Looking at the thick wad of cash, the village secretary was overwhelmed with emotion. He knew that Lin Wanqiu had earned her money through hard work, yet she had so generously given it to help the children. This kindness was heavier than mountains and deeper than the sea. He solemnly accepted the money, clutching it tightly in his hand as if he were holding the children's future in his grasp: "Wanqiu, don't worry, I will definitely use every penny of this money for the children. I will report the expenditures to you regularly!"
Lin Wanqiu smiled and shook her head: "Secretary, I trust you."
The news quickly spread throughout the village, and the villagers were deeply moved by Lin Wanqiu's kindness. Those from impoverished families with school-aged children were especially moved to tears, and many came to Lin Wanqiu's home to express their gratitude.
Liu Ersao held Lin Wanqiu's hand, sobbing uncontrollably, "Wanqiu, you are truly a great benefactor to our family! My son has always wanted to go to school, but I simply couldn't afford it, so I could only have him work in the fields with me. Now, thanks to your help, he can finally go to school!"
Old Chen arrived too, carrying a basket of fresh strawberries. He said, "Wanqiu, these are strawberries I just picked. Please try some. We don't know how to thank you enough for the children you've done such a great thing. From now on, I'll save the best strawberries for you from the ones I grow!"
Lin Wanqiu thanked everyone one by one, then distributed strawberries to Nian'an and the neighbor's children, saying with a smile, "Don't be so polite, everyone. It's more important than anything else that the children can go to school well. If they become successful in the future, our village will also get better and better."
In the days that followed, Lin Wanqiu and the village secretary worked together to compile a list of impoverished students and renovate the schoolhouse. The schoolhouse was dilapidated, with cracks in the walls and worn-out tables and chairs, some missing legs and others missing seats. Lin Wanqiu took out wood and tools from her spatial storage and hired a carpenter from the village to build brand-new tables and chairs. She also selected some books from her spatial storage that were suitable for children and moved them into the schoolhouse, creating a small reading corner.
The school was completely renovated. Brand new desks and chairs were neatly arranged, and the book corner was filled with a dazzling array of books. The children's eyes sparkled with excitement as they looked at it all. On the first day of school, the children, dressed in clean clothes and carrying their new schoolbags, happily arrived at the school. They bowed deeply to Lin Wanqiu and said in unison, "Thank you, Aunt Lin!"
That innocent voice flowed like a clear spring into Lin Wanqiu's heart, filling her with an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. She smiled and patted the head of the little girl at the front, saying, "Children, study hard and become useful members of society in the future."
The little girl's name was Chen Xiaoya. Her family was very poor; her mother was bedridden year-round, and her father supported the family by doing odd jobs. Before, she could only secretly listen to lessons through the school window while herding cattle. Now, she could finally sit in the school, reading and writing like the other children. She gripped her pencil tightly, her eyes filled with determination, secretly resolving to study hard and live up to Aunt Lin's expectations.
In addition to sponsoring the children in her village, Lin Wanqiu set her sights on more distant places. Through the commune, she learned that many impoverished students in several surrounding villages were also facing the prospect of dropping out of school. Without hesitation, she expanded the scope of her assistance, not only covering the tuition and book fees for these children, but also regularly sending them clothing and school supplies.
Shen Tingzhou was always her strongest support. He used his connections to contact bookstores in the city and purchase a large number of extracurricular books, which were then delivered to schools in various villages. He also frequently told the children about the outside world, encouraging them to study hard and leave the mountains.
Lin Wanqiu's good deeds quickly spread throughout the commune and even reached the county. County leaders highly praised her actions and called on everyone to learn from her. More and more people were influenced by her and joined the ranks of those sponsoring impoverished students. Some villagers volunteered to help with the schoolwork, some merchants donated writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and some teachers volunteered to teach at the rural school.
As the days went by, the children who received the sponsorship studied diligently and achieved excellent results under Lin Wanqiu's care and encouragement. They deeply understood how precious this opportunity to learn was, and they arrived at school early every day to study assiduously. After school, they would voluntarily help with chores at home and even study with their younger siblings, repaying Lin Wanqiu's kindness in their own way.
Lin Wanqiu felt immense satisfaction watching the children's progress. She knew that she had sown not only seeds of knowledge, but also seeds of hope. These children, like the rising sun, were full of vigor and vitality, and their future would surely be bright.
That day, Lin Wanqiu was checking on the production of new products in the food workshop when the village secretary rushed in, his face beaming with excitement: "Wanqiu! Wanqiu! Good news! Good news!"
Lin Wanqiu stopped what she was doing and asked with a smile, "Secretary, what good news has made you so happy?"
"Chen Xiaoya! The Chen Xiaoya you sponsored!" the village secretary said, catching his breath. "She got into the county's top high school! Only a few dozen students are admitted from the whole county, and she came in third! That's amazing!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Wanqiu's eyes flashed with surprise: "Really? That's wonderful! This child really didn't disappoint!" She thought of the little girl who always worked hard silently with a determined look in her eyes, and her heart was filled with pride.
"And there's more!" the village secretary continued, "Several other children in our village have excellent grades and have been admitted to the commune's middle school. This is all thanks to you! Without your support, they wouldn't have had the opportunity to study so hard and get into such good schools!"
Lin Wanqiu smiled and shook her head: "This is the result of the children's own hard work. However, seeing them achieve such results makes me really happy." She thought to herself that this is just the beginning, and in the future, more children will surely change their destiny through knowledge, leave the mountains, and realize their dreams.
Unbeknownst to her, years later, some of the children she sponsored were admitted to prestigious universities and became pillars of the nation. They never forgot Lin Wanqiu's kindness, and after completing their studies, they returned to their hometowns to repay the land that nurtured them with their knowledge and strength, continuing the glorious chapter of the Hongqi Production Brigade.
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