So Pathetic

Happy Village is one of countless small villages in the northern mountains. It lies deep in the most desolate part of the mountains, where the land is most barren. Its remote location meant Happy Village was forgotten by the world for a long time. That neglect helped it escape the ravages of war, but also left it steeped in poverty for years. The barren land was like another splash of oil on the raging fire of poverty. Until the end of the twentieth century, Happy Village's poor residents still struggled to keep food on the table. Going to school was an even greater luxury. The few children who had the chance to study had to get up before dawn every day and walk more than three hours along treacherous mountain paths to Hope Primary School in the neighboring village. City children could never imagine how hard it was. To tell Lin Yong's story, we must begin with the impoverished Happy Village.