Poor Boy

Chapter 4: The Burden on Small Shoulders

Day by day, Minh and his family continued in the unending cycle of poverty and illness. Each morning, Minh would wake up early to help his mother prepare the last of the vegetables from their garden and then take them to the market to sell. The money they earned was dwindling, and his mother’s anxiety was growing heavier. The small house remained cold and silent, with no sign of improvement in their situation.

One morning, after Minh had returned from the market, he found his mother sitting by the window, her gaze distant and troubled. Her face was even more haggard, her lips cracked from lack of food and sleep. Minh approached her, sensing the worry that radiated from her.

"Mom, is something wrong?" Minh asked gently, placing his hand on her shoulder.

His mother sighed deeply, turning to look at him. "Minh, I’m really worried. We no longer have enough money to buy medicine for your grandparents. Yesterday, I went everywhere asking to borrow money, but everyone is struggling, and no one could help us. I honestly don’t know what to do."

Minh lowered his head, feeling the weight of the situation. He knew his mother was anxious, and he also knew that all his efforts so far hadn’t been enough to change their circumstances. Minh looked around their home, seeing the marks of time and poverty in every corner. The walls were cracked, the roof leaked whenever it rained, and every item in the house was old and faded.

"Mom, can we try to sell something else? I’ll find a way. We can’t just give up," Minh said, his voice resolute.

His mother shook her head, her eyes filled with sadness. "What else do we have to sell, Minh? All the valuable things have already been sold. Even my wedding ring was sold to buy medicine for your grandparents. Now we only have the garden and this house, but if we sell them, where would we live?"

Minh bit his lip, feeling desperate. He felt trapped with no way out. But no matter what, he couldn’t let his family fall into despair.

"Mom, what if I quit school and go to work? I’ve been thinking about this for a while. I don’t want you to worry anymore," Minh said, looking his mother in the eye with determination.

His mother was startled, unable to believe her ears. "Minh, what are you saying? You have to continue your education; it’s the only way out of this poverty. If you drop out of school, where will your future be? I don’t want you to suffer like this; you need to study to have a better life later."

Minh’s eyes welled up with tears, but he held them back. "But Mom, I can’t just sit here and watch you worry every day, see Grandpa and Grandma getting weaker without medicine. I don’t want to be a burden to the family. If I work, at least I can help you a little."

His mother looked at him, her heart aching. She knew Minh was right, but the thought of having her child give up his education and future for work was unbearable. She didn’t want Minh’s life to be ruined by poverty, didn’t want him to repeat the suffering she had endured.

"Minh, listen to me. I know you care about the family and want to help, but you must understand that if you drop out of school, you’ll lose your chance to escape this cycle. You need to be strong, continue your studies, that’s the only way we can hope for a better tomorrow."

Minh stood silent, his eyes filled with worry and helplessness. He understood what his mother was saying, but he also knew that if nothing was done now, his family would have nothing left.

"Mom, I understand. I won’t quit school. But I’ll find another way to help you. I’ll work after school, whatever job I can find, as long as it helps earn money for the family," Minh said, his voice full of resolve.

His mother looked at him, feeling both proud and anxious. She didn’t want Minh to bear too much responsibility when he was still so young. But she couldn’t refuse his determination, knowing it was the only way Minh could feel useful in their situation.

"If you’re determined, I won’t stop you. But you must promise me that you won’t let your studies suffer and that you’ll take care of your health. I don’t want to lose you, Minh," his mother said, her voice choked with emotion.

Minh nodded, feeling a bit of relief as his mother agreed. But he also knew that from now on, his life would not be as simple as before. He would face greater challenges and hardships that a child like him had never encountered.

In the following days, Minh began to search for work after school. He went to every small shop in the village, asking if anyone needed help. Minh didn’t refuse any job, whether it was carrying, cleaning, or doing odd jobs. But in a small and poor village like his, opportunities to earn money were limited.

After several days of searching, Minh finally got a job at a small grocery store. The work wasn’t heavy, but it required him to work late into the evening. Minh knew that this job would take up much of his study time, but he had no other choice. The meager money earned from this job, though not much, helped his family survive another day.

Each night, when Minh returned home after work, he was so tired that sometimes he couldn’t sit down to study immediately. But he knew he couldn’t give up. He would sit down, open his books, and try to absorb every word and number, even though his eyes were heavy and his mind was foggy. Minh knew that only knowledge was the way out of this vicious cycle.

On cold winter nights, the small house remained quiet, with only the rustling sound of Minh’s pages as he turned them. His mother sat beside him, sometimes watching her son with worried eyes. She knew Minh was bearing a heavy burden and feared that he would collapse under the weight. But seeing his determination to study, she couldn’t stop him.

"Minh, you must remember that no matter how hard it gets, I will always be here for you. We will get through this as long as you don’t give up," his mother said softly, her voice full of emotion.

Minh looked up, smiling at his mother—a tired but determined smile. "Don’t worry, Mom. I will never give up. I will do everything I can to protect our family."

And so, Minh continued his arduous journey, not just to survive but to seek a better future for himself and his family. The challenges ahead were still great, but with his determination and boundless love for his family, Minh believed he could overcome them all, no matter how difficult the path might be.