Now that you're a top star, can't you enjoy life a little?

Amin is a painting genius.

This is something Teacher Yu is absolutely certain of at this moment.

He dared not boast about his painting skills, but in terms of connoisseurship, he considered himself absolutely first-rate.

While the artistry of this starry sky painting is rather immature, its use of color and imagination are absolutely top-notch.

Although he taught the children about the use of color in class, it was only very basic theory, such as primary colors and color blocking.

These basic theories are absolutely insufficient to create the complex yet harmonious colors in the painting before our eyes.

An excited teacher, Ms. Yu, took the initiative to invite A-Ming to become her apprentice and learn painting from her.

Ever since Ah Ming heard the word "genius" from Teacher Yu, he was so happy that snot bubbles came out of his nose.

Before this, he was a troublemaker in the eyes of his teachers and an annoying kid in the eyes of his classmates. He had never received such high praise before.

Naturally, I wouldn't refuse the olive branch extended by Teacher Yu.

Tea Girl suddenly interrupted the two of them, saying she needed to ask her parents.

So Teacher Yu followed the two of them to Amin's house.

It was less a home and more a dilapidated shack. Teacher Yu never imagined that the "bare walls" described in the book could be so vividly presented before her eyes.

It was this impromptu home visit that allowed Teacher Yu to learn about the true family situation of A-Ming, who was usually overlooked by Teacher Yu because of his naughtiness and poor grades.

Amin's mother died of illness when he was very young.

Amin's father, a simple tea farmer, supported the family, but a few years ago, an accident left him disabled.

The task of picking tea leaves fell to Amin's sister.

And so, a girl of junior high school age became the pillar of this family.

Because she was the youngest among the tea pickers, everyone was used to calling her Tea Girl. Over time, even she herself almost forgot her own name.

The news that Teacher Yu brought about Amin being a painting prodigy brought life back to this family, which had almost become a stagnant pool.

"Teacher Yu, A-Ming is counting on you from now on."

Amin's father gripped Teacher Yu's hand tightly, his eyes filled with all the light he had gleamed over the past few years.

Three months have passed in a flash.

That day, a piece of news shocked the entire Shuicheng Township Elementary School.

The school is about to establish an art training class, and will eventually select one student to represent Shuicheng Township in the National Primary and Secondary School Students Art Competition in the county.

If you draw well, you can advance all the way and even visit the big cities that Teacher Yu mentioned.

The person in charge of the art training class is Teacher Yu.

Amin felt that he was the one chosen to participate in the art competition in the county.

It wasn't because he was Teacher Yu's student or had a close relationship with Teacher Yu, but because these three months of art study had built up his strong self-confidence.

He had lost count of how many times Teacher Yu had praised his talent.

And because of Teacher Yu, his classmates no longer disliked him, but instead envied and were jealous of him.

Similarly, in Teacher Yu's mind, this person was none other than Amin.

Because Amin's talent in painting is truly unparalleled in his life.

What he didn't tell anyone else was that Amin would definitely take advantage of this national primary and secondary school art competition to become a famous child prodigy in the surrounding area.

Inside the art studio.

Teacher Yu and Amin had a private conversation.

"Amin, if you win an award in this competition, what prize would you most like to receive?"

"I……"

"Speak up."

"I want a white shirt just like Teacher Yu's."

Teacher Yu chuckled, "It's that simple?"

Amin nodded vigorously.

"Alright then, let me measure your height and weight. Maybe the prize will be a white shirt just like mine."

……

"Why should I?! I disagree!"

Teacher Yu slammed her hand on the table with a deafening roar.

No one else in the office had ever seen him like this before. In their memories, he was always smiling and friendly with everyone.

The soon-to-retire Chinese language teacher, Mr. Wang, offered the following advice:

"Teacher Yu, please don't say that. That's a national competition with countless participants. Do you really expect someone from our poor, remote area to win? Since everyone's just there to make up the numbers and go through the motions, what difference does it make who goes?"

This is a kind-hearted person in the office, always fair in his words and deeds, and he helped Teacher Yu a lot when she first arrived.

Looking at the Chinese teacher, Mr. Wang, who spoke up, Ms. Yu was first incredulous, then felt regretful, and finally her expression became firm: "There's no room for discussion. I'm in charge of the training class, and I have the final say on the selection of participants."

"Teacher Yu!"

A stern shout rang out as math teacher Li said, "Stop being so stubborn! This is a competition representing our Shuicheng Township, not a place for you to run your own show!"

"I suggest a vote by raising hands. Those who agree that Lin Zhihong should represent Shuicheng Township Primary School in the competition, please raise your hands."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a whole bunch of arms appeared in the office.

Chinese teacher Wang raised her arm slightly, but ultimately didn't raise it. "I abstain."

In this way, Lin Zhihong, the son of the township head, gained the support of all the teachers except Teacher Yu.

……

The red flames shone on the window.

The bottom right corner of this four-pane window is now covered with paper.

This is Amin's masterpiece. A couple of days ago, he used a slingshot he made to break his own window.

That day, the tea girl's grip was unusually strong.

And now, the "sinner" from just two days ago has transformed into a "hero" in the family.

Tea Girl and their father were all beaming with joy at the news brought by Ah Ming.

Their younger brother/son is going to represent the entire Shuicheng Township in the competition.

The last egg left in the house became the "hero's" meal.

At this moment, something called "hope" became the most precious thing in this bare house.

That was something that had never appeared before.

Because Amin is the painting genius that Teacher Yu talks about. He's a genius who remains a genius even outside of Shuicheng Township and Fenggu County.

The firelight flickered.

The bright red firelight shone on everyone's face, and everyone's eyes sparkled.

……

Early the next morning.

Amin, his father, and Chamei, who acted as his father's cane, all dressed in their best clothes, waited at the village entrance.

Teacher Yu said that there will be a special car to pick up the students today to go to the county competition.

Before dawn, the three of them set off from home.

As for why we left home so early, firstly, my father has a leg disability and can't walk very fast, so if we didn't leave early, we would delay others. Secondly, the whole family was so excited by the good news that we couldn't sleep.

"The car is here!"

Amin is small in stature, but he has the sharpest eyes and spotted the car coming from afar.

It was called a special vehicle, but it was really just a donkey cart. It carried the hopes of Amin's entire family as it approached them.

However, when the donkey cart passed by the three people, it did not stop at all and went straight past.

"It shouldn't be this car, right?" Tea Girl's smile was somewhat forced.

Amin, however, remained optimistic. "Of course! This is a national competition; the vehicles picking people up will definitely be huge trucks like those!"

Another half hour passed.

The big truck didn't appear, but the donkey cart that had been there earlier came clanging up from behind the three of them.

Also sitting in the car was an acquaintance of Amin's, Lin Zhihong, his classmate from the art training class.

wait.

The father and his two sons stood at the village entrance, waiting from dawn until noon, and then from noon until sunset.

"Go back, the car isn't coming."

After saying this, Ah Ming's father didn't dare to look at his son's expression.

"What genius! It's all a lie!"

After shouting, Amin turned and ran towards home.

The pagoda-shaped wildflowers by the roadside swayed gently in the wind, while the stars in the sky remained eternally unchanging, like the gaze cast upon him by his mother, whose memory was fading.

……