The staff member sighed sadly, "What are we going to do? I called Shen Xiaomin this morning to say that someone was willing to sponsor him, and all the documents were prepared, but now..."
“Everyone has their own destiny. You should call the child and let him know.” Another staff member shook his head helplessly.
——————
Niutou Mountain, in a dilapidated mud house at the end of the village.
In the dim light, Shen Xiaomin stood silently at the door. His skin was very white, like translucent white jade, and several bloody scratches from weeds on his face stood out prominently, shocking to the eye.
His rough fingers gripped a worn-out old-fashioned mobile phone, his lips were tightly pressed together, and his long, distinct eyelashes drooped down, obscuring the expression in his eyes, making him look inscrutable.
All I could think of was the staff member's words: "I'm sorry, Shen Xiaomin, the sponsor has given up on your funding."
Shen Xiaomin narrowed his eyes, gazing at the boundless mountains and fields. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, and his dark eyes resembled a calm, still lake.
Can't I get into... university?
"Xiao, Xiaomin, why are you standing here like an idiot?" A white-haired woman with a basket full of pig feed walked carefully to Shen Xiaomin's side, leaning on her cane, and smiled gently: "In a few days, you will be able to go to university."
"You're going to Beijing alone, so take good care of yourself."
"By the way, did they call you and tell you when to leave?"
Seeing his grandmother's joyful expression, Shen Xiaomin's eyes flickered slightly. He swallowed hard and said, "Grandma, I'll go to Beijing in a couple of days."
"Okay, okay!" Grandma smiled, her eyes crinkling, put down her basket, went into the earthen house, and took out a cloth bag.
Inside were scattered banknotes, all crumpled and numerous, the largest denomination being fifty yuan. She licked her fingers as she counted out the money, folded it neatly, and placed it in Chen Xiaomin's hand: "Xiaomin, here's six hundred and eighty yuan. If you don't have enough money, call Grandma, and she'll sell the pigs at home."
Currently, the two pigs in the family are the only source of income for Shen Xiaomin and her grandmother. If the two pigs are raised well, they can sell for five or six thousand yuan, and if they are raised poorly, they can sell for three or four thousand yuan.
Shen Xiaomin pressed his tongue against his back teeth, staring at the crumpled money in his grandmother's old hand. His nose tingled with tears. He shook his head and said, "Grandma, I don't need money. The people at the organization told me that the person who sponsored me is very rich. I won't have to worry about money anymore."
"After I finish university, I'll find a good job in Beijing, and then I'll bring you to Beijing to enjoy a comfortable life."
"No need," Grandma chuckled. "As long as my grandson is doing well, that's all that matters! But you must be grateful and repay that kind person properly, okay?"
Shen Xiaomin nodded, listening patiently to his grandmother's rambling, occasionally responding. Soon, it was getting late.
After stir-frying the sweet potato leaves and eating them with the sweet potatoes, Grandma went back to her room to sleep.
The dim light from the yellowish bulb illuminated the dilapidated mud house. Shen Xiaomin sat on a wooden stool, thinking to himself that he would turn eighteen in a few days and then he could look for a job.
He first dropped out of school and worked in a factory for a year. He heard that working in a factory in Beijing would earn at least 8,000 yuan a month, with room and board included. He would give his grandmother 1,000 yuan a month and save the remaining 84,000 yuan to retake the college entrance exam. By then, he wouldn't have to worry about tuition fees.
Suddenly, the Nokia on the table rang.
Shen Xiaomin paused, lifted his eyelids to look, and saw it was the number of a charity organization. He picked up his Nokia and pressed answer, but before he could speak, an excited voice came from the other end:
"Shen Xiaomin, that's wonderful! A young lady just offered to sponsor your university education!"
"She also said that since you've come to Beijing, you can stay at her house directly, and she'll provide you with daily necessities!"
"By the way, I'll give you her phone number. You can add her on WeChat so you can contact her later!"
Shen Xiaomin's dark eyes lit up instantly, and his long, well-defined fingers gripped the Nokia tightly: "Really?"
"Is there really anyone willing to sponsor my college education?"
"Of course it's true! Don't worry, that lady has already filled out the forms!" The staff member urged, rattling off a string of phone numbers and adding, "Add her on WeChat."
Shen Xiaomin bit her lip in embarrassment: "I...I can't use WeChat."
The staff member was silent for two seconds, then said, "It's okay, you can just call her when you get to Beijing."
"Okay, thank you." Shen Xiaomin thanked her, then paused for a moment before asking, "May I ask what the name of the young lady who sponsored me is?"
"Yuan Jiang."
Shen Xiaomin's long, dark eyelashes trembled slightly, and her lips, as red as a peony, parted slightly: "Yuan... Jiang..."
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