My era, 1979!

Chapter 105 Educational Theorist Xu Chengjun (6K)

But sometimes, things just don't go as you expect.

Xu Chengjun died.

In recent days, the county radio station and county newspaper have repeatedly reported: "Comrade Xu Chengjun, a young man from our county, has been admitted to Fudan University for postgraduate studies, bringing honor to his hometown!"

The broadcast has just finished its first round.

Qian Ming then went to Xu Chengjun's house to work.

"Hello uncle, hello aunt~"

"Big brother's back too!"

Xiaomei looks beautiful again!

As soon as the kid arrived at Xu Chengjun's house, he started making arrangements everywhere.

Xu Chengjun saw him chatting with Xu Xiaomei and pulled him over, saying, "How dare you talk to my sister!"
Xiaomei, be careful!
You bastard! Keep your brother safe from fire and theft!
Xu Chengjun quickly changed the subject: "Have the results come out, Mingzi?"

Qian Ming sighed helplessly, "They said tomorrow or the day after."

"I was so anxious!"

Xu Chengjun slapped him: "What's the rush! Good things come to those who wait!"

"I just heard that Xu Chengjun was admitted to Fudan University for graduate studies, so I came to check it out."

Qian Ming had been anxiously waiting at home these past few days when he suddenly heard on the radio that Xu Chengjun, a young man, had been admitted to Fudan University's graduate program, which startled him. Didn't Chengjun fail the entrance exam?
Another case of the same name?

However, the astute Qian Ming accurately recognized the mistake he had made with the name 'Xu Chengjun' last time and decisively decided to go and verify it himself!

Practice is the only criterion for testing truth!

So it can't be true, right? Cheng Jun was supposed to take the undergraduate entrance exam, so what's with this postgraduate entrance exam?
Qian Ming remembered the important matter: "Hey, Chengjun, the county radio said you got into Fudan University for graduate studies, is that true?"

"Really? How many people in our county are as wise and capable as me? Who else could it be but me?"

Qian Ming rolled his eyes.

A deep sense of despair.

He greeted Xu Chengjun politely: Damn it!
I worked so hard at Beijing Foreign Studies University and still didn't get in! You're just giving up now, huh? You skipped your undergraduate degree and went straight to graduate school?

Xu Chengjun: A small business doesn't count as a business!

At noon, Qian Ming stayed at Xu Chengjun's house for lunch. Empress Dowager Lu was very happy to see Qian Ming, her childhood friend who had grown up with Xu Chengjun, come.

In addition, her eldest brother Jianjun will soon be heading to the front line again, so the Empress Dowager is eager to use the best ingredients in the family to cook big meals for the children!

Actually, the whole family has been avoiding one topic these days—the war is still going on in the south, and Jianjun still has to go back to the battlefield.

It's hard to say about other things, but Jianjun's injuries are undeniable.

For several nights, when Jianjun woke up from his dreams, Empress Dowager Lu cried all night. Xu Zhiguo had smoked two extra packs of cigarettes in the past two weeks.

Thirteen years have passed since Xu Jianjun left home. When he returned, he was covered in scars, brought back bad news about his childhood friend, and told that he would have to go back to the battlefield in 20 days.

Who is the one who is most upset?
Pity the parents of the world.

Xu Xiaomei, the younger sister, didn't know much about the battlefield. She tried her best to be the family's source of joy, but she would often grab Xu Chengjun and ask, "Second brother, you know so much, tell me about the battlefield in the south."

Everyone in the family was worried, but no one said to Jianjun, "Don't go to the battlefield."

People in this era still have very simple values.

Home and country, home and country.

The nation must come first before the family can exist. Xu Zhiguo experienced the era of national subjugation, ethnic displacement, and personal ups and downs, so he understands this better than anyone else.

More importantly, they also understand the importance of building an army—it's no use talking about it.

They simply considered it as Xu Jianjun being born for the sake of this country.

So Empress Dowager Lu took the meat ration coupons and went to cut two catties of meat, then made her best dish of braised pork with potatoes. The taste was indescribable, it was so authentic.

The whole family, along with Qian Ming, a close acquaintance, sat around the table for a meal, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

After finishing his meal, Xu Chengjun still had a "big task" to do. The county education bureau wanted to highlight Xu Chengjun's case as an "educational achievement" and organize all primary and secondary school teachers in the county to learn from his "successful experience." When the city heard about it, they even sent a reporter to follow up with an interview.

Xu Chengjun's alma mater, Dongfeng Middle School, felt extremely proud and displayed a banner with the slogan: "Learn from our outstanding graduate Xu Chengjun and aspire to become a talent to serve the country."

You're saying Xu Chengjun didn't take the college entrance exam? He graduated many years ago?

What's the big deal? He's not a student at our school, and he hasn't received any education from Dongfeng County.

Xu Zhiguo was also helpless about this situation.

A bittersweet feeling~
When the county education bureau leaders heard that he was Xu Zhiguo's son, they thought, "Why let the good stuff go to outsiders?" So they had to promote it as much as possible!

The school's vice principal and dean of students, upon hearing that he was Xu Zhiguo's son, immediately put up banners proclaiming, "The principal's son is outstanding!"
Then, Xu Chengjun came to work this afternoon!
The playground of Dongfeng County Middle School.

On the platform, Principal Xu Zhiguo, Wu Meifen, the main leader of the county education bureau, and relevant departments of the county culture were accompanying the county magistrate of Dongfeng County and the deputy county magistrate in charge of education, looking down at the audience.

Xu Zhiguo was specially arranged to sit next to County Head Liu Baogui, and was sharing his "parenting experience" with the county head.

Comrade Baogui asked on his own initiative; his daughter is a high school sophomore this year.

Xu Zhiguo: You fucking ask me? I fucking want to know how Xu Chengjun got into Fudan University's graduate program!?
But Comrade Xu Zhiguo would say: "I cultivated Chengjun's reading habit from a young age, so that he could have comprehensive learning ability and social cognition. This is also reflected in his novel 'The Fitting Mirror' published in Harvest magazine."

The officials at various levels standing nearby nodded repeatedly.

"We, as parents, only deserve a little credit for getting into Fudan University. The main reason is the support from our county. This is not only an honor for our family, but also a victory thanks to the care and support of the county's leaders."

The local official was initially puzzled, wondering about the "Harvest" publication, but then nodded in satisfaction. "The more prestigious the reputation, the better! That's what makes this meeting meaningful! It showcases the county's educational achievements!"
I'm so excited! A future great writer has emerged from Dongfeng County – that's a real KPI!
The county head led the applause!

The officials present applauded enthusiastically!
The students from grades 10 to 12 below were completely bewildered! What's going on here?

The senior high school students are fine, they've already started school, but the first and second year high school students in the city were notified at the last minute.

No, buddy, I came here to watch you old men applaud?
It wasn't that no one supported them. Empress Dowager Lu, sitting in the audience, felt proud to see her husband so successful. Her elder brother looked pleased, and Xu Xiaomei was overjoyed.

Qian Ming is still dumbfounded. Is this how he gets commended?

Comrade Gou Tuizi, the director of education, delivered a passionate opening speech on the stage. After thanking the local officials for their presence, he formally introduced the main characters of the day.

"Comrades! Teachers! Students! Everyone, please be quiet. Today's meeting is a great event for the education sector in our county! This is the first time the county has held an awards ceremony for a high school, all for the 'golden phoenix' that has emerged from our county! Let me say a few words of truth first. Ever since the college entrance examination was reinstated in 1977, everyone in our county has been hoping to produce a decent scholar."

"It's not that the kids in our county are stupid; it's just that the 'education is useless' rhetoric of previous years caused widespread panic, and many promising talents didn't have the chance to advance. But today, we can finally stand tall and say: our county also has kids who can get into Fudan University for graduate studies!"

Comrade Gou Tuizi raised his hand to the first row below the stage, his tone even more excited: "Everyone, look over there, that's our protagonist today, Comrade Xu Chengjun!"

Xu Chengjun stood up and gestured helplessly to everyone.

He didn't want to come, but Lu Xiulan threatened to kill herself, and Xu Zhiguo's eyes were full of encouragement!

There are also two fearless siblings in the family!
How did he change his mind later?
Comrade Wu Meifen secretly said to Xu Chengjun: "Writer Comrade! Prepare a good manuscript, there's a reward from the county!"
Oh! I can do that. "This kid's family lives on Guangming Street. His father is a teacher at our school, and his mother grows vegetables at home. They're just an ordinary family like ours. But this kid has loved studying since he was little. When the college entrance exam was reinstated, he was still working in the countryside. He did farm work during the day and copied notes by the light of a kerosene lamp at night. His family couldn't afford to buy him exercise books, so he cut up old newspapers and bound them together to write in notebooks. With that kind of 'perseverance,' he gritted his teeth and passed the postgraduate entrance exam this year—and he got into Fudan University!"

"Comrades, that's one of the most prestigious universities in the country! Our county radio station has been broadcasting about him every day for the past two weeks, and the county newspaper even published his photo. Now, everyone in the county, young and old, is talking about him: 'Cheng Jun from Guangming Street has brought great honor to our county!'"

Xu Chengjun couldn't listen anymore.

What the heck? This is even more ruthless than the inspirational quotes I prepared, huh?
The most ordinary family?

Since I was a kid, my favorite thing to do was steal chickens and dogs, not studying!

"And I just learned that our Comrade Xu Chengjun is also a great writer. His works 'Walking Towards the Light' and 'Letter' were written a while ago, and many students were moved to tears after reading them! They were even more motivated for the college entrance exam! Recently, Comrade Chengjun published his representative work 'The Dressing Mirror' in 'Harvest,' the top literary magazine in the country! He has brought honor to our middle school and our county!"

The students in the audience got really excited! They clapped their hands like crazy!
They might not care about "Walking Towards the Light," but that "Letter" was truly well-written! The Guangming Daily was distributed nationwide, and it reached Dongfeng County relatively late, but the students who had just finished their exams and those about to enter their senior year of high school were deeply moved after reading it!
Comrade Chengjun is truly remarkable!
Xu Sheng, the contemporary Dongfeng!

The shining light of youth spirit in Anhui's cultural circles!

This instantly ignited the atmosphere in the entire venue!

The great writer is here!
The hands of the girls in front were clapping so hard they turned red, and those who were close to Xu Chengjun were craning their necks to get a good look!
Xu Chengjun is alive and well in person!

Live!

"I've gathered everyone here today for two reasons: first, to present Comrade Chengjun with honor on behalf of the county government and the county education bureau; and second, to encourage all teachers and students in our county to learn from Comrade Chengjun's spirit! Right now, the country is striving to build the Four Modernizations, and what it lacks most is knowledgeable and cultured talent. Comrade Chengjun's actions have shown all the children in our county a clear path: studying is not a 'waste of effort,' but a legitimate way to bring honor to one's family and contribute to the country! Enough of this preamble, please proceed."

Xu Chengjun straightened his clothes, thinking that he should be careful since it was his first time speaking on stage!
结果
"Let's first have Director Wu from the County Education Bureau explain why Comrade Chengjun's story is worth learning from for the whole county—Director Wu, please come up to the stage first!"

Xu Chengjun stumbled; having lived in this era for so long, he had almost forgotten about these glorious traditions.

As expected, there was a speech from the principal and a concluding speech from the county magistrate, followed by an awards ceremony and handshake session!

When Xu Chengjun took office.

Xu Chengjun didn't mince words; he shared some of his learning experiences from later generations and, as usual, delivered a bit of motivational fluff!

The crucial point is that he didn't bring a manuscript!

So incredibly dashing.

"Dear students! I am Xu Chengjun. Many of you know me not because I am a graduate student at Fudan University, but because of a poem and a letter. I believe many of you have read that letter. The content is nothing special, but you can feel a kind of energy, an upward energy. Today we are at school, so let's talk about the college entrance examination."

The students in the audience listened attentively, and were even more excited when they saw Xu Chengjun speaking fluently and without notes!
A living writer!

"To you who have just finished the college entrance exam, I want to say this: The college entrance exam is a battle of youth, but it's also just one stage in life. Right now, you may be experiencing a low point in your emotions, or you may be feeling incredibly excited. We know why you're excited, and we understand your disappointment and regrets. My dear, right now I want to give you a big hug. You know what? Many years later, when you look back on this moment, you'll definitely think, 'It wasn't so heavy after all.'"

A student who had just entered the senior year of high school and was overwhelmed by the pressure of the college entrance examination suddenly realized that this person was so gentle!
Are all writers like this?

"The college entrance examination is a battle of youth, but it is also just a stop on life's journey."

Is the college entrance examination important? Yes, it is, because you put in the most effort during your best years, and it forms the most beautiful memories of your life.

Is the college entrance exam unimportant? Actually, it's not. Looking back, it's just a stop on life's journey. The question you answered correctly made you a better version of yourself; the question you answered incorrectly led you to a close friend later in life.

"A single exam paper cannot contain your bright future, a single score cannot reveal the depth of life, and a single exam cannot determine the heights you can reach in the future. Your efforts have not been in vain, because the papers you have written, the tears you have shed, the fears you have overcome, and the fighting spirit you have ignited—all the efforts you have made will become the foundation for future surprises."

The students in the audience, whether they were taking the college entrance exam or not, were all terrified. Could the college entrance exam really be understood like this?
Is Comrade Xu Chengjun's motivational speech different from Xin's this time?
So exciting!

"To those of you who haven't taken the college entrance exam yet, what I want to say is this: The college entrance exam is nothing more than many people taking the same test at the same time, then deciding which city to go to. In the end, you'll find that every question you got wrong was to meet the right person, and every question you got right was to meet a better version of yourself."

So relax and give it your all. I think your conditions are much better than mine, and I think your abilities are no worse than mine.

If I can do it, why can't you?

Starlight doesn't ask about the traveler's journey, and time doesn't fail those with a heart. May your achievements illuminate the entire summer ahead, and may you carry your aspirations to see landscapes you've never seen before.

Young man, do not fear the long years, for glory still awaits you. Do not grieve, do not be afraid, for you yourself are that miracle. I wish you swift success, may you ride the waves, overcome all obstacles, and we shall meet at the summit!

"We will eventually reach the shore, where the sun shines brightly and flowers bloom along the way."

There was silence.

The silence was like the surface of a lake where a pebble had been thrown in; the first ripples appeared in the cadre area.

The county magistrate abruptly sat up in the rattan chair, his briefcase, which had been resting on his lap, slipped to the ground without him picking it up. He gripped the pen and scribbled rapidly across the notebook, the pen tip piercing the pages several times.

As the words "Young people are not afraid of the long years, for glory still exists on the other side" faded from his lips, this seasoned official couldn't help but raise his hand and press it to his chest: "What a wonderful 'glory still exists'! This is exactly the kind of spirit our county needs!"

Director Wu, who was standing next to him, had long lost the seriousness he had shown when he was about to speak. He even forgot to pass on his words and just kept exclaiming to the county head, "County head, did you hear that? Comrade Chengjun's words are more effective than ten teaching and research meetings held by our education bureau!"

After speaking, she glanced at the reporter from the Chuzhou Daily next to her. The reporter was writing with his head down. She nodded and said, "That's more like it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the county head led the applause, which was louder than before. The notebooks and pens in the hands of the officials swayed, and some even stood up and looked at the stage through the crowd.

This isn't an awards ceremony; it's clearly a "living textbook" for education across the entire county!
Xu Zhiguo smiled slightly, indicating that he had not expected this.

The commotion in the cadre area had barely started when it caused an uproar in the student area.

A few boys who had just finished the college entrance examination, who had been hiding away to smoke a few days ago because of their low estimated scores, were now patting each other's shoulders with red eyes.

Zhao Lei, a senior high school student sitting in the back row, was still clutching the mock exam paper that had just been handed out. When Xu Chengjun said, "Every wrong question is for meeting the right person," he suddenly remembered the analytical geometry that he always got wrong, and he also remembered how his deskmate always helped him with the questions. His nose tingled, and tears fell onto the paper in his hand.

He quickly wiped his face, but couldn't help clapping along, ignoring the pain in his hands: "So failing the exam isn't the end of the world! If I'd heard that earlier, I wouldn't have been suffering from insomnia every night!"

The first and second-year high school students were especially excited.

Several girls huddled together, their notebooks flying as they jotted down the words "Starlight doesn't ask the traveler's whereabouts." The rustling sound of their writing mingled with applause, becoming the most lively background noise.

Liu Lili, the county magistrate's daughter, who was sitting in the second row, used to think that "the college entrance examination is still far away" and often daydreamed in class. But now she had neatly copied Xu Chengjun's words onto the first page of her notebook and even drawn a little sun. She turned to her deskmate and whispered, "If I don't want to study anymore in the future, I'll look at this. It turns out that studying is not just about passing exams, but about seeing scenery that we've never seen before!"

A few mischievous boys who used to cause a ruckus in class were now sitting up straight, staring at Xu Chengjun on the stage. Their eyes had lost their usual playfulness and were filled with hope, a longing touched by the words "We will eventually reach the shore, where the sun shines brightly."

After finishing his motivational speech, Xu Chengjun earnestly summarized the learning experiences of later generations.

I threw out all the learning methods I had used in school or heard about in my previous life, including but not limited to the six-step learning method of "self-study-inspiration-review-homework-correction-summary", self-made mind maps, study groups, and Chinese composition templates.

The veteran teachers below sat up straight. This was valuable information; they knew it might actually be useful.

The reporter from the Chuzhou Daily also remembered it even more enthusiastically.

Headline: Dongfeng County Produces a "Double Talent"! Xu Chengjun Admitted to Fudan University Graduate School, Sharing His "Learning Experience" on the High School Podium to Inspire Students
Subtitle: The county's first Fudan University graduate student since the resumption of the college entrance examination; his literary talent shines through in a publication like "Harvest"; the commendation meeting becomes a "refueling station" for education throughout the county.

To be honest, journalists these days are quite capable!
After this report was brought back to the newspaper, it later gained some influence in the national education sector, and the learning method proposed by Xu Chengjun was also named "Xu-style learning method"!
The editor-in-chief personally revised the editor's note, which became a vivid illustration of the "Xu-style learning method"!

Attentive observers noticed that Xu Chengjun later added the title of "educational theorist" to his Baidu Baike (Baidu Encyclopedia) entry.
"Recently, a commendation meeting at Dongfeng County Middle School finally brought solace to the county's education community's longing for talent. Xu Chengjun, a resident of Guangming Street in our county, not only earned the county's first postgraduate spot at Fudan University after the resumption of the college entrance examination by diligently copying notes under a kerosene lamp and using old newspapers as exercise books, but also published works in 'Harvest' and 'Guangming Daily' to encourage students with his words. This time, he stood on the middle school podium and shared his clear understanding that 'the college entrance examination is a stop on life, not the end,' and generously shared his practical experience, such as the 'six-step learning method,' making the entire commendation meeting an educational classroom that 'dispelled anxiety and spread enthusiasm.'"

Since the resumption of the college entrance examination in 1977, the lingering influence of the "uselessness of studying" theory still needs to be dispelled. The entire county's desire for "decent scholars" and "fruitful results in education" is most vividly reflected in Xu Chengjun: he is not an exceptional case of "extraordinary talent," but rather a microcosm of "diligence can compensate for lack of talent." He never forgot to study while working in the countryside, and after starting his career, he devoted himself to writing. This "upward drive" is precisely the kind of talent most needed for building the four modernizations today. Even more commendable is that he doesn't resort to empty slogans, but rather uses the sincerity of "the right person for the wrong question" and "the stars will not fail those who strive on their journey" to address students' confusion about the college entrance examination; he provides practical guidance for teachers' teaching and students' learning with methods such as "mind mapping" and "study groups." As Comrade Wu Meifen of the County Education Bureau said, "These words are more effective than ten teaching and research meetings."

Currently, the nation urgently needs builders with knowledge and culture. Xu Chengjun's growth story is a vivid testament to the "efforts of education" in Dongfeng County and a "living textbook" for the entire city's education sector. It tells us that studying is never a "waste of effort," but a serious endeavor to find a way out for oneself, bring glory to one's hometown, and contribute to the nation. It also reminds us that the significance of education lies not only in "cultivating a graduate student" or "producing a writer," but also in enabling more young people to understand that "glory still exists elsewhere," daring to venture forth, strive, and move towards the light.

We hope that Dongfeng County will take this commendation meeting as a starting point to continuously cultivate a culture of valuing education and promoting learning; we further hope that all students in the city will take Xu Chengjun as a role model, keeping diligence in their hearts and setting concrete goals, so that more "Dongfeng Golden Phoenixes" can take flight from eastern Anhui, adding luster to Chuzhou's education and contributing to the modernization drive!

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

The eldest son of the Xu family is leaving for the south.

(End of this chapter)