Legacy of the Stars

On a scorching summer day, the heat was unbearable. Even the cicadas on both sides of the road seemed overwhelmed, occasionally letting out feeble chirps. It was noon, the hottest time of the day. Even the most diligent construction workers were sleeping soundly under electric fans. However, at one construction site, the sound of pounding was incessant, accompanied by slightly immature shouts. "Eighty, eighty—" Liu Yuan swung the large hammer with all his might, shouting as he did so. All his strength was concentrated on the hammer, which he brought down heavily on the wall in front of him. "Bang—bang—" "Eighty, eighty—" The heavy hammer struck the cement wall, the tremendous recoil causing Liu Yuan's arms to ache and go numb. The newly grown skin sent out waves of pain, making him grit his teeth. He could only shout "eighty" to relieve the pain and force himself to keep going. Liu Yuan was only seventeen, an age full of youth and vigor. While other teenagers might be enjoying the cool air from an air conditioner and complaining about their gaming teammates, he had no choice but to work hard on the construction site to earn money for the next semester's tuition. Liu Yuan came from a poor family in Jiangnan Province. His grandparents had been in poor health since he could remember. His father died of lung disease from inhaling too much dust while working at a construction site when Liu Yuan was little. As for his mother, Liu Yuan had no memory of her at all. His grandparents told him that his mother died giving birth to him. Later, Liu Yuan learned from the villagers that his mother was from another province, couldn't endure the hardships, and left a few months after giving birth to him, never to be heard from again. Thus, Liu Yuan grew up without a father, with a mother who left, and with sick grandparents. He grew up like a resilient weed, managing to persist in his studies and reaching his second year of high school, soon to be a senior. "Huff—huff—" Liu Yuan walked to the window, took off his mask, and took deep breaths of fresh air. His buzz-cut hair and youthful face showed determination. "Eighty—eighty—" Thinking about the tuition for the next semester and the money needed for his grandparents' medicine, Liu Yuan quickly picked up the hammer again and continued to pound the wall, shouting as he did so. Despite the pain in his hands, his gaze became even more resolute. This was a hard-won opportunity to earn more money. In the past, Liu Yuan could only make money by picking up garbage, chopping wood for sale, or helping others harvest rice. Even a whole summer wouldn't earn him much. But on this construction site, by breaking walls and scraping off white plaster, he could earn 400 yuan a day. In a month, that would be 12,000 yuan, and in two months of summer vacation, he could earn over 20,000 yuan. After expenses, there would be a substantial amount left, not only for his tuition but also for his grandparents' medical treatment. Thinking about this, Liu Yuan swung the hammer even harder, shouting "eighty, eighty" continuously. "Liu Yuan, take a break. Take a break. You can't work like this, especially at noon. If you get heatstroke, I wouldn't be able to face your grandparents, and it would affect my construction site's reputation." While Liu Yuan was continuously pounding the wall, a voice came from behind him. "Uncle Pan—" Seeing who it was, Liu Yuan quickly put down the hammer and walked over with a smile. Uncle Pan, Pan Cheng, was a fellow villager and the wealthiest person in the village, having made a lot of money contracting construction projects. This time, he took pity on Liu Yuan and, after much pleading from Liu Yuan, agreed to let him work on the construction site during the summer. "Come, take a break. Eat some ice cream and fruit—" The forty-something Pan Cheng looked at Liu Yuan with concern, patted his head, and took out a plastic bag containing ice cream, a few apples, and a bunch of bananas. "Thank you, Uncle Pan—" Liu Yuan looked at Pan Cheng, his eyes slightly moist. His stubborn heart wanted to refuse, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Since he was young, the villagers had helped Liu Yuan's family a lot. During the holidays, uncles and aunts would bring clothes or good food to his house. When he couldn't afford to go to school, the village elder would lead the villagers to donate money so he could continue his education. Although primary and secondary education was now free, he still needed money for living expenses and school supplies. "SilIy boy, no need to thank me—" Pan Cheng smiled, indicating for Liu Yuan to sit down and eat slowly. He then reminded him, "You can't work like this on a construction site. You're still young and haven't fully grown. Working too hard now could cause long-term harm." "Moreover, in this hot weather, even if you're working indoors, you need to rest and stay hydrated to avoid heatstroke." "Remember to take breaks. Money isn't everything." "I understand, Uncle. I just want to earn more money to buy medicine for my grandparents when I get back." Liu Yuan took a bite of the ice cream, savoring the sweetness. He couldn't remember the last time he had ice cream. Then, he smiled and replied. "Good. Take a break and maybe a nap." "Although I'm not well-educated, I know that health is the most important asset. Don't wear yourself out. Your grandparents are counting on you." Seeing how sensible Liu Yuan was, Pan Cheng smiled contentedly. "I wish my son were half as sensible as you." Pan Cheng's son, Pan Hao, was the same age as Liu Yuan but completely different. He didn't like studying, spent his time hanging out with shady characters, smoking, drinking, and getting into fights, which worried Pan Cheng a lot. "By the way, here's your salary for the summer. Count it and make sure it's correct. Remember to keep it safe and deposit it in the bank. Don't let anyone steal it." After his lament, Pan Cheng took out an envelope containing a thick stack of cash. "Thank you, Uncle Pan! Thank you, Uncle Pan!" Liu Yuan took the envelope, looked inside, and saw the thick stack of red notes. He couldn't help but feel excited. This was the most money he had ever earned. Despite the blisters on his hands and the soreness in his arms, it all seemed worth it when he saw the money. Now he had enough for his tuition and could buy medicine for his grandparents. "Haha, you earned this with your own hands. No need to thank me." "Study hard. Only knowledge can change your fate!" Pan Cheng patted Liu Yuan's head again and sighed. "If I had studied more back then, maybe I would have done even better." "Mm—" Liu Yuan carefully put away the envelope and nodded solemnly. Liu Yuan had always remembered his father's dying words: "Study hard. Only knowledge can change your fate and take you out of here." Despite the hardships, Liu Yuan had never given up on his education, believing that knowledge could indeed change his destiny. "How are your grades?" "Next year is the college entrance exam. Do you have confidence in getting into one of the top universities?" Seeing Liu Yuan's serious expression, Pan Cheng was pleased. He was willing to help Liu Yuan not only because he pitied him but because he saw potential in the boy. "I don't dare to think about that. I might just make it to a second-tier university." Liu Yuan blushed slightly and scratched his head. He cherished the opportunity to study and followed his father's advice. Although his grades were decent, the family's financial situation limited his ability to focus entirely on his studies. His grades were only average in his high school, enough to get into a second-tier university at best. "A second-tier university is still very good. Pan Hao couldn't even get into high school." Pan Cheng shook his head, stood up to leave, and reminded him, "Rest at noon. Don't push yourself too hard. If you really need money, just let me know." "Got it, Uncle. Thank you!" Liu Yuan watched Pan Cheng leave, his eyes slightly wet. Despite growing up in such a family, he felt warmth in the harsh winter. The kindness from the villagers, the clothes, and food they provided during the holidays, filled his heart with gratitude. Uncle Pan had always taken good care of him. He could only keep this kindness in his heart. "Silly boy—" Hearing Liu Yuan's thanks again, Pan Cheng smiled and left. After Pan Cheng left, Liu Yuan didn't continue breaking the wall. Instead, he took out his books from his bag and began studying earnestly. "Knowledge can change fate. Only by changing my fate can I repay those who have helped me." Liu Yuan kept this in mind, studying diligently, soon losing himself in the sea of knowledge. He didn't notice that outside, in the sky, a streak of light suddenly appeared. The space around it rippled, but it quickly disappeared. Then, the light shot towards Liu Yuan, who was engrossed in his studies.