Chapter 196: The New Era Plaque

At daybreak, Zhao Jianguo was already standing on a ladder. He was holding a newly made plaque in his hand, the wood still scented with sawdust, red lacquer with gold characters reading "Reform and Opening‑up Education Base". The "Time‑traveler Education Base" plaque that had been hung sometime last night was still under the eaves, its paint not fully dry, as if it had just been taken out of a dream.

He reached out, took down the old plaque, and handed it to Jia Dongxu standing below. Jia Dongxu froze for a moment when he took it, "Already taking it down?"

"It's not taking down, it's replacing," Zhao Jianguo said, "It has completed its task."

Jia Dongxu looked down at the wooden plaque in his hand, then looked up at the newly hung one and smiled, "The name sounds a lot grander."

"Times have changed," Zhao Jianguo jumped down from the ladder, clapped his hands, "Our place is no longer just a spot for teaching kids to read."

As soon as he finished speaking, Sha Zhu stuck his head out of the cafeteria window, holding a camera, "Jianguo! Come on, smile! This is a historic moment!"

"Where did you get that camera?" Zhao Jianguo turned his head and asked.

"Borrowed!" Sha Zhu grinned, "From Director Wang of the Cultural Center, said we need to leave a picture for the new era."

Before Zhao Jianguo could speak, San Daye shuffled over, leaning on his cane, squinting at the new plaque for a while, muttering, "Reform and Opening‑up… can that phrase be hung on the main gate? What if someone says we're showing off?"

"It's not about showing off," Zhao Jianguo stepped onto the steps, his voice low but clear, "It's the truth. We've been doing reforms here since day one, we just didn't have a name before."

San Daye opened his mouth, then fell silent, only tapping his cane on the ground.

The commotion here grew loud, and the children from the Central Courtyard gathered around. Jia Dongxu called a few students to push out a robot, its base made of iron frames, equipped with a writing mechanical arm, and a screen linked to a simple circuit board.

"Today's live demonstration," Jia Dongxu patted the robot, "Solve the last Gaokao Mathematics problem within ten minutes."

The crowd fell silent at once.

"A clunky iron thing can solve problems?" San Daye leaned in to look, "Don't turn around and lead the kids into the ditch."

No one paid him any heed. The twins squeezed to the front, one shouting, "Given the function f(x)=x^2+2ax+1…"

Before the words finished, the robot's screen lit up, the mechanical arm sprang to life, chalk brushed across the small blackboard writing a string of formulas. In less than five minutes, the entire process was listed out.

The children widened their eyes.

"This… is faster than the teacher," a little boy muttered.

"The key is it's correct," Jia Dongxu pointed to the final step, "See, it even performed verification."

San Daye stood nearby, his mouth half open, finally managing only one sentence, "It's far better than my old radio."

Sha Zhu seized the chance, snapped a photo, "I'll enlarge this when I get back and paste it on the cafeteria wall!"

Amid the bustle, a series of footsteps came from the Courtyard Gate. A neatly dressed group arrived, led by He Yushui, followed by more than ten people who looked like teachers.

"They're here," Zhao Jianguo greeted as he went forward.

He Yushui smiled and nodded, "We represent the national primary and secondary teachers exchange delegation, here to observe and learn the Siheyuan Teaching Method."

Someone muttered softly, "Can a rustic method be called a teaching method?"

Zhao Jianguo ignored it, only gave Jia Dongxu a look. Jia Dongxu immediately led the delegation toward the experimental area.

In the Courtyard, a temporary physics station was set up; pulleys, ropes, and weights were all sourced from the secondhand market. Several children were testing mechanical efficiency, recording data while discussing sources of error.

"How did you think of using the kitchen's rice‑steaming time for an English corner?" a young female teacher asked.

"Because steaming rice takes half an hour," a little girl with braids replied, "When the pot opens, we can recite ten words."

The group was stunned, then someone laughed.

He Yushui walked to the wall, pointed at the handwritten Lesson Plan, and said, "They lack advanced equipment, but they have time management. They have no fixed classroom, yet every place is a lesson. That's true individualized teaching."

No one spoke further. Several teachers pulled out notebooks and began taking notes.

San Daye, listening from behind, kept nodding, then suddenly remembered something, turned and asked Zhao Jianguo, "So the old plaque really won't be hung anymore?"

"We'll keep it," Zhao Jianguo said, "For future exhibitions."

"It should be displayed too," San Daye whispered, "It's the first one, after all."

When the sun rose overhead, the crowd grew larger. He Yushui suggested a group photo; everyone gathered beneath the new plaque. Sha Zhu lifted the camera, climbed onto a small stool, directing who should stand forward and who should squat.

"Jianguo in the middle!"

"No, the teachers have to be in it too."

"Everyone move aside!" Sha Zhu rushed, "If you don't move, I'll take the shot!"

At the moment the shutter was pressed, Zhao Jianguo lifted his hand to adjust his glasses. Sunlight hit his face, a bit dazzling. He squinted and saw that the old wooden plaque's lingering nail hole at the eave corner was still there; a gust of wind made it sway.

After the photo was taken, the crowd didn't disperse. Some teachers gathered around Jia Dongxu asking about the robot's principles, parents tugged He Yushui asking about the curriculum, and the twins were surrounded by a group of kids asking whether the dream they had last night showed any strange images again.

Zhao Jianguo stepped aside, leaned against the doorframe, watching it all.

"Done?" Jia Dongxu came over, still holding the circuit diagram.

"Just started," he said.

"What's the next step?"

"Waiting for orders from above."

Just as he finished speaking, a car sound came from outside the courtyard. A black sedan pulled up steadily at the gate, its door opened, and a man in a Zhongshan suit stepped out, a work badge pinned to his chest, walking straight toward them.

"Comrade Zhao Jianguo?" the man's voice was steady.

"I am."

"I'm a Municipal Education Committee Liaison Officer," he said, handing over a document, "Regarding preliminary opinions on incorporating the Siheyuan Teaching Model into the national pilot promotion plan, please sign for receipt."

The surroundings fell silent instantly.

Zhao Jianguo took the document, opened to the first page, and saw the title clearly written: "Implementation Plan for Establishing Grassroots Innovative Education Demonstration Sites."

He closed the document, nodded, "Received."

The liaison officer saluted, turned to board the car. Just before leaving, he stopped, glanced back at the swaying iron wire atop the dome, "This courtyard… really is a bit special."

The car drove away.

The crowd remained in place, all eyes fixed on Zhao Jianguo.

He didn't move or speak, just tightened his grip on the folder.

Sha Zhu quietly nudged Jia Dongxu, "Was that person just now… from the Ministry of Education?"

Jia Dongxu shook his head, "I don't know, but I recognize that license plate."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, this is not a small matter."

San Daye walked over to Zhao Jianguo with his cane, lifted his head to look at the sign, and muttered, "Reform and opening up… sounds louder than before."

Zhao Jianguo smiled, but didn't reply.

From afar came the school bell, made by striking a scrap iron pipe. The children scattered in a rush, running to their respective groups. Dong Xu hurried after them to adjust the robot's power supply, fearing a power cut later.

He Yushui walked over and asked softly, "Is the pressure high?"

"Not bad." He said, "I just have to live up to this sign."

She nodded, said nothing more, turned and joined the explanation team.

Zhao Jianguo stood in place, watching the busy figures filling the courtyard. Sunlight fell on the newly painted sign, reflecting a beam of light that happened to shine on his feet.

He lifted his foot and stepped onto that beam of light.