Li Wu had no memories from before he was five years old.

That’s not entirely accurate – he did have some, but they were faint and hazy, just like his name suggests – shrouded in thick fog. Even his parents’ faces were shadowy and indistinct. He stood on the shore while they remained at the bottom of the lake, always rippling with an air of unreality.

Perhaps it was because it was too painful, or too long ago. After losing both parents, his brain had selectively weakened during this period and these two people.

He only remembered that day when his grandfather instructed him to watch the house well before heading to the county town.

His grandfather’s expression was grave, his heart heavy, like the sky piled with dark clouds before a storm.

After his grandfather left, Li Wu squatted by the fish pond, watching a school of silver fish fry darting back and forth. He would reach in to catch them, startle them, and they would scatter away rapidly.

Later it started to rain, making the reed leaves rustle loudly. He ran home quickly, his shoes splattered with mud, his hair soaked through.

The shoes were brought back by his parents during New Year’s – blue sneakers, a bit big and stiff, rubbing his feet when worn, but he treasured them dearly. Usually, he carefully stored them under his bed, only daring to run and jump in them on dry paths when the weather was good.

Seeing that it was a clear sky that day, Li Wu had taken them out.

Who could have expected such unpredictable, treacherous weather?

He was extremely regretful and heartbroken, afraid his grandfather would scold him. As soon as the rain stopped, he laboriously brought half a bucket of mountain spring water, crouching at the doorway fighting back tears while scrubbing the shoes with loofah pulp.

Fortunately, the shoes were washed clean again, restored to their original appearance. He breathed a sigh of relief and hung them high by the window to dry.

The sky gradually darkened.

Li Wu cooked a corn meal and kept it warm in the pot, wanting to wait for their grandfather to return and eat together.

He lit a candle lamp and dared not close the door, afraid his grandfather’s aging eyes wouldn’t be able to recognize home.

He sat on the doorstep, watching the distant dark mountains that looked like a floating night sea.

Shortly after, several human figures suddenly hurried over from not far away, calling his name loudly.

The thin little boy quickly stood up, eyes wide open, not knowing what to do.

They came closer – they were several men from the village, with only Uncle Chen being familiar.

They were pushing a wooden cart, their steps agitated, with what seemed to be a person lying on top.

Li Wu hurried over. By the light of their flashlights, he saw clearly who was on the cart – it was his grandfather.

The old man’s eyes were tightly closed, like a withered old tree at the end of its years, showing no signs of life.

Li Wu was shocked and scared, tears suddenly welling up as he clutched at the cart and stammered: “What happened to my grandfather…”

Uncle Chen looked at him, his expression ugly, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

Another young man said impatiently: “He’s not dead, just fainted — where’s the bed!”

Li Wu hurriedly wiped the wetness from his face and led them inside.

They carried his grandfather together, one supporting the shoulders, one lifting the legs, and placed him on the bed at home.

After covering grandfather with a thin blanket, Uncle Chen crouched down and handed Li Wu a plastic bag with the health clinic’s logo, containing several medicine boxes and bottles: “Remember to give your grandfather his medicine.”

He took them out one by one to tell him how to take them. Li Wu clenched his jaw, nodding hard, committing everything to memory.

Uncle Chen wiped the remaining tears from the corner of his eye, staring at his young face, but ultimately said nothing.

That night, his aunt and uncle also rushed over.

His aunt wailed and cried all night in front of the house as if she could tear bloody holes in the wind.

It was from them that Li Wu learned that his parents, who were working away from home, had met with a major traffic accident. Their bus had overturned into a mountain ravine, leaving both of them unrecognizable. His grandfather had gone to the county to identify them and had fainted from extreme grief.

At five years old, Li Wu didn’t have a clear concept of death.

All night long, he was in a daze, blank and wooden, curled up into a small ball, sitting guard by his grandfather’s bedside, as if clinging to the only remaining warmth in the world.

His aunt wailed to him over and over: “Li Wu, nephew, what are we going to do… you have no parents anymore… you’ll never have parents again…”

He never saw them one last time.

Of course, since he could remember, he had rarely seen them anyway. Only during New Year’s would his parents come home, and stay for two days before leaving, leaving behind some rice and flour, some new and old clothes, and toys. He had a red plastic toy car that he had played with for several years, given to him by his parents. He treasured it by his pillow like a precious possession, racing against time.

A week later, his parents were buried in the most economical way possible, even their tombstone was wooden, their names written side by side, the writing soon to be weathered away by the wind.

As for the compensation money, it vanished without a trace.

His aunt’s family built a new house and had children, always saying they were too busy to handle anything else, ignoring the grandfather and grandson.

His grandfather, however, never recovered from the grief. His health deteriorated steadily. Initially, he could still tremblingly walk with a wooden stick that his grandson had selected from the forest and polished for him, but after an accidental fall, grandfather became completely bedridden, unable to care for himself.

Li Wu, who had just started first grade, had to temporarily drop out of school. With his small frame, he replaced that wooden cane, becoming his grandfather’s support.

Every night after his grandfather fell asleep, he would light a short, fat candle and sit on a small stool to read books, learn characters, and do arithmetic.

This was one of his few joys in those dark days.

After carefully looking after his grandfather for several days, the old man sensed something was wrong and asked why he wasn’t going to class.

Li Wu paused, then said: “I can study at home too.”

Grandfather broke down crying: “It’s all my fault, making you unable to go to school.”

Li Wu’s lips turned deathly white as he held back his tears from spilling out.

From that time on, Li Wu became silent, resilient, and learned to swallow broken teeth. His grandfather only had him to rely on for the rest of his life – he couldn’t collapse or run away first.

The first turning point after his parent’s death came when a village official surnamed Yan was transferred to the village. He was extremely concerned about the backward state of local education, wearing iron shoes and trying to persuade each household to send their children to school. Unfortunately, being remote and rural, few among the people had such foresight – most had children only to help support the family and earn money.

After hearing about the tragedy that befell Li Ming He’s family, he made a home visit to offer help.

Li Wu, who desperately wanted an education, became a beneficiary of the national poverty alleviation policy.

In the second semester of first grade, Li Wu returned to school.

To facilitate the child’s studies, Uncle Yan specially paid out of his pocket to find an electrician to install lights in their home. With one click, warm light filled the house, and Li Wu no longer needed to study by candlelight.

For the first time since his parents’ death, Li Wu smiled showing his teeth, smiling until tears appeared in his eyes, light points dancing.

From elementary through middle school, except for holidays and accompanying grandfather for check-ups, Li Wu would walk the rough mountain road for several hours every day without fail, rain or shine, under stars and moon, just to study in the county.

As seasons changed, through scorching sun and heavy snow, calluses grew thick on the young man’s palms and feet, but he was incomparably happy, never once uttering a word about pain or hardship.

After the middle school entrance exam, Director Yan, who had always shown concern for the grandfather and grandson, came to their home again and earnestly told Li Ming He, “Old Li, don’t worry. I’m trying hard to find a sponsor for your grandson. With his excellent grades, he must get into university, he must attend university, he can definitely become a pillar of the nation!”

A few days later, this grassroots cadre fulfilled his promise.

That day was during the hottest part of summer, the sun blazing like flames. Even in the lush mountains, it was stuffy and scorching.

At the time, Li Wu was sitting in front of the door washing his grandfather’s clothes when he saw three people walking up the mountain path in the distance. Leading them was Uncle Yan, followed by a man and a woman. The man wore a baseball cap, while the woman carried a parasol. They both looked like jade figures, glowing from afar, so bright and clean they seemed out of place in this dusty, unremarkable little mountain village.

Director Yan kept turning back to chat with them, smiling constantly, even somewhat fawningly.

Li Wu guessed these must be the sponsors his grandfather had mentioned. Various emotions – inferiority, bitterness, shame – welled up in his heart. The young man’s face and ears burned as he hurriedly wrung out the clothes, emptied the water basin, and carried them back inside, hiding in his grandfather’s room.

He was extremely nervous, fine sweat beading on his temples. If his grandfather hadn’t been in deep sleep, he would have been pacing back and forth in anxiety.

He hid behind the door, hearing a clear male voice ask Uncle Yan: “Where’s the boy?”

Uncle Yan called out in the local dialect: “Old Li — where’s your grandson–“

Li Wu’s heart was racing wildly, at a loss for what to do. Afraid his grandfather would be awakened, Li Wu decided to face them alone. He smoothed his clothes, gritted his teeth, and carefully cracked open the door.

The old door was weathered, long without repair, creaking as it opened.

Li Wu’s ears burned as he looked up hurriedly.

The first person he saw was the young woman in the middle, closest to the door. Her skin was fair, her gaze proud and aloof, like a magnolia on a high branch.

“Born to privilege” – that was the only phrase Li Wu could think of at first.

The moment their eyes met, the woman’s examining gaze grew heavier, becoming a look of superiority and assessment.

Li Wu grew increasingly uncomfortable, quickly shifting his gaze away as he opened the door and stepped out.

All three immediately fixed their eyes on him. Li Wu lowered his gaze, his scalp tingling, not daring to look directly at them.

“Is this him?” The man took off his cap and fanned himself.

Uncle Yan nodded: “Yes, yes.” He eagerly pointed and introduced them: “Li Wu, this is Mr. Wu, and this is Miss Cen. They’ve especially come from Yi City after learning about your situation, and they’re interested in sponsoring you.”

Li Wu’s brows were furrowed as he greeted them awkwardly and formally.

The man smiled, joking: “This is the first time I’ve heard such standard Mandarin since arriving here.”

“That’s right,” pride spilled from Yan Chang Sheng’s words. “This child has been properly educated all along.”

The man took out a pack of tissues, pulled one out, and offered it to Li Wu, his tone friendly: “Here, wipe yourself off, you’re sweating all over.”

Li Wu didn’t move.

Yan Chang Sheng urged: “Take it, quick, thank the big brother.”

Li Wu muttered his thanks, quickly wiped his whole face, and carefully crumpled the tissue in his hand.

The man pulled out another tissue for the woman beside him: “Would you like to wipe too?”

The woman didn’t move, seemingly in a mood, squeezing three words through her teeth: “Not necessary.”

The man tried to coax her with a smile: “Your nose is sweating, your makeup will run.”

The woman still wouldn’t oblige, so the man gave up and wiped himself instead.

Yan Chang Sheng smiled and invited them to sit. The woman was initially reluctant but eventually yielded to her husband’s persuasion and sat down.

Li Wu glanced at them quickly, took two bowls, and went to another room, planning to get mountain spring water from the vat.

He had intended to just scoop it directly, but remembering the woman’s fastidious manner, he carefully washed the bowls twice before filling them with water and bringing them over.

The man was refined and cultured, chatting pleasantly with Yan Chang Sheng.

The woman sat rigidly, looking bored and even somewhat impatient. Li Wu’s heart tightened as he pressed his thin lips together, carefully placing the bowl before her, afraid of spilling even a drop.

Li Wu could feel her appraising him, without purpose but sufficiently oppressive.

He felt like he had pins in his back, not daring to breathe, and only when he straightened up did his chest rise and fall in a long, gentle motion.

The woman said thank you but never touched the bowl of water, keeping her hands folded in her lap, afraid even her clothes might touch the table, as if the entire room was filled with deadly bacteria, including him.

Li Wu stood by the table, at a complete loss but forcing himself to maintain his composure and posture, after all, he was the one in need of help.

His composed behavior won their favor, at least the man seemed to like him. After signing the contract on the spot, he wanted to take a photo with Li Wu.

Li Wu didn’t like having his picture taken at all.

There wasn’t a single photo in the house.

But he still obediently stood between them.

Director Yan encouraged them to smile, but Li Wu couldn’t manage to smile at all.

Long ago, smiling had become a luxury for him. When hardship becomes instinct, it weighs heavy on the corners of your lips, sealing away all joy.

The couple didn’t stay long. Before they left, Li Wu bowed deeply, expressing his sincere gratitude.

After seeing them off, Director Yan returned to show him the contract, telling him to remember his benefactors’ names and contact information.

“Wu Fu”

“Cen Jin”

These two people who would support his continued education – he would engrave their names firmly in his heart, forever grateful.

Because studying was his only hope and way out.

He firmly believed he could make something of himself, lead his grandfather out of the mountains to a better life, buy him a wheelchair, and give him the best medical care possible.

But Li Wu didn’t live to see that day arrive.

Just as he started his second year of high school, his grandfather passed away suddenly, silently. It was a weekend – Li Wu had fed him dinner, helped him lie down, then eaten his meal and washed the dishes. When he returned, the old man had closed his eyes in sleep, but no amount of calling could wake him.

Li Wu stood by the bed like a wooden chicken for a long time.

Half an hour later, he had to accept reality. Grief filled him as he collapsed onto his grandfather’s body, suppressing his sobs as much as possible.

Thanks to the extra money from his sponsors, Li Wu could give his grandfather a much more dignified stone monument than his parents had.

The forest was quiet except for birdsong as Li Wu sat expressionless before the grave, repeatedly recalling his grandfather’s final words.

The old man seemed to have had a premonition. His last words had been with a smile: “Hurry and do your homework, don’t worry about grandfather.”

Li Wu had replied unhappily: “How could I not worry about you?”

He was supposed to carry him into the city on his back.

But ultimately, he couldn’t care for him anymore, couldn’t fulfill his promise.

The young man’s heart shattered, his lips trembling for a long time. A dead leaf drifted down before him, and in that moment his whole body went cold as he truly tasted the meaning of loss.

From now on, he had no home, no family left in this world. Who was left for him to struggle for, to press forward for without hesitation?

Li Wu broke down, curling his upper body like a bow that had lost its arrow and had nowhere to direct its force. His hands roughly wiped his face as he wept bitterly in the cold autumn wind.

After their grandfather passed, a dejected Li Wu moved in with his aunt.

He had long foreseen how this selfish woman would despise him, but he didn’t want to waste Director Yan’s kindness.

Even as the mistreatment escalated, as long as he could still study, and still had something to strive for, he could endure in silence.

One evening, as he was watering vegetables in the field, his aunt stood eating an apple with her hand on her hip, saying casually: “I talked with your uncle on the phone, he found you a job in Pengcheng. You should quit school – it’s pointless and wastes money. How many kids around here have ever amounted to anything through studying? I haven’t seen a single one in my life.”

Li Wu was shocked: “Why won’t you let me study?”

His aunt said: “What do you mean why? Have you no shame? Eating and drinking at my house for free every day?”

Li Wu dropped the bucket, water gushing out and soaking his shoes, but he felt nothing, only questioning: “Haven’t I helped with all the work? Haven’t I given you my sponsorship money?”

His aunt raised her carrying pole as if to hit him: “That money is for taking care of an unfortunate nephew like you, not for you to sit around reading textbooks all day! Without us, you’d have starved long ago!”

…

That night, Li Wu tossed and turned, struggling violently between ideals and reality. He finally fell asleep in the second half of the night and had a dream – in it, his grandfather was talking to him face to face, telling him to study hard and never give up. The old man’s face was gaunt but his eyes were exceptionally determined.

Early the next morning, Li Wu went to the village committee office for help, only to find that Uncle Yan had gone to a meeting in the county town and wouldn’t be back for several days.

Li Wu was desperate, like a cornered animal, wandering at the village entrance.

Suddenly, two names floated into his mind. He was stunned for a moment before seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. He hurriedly stopped a passing man, like grabbing onto a floating log, and asked to borrow his phone.

The man glanced at him a few times before agreeing.

Li Wu dialed the number, and when it connected, he recognized Mr. Wu’s voice, but his attitude was completely different from a year ago.

After explaining his situation over the phone, the man’s warmth and kindness had vanished completely, replaced by an icy refusal.

He said he was still at work and gave him a new contact number, telling him to seek help from his already-separated wife.

After hanging up, Li Wu’s heart sank to rock bottom. He pleaded with the phone’s owner until the man finally agreed to give him two more minutes.

Li Wu took a deep breath, gathered his spirits, and hurriedly dialed the new number.

The other party answered surprisingly quickly, but her attitude was exceptionally aggressive, her sharp voice practically exploding by his ear: “Didn’t I tell you not to come anymore–“

Li Wu was startled, momentarily unable to make a sound.

His jaw tightened for a second, Adam’s apple moving slightly as he carefully asked: “Is this Ms. Cen Jin?”

The woman’s tone suddenly calmed, becoming casual: “Yes, who is this?”

“I…” Li Wu opened his mouth but couldn’t continue speaking. After a moment, he abandoned his hesitation and fear, clenching his hanging hand into a fist as he declared his name with strength and dignity: “I am Li Wu.”

How could one live in this world by simply submitting and surviving?

From that day forward, even if he stood alone and isolated, even if the road ahead was rough and thorny, he, Li Wu, swore to grasp his fate firmly in his own hands, never giving up, conquering all obstacles in his path.