A 12-year-old girl in China who gave her older sister 300 yuan (US$43) from her savings to encourage her to study hard has moved millions on the mainland.
The older girl, surnamed Ma, from Zhengzhou in Henan, central China, received the money and a sweet note from her little sister when she returned to university after visiting her family, The Paper reported.
At the start of the new academic year, Ma had her luggage packed and returned to school. When she unpacked her things she found a small white pouch.
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She was surprised when she saw an unsigned note attached on top with the words, “Not to open until getting to campus”, repeated three times and with six exclamation marks underneath.
Ma then realised it was from her younger sister.
“Important things should be repeated three times,” her little sister had written in the last sentence.
Inside the pouch, Ma noticed that there were three 100 yuan banknotes and another handwritten note.
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“While I stuff the money inside the pouch, my heart is bleeding. But as I am aware that you can only come back home every half a year, I can put up with it,” her sister wrote in the second note.
“Please study hard and do not let me down.”
Ma said she was moved by the note and gift of money from her sister.
“I’m very touched as the money she gave to me is hard for her to save.”
The story of the surprise gift and adoring notes struck a chord with online users across mainland social media.
One person commented: “The sisters must love each other very much, so the little girl is willing to give the best to her sister.”
Another person who has a younger sister wrote: “So is mine. She bought me a lot of things such as home appliances, clothes and daily necessities.”
Chinese children often show their love for their families with gifts and warm gestures.
Last week, a little boy in Shandong province in eastern China fed his younger sister lunch on her first day of kindergarten.
Late last month, a boy in China gave his mother his piggy bank containing savings of 26,420 yuan (US$3,800) he had saved over eight and a half months.
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