On September 1, 2011, Gao Jingyan braved the heavy rain to make her last donation of 20,000 yuan for a poor college student she had been supporting. "As soon as I walked in, all the people at the bank counter stood up and saluted me. After making donations for five years, they all knew me, and I always enjoyed this treatment, which made my heart feel warm." On that day, another courtesy Gao Jingyan received was a free taxi ride. The driver said, "You've been supporting unrelated college students for five years, so how could I ask for money?"
Gao Jingyan's home is in a small seaside village in Lizi Town, Zhuanghe City. When the reporter arrived, she was chatting with netizens online. "It was because I liked surfing the internet and reading newspapers that I formed a bond with these children," said Gao Jingyan, who is 64 years old, tall, slim, and speaks quickly. As Guan Wei Committee Director Li Ming of the Lizi Town Government said, "This person is very charismatic. Though she didn't finish junior high school, her quality is particularly high."
In detail:
Eggs were the only source of nutrition before the exam.
Why did she support three college students? It was fate! "This year marks the fifth year. In 2007, the Peninsula Morning Post reported on a poor student. After reading the report, I couldn't stop crying and immediately decided to go with Director Li to see the child."
This child was named Lili. Lili's life was full of hardships. Her mother was a female tractor driver when she was very young. At one time, the car burned gasoline, and during a repair, someone nearby lit a cigarette, causing fire to spread all over her body. She suffered severe burns and remained disabled after treatment. The man in the family left when Lili was eight years old, leaving her and her mother struggling to survive. But the child was ambitious and got into high school.
"After reading the newspaper, I had 3,000 yuan in hand, so I called the principal and gave the money to the child." "When I went there, it was five days before the college entrance exam, and I asked the child if he had increased his nutrition. He said yes, eating one vegetable dish per meal and one egg per day. I couldn't bear it anymore; I only had 700 yuan on me, kept 200 yuan as travel expenses, and gave the rest to the child."
At that moment, Gao Jingyan told Lili not to worry about the university tuition and let her take care of it.
Xiaolong:
Orphaned and raised by his grandmother.
I thought I had settled my mind, but unexpectedly, this trip expanded my thoughts: "The principal said there were more than 2800 students in the school, over 120 of whom were extremely poor and couldn't even afford food. Especially one child who lost both parents at the age of eight and was raised by his grandmother. He was an excellent student but only ate in the cafeteria once a day."
"At the time, I didn't dare to promise anything because I was helping secretly without telling my family. We had over 2 million yuan in external debt, and my husband was always stressed out."
After returning home, Gao Jingyan worried about a child named Xiaolong and couldn't sleep well for several nights. "If I didn't know, it would be fine, but now that I know there's such a child, I can't pretend not to know." On June 7th, the first day of the college entrance exam, Gao Jingyan called the principal early in the morning: "Tell the child to take the exam well; I'll cover his university expenses!" After saying this, Gao Jingyan felt relieved.
Later, she learned that the principal found the child just about to enter the exam room and told him the news. The child was thrilled. "Do you know what happened next? He got into Jilin University!" Her tone was filled with pride.
Ningning:
Crying loudly due to the 6,000 yuan tuition fee.
Gao Jingyan's "impulse" did not end there. Soon, she saw a report on Zhuanghe TV about a poor college student, and she started worrying again. "The child got into the Maritime University, but the family was struggling and couldn't afford the tuition, so I called Zhuanghe TV to learn more about the child's situation."
On the phone, hearing the cries of a girl named Ningning, Gao Jingyan's heart softened. "I said at the time, don't cry, child. Tell me how much money you need, and how much does your family have?" The girl replied that the first year's tuition was over 6,000 yuan, and her family had no money at all. "That really put me in a bind. I had already helped two children, and there was no money left at home, but I couldn't let the child down. So I said, I'll prepare 5,000 yuan for you, and your family will figure out the rest."
There was still 1,000 yuan at home, which was a collection of old edition 100-yuan notes from over a decade ago. Where else could she get the money? In her urging, her 14-year-old grandson and 9-year-old granddaughter each took out their 1,000-yuan lucky money. "At that moment, I hugged the two kids and cried. You can imagine how dear these children are." "And you know what? Ningning is truly blessed; it just happened to be my husband's birthday, and a friend gave us 2,000 yuan. The money was complete!" Gao Jingyan clapped her hands and laughed.
From then on, these three children became her concerns.
Over the years, she paid a total of 140,000 yuan in tuition for the three children.
Xiaolong graduated from Jilin University and now works as a graphic designer at a television manufacturing company in Tianjin, earning a basic monthly salary of 3,000 yuan and averaging 5,000 yuan. Ningning graduated from Dalian Maritime University and has become a professional woman. During the interview, she occasionally greeted visitors and arranged work calmly and meticulously.
Everyone thought she had finished supporting three college students and should take a break. However, this year, she sponsored a first-grade student whose father had passed away and promised the child's mother to help the child through university. "So, it starts all over again."
-Liji Town Government Guanwei Committee Director Li Ming
Struggle:
Selling insurance at 60 to earn money for college students
A few years passed, two children graduated, one is in a combined undergraduate-master’s program, and will graduate in a year. Calculating the total amount of tuition she paid for the children over the years, it amounted to 140,000 yuan.
Where did the money come from? "These children almost cost me my life," Gao Jingyan laughed. With external debts at home, taking money from home wasn't possible, so all this money needed to be solved by Gao Jingyan alone. In the winter of 2007, Gao Jingyan entered an insurance company in Zhuanghe. Within three months, she was promoted to business manager and created the best performance. "I have talent; I supply three children without using my family's money." The secret was soon revealed, but no one in her family blamed her. Instead, they often helped these children. This made her even more determined to "grab money". "In those years, I probably 'grabbed money'. Look, this is my salary book, and I earned over ten thousand yuan in a month."
The work achievements came at the expense of her health, heart disease, kidney stones, major surgeries... The ever-optimistic and strong Gao Jingyan also felt powerless. "Fortunately, I managed to support all the children. In recent years, my husband's health has been poor, and he had several episodes of heavy bleeding. He said, our bodies are like this, so why don't you rest? The 20,000 yuan for Lili this year, I covered."
Gao Jingyan said, "fulfilling the wish to attend university"
Why could she do this without any regrets? Gao Jingyan didn't answer directly. "Let me tell you a few stories. Xiaolong came to my house before the results were out. Seeing me coming out to greet him, he called out 'High Mom' from afar and rushed into my arms. After dinner, I led him to stroll by the sea. He walked ahead of me and kicked the pebbles aside with his feet. Although he didn't say it, I knew he was afraid I might trip. A child without parents since the age of eight, can you imagine his heart?"
"Lili and his mother came to my house. His mother wanted to use the restroom, unable to untie her belt due to disability, the child quickly helped his mother... When I went to the school to give him money for extra nutrition, every penny went to his mother, how filial!"
"Ningning cried heavily on the phone when she learned about my husband's heavy bleeding, saying, 'Why does everything keep happening?' Listen, the child already considers here home."
"Now two outstanding children have graduated and started working. Xiaolong graduated from Jilin University and now works as a graphic designer at a television manufacturing company in Tianjin, earning a basic monthly salary of 3,000 yuan, averaging 5,000 yuan. He called and said: Mom, if you come, I'll take you to Beijing to see historical sites. I've earned money, come enjoy yourself."
"I never expected any return for doing these things. I missed out on university due to special historical circumstances, and I couldn't bear to let these excellent children lose good opportunities. Let's say it fulfilled one of my dreams."
"I know myself, I do this because it's worth it. Helping three children means helping three families, and thus helping society. Successfully helping these children is my victory!"
The beneficiaries say, "She makes me feel the world is warm"
On the other end of the phone, Ningning was still occasionally greeting visitors while being interviewed. One could hear her arranging work calmly and meticulously, already a professional woman, vastly different from the girl mentioned by Gao Jingyan who would burst into tears easily. "Auntie is very kind and enthusiastic. For five years, she has relied solely on her own earnings to sponsor us three, which is not easy at all." Ningning said, receiving help from Auntie during relatively difficult times in her life, she would never forget. "Most importantly, she made me feel psychologically that the world is warm, influencing my worldview. Although I currently have no ability, I think kindness is fundamental to being human. If I gain financial capability, I will help others like Auntie."
Liji Town Government Guanwei Committee Director Li Ming evaluates Gao Jingyan as someone who does good deeds anonymously anytime and anywhere, "Once our Guanwei committee won an award in the city, I gave her the 500-yuan bonus. When reporting work to the town leadership, a woman came in saying her husband had a brain tumor and wanted to apply for assistance, and Gao Jingyan immediately pulled out 200 yuan and gave it to her. Was she short of money? Yes, her family had a lot of external debt, and she still worked to support college students. It has become a habit, and she can't stop."
Editor-in-chief Xin Minjuan writes:
Learn from Gao Jingyan
Working in journalism for a long time, emotional touchpoints become especially high. Listening and seeing a lot, it becomes hard to get excited or moved about many things. But Gao Jingyan is different. Since contacting Gao Jingyan in 2007, every time I think about what she has done, my heart remains unsettled for a long time. She is optimistic, broad-minded, and always seems to consider others. Comparing myself to Gao Jingyan, I always feel a significant gap in how I handle people and affairs. Therefore, every time I talk to her on the phone, I always awkwardly say, "Auntie Gao, you are my role model."
Gao Jingyan has repeatedly told me that whenever she sees poor children unable to attend school, her heart aches. But at 64 years old, she feels physically incapable. "I only hope more people join the ranks of charity and help more such children, after all, many hands make light work."
With today's report, our five-year continuous focus on Gao Jingyan will come to an end. Here, we wish the good person Gao Jingyan a lifetime of peace. Meanwhile, we also hope that the students who have received Gao Jingyan's assistance cherish everything they currently possess. Perhaps, there will still be storms ahead, but may Auntie Gao's optimism and resilience become your spiritual motivation to overcome difficulties and move forward boldly. Liu Yongbin