Colorful years

The deep and passionate unrequited love that Li Hua and her sister held for Congcong was like an inextinguishable flame burning brightly in her heart.

This emotion did not lead him into a vortex of confusion and chaos; on the contrary, it was like a surging force that constantly inspired him to forge ahead and strive hard.

In Congcong's world, the existence of the Li sisters is like the brightest star in the night sky, guiding him in the right direction.

Especially Li Hua, who at that time was already the daughter of the director of the state education bureau, with a noble status and prominent position. Cong Cong, on the other hand, was a poor farmer's son, and the difference in social status between him and Li Hua was like a chasm that was difficult to cross.

He knew that passion alone was far from enough to win the favor of this young lady from a prestigious family. He had to put in much more effort to rewrite the chapter of his destiny.

In Congcong's heart, there is a firm belief: only by striving with all his might, at least to become a public servant with a secure job and a stable salary, can he possibly stand beside Li Hua and walk alongside her.

This belief was like a guiding light, illuminating his path forward and enabling him to maintain a firm pace even in adversity.

However, reality is always crueler than imagination. On his path to pursuing his dreams, Congcong had to face many difficulties and challenges. In particular, the dire situation of his family, plagued by poverty and hunger, caused him deep concern.

He knew that the most urgent task was to do everything he could to help his parents out of this predicament and enable them to live a happy life.

So Congcong answered his father's call without hesitation and threw himself into the arduous work of reclaiming wasteland and planting crops with great enthusiasm.

Through his efforts, the family's grain production gradually increased, eventually achieving self-sufficiency. The family no longer had to worry about having enough to eat, and their lives gradually improved.

Compared to his peers, Congcong is more mature and sensible. He deeply understands the hardships his parents have endured and the difficulties of life.

Therefore, he demonstrated extraordinary initiative and a strong sense of responsibility. Whether it was trivial matters at home or major or minor events outside, he would do his best to take on them and try his best to share the burdens and difficulties of his parents.

Whenever he saw his parents exhausted from working, he would silently take over their work and continue doing it.

His willingness to share the family burden is evident everywhere, fully demonstrating his noble qualities as a filial son.

When winter arrives, the earth is covered in snow, and all things fall into slumber. This is a rare period of leisure for farmers throughout the year. However, for the hardworking and intelligent Zhang family, this time is not to be wasted.

He knew that in order to change his family's fate, he had to seize every opportunity to generate income.

Back in the mid-1970s, rural life was simple and unpretentious. Congcong's father, Zhang Zhong, was one of them. For many years, he worked hard without complaint and always obeyed the production team's arrangements.

Because of his consistently excellent performance, the production team gradually began to relax its control over him. This gave him more autonomy and choices.

By chance, Zhang Zhong learned an important piece of information: a batch of thinned timber from the Zhangjiajie State-owned Forest Farm urgently needed to be transported to the local forestry station, and then sold to other places by the forestry station.

This news caught Zhang Zhong's eye; he keenly sensed that this was a rare opportunity to make money.

After careful consideration, he resolutely decided to sign up as a porter to participate in the handling of this batch of timber.

Zhang Zhong's decision received Congcong's full support. He knew that his father had worked hard for the family, so he also wanted to make a contribution to the family.

So, when Sunday came, Congcong volunteered, "Dad, look, I'm almost fourteen! I've been exercising a lot, and now I can carry a load of eighty or ninety pounds on my shoulders! Let me go with you tomorrow so we can earn more money for the family."

Looking into his son's expectant and confident eyes, Zhang Zhong felt a surge of emotion. He knew his son had grown up and had his own thoughts and sense of responsibility.

So he smiled and nodded in agreement, "Alright, son. Since you're so confident, then come with me tomorrow."

The next morning, the father and son got up early and set off for the forest farm, braving the biting winter wind. Their task was quite arduous: the first batch of thinned timber that needed to be transported out of the forest farm was located in Pipajie, which was more than 20 kilometers away from the forestry station where the timber was to be delivered.

They could earn 1.5 yuan for every 100 jin (50 kg) of timber they moved. This was both a tough challenge and an opportunity to generate income for the family.

Fortunately, this happened to coincide with the annual off-season for farming.

This means that the rewards they earn from their hard work do not have to be handed over to the collective as usual, but can instead keep 100% of them in their own pockets.

This filled the father and son with immense excitement and exhilaration. They knew that although one yuan wasn't much, it could buy many practical things in those days:

A pound of rice costs only 17 cents; a new piece of clothing costs just over a dollar...

The thought of these wonderful things soon becoming a reality filled the father and son with excitement and anticipation.

Their pace quickened involuntarily, as if they could already see those beautiful things beckoning to them from not far away.