not only a torch relay and a swearing-in ceremony in front of Li Dazhao's statue, but also a full day of rich and packed activities:

The campus drama "The Rise and Fall of the Wind and Clouds" features a joint performance by the Department of Political Science and Law and the Department of Geology.
There was an exchange and discussion forum titled "Youth in Action," jointly organized by Peking University and several other universities.
A commemorative gala entitled "Echoes of the Times" was held, featuring the Central Philharmonic Orchestra, the Peking University Dance Troupe, and a joint ensemble of international students.
There is also the "Spark Program," which invites alumni who experienced the "December 9th Movement" in 1935 to return to the school to give speeches.

Chen Luyang is not only a torchbearer and a freshman representative spokesperson, but also a key member of the Student Union's External Relations Department.

He not only had to participate in these activities, but he also had to help with some of the arrangements, set up some of the venues, and even make impromptu performances in others. Could he really imagine himself like any other student, attending each activity and immersing himself in the commemorative atmosphere for a whole day?
dream! ! !

After a whole day,

By the time the last song of the "Echoes of the Times" gala ended, the stage lights came on, and the school leaders, performers, and international student team took their bows, Chen Luyang was so exhausted that her legs felt like they didn't belong to her anymore.

He was tall, so he consciously stood at the back of the line, leaving the front seats for the girls and international students.

The headlights shone on his sweat-drenched face, making it almost impossible for him to open his eyes.

On stage, school leaders stepped forward, shaking hands with each of the student actors and offering words of encouragement with smiles. When it was Chen Luyang's turn, he had just extended his hand when he heard Teacher Wang from the Youth League Committee smilingly introduce him to the leaders:
"This is Chen Luyang, our Person of the Year."

While talking,
The middle-aged man standing at the front looked up, shook hands with Chen Luyang, and said with a kind smile:

"Why didn't you wear your red scarf today?"

Grass……!
Chen Luyang's face turned bright red, and he forced himself to say:
"Teacher, the wind is too strong today, I'm afraid it will blow my red scarf away."

As soon as he said that, several school leaders and Secretary Wang laughed.

Chen Luyang reacted really quickly; he was able to add a comment right there at that moment.

After the school leaders and all the student performers shook hands, the grand finale of this commemorative event finally came to a successful close!

The students, volunteers, and performers at the scene, including the international students, worked together to clean up the venue inside and out, making sure nothing was left behind, before gradually leaving.

"Goodness... we've finally finished this huge job."

As he walked out of the venue, Shen Fei let out a heavy sigh of relief, looking utterly exhausted.

Chen Luyang deliberately brought up the topic he didn't want to discuss, and said with a grin, "Brother Shen, we still have the New Year's Eve party to go. This is just the beginning, you can't let your guard down!"

Shen Fei looked utterly dejected: "We'll see when the time comes!"

"Since the start of the semester, the Youth League Committee has been constantly busy with this and that."

"If I don't find some time to study, I'll fail the final exam and have to slit my throat."

Whether Shen Fei slits his throat or not, Chen Luyang doesn't care.

"Brother Shen, don't forget to give me that wooden plaque!"

This is a commemorative wooden plaque from the "December 9th Movement," engraved with the year and design—it's incredibly meaningful!
Chen Luyang had been thinking about it for several days.

"What?! There are small wooden signs too?! What small wooden signs?!"

Ma Tieli, who was standing next to her, immediately picked up the key point and raised her voice.

"Yeah, Brother Shen, what little wooden sign?"

Xiao Zhongwen looked at Shen Fei with a blank expression: "Didn't you say you were giving me a fountain pen?"

"What?! There are fountain pens too?!"

Ma Tieli's eyes widened: "Didn't you say you'd give me a bookmark?!"

"A bookmark written by our principal himself!"

What? !

Chen Luyang couldn't sit still any longer.

A bookmark personally written by the president of Peking University?

This is way more impressive than a small wooden sign.

Instantly, Chen Luyang became unhappy.

His tone carried a hint of complaint: "Brother Shen, why are you doing this in separate groups and batches?"

"Why is it that the three of us each gave different things?"

Little Chinese persisted, "Then what should I send?"

Shen Fei gritted his teeth and stared intently at Chen Luyang, his eyes saying, "Couldn't you have said one less word?"
Why are you talking about this little wooden sign when you're perfectly fine?
Shen Fei sighed heavily: "Yes, you have everything, the three of you have everything!"

"Small wooden signs, fountain pens, bookmarks, nothing was missing."

Really?

Chen Luyang looked at Shen Fei in disbelief and asked in confusion:
"Brother Shen, you're not hiding some other good stuff from us, are you?"

Shen Fei looked at Chen Luyang and said quietly:

"I have two kidneys that are worth something, do you want them?"

"I'll give it to you now if you want it."

Chen Luyang noticed that Shen Fei was angry, so she quickly smiled apologetically and said, "It's not that bad, Brother Shen!"

"This thing is quite valuable. You should keep it and use it properly. If you give it to us, we won't be able to use it."

Shen Fei glared at him, shook the scarf around his neck, and turned away angrily.

"Pah, how shameless!"

Ma Tieli was so angry that she couldn't help but point at Shen Fei's back and yell, "He talks nonsense all day long, making empty promises to everyone he meets!"

"He still has the nerve to be angry!"
Seeing that Ma Tieli was angry, Chen Luyang quickly tried to smooth things over for Shen Fei, trying to steer the conversation back on track:

"Sister Ma, don't be angry. If Brother Shen is really biased, it'll only be towards you."

"Look, we all have fountain pens, but you can't buy a bookmark with the principal's autograph no matter how much money you offer."

"The minister still feels sorry for you."

"Feeling sorry for me???"

Upon hearing this, Ma Tieli's face immediately changed color, as if something had struck her nerve, and her tone rose by half an octave:
"Are you kidding me? I need his pity? Who does he think he is?"

After saying that, Ma Tieli stomped her foot, lifted her scarf, snorted, and turned away angrily.

Watching Ma Tieli turn and leave, Xiao Zhongwen leaned closer and whispered:
"Brother Chen, I have a feeling that Brother Shen and Sister Ma... they're acting a bit strange."

Chen Luyang turned to look at Xiao Zhongwen, her heart pounding with fear, and said:

"Never mind whether it's right or wrong, just stay away from them. We don't want them to be unharmed, but then we'll end up covered in blood!"

……

Although the December 9th Movement had just ended, Chen Luyang's life was far from easy.

I had barely caught my breath when a new task came my way.

The National Higher Education Foreign Language English Speech Contest is tentatively scheduled for December 20th, which is just over ten days away.

To prepare for the competition, Wei Chuxiong came to see him almost every day at the same time.

Although everyone knew he was representing the school in the competition, the identity of "Xu Yunfeng" was simply too deeply ingrained in people's minds.

Every time they see Wei Chuxiong, the economics students instinctively give him a cold shoulder.

Zheng Zhe even couldn't help but ask Chen Luyang,

Was he also approved by Wei Chuxiong to serve as his tutor and sparring partner?

This earned him several eye rolls from Chen Luyang.

(End of this chapter)