Chapter 10 Chapter 9 Building a Spiritual Home

One day at lunch at the end of 1995, several old professors who had never eaten in the student cafeteria suddenly came to the extremely crowded student cafeteria to order vegetables. The students who were preparing to eat and the chefs who ordered vegetables felt very strange. "Gentlemen, do you want to taste the food here too?" The master chef in charge asked the group of "uninvited guests" half-jokingly. "No, let's take a look." The old professors looked solemn, neither looking like they came here to visit and inspect, nor did they look like they were hanging out.What are you doing here?

"Is there any special stir-fry? Why are there always those broken dishes, boring." The students just cook their own meals.At this time, several students standing in front were talking to the masters. The old professors looked at the students who were clamoring to buy "special stir-fry", but did not speak. "Give half a tofu and cabbage, and add a steamed bun..." Another student came to the vegetable window.He spoke very softly, and he almost finished buying food at an extremely fast speed and left the cafeteria. "Chasing, hurry up and ask which department you are from..." Several old professors hurriedly urged each other, but the two old gentlemen who were out of breath came back after a while and told their companions in frustration that they hadn't caught up.

"Gentlemen, why are you chasing that classmate just now?" the masters asked curiously. "We heard that some of the students only ate two meals a day all the year round, and each time they only bought half a dish and one or two steamed buns, so we came to investigate whether the situation is true." The old professors finally shared their " Covert action". "Ha, don't we know everything if you just ask?" The master chefs in charge felt that the professors and gentlemen were just pedantic, and they were serious with themselves in everything. "What can you tell us?" The old professors glared at the master chef in charge.

"Hey, then you will underestimate us who are in charge of the spoon." A young master said vigorously, "It's not Haizhui, my spoon has a much better understanding of the students than the school leaders and the people in the Ministry of Education and Engineering. Who is from a rich family and who is from a poor family, who is a responsible person and who is a prodigal son, who has a good grade today and who will be unhappy tomorrow, I remember it all on this little spoon! If you don’t believe me, let’s talk about it The student you want to inquire about just now is half-cooked..."

"Yes, yes, tell me which department he is from? What level and class?" The old professors couldn't wait to ask. "Not only do I know the department and level of the student, but I also know that he is from Sichuan. Last year, he took a four-day bus ride to Beijing after he was admitted to Tsinghua University. His family was poor, and he carried half a bag of peanuts when he came to college. , the suit on his body was given to him by the township head when he saw him off..." "What about now? How does this classmate live now?" "Didn't you all see it just now, he almost only eats two meals a day, and each meal is only half a dish, which is the cheapest, and one or two steamed buns..."

"As expected, as expected!" The expressions of the old professors became more dignified. After that, they went to the student dormitory separately... In a few days, the school newspaper "New Tsinghua" published in a conspicuous position a "proposal" issued by these old professors in the name of the "Tsinghua University Overseas Chinese Federation" to the entire Tsinghua University and all Tsinghua alumni to help poor students—— Tsinghua University, a well-known institution of higher learning in the country, has provided thousands of high-level scientific and technological talents for the modernization of our great motherland, and the people of the whole country place higher and higher expectations on her. The grand goal of "strive to build a world-class socialist university with Chinese characteristics by the 100th anniversary of the founding of Tsinghua University in 2011" is becoming increasingly popular among the people and has become a powerful driving force for the faculty and staff of the school to work hard.The majority of Tsinghua alumni are all concerned about the development of their alma mater, and overseas Chinese and Chinese are also always watching the development of the motherland's economic construction and education.

The freshmen recruited by Tsinghua University every year are all good seedlings from all over the country. Many of them are the "top ten" or top ten in the college entrance examination in various provinces and cities.We have also noticed that among the more than 10,000 students in the whole school, those who are struggling to support themselves, that is, the average monthly living expenses are only 150 yuan, accounting for about 8%, and the students with special difficulties, that is, the average monthly living expenses are less than 90 yuan About 2%.As far as we know, although the school has taken many subsidy measures, there are still quite a number of students whose difficulties have not been well resolved. They are often troubled by life and affect their healthy growth.I heard that a difficult student can only buy one dish a day, and only eats staple food for the other two meals.Such an excellent student, life is so difficult, we feel uncomfortable.

We would like to appeal to all the faculty, staff and Tsinghua alumni, and hope that everyone will come to lend a helping hand to these students' difficulties in life.As far as we can, donate a little money, accumulate a little money, and solve problems for students in need... There is no beauty, only fruit.Tsinghua people have always had such qualities. Facing this heartfelt appeal, who can not be excited and infected by the sincere heart of the old professors! "How good are the old gentlemen's suggestions. We Tsinghua people should act like them immediately and do our best to help those students who are still living in difficulties. Even if each faculty member contributes a few dollars each, let the students Let us eat a decent meal, so we won’t faint from hunger during the exam!” President Wang Dazhong stood excitedly at the school affairs meeting and said loudly, “Tsinghua University has never been an aristocratic school in history. Today , and we must not let a classmate lose his studies due to family poverty!"

What a solemn promise this is! Students with financial difficulties, have you heard that? It is a stone that stirs up a thousand waves.All of a sudden, there was a rare upsurge in the Tsinghua campus, which is known for its calmness.Some people say that it is the "heartbeat" of Tsinghua University, which values ​​the relationship between teachers and students.Under the direct attention and participation of school leaders and the Tsinghua University Education Foundation, the first fund in Chinese universities dedicated to aiding impoverished college students - Tsinghua University "Qingquan" Fund for Difficult Students was announced in Tsinghua Garden.

"A drop of clear spring today will bring peaches and plums tomorrow." April 28, 1996 was the 85th birthday of Tsinghua University.Colorful flags fluttered in the sunny Tsinghua University Park, and singing came and went.When the prelude to the school celebration just kicked off, Principal Wang Dazhong excitedly announced one thing to more than ten thousand teachers, students and guests: please all caring people present to donate your love to our poor students!After finishing speaking, President Wang was the first to come to a donation box that had been placed on the long table, and solemnly put 300 yuan into the box. "Thank you, principal." A classmate representative walked up to Principal Wang and pinned a refined badge on his chest. The shiny twelve characters at the beginning of this section were on it.

"The spring water is clear, the spring water is clear, flowing to your heart..." The beautiful singing voice and moving melody awakened every inch of green space in Tsinghua Garden during the festival.Behind the principal, there is a long line of donors who can't see the edge. Among them are world-renowned Chinese science masters, gray-haired retired old professors, young doctoral supervisors who have just returned from abroad, and some have come to attend the school celebration. Overseas alumni or domestic alumni returning to their alma mater to "visit relatives" on business trips, and even youth league members and student cadres who are also students... "That scene was so touching. Those old faculty and staff who have lived in Tsinghua Garden for decades will tell you that this is a rare and touching scene that makes people feel true feelings since Tsinghua Garden was established." Two years later, in 1998 Before the "May 1st" of the year, when I came to Tsinghua Park to interview the person in charge of the Tsinghua University Education Foundation, the teacher who was one of the organizers of the "Qingquan" Fund Donation Ceremony still couldn't hold back his inner excitement and said with emotion.He said that on that day, their "Qingquan" fund received more than 200,000 yuan in donations.He took out a list of donations published on "New Tsinghua University" at that time. I couldn't help but stop my eyes from the long list and stop at the following names and numbers: Chen Haokai 1000 yuan Ling Ruiji 1000 yuan Li Chuanxin 1000 yuan Gu Hanfen 10,000 yuan Geng Tao 0.10 yuan Xiong Qiang 5 yuan "Chen Haokai and Ling Ruiji are both old gentlemen and advocates of the 'Qingquan' Fund. Li Chuanxin is our old party secretary. He and several old professors above him are the first batch of donors. Gu Hanfen who donated 10,000 yuan is An old professor in the front line of education, she took out all her savings for many years. Geng Tao, who only donated a dime, was himself a poor student. He was the recipient of the donation, but he said that the scene was too He was so moved that he donated the only dime he had in his pocket at the time, and solemnly wrote his name on the donor register. There were too many touching stories on that day, such as donating 5 yuan Xiong Qiang, he is a middle school student. When he donated the 5 yuan, he also attached a special letter. Anyone who read it would cry. He said: "In my fifteen years of life, I have deeply felt the socialism. The warmth of a big family. I often think, what can I do for the society? When I learned that Tsinghua University, a famous university in the country and a temple in my mind, has many big brothers and sisters who can’t even afford to eat , I am very sad. I think: It is not easy for them to be admitted to Tsinghua University. If they cannot keep up with nutrition due to financial constraints, it will damage their health and delay their studies. Therefore, today I put myself in the The 5 yuan from the work-study program is donated to you. I hope to do my best to help a certain big brother and sister buy a good dish, so that they can devote themselves to the intense study. Although the money Too little, but this is a little bit of my heart, please accept it...I wish the big brothers and sisters of Tsinghua University will become the pillars of the motherland as soon as possible.' The deeds of the teachers are even more vivid. The department set up a "Hope Project of the Department of Precision Instruments", and more than 200 teachers donated money, and used this money to help several poor students in the department for a long time..." The teacher from the Tsinghua Education Foundation told me that Tsinghua Garden The "Qingquan" Relief Fund jointly built by the teachers and students in the school, since the day of the donation, the school's annual anniversary on April 28 has naturally become a voluntary "Relief Day" for all teachers and students in the school. , I really did have the money to contribute the money, and the strength to contribute.This school ethos was gradually known by the alumni, so now we often receive donations from many alumni at home and abroad and their relatives and friends to the "Qingquan" Fund.The teacher revealed that there are about 1,100 impoverished students in Tsinghua University. A recent sample survey showed that the average food expenses of ordinary students in Tsinghua University is about 280 yuan per person per month, while the monthly income of extremely poor students used to be less than 90 yuan. Less than 120 yuan for students with financial difficulties.If there is only such a small amount of money, it will be spent on food. Three meals a day are less than 4 yuan a day, and the students always have to buy some daily and school supplies.At present, about 60% to 70% of the poor students are in work-study programs, which increases their income by 100 to 150 yuan per month. In addition, some people enjoy the school's "awards, loans, and exemptions". In this way, nearly half of the poor students can maintain their basic living level, the remaining half is to enjoy the "Qingquan" fund.Tsinghua University has raised about 110 million yuan in education funds from all walks of life, including the "Qingquan" fund.The school has its own special fund, and can issue "temporary hardship subsidies" every year (specially for those who encounter unexpected accidents due to family or oneself), "work-study subsidies" (the work-study posts set up by the school generally get 12 yuan per day. , and the school will issue an additional 12 yuan subsidy), "Encouragement Award" (rewarding those who live hard and study hard, 200 to 400 yuan per person), etc. about 1.3 million to 1.5 million yuan. In doing so, this amount is equal to the average annual poverty subsidy of 1,000 yuan for each poor student in the school.Students in Tsinghua Garden are lucky. Even if they don’t get a penny of financial assistance from their families all year round, they can still maintain their basic survival. If they can work a little harder to find a work-study job, the days will be peaceful and peaceful. . When President Wang Dazhong evaluated the effect of their "Qingquan" fund, he used these eight words: benefit Tsinghua, contribute to China. Campus "Help Club" Liu Xiaoping was the only non-poor student among the more than 300 college students I interviewed, but he was the one I had to interview.The engineering institute he works in is one of the five major engineering institutes in my country. In the words of Yang Bo, the deputy secretary of the party committee of this institute, although not many Chinese people know the name of our engineering institute, but if you grew up in our institute, you You can study from elementary school to post-doctorate. If you are willing to stay in the college, you can spend your whole life on the campus of our college without affecting your chance to create the world's top scientific achievements.I know that there are many such universities in China, but apart from the above-mentioned equal advantages in education and scientific research, their life and work are not comparable to those of Tsinghua University and Peking University. exaggerate. Liu Xiaoping attended such a university.Some people still come to this kind of school, because it is firstly a university, and secondly, it can get some kind of "discount" in admission scores-in fact, the examinees later found out that this is not the case. Competing for universities, the competition for their "first choice" is more intense.Liu Xiaoping has a deep understanding. Of course, the reason why he applied for this university at that time was mainly from the perspective of the former.Those children from poor families came to such a school and discovered that one of the advantages of entering such a school is that there are more people from poor families, and it is easy to mix with each other, so that they will not be ridiculed by the rich.But there is also a fatal flaw, that is, they cannot enjoy as many subsidies as the poor students of Tsinghua University.1,000 yuan per person per year? !If you give it to me, don't I become a "rich man" too?Poor children never thought that such a big pie would fall from the sky!Their greatest wish is to be given 10 or 20 yuan when the meal card is about to run out, which is a "gift from God".In view of the large number of poor students, the college tried its best to improve the food in the cafeteria, and lowered the prices of vegetables and meals. A tofu costs 1 yuan, and a bean sprout costs 80 cents, but the students still complained that it was too expensive, saying that With such a standard of food, they can only get half a portion for each meal.The teachers looked pitiful, so they donated spontaneously. Every donation is always school-wide, from the principal to the secretary, from professors to teaching assistants, and even family members and staff are mobilized.Every time we can always raise more than one hundred thousand yuan in money and goods, but it is only this one hundred thousand yuan in money and goods. It is absolutely difficult to make more donations. The principal and teachers will die if they don’t eat or drink for a month. Six or seven hundred or a thousand yuan... Even so, the college has held such an event for several years, and they can't get foreign aid—rich people love to donate to famous universities in big cities, so There are both convenience and the social effects of donations. People have no right to criticize this, even if some donors have certain "intentions".However, if Liu Xiaoping and his school can't get it, they still can't get it. The kind-hearted Liu Xiaoping, who came from the affluent city of Yangzhou, was horrified to see all the hardships that his classmates endured in order to study: Some people never go to the cafeteria to eat, and even if they go, they only buy the cheapest food.Liu Xiaoping, who has never been restrained in spending money since he was a child, finds it inconceivable that he spends at least a hundred or ten yuan a week to go to a restaurant for a change, while some of his classmates spend less than 100 yuan a month on food! He likes to wear trendy clothes, which are not considered extravagant. He usually buys three or five sets in four seasons a year, costing one or two thousand yuan.But later someone told him: Some students didn’t even add a pair of socks for four years in college, and they only wore one or two sets from head to toe, and they were gifts from folks when they were in college! Liu Xiaoping didn't believe this at first, but after a few months of college life, he was convinced, because the things that others said in the past are happening around him and even in the same dormitory.The most impressive thing is that Liu Xiaoping, who was already a sophomore in 1997, witnessed the scene when the freshmen entered the school that year: a freshman from Sichuan was sent by his parents, and the student's father carried a wooden stick on his shoulder. There are two plastic bags on both ends of the stick, and the four corners of the plastic bags are tied with small ropes.Looking at the student's father's feet, one foot is wearing sandals with an open mouth, and the other foot is bare.When I asked, it was said that it fell when getting off the train.It was getting dark, and the school arranged accommodation for the parent, which was the cheapest price of 5 yuan per bed.The newborn father couldn’t stop saying anything, he said that I just need to rest on the playground for a night—this night he really laid an old newspaper in the open air of the playground and slept all night... Liu Xiaoping, a "prince" from a wealthy family, suffered an indescribable shock in his heart.Facing the melancholy, anxious and somewhat inferior faces due to poverty, Liu Xiaoping pondered, compared, and had a strong desire to do something.Especially after he participated in the four departments of the college's "giving love" activity for poor student Qin Xuan, this desire to do something became even stronger.Because of family poverty, Qin Xuan faced three siblings who would drop out of school. More than 20 classmates in the class extended a helping hand. Although Qin Xuan was moved and gave up her original plan to drop out, she still couldn’t Solve basic life problems in school.And there are still many students like Qin Xuan in the school. How can we help such students get out of the shadow of poverty?Liu Xiaoping, who has always been carefree from elementary school to university, was always thinking about this question in those days. Can we create an opportunity for these impoverished students to become self-reliant through their own efforts?Liu Xiaoping quietly told a friend of his thoughts, but the friend asked him if he had a nervous problem. "Your parents spent a lot of money to let you go to college and have a promising job in the future. Why are you worrying about others? Besides, can you afford it? The school is a headache for them. How capable are you? If we want to find a balance psychologically, we will throw an extra amount of money when people donate!" If the words are not speculative, Liu Xiaoping can only think about it by himself.He started to run around for his own idea, first he found the head teacher.The class teacher was very supportive and said that we should strive to get the support of the department and the school.So Liu Xiaoping wrote the plan at night with the lights on, and showed it to the head teacher the next day, and the teacher helped him revise it.After a few drafts, Liu Xiaoping knocked on the office of the secretary of the school's Youth League Committee... "It's a good idea. It's just that the school may not be able to do what it wants and can't help you too much," said the Secretary of the Youth League Committee. "I don't want anything, I just want the school to provide a place and some start-up funds." Liu Xiaoping hurriedly added. The Secretary of the Youth League Committee smiled wryly: "The school lacks these two things." Liu Xiaoping seemed to have been poured with cold water from head to toe. "Don't worry, I'll discuss it with the Ministry of Education and Industry to get their support, because your goal of establishing a 'College Student Self-Help Club' is something we are all thinking about." Finally, the secretary of the Youth League Committee gave him some hope. answer. Liu Xiaoping waited, and ran to the Youth League Committee and the Ministry of Education every now and then.Finally one day, the Minister of Education and Industry told him: Your proposal has been approved, and the school is going to provide a place and part of the start-up funds. "Great!" Liu Xiaoping wanted to cheer when he heard it. The next thing is: recruiting people and purchasing equipment.Liu Xiaoping, the president of the "Self-Help Club" who is neither a student cadre nor appointed by the "red-headed document", thought about it, but first persuaded his classmates and friends to join him. Only those with certain expertise can participate. Can I borrow a blackboard? --No! Can you use your mimeograph machine for us? ——Did you see that we are using it? A few days before the announcement of the establishment of the "Self-Help Club", Liu Xiaoping suffered all the contempt from these indifferent faces, but in the end he was relieved that there were still seven or eight people and "six or seven guns". "Now I announce that the self-help club will be formally established today. What we will do in the future is to create wealth together through the direct participation of all members of the club through work-study programs, so as to do our best for the poor students in the club and the poor students in the school. Support them to complete their university studies. The self-help club currently has three departments, namely the laundry department, the electronic maintenance department and the financial department, and the specific steps will be determined according to the development..." In a small room that has not yet been painted, Liu Xiaoping took Leading seven members of the "self-help club" to solemnly swear an oath in front of the shabby clothes hanging on the wall - he did this to warn all members of the "self-help club" that everything they do in the future has only one purpose, that is, Do your best to help poor students in the same room, class, and school! Among the various clubs with various names on the university campuses today, Liu Xiaoping's little "self-help club" is more like a ray of inconspicuous little fireflies. Especially when someone heard the name, they laughed and said: "What is this?" It is not far from the era of agricultural cooperatives!" "We just want to carry forward the spirit of the little firefly, and ignite the self-reliance and mutual help of college students throughout the school." Liu Xiaoping, who used to be joking about everything, became the "Captain of the Red Red Guard" in the eyes of his classmates in a blink of an eye. It is majestic and courageous again.He led the "community members" to use their spare time and Sunday time to promote and serve dormitories and buildings one by one.It really pays off, a primary school student association that was born only a few days ago has become a well-known organization that everyone knows on campus.The students began to take the initiative to bring old shoes and broken clothes to be repaired, and those who wanted to repair the "Walkman" lined up to the "Electronic Repair Department" on Sundays. As for the students who wanted to join the "Self-help Club" more.By the time the second semester started, the "self-help club" had grown from the original 8 to more than 40 people, 70% of whom were poor students. The business of the "self-help club" has also expanded to the "Lost and Found Center" which undertakes all kinds of housekeeping services for the faculty, staff and family members of the whole school, and is obliged to properly dispose of the lost items in the school. several categories. One day in May this year, I came to Liu Xiaoping's school. The school leaders first introduced Liu Xiaoping's "self-help club" to me with some pride and joy.In two small school buildings, I saw a group of students busy arranging a lot of clothes.Liu Xiaoping told me that these are more than 1,000 pieces of clothing raised from a clothing donation activity held by their "self-help club" some time ago. These clothes are sorted and washed, and distributed to those students who lack clothes and clothes after the new school year begins. "Working in the agency, how much can I get paid a month?" I asked a busy girl. She was a little embarrassed, and said after a while: "A few dozen yuan!" "Can that help you solve some problems?" "Of course. At least I don't have to worry about eating now..." I feel an invigorating relief, because I understand that in Liu Xiaoping's school, it may never be possible for every impoverished student to receive a generous amount of special care like Tsinghua University, but the poverty here With the enthusiastic help and care of a group of non-poor students like Liu Xiaoping, the students' spirit of self-reliance and self-improvement also shines brightly! Liu Xiaoping's successful founding of the "self-help club" reminded me of Chairman Mao Zedong's theory and practice of "a spark can start a prairie fire" created by Chairman Mao Zedong in the early Chinese revolutionary war.The problem of poor college students in China is an unavoidable and common phenomenon in today's colleges and universities. Students live on campus all day long, and their emotions are concentrated in the sacred courtyard that belongs to them. Being closed off in behavior and behavior, being able to get care on campus is undoubtedly what they most wish for.On the other hand, their experience also proves that Chairman Mao Zedong's "walking the mass line" is the most effective way for us to overcome all difficulties.On campus, students, faculty and staff are the main body of the school, and any event that a large number of teachers and students voluntarily participate in will always have unexpected results. At East China University of Science and Technology, the Secretary of the Youth League Committee in charge of the work-study program for students told me such a thing: Chen Peng, a retired teacher who lives in downtown Shanghai, and his wife, one son and one daughter both work in Beijing. Inconvenient and spiritually empty, especially when sick and alone.Mr. Chen Peng later heard that many students in the school had financial difficulties who could not pay tuition fees or had problems in life, and could not find a suitable work-study program, so he had the idea of ​​pairing up with poor students to establish a "mutual aid club".Mr. Chen wrote a letter to the work-study guidance center of the school with his thoughts.Those who received the letter were those impoverished students working in the work-study guidance center. They were very touched by the letter and sent representatives to visit Mr. Chen's home today.The students were greatly shocked when they saw that the family of an old man who had been teaching all his life and had a good handwriting was not rich.After returning to school, they told the situation to the poor students, and the students discussed it, saying that most of the fifteen students we work here are from rural areas, and the average monthly living standard is below 160 yuan. If we can survive on this money It should be attributed to the care of the school, especially the teachers.Today, the old teacher is in trouble at home, we should extend our warm hands to help.Everyone quickly reached a consensus and decided to divide into several groups, go to the old people's home once or twice a week, and serve the two old people voluntarily.Chen Peng and his wife were very happy with the arrival of the students, especially seeing that these impoverished students love life, care about helping others, and are very good at doing housework.But there is one thing he disagrees with, and that is the voluntary service of classmates.The old man said: "I thought about the difficulties in life of the students, so I proposed that we, young and old, teachers and students should pair up and help each other. If you have an 'obligation', I will not bear it in my heart. What should I do? We are old and life is difficult. It doesn’t matter if you are poor. But you can’t. On the one hand, you have such a heavy learning task, and on the other hand, when you are growing up, you can’t do without certain material guarantees.” Under the old teacher’s insistence, the students had to accept some As for Mr. Chen Peng, in addition to helping the students with some homework, he also taught the students to practice calligraphy.Now this "old and young teacher-student mutual aid association" has persisted for several years, and this kind of mutual assistance between them has long gone beyond the scope of exchange of labor remuneration. In Tianjin Electromechanical Industrial School, there are a group of female class teachers who have consistently devoted their motherly care to helping the poor students in their class overcome the difficulties in life. One day in the cold winter of 1994, teacher Wang Xuefeng, the class teacher, was passing by a small path on campus, and saw a student surnamed Duan standing next to a trash can and picking out a pair of old cotton shoes from it.Teacher Wang went over to ask him why he was picking it up, and the classmate cried in a low voice: "Teacher, I want to change the shoes on my feet..." Teacher Wang Xuefeng saw that the student was wearing a pair of homemade shoes showing his feet. Single shoes, and touch his legs again, not even wearing the bare minimum of woolen trousers.Teacher Wang Xuefeng's nose became sore: "From today onwards, besides studying and attending classes, you come to my house..." From that day on, this classmate has become a member of Wang Xuefeng's family. If there is delicious food, the whole family will keep it first Let him eat, the clothes for all seasons are bought by Teacher Wang Xuefeng, and the bus tickets for holidays are also bought by her and delivered to him.This classmate later became the class monitor and was named one of the "Top Ten Youth League Members" by the school.Now he has graduated and has become a technical backbone of a certain factory.He wrote to Teacher Wang Xuefeng and said: "Mr. Wang, I wanted to call you mom during the few years in school, but I always kept it in my heart. Now that I have graduated, I think I can call you loudly: Mom. Mom, without you Over the past few years, I have loved you like family members. It is hard for me to imagine that I can finish my studies and become a useful person who can do something for the country today. Really, Mr. Wang, please allow me to call you mother for the rest of my life..." Wang Xuefeng is not the only female teacher in Jinmen who is honored as "mother" by the students.In the past three years, seven of the students that Mr. Tao Chongwei took care of were admitted to the hospital due to serious illnesses, and every sick student was taken care of by her teacher Tao from admission to daily care.Teacher Tao knows the difficulties of the school. She never complains to the school for help. She is more aware of the inner pain of poor students who are sick and the helpless families. Therefore, she only silently bears the burden of these students' hospitalization and daily life. take care of.The hardest part was when someone was hospitalized for treatment, Teacher Tao had to work all day long from morning till night.Her home is far away from the hospital, and she has to cycle more than 30 kilometers back and forth, but in order to let the hospitalized classmates feel the warmth of home, she insists on cooking and sending them to the sickbeds by herself, just to do this , Teacher Tao did not know how much he had suffered.He is in his fifties, and there are dozens of students who need to be managed, and he has to take care of the sick students in the hospital. Teacher Tao has to devote himself almost every day.The people in the hospital began to feel strange and asked her why so many "sons" in your family were sick?Teacher Tao shook his head with a wry smile, saying that none of them were my sons, but students.The people in the hospital were speechless in astonishment, because in their eyes, this tired and bent "mother" at least accompanied the bed and guarded three or five "sons" who were seriously ill.Someone calculated an account for Teacher Tao: In the past three years, she has paid more than 400 day and night shifts for sick students. The money spent on buying nutritional products and frying a good dish is even more countless.People can't know this from Teacher Tao's own mouth, only from her graying hair and old face, she can see the motherly heart of working hard and running around for the poor students. An old professor in a certain university is over 80 years old. In order to help poor students, for the first time, he formulated a plan to save 1 yuan a day. Later, when he heard that a poor student only spent less than 150 yuan in living expenses in a month, the old man pinched his finger. Forget it, it’s only 3 yuan a day.How is this going!The old man ran to the Ministry of Education and Engineering distressedly, and said that I would save 5 yuan a day from today, plus an egg for breakfast. Please donate the money I saved to a poor student to see if he has enough to eat. If it doesn’t work, I’d like to sell all the paintings and calligraphy in my collection.Then the old professor really did it.When he was relieved to learn that five impoverished students were helped with his own money, the old man's own living expenses fell to the level of one impoverished student every month.This is the old gentleman who insisted on not letting me say his name when he was interviewed by me. Almost every university has such teachers and classmates. They do their best, some form "one-to-one" pairs with poor students, and some work together with a teaching and research group or a party group to help a poor student. or a few difficult students.In more than a dozen colleges and universities in Nanjing, every year when students graduate, there are always "flea markets for second-hand goods" spontaneously formed by old students on campus, and their scale, momentum, and content are very unusual.However, in the past few years, the big auction of the "flea market for second-hand goods" has become an annual donation ceremony for old students to poor students.The graduates donated thousands of old clothes, hats, books, and daily necessities that they had no longer used for free to the students in need.This scene of united will, anyone who saw it could not bear the tears... Not long after the start of this year, Xiao Wei, a student in Class 2, Class 97, Business School, University of Science and Technology of China, unexpectedly received 200 yuan and a warm letter.From the letter, Xiao Wei knew that this was a "love money" given to him by the teachers and classmates in the school.At the same time, Xiao Wei also learned that nine other students who had the same financial difficulties as him also received this money and goods from the school's "Special Account for Love Action". What is the "Special Account for Love Action"?It turns out that since the end of last year, the question of how to help students who are economically impoverished has become a hot topic on the campus computer network of HKUST.After some communication and planning on the Internet, many "networms" decided to organize a "love action" in the whole school.Once the motion was posted on the Internet, it immediately received positive responses from teachers and students of HKUST.The school network center also set up a special column on the BBS electronic advertisement station. Those "net bugs" who are usually immersed in the ocean of knowledge have done another thing this time: collecting their own and all alumni who may participate. Pocket”—money gives money, and goods give goods, a penny is not too little, and 1,000 yuan is not too much.Take action, students and teachers!In a few days, teachers and students on the campus of HKUST are busy doing a common thing, which is to donate money and materials to the online "love account". “网上特别行动”收到了意想不到的成功，短短一段时间内，就收到了少至一毛、多至千元的捐款。策划此次活动的“网友”们又将这些钱转入当地银行……至此，科大的“爱心特别账户”就这样诞生了，小魏和另9名贫困生则是这个“账户”的第一批获得资助者。据发起“网上行动”的一位老师介绍，“爱心特别账户”完全是由师生们通过自愿捐助并完全在严格的网上监督下实施定期对贫困生的资助。运用这种先进的网上手段开展爱心活动的好处在于，可以随时随地提醒师生们向那些有困难的同学奉献爱心，从而在校园内连结起“爱心长城”。 如今，大学校内类似刘晓平式的“自助社”和科大式的“网上爱心长城”到处可闻，这些师生间的相互帮助集中体现了一个特色，即自觉、自愿。一位从老师和同学们那儿获得过这种资助的贫困生感动地说，我们的老师和同学大部分人都不是物质的富有者，因而他们的这种滴水之恩，更能激起我们贫困生的自立、自强。 从自觉、自愿到自立、自强，这是一段从单极到多媒、从分散到联合和从个体到集体的过程。不要小看了这过程，因为它连结起来就是钢铁，就是长城，就是不可战胜！ 1995年3月的一天，正在金陵古都东南大学读书的吴淼同学感冒了。南京的春天真是怪，不是下雨，便是暴热。吴淼对自己的感冒并没有放在心上，这种流行性感冒在大江南北的气候交汇处是太常有的事了。体育课时，吴淼与平常一样，该跳照跳，该跑照跑，他毫不在乎。可突然间，吴淼一下感到视线模糊，开始他以为有什么异物掉进了眼睛里。不对，吴淼觉得除了眼睛模糊外，浑身也顿然乏力，彻底地乏力，直到像掉进了万丈深渊……等吴淼再醒来时，他早已不在体育场，而是躺在了雪白的病房内。呵，床是白的，墙是白的，一切都变成了白的，连同自己的生命。吴淼从昏迷中醒来时，就听一群医生在跟自己的班主任交待：严重肾衰竭。只有两条路可走，一是长期做肾透析，每星期两次，每次最少得花340元，一年3520元左右；二是做肾脏移植，手术费约5。5万元左右，连同手术后服用5年的抗排异物药费（一瓶3000元），至少27万元…… “医生，我、我家在去年我上大学时就借了人家好几千元债，现在穷得连头耕牛都没了。27万元哪！这不是要我全家的命吗？医生，我不治了，不治了……”吴淼这位刚强的山里娃第一次痛苦地闭上眼，只有两行止不住的泪水顺着他那侧过去的脸颊，浸透了病榻头的白被…… 吴淼是不幸的。半年前，当这位鄂北竹山县的山娃娃以优异成绩走出山村，来到国家重点学府——东南大学时，17岁的小伙子心里充满了多么浪漫而又美好的理想。然而仅仅几个月的校园生活，吴淼却面临着生命与前途的灭顶之灾。其实，吴淼不知道，像他这样好不容易走出山村，然后又面临病魔不幸折磨的大学生并非他一人。在我采访的几十所大学里，据不完全统计，至少有3％左右的贫困生是由于各种疾病而陷入了学业与生活的双重困境。如果说，一个经济困难的学生要完成四年的大学学业是在跨越一道高不可攀的山崖，那么对那些身患疾病的贫困生来说，他们将面临的则是一道死亡之槛。 吴淼又是幸运的，因为他生活在中国的大学校园内。当东南大学的师生们得知吴淼身患重病、生命垂危的消息后，整个校园发出了强烈的呼唤：“吴淼，我们要留住你！让你回到我们中间来！” 首先行动起来的是吴淼的同系学友，60多名同学全体出动，他们挤出时间，24小时轮流上医院值班。一天、两天，十天、二十天……在吴淼病情最紧急的两个月内，全体同学不分男女，日夜守护在病榻前，用一颗颗青春的滚烫之心，呵护着同窗好友渡过生命的死亡之槛。 当吴淼在病榻上迎来第一个初冬时，东南大学又一次专门为他举行了全校性的捐助活动。那一天阳光正暖，许多人不约而同地来到募捐点，5块、10块、100块……有饭票、有现金，有学生、有教授，也有校领导和退休职工，然而在那本厚厚的签字簿上却留了同一个名字：“爱心”。 “妈妈，你是医生，你一定救救叔叔的命！”一位校医的4岁小女儿听大人们在窃窃私语如果没有那么多钱换肾，那个吴淼同学就很快要死时，竟嘤嘤地一边哭着一边拉扯着年轻母亲的衣襟这样乞求道。 一位外籍教授把刚领的当月薪金1021元原封不动地塞进了捐款箱内，而仅在留名簿上画了一个大大的红“心”图案。 money!money!一个生命在呼救。 money!money!千万名师生在呐喊。 短短两天时间，捐款竟达4万余。可是、可是吴淼的换肾要27万元哪！师生们还没有来得及喘口气，便一挥手：走，我们走出校门去募捐！ 入冬的金陵，北风呼啸。然而在市青少年宫内却是一片暖融融的海洋。东南大学的40多名同学正在这里进行义卖活动。从来没有当过市场销售员的大学生们，却在瑟瑟寒风中，喊哑了嗓子，冻裂了手脚…… 繁华的新街口闹市区，傅秀章老师正带着一群学生在街头“叫卖”：“哪家需要拖地擦玻璃——？”“谁家的电脑、电视、电冰箱坏了要修理——？” 东南大学的师生们，为了一个年轻校友的生命，他们几乎忘了自己的身份，也几乎忘了白天与黑夜……上帝终于被感动。至这年年底，东南大学共为吴淼募捐达15万元。在这巨额的捐款中，每一分钱里都有东南大学的师生们和来自全国各大学的师生们，以及社会各界谱写的动人故事。有一个名叫陈辉的哈尔滨女大学生，在捐款的同时，特意给吴淼寄来贝多芬的磁带。汕头大学94级35名同为贫困生的同学们，竟从自己的牙缝里也挤出了450元钱汇给了吴淼。他们在汇款单上写下了一段滚烫的话语：“作为大山的儿子，血管里理应流淌着山的豪迈、坚韧和刚强。吴淼，相信生命，让死神走开！”最令吴淼父母感动的是在众多汇款单中，有一位署名“艾心”的人，落款地址是南京市“同龄路”500号，寄的钱也正好是500元。二位老人决意要面谢这位“艾心”先生，于是整整跑了两天金陵城却仍如大海捞针。后来在邮局工作人员的帮助下，才知道此“艾心”是解放军南京政治学院的一位大学生寄出的。可当吴淼的父母来到解放军大学生中间寻觅这位好人时，学员们笑着就是拒不提供线索，好像一切都是早已“策划”好的。 1996年4月26日21：00，这对吴淼同学来说，是他永不会忘记的日子和时间了。此日、此时，他在母校师生和解放军南京军区总医院的关怀下，不仅凑足了换肾的高额手术费用（缺额部分是解放军的这所医院给予了免费），而且成功地渡过了死亡线……如今的吴淼虽然仍在康复之中，但他一直在抓紧补习功课，努力争取以良好的成绩完成学业，以报答母校和社会各界给予他的第二次生命。 人的生命是宝贵的，青春的生命更是千金难买。然而宝贵的生命却那么脆弱。根本不会有人想到，就在南国校园的贫困生吴淼刚刚摆脱生命危险重新迈进久违了的亲切课堂时，北国一所大学校园内的另一名贫困生却陷入了绝境之中。 又是一个3月。 这一天的封延会同学无论医生怎么给他解释“再生障碍性贫血”是一种非常非常危险的病，如果不进行紧急治疗就有可能危及生命，而且一般患上这种病在发病一年内能生存的仅为96％……“你们别吓唬人！我才刚刚20岁，从小生长在山里，啥苦都吃过，好端端的怎么会死呢？”封延会拒绝医生的劝阻，更不同意留下来住院。他不相信命运对他如此不公。如果说我身体虚，营养不够，这我承认——每天三餐永远是不变的馒头、粥和5毛钱的菜，那是肯定体质差些，贫血嘛也有可能。从现在开始注意些，吃得好些就行了吧！封延会有自己的理论，他嘴上跟医生们硬，但他心里明白：我这也没法子啊，一天三餐馒头稀粥加5毛钱的菜，一个月下来也得120元出头。120元哪！你们知道我家里每月给我这么多钱是多么不易啊！我、我怎么可能不贫血？就是现在贫血了我也绝不可能会多出一分钱去补一补呀！医生们，行行好吧，我、我要上学，我要上大学呀！ 封延会从医院跑回来，一头倒在床头，他再也忍不住心中的痛苦与恐惧，抱着被子嚎哭起来，哭得整个宿舍的同学都跟着流泪。大家心里都清楚，苦出身的封延会，能走进大学门已实为不易，你看他天天穿的是什么：一件暗红上衣，一双几经修补的球鞋，不分秋冬春夏，从来都是这一身“行头”。同学们还知道他的书包里只有三样东西：课本、图书馆借来的书和饭盒。 “封延会太爱读书了，我们得帮助他，即使抽遍我们每一人的血，也要延长他想完成大学学业的生命！”当同学们得知封延会的病在配合治疗的同时，还必须在相当长的时间内依靠输血来维持其年轻的生命时，发出了出自肺腑的豪言。 1997年4月17日，河北大学播放了《离开雷锋的日子》的电影。18日上午，校园宣传栏上出现了一张言词动情的巨幅海报：“……看影片情动于衷我们落泪，扶危济困河大人没有沉默；回现实情发于外迅即行动，激浊扬清大学生舍我其谁？”这是一篇专门为动员师生们为封延会献血的特别海报。 “封延会？封延会怎么啦？” “听说是个经济困难学生，得重病后要输大量血才能维持生命……” “真不幸。能帮他做什么吗？” “献血呗。” “走，只要让同学的年轻生命得以延伸，我愿献！” “好，咱们走！” 那几日，河北大学的校园内到处是有关封延会与献血的话题。学校领导也发出了“不惜一切代价、挽救同学生命”的号召，顿时，一张张“守住生命的烛光”、“献血献爱心”的决心书、海报，在河大校园的每一个角落传扬。 首批百名献血者还没有来得及完成验血，长长的队伍后面又接上了一个更长的新队伍……艺术系的一位同学在体检时血压偏高，医生不接受他的献血要求，这位同学就再次排队，第二次血压仍高又没通过，他再去排队，一连排了三次共三个多小时的队，但终因血压偏高而被医生拒绝。“你们今天不要我，那我明天再来。”天已黑了，这位同学看到医生们就要离开献血现场，仍这样不服地说道。一位家在石家庄的经济系同学第一次抽完血后仍不肯走，他对医生说，因为我从小生活在一个富有的家庭，所以并不了解那些经济困难同学的真实情况，平时还总有些看不起他们。现在让我用自己多献的血，以表我过去的那份歉意。最后他还是献了比别人多一倍的血才离开现场。 苦孩子封延会在短短的几个月里经历了几个“没有想到”的事：9月，他没有想到自己一个山娃娃竟以绝对的高分考上河北大学；他进大学后竟然会因没钱而无法生活下去，想不到是学校的一份勤工俭学岗位使他快要窒息的学业重新焕发了生命活力；他现在更没有想到的是自己的血管里竟然活脱脱地流淌着近400名母校师生们的热血和近万名亲人们的情……血浓于水，情高于山。当滴滴凝聚着情与爱的鲜血，流进封延会的血管，一个垂危的年轻生命从容地甩下死神，重新回到了他那可爱的大学校园，再次拿起法律专业的课本时，封延会的眼里所看到的则是一个映满了他全部视觉的大国徽——那是人民共和国的国徽。在那鲜艳的红旗和金灿灿的天安门下，封延会感受的是一片阳光无限的蓝天和又一个生命的驿站…… 与山西大学师范学院刘向阳同学的访谈，是我采访的几百名贫困大学生中谈得时间较长的一个。这不仅是因为刘向阳现在是贫困大学生中获得荣誉最多和最高的一个（他现在是“国际青少年消除贫困奖”获得者、中国大学生跨世纪发展基金。建昊奖学金特等奖获得者、团中央授予的“中国保护未成年人权益优秀公民”等十几项荣誉的著名人物），更重要的是这位有过多年打工求学特殊经历的大学生，如今仍在边学习、边打工的同时，带动和影响着他身边的一群大学生在自强、自立的道路上阔步前进。 其实，作为一名贫困生，刘向阳在过去的十几年学业生涯中早已给我们留下了一份非常沉重而又宝贵的精神财富。但是关于他的事迹则很晚才被人家发现并公之于众的，还纯粹是一次偶然机会。那是1996年岁末，山西省新闻界报道了一位74岁的老太太在十四年前捡了一个弃婴刘娜。十四年来，老人含辛茹苦将孩子拉扯大并送进了中学。无固定收入的老人为了这个没户口的孩子能继续上学，不得不拖着老弱病残的身体上街扫地供刘娜上学。当新闻镜头频频对准这位老人和刘娜小朋友时，人们发现了在她们身边还有一位年轻的小伙子。这位小伙子是怎么回事？他与老人和刘娜小朋友是什么关系？观众们纷纷要求了解这一情况，于是记者们转过头来把镜头对准了这位小伙子。这时，人们才发现，在这位小伙子身上还有更催人泪下的故事。 这位小伙子当然就是刘向阳，他是被老人的事迹所感动自愿关照这一老一少而进入这个家的。提到刘向阳，我不能不用一些篇幅来介绍他在十几年间面对诸多巨大的困难而自强不息的感人经历。 刘向阳的家在吕梁山区的一个叫前峡村的小山村。村子小得不能再小，七八户人家；村子又穷得不能再穷，全村惟一能称其为“动力”的是那座磨面的石磨。自然不会有专门的学校，孩子们想上学必须翻过山、走很远的路才行。刘向阳的家境不比别人好，直到9岁时，母亲才让他背起那个用碎布头缝成的书包，踏上了那条通往他乡的上学之路。这是个什么学校呀！一个民办教师、一个黑乎乎的窑洞，便是这所学校的全部。但没有出过大山的刘向阳，却从此激发了对知识与外部世界的渴望，并再也没有任何一种力量能阻止他的求学宏愿。但命运偏偏爱跟这样一个苦孩子作对。11岁那年，他父亲因一次车祸甩下他和母亲及一弟一妹而去。苦命的母亲还没有擦干泪水却又背负一身债款，身边的儿女则拉扯着她的衣角在哭喊着：“饿、饿……” “小阳，你最大，别光念书，得帮帮妈呀！”急得无路可走的母亲冲着11岁的大儿子嚷嚷起来。小向阳明白地点点头。 11岁的孩子能做什么？11岁的小向阳则像一个成年的汉子勇敢地走进了建筑工地。工地上的人知道这是个苦孩子，便不忍心把他赶走。于是小向阳学着大人的样，开始干起摆砖、和泥、搅石灰、擦砖缝、背石头等不属于他这个年龄的人干的活。可毕竟他人太小，一次只能搬上两块砖；擦墙缝时又因个头太矮，铁砂还没磨几下，他上仰的眼里已经被灰尘弄得无法睁开。工头实在有些生气了，几次把他的铺盖扔到门外，但稍一会儿，可怜巴巴的小向阳又把它拎进了屋…… “给，你的工钱！”当一个暑假快要完时，工头郑重其事地把9元6角钱放进刘向阳的手里。这是刘向阳第一次经手钱，小小年纪的他马上明白怎么使用它。刘向阳至今记得当时他用7分钱买了一个作业本，2分钱买了一支铅笔，剩下的全部交给了母亲。他甚至还清楚地记得母亲当时是怎样流着泪从箱子底下为他找出书包，并抱着弟弟和妹妹一路将重新上学的他送出村口很远很远的地方。从那时起，刘向阳才开始真正懂得了没有父亲后的这个家里他做大儿子的责任。生长在穷人家的孩子总是早当家，刘向阳则比别家的穷孩子更早地当家了。在这之后的岁月里，他一边上学一边做一些短工，以保证自己和弟弟能继续上学。为此他挖过山药、摆过地摊、修过公路、装过货车、下过煤窑……上高小时，他一面要带着小弟，一面要干他每天必须干的活。山里的水是山里人的生命，刘向阳家的那个山洼里没泉，只能到几里外的另一山洼担。正好这泓泉离刘向阳上学的学校不远。为了让母亲少一些操劳，刘向阳便先把水桶带进教室，等一放学，第一个任务就是去担水，他的那副坚硬的双肩就是从十一二岁开始练就的。山里人除了靠几亩薄地糊口外，能换来几个现钱的机会只能是上山去挖山药。一次，刘向阳利用星期天带着弟弟一起上山挖甘草根，兄弟俩在一个山头上发现了一团很大的根系，高兴得只顾拼命往下挖。这时在他们的脚下露出了一个无底的山洞，向阳发现足下一阵松软，下意识地揪住弟弟往后退了一步，就在兄弟俩刚刚移足时，他们原来站的那块地方“轰隆”一声，整整一大片像魔术似的消失了，留下的是一个见不到底的大黑洞……向阳拉着小弟的手，半天直不起身子——他真的吓坏了。 初二了，家里一下多了两个人，一个是继父，一个是更小的弟弟。向阳因此觉得自己更大了，也因此意识到必须为家里承担更多的责任。十三四岁的他无权去选择花季的阳光，等待他的则是永远的煎熬苦雨。向阳的家乡也出煤，那些有能耐的人到处建起煤窑发财，而没本钱的便只有出苦力挣苦钱。不用说，向阳肯定属于后一类人。这一类人需要的是力气，也需要的是玩命——毫无安全设施的小煤窑通常是那些私人业主开的，他们只管从你身上榨取油水，至于其他只能听天由命了。那时向阳其实根本不懂得这些，他只知在小煤窑干活比其他地方赚得多些。他便从那学期开始与一家小煤窑主讲定：节假日来煤窑当装卸工。有一次，正逢庙会日，煤窑上的工人都去赶集了，只剩下向阳一人在矿上。这时有一辆车来拉煤，向阳瞅着没人，便提起铲子自己干了起来。装煤的人不相信这么个“小民工”能装得满10吨重的一辆大煤车，但6个小时后，这位刚比车胎高不了多少的“小民工”真的把煤车装满了……入夜，累得散了骨架似的向阳一睡下去就到第二天大天亮。当他推门往外看时，下了一夜雨而聚集的山洪，早已把煤场上的那座十几米高的煤堆冲得无影无踪。向阳再一看，不由大惊失色：自己呆的那个小棚棚，仅距奔腾汹涌的河床咫尺之遥！那一天，他在回家途中，一路都看到被洪水冲到岸边的人尸、畜尸…… 初三了，穷人家的读书人忙着为考中专而喜而愁。中专，几乎是所有那些既期望孩子出息、又期望早早卸下沉重负担的贫困家庭的家长们为自己子女首选的出路。向阳也不例外，但他却以几分之差破灭了父母的期望。“别念了，该到成家立业的年岁啦！”向阳第一次感觉继父和母亲的话那么刺耳，他为此伤心地落下了泪，独自默默地扛起行李，到了一家个体煤矿干井下“推坡”活。那井下的日子不堪回首，向阳一点也记不得了，他只记得那次挣回了100多块钱。别小看这100多块钱，它给刘向阳求学的信念如增千倍力量：妈、爸，我要上高中去，将来还要上大学。从现在开始，我不要你们任何负担，以后我读书、盖房、娶媳妇什么的全由我自个儿担着。 老实巴交的继父和母亲没有阻挠他。但三年后的高考失败，则使刘向阳陷入了几乎难以自拔的痛苦：难道这就是山里人的“宿命”，难道就该听大人话早早娶个媳妇成个家便万事大吉了？No!我不——！刘向阳无法接受这残酷的现实，他倒下了，直到家人将他送进镇医院整整输了十天液…… 病好后，刘向阳放下书包又跑到窑井下干起了“推坡”。一个月后回到家，他把200元工钱一半交了继父，一半留在自己的口袋里，并告诉母亲：我到城里去补课，明年还想考一次。这回继父终于发火了，说什么就是不同意。 “我自己的路自己走！”刘向阳临出门时，无奈地与继父翻了脸。 然而命运是如此地捉弄他：第二次高考又以7分之差成为一枕黄梁。面对一贫如洗的家和成天板着面孔的继父，这回轮到刘向阳无话可说了。他开始有些“认命”了，在揭榜的第三天，他扛起简陋的行李，来到另一个私人小矿当起了真正的矿工。矿主交给他的活是在煤井下拉车，这是一件非常非常危险的苦力活，那些私营小矿根本谈不上任何安全设备，只是在认为可能塌方的地方打几个木桩便算了事。昏暗的井下，仅有三尺高的通道狭窄而坑洼不平。拉车人只能弓着腰，顺着车辙小心翼翼地左躲右闪地往返。老板见一身文弱书生气的刘向阳，好意想给他换个活。但刘向阳没有答应，因为他心里仍怀着一个不想被别人知道的“秘密”：争取多挣些钱，重新补习高考。 下井三个月了，刘向阳一算该有一笔较为可观的工钱了吧！于是他那深藏在内心的“秘密”又开始涌动。 “老板，我要去临汾上课，能把工钱结给我吗？” 老板有些为难地对刘向阳说：“年关了，外头有几笔款还没来得及结回来。这样吧，你先去那儿，我保证尽快给你寄出。” “那就说定了。”刘向阳走出矿井，怀揣仅有的10元钱，重新踏上了求学的艰涩之路。为了省下每一分钱，他不得不打起几十斤重的铺盖和书籍，步行到200里外的临汾。那是一段令刘向阳永生不忘之路。整整三天三夜，他在被风雪覆盖的漫漫盘山路上，一步一个脚印地艰