Colorful years

Back then, Zhang Cong came to the mountain city alone to work, full of hope and expectations.

Upon arriving, Zhang Cong truly experienced what it meant to be all alone and without any relatives or friends.

That feeling of loneliness and helplessness, like an invisible pressure, weighed heavily on his heart.

No, no, no. To be more precise, in this vast metropolis, bustling with traffic and people, he could not find a single close relative with whom he shared blood ties.

There were only four people who were truly close to him. Among them, his two mentors, Teacher Man and Teacher Li, were incredibly kind to him. They not only guided Zhang Cong meticulously in his work but also provided him with unwavering care in his life. Their teachings were like guiding lights, illuminating Zhang Cong's path forward; their care was like a spring breeze, warming Zhang Cong's lonely heart.

Besides their two mentors, there were only two fellow disciples, Zhang Ying and Xiang Ning.

Zhang Ying, Zhang Cong's senior from the same school, was four years older than him. While Zhang Cong was just starting out in his career and still figuring things out, Zhang Ying had already taken a solid step in love, finding the woman he admired and starting a relationship with her.

They work in the County Party Committee Office and the Publicity Department, respectively. Both departments are extremely busy, making it very rare for them to have free time together.

To this day, Zhang Ying's spare time is almost entirely occupied by his girlfriend. He's immersed in the sweetness of love and naturally has no time to consider Zhang Cong's loneliness and isolation in a foreign land. Zhang Cong understands this, after all, everyone has their own life, and he hopes his senior can be happy.

Then there's Xiangning, Zhang Cong's junior classmate. He and Zhang Cong were not only classmates but also roommates, and their relationship was very close. After graduation, Xiangning was assigned to teach at the affiliated school of Xiangling Machinery Factory, which was nearly ten kilometers away from the city. This long distance was like an insurmountable chasm, causing many inconveniences for their interactions.

When they first started working, they visited each other several times. Every time they got together, they would reminisce about their time at school, those wonderful days seeming just yesterday.

However, as time went by, Xiangning also successfully found a girlfriend. The power of love made his life more fulfilling, and gradually, they began to go their separate ways and lose touch with each other.

At that time, Dayong was still an impoverished county. The entire county committee compound had only one dilapidated minivan, which was usually exclusively used by the county party secretary. Other members of the standing committee could only borrow it when the county party secretary did not need to use it.

In comparison, the propaganda department was in slightly better shape, at least having two old bicycles. Although these bicycles were quite old, they were still usable after careful maintenance.

However, these two vehicles are not for casual riding around; they can only be used when official business requires errands, and private use of official vehicles is strictly prohibited.

Each time these two bicycles are used, a detailed record must be made, including the time of use, the user, and the purpose of use. Although this series of regulations is somewhat cumbersome, it ensures the proper use of the bicycles.

As for Zhang Cong, most of his meager monthly salary, after covering his basic living expenses, was sent back to his parents back home to help support the family. He knew how hard his parents worked, so he preferred to live frugally himself so that his parents could have a better life.

Therefore, buying his own bicycle was a luxury for him. He had to rely on his own two legs to struggle through the city, whether in the sweltering summer or the freezing winter.

This makes it inconvenient to visit friends and also makes it more difficult to pass the time on outings.

Some readers might be wondering: In such a large city with tens of thousands of residents, and with over a hundred cadres and staff in the county committee and government, couldn't Zhang Cong have made a few more friends? Wouldn't that have made getting around much easier?

But if you think that way, then you really don't understand Zhang Cong at all.

Actually, Zhang Cong has always possessed a certain innate arrogance since childhood. This arrogance is not a disdain for others, but rather a strict self-discipline and a unique understanding of life.

He believes that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to friends. He is looking for those who can resonate with him on a spiritual level.

As he grew older, especially after achieving success in his career, this personality trait became even more pronounced. In his eyes, he would not look down on any life, but he also would not easily become friends with ordinary people.

He felt that associating with people he didn't share common ground with was a waste of time and energy. As the saying goes, "A word to the wise is enough." Dealing with these so-called "ordinary people" held absolutely no interest for him, and over time, he developed a habit of not liking to make friends.

Whether it was his incredibly abundant romantic luck working in secret, or the strange law of "opposites attract," he had only made two new friends since starting work: Lu Rong and Liu Ling.

They shared many common ideas and beliefs, and gradually became close friends who could talk about anything. Moreover, in terms of the closeness of their relationship, he was clearly a little closer to Liu Ling.

That's why, every Sunday, while others are racking their brains about how to pass the time, Zhang Cong has already made up his mind to go find Liu Ling! It's as if this decision has been deeply imprinted in his mind, becoming his only choice for spending his leisure time on the weekend.

Although Liu Ling was the daughter of cadres who had come south, she was never pretentious and didn't mind Zhang Cong's peasant background. On the contrary, she greatly admired Zhang Cong's talent. In front of Liu Ling, Zhang Cong could let down his guard and show his most authentic self.

However, after Liu Ling became a wife, he didn't want his emotional needs to affect her married life. Therefore, he forcibly controlled his emotions, maintained an appropriate distance, and allowed their friendship to continue purely.