Children from Impoverished Families

*Children from Impoverished Families* is a compelling novel by Orchard High School author Zhang Yongqiang, expanded from his own authentic early-life experiences. The first two chapters recount the author’s lived reality, while the subsequent chapters serve as a calculated extrapolation—aiming to explore a viable path to upward mobility for youth from underprivileged backgrounds. The protagonist, Peng Fei, is born in a rural village in Shanhe Province to short-sighted, selfish, and apathetic parents who view him as an endlessly exploitable resource. To secure his right to an education, a ten-year-old Peng Fei resorts to begging for food right next to his paternal aunt’s home, forcing his extended family to intervene through this desperate act and severing his parents' predatory control. From then on, he earns his own way back to school and eventually enters the civil service as an adult. Adhering strictly to his personal creed—that officials from humble origins must remain emotionally detached from toxic family ties, and that extending help must strictly align with reason, emotion, and law—he achieves self-emancipation amidst a complex and unforgiving reality. The author himself only lived through the first two chapters. Unable to progress into the trajectory of the third chapter, he ultimately became a lifelong beast of burden for his parents. He deeply understands that for those trapped in similar family environments, even exceptional achievers like Pang Zhongwang or Lin WanDong struggle to break free, and time-travelers might not necessarily s쳮d. The only ones capable of fighting their way out may be "chosen ones" like Peng Fei, possessing invincible conviction and a rebellious spirit—yet the author knows he is not one of them. "I could endure the suffering Peng Fei endured, and I was willing to walk the path Peng Fei walked. But back then, I didn't know where the path was." Today, he has transformed his life review into this novel, hoping to illuminate a viable escape route for young people still fumbling in the dark. For those born into poverty, survival and development will always remain paramount; one must never allow themselves to be weighed down by excessive moral burdens or spiritual shackles.