Reborn in 1977

Chapter 103: Scrambling to be First

Chen Fan strolled along the dam for over half an hour, recording seven or eight segments of material before preparing to return.

When Xiao Liewen saw that he was about to leave, he couldn't help but be taken aback. “Are you done so quickly?”

War correspondents would stay for months to gather material; you can’t even stay for a few hours?

Chen Fan explained softly, “Captain, you read the news often, how much content is actually in those news reports?”

Xiao Liewen frowned slightly upon hearing this, as if deep in thought.

Chen Fan continued, “First, we need to firmly establish our position. Second, the characters need to be clear. Most importantly, we need to publicize the name of our Lujiawan. As long as we grasp these three points, the news report will be more or less complete.

After all, this is a report we're submitting ourselves. It can't compare to what reporters from news agencies write. What if they think it's too long and the scope is too large, and they don't publish it?

Besides, this is just a small project. In a few days, if we keep dragging our feet, it'll only be broadcast within our own team.”

Hearing this last sentence, Xiao Liewen no longer hesitated. “Alright, it's just a small project anyway, so that's good enough.”

Then he waved his hand, “You go back first, hurry up and get the draft out. Once it’s done, give it to Secretary Yang and Team Leader Zhang for review. If it's suitable, send it upwards.”

Chen Fan nodded without hesitation, “Alright, just you wait and see!”

Back in the broadcast room, he took out the outline he had written yesterday and began to write the draft.

The broadcast room was fully equipped, with draft paper, pencils, and pens.

Since he was working for the public, Chen Fan certainly wouldn't subsidize it with his own supplies, so he used the paper and pens here.

However, he didn't waste them. He first used a pencil to write, outlining and drafting. In over two hours, he wrote a sweeping 3,000 words, incorporating what he had heard from Secretary Yang and the others yesterday, the routines he had gleaned from reading newspapers, and what he had seen during his on-site investigation today.

At the beginning, he was a little unaccustomed.

After all, in later generations, people mostly used computers to type, and there were few opportunities to write by hand, so his handwriting was rusty. In addition, he had to conceive ideas, so his writing speed was relatively slow, only about eight hundred words per hour.

So why was he able to write more than two thousand words in the following hour?

Because after writing for a full hour, he activated the "Calligraphy" skill.

Although it was only LV2 hard-pen calligraphy, it immediately brought him back to his student days, greatly increasing his typing speed, allowing him to complete the first draft in just two hours.

Next was revising the draft.

First, inappropriate words and sentences had to be removed. Second, he checked whether the key elements were complete, which were the main points he had listed yesterday. Finally, he checked whether the report content related to the theme was appropriate.

Another hour passed, and by the time he finished revising the draft, Chen Fan was already starving.

The broadcast ended at 9 o'clock, the field study took nearly an hour, and the writing and revision took a total of 3 hours. It was now 1 p.m.

Apart from the bowl of soaked rice that Jiang Lili had cooked for him in the morning, he hadn't eaten anything else. It would be strange if he wasn't hungry.

However, he was no longer in the mood to eat at this time. He hurriedly replaced the pencil with a fountain pen and copied the revised draft onto several sheets of paper.

The hard-pen calligraphy, which was about to reach LV2, wasn't particularly beautiful, but it was neat and pleasing to the eye.

The entire 3,000-word manuscript was copied by 2 p.m.

Chen Fan, his steps faltering, took the manuscript to the office in the central courtyard and placed it in front of the leaders, “The news report is written. Please review it, leaders.”

Secretary Yang picked up the manuscript in surprise and glanced at him, “So fast?”

Chen Fan nodded, “Yes, I went to gather material after the broadcast, and then I was writing in the broadcast room.”

After a pause, he added, “Didn't you say that this is just a small project that will be completed in two or three days? After today, there are only two days left. If we don't hurry, even if the commune and the county are willing to adopt it, it will be outdated.”

Ye Shubao clapped his hands, “Right, right, I've heard people say that this news report is about timeliness.”

“Bah, that's called timeliness. You're uncultured and showing off your knowledge.”

Xiao Liewen scoffed aside, then looked at Chen Fan and said, “Then you haven't had lunch?”

Chen Fan smiled, “It's okay, I can go back in another three hours, so it doesn’t matter.”

“That won't do.”

Team Leader Zhang immediately stood up, his face stern, and said, “People are iron, and food is steel. Work also needs to pay attention to methods. Mr. Li also said that the body is the capital of the revolution. There is no reason to work on an empty stomach.”

He immediately walked to the door and shouted, “Sanhu, Sanhu.”

Zhang Wenliang appeared with a whoosh, “Uncle, what's the matter?”

Team Leader Zhang said, “Little Chen hasn't eaten yet. Go and get a bowl of hot rice, add two pieces of cured meat and cured fish, the fatty kind.”

Zhang Wenliang didn't ask why, “Okay.”

And disappeared with a whoosh.

At this time, Secretary Yang had already read the first page at a glance. Regardless of who was standing next to him, he handed it out without even raising his head.

Team Leader Zhang quickly took a step forward and took it into his hands.

Xiao Liewen and Ye Shubao didn't mind either, and leaned over, head to head, one on the left and one on the right.

More than ten minutes later, Secretary Yang took a long breath first, handed the last sheet of paper to Team Leader Zhang, and pulled out his pipe with a smile, filling the bowl with tobacco.

Soon the three team leaders had also finished reading.

Team Leader Zhang re-stacked the four sheets of paper, grinned, and patted Chen Fan on the shoulder, “Good boy, I knew I didn't misjudge you. You really are good material for a correspondent!”

Ye Shubao nodded repeatedly, “How does that saying go? The one that Secretary Qian of the commune said last time, ah, right, it has height, depth, heat, and strength. That's what articles like Little Chen's are like!”

Xiao Liewen, feeling honored, also pulled out his pipe and laughed loudly, “I accompanied him when he was gathering material. I was the one who told him the story of that firewood mountain.”

Secretary Yang took a puff of smoke, “Did you even need to say that? It's all written in black and white.”

Then he smiled so much that he couldn't see the slits of his eyes, “And Lao Zhang and I, those things about working on the river, Lao Zhang and I were the ones who told him about them.”

Team Leader Zhang also smiled from ear to ear, “So, if this article is published, we can also be in the newspaper.”

Ye Shubao's face was full of envy, but he didn't have any frustrated emotions.

Because in the manuscript, Chen Fan described him as the "chief of general logistics" who "strived to ensure the supply of materials." Without his scheduling, the project wouldn't have started so quickly.

This credit is not small.

Even Zhang Wenliang and the militia company, who were not here, had a share. Regardless of whether they patrolled or not, in the article, it was the militia's patrol that deterred the enemy and ensured the smooth progress of the project.

The main thing is to give everyone a share.

When Chen Fan heard Team Leader Zhang's words, he coughed dryly and said tactfully, “Captain, this still needs to be reviewed by the higher authorities. Only if they pass it can it be used.”

Secretary Yang's expression changed slightly, and he quickly said, “Yes, yes, yes, time is tight, we must send the manuscript up immediately.”

Team Leader Zhang immediately said, “Then I'll work hard and take a trip to the commune by bicycle.”

Secretary Yang shook his hand with a friendly face, “No need, I just happen to want to discuss something with Secretary Qian, so I'll go.”

Team Leader Zhang turned around and walked out, “You are our team's pillar of strength, how can we always trouble you? I'll go.”

Secretary Yang didn't bother to wipe his pipe, quickly grabbed and walked, “It's okay, it's okay, you guys are in charge of the team's affairs, I can only run errands.”

Chen Fan's lips parted slightly, watching the two old men pulling and tugging, scrambling to be the first to leave the courtyard. In the end, Team Leader Zhang managed to grab the bicycle, and Secretary Yang, not to be outdone, nimbly jumped onto the back seat, and the two of them rode together towards the commune.