---- mother wept and groveled before the principal. The school staff finally promised some basic support before my mother rose. But that wasn't enough for her. At the parents' meeting, she set her sights on the wealthiest parent in the class. With tears streaming down her face, she begged this wealthy mother to sponsor Subject One and even offered her as a child bride. The wealthy woman had no choice but to agree to pay a hundred dollars a month for Subject One's meals. By now, my mother was receiving three separate sources of funds: donations from the kind sponsor, basic school support, and the wealthy parent's monthly allowance. Yet, despite all this, Subject One never had enough to eat. When she asked for more food money, my mother's response was chilling. "If you live too well, people won't pity you. Besides, we're poor-money must be spent sparingly." At school, Subject One endured every humiliation a poor, outcast student could face. ---- The rowdy boys mocked her, calling her "child bride." The girls whispered behind her back. A month into school, Subject One got her first period. Unprepared and embarrassed, she gratefully accepted asmall package of sanitary pads from a teacher. Carefully following the instructions, she changed them every few hours, but the pack ran out before the week was over. When she asked her mother for help, she was handed a roll of toilet paper. The lack of proper supplies left her constantly anxious, sneaking glances at her chair during every lesson. But Subject One pressed on. She focused entirely on her studies, using every moment to absorb knowledge since there was no money for tutoring or extra materials. Her classmates' ridicule only fueled her determination. Some viewers were moved. "Anyone who can endure such hardship will achieve great things later." ---- "I admire her focus. She doesn't care about others' opinions and keeps striving for her goals. If she succeeds, I'll reward her with a ten-thousand-dollar donation." To be honest, I really admire Subject One. She has an incredibly strong mental fortitude. But, the reasons affecting Subject One's grades weren't limited to just psychological pressure. In the beginning, her grades in Grade 7 were decent, in the upper middle range. But then, her performance started to decline gradually. The audience was getting upset. "Didn't Subject One say that if given the opportunity to study, she would do well? Why does she keep zoning out and falling asleep in class?" I answered flatly, "Because she's hungry." During puberty, when you're growing, it's a terrible feeling not to have enough to eat. Hunger gnawed at her every night, waking her from sleep and clouding her thoughts during the day. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!