An Injured Lanneret

    Whenever in the air, there is a strong and vigorous lanneret, spreading its wings and soaring freely, I will think of him------schoolmate Peng. He also has the intrepidity like a lanneret, but left the free sky of soaring before his time.
    He, of the same age with me, also has once had a happy childhood, also has once had his own world. However, he has left study life that he earnestly longed for. Taking with him the ideal and hope, he has gone into the boundless universe.
    Ever since his parents had his little brother and sister, they haven’t loved him any longer. The only person who loves him is his grandma. Whenever his father who is addicted to gambling beats him in the name of his not working, only grandma beg for leniency for him. His mother never pays any attention. The little brother and sister are still willful to the extreme.
He knows the poverty of his family and often works like an adult. But he has never got his parents’ care. What he hears is only loud scolding and his grandma’s soundless tears. Even if in such a case, he has never submitted to difficulty, very strong, also very optimistic. He told me, “When I have finished the sixth grade, I will brave Xinjiang and make money, which I will send to parents and grandma, but I won’t come back any more.” I have never seen his worry. He is very happy, but very unlucky.
    He left school, was going to work outside and earn money. I went to see him. He wasn’t sad, but there was no brightness of former days in his eyes.
    When I asked him, “Will you give up like this?”
    “Of course not, if there is time, I will study by myself. I know how hard the future way is, too. But I won’t give up.”
    “You are lucky, work hard!”
    In no time two months has gone. When I once again saw him, I heard his chipper laughter. However, I heard no more his yearning for knowledge. I feel, as if something has been lost, yet it seems……
    Alas, his living of working outside, isn’t it too early. In that complicated society, how will he live through? How will he forbear various temptations and will he be degenerated? All these I have no way of knowing.
    Oh, age of sixteen years, an injured lanneret.

Author：Zhu Yanping