Our Stories

From Los Angeles to Shanghai, from Shanghai to Chongqing, and from Chongqing to Wushan—crossing half the globe and thousands of miles—my heart was filled with anticipation to finally meet Xiaoyu and her little brother, Xiaoshuang.

That anticipation became especially intense after arriving in Wushan. Xiaoyu and Xiaoshuang are children from deep in the mountains whom we began helping six months ago. They come from extremely tragic backgrounds, with severe poverty, no maternal care since early childhood, and were facing the risk of dropping out of school.

After days of good weather, the first day of the lunar twelfth month brought a sudden cold snap—temperatures plunged, and rain fell endlessly. From Wushan to Xiaoyu’s town was still more than an hour of mountain roads. The mountains around Chongqing are steep and winding. The weather forecast showed snow in Wushan. For safety, I booked a room near the Wushan train station, planning to go up the mountain the next day after the snow stopped.

Xiaoming and Xiaoming, my fellow volunteers, arrived in Wushan a little after 3:00 p.m. There was no snow—only rain. Since we only had three days and two nights, seeing the children as early as possible was extremely important to us, so we decided to try entering the mountains.

However, after asking around, no taxi drivers outside the station were willing to take the risk. It might be rain at the base, snow at higher elevations. Even in good weather, crossing a mountain is not easy—let alone in rain and snow. I fully understood their hesitation.

Finally, a female driver agreed to try, with the condition that if the road became too dangerous, we would turn back. I agreed. Thus began a journey full of uncertainty. The road twisted endlessly. Xiaoming became carsick. I kept asking the driver to slow down, but eventually Xiaoming had to get out and vomit.

Because of the cold and thin mountain air, his hands went numb and stiff. We decided to go back down. After returning to the car, Xiaoming lay down with his legs raised. The driver slowed further. He soon recovered and insisted on trying one more time to the mountain. I reminded the driver to go slowly, turn steadily, and turn back right away if there was any further discomfort.

Heaven favored us. The second attempt succeeded.

At the mountain peak, it was neither heavy snow nor rain, but small ice pellets tapping against the windows. Even at low speed, the tires slipped three or four times. At a sharp 270-degree turn, we saw a police car ahead and an accident vehicle that had skidded. Thankfully, the driver persevered and carefully drove us out of danger.

As we descended, the ice pellets turned back into rain. The road was still slick, but better than ice. After countless twists and turns, we finally saw a town nestled in the green valley ahead—the place where Xiaoyu and Xiaoshuang lived and studied.

My heart raced inexplicably. The people and places I had only seen through photos and video calls were now right before me.

We found a nearby guesthouse. The conditions were very basic, but it was already dark, and there were no alternatives. I paid the driver double fare and reminded her to drive safely on her return.

After settling in, it was not yet 7:00 p.m. The children should still be awake. Xiaoming and I decided to visit the boarding home at night to surprise Xiaoyu and Xiaoshuang. Despite many video calls before, I did not expect much—prepared for unfamiliar stares, shyness, awkwardness, even resistance…

“Do you know who I am?”

“Aunt Julie.”

Xiaoshuang’s voice was as soft as a stream, yet unmistakably certain. It was his first time meeting me in person, and he recognized me instantly.

Xiaoyu ran over, disbelief flickering across her face. Her eyes were clear and pure, like orchids hidden in the mountains. I hugged them one by one. Then we sat on the bed and talked.

I held Xiaoyu’s hand while Xiaoshuang stood beside us. Under the warm yellow light, their young faces looked like a watercolor painting walking out of the distant past into reality.

I hadn’t video-called them for three weeks before coming. My longing had fermented like wine. All the hardships of the journey vanished the moment I saw their lovely faces. What could be more beautiful than this moment: the children right before my eyes?

That night, their bright eyes refused to close. Excitement lingered in the air. They weren’t good at expressing themselves, but their happiness was real.

I promised to pick them up for school the next morning. Only then did they finally crawl into beds.

The small town was still asleep in the early morning. The sky remained heavy and gray, the night reluctant to retreat—but we set out without hesitation.

At the boarding home, there were two more pitiful girls from another poor family: the older girl is Xiaoman, 11 years old, and her younger sibling is Xiaohan, age 8. Their mother had passed away six years ago. Their father, due to health issues, could not conduct normal physical work. The family lived in poverty, and the girls were not cared for as much as other children.

The village doctor, Dr. Li, sponsored them to stay at this boarding home, hoping they could have a better living environment to attend the town’s primary school and one day have someone willing to support them.

When we met Xiaoman and Xiaohan, we realized that neither of them would speak. No matter what we asked, they simply smiled in silence. At this age, children usually have a strong desire to communicate, yet the girls are extremely reserved. I thought to myself—on a psychological level, silence can also be a very powerful form of expression.

Morning Drop-off

After helping the children with breakfast, we picked up Xiaoyu, Xiaoshuang, Xiaoman, and Xiaohan. Together with the boarding home teachers, we walked them to school.

The walk from the boarding home to the elementary school took about 10 minutes. We passed rows of small shops along the town streets, crossed a small stone bridge, and the red-and-white buildings of the town’s central primary school came into view.

Today, a rare snowfall had laid a thin white blanket over the parked cars along the roadside. Someone scooped up a handful of snow and tossed it playfully. The children followed, laughing as a snowball fight broke out.

In that moment, childlike hearts—temporarily freed from the weight of fate—bloomed amid the swirling snowflakes. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

After playing, Xiaoshuang and Xiaohan tucked their icy hands into the pockets of my padded coat, one on each side, all the way to the school gate. A group photo captured that cold yet vivid and lovely morning.

Being able to accompany them to school filled me with happiness. The children waved goodbye and entered the school, like small birds flying away from their parents.

On the way home, there was a small burger shop. It had just opened for the day, and a very nice smell floated in the air nearby. Though we understood it wasn’t the healthiest option, knowing the children rarely had the chance to eat such food, we offered to prepare dinner for all the kids in the boarding home, ordered over twenty burger sets, and arranged delivery at 6:00 p.m.

A nice breakfast the next morning would also be a great way to bring more happiness to the children. We first went to the supermarket to buy some fruit and eggs. Outside the supermarket, a warm, savory smell came flooding in. We traced the smell with our eyes, and a busy dumpling shop with white steam waves around it came into our sight.

The boarding home teachers worked hard every day to prepare meals, but with a limited budget and conditions. Why don’t we pre-order some dumplings for them? They must love these hot pork dumplings.

We also noticed Xiaoyu, Xiaoshuang, Xiaoman and Xiaohan didn’t dress warm enough. Their shoes were dirty and worn as well. The weather had turned cold, yet they had no warm caps—their cheeks were frozen red like apples. Their quilts were also not warm enough. When I tucked them in the night before, a musty smell was noticeable. Therefore, Xiaoming and I visited stores selling daily necessities, clothing, shoes, and caps, carefully planning to replenish supplies when we picked the children up later that afternoon.

Finally, we went to a pharmacy and bought chilblain ointment for Xiaoyu and Xiaoman. Both girls’ hands were covered with red, swollen chilblains. Seeing this reminded me of my own childhood and filled my heart with pain.

After finishing the errands, Xiaoming returned to the guesthouse to rest. I still had an important task: with the assistance of two boarding home teachers, I went to the school to visit Xiaoyu and Xiaoshuang’s teachers.

School Visit

The town’s primary school sits beside a stretch of lush farmland, across a river from the bustling town center, enjoying a quiet of its own. The red-brick, white-walled building carries the dreams of hundreds of young children.

I had never asked Xiaoyu or Xiaoshuang what they wanted to be when they grew up. The word “dream” feels especially extravagant when applied to children living in poverty. Whenever I see my own child enjoying quality education and abundant resources, I inevitably think of Xiaoyu and Xiaoshuang in the mountains—children who have almost nothing.

Accompanied by the boarding school teachers, we first went to the third-grade office to meet Xiaoshuang’s teacher. She was very responsible and told us that Xiaoshuang’s math was good—he could keep up and had once scored over 80 percent. His Chinese language foundation, however, was weak.

She also mentioned that Xiaoshuang was slow-paced and often late, and sometimes was punished. I asked the teacher what Xiaoshuang’s strengths were. She thought for a moment and said, “His math is okay,” which made us laugh. I said that as long as he was willing to work hard, made progress every day, and stayed healthy both physically and mentally, we would be appreciated.

The teacher let us photograph Xiaoshuang’s textbooks so we could help find learning resources. Before we left, she thoughtfully asked if I wanted to say hello to Xiaoshuang and then guided us to the classroom. I gave Xiaoshuang a big hug and whispered words of encouragement into his ear. The weather was freezing, the wind biting. I hoped that his small heart could feel a bit of warmth from being cared for.

The sixth-grade office was on the fourth floor. Xiaoyu’s teacher warmly welcomed us. She praised Xiaoyu for being sensible and mature, having strong hands-on skills, an easygoing personality, and a willingness to help others. Then she pointed out the academic challenges—Xiaoyu’s foundation was even weaker, and she could barely keep up with sixth-grade coursework.

I asked where tutoring should begin. The teacher replied, “First grade. Starting from the very beginning is preferred.” I said that as long as Xiaoyu was willing to work hard, improve little by little each day, and remain happy and healthy, we would be grateful. Still, the road ahead for Xiaoyu’s learning would be long and difficult.

The teacher then took us to Xiaoyu’s classroom. When the girl saw us, she was surprised. I gave her a big hug as well, told her to study hard, and that I would come pick her up later.

For the past six months, despite many video calls, I had never asked Xiaoyu and Xiaoshuang about their academics. The lack of love and security had already left marks on their childhood. Thus, I preferred to chat warmly and talk about happy things during our calls.

It is often said that childhood experiences nourish a person for life. I truly believe that a sense of love and safety can become a powerful source of strength as they grow.

This time, I bought a tablet for Xiaoyu and Xiaoshuang, and activated a data plan, so they could access quality educational resources. With winter break approaching, they could also catch up on their learning a bit. By coincidence, as we left the main building, we ran into the principal. He warmly invited us to his office. That short visit turned out to be significant—we learned much more about the realities faced by poor children in the area…

The principal told us that in 2025 alone, 59 children transferred from mountain village elementary schools to this town school. In the mountain villages, the elementary schools are either on the verge of closing or suffer from an extreme lack of educational resources. Just like Xiaoyu—she had studied there for five years, yet had not even fully mastered lower-grade knowledge.

I asked the principal how these children come to school. The principal said the government has opened a bus route connecting the villages. Some children take public transportation to and from school. If they live far from the bus route, they must first walk through the village to catch the bus. The journey to and from school every day takes a long time. Some children are taken to school by their parents on motorcycles. The mountain roads are steep and winding. When the weather turns bad, simply getting to and from school becomes a major challenge.

The number 59 deeply moved me. It also made me feel how small the power of one person truly is. Xiaoyu and Xiaoshuang, the children we support, are only two out of fifty-nine, or two out of five hundred and ninety, or two out of five thousand nine hundred. The children in the mountains, the children in poor regions, are like stars scattered across the night sky—so faint that their light can hardly be seen.

While we were talking, it was almost time for school to end. After saying goodbye to the principal, I met up with Xiaoming, and we went to the entrance of the elementary school. The gate was already crowded with parents waiting to pick up their children. After the bell rang, the children walked out in neat lines, and then rushed with bright smiles into the open arms of their families.

Standing on my toes in the crowd, I searched eagerly, hoping to see those few rosy little faces. Finally, Xiaoman and Xiaohan came out. Then Xiaoyu appeared. Xiaoshuang came out last. When the children saw me, their expressions were subtle—there was joy that a promise had been kept, a little shy unfamiliarity, and also a hint of expectation.

The teacher at the boarding home suggested that the children put down their schoolbags before we went shopping for supplies. By then, the village doctor Li would also come down from the mountain to meet us. Dr. Li lives in the same village as Xiaoyu and Xiaoshuang. Because of the snow and the slippery mountain roads, he had been unable to arrive earlier. Eventually he was able to find a car equipped with snow chains to bring him down the mountain.

After meeting and greeting, we took the four children out together to purchase supplies. Dr. Li suggested buying quilts. Xiaoyu and Xiaoshuang would each have one. Xiaoman and Xiaohan share a bed, so they only needed to buy one together. We deliberately chose a 2-in-1 quilt that could be separated. When the weather becomes warmer, the zipper can be opened and it turns into two thinner blankets. None of the four children had winter boots.

Our next stop was the shoe shop so they could choose boots themselves. Xiaoyu and Xiaoman chose brown-gold ones. Xiaoshuang chose black. Xiaohan hesitated for a long time, choosing again and again, and finally picked a beautiful pink pair. After putting them on, she smiled like a blooming flower. Xiaoyu asked me whether she could buy thicker socks. This small request was quickly fulfilled. Each child chose two pairs of thick winter socks.

“Children, what else do you need?”

“Gloves,” Xiaohan said softly. It was a reminder, because they had mentioned it the day before.

“Alright, let’s go to the supermarket.”

So our group, big and small, marched together to the town supermarket. We found adorable animal gloves that could either expose the fingers or cover them. The children kept taking them off and putting them on again and again. They loved them so much.

I noticed small underwear displayed beside the gloves, so I asked the children to choose two each. But none of them knew their own sizes, so I had to stand there comparing and measuring one by one. Dr. Li and Xiaoming politely retreated to the side.

After buying the underwear, we went to the thermos shelf. Except for Xiaoyu, the other children did not have their own water bottles. I asked each of them to choose one. The children chatted excitedly among themselves, and finally each found the one they liked best. Xiaoshuang loved his animal-shaped thermos straw cup so much that he hung it around his neck and never took it off again.

Just after we finished choosing the water bottles, the teacher called to say the hamburgers had arrived. The children were already starving, so we decided to head back. This trip could be considered a successful harvest.

After dinner, everyone began doing homework. But I still had a hidden surprise. I had brought some clothes with me: a down jacket from my nephew for Xiaoyu, and two sweaters and two cotton hats from my daughter for Xiaoshuang and Xiaohan. While staying briefly in Chongqing, I came across a lovely little shop selling traditional Chinese clothing. I bought two Tang-style cotton vests—red for Xiaoshuang and pink for Xiaoman. The two children immediately put them on and transformed into a little princess and a little prince. They were so delighted they didn’t want to take them off.

Before we knew it, it was already 9:00 p.m. This was our last night in the mountains. Tomorrow we would leave the children and board a northbound train against the howling winter wind. Yet tonight still held more stories…

Do not go gentle into that good night…
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

These classic lines by the Welsh poet appear many times in Interstellar. Humanity’s struggle against fate has always been an eternal theme of literature and philosophy.

Time passed quickly, and with farewell approaching, I very much wanted to find a chance to tell Xiaoyu this truth: only through one’s own effort and perseverance can a miracle of life be created.

By 9:00 p.m., Xiaoyu had not finished her homework and needed tutoring. I volunteered to take Xiaoyu and Xiaoshuang back to the hotel so I could help her that evening. For safety reasons, the teachers politely declined. I understood and respected their safety concerns but still wanted to try to accompany the children a bit longer before we left.

I asked Dr. Li to call Xiaoyu’s father for permission. He agreed. However, parental consent and Dr. Li’s guarantee were not enough. Considering that the hotel had surveillance cameras and that traveling down the mountain required a vehicle with snow chains, the possibility of taking the children away was extremely low. After making thorough safety considerations, the teachers finally agreed.

Just as we were about to leave, Xiaoyu suddenly said, “I don’t want to stay in the hotel. After finishing my homework, can I come back?”

I looked into her eyes and said, “It’s okay, Xiaoyu. I respect your opinion. Your opinion is the most important thing to me. If you want to come back later, I will bring you back.”

Only then did Xiaoyu’s expression relax. She happily held my hand and said goodbye to the teachers. Xiaoming took Xiaoshuang’s hand, and together we left the boarding home.

After returning to the hotel across the road, we settled the children down. Xiaoshuang stayed in Xiaoming’s room. Xiaoyu stayed with me. I began tutoring Xiaoyu. She had two assignments—one math sheet and one English sheet. The workload was not small. It was almost 10:00 p.m., so we decided to start with English.

By the time we had gone through the questions one by one, it was already 11:30. Xiaoyu’s foundation was weak; she could hardly complete any question independently. I tried my best to explain everything in detail and constantly encouraged her, telling her that learning English well could one day allow her to see a much wider world.

As for the math homework, seeing Xiaoyu’s sleepy eyes, I had to put it back for later. When my daughter was in elementary school, she had limited homework in fifth grade. Research has shown that although excessive homework in elementary school can bring some benefits, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. Therefore, the schools have clear limits on homework. This time, failing to help Xiaoyu finish her math homework made me deeply feel the difficulty faced by both children and parents when homework is excessive.

Remembering our prior conversation, I asked Xiaoyu if she wanted to return to the boarding home. She smiled and shook her head repeatedly. I tucked her into bed, pulled the quilt around her, and said goodnight. After such a long day, the child soon fell into a deep sleep.

Knowing we would leave tomorrow, and not knowing when we might meet again, I could not fall asleep for a long time. Xiaoyu kept kicking off the blanket in the middle of the night. The room was cold. Afraid she might catch a chill, I kept covering her again and again. However, I managed to sleep a few hours before morning came.

We had arranged to pick up pork buns from the bun shop at 7:00 a.m., so the alarm was set for 6:30. After waking Xiaoyu, I helped to comb her hair. While doing so, I said to her the words I always want to say:

“Dear Xiaoyu, I am leaving today. There are a few things I want to tell you.”

She opened her eyes wide and looked at me, with both sadness and confusion. I bent down and said to her:

“I also grew up in a very difficult environment. Later I studied hard, was admitted to college, worked hard, and gave more persistence than people around me. Step by step, I changed my destiny. You must also learn to work hard. Because no one can help you forever. In the end, your future still depends on yourself.”

Xiaoyu nodded. I am not sure whether she fully understood. I only hope that one day she will remember and see the meaning of these words.

After meeting Xiaoming and Xiaoshuang, we set out to pick up breakfast. On the way, Xiaoming said that Xiaoshuang refused to sleep last night and kept telling Xiaoming stories—until Xiaoming fell asleep first. Xiaoshuang does have an outgoing part.

We safely returned the children to the boarding home, finally living up to everyone’s trust. After breakfast, we walked Xiaoyu, Xiaoshuang, Xiaoman, and Xiaohan to school one last time.

The moment of farewell had arrived. In Interstellar, the father and daughter are separated across different dimensions of time and space, longing for each other but unable to meet. Are we not the same?

Thinking of this, a wave of sadness surged through my heart.

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

After breakfast, we walked the four kids to school. Only one day had passed since the joyful snowball fight, yet now a heavy seriousness hung in the air. The sky remained gray, just like our heavy footsteps.

When we passed the small bridge, I deliberately tried to lighten the mood by taking selfies with the children. This time, the distance between the boarding home and the school seemed especially short. Soon we arrived at the school gate. I crouched down to hug Xiaoman and Xiaohan, telling them I would visit them again when there was a chance, encouraging them to study hard and keep positive. Xiaoshuang disappeared as soon as we arrived at the school gate. I thought perhaps it was better that way—let him remain his innocent self, free from sadness.

Xiaoyu stayed quietly by my side. I turned to her finally. Holding back my emotions, I hugged her tightly and told her to remember what I had said in the morning—to be strong, and work hard. I told her I would continue to follow her progress and video call her every week. She kept nodding silently. Not wanting to affect her mood before school, I forced my best smile and waved goodbye, watching her fragile little figure disappear into the crowd, walking farther and farther away.

Just as I turned to leave, I caught sight of Xiaoling nearby. During these days, Xiaoling followed me whenever he had the chance. He was not one of the children we sponsored, but he was also a pitiful child. The teachers at the boarding home told me that he had been abandoned by his parents. The government temporarily placed him in the boarding home, but his fees remained unpaid. After his parents divorced, his mother left and disappeared without a trace. His father remarried and never cared about him again. His grandparents were too old to raise him. And so, a child who clearly had relatives became a homeless child.

Whenever I talked with the other children, Xiaoling would rush to answer beside them. His desire to communicate was intense; he desperately longed for attention. Unfortunately, our energy was limited, and we had no time to take good care of him. Now, seeing him lingering and reluctant to leave, I asked tentatively, “Would you like a hug?”

He nodded. I gently held him in my arms and said, “Xiaoling, you are an optimistic and cheerful child. I believe you will have a happy future. Keep going!”

Before the school gate closed, Xiaoling walked inside, turning his head back again and again. I held onto the black iron fence and watched until no one was in sight. Deep in my heart I knew that there were not only thousands of miles of distance keeping us apart, but also countless responsibilities—my work, my own children, my elderly parents… Once left, the return date is unknown.

On the lonely walk back, I remembered the children’s rough cheeks and cracked lips. So we went again to the supermarket and bought face cream, lip balm, and bath supplies, and delivered them to the teachers at the boarding house. I took out my wallet and emptied all the cash inside. The teachers helped us find a ride with snow chains to take us down the mountain.

The snow had melted and frozen again. The mountain road was extremely dangerous. The driver drove with great caution. A journey that normally takes one hour lasted nearly three hours, but at last we reached the foot of the mountain safely.

The northbound train carried away my endless thoughts on the children. The fierce December wind swept snowflakes through the mountains and valleys. The vast land was covered with pure white snow. I could see this boundless landscape. But I could no longer see those young, tender faces.

Goodbye, children.