Jing Ning was orphaned at a very young age. He was found in an old brick kiln in the village on a bitterly cold winter day.I remember that year was just as cold as today. That child was truly extraordinary—to have survived until the moment we found him.
He was taken to the village orphanage, which had taken in many abandoned children over the years. The children grew up surrounded by the love of the villagers; to them, every villager was a parent.
Among those children, Jing Ning stood out as an exceptional prodigy. At two years old, he could already do arithmetic; at three, he was able to read stories aloud to the other children.Living up to the villagers' expectations, he consistently maintained excellent academic results at school.
Most orphans would only be able to complete middle school, but Jing Ning received a scholarship to a county-level school. Because of that, the villagers pooled money together to support his living expenses so he could attend high school.
On the day he left the village, the villagers held a farewell gathering for him. Since he was going far away to study, some kind-hearted benefactors also stepped forward to help support the boy. I was merely one of those kind people.
I met Jing Ning on the day he enrolled in high school, two years ago.
As usual, I pushed my small cart to sell steamed buns outside the school gate. That day, I prepared a few more buns than usual, thinking business would be better on enrollment day.
The teenagers were full of life, and it stirred a faint sense of envy in me. I, too, had once been a lively young girl like them.
Surrounded by neatly dressed students in elegant clothes and fluttering skirts, Jing Ning stood quietly within the crowd.His white shirt had yellowed slightly with age, yet it remained clean and neatly pressed.His sneakers had patches of peeling leather, but the laces were still carefully tied.There was something plain yet strangely captivating about his presence. Snowflakes drifted down, brushing against and melting upon his handsome face.
That young man truly resembled the male lead from a youth campus novel.
Many young girls stole glances at him and whispered among themselves. Their admiring looks made him slightly embarrassed; he lowered his head to avoid attracting further attention.His figure moving through the crowd looked lonely and subdued—more like a solitary figure than a teenager about to step into high school life.
I watched him for quite some time. Without realizing when it happened, Jing Ning had already come to stand in front of me. Slowly approaching, he spoke in a deep voice, tinged with a slight tremble from the cold.
"Auntie, could I have one steamed bun?"His dark eyes curved gently as he smiled, a warm and soft expression directed at me.
"Here, take three. You're a growing boy—you need to eat more. Otherwise, how will you have the strength to study?"
I stuffed the bag of buns into his hands, failing to notice the fleeting mix of shyness and emotion on his face.
"Auntie, this is too much—you'll be losing money. I really can't accept it."
"It's not a loss, not at all! You're a good boy. Consider it a small gift to congratulate you on getting into high school. Don't worry about it. Just bring your friends to support my stall next time."
Jing Ning froze for a moment, his eyes glistening slightly—perhaps moved by the kindness of a poor old woman like me.He still didn't know why I helped him so much, but I knew him quite well.
"Thank you, Auntie. I wish you good business."He placed three yuan into my palm, then bowed deeply as he spoke his thanks.
After waving goodbye, he turned back and gave me a playful smile before blending into the crowd in front of the school gate…