Colorful years

My younger brother Zhang Liang built his own house; it's three and a half stories high, with a floor area of ​​over 300 square meters.

Located in Wangchengpo, in the city center, this place is only five kilometers away from the municipal government offices, making commuting to and from get off work quite convenient.

Zhang Liang lives on the third floor, Zhang Cong lives on the second floor, and the first floor is empty.

Zhang Liang was admitted to the Department of Finance and Economics of Hunan University in the autumn of 1988, majoring in accounting. After graduation, he was assigned to work as an accountant at the Wulingyuan District Post and Telecommunications Bureau in Dayong City.

Later, the postal and telecommunications reform split the company into three, and he was assigned to the district mobile company as the chief accountant. Now he has become the director of the finance department.

Not long after Zhang Cong moved in with his younger brother, his brother and sister-in-law were transferred to work in the city. His brother became the chief accountant at the city's mobile company, and his sister-in-law worked at the Postal Savings Bank.

Living at his younger brother's house means he only needs to pay for utilities, not rent, which saves him a lot of money. Plus, his younger sister, Xiaohui, lives across the hall from his family, so it's super convenient for Zhang Cong to come home from get off work and have a meal there.

As the saying goes, a home is where your mother is. And I'd add that a house only feels like a home when your beloved wife is there to keep you company.

When Zhang Cong's family fell apart, his career was also at a low point. The work he was in charge of, given his efficiency, could be handled in just a few days.

He had absolutely no motivation to work creatively. As a result, he spent a lot of time doing nothing.

People are most afraid of having nothing to do when they are idle, and they are also afraid of going home and having no one to talk to.

Zhang Cong often felt empty inside.

Zhang Cong often suffers from insomnia at night. Staring at the ceiling and listening to the occasional sounds of cars driving at night outside the window, he feels an indescribable loneliness and solitude.

Looking at the cold walls and empty room, he felt very depressed. He tried to pull a book from the bookshelf to read, but found that the words danced before his eyes, yet they couldn't penetrate his heart.

Sometimes, he would go out onto the balcony, gaze at the city lights in the distance, and be lost in thought.

The city nights are always so lively, with flashing neon lights and bustling traffic, but he is like a forgotten ghost in a corner, unable to find his own home.

Especially during holidays, seeing those happy, harmonious families chatting and laughing together makes him feel particularly bad when he is all alone.

During the day, he was busy at work, trying to fill the emptiness in his heart with work. But when he returned home, he was filled with sorrow.

He tried to avoid too much contact with his younger brother and sister-in-law, fearing that his loneliness would spoil their atmosphere.

More often than not, he chooses to stay alone in his room, quietly lost in thought.

The unbearable loneliness made Zhang Cong begin to reflect on his life. He recalled his dreams from his youth and his beautiful aspirations for the future. But reality was cruel; setbacks in his career and the breakdown of his family caused him to lose his motivation to move forward.

He began to doubt his own worth and whether he could get back on his feet.

To alleviate his loneliness, Zhang Cong began to venture out and make new friends. He attended several social events and met some like-minded people. They chatted, discussed life, and shared their stories. These new friends gave Zhang Cong great comfort and encouragement, allowing him to experience a long-lost warmth and care.

However, when the night was still and quiet, loneliness would still wash over him like a tide. He began to realize that true loneliness was not about having no one by his side, but about the emptiness and solitude in his heart.

He began to try to find inner peace and strength, and to rediscover his love and confidence in life.

Zhang Cong began to focus on his inner world, reading extensively and exploring various fields. Reading became his best companion.

He tried writing, recording his insights and thoughts. Words became the best way for him to express his inner feelings. Whenever he turned his emotions into lines of text, he felt an unprecedented sense of release and satisfaction.

……

As time went by, Zhang Cong gradually emerged from the shadow of loneliness. He was no longer depressed all day long, but began to face life positively.

He rediscovered his passion for work and began to work hard to improve his skills in order to achieve better career development.

He also began to pay attention to his physical health, going for a run in the park every morning. While running, he could feel his heartbeat and breathing, and experience the vitality and power of life. He found himself becoming more confident and empowered to face life's challenges and difficulties.

One evening, while Zhang Cong was taking a walk in the park, he met an elderly man who also enjoyed strolling. The old man looked energetic and had a ruddy complexion, and he and Zhang Cong got along very well. They talked about life, family, career, and other topics, and the old man offered Zhang Cong many valuable suggestions based on his rich life experience.

The old man told Zhang Cong that life is like a journey. Sometimes you will encounter storms and sometimes you will lose your way, but as long as you have faith and pursuit in your heart, you will definitely be able to find your own path.

He also told Zhang Cong that loneliness is not terrible; what is terrible is losing love and confidence in life. Only by bravely facing loneliness can one truly overcome it and find one's own happiness and joy.

Zhang Cong was deeply inspired by the old man's words. He realized that he had been running away from loneliness without ever truly facing it. He decided to bravely confront his inner self and seek his own happiness and joy.

From then on, he was no longer afraid of loneliness, but learned to enjoy it. He learned to contemplate life in solitude, to find inspiration in solitude, and to improve his abilities and wisdom in solitude.

He also began trying to make new female friends, hoping to find a partner to spend the rest of his life with. He was no longer in a hurry, but learned to wait and search patiently.

He has reason to believe that as long as he puts his heart into managing his life and emotions, he will definitely be able to find his own happiness and love.

With the support of family and friends, Zhang Cong also participated in some blind date events. Although he felt awkward and uncomfortable at first, he gradually learned how to communicate and interact with women. At one such event, he met a gentle, kind, and understanding woman.

They hit it off immediately, feeling like they had known each other for ages.