In the early morning of the second day of the Lunar New Year, an unexpected ** broke the peace. I was far away in my hometown village, and I received a ** from my eldest brother, informing me that the fourth uncle in the village had passed away. Because of the tradition in the village, it is not appropriate to report the funeral on the first day of junior high school, so the sons of the fourth uncle chose to start arranging the funeral on the second day of junior high school.
On the other end, my eldest brother asked me if I needed him to give me a gift, and I was very surprised. He thinks that this relationship is far away and I don't have to rush back in person, but I know that this fourth uncle means a lot to me and is a benefactor on my life path. Without his help and trust, perhaps I would have lost what I am today. So, I decided that I had to go back and give him one last ride.
Despite the distance, I simply packed my bags, took my son, and set out on the road back to my hometown. For a journey of more than 2,000 miles, we took turns driving, day and night, just to rush back to our hometown as soon as possible.
The fourth uncle is a well-respected elder in the village. Although he came from an ordinary family, he was known for his generosity. For decades, he often acted as a mediator to resolve disputes between neighbors.
I also hired him when I opened a factory in the village. Out of trust and respect for him, I made him the "worry man" in the factory, which is equivalent to a modern foreman.
However, business has not been all smooth sailing. In 95, because of the poor market, my factory was in trouble. Although I expanded production, it led to huge losses due to market saturation.
On the evening of the thirtieth day of the Chinese New Year's Eve, I returned from a debt collection trip and found the villagers sitting around my house, fearing that I would run away, so they decided not to leave until I got the debt. To reassure everyone, I prorated the amount owed and wrote down the IOU in my own hand.
On the first day of the new year, according to tradition, I went to visit the New Year. Among them, I also went to the fourth uncle's house, although I didn't pay the bill in the first month, I still brought the fourth uncle's salary. He was over sixty years old, and he had to work for his son's marriage. I knew I couldn't owe him this money.
However, the fourth uncle resolutely refused to accept it, he said: "Keep it, you use it first." When your days are good, it's not too late to pay me back. I was deeply moved by such words.
The fourth uncle gave me selfless help and encouragement in my most difficult time. He is not only a benefactor in my heart, but also a spiritual pillar for me.
When I offered to give him his salary back, he always politely refused on various grounds. He said: "It's not easy for you to work hard outside, so let's keep it for now." "I wanted to give him his salary, but he always insisted on not to.
So, I left my hometown with my family and came to Beijing. Here, we live a hard and simple life, from looking for a job during the day to picking up garbage at night, as long as it is a job that can earn money, we will not let go. After two years of hard work, we finally paid off all our debts and even had some extra money.
However, whenever I wanted to give him the fourth uncle's salary, he always politely declined. He said, "You have been filial to me so much that you don't have to think about it anymore." ”
Time passed, and I established my own small business in Beijing, and the housing prices were constantly rising. My sons and daughters have also found jobs in Beijing. My family gradually got out of the predicament, but the gratitude in my heart to the fourth uncle will never change.
Now, the fourth uncle has passed away for many years, but his spirit will always exist in my heart. I will always miss him and thank him for the help and support he gave me.
Looking back on the past, I deeply understand that friendship between people is far more precious than family affection. No matter how far away I am, I will always remember my fourth uncle and take his teachings to heart.