First-grader’s work about courier father pulls on heartstrings

“My father is a courier. He seldom stays at home. Every morning, when I wake up, he has gone to work. I wait for weekends to come, when my father has time to play with me. My father is the greatest man in my mind, because he can bring joy to others.”

A composition entitled “My Father is a Courier”, which was written by a firstgrade pupil, is gaining popularity on WeChat, a popular social media platform. Many couriers have said the piece brought a tear to their eye.

The author, Yu Zixuan, is a 6-year-old student at Jiamusi Friendship Primary School in Northeast China’s Heilong jiang province. His father and mother both work at a postal sorting center in Jiamusi city.

Yu Tao, father of Yu Zixuan, said that Yu Zixuan wrote the composition because his company solicited articles by couriers’ family members.

“The piece is original and was all his idea. I taught him how to write when he encountered some characters that he was unsure about,” Yu Tao said. “When I watched him writing the article, tears welled in my eyes.”

Yu Tao and his wife usually leave home for work at 3 am and return home at about 9 pm, when Yu Zixuan has already fallen asleep. They have two days off per month, which is precious time the whole family can spend together.

“During our busiest period, he is unable to see us for a month”, said Su Yulan, Yu Tao’s mother.

Su thinks the article reflects her child’s true feelings. “He has a strong attachment to his father. If he does not see his father for a couple of days, he will ask to be woken up at 3 am to see us before we leave home.”

In his father’s eyes, Yu Zixuan is a polite and warmhearted boy. “If I come back home early, he will welcome me at the door and help me put my coat and shoes away in the right place,” Yu Tao said.

“Once, I looked a bit tired when I arrived home. My son held my legs and said, ‘Dad, you work so hard for me, I will study hard to thank you’,” Yu Tao said. “Hearing his words made me determined to try my best to raise him well.”

Sun Hong jie, Yu Zixuan’s teacher, was not surprised by the boy’s rising fame. “I believe the article is entirely his own work. His academic performance is excellent and he displays a clear logic when writing.”

Five newlywed couples take part in a group wedding ceremony at their workplace — the construction site of Beijing’s new airport — on Monday. The airport is located between Beijing’s Daxing district and the suburbs of Hebei’s Langfang city. It is expected to serve 45 million passengers annually starting in 2019.