Perhaps life has tested me too much, or perhaps heaven has favored me deeply!
All I know is that I am from a rural family, and my parents lead a life of hard labor in the fields. I have no right to demand material comforts from them; I must rely on myself for everything. My university years have been challenging; my tuition requires loans, and I have to find my own ways to cover living expenses. My parents, who have worked hard all their lives, have sacrificed so much for my dream of higher education. All I can do is study hard and strive for scholarships. I have received both corporate and national merit scholarships. Each time I received a scholarship, I felt an immense sense of excitement, knowing I could send a portion to my younger brother for his living expenses, easing the burden on my parents.
During my time at school, I worked part-time during my spare time to help support myself. To earn more, I had to take on extra jobs. I remember during the winter break, I stayed instead of going home to save on travel costs. Some classmates and I worked at a restaurant near the school. The restaurant was very busy, and we often finished work very late. Since the dormitory gates closed at 11 PM, sometimes we wouldn't leave until 10:30 PM, and we would all run back to the dorm, only to have to wake up early the next morning to work again. I also remember that on Lunar New Year's Eve, the bathrooms were only open in the morning. To avoid being late, we had to go early, shower quickly, and rush off to work. While everyone else was enjoying their reunion dinner, we watched the lights of thousands of homes from afar, feeling a pang of sadness in our hearts. By the time we returned to school after collecting our wages, it was already past 11 PM. I called home just to let them know I was safe; as soon as I hung up, tears began to flow uncontrollably.
