Clutching my precious 50 yuan, plus some savings I'd accumulated, I was anxious to send the money home as soon as possible. But I knew absolutely nothing about the process. Just as I was worrying, Old Li noticed my predicament and reassured me, "Qiang, don't worry, I'll take you to the post office in town tomorrow. I know this stuff."
The next morning, Old Li and I set off early. My heart was in my throat the whole way, thinking that my mother could buy medicine and my sister wouldn't have to live in fear anymore. My steps quickened unconsciously.
When we arrived at the post office, it was bustling with people, and there were queues at all the different windows. I followed Old Li to a window that said "Remittance." Old Li said, "Qiang, just fill out the form as the staff tells you to." I nodded nervously.
The staff handed me a form and pointed to a pen. I stared at the densely packed Chinese characters on the form, my head spinning. All I could write was my Vietnamese name. My face flushed red, and I stammered, trying to convey my predicament to the staff. The staff member noticed my struggle and gestured, essentially telling me to find a translator.
Old Li and I looked around the post office, hoping to find someone who understood Vietnamese. After a while, we finally encountered a young man who looked like a college student. He spoke some basic Vietnamese. I felt like I'd grabbed a lifeline and quickly explained my situation to him. He listened, smiled, and said, "No problem, I'll translate for you."
With his help, I finally managed to fill out the form with difficulty. But then, the staff member pointed to some places and said something I couldn't understand. The college student patiently translated for me again. It turned out I needed to fill in my home address, the amount to be remitted, and other detailed information. I followed the instructions carefully, feeling closer to sending money home with each entry.
After finishing the form, I handed the money to the staff member. The clerk took the money, counted it, checked the form, stamped it, and handed me a receipt. At that moment, a huge weight was lifted from my heart; the money was finally mailed.
Old Li and I walked out of the post office and stood at the entrance. Looking at the red mailbox, a strange sense of peace welled up inside me. In my heart, this mailbox seemed more sacred than the solemn temple in our village. It carried my deep longing and hope for my family. My mother and sister would receive the money soon; their lives should be a little better then.
Old Li patted my shoulder and said, "Qiang, don't worry. The money's been sent; your family will definitely receive it. From now on, let's work hard and earn more money." I looked at Old Li gratefully and said, "Brother Li, thank you. I really don't know what I would have done without you." Old Li smiled and waved his hand, saying, "We're all brothers working away from home; helping each other is only right."
On the way back, I felt much lighter. Although I knew this money might not solve all my family's problems, it would at least temporarily alleviate our difficulties. I secretly vowed to work even harder in the future and earn more money to send home.
Back at the construction site, I worked even harder. During the day, I carried bricks under the scorching sun, my clothes soaked with sweat, and my hands blistered, but I didn't utter a sound, gritting my teeth and persevering. At night, while my coworkers rested, I was still thinking about how to improve my work efficiency and earn more money.
I knew my family was still waiting for me, my mother was still suffering from illness, and my sister needed my protection. I couldn't stop. No matter how difficult the road ahead, I would walk firmly step by step, to provide for my family.
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