1995.

Huaguo, Xijiang Province.

Jiefang Village, Eqi County.

In the sky in July, there was just a bare sun hanging there, without even a cloud to cover it, as if it was throwing a fireball downwards.

In the wheat field, Zhang Qing was wearing a worn vest and shorts, a pair of canvas shoes, and a sickle in his hand, which he kept raising and lowering to harvest the wheat.

Except for the sweat-soaked vest, the other exposed parts of Zhang Qing's body were exposed to the sun.

However, what Zhang Qing was thinking about was not the burning pain in his body, but the sadness that the price of wheat this year had dropped again.

After paying the public food and repaying the loan from the cooperative, he is probably still short of the money to go to school.

"Qingzi, stop doing this and let's eat."

On the ground, a woman with a coarse scarf covering her head waved and shouted.

After hearing the sound, Zhang Qing straightened up and felt a soreness in his lumbar spine. He said loudly to the ground: "Mom, it's almost finished. You eat first and leave a bun for me!" After that, he lowered his head.

Keep cutting the wheat.

The woman's name is Sun Yuehe, Zhang Qing's mother. She is only thirty-six years old. However, the poverty and hard work life has tortured her and she looks like a fifty-year-old woman.

Seeing that her son was stubborn, Sun Yuehe picked up the baggage in his hand and walked along the ditch in the wheat field.

Zhang Qingyi's hands were trembling and waving. There were countless small cuts on his arms caused by wheat stubble, and there were blood scars everywhere. He gritted his teeth and persisted.

In his heart, this is not heavy farm work, but the hope of studying.

"Have a rest, Qingzi, and drink some water."

When Sun Yuehe saw her son working so risklessly, she naturally knew the pain in his heart. Her eyes became moist and she advised him.

Zhang Qing responded with "Hey", suppressed the worries in his heart, straightened up and said: "Mom, you are not in good health and you are anemic. Aunt Li Xia from the medical center told you to rest more, so you shouldn't have come. I'll do it."

Just go home and eat by yourself after you’re done.”

Sun Yuehe looked at her sensible son and felt a lot of comfort in her heart. She smiled and said: "I'm not tired at all, and I didn't do much work. Qingzi, let me tell you a good thing. Don't worry. Your travel expenses and book expenses for school are covered.

Landed."

Zhang Qing was startled when he heard this. He is in the third year of high school this year. He is not studying in a local school, but in a high school in Hanjiang Province, the mainland's poverty alleviation province in Xinjiang. Tuition is free, and there is no accommodation fee. The living expenses are very cheap. He can live by saving some food.

Only travel expenses, books and class fees per semester have to be paid.

Objectively speaking, this amount of money is not much, but it is really a huge burden for Zhang Qing's family.

It wouldn't have been like this. If his father hadn't been bedridden and his mother wasn't in good health and had to take medicine all year round, it might not have been that difficult.

"Have you got money? Mom, where did the money come from?"

Zhang Qing asked doubtfully.

Relatives at home who could borrow it have already borrowed it several times.

I really feel sorry for his family, and Zhang Qing has studied well since he was a child and is still studying in the Mainland. Only when he has hope of paying it back in the future can people dare to borrow it.

But no matter how pitiful his family is, he can't borrow it over and over again without seeing the money back.

Zhang Qing also understood that when he was not rich himself, he would not dare to borrow more.

Sun Yuehe didn't tell him, but just shook his head and said: "Don't worry about it. Anyway, the family now has two hundred yuan. Zhang Lan is not in a hurry to pay for school. He will wait until the loan from the cooperative in winter is received. After selling the wheat and paying the public grain,

After withdrawing the income and agricultural tax, and then repaying the loan, you can always make up the rest. You can use it to go to school first, and if it is not enough, you can figure out a way later..."

Zhang Lan is Zhang Qing's younger sister and is in fifth grade this year.

Sun Yuehe said happily, but Zhang Qing was suddenly excited. When he went to the field in the morning, he saw a van parked at the entrance of the village. A red cross was painted on the car and a speaker was hung on the roof. It said it was about paid blood donation.

In fact, it is the blood dealers who collect blood...

Looking at Sun Yuehe's pale face, Zhang Qing's brain exploded and he shouted loudly: "Mom, are you going to sell blood?!"

When Sun Yuehe heard this, he immediately looked panicked, then waved his hands and said: "What nonsense are you talking about? Why are you selling blood? Who sells blood for what? You are still anemic..."

But having no confidence still made Zhang Qing blush. He held his mother's hand and rolled up his sleeves without hesitation. He saw a red and swollen pinprick at the center of his elbow, which was so dazzling...

"Mom! I won't go to school! I won't go to school!"

Zhang Qing shed tears and shouted in a hoarse voice.

Damn it, why is the sun so poisonous...

After hearing this, Sun Yuehe's face darkened and he scolded: "What are you talking about? You kid is still in school, don't you know the principle of bitterness first and then sweetness? As long as you come out, we will

What's the point of suffering a little? If you don't go to school, your father and I have suffered all these years in vain. Besides, you are already in your senior year of high school, only one year away, and your brain is confused..."

When Zhang Qing heard this, he was stunned for a long time, then he said nothing and silently opened his bags and started eating.

My mind is full of confusion about the way forward.

The so-called lunch is just two baked whole-grain cakes and a large bottle of boiled water. The boiled water is salty, and a lot of salt is added to supplement the salt content.

I must study hard and I must change my destiny!

Zhang Qing swore secretly in his heart, but before his heart burned for a while, it slowly dimmed again.

The gap between education in the border areas and the mainland is too big. The Beita area where he is located is also a border town in Western Xinjiang. Although his grades in elementary school and junior high school were very good, he could only be admitted to the upper-level classes in the mainland.

But after he went there, he discovered that his foundation was too poor. No matter how hard he worked, the gap between him and mainland students was still like a chasm. How could he get into a very good university?

If you can't get into a good university, how can you change your destiny?

It is already recognized that for children from poor families, only studying can change their destiny.

Although the sun was scorching outside, Zhang Qing felt cold and confused inside.

But looking at his mother's gray hair before she was forty years old, he secretly gritted his teeth and decided to fight for a way even if he risked his life.

Except for his life, he had nothing.

…

At night.

The nights in the northwest are very cool, and when the sun is out of sight, the temperature cools down.

In the earthen house, Zhang Qing looked at his younger sister Zhang Lan who was stirring pig food at the stove, and was about to step forward to help. However, the thin Zhang Lan waved her hands and said with a smile: "Brother, you have been tired all day, how can I still let you come?"

Mixing pig food? I'll do it."

Zhang Qing shook his head and stepped forward, saying: "I will go to school next month. You have to do this every day. If I can do more, I will do more. Who made me the elder brother?"

After saying that, he snatched it over and vigorously stirred the pig food.

Feeding two pigs at home is their hope for the New Year and for their brother and sister to study in the first semester next year...

"elder brother……"

Zhang Lan suddenly whispered.

"Um?"

"Both my parents went to sell blood today. My parents borrowed the cart from my neighbor Mao Si's house, and my mother and I took it there together. I also want to sell blood, but people think I'm young. Don't want to, you're angry.

Not irritating?"

Zhang Lan stood next to his brother, chattering about what happened today, feeling very unhappy.

She is still young, but very sensible and wants to help her family.

Zhang Qing's hand while stirring the pig food paused, and for a moment he felt that the shovel in his hand was as heavy as a mountain.

But he just kept responding and didn't say much. Only where Zhang Lan couldn't see, big tears fell down and fell into the pig food bucket.

The poverty and misery of life made him almost breathless.

…

A month later, after Zhang Qing finished harvesting the wheat at home, he borrowed a four-wheel tractor to take it to the grain station to pay the public grain. After selling the rest and paying off the loan, he finally collected enough money for books and books for one semester.

class fee.

After saying goodbye to his family, Zhang Qing took a long-distance bus all night before arriving at the train station in the capital of Xijiang.

After queuing for a long time to buy a ticket, carrying a large backpack of naan bread and pickles, I finally boarded the train to Ganggyeong City, Hanjiang Province at 6:30 pm.

And just as he got on the train, he heard a message coming from the train announcement:

Hello all passengers, the train received news from the station. According to the latest release from the National Astronomical Administration, at 6:48 pm today, in the sky of Xijiang Province, we can see the nine-star continuum that occurs once in 6,000 years. Everyone

Passengers, please don’t miss this wonderful sight.

The passenger with a watch quickly looked at his watch after hearing this and exclaimed: "Oh, it's already forty-five now, there are still three minutes left!"

Zhang Qing quickly found a seat and was thankful that his seat was by the window. Before he could put down his salute, he hurriedly looked up through the window.

But he couldn't see anything. He laughed at himself because his eyes were not astronomical telescopes. What he could see was that the sun seemed to suddenly become extremely bright...

Immediately, he suddenly felt extremely tired and sleepy, as if the fatigue he had accumulated throughout the summer suddenly exploded, and his eyelids were so heavy that he could not lift them up.

Reluctantly stuffing the canvas bag under the seat, Zhang Qing lay on the table and fell asleep...
Chapter completed!