I am a rural laborer who has been working outside the home for a long time. Every Chinese New Year, I drive a small van and take my whole family back to my hometown to welcome the New Year. Enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way and enjoy the family.
Recalling the past with his wife, when the family was poor, and his parents were farming, and life was difficult. My two older brothers and I didn't have much education, but we dropped out of school and went back to farming.
The family's limited land makes it difficult to make ends meet. In order to seek a better life, my smart eldest brother and I decided to go to Guangdong to work, while the honest second brother stayed at home to help my parents with farm work.
Our destination is Guangzhou, a city full of high-rise buildings and heavy traffic.
A few days later, my eldest brother and I each got jobs. My eldest brother became an ordinary worker in an auto parts factory, while I devoted myself to an electrical appliance factory.
In order to reduce the impact of poor business in one factory or the loss of one person's job on another, we chose to work separately. Although I live in a factory dormitory, I have relatively few opportunities to meet each other due to the distance between my workplaces. This arduous but fulfilling part-time job experience helped us to earn a living in the city.
At the desk sat a female colleague named Ali, who was about my age, fresh-looking, and petite. However, she shows great dexterity in her work, and her determined, unyielding gaze reveals her focus and perseverance.
As time went on, I gradually noticed that her movements were not very flexible, and she seemed to limp between steps, which caused me to think deeply.
It is touching that hard work is already an easy challenge for a person who is in good health, but she overcomes her physical inconvenience and persists in her work.
Every weekday morning, she arrives early at work and starts work at 8 a.m. on time. At the end of the day, her colleagues left for dinner, but she was so focused on her work that she was reluctant to leave. Sometimes, she just hurriedly ate some steamed buns that she brought with her, barely making ends meet a humble lunch.
Gradually, I learned why she persisted in working so hard, and she was trying to earn more money in order to be more productive. In our artisanal, piece-based industry, workers are encouraged to work harder and there are not too many rules about commuting to and from work. As long as the workers are motivated, the factory will gladly accept it.
Due to my introverted personality, I don't communicate with her very often. I just think this young, disabled female colleague is really awe-inspiring and ashamed.
Once, I dozed off at work because I didn't have a good rest the night before. She sensed my tiredness and offered to talk to me to ease my fatigue. She was worried that her superiors would have a bad impression of me, and she was also concerned about whether I was safe at work.
As our relationship deepened, I realized that she showed excellent talent in the workplace and had a deep understanding of the product. She always generously shared some practical experience and guided me on how to complete tasks more efficiently in order to get a better piece pay. During our conversation, I learned about her family situation.
Her mother has passed away, while her father is in poor health and has been on long-term medication**. In order to support the family's expenses, he took on some simple jobs, but it was still difficult to afford.
She and her younger brother left their hometown to earn a living, shouldering her father's medical expenses and the family's living expenses.
This woman faces life's difficulties with a very positive attitude. During our conversation, she mentioned her challenges, but never complained, but was determined to face life's trials.
She told me that if she had a financial **, she planned to start a small business and invite her father to join in the operation to ease the financial pressure on the family. She is convinced that her family reunion will be happier.
This resilient woman is truly admirable. Since then, I have developed a crush on her and often look for opportunities to get close to her. After one overtime, I invited her to a late-night supper. At first, she was hesitant, but with my warm invitation, she finally agreed.
I expressed my emotions to her, and she was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I only see you as a good colleague, don't think about it." Due to my physical inconvenience, we didn't fit well. "I excitedly say I don't mind, because her strength is more admirable than many healthy people.
Although she initially rejected my confession, she then aggressively offered to change jobs, moving away from me and almost cutting off contact between us.
During that time, I felt depressed and depressed all day. My colleagues in the dormitory persuaded me that it was not worth bothering about a woman who was physically inconvenient.
As a young man with sound limbs and a well-proportioned body, I deserve to find a healthy and suitable girl. Some people can't understand my frustration, after all, my family is not wealthy, and I have never had the luxury of being involved with a migrant girl from out of town.
An inferiority complex came to mind, and my eloquence was not flexible. However, since meeting Ellie, I have been deeply touched by her tenacity and kindness. By her side, I seemed to find endless ways to communicate.
One day not long after, I habitually glanced at Ellie's seat while I was at work, only to be surprised to find that she wasn't there.
When I asked a colleague next to her, I learned that her father's condition had deteriorated, so she took time off work to go home to care for him and went to the hospital. Her absence lasted a whole month.
It was like a time for me to live like a year, uneasy, worried about her, and longing for her to come back soon. One day when I was at work, I casually glanced at her workstation and found her sitting there with her hands busy.
At this moment, joy welled up in my heart, and it was difficult to express this happiness. Perhaps it was this separation that made me more deeply appreciate her importance, and I also cherished the tacit understanding and communication between us even more.
After leaving work that evening, I suggested going out for a walk with her. She looked at me with a worried, slightly tired look in her eyes, and then gladly accepted my offer.
I asked her father about his condition and she revealed that his condition had improved and that he could slowly ** at home. Eager to generate income for her family, she is eager to get back to work.
I was relieved by her good news and encouraged her to turn to me for help no matter what difficulties she faced, because we are sincere friends.
This sincerity made her feel that she understood that I was not impulsive, and that she had never ignored her mobility problems. All of this quickly brought our relationship to a new stage.
During the holidays, she acquiesced to my company and returned to her hometown to visit her father. Her brother works in another factory, so we set off together, laughing and growing closer along the way.
When we arrived at her home, we were very satisfied to see her father physically fit and refreshed.
Staying at Ali's home for a few days, I did everything I could to do something for the family. Her father made a great impression on me because he wanted his daughter to have a bright future, especially with her mobility issues.
This experience strengthened our friendship and laid a deep emotional foundation for the future.
In her homeland, she experienced a passionate and peaceful Spring Festival. Ali's father was beaming with a smile and described it as a rare happy moment in the family for many years, and he was particularly happy.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, I proposed to bring Ali back to the place where I was born so that she could meet my parents, and her father agreed without hesitation. So, we started our journey that day. The road was rough and we arrived in my hometown the next morning.
After a heavy downpour, the trail leading to my house was muddy, making it difficult for Ali to move. Without hesitation, I crouched down, ignored her objections, and directly picked her up, carrying my luggage and gifts in my hands, and began to walk towards home.
On the way, a villager greeted me and asked with a smile, "Is this a good companion back?" I smug back, "Of course!" Ali blushed and patted me lightly on the shoulder.
When we got home, our parents were happy to close their mouths, and they hurried to cook a hearty meal and entertain us warmly. After learning about Ali's condition, they did not dislike her because of her disability.
In the days of getting along, treat her as if she were her own daughter. Later, Ali and I got married and started a small but unique grocery store together. I focus on incoming goods and occasional deliveries, while she guards the storefront.
As the business gradually stabilized, we decided to join hands to introduce her kind father into our lives and enjoy the happiness of the family together.
My parents have always maintained a positive and optimistic attitude, full of confidence in the future, and are looking forward to a happy and happy life.
At the end of each year, we would return to our hometown and gather with our parents. Sometimes, they would come to my house and stay for a few days to enjoy the time together.
Over the years, our children have grown up**, they are filial and sensible, and the family lives a harmonious and happy life. At present, the surrounding villages are telling interesting anecdotes about "bringing your wife home for the New Year", which has become a local story.