After Li Wei finished eating the small bit of food he had saved for himself, he lay down on his thin mat. His stomach felt warm, but his mind stayed restless.
He closed his eyes, but sleep didn't come.
Thoughts of his sister Ying kept circling in his head. He imagined her, all alone in that faraway town, bathing pigs every day, her hands rough and tired. He knew she was struggling just like him.
A heavy sadness settled in his chest. He almost cried right there in the dark, but he clenched his jaw, trying to stay strong. He needed to work harder — not just for himself, but for Ying, for their mother. He had to find a way out of this life.
That night, he didn't sleep until very late. Even when he finally drifted off, his mind kept whispering to him about the future, about hope, about all the things he wanted to do but couldn't.
The next morning, he woke up later than usual. The sunlight was already creeping through the cracks in the window.
Li Wei jumped up in panic. He rushed to get dressed and ran out as fast as he could. By the time he reached the brick yard, the workers were already lined up, and Mr. Huang was there with a stone-cold face.
"You're too late today!" Mr. Huang shouted, his voice sharp and angry. "I warned you before! You're suspended for five days. You want to lose your job completely?"
Li Wei's heart dropped. He bowed deeply, his hands shaking. "Please, sir… please. I'm sorry. I was taking care of my mother. I work hard every day. Please… I can't afford to stop working."
But Mr. Huang turned his back on him. "Enough! I don't want to hear your excuses. You're suspended. Get out!"
Li Wei tried one last time, following Mr. Huang and speaking in a low, desperate voice. "Sir, I need this job… I really do. I promise I'll work even harder…"
Mr. Huang didn't even glance at him. He waved him away like an insect.
Feeling helpless, Li Wei stood there for a long time, not knowing where to go. He finally walked out of the yard, his legs heavy as stone.
He ended up sitting just outside the big gates of the estate — the same estate where he had seen her. His head hung low, and the world around him felt blurry.
As he sat there, he saw a man coming out from the estate, carrying a large poster. The man walked quickly to the center of the village, where the big billboard stood.
Li Wei stood up slowly, curious. He followed the man, watching as he carefully nailed the poster onto the board.
People started gathering around immediately. Everyone knew that whenever a new poster went up on that board, it usually meant a job offer or some village notice.
Li Wei squeezed forward through the small crowd, his eyes scanning the paper desperately.
It read:
"Hiring workers for the Xing Family Sugar Cane Factory. Strong, hardworking men needed. Good pay and food provided. Must be willing to travel and live on-site."
Li Wei's heart beat faster as he read it again and again.
A chance. A new path. But it meant leaving home… leaving his mother… and being even further from Ying.
He stood there, staring at the poster, as the chatter of the villagers buzzed around him. His mind was a storm of fear and hope, both crashing into each other.
He clenched his fists tightly. Maybe… just maybe… this was the chance he had been waiting for.