On January 18, 2014, I once again found myself in Wuhan at four o'clock in the afternoon. As a soon-to-be graduate, I couldn't help but reflect on the three-and-a-half years of my university life. At this very same time back then, I had been fully immersed in programming; I’d been nervously yet determinedly reviewing for exams; I’d sung karaoke with passion and joy; and I’d been frantically editing videos. This time, however, I was embarking on a journey to Anhui—a trip that began at Wuhan Station, where I boarded the high-speed train from Wuhan to Hefei. Previously, I’d visited Huangshan in Anhui and been deeply moved by its soaring eaves, sheer cliffs, bizarre rocks, and peculiar pines. But this time, as I set foot once more on this beautiful land, I carried with me a different mission and sense of responsibility—to represent Guangdong Lingyi Industrial Technology Co., Ltd. and make a donation to the Social Welfare Institute in Yingshang County, Anhui Province.
　　As soon as I stepped off the high-speed train, I received a call from my driver, Brother Wang Hongli. As soon as I exited the train station, I found myself on a bustling main street—Hefei, hello! Brother Wang warmly greeted me, and immediately afterward, we headed to the airport to pick up the other three children. The journey from the high-speed rail station to the airport wasn't exactly short. On the way, Brother Wang and I chatted about all sorts of topics—from Hefei’s development and construction, its scenic spots, and Anhui’s delicious cuisine, to sports, heavy metal music, and mobile games. We talked about history and current events, covering everything under the sun. Brother Wang’s warmth and approachability quickly put me at ease, easing any lingering nervousness I’d had earlier. I couldn’t help but marvel at his remarkable interpersonal skills and broad knowledge. Thinking back to my freshman year, the former head of our university’s sports department once told us that the three most important “powers” in the workplace are approachability, leadership, and execution ability. In terms of interpersonal interactions, Brother Wang has so much to teach me. His approachability transcends age, profession, and position—it enables him to build strong friendships with people from all walks of life. At the highway toll booth near the airport, the employees’ exceptionally bright smiles and enthusiastic service really took me by surprise, making me feel once again just how welcoming Hefei truly is. Brother Wang explained to me that showing eight teeth in a smile and offering warm, friendly service are standard requirements for toll collectors. In the past, mainland China was often criticized by Cantonese people for its lack of quality and poor service attitudes—but now, it has made astonishing progress. The improvement in the attitude of public service will make everyone live happier and more relaxed, earning Chinese people greater respect on the international stage. At the same time, this will also greatly boost the development of the tertiary sector—a development that every patriot surely hopes to see.
　　After picking up my little friend, we hurried straight to the Yingshang County Social Welfare Institute. On the way, we treated ourselves to the famous small fish pancakes. After more than two hours of travel, with mixed emotions, we finally arrived at the orphanage run by Mr. Wang Jiayu. In 2007, Mr. Wang Jiayu was one of the ten nominees for the "Touching China" award. Starting in 1994, he used his own assets to establish an orphanage. Around 1999, he founded a non-profit special education school for orphans and children with disabilities who are deaf and blind. In 2003, a major flood destroyed his factory that produced ash-ceramic crafts, leaving him with no choice but to borrow money and resources to cover the children’s living and educational expenses, thus plunging him into debt. Yet, despite his financial difficulties, he never gave up on his “children.” By 2007, Mr. Wang’s children’s welfare institute had already taken in 214 orphaned and disabled children—half of whom came from other provinces, cities, counties, and districts. But Old Wang, deeply troubled by their circumstances, never turned away a single child because of their place of origin. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Mr. Wang’s work running the orphanage. Upon entering the institute, Mr. Wang greeted us warmly. The scene at the gate left me both astonished and heartbroken: as soon as the children inside the walls saw us arrive, they eagerly leaned over the fence, curiously watching us. Their eyes seemed somewhat vacant and glazed, and I learned from Mr. Wang that most of them were intellectually disabled. Several of the children smiled and waved at us happily, and we enthusiastically waved back, hoping they could understand our gestures. After observing for a while, I noticed that although these children had intellectual disabilities, they were remarkably obedient and showed little aggression. They played together without fighting or arguing. Brother Wang told us that when he first came here last year, the orphanage’s walls hadn’t been completed yet. The intellectually disabled orphans were tied to the wall with ropes, and one child even put dog feces into his mouth. Now that the walls have been finished and some caregivers have been hired to look after the children, though their living conditions still aren’t perfect, they’ve improved significantly. During our conversation with Mr. Wang, we learned that China’s current legal framework for orphans is still quite inadequate, leaving many orphans without the protection they deserve. For instance, orphans without household registration, those lacking proof of parental death, or intellectually disabled orphans over the age of 18—all these groups often can’t receive government subsidies, making Mr. Wang’s work even more challenging. Mr. Wang is a very kind and gentle elderly man, yet his face reveals resilience and openness. To devote one’s entire life and assets to raising so many orphans for 20 years without complaint or regret—how many people, past or present, both in China and abroad, could ever match that? Mr. Wang took us on a tour of the children’s dormitories. Once we entered the inner courtyard of the orphanage, a large group of children ran joyfully toward us. One tiny child even grabbed my hand with a big smile, calling out, “Dad, Dad!” At first, I thought, “Am I really that old?” But the next moment, I felt an overwhelming sadness. I didn’t know whether he’d simply called out “Dad” reflexively because he saw someone of a similar age, or whether he truly missed his own father. Although the children’s bedrooms were simple and unadorned, they were equipped with thick, warm quilts that kept these adorable kids cozy and comfortable. Next, we went to the kitchen and saw long strands of noodle bread and green vegetables laid out on the table. Mr. Wang told us that every meal included meat for the children. These warm quilts and hot meals not only provided the children with enough to eat but also warmed our hearts. It seemed clear that the children’s basic needs were well met at the orphanage. As I looked at these intellectually disabled orphans, I wasn’t sure whether to feel happy or sad. On the one hand, I was glad that I couldn’t see any signs of loneliness or sadness in them—perhaps their intelligence wasn’t developed enough to let them experience the pain of isolation. On the other hand, I felt deeply saddened by the lack of any real guarantee for their future lives. I wondered if they’d ever learn even simple skills and be able to live decently. In contrast, we ourselves should be grateful for our lives. Our current living conditions are far from being a given. We should appreciate all the good things we have now—or have had—and thank everyone who has brought us joy and happiness. After touring the orphanage, we handed over the 20,000 yuan donated by Guangdong Lingyi Real Estate Co., Ltd. to Mr. Wang. He was deeply moved and expressed heartfelt gratitude for the company’s support and care for the orphanage. He especially thanked Mr. Wang and his wife for their generous support and attention to him and the orphanage over the past few years. As representatives of the company, holding the banner and taking a photo with Mr. Wang made us feel genuinely proud. It’s precisely because of the support from Guangdong Lingyi Real Estate Co., Ltd. and various sectors of society that Mr. Wang’s humble philanthropy has been able to continue, and these orphaned and disabled children have received the loving care of parents. I sincerely hope that more and more companies and entrepreneurs in China will recognize their social responsibility, contribute their own strength to charity, and ensure that those truly in need receive the help and care they deserve, making our society more harmonious and beautiful. I also hope that China will see more people like Mr. Wang Jiayu—open-minded, modest, and selflessly devoted to charity—so that those who genuinely want to give can feel confident entrusting their money to them, knowing it will be spent wisely and effectively, rather than falling victim to the repeated charity scandals where profit-driven organizations exploit people’s charitable hearts for their own gain, seriously undermining public enthusiasm for charity.
　　After returning to the hotel in the evening, we sat down together to discuss our itinerary for the next day—planning everything independently, without the presence of our parents. As the oldest member of the group, it was only natural that I should take on more responsibility. Before coming to Hefei, I had carefully researched all of the city’s famous attractions, estimating travel times based on their locations and reputations, plotting bus routes, and striving to make the most of our limited time. We also had to consider issues like meals and safety. The quaint ancient town of Sanhe, the picturesque Binhu Wetland Forest Park, Hefei’s highest peak, Dashushan, and the incredibly popular former residence of Li Hongzhang—all sparked our interest. But after weighing all the factors, we finally decided to visit the Bao Gong Temple and the Hefei University of Technology—a place rich in cultural heritage. Here are the reasons behind our choice: First, both the Bao Gong Temple and Hefei University of Technology are relatively close to where we’re staying, and they’re even very close to each other, which significantly cuts down on travel time and allows us to spend more time exploring, thereby enhancing the quality of our visit. Second, Bao Gong is a symbol of integrity in China, perfectly echoing President Xi’s call for clean governance. Moreover, the portrayal of Bao Gong in TV dramas often contains elements of exaggeration and distortion; we were eager to see the most authentic version of him. Third, Hefei University of Technology is the alma mater of General Manager Wang. As the saying goes, “People are shaped by the land and water they live in,” so we were extremely curious about what kind of institution could have produced such outstanding talents. Our first stop was the Bao Gong Temple, located right in the heart of Baohe Park, which is built around the river itself. As we strolled along the tree-lined paths of Baohe Park, we noticed a milestone on the ground that read, “You’ve walked 2,700 meters.” This caught our attention—it turned out that Baohe Park is a park centered around national fitness. Starting from the entrance, there’s a milestone every 300 meters, clearly indicating to walkers how far they’ve gone and how many calories they’ve burned. This reflects the rising standard of living among Chinese people: in their spare time, more and more people are paying attention to their health. The Bao Gong Hall is the main building of the temple. Inside, we saw a massive bronze statue of Bao Gong, instantly conveying his upright character and righteous spirit. Next to it were bronze statues of dragons, tigers, and dogs—each representing different levels of punishment for those who committed crimes. To the east of the Bao Gong Hall stood the wax museum depicting Bao Gong’s famous cases: “The Angry Shot at the Imperial In-Law,” “Beating the Dragon Robe,” and “The Execution of Mei.” The lifelike wax figures vividly portrayed Bao Gong’s integrity, fairness, and selflessness. To the west of the hall was Huilan Pavilion, also known as the Bao Gong Historical and Cultural Corridor. This corridor combines various art forms—including stone inscriptions, calligraphy and paintings, embroidery, and colorful wood carvings—to beautifully showcase Bao Zheng’s illustrious life. Between the Bao Gong Hall and the wax museum, there’s an ancient well called Lianquan. Legend has it that if corrupt officials or those with dishonest intentions drink from this well, they’ll suffer severe vomiting and diarrhea until they admit their mistakes and repent. After visiting the Bao Gong Temple, we headed to the renowned Hefei University of Technology’s Tunxi Road Campus—the key university under the national “211 Project.” We entered the campus through the west gate and visited the Science and Technology Building, the library, the sports field, and the teaching buildings one after another. Along the way, the campus exuded a sense of history, filling me with awe. As an older campus, the exterior walls of the teaching buildings and the library looked somewhat aged, but the surrounding environment was remarkably quiet and beautiful, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere—a perfect place for studying and research. Throughout our second day’s journey—from planning and visiting to returning—we didn’t feel any discomfort at all because we weren’t accompanied by adults. What’s more, the four of us forged a wonderful friendship. This day felt more like a declaration of growth: we’d grown up, able to plan our own lives independently, capable of finding the information we needed in unfamiliar places on our own, able to maintain a positive attitude toward life independently, and able to build strong relationships with those around us. Now, we can confidently say that we’re truly independent individuals. I’m deeply grateful to the company for giving me this opportunity to grow and experience such a special trip. And I’m especially thankful for the deep friendships I’ve formed with my lovely companions—Liu Xin, Shi Yifeng, and Huang Yinluo.
　　My trip to Anhui was incredibly rewarding. I experienced warmth and kindness in people, cultivated a deep sense of gratitude, and learned the value of independence and self-reliance. Traveling thousands of miles, I grew significantly over those three days—a journey of life, a quest for the wind as a young adventurer.
　　(Zhang Rui, son of Zhang Xiaozhi of Dazheng in Dongguan)