Ce Geng's mother looks on as Ce takes her online courses on the desert plain. (LIAN ZHEN / XINHUA)

Ce Geng is a fourth grade student at a Mongolian primary school in Alshaa Left Banner, Inner Mongolia autonomous region. As the family's hired hand was unable to come back due to the lockdown, Ce and her family had to return to the pastures to care for their sheep flock. The 9-year-old did online courses while helping her parents tend to the sheep. As the pastures are in the Gobi Desert and far from the downtown area, the cellular signal is often unstable in the high mountainous areas. Whenever there is bad weather, her parents will drive their car out to get better signal strength. Sometimes, Ce's parents will accompany her inside the car to study during cold weather. Despite the tough conditions, Ce still insists on studying every course. Ce's parents are pleased that she can learn Mongolian poems and Chinese characters from the online classes. Ce dreams of becoming a doctor or a dancer when she grows up.

An aerial view of Ce's home at Alshaa Left Banner in Inner Mongolia autonomous region, set in mountain ranges and the Gobi Desert. (LIAN ZHEN / XINHUA)

Ce and her parents use a mobile phone to track cellular signal. (LIAN ZHEN / XINHUA)

Ce practices Mongolian dance in front of her mother near their home. (LIU LEI / XINHUA)

Ce smiles broadly as she gives a sheep a piggyback at the sheep pen at her home. (LIU LEI / XINHUA)

An aerial view of the area Ce's parents drove to, so that Ce can get a better cellular signal to do her online courses. (LIU LEI / XINHUA)

Ce and her parents head home after Ce finishes her online courses. (LIAN ZHEN / XINHUA)

Ce writes the answers to workbook exercises in her notepad at her home. (LIU LEI / XINHUA)