I'm Zhang Quan, from a remote mountain village in Hunan Province, China. Our village is called Zhangjiawan, surrounded by mountains, with beautiful scenery, but the living conditions are extremely difficult. I was born here and lived here until I left the village at the age of 18 to study in the city.
Our village is very small, there are only a dozen families in total, but there are four Fa Xiao who were born on the same day, the same month, and the same year, and all four of us were born in 69. I am Zhang Quan, and the other is Li Si, Wang Wu and Zhao Liu.
The four of us have been best friends since we were kids, going to school together and playing together. Although our lives were poor, our childhood was full of joy and hope.
However, as we grew older, the fortunes of the four of us began to change.
Li Si is the smartest of the four of us, he excels in his studies and is the pride of our village. After the college entrance examination, he was successfully admitted to a key university in the provincial capital, and then stayed in the provincial capital to work.
Wang Wu chose a different path from us. He doesn't like to read, but he has a strong interest in business. After graduating from high school, he returned to the village and started a small business, and after a few years of hard work, he opened a small supermarket in the village, and the business was booming.
Zhao Liu is the most hard-working of the four of us. After failing the college entrance examination, he returned to the village to work as a farmer. With his own efforts and sweat, he slowly expanded his family's few acres of land to dozens of acres and became a successful farmer.
And I, Zhang Quan, have been pursuing my dreams. After graduating from high school, I was admitted to a normal school in the provincial capital, and after graduation, I returned to the village to become a primary school teacher. I love education and I feel fulfilled and happy despite my low income.
Now that we're all middle-aged, our circumstances are very different. Li Si had a stable job and a high income in the provincial capital, Wang Wu's small supermarket had opened a chain store, and Zhao Liu had become a wealthy farmer. And I, although I love my job, my income is far less than theirs.
However, I never felt inferior or lost. I believe that everyone has their own destiny and choices. I chose my own path and may not have been as successful as theirs, but I found my worth and happiness.
The four of us go back to the village once a year to get together. Together, we reminisce about the past and share each other's lives and experiences. Despite our different circumstances, our friendship has never changed.
What I want to say is that life is like a journey, and everyone has their own route and choices. We will encounter all kinds of setbacks and difficulties, but as long as we stick to our beliefs and strive to pursue our dreams, we can find our own happiness and success.