Chapter 67

Xiao Yuanhang made a good impression on Tang Wanjun, the Liaodong correspondent for Xinhua News Agency. That night, as she got out of the car and walked to the exit, she turned back and saw Xiao Yuanhang still standing there, watching her off. Suddenly, a warm feeling rose in her heart. The higher-ups were advocating the construction of a new socialist style, and rescuing a pregnant woman was a perfect fit. The next day, she wrote a 300-word report, selected a photo, and sent it by telegraph to the *People's Daily*. As a journalist who frequently interacted with high-level leaders, she knew what this meant for Xiao Yuanhang, a capable young train conductor.

When Hao Lianjiang saw the report, his eyes lit up. As the director of the Political Department, he had a strong political sensitivity. Pregnant women giving birth on trains was a common occurrence, with a few cases every year, but when the *People's Daily* reported it, it was no longer just a good deed for passengers; it became a typical example of building a new socialist style, which needed to be widely promoted and advocated.

Hao Lianjiang immediately called the editor-in-chief of the *People's Railway* newspaper and asked the newspaper to conduct a deep investigation and report on this typical example. The editor-in-chief, Wang Haisan, who had received instructions from the department leadership, did not dare to be negligent and immediately called the Party Secretary of the Songjiang Railway Bureau, Cheng Zhimin, to understand the situation. At that time, the day's newspaper had not yet been sent to Songjiang, and Secretary Cheng did not know about the matter. After detailed inquiries, he learned that the 292nd train crew of the Guhe train section had actively helped a pregnant woman, and the story had been reported in the *People's Daily*. He was very pleased, as in the two years he had been the Party Secretary of the Songjiang Railway Bureau, the bureau had never been featured in the *People's Daily*!

Cheng Zhimin said apologetically to Wang Haisan, "Editor Wang, the situation is not yet reported from below. I will gather the information as soon as possible and report it to you in the shortest time."

Wang Haisan also knew that such incidents occurred on trains every year, and to the people below, it was just a common event. The railway bureau level would not have known about it unless the department leadership paid attention. He said, "Secretary Cheng, please take extra care. This is a task assigned by Director Hao. The faster, the better. I have already reserved space in the newspaper. Once the article is ready, it will be sent to the factory for printing immediately!"

Cheng Zhimin, of course, agreed wholeheartedly. After the call with Wang Haisan, he immediately called the Party Secretary of the Tongshui Railway Division, Luo Zhiyuan, to assign this task. Luo Zhiyuan then called the Party Secretary of the Guhe train section, Ma Dezhi, to understand the situation. Secretary Ma had no idea about the matter. After hanging up, he went to the party office to ask. The publicity assistant, Wu Yue, said, "I know about this. Xiao Yuanhang wrote a report that day, and I helped him send it to the newspaper office at the post office."

Ma Dezhi said, "Send someone to find Xiao Yuanhang immediately and gather detailed information. Secretary Luo of the division is waiting for the report."

Several people were sent to Xiao Yuanhang's home, but his father said he had gone to Linquan and had been gone for two days, with no idea when he would return. Secretary Luo of the division was waiting for the report, and Ma Dezhi and Wu Yue were extremely anxious. They had no choice but to call the regular train conductor, Zhang Yaping, to the office. She knew about the incident but did not know the specific details since she was not on duty at the time.

Party Secretary Ma was furious. "As a regular train conductor, you didn't know about such a significant event on the train. I can understand that you were not on duty, but why didn't you investigate afterward? Why didn't you report the detailed situation to the section? This is a serious lack of responsibility and dereliction of duty!"

Zhang Yaping was scolded severely by Secretary Ma, but she did not dare to say a word, let alone explain. Secretary Ma was in a rage, and any explanation could easily be seen as shirking responsibility, which might lead to her dismissal. She deeply regretted not being present to help Xiao Yuanhang handle the situation. Who would have thought that the barefoot doctor was actually a Xinhua News Agency journalist? Xiao Yuanhang's luck was really too good. Handling a routine emergency could get him featured in the *People's Daily*! If she had known, she could have also made an appearance in the *People's Daily*. Now it was all over, and not only was it not related to her, but she would also have to take the blame!

When the news reached the train captain, Lin Yan, she was extremely angry. Secretary Ma, who was not from the passenger service, did not understand the intricacies, but Lin Yan, who had worked her way up from a train attendant to a train captain, knew the ins and outs of the train. "I specifically talked to you and asked you to help Xiao Yuanhang, but you pretended not to know about such a significant event on the train, leaving Xiao Yuanhang, who was on his first shift as a train conductor, to handle it alone. What are your intentions? This is a serious character flaw!"

Lin Yan scolded Zhang Yaping severely, leaving her speechless. If it weren't for Xiao Yuanhang just finishing his first shift as a train conductor, Lin Yan would have considered adjusting her position as a regular train conductor. Seeing the situation, Zhang Yaping cried and admitted her mistakes, which slightly calmed Lin Yan's anger. She decided to temporarily leave her position unchanged and observe her performance.

Lin Yan arranged for the on-duty soft-sleeper attendant, Shan Xiaoling, the dining car conductor, Yang Dali, the police conductor, Wang Keqin, and the maintenance conductor, Zhao Baocheng, to be called in to gather the details of the incident. Party Secretary Ma Dezhi then personally reported the situation to the Party Secretary of the division, Luo Zhiyuan, and also reported the submission to the *Songjiang Railway Workers' Newspaper*.

After receiving the report, Party Secretary Cheng Zhimin of the Songjiang Railway Bureau immediately sent the situation via railway telegraph to the editor-in-chief of the *People's Railway* newspaper, Wang Haisan, and also called the editor-in-chief of the *Songjiang Railway Workers' Newspaper*, Liang Shixin, to understand the status of the article. Liang Shixin urgently inquired with the director of the Operations and Economy Department, and the feedback was not good.

The editor of the Operations and Economy Department received Xiao Yuanhang's article and found the incident significant and the writing good, so he decided to keep it. However, seeing the unfamiliar name of the author, he put it aside, planning to publish it when there was space in the newspaper. But with many relationship articles coming in, he forgot about it. Two days ago, while tidying his desk, he threw it into the waste bin with other discarded articles, and the article was lost forever!

Liang Shixin called the editor to his office and scolded him severely. "The article that made it to the *People's Daily* was thrown away by you? Do you have any political sensitivity? Do you have any professional ethics?" In anger, he decided to suspend the editor and ordered the director of the Operations and Economy Department to gather information from the Guhe train section and write a substantial report as soon as possible.

Wu Yue asked Xiao Yuanhang to write the details of the incident because after receiving the telegraph from the editor-in-chief of the *People's Railway* newspaper, Wang Haisan, he found some details unclear and requested additional information. The details he needed were how the Lintai station knew there was a pregnant woman on the train and called the ambulance in advance, which was not mentioned in Tang Wanjun's report or the information provided by the train crew. He needed to clarify this because the newspaper was to be sent to the factory for printing in the afternoon, and he required the information by 12 noon. By the time it reached the railway bureau, it was 11 AM, and by the time it reached the division, it was 10 AM. Fortunately, Xiao Yuanhang arrived early, and there was still time.

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PS: Thank you to the readers "133325477" and "Tonji Tu Ye" for your support. Wishing you a pleasant weekend!

{Piaotian Literature}