Colorful years

However, during this training course, his role underwent a complete transformation, a total 180-degree turn. He went from being a trainee to a teacher training others.

This transformation, seemingly unbelievable, was achieved in just two months.

A little over a month ago, he had just started working and attended the Jiaoziya District Correspondent Training Class with Teacher Man. At that time, he was a trainee.

This was undoubtedly an admirable and gratifying thing. It also made him more convinced that with determination and perseverance, nothing is impossible.

It is worth mentioning that he met Pan Ze, a physics teacher from No. 8 Middle School, who was also attending the training course.

Mr. Pan, nearing forty, was a tall, thin man, simply dressed, and his deep-set eyes revealed him to be a wise man. On the podium, he was a dedicated and respected physics teacher; off the podium, he was a renowned and excellent communicator in the village.

Every year, he publishes more than 150 news articles in county radio stations and other news publications and radio stations. The quantity and quality of these articles are truly admirable.

Zhang Cong imagined Teacher Pan's life outside of teaching. Teacher Pan would go deep into the fields and villages, interacting warmly with cadres and the masses, and conducting thorough interviews. Then, after finishing his busy teaching work, he would work overtime tirelessly to write news articles.

Those lights that remained lit late into the night bore witness to Teacher Pan's hard work and dedication.

He thought that such a life must be both arduous and fulfilling. Zhang Cong couldn't help but feel a deep respect for Pan Ze. He longed to learn more about this teacher who had made outstanding achievements in the field of news reporting.

One afternoon, the training ended early, and Zhang Cong decided to visit Pan Ze at No. 8 Middle School. He hoped that through this visit, he could gain a deeper understanding of Pan Ze's news reporting work and learn from his experience and skills.

Stepping into the campus of No. 8 Middle School, Zhang Cong immediately felt a strong academic atmosphere. The campus was shaded by green trees, students discussed problems in small groups, and teachers busily moved between classrooms. Everything here was full of vitality.

Following the address he had found out beforehand, Zhang Cong arrived at Pan Ze's office. At that moment, Pan Ze was engrossed in organizing a pile of documents, his expression focused, as if the whole world consisted only of him and his work.

"Hello, Teacher Pan!" Zhang Cong knocked lightly on the door, his voice soft but still interrupting Pan Ze's work.

Pan Ze looked up, saw Zhang Cong, and smiled warmly: "Oh, it's Teacher Zhang Cong! Please come in!" He put down the documents in his hand and stood up to greet Zhang Cong.

After Zhang Cong sat down, he chatted with Pan Ze about his work in news reporting. Pan Ze enthusiastically recounted his experiences. He said that in order to uncover valuable news leads, he often went deep into grassroots communities and communicated with all sorts of people.

Whether they are farmers, workers, or grassroots cadres, he is willing to listen to their stories and understand their needs and voices.

During the interviews, he also encountered many difficulties and challenges. Sometimes, the interviewees were unwilling to cooperate, so he needed to communicate patiently to dispel their concerns; sometimes, the interview environment was harsh, but he did not back down and insisted on completing the interview task.

When writing articles, he strives for excellence, aiming to present news events to readers in the most accurate and vivid language.

His eyes were filled with love and dedication to journalism, a love and dedication that deeply inspired Zhang Cong.

"Professor Pan, you publish so many news articles every year, that's amazing!" Zhang Cong exclaimed sincerely.

Pan Ze smiled slightly and said, "Actually, there's no secret to it. The key is to travel more, observe more, and write more. Every weekend, I take time to go to the countryside to interview farmers and understand their lives and needs. Only in this way can I write news reports that are truly close to people's lives." His words were simple and unadorned, yet they contained profound truths.

Zhang Cong nodded in agreement. He was deeply moved by Pan Ze's passion and dedication to journalism. He realized that to become an outstanding journalist, one must, like Pan Ze, possess unwavering faith and relentless effort.

Afterwards, Pan Ze took Zhang Cong on a tour of his "news studio." It was a simple corner piled high with various newspapers, magazines, and manuscripts. The walls were covered with clippings of news reports published by Pan Ze, each one bearing witness to his hard work and achievements.

"These are clippings of news reports I've written over the years. Every time I see them, I feel that my efforts have been worthwhile," Pan Ze said, pointing to the clippings on the wall, his eyes shining with pride.

Zhang Cong carefully examined each clipping, appreciating Pan Ze's achievements in the field of news reporting. These clippings covered a wide range of topics, encompassing various aspects of society.

Some reports are about rural development, showcasing changes in farmers' lives; others are about education reform, reflecting the new look of school education; and still others are about cultural heritage, promoting the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation.

Zhang Cong deeply understands that news reporting is not just a job, but a responsibility and a mission. Through news reporting, people can understand the true face of society and feel the pulse of the times. As a journalist, one must shoulder this responsibility and use the pen in hand to record every detail of this era.

Because of their shared interests and common mission, Zhang Cong and Pan Ze quickly forged a deep friendship. Despite their significant age difference, this did not prevent them from becoming close friends who could talk about anything.

They would discuss news reporting topics and writing techniques together, sharing their experiences and insights. In the process, their friendship grew stronger.

Moreover, as time slowly passes, this friendship, like fine old wine, becomes more mellow and fragrant with age.

If they discover a significant news story about the Yuanguping area, they will collaborate to complete the interview and reporting task.

I still remember it was a rainy day when Zhang Cong and Pan Ze went together to interview the veteran teacher Li Changqing.