Teen Carries Bricks to Earn Her Own College Tuition

While most high school graduates celebrated finishing China's grueling gaokao exam with trips and new gadgets, 18-year-old Yuanyuan chose a different path. She joined her mother on a construction site in Guangdong province, carrying bricks on her back to earn her own university tuition.

Yuanyuan's mother, Wei Yungui, has worked construction for 16 years as the sole provider for her two children. The 40-year-old single mother saved what she could while her daughter and son grew up in their hometown of Qidong county, Hunan province, hundreds of miles away.

After taking her entrance exam in June, Yuanyuan insisted on helping despite her mother's initial resistance. A viral video shows them both hauling bricks up multiple floors, sweating but smiling. Yuanyuan carries 10 bricks per trip while her mother manages 40.

"You earned four yuan from this trip, and I earned 16 yuan. We have earned 20 yuan altogether, coming closer to the goal of your university tuition fee," Wei tells her daughter in the footage, beaming with pride.

The work proved harder than Yuanyuan expected. She later admitted the job was back-breaking, but the experience gave her something invaluable beyond money. "I hope to relieve my mother's burden," she said.

Wei noticed the difference immediately. "In the past, my daughter only saw me toil endlessly, but she didn't truly understand. After taking up the job, she became more perceptive and felt compassion for me," she explained.

Yuanyuan scored well enough to attend a moderate-level university where she plans to study psychology. Public university tuition in China typically costs around 5,000 yuan ($740) annually, but many students also request expensive electronics as graduation gifts.

Sunny's Take

This story touches something deeper than just earning tuition money. It's about a daughter who chose understanding over celebration, hard work over entitlement. While her peers traveled the world or unwrapped new iPhones, Yuanyuan unwrapped a different gift: true empathy for the sacrifices her mother made every single day.

The response online has been overwhelmingly positive. "This girl is willing to do laborious work. She is more admirable than 99 per cent of the kids in this country," one person commented. Millions have shared their story, moved by the genuine bond between mother and daughter.

Together, brick by brick, they're building more than tuition funds.