Volume 1: Gathering Storm Chapter 8: The Pen is Mightier than the Sword (Part 2)
During his university days, he didn't write much, but whenever he did, it was always extraordinary. In his junior year, he published a novella in People's Literature magazine that reflected campus life. In his senior year, under the pseudonym Bai Guang, he engaged in a debate with an old expert on Lu Xun at a Beijing newspaper, which lasted for half a year.
Readers saw that not only did Bai Guang have unique views, but also his writing style was mature and sharp, able to kill with a single stroke. He had the spirit of Lu Xun's writing. On the other hand, the old expert always acted as if he were superior, citing classics and writing in a slow and deliberate manner, just like the character Old Winter in Lu Xun's works.
The debate caused a stir soon after it began, increasing the newspaper's circulation and becoming the center of discussion among teachers and students at many Beijing universities. However, the debate quickly became one-sided, with readers strongly responding to Bai Guang's articles and sending letters and telegrams to support him. As for the old expert, except for some old friends who gave him a few words of praise out of politeness, he was met with a chorus of boos.
In the end, the old expert was thoroughly defeated by this young man, leaving him embarrassed and humiliated, forced to raise the white flag in defeat. The question of what Bai Guang's background was also sparked widespread speculation among readers.
Naturally, Wu Tianran's uniqueness also caught the attention of Bai Shasha. She felt that this young man from the Central Plains was not simple, having ideals, pursuits, talent, and a strong determination to do great things. However, their mutual admiration remained underground, in a state of silent resonance. They rarely spoke, and when they met on campus or in the library, they would only nod at each other and exchange shallow smiles. Nevertheless, there was a deep spiritual connection between them. For instance, in class, Bai Shasha would feel Wu Tianran's gaze upon her, and when she turned around, he would indeed be staring at her with a thoughtful expression. Another example was that sometimes they would coincidentally read the same book in the library. During debates arranged by their teacher, their views were also remarkably similar. Later on, whenever such activities took place, they would naturally be assigned to the same group. Over time, in the eyes of their classmates, they became a match made in heaven. However, during extracurricular hours, no one saw them spend time together alone, which was puzzling. But some well-informed individuals claimed that they had actually been dating for a long time and were even spotted talking under the trees beside the auditorium until dawn on the eve of graduation. It seemed that someone also heard Bai Shasha's faint crying and Wu Tianran's deep sighs. However, these claims could not be further verified.
In the fourth year, classmates were busy with graduate exams or job hunting, all more hurried than usual. Although in 1993, the country assigned jobs to university students, many did not want to return to their hometowns but wanted to stay in the capital Beijing or other big cities. At that time, there was a saying circulating on campus: "You can go anywhere in the world except New Zealand." Tiananmen and HaiBei referred to Tianjin, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Beijing, while New Zealand referred to Xinjiang, Tibet, and Lanzhou. Some people did not want to be teachers and were preparing to change careers by finding a backdoor. Of course, Beijing Normal University was a national key university, and the graduates' destinations were all good. They were busy finding connections just to find a better place. During this time, Tianran had no action in this regard and continued to focus on his studies. Classmates understood because with his qualifications, he would definitely be able to stay in Beijing and enter a very good unit.
But what was unexpected was that at graduation, Wu Tianran resolutely refused the school's decision to let him stay. The counselor repeatedly talked to him, saying that this was the school leadership's care for him, and also said that the school had already decided to send him to study for a master's degree at the Normal University. But Tianran's attitude was very firm, he said he must return to his hometown, because his hometown needed him more than Beijing did. Later, even when the department head personally came out, they were unable to retain Wu Tianran. For many years, classmates still felt that Wu Tianran's choice was an unsolvable mystery.
He went to the provincial capital and then personally went to Shanyang City. The Personnel Bureau of Shanyang City was overjoyed to see that Tianran was a top student from Beishida, and advised him to stay at the Personnel Bureau. The Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee's Office heard about this and mobilized people to persuade him to join the Municipal Party Committee's Office. However, Tianran rejected all these offers. His reason was that he studied normal school education and wanted to return to his hometown of Baihe County to be a teacher, in order to repay his hometown. In the end, he didn't even stay in the county seat, but instead went straight back to his father's old home in Shimen Town. Because Wu Tianran was born in Sandping Village, a suburb of Baihe County, Shimen Town should be his father's old home. However, the ancestral tomb of the Wu family is located in Shimen Town. These unexpected decisions are unknown whether they were made after rational consideration, or were impulsive, or perhaps a manifestation of complex emotions.
After returning to Shimen Town, he only taught Chinese language and literature for one semester in high school before the school was closed and merged with Baihe County First High School. As he prepared to report to No. 1 High School, Shi Tianli, the party secretary of Shimen Town, found him and persuaded him to stay and work at the town government. Shi Tianli had been his homeroom teacher in high school, so he couldn't refuse and stayed on.
The work of the township office does not have high requirements for materials. As a township secretary, Tian naturally has an easy time with written work. In addition to preparing materials for reports to the county committee and government, he is also responsible for writing speeches for Shi Tianli. Usually, he writes some news reports for the central, provincial, and municipal party newspapers. With his writing skills, his hit rate is still very high. In less than a year, more than 60 articles were published in newspapers and magazines. In the fall of 1994, he was transferred to work in the office of the Baihe County Committee, serving as deputy director of the Secretariat.
The county party committee office has strict requirements for materials. Although he has a solid foundation in writing, clear thinking and vivid language, writing leadership speeches is still a new challenge for him. When he first arrived at the county party committee office to write materials, he was indeed not very adapted. He took out the leadership speech manuscripts from the office over the years and savored them carefully. He also studied the editorials in the People's Daily seriously every day. Later, with the consent of the leaders, he specifically went to all 16 towns in the county with the staff of the inspection room, conducting in-depth research at dozens of large and small factories and mines. Half a year later, his writing level has improved significantly, and the materials he handled no longer need to be reviewed by the section chief, but can be directly submitted to the deputy director in charge of writing. Soon after, the deputy director also didn't need to review them, and they could be directly submitted to County Party Committee member and office director Zhang Daming.
