The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

Thanks to the construction team's round-the-clock efforts, a winding mountain road has been built, crossing the raging river, following the towering cliffs, and traversing the high peaks, finally reaching the village deep in the mountains.

Meanwhile, trucks loaded with sand and cement slowly drove up the mountain from the foot of the mountain.

While verifying the reliability of this winding mountain road, countless modern building materials were transported to this isolated village.

Amidst the curious and expectant gazes of the children, the school, originally constructed of straw bricks and tiles, collapsed with a deafening roar from bulldozers.

Immediately afterwards, a magnificent building made of reinforced concrete rose from the ground.

Under the fluttering red flag, four large characters are engraved: Hope Primary School.

The children, dressed in their new clothes, ran into the bright classrooms and comfortable dormitories amidst laughter.

With government assistance, a group of young teachers arrived at the school by bus.

They brought toys and snacks from outside, squatted down to chat and laugh with the children, and taught them how to play with building blocks and blow bubbles. Before long, they were surrounded by chattering children.

On the other side of the village, in the newly built clinic, a clear cry broke the tranquility of the mountains.

"She's given birth! It's a girl, weighing 6 pounds 4 ounces."

The man suppressed his excitement and carefully took the baby from the nurse's hands, placing it in front of the woman on the hospital bed.

The woman weakly raised her head and heard the child's powerful cries; her tense brows gradually relaxed.

"Hurry up, hurry up and find Teacher Qi, ask him to name our child."

"Okay! Okay! I understand."

The man, carrying the baby girl, quickly left the health center and headed towards the newly built ancestral hall in the village.

Inside the ancestral hall, the villagers gathered together, sitting in rows on brand-new benches, each holding a smartphone, listening attentively as Qi Yu on the podium taught them how to use this novel gadget.

Behind the ancestral hall, Xu Xi was directing the workers to debug the equipment.

A signal tower has been erected, stretching straight into the sky.

As the cable was slowly connected, the signal bars on the phone screen gradually filled up.

This village deep in the mountains is finally about to connect with the world.

"Teacher Qi! Teacher Qi!"

The man's voice broke the silence of the ancestral hall. He rushed in carrying the swaddled baby and went straight to Qi Yu.

"She gave birth! She gave birth! My wife gave birth!"

Qi Yu stopped what he was doing, a relieved smile on his face, and gently touched the swaddling cloth.

Congratulations! Is it a boy or a girl?

"It's a girl, a little girl!"

Qi Yu smiled, took the prepared formula and diapers from Zhao Lin beside him, and handed them to the man.

"Old Wang, boys and girls are the same. You can't treat them differently just because she's a girl."

"I know, I know!" The man grinned from ear to ear. "I just want a daughter. The eldest son in the family is so naughty. My wife and I are really worried about him and don't know what to do."

"Haha, it's good to be lively. Lively people are smart and have a bright future. They can make it out of the village and bring you a better life," Qi Yu replied with a smile.

"Haha, Teacher Qi is right!"

The man's eyes narrowed into slits with laughter, and he couldn't hide the joy in his voice.

"Oh right, Teacher Qi, I almost forgot the important thing. You're a cultured person; you've named all the children in our village. Could you please name our child too?"

"No problem." Qi Yu raised his head and looked out over the village.

The brand-new school, the straight signal tower, and the vehicles driving into the village all exude a sense of new life.

He looked down at the sleeping baby girl in her swaddling clothes, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes.

"This little girl was born at the beginning of our village's modernization, which is auspicious and symbolizes the arrival of a new life."

"How about we just call her Wang Xinyu?"

"Xinyu, Wang Xinyu..."

The man muttered it to himself several times, growing happier with each repetition, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out.

"Great name! Absolutely perfect! My child's name is Wang Xinyu, thank you Teacher Qi!"

......

The mountain breeze was cool in the evening as Qi Yu and Zhao Lin, who had been busy all day, walked back to school side by side.

An SUV was already parked at the entrance, its body covered with a thin layer of dust.

Qi Yu strode to the driver's side and knocked on the window: "How's it going, Brother Xu? Did you manage to buy it?"

The car window slowly rolled down, and Xu Nian turned around, took a guitar from the back seat, and handed it to Qi Yu.

"I found it. This is really hard to find. I searched all over the county town and couldn't find it. I drove all the way to the city before I found a place that sells it."

"Hehe, thanks for your hard work, Brother Xu." Qi Yu took the guitar, gently strummed it a couple of times, and a crisp sound came out.

"Speaking of which..." Xu Nian sighed, "Aren't you really going to stay a few more days?"

Qi Yu lowered his head, a hint of sadness and reluctance flashing in his eyes: "Mm."

Just then, a small figure ran over quickly, clutching a lollipop in his hand, his face covered in dust, and shouted excitedly.

"Teacher Qi! The bonfire party is about to start! Uncle Village Chief asked me to come and get you. We're just waiting for you, Teacher Zhao, and Teacher Xu!"

Qi Yu quickly composed himself, raised his head, and gently patted Tianyi's head.

"Understood, Tianyi, the teachers will be here soon."

After saying that, he turned to Xu Nian and said, "Let's go, Brother Xu, everyone's waiting for us."

"Okay." Xu Nian nodded, opened the car door and got out. Together with Qi Yu, she called Zhao Lin and Xu Xi and walked towards the school playground.

As dusk enveloped the green hills, a gentle evening breeze blew, and the brand-new playground was illuminated by a bonfire in the center. The leaping flames crackled and shone, warming everyone's faces.

A whole roasted lamb was placed on the fire, its fat sizzling.

The children, dressed in new clothes, gathered in twos and threes around the campfire. Some jumped and skipped, while others squatted on the ground playing with the embers. Their faces were covered in charcoal ash, and their eyes crinkled with laughter.

The village chief squatted by the fire, holding a spice jar in his hand. He carefully sprinkled spices on the mutton while occasionally looking up to remind the children, "Stay away from the fire, don't burn your new clothes, and run slowly."

As soon as Xu Xi, the little foodie, smelled the aroma of mutton, her eyes lit up instantly, and she subconsciously swallowed.

Qi Yu walked over to the village chief, looked at the sizzling roasted whole lamb over the fire, and a hint of heartache crossed his face. He said softly, "Village chief, you're too kind. If you had just said you wanted lamb, I would have gone to town to buy one. Why did you kill your own sheep?"

The village chief looked up, a kind smile on his face. He reached out and took Qi Yu's hands, pulling him to sit down beside him. His tone was sincere: "Teacher Qi, the sheep raised at home taste the most authentic. Nothing you buy outside can compare."

"That's too much of an expense! That's the only sheep you have!"

The village chief waved his hand, sighed softly, and looked towards the winding mountain road in the distance, saying with emotion.

"Our ancestors have lived in these mountains for generations. No outsiders have ever wanted to come in, and nothing from the outside has ever come in."

"Since you teachers came, you've helped us repair roads, build schools, and teach the children. Our village owes you a debt of gratitude that can't be repaid with just a sheep. Teacher Qi, please don't stand on ceremony with me."

Looking into the village chief's sincere eyes and listening to his words, Qi Yu felt a slight tightness in his throat, his heart filled with both warmth and sorrow.

No matter how many excuses he made, he swallowed them back.

He instructed Zhao Lin to fetch a knife from the kitchen, cut the roasted mutton into small pieces, put them in bowls, and distribute them to the children.