In the mid-80s of the last century, I set foot on the land of Suzhou City and lived in the same city again with three old friends from junior high school. One is Xu Guiling, who was once the entertainment star of our class, who can sing and dance and is full of energy; the other is Li Shengmin, who is excellent in character and learning, personable, and always impresses; And my tablemate, Zhang Xianli, we have spent countless class hours together.
Years later, when our lives are re-intertwined, in addition to celebrating the joy of family, we often find a cozy restaurant in the alley of the city, sit around a table, and reminisce about those lost youth. Zhang Xianli was engaged in vegetable wholesale in Suzhou, and his life was busy and fulfilling, and his economic conditions were relatively superior. However, fate was not lenient on him, and his sudden death from a cerebral hemorrhage in the prime of life shocked and grieved us. At his funeral, I saw him off for the last time with Xu Guiling and Li Shengmin.
Soon after, Xu Guiling also passed away due to illness, and the news came as a bolt from the blue to me. I felt deeply lonely and helpless, as if my classmates had left me one by one. I went to her house with Li Shengmin to mourn and send our condolences for her departure.
After Li Shengmin retired, he moved to Suzhou City with his wife and lived with his children. He often came to my shop to chat, and every time we mentioned our former classmates, we were always filled with emotion, as if we had returned to those carefree student days. However, time flies, and he is also gone from me. The moment I received his son's **, I couldn't believe my ears. He died suddenly of a heart attack, and the news made my heart go through the cracks.
Although my family was busy preparing for the Chinese New Year, I decided to drop everything and go to his hometown to pay my respects. At Lee Seung-min's funeral, I looked at his handsome portrait and my heart was filled with endless sorrow. His wife and children wept bitterly, and I couldn't hold back my tears. Our decades of classmates, hometowns, and brotherhood have come to an end.
In an atmosphere of sadness, I met with several old classmates. Although we are all old people with gray hair and faltering steps, from their eyes and words, I can feel their love for life and their expectations for the future. This makes me feel a little relieved, and it also makes me cherish the time in front of me and the people around me even more.
Now I don't have the company of the three old classmates in Suzhou City. That beautiful friendship has become an eternal memory in my heart. Whenever I think of them, I feel deep longing and endless emotion.