Xiaofeng had always been a girl with a kind heart.
Every time the school held donation drives or lunch box charity events, she was the first to volunteer. After class, people often saw her buying snacks from charity booths or sharing half her lunch with stray animals.
One afternoon, as she was leaving school, she noticed for the first time a homeless man sitting by the wall near the school gate. He wore a ragged coat, his hair was messy, and his eyes looked vacant. Most students walked by quickly, avoiding him. But Xiaofeng stopped, quietly took out her sandwich from her bag, and offered it to him with both hands.
“Have you eaten today?” she asked gently.
The man looked up, slightly surprised, then slowly took the sandwich and nodded. “Thank you… My name is Dashu.”
From that day on, Xiaofeng brought an extra meal every afternoon and gave it to Dashu. Sometimes she’d chat with him; sometimes she’d simply sit nearby in silence. She never asked why he was homeless—she just shared parts of her day:
“Today we had a tough math quiz.”
“Two classmates got into a fight, but I helped them make up.”
Gradually, Dashu began to change.
He went from keeping his head down to meeting her eyes, even smiling occasionally.
Xiaofeng once brought scissors to help trim his hair and gave him clean clothes.
One particularly cold winter day, while everyone else stayed indoors, Xiaofeng braved the wind and snow to bring him a cup of hot soup.
“Because I know you’re waiting for me,” she said.
Dashu’s eyes welled up with something indescribable. He said nothing—just held the cup tightly, like it was the first warmth he’d felt in years.
Then, a few months later, he was gone.
Xiaofeng thought he had left for good, perhaps having given up hope. But one day, a letter and a thick envelope arrived at her house.
The letter was written in neat handwriting:
Xiaofeng,
Thank you for the warmth and respect you’ve given me during those days.
Your kindness made me believe in people again. It made me want to try living again.I used to be a programmer, but after losing my job and my family, I ended up on the streets.
Your presence helped me stand back up and find myself again.This money is from my first paycheck after starting a new job. I hope it helps you go to the university you’ve always dreamed of.
— Dashu
Xiaofeng read the letter as tears quietly streamed down her face.
She never imagined that her small kindness wouldn’t just change someone else’s life—but would also light the way forward for her own.
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