Last week, our parents were instructed by the school to pay some coaching fees through WeChat Pay or Alipay. My parents have bank accounts and credit cards, but mobile payment is simply beyond them. I am a boarder; my parents are back in Fangxian. Therefore, the payment fell completely on my shoulders.

I have a credit card, through which I can get cash from an ATM. The problem was that there was no money in my WeChat Pay. To pay the fees to the school, I would first have to get cash through my credit card. Then I would have to have the money transferred into my WeChat Pay, from where it could be forwarded digitally to the school account. How could I possibly do it?

The stationer sprang into my mind. I often shop for pens and books at the stationery called Kehao across the street from YYHS. The shopkeeper, Huang, is a friendly guy. He might give me a hand, but I was not so sure.

Having withdrawn the money from a cash dispenser, I headed for the stationery. I wanted to exchange 2,000 yuan. It was not a small sum. Would the stationer help? I was not confident about it. For a time, I was as agitated as an ant in a hot wok. However, no possible alternative was in sight.

After much hesitation, I plucked up enough courage and ventured into the shop. I went up to the owner and spoke about my need.

“How much do you need exchanged?” he asked.

I said, “2,000 yuan, sir.”

Staring at me, he asked, “Why so much, girl?”

Then I explained my predicament to him. No sooner had I been finished than he took over the cash from my hand and then transferred the same sum from his WeChat Pay to mine on the phone.

How lucky I was! Instantly the load was taken off my mind. I expressed my gratitude to the stationer aloud before I exited the shop.

Why is the stationer’s business so good? He sells not only good pens and paper, but also enjoys a good reputation among YYHS boarders. His good name resides in a helping hand he renders to those in need. Some have their deliveries parked there in school hours. Some, like me, get help at the shop they normally can’t elsewhere.