Training the Heavens

Chapter 138 Onboarding
On the last day before departure, everyone in Dormitory 404 attended a farewell banquet. Before the meal began, Gao Jialin raised his glass and said, "After this separation, I don't know when we'll be able to get together again. Come, let's drink this glass and wish everyone a bright future."

"Let's do it!" The roommates all stood up with deep sadness and reluctance.

Nowadays, unlike in later times, the relationship between roommates is much better, and transportation is not well developed. It is not easy to keep in touch or meet after graduation, so the feeling of parting is naturally different.

"Thinking back to when we first met, it seems like just yesterday. I didn't expect that four years have passed in the blink of an eye." After drinking, Yang Zhengtai put down his glass and said with emotion.

"Yes, I still remember that when Jialin came in, we were all shocked!" Ma Chuanjie still clearly remembers that Gao Jialin told them about the glorious past when he sent a county magistrate in.

"At that time, I felt that Jialin was really amazing and would become a great man in the future. I originally thought that he would become so successful after graduation and working, but I didn't expect that he would become famous abroad while still studying! Now he has joined Xinhua News Agency, and he has a bright future in the future." Jiang Ming said with emotion.

"We are all brothers in the same dormitory, it would be too formal for you to say that. If you need help from others in the future, please feel free to ask! I will definitely go all over the country to look for news in the future, so you are not allowed to ignore me when I go to your place." Gao Jialin picked up the wine glass again.

After finishing his drink, he continued, "If you achieve something in the future and need media publicity, don't be shy. How will your leaders know if you don't promote it? If they see that you have brought honor to your unit and the local area, they will definitely promote you when the right opportunity arises. So if you need anything, just tell me and I'll help you find the right media outlets to publish it."

"Then I'm sure I'll have to trouble you." Ma Chuanjie felt more relieved after hearing this. "We've been together for four years, and I have to continue to help you in the future. I'm not as capable as Jialin, but I can still help with some small favors!"

"Yes, yes, yes. In the future, if not only you but also your colleagues and leaders from your unit want to come to Shanghai on business trips, just tell me in advance and I will help you receive them." Hu Xiang, who also stayed in Shanghai, patted his chest and made the promise.

The meal lasted a long time, and by the end everyone was a little groggy. After leaving the restaurant, they walked in a line through the school, arm in arm. Someone took the lead, but everyone started singing the song in unison: "The river of time flows into the sea, and finally we go our separate ways. No port is a permanent stop. In my mind, there's a road junction where magnolias bloom, and where my most cherished friends are."

At first, it was just them, but later many students passing by joined in the singing. “Maybe there aren’t many things worth remembering, but at least this memory is deep enough.”

Slowly, from the roadside to the dormitory, the song floated over the entire Pujiang College, never stopping for a long time. "Flowers bloom and fall several times, sometimes happy, sometimes lonely, I am very relieved that we have spent a certain moment of life together."

Since Gao Jialin wrote this song, it has been played on campuses across the country every graduation season, and many students will fine-tune the lyrics based on the situation of their own schools.

When students at Xiamen University start singing, the first line becomes, "It's time for the phoenix flowers to bloom again."

To the south, at Sun Yat-sen University, the phoenix flowers gave way to azaleas; to the northwest, at Chang'an University, the flowers blossomed; to the Yangtze River, Wuhan University blossomed with cherry blossoms; and to the northeast, at Harbin Institute of Technology, the flowers blossomed with lilacs. They bid farewell to the flowers and trees that had accompanied them through their precious youth, anticipating a new beginning in life. Unlike later generations, the graduates of this period might have felt the same sadness at parting, but without much hesitation, for they didn't have to worry about finding work; a bright future awaited them even after leaving university.

Gao Jialin and several roommates who stayed in Shanghai bid farewell to those classmates who were going back to their hometowns or being assigned to other places, and then they also went to report to their units one after another.

On his first day at the company, Gao Jialin met Wang Yangxia, deputy director of the Xinhua News Agency's Shanghai branch, who had invited him to intern at Xinhua News Agency when he went to Pujiang College. "President Wang, I'll be your soldier from now on!"

"Haha, our Shanghai branch has a new capable person!" Wang Yangxia laughed heartily, quickly came out from behind the desk, took his hand and sat him down on the sofa, and personally poured him a cup of tea.

There is also competition among the various branches of Xinhua News Agency. The branch that can dig out the most eye-catching news and write the most influential articles will receive more recognition and rewards from the headquarters, and it will also be easier for the branch's leaders to be promoted.

Now that a talent like Gao Jialin has arrived, how could he not welcome him? "I thought you would definitely go to the headquarters, so I didn't bother to bother you. When I heard that you were willing to stay in Shanghai, I was so happy."

"Shanghai's economic development is at the forefront of the country. Since I want to make a difference in the economic field, it is definitely more convenient to stay in Shanghai than to go to Beijing." Gao Jialin explained the reasons for his decision.

"That's true." Wang Yangxia accepted his explanation and began to introduce the situation of their unit to him. Finally, he reassured Gao Jialin, "When you were interning at the headquarters, you always chose your own topics, collected information, and wrote articles on your own. Now that you are in our Shanghai branch, we will not impose any restrictions. As long as you can continue to produce high-quality articles, you can arrange your own work."

"I will definitely live up to your trust. I am currently writing a report on how the scientific research results of Jiaotong University are transformed into economic benefits, and I will be able to hand it over to you in a few days." Gao Jialin did not come empty-handed. He gave them a gift as soon as he arrived at the unit.

"Transformation of scientific research results of Jiaotong University? This is a good article!" Wang Yangxia immediately thought of the most famous alumnus of Jiaotong University. When this article came out, he would definitely be happy even if others didn't know about it.

After chatting about the article for a while, Wang Yangxia personally took Gao Jialin to meet his colleagues at the unit and assigned him an office. Gao Jialin might not stay here often, but he must have what others have.

The office problem was a little easier to solve, but the dormitory was a bit troublesome. The housing shortage problem in Shanghai has not been solved yet. The director of the logistics department who was responsible for managing the dormitories was a little embarrassed, but seeing that Gao Jialin was brought here by Wang Yangxia personally, he still put out the last few dormitories for Gao Jialin to choose from.

Gao Jialin looked around and didn't choose the good ones, but picked a similar one. "I already have a place to live. I guess I'll just come here to take a nap at noon when I'm on duty. I don't need a fancy one. I'll leave the good ones for other comrades!"

(End of this chapter)