Passing on the torch, life continues
The warm early winter sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled shadows across the training room's wooden floor. Mo Xiaoyu stood at the podium, his gaze slowly scanning the twenty or so young faces below. These were the foundation's newly recruited interns, hailing from universities across the country, their eyes gleaming with passion and anticipation for public welfare. In the back row, Lin Wei sat quietly, occasionally jotting down notes in her notebook. Now a self-sufficient figure, Lin Wei oversaw the foundation's entire volunteer training system.
"Ten years ago," Mo Xiaoyu said softly, his voice remarkably clear in the quiet classroom. "Like everyone here, I was just starting out in this field. Back then, I never imagined I'd be standing here one day, sharing my experiences with you."
She noticed a girl sitting in the third row by the window, concentrating intensely, her pen scribbling in her notebook. She had a simple ponytail, wore a plain white sweater, and her eyes were clear and determined.
"Before we begin today's training, I'd like to ask everyone a question," Mo Xiaoyu said, walking toward the students. "Why did you choose to come to the Foundation?"
The trainees raised their hands one after another to answer questions. Some said they were attracted by the foundation's philosophy, while others said they wanted to gain practical experience. When it was the girl with the ponytail's turn, she stood up, a little nervous but determined. "I come from a small mountain village in Gansu. Many people there have never heard of the term mental health. I want to learn professional knowledge and return home to help my fellow villagers."
The training lasted the entire morning. Afterward, as the students left one after another, the girl with the ponytail timidly approached the podium and asked, "Teacher Mo, can I... can I ask you a question?"
Mo Xiaoyu put down the materials in his hand and nodded gently: "Of course, what's your name?"
"Li Xiaoyu," the girl said softly, "I'm from Longnan, Gansu."
Mo Xiaoyu led her to a rest area by the window, where the afternoon sun cast a soft golden glow on her face. Li Xiaoyu recounted her story: she was the first student from her village to be admitted to a key university in Beijing, completing her studies with student loans and part-time work. During her sophomore year, a girl from a neighboring village committed suicide due to depression, an incident that deeply moved her.
"My hometown is very backward," Li Xiaoyu said in a low voice. "Many people think that mental problems are just 'overthinking.' I worry...I worry that my power is too small, that I can't change anything."
Mo Xiaoyu didn't answer immediately. Instead, he took her to the window and pointed at the bustling street below. "Look, even in Beijing ten years ago, mental health was an unfamiliar term. Change takes time, and even more so, it requires pioneers like you."
She turned and looked Li Xiaoyu in the eye. "Remember, even the smallest act of kindness can create ripples, and even the faintest starlight can illuminate darkness."
That evening, Mo Xiaoyu stayed up late in her office, revising the foundation's talent development plan. Beneath the desk lamp, she carefully reviewed each intern's resume, lingering a moment longer on Li Xiaoyu's. This girl not only excelled in college but also voluntarily organized psychological counseling programs for left-behind children in her hometown.
Shen Que pushed the door open and came in, holding two documents in his hands, which he gently placed on the table: "Feedback from the Ministry of Education's textbook compilation team, and... the detailed resume of Li Xiaoyu that you specifically requested."
Mo Xiaoyu flipped through the resume and learned more about the girl's experience: the "Soul Station" club she founded during college has helped hundreds of classmates; when she returned home during the summer vacation, the mental health lecture she gave at the local middle school was well received by teachers and students.
"He's a good candidate." Shen Que sat down across from her. "But you have to think carefully. Entrusting important projects to newcomers is risky. The board of directors has always hoped that we would proceed cautiously."
Mo Xiaoyu was about to respond when her phone suddenly rang. After answering, her expression grew serious. "The Foundation's project site in Yunnan has encountered a crisis. The person in charge suddenly resigned due to family reasons, and local work has come to a complete standstill."
"Do you need me to go with you?" Shen Li asked immediately.
Mo Xiaoyu thought for a moment, his eyes falling on Li Xiaoyu's resume: "This time, I want to bring a new person."
The next morning, at Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital Airport, Li Xiaoyu nervously clutched her boarding pass, periodically checking the documents in her backpack. She was visibly relieved when she saw Mo Xiaoyu show up at the agreed location on time.
"First business trip?" Mo Xiaoyu asked with a smile.
Li Xiaoyu nodded honestly: "It's my first time on a plane, and also my first time participating in a project crisis management."
After the plane took off, Li Xiaoyu was absorbed in reading the project documents, occasionally making notes in her notebook. She only sheepishly put down her documents when the flight attendant brought her food.
"Relax," Mo Xiaoyu handed her a bottle of water. "Remember, a crisis is often the best opportunity to learn. Ten years ago, when I first dealt with a project crisis, I was so nervous I couldn't sleep all night."
The project site in Yunnan was located in a small, remote town inhabited by several ethnic minorities. The sudden departure of the previous director not only stalled work but also created significant resistance to mental health services among local residents due to cultural differences.
"They said we were here to 'brainwash' them," said Xiao Yang, a local volunteer, helplessly. "Several villages have made it clear that we are not welcome to enter."
Li Xiaoyu stood under an ancient tree at the entrance of the village, looking at the lush green mountains and the scattered stilt houses in the distance. Suddenly, she whispered, "Teacher Mo, let me try."
For the next three days, Li Xiaoyu didn't directly provide psychological services. Instead, she visited the village to learn the local language and customs. In the evening, she organized a folk song and dance event. A skilled singer and dancer, she performed local folk dances around the campfire, chatted with the elderly in her newly learned dialect, and patiently listened to their stories of the village's history and legends.
On the evening of the third day, an elderly Yi woman approached Li Xiaoyu and, speaking broken Mandarin mixed with her dialect, confided her feelings of loneliness and worry after her son left for work. This breakthrough excited the entire team.
"You did a great job," Mo Xiaoyu said to Li Xiaoyu on the return flight. "Remember, true help begins with understanding and respect. It's about entering their lives, not asking them to follow our theories."
After returning to Beijing, Mo Xiaoyu went against the majority's opinion and made a bold decision: to let Li Xiaoyu be in charge of the foundation's new project "Rural Soul Station".
"This...such an important project..." Li Xiaoyu couldn't believe her ears in her office. "I've only been at the foundation for a month..."
"I believe in you." Mo Xiaoyu patted her shoulder, "just like someone believed in me back then. This project is to cultivate local talents like you and spread the seeds of psychological services across the country."
However, a test soon arrived. One month after the project launched, an accounting issue arose at a site under Li Xiaoyu's responsibility. Although the amount was small, the impact was significant.
"I've always said it's hard for newcomers to take on such important responsibilities," a board member questioned during an emergency meeting. "It's too risky to entrust such an important project to a recent graduate."
Li Xiaoyu sat in the corner with her head down, tears welling up in her eyes. The densely packed records in the notebook seemed to be mocking her incompetence.
"The responsibility lies with me," Mo Xiaoyu stood up, his voice clear and firm. "It was my decision to hire a new person. But please believe that setbacks are part of growth. We should focus not on a single mistake, but on how to help young people learn from it."
After the meeting, she and Li Xiaoyu stayed up late in the office, meticulously checking every account. They eventually discovered a data entry error caused by a financial system upgrade; the amounts matched perfectly. It was a false alarm, but a profound lesson.
"Teacher Mo, I'm sorry to disappoint you..." Li Xiaoyu choked.
"Don't apologize, learn." Mo Xiaoyu said in a gentle but firm tone, "In the charity sector, we handle not only funds, but also the trust of countless people. This trust is more precious than anything else."
She made two cups of tea and handed one to Li Xiaoyu. "Do you know why I chose you? It's not because of your excellent grades, but because you knew how to spontaneously help others during your university years. The most important thing in charity isn't your ability, but your original intention."
Over time, under Mo Xiaoyu's meticulous guidance, Li Xiaoyu gradually matured. Under her leadership, the "Rural Soul Station" project quickly expanded to over 20 townships across three provinces. Even more impressive was her innovative integration of mental health services with local folk culture. For example, she leveraged the "Sisters' Day" to provide family counseling in Miao villages and employed thangka art to provide emotional counseling in Tibetan areas, achieving unexpected results.
With the New Year approaching, the Foundation held its annual summary meeting at the Beijing Hotel. Li Xiaoyu, representing an outstanding project, spoke on stage, accompanied by partners and senior directors from across the country.
"I used to think that changing the world required earth-shaking power," she said, her eyes unconsciously glancing at Mo Xiaoyu in the audience. "But now I know that true change happens in every tiny act of kindness, in every attentive listening, and in every sincere understanding. As my mentor, Mo Xiaoyu, told me, even the smallest starlight can illuminate the sky."
Warm applause erupted in the venue. Sitting in the audience, Mo Xiaoyu recalled the moment she first met this timid girl many years ago. Now, she has become independent and is spreading the seeds of kindness even further.
At the celebration banquet that evening, Li Xiaoyu came to Mo Xiaoyu with a glass of juice and said, "Teacher Mo, thank you. Without your trust and guidance, I wouldn't have been able to grow so quickly."
"It's your own hard work and persistence." Mo Xiaoyu smiled and clinked glasses with her. "Remember, true growth isn't about becoming what others expect you to be, but about becoming the best version of yourself."
Late at night, when Mo Xiaoyu returned to his office to sort through some documents, he found a letter from Li Xiaoyu. The envelope was a plain white sheet of paper, with the words "To my beloved Teacher Mo" neatly written on it.
She gently opened the envelope. On the letter paper was Li Xiaoyu's beautiful handwriting:
Dear Mr. Mo:
Thank you for the trust and opportunity you gave me. You made me understand that true inheritance is not about copying, but about allowing every soul to find its own light.
This year, under your guidance, I have learned how to listen, how to understand, and how to persevere in the face of adversity. You have not only taught me professional knowledge, but also helped me understand the true spirit of public welfare.
Next spring, I plan to return to my hometown to establish a mental health service center. While the road ahead may be difficult, I'm ready. I will remember your teachings and help everyone in need with respect and understanding.
Your eternal student: Xiaoyu
Mo Xiaoyu gently folded the letter and carefully placed it in the compartment of her suitcase. Tomorrow, she would be traveling to Geneva to attend an international conference, and this time, she had decided to bring another promising newcomer along.
Outside her window, Beijing was experiencing the first snowfall of the winter. Mo Xiaoyu stood by, watching the snowflakes silently blanket the city. She thought of every young person the foundation had nurtured over the years, and the seeds of kindness they were now sowing across China—Li Xiaoyu, who provided mental health education in the mountainous areas of western China; Zhang Qiang, who helped laid-off workers in the old industrial areas of northeast China; Wang Xue, who cared for left-behind children in the water villages of southern China...
Every young person is using his or her own way to deliver light and warmth to places that need it more.
True torch-passing is never about simple replication, but about allowing each flame to find its own way to burn, illuminating its own world. Just like Li Xiaoyu integrating psychological services with ethnic minority culture, Zhang Qiang integrating counseling courses into re-employment training, and Wang Xue using art therapy to help left-behind children... They all carry on the same spirit, yet shine with different brilliance.
What she has to do is to continue to protect these fires and let them live forever in the wider land.
As the snow fell heavier, Mo Xiaoyu turned off her desk lamp, letting the silvery light of the snow fill the office. In this quiet moment, she seemed to see more young people, carrying the spark of hope, heading towards all corners of their country.
Passing on the torch, the torch of life continues. This is not only the foundation's mission, but also the most beautiful scenery of this era.
The true inheritance is to let every soul find its own light
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