An old miner was born and left behind two children, a boy and a girl. The boy was eight years old and the girl was five. Neither of them were his biological children; they were orphans he had adopted. The boy was adopted later, and the girl earlier.
The old miner died in a mine collapse accident at W Mine. Such accidents were quite common in those days, just like catching a cold. His death left the two children as the only dependents.
The girl was younger than her brother, named Li Ziqiang, while the girl was called Li Meihui. Both took the surname of a small miner. The name "Ziqiang" was chosen to encourage him not to give up, while "Meihui" meant beautiful and virtuous. These names were suggested by a school teacher that the miner consulted.
Standing outside their cold house, the siblings felt very sad and did not know what to do. They lacked survival skills and might go hungry today.
That night on the cold kang (a traditional bed), the slightly older girl could not sleep. She hugged her sister tightly under the thin quilt, trying to offer her the only warmth she could provide.
The next day, a young boy's determined figure appeared at the coal mine. He carried a large sack, picking up coal lumps, and traveled ten miles to the town to sell them. Each sack earned him one yuan. This was Li Ziqiang's decision - he would take responsibility for both their lives.
Soon, the younger sister also learned this and resolutely followed her brother. Together, they could fill half a sack, any more would be too heavy to carry.
People nearby often saw the two siblings walking back and forth between the coal mine and the small town. The brother held his sister’s hand, carrying a sack taller than himself, sweating profusely along the winding mountain path.
This continued for six years. During these six years, Li Ziqiang became darker and thinner but stronger. At night, he carried sacks and picked coal, and during the day, he studied under the lamp, teaching himself and helping his sister with her studies. The old miner had told him that only through education could one have a future. Li Ziqiang believed this deeply.
That year, Li Ziqiang applied to take the high school entrance exam. His scores were good enough to get into the county’s top high school, but he didn’t have money to attend. He continued picking coal and studying on his own.
Three years later, Li Ziqiang applied to take the college entrance exam. Unfortunately, he failed again and continued studying on his own. Meanwhile, he sent his sister to middle school, making life even harder and leaving less time for his studies.
In the third attempt at the college entrance exam results announcement, he was completely disheartened. His age was no longer suitable for schooling. However, his eyes fell on the walls covered with merit certificates, all awarded to his sister, Li Meihui. He decided then and there to focus on his sister's success.
Li Meihui’s college entrance exam results came out, and she ranked first in the county's top high school.
He prepared a rare vegetable dish, usually reserved for special occasions, to reward his sister. He told her to study hard and informed her that he planned to work in the city to ensure she could continue her education.
Eating the meal her brother had prepared, tears streamed down Li Meihui's face. Her brother’s thirst for knowledge was unmatched. Quietly reflecting on how many years her brother had endured hardship for her, she finished her meal through tears. Li Meihui made a decision of her own.
During the summer vacation, Li Meihui secretly found a job in the county town. She was seventeen years old that year.
When she placed the money she had earned from her hard labor before Li Ziqiang, urging him to return to school full-time, Li Ziqiang struck her for the first time – a slap across the face. He cried uncontrollably, hugging his sister tightly. Despite her tearful pleas and insistence that she could delay her education so her brother could graduate sooner, Li Ziqiang eventually entered the campus he had dreamed of for twenty years.
Li Ziqiang's efforts paid off with astonishing results. He devoured knowledge voraciously and within a year received an admission notice from a prestigious university in the provincial capital.
While Li Ziqiang studied in the provincial capital, his sister worked various jobs there.
Li Meihui, with only a junior high school diploma, faced numerous rejections when job hunting. Many unscrupulous industries tried to lure her into undesirable work, but she refused them all, remembering her brother’s teachings on integrity. Ultimately, she chose to deliver newspapers at night, flowers in the morning, serve dishes in a hotel in the afternoon, and wash dishes in the evening. She worked tirelessly to gather enough money for her brother’s tuition.
After entering university, Li Ziqiang aimed to complete his studies within three years so his sister could continue her education. He devoured books wherever he went.
Li Meihui was delighted to see her brother's diligent studies and excellent results despite her own hardships.
Whenever Li Ziqiang saw his sister, she always appeared happy and cheerful, hiding her nighttime fatigue. In his determination to graduate early, Li Ziqiang did not notice his sister becoming increasingly thin and her smiles becoming more forced.