We chat for a bit. I learn that he is 12 years old and likes soccer and pop music. He's on his summer break right now, so he spends his free time riding around the village chatting with whoever is around. He wants to know where I'm from. He has never met a foreigner before.

We don't have very much to talk about, so he decides to show me something. He leads me into the government building.

It's here that he opens up further. His mother and father live in the city to earn better salaries. They send their income back but often aren't able to visit except for holidays. His grandmother cares for him, but she's getting older. He now does the cooking and cleaning around the house.

I hear that the crew has all the footage they need and it's time to go. We hop in the car and Li climbs into his sanbengzi. He leads the way out of the village as if escorting some VIP.

I think about a recent work trip when the driver explained how the development of his county had reversed the flow of parents going to the city to make money. If rural vitalization works, Li will be the one to benefit.