Colorful years

The wife gently served the steaming, fragrant dishes to the table; each dish was a delicious creation she had carefully prepared.

The children, like a flock of happy little birds, sat around the table, their clear, bell-like laughter seemingly able to penetrate the roof, filling the entire little house with an atmosphere of joy and warmth.

Zhang Zhong slowly sat down at the table, looking at the simple yet lovingly prepared meal before him, and an indescribable sense of happiness welled up inside him. Every bite of food seemed to carry the warm taste of home.

He knew that this peaceful and tranquil life was not easily obtained, but was the precious result of his countless days and nights of hard work and tireless effort.

Day after day, year after year, Zhang Zhong has been working silently in the ordinary yet arduous job of a porter.

The heavy loads bent his once straight back, but he never complained; the rough ropes wore down his delicate palms, gradually growing a thick layer of calluses, but he still gritted his teeth and persevered.

Time flies like an arrow, mercilessly etching deep and shallow wrinkles on his face, yet his bright eyes always shine with a firm and hopeful light.

With his own hardworking hands, Zhang Zhong, like a towering giant, has created a vast and boundless sky for his beloved family.

No matter how fierce the storms outside, as long as he returns home, Zhang Zhong can feel the peace and warmth that belongs only to him.

Throughout his long career, Zhang Zhong has also made many like-minded friends. Although they come from different villages and have very different backgrounds, they share a tenacious spirit and a positive and optimistic attitude towards life.

Whenever a break is needed during transport, everyone naturally gathers together to share their exciting, touching, or other life experiences and interesting stories without reservation.

Sometimes, they would sing and play cards together, making their monotonous moving life more colorful.

However, for porters, their lives are far from always peaceful.

Sometimes, it seems as if God deliberately sets up numerous obstacles for these hardworking people. The weather will suddenly change without warning, and the gale will howl like a ferocious beast, stirring up waves.

The torrential rain poured down like a burst dam, instantly submerging the world in a vast ocean; while the streaks of lightning that ripped across the sky and the deafening thunder were like the roars of demons, sending chills down one's spine.

Such severe weather conditions undoubtedly made the already rugged and arduous transportation route even more perilous and dangerous.

However, faced with all these difficulties and obstacles, Zhang Zhong never once considered backing down. No matter how treacherous the environment, he always steadfastly walked at the forefront of the team, like a towering lighthouse, silently inspiring and influencing everyone around him with his fearless actions.

Under Zhang Zhong's leadership and his pioneering spirit, the workers united closely and worked together to overcome one seemingly insurmountable difficulty after another, ultimately successfully completing all the arduous tasks.

I remember one time, just as Zhang Zhong was concentrating on carrying a heavy object, he suddenly slipped and lost his balance, falling heavily to the ground.

That was quite a fall! His knee made intimate contact with the hard ground, instantly tearing his skin and drawing blood. The wound was so deep that bone was visible, indicating an extremely serious injury.

Even while suffering excruciating pain, Zhang Zhong gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand, continuing forward with a limp. He had only one thought in his mind—he had to deliver the goods safely to their destination as quickly as possible!

And so, with his tenacious willpower and amazing endurance, Zhang Zhong dragged his injured leg step by step to the finish line.

He breathed a sigh of relief after all the goods were loaded and unloaded, and then rushed to the hospital for treatment.

After carefully examining his injuries, the doctor frowned and seriously advised, "Your injuries are quite serious. You need to rest in bed for a while, otherwise it could easily leave lasting health problems."

However, upon hearing this, Zhang Zhong shook his head without hesitation and refused. He said with a resolute expression:

"Doctor, thank you for your concern. But my family is counting on me to earn money to support them. If I rest now, their livelihood will be in trouble! So, this little injury is nothing, I can handle it."

After saying this, Zhang Zhong ignored the doctor's repeated advice and resolutely left the hospital. With his still-healing injuries, he returned to work and once again silently shouldered the heavy responsibility and hopes of his entire family with his broad and sturdy shoulders...

Zhang Zhong never complained, neither blaming fate nor the Party and government for their injustice. He felt his life was fulfilling and meaningful.

He used his own hands to create a warm and happy home for his family.

As Zhang Zhong grew older, his health gradually declined. He began to feel powerless and sometimes even experienced dizziness.

But the children were either in school or too young to be cared for, so he had no way out.

He persisted in carrying goods every day until one day he simply could no longer continue.

That day, Zhang Zhong went to the forest farm to move goods as usual. But he hadn't gone far when he felt a severe wave of dizziness.

He quickly stopped and grabbed onto a tree by the roadside to try to steady himself.

But just then, he slipped and fell to the ground. Goods scattered all over the ground, and he lost consciousness.