This article is a fictional novel, the pictures are all network pictures, and the names of people and places are all apocryphal.
1
I, surnamed Liu, live in an ordinary farm family in Hengshui, Hebei Province, 23 years old this year, who has just worked in a large factory in Tianjin for three years, doing the job of a workshop director.
Ever since I was a child, my mother told me the story of her and a best friend, and at that time, I always felt that it was just the friendship of the older generation, which was quite far away from me.
This best friend, named Sister Zhang, was an educated youth during the Cultural Revolution, and later became a technician in our factory.
However, until I became the workshop director, Sister Zhang and I, although close at hand, never had the opportunity to really communicate.
The story begins in 1980, when I was still at home and had not yet found a job.
Sister Zhang took her husband back to her hometown in Hebei to visit relatives, and came to our house by the way.
My parents were very enthusiastic about them, and they took out everything they could get their hands on at home.
My mother and Sister Zhang have been good friends for many years, and their friendship dates back to the years when they went to college together in Beijing, as well as the ups and downs they went through later.
My mother returned to the countryside after the Cultural Revolution and eventually became a teacher in a county primary school.
Sister Zhang, who was sent to the countryside during the Cultural Revolution, was later assigned to work in a factory in Tianjin.
Three years of factory life allowed me to learn a lot of skills and hone my character.
On the day I became the workshop director, my mother specially mentioned Sister Zhang when she talked to me on the phone, saying that she was retired at home and asked me to find time to see her.
I always remember my mother's advice, but when I was busy with work, it was delayed.
Until one day, the factory held a retirement staff party, and I learned by chance that Sister Zhang was also invited.
I thought it might be a good opportunity to meet.
So, after finishing work that day, I went to buy some fruits and supplements, and prepared to visit Sister Zhang.
When I arrived at Sister Zhang's house, as soon as the door opened, I saw a kind old man, his face was full of traces of time, but the brilliance in his eyes was still there.
I introduced myself, and Sister Zhang didn't react for a while, but after mentioning my mother's name, she had a surprised smile on her face and hurriedly let me into the house.
In the living room, there are photos of her and my mother in Beijing, as well as photos during the Cultural Revolution.
Sister Zhang began to tell me about her and my mother, from her university days in Beijing to the hard years of being sent to the countryside, and then to her days in the factory, every past seems to be reproduced yesterday.
In the factory, she works diligently and skillfully, and is the best in the workshop.
But she told me that no matter how the outside world changed, her friendship with my mother remained the same, and that the affection of a sister made her life full of warmth.
Listening to her story, I suddenly understood why my mother insisted so much on letting me come to see Sister Zhang.
It's not just a simple visit, it's a legacy, a spirit of perseverance and cherishment.
Sister Zhang used her life to tell me that no matter how times change, true friendship and faith are eternal.
On that day, I sat late at Sister Zhang's house, listening to her story as if it had been decades.
When she left, she gave me a diary she had written when she was young and asked me to bring it to my mother.
I looked at the old diary and my heart was full of emotion - this is a testimony to the deep friendship between my mother and Sister Zhang.
When I left Sister Zhang's house, it was completely dark, but my heart was as bright as a slight.
One thing I learned is that no matter where I go, this friendship that has been tested by time will become the most precious treasure in my life.
2
I remember that in the spring of 1981, the wind was still a little chilly.
At that time, I had just become a worker in the general quality inspection department of a large factory in Tianjin.
With a dream, I set out from a farmer's house in Hengshui, Hebei Province, and came to this bustling city to prove my ability.
Just as I was adapting to my new environment and working hard, a letter from my mother came from my hometown.
In the letter, my mother mentioned that her best friend, Sister Zhang, also worked in the big factory, and told me that I could try to contact her if I had the opportunity.
According to my mother's suggestion, I wrote a letter to Sister Zhang, expressing my desire to meet and get acquainted.
But the moment I received the reply, I could barely believe my eyes.
Sister Zhang's reply was full of criticism and questioning of me and my mother.
She questioned our mother-daughter motives in scathing language, bluntly pointing out that she did not welcome such contact.
After reading the letter, my mood changed from initial anticipation to complete disappointment and grief, and I even began to question whether the deep friendship in my mother's mouth only existed in her memories.
In the face of this sudden blow, I did not sink.
In the factory, I woke up before dawn every day and worked late at night, trying to learn every skill.
My perseverance and hard work finally paid off, not only did I make great progress in technology, but I also became a workshop director from an ordinary worker.
In 1983, wearing the director's uniform, I returned to my hometown with a sense of accomplishment.
It was the first time I had been home since I ran away from home.
Looking at the relieved smiles of my family, I felt indescribable satisfaction in my heart.
But I also know that there is a task that I can't avoid - although I am extremely resistant in my heart, but considering my mother's face, I decided to go to see Sister Zhang, hoping to show her through my current situation that even a girl from an ordinary peasant family can find an extraordinary path through her own efforts.
Walking along the familiar country road, I came to Sister Zhang's house, and I knocked on her door.
When the door opened and the eyes met, both Sister Zhang and I were a little embarrassed.
I didn't directly mention the letter that made us strangers, but talked about my work and efforts.
Sister Zhang listened, her eyes gradually changed from indifference to surprise, and finally some kind of complex emotional interweaving.
That day, we talked a lot, from work to life to my growth in the factory.
I can feel that Sister Zhang's attitude towards me has changed significantly, and her eyes are no longer indifferent, but some kind of deep thinking and reflection.
Before leaving, Sister Zhang took my hand and said deeply, "You have done a good job", and at that moment, I felt that all my efforts had been recognized.
When I left Sister Zhang's house, I had mixed feelings.
I know that this face may not completely make up for the rift in the past, but I did show her the strength and extraordinaryness of an ordinary peasant girl.
I believe that this visit is not only an explanation of my mother's friendship, but also an important node on my personal growth path.
3
After that homecoming, I was back to work.
The days passed like this, and the things of Sister Zhang gradually faded out of my life.
Until one day, I received a phone call telling me that my mother's best friend, Sister Zhang, and her husband had passed away one after another.
I had mixed feelings, and the laziness that had been bred by a letter had suddenly become nowhere to put it.
It is said that Sister Zhang and her husband were isolated from the world during their lifetimes, and even their parents and sons were cut off from each other, becoming truly alone.
Their death also ended in indifference and loneliness, without even the company of a loved one.
The news sent me deep in thought.
In this world, the connection between people is so fragile that once eroded by indifference and selfishness, it is like severing all ties with the world.
I deeply reflected that although I had unhappiness with Sister Zhang, her ending was still embarrassing.
This also made me realize that the most important thing in life is not what position you have reached, but your humanity and character.
Deep in my heart, I have an indescribable sadness over the death of Sister Zhang and her husband.
Perhaps, their life is a tragedy of loneliness and miss.
I suddenly cherished the people around me even more, those who were willing to lend a hand to help me when I encountered setbacks and difficulties.
I decided to work harder, not only for my own future, but also to be able to lend my hand and be a useful person when others needed help.
Since then, I have been more focused on my work, and I have always been thinking and aware of human nature.
Although I am still a part of the big factory, my mindset has changed.
I began to cherish the connection with people more, whether it is the mutual help between colleagues or the warm exchange between friends, I will maintain it with my heart.
Time passed like this, and I grew from a girl who had just come to the factory and was full of doubts and uneasiness to a steady, mature and humane woman.
In my heart, the life story of my mother's best friend has become an important warning for me to continue to grow: let me understand the preciousness of character and humanity, and let me understand that in this rapidly changing world, the real ones worth cherishing are those who are still with you in times of difficulty.
This story is purely fictional, the names and events in the story are fictional, and the purpose of using place names is only for the purpose of describing the plot and making it easy to read and understand.