I can still remember her appearance vividly: a neat dress, pale complexion and slim figure, with two small eyes glittering behind a pair of glasses. She was carrying a large bag with dozens of books, smiling broadly.

The girl and her friends volunteered to collect old books for us after learning that my classmates and I were going to build libraries for children in the mountainous area of Hengyang, Hunan Province. She promised she could get as many as 500 books, which I doubted.

In the following days, I received frequent calls from her. Each time, she sounded excited as she told me how many books she had acquired. One afternoon, I went to her house shortly after receiving her call. I was amazed when I opened the trunk of her mother’s car. There were so many books, many of which were as thick as bricks, and in good condition. She helped me take those books to the suitcases I brought along. Big drops of sweat were running down her cheeks, but she didn’t seem to care.

After that she would continually discuss details as to how to build the libraries. She felt honored to be part of this activity, to get an opportunity to help those poor children, even though she gasped with exhaustion. She collected 600 books in three days, exceeding expectations.

Although still only a high school student, she was a true philanthropist.