At the start of the second semester of my senior year, my parents cut off my living expenses and forced me to quit school and get a job so I could support my younger brother's trip abroad to broaden his horizons.
I had no choice but to transfer to an elite school with no tuition or fees. I got by on steamed buns bought with money from selling scrap, but I soon couldn't keep it up.
I finally worked up the courage to ask the class, "Anyone need me to copy out punishment assignments? Ten yuan a sheet?"
After a long silence, someone spoke up first: "Ten yuan isn't nearly enough. I'll pay a hundred!"
"A hundred? That's nothing. I'll pay a thousand, and you can write my self-criticism too."
"I'll pay ten thousand. Write mine first!"
Bids rang out from all sides. Someone jumped onto a desk: "Stop arguing! Whatever anyone else offers, I'll pay a hundred more!"
