Chapter 132:
It was still two boring classes, but Meng Shuyou still listened attentively to the end, even though she had already mastered it pretty much.
Winnie yawned continuously, sustaining life entirely on coffee, otherwise she would have fallen asleep long ago.
Finally enduring until almost the end of class, her spirits lifted at once, and she muttered lowly, “Who exactly invented the early eight o’clock class? Is it a crime to have class at ten in the morning?”
Meng Shuyou put away her iPad. “There’s still ten minutes until liberation. You can go back and catch up on some sleep.”
“Time’s about up, so this class ends here.” Subject teacher Madam Lena closed her notebook and continued, “But there’s one more thing. This month our department is participating in a charity event caring for young children. This weekend we’ll visit the welfare home to comfort the children. Not everyone needs to go. I’ll select a few classmates with strong professional abilities, and later you’ll design an illustration public service advertisement for them.”
Everyone had no objections and followed the arrangement.
Meng Shuyou’s name was selected first, followed by five more people.
Winnie escaped by the skin of her teeth. “Good thing my abilities aren’t up to it. Doing charity is fine, but having to use your brain to design illustration posters? Isn’t that basically adding extra homework?”
Meng Shuyou didn’t mind. It wasn’t difficult for her, and she was very willing to do meaningful things.
The matter was thus settled.
–
This week passed in the same busy hustle and bustle.
At two o’clock Saturday afternoon, Madam Lena gathered six classmates from the class at the school gate and took the school bus to the welfare home.
The destination was in the suburbs, about an hour’s drive.
In the car, Madam Lena explained the situation to them in advance.
“Over eighty percent of the children in this welfare home have physical disabilities. Some were abandoned at birth due to congenital disabilities, others had treatment abandoned after falling ill postnatally, and their families couldn’t afford it so they left the children there.”
“Today’s task is to distribute some school supplies and daily necessities prepared by the school to the children, then play games with them, communicate and interact more. After returning, everyone create a group chat to discuss designing the public service advertisement.”
“Elara, you’ll be the team leader in charge of making the final decision.”
Meng Shuyou nodded in agreement. “Okay.”
The car passed a cornfield, far from the city center, with fresh sweet air blowing in from outside the window. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes for a bit.
A little after three o’clock, they arrived at the welfare home.
The school bus braked to a stop steadily, the car door opened, and the group got off the car in an orderly manner.
In front of them was a two-story rural-style building with mottled exterior walls, the structure quite old.
Hearing the commotion, the dean came out with two teachers to greet them, smiling warmly. “Welcome Madam Lena and all the classmates. Thank you to the school for its care and help for the children.”
Madam Lena shook hands with the dean. “You’re too kind. It’s what we should do.”
The donated supplies were a dozen or so large and small suitcases. Everyone helped carry them to the classroom doorway.
The children were all inside having class, sitting obediently at their desks interacting with the teacher.
Meng Shuyou stood by the window and watched for a while. Pairs of innocent eyes, even accompanied by varying degrees of physical defects, were still lovely faces that moved one to compassion.
The dean gathered the children from three classes in the large classroom to distribute the items.
Seeing new clothes, new shoes, new stationery, and snacks, the group of children cheered and jumped for joy, but there were also a couple of autistic children who didn’t fit in with the others and required extra care.
Meng Shuyou was handing out milk and juice to the children when, passing by a corner table, she was suddenly grabbed by the hem of her clothes by a small hand.
