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Zhang Zhiyuan and Hu Tingxiu
In 1972, 18-year-old Zhang Zhiyuan responded to the call of the country and came from Chongqing to a small mountain village in Nanjiang County, Sichuan.
Two years later, when other educated youths returned to the city one after another, Zhang Zhiyuan's parents could not wait for the news of their son's return.
What they never expected was that their son not only decided to stay in the countryside, but also married a widow who was 11 years older than them and had 4 children!
And all this is to repay the kindness of the widow's husband.
What kind of kindness is it that deserves him to give up the opportunity to return to the city and take root in the depths of the mountains?
The statements in this article are based on reliable sources of information and are detailed at the end of the article.
The tempering and growth of educated youth
In 1972, 18-year-old Zhang Zhiyuan responded to the call of the country and came to Nanjiang County, Sichuan Province with a fiery heart to settle down.
As the only educated youth in the production team, Zhang Zhiyuan was warmly received by the villagers.
However, the poverty of Nanjiang County is beyond his imagination.
Dirt roads, dilapidated houses, all this left the city boy at a loss.
The hardships of farm work soon made Zhang Zhiyuan taste the bitterness.
He had never been in the field, and he was always in a hurry when he worked, and he often got injured.
Looking at the blisters on his hands, Zhang Zhiyuan's heart was full of grievances and helplessness.
Just when Zhang Zhiyuan was at a loss, the help of She Linhai's family made him feel warm.
She Linhai is 32 years old, 12 years older than Zhang Zhiyuan.
He is kind-hearted and warm-hearted, and takes care of Zhang Zhiyuan as his own brother.
She Linhai's family conditions are not good, and he has to support his wife and four children.
But he always invited Zhang Zhiyuan to his house for dinner.
"Zhiyuan, eat more, treat me as a brother here." She Linhai patted Zhang Zhiyuan on the shoulder.
Under the careful guidance of She Linhai, Zhang Zhiyuan gradually mastered the skills of farm work and adapted to rural life.
However, there were unforeseen circumstances, and She Linhai suddenly fell ill.
At first, She Linhai didn't care about his condition, and coughing up blood was also regarded as a small cold.
It wasn't until he was diagnosed with terminal cancer that Zhang Zhiyuan realized the seriousness of the matter.
When Zhang Zhiyuan rushed to the hospital, he saw She Linhai lying weakly on the hospital bed, and his heart was full of uneasiness.
When he was dying, he held Zhang Zhiyuan's hand tightly and said in a weak voice:
"Zhiyuan, after I leave, can you please help me take care of your sister-in-law and children?"
Zhang Zhiyuan burst into tears, and he made up his mind to protect She Linhai's family no matter what.
"Brother, don't worry, I will take care of them with my life." Zhang Zhiyuan choked up and said.
After She Linhai left, 31-year-old Hu Tingxiu became a widow and raised four young children alone.
Zhang Zhiyuan did what he said and tried every means to help Hu Tingxiu's family.
Repair houses, plant crops, chop firewood, and do nothing.
But Zhang Zhiyuan frequently went in and out of Hu Tingxiu's house, but it caused gossip among the villagers...
Persistence under gossip
"That educated youth Zhang Zhiyuan always runs to Hu Tingxiu's house, and he is not ashamed!" One of the villagers whispered.
"That's right, Hu Tingxiu is a widow, he's a young man, what are you going to do there?" The villager next to him echoed.
"I see, there may be some illicit relationship between the two of them!"
Zhang Zhiyuan is only 20 years old this year and is a vigorous young man.
And Hu Tingxiu is 31 years old and has 4 children.
The correspondence between Zhang Zhiyuan and Hu Tingxiu, in the eyes of the villagers, is simply a nondescript relationship.
They couldn't understand how a promising young man could get together with a widow with a bunch of children.
However, Zhang Zhiyuan did not care about these rumors.
As usual, he went to Hu Tingxiu's house to help with work when he had time.
Every day when he went to work, he always worked more than others, desperately earning work and food, completely disregarding his own body.
He sent all the food he saved to Hu Tingxiu's house to subsidize the family for the widow and her children.
He knew that the villagers were gossiping about them behind their backs and suspected that they had an illicit relationship.
But Zhang Zhiyuan has a clear conscience, and he understands that he has never thought wrong about Hu Tingxiu.
However, the power of gossip is often more terrifying than one might think.
Sometimes, even when the children of Hu Tingxiu's family go out to play, they will be said nastyly by children of the same age.
Faced with the gossip of the villagers, 20-year-old Zhang Zhiyuan made a bold decision:
He said to Hu Tingxiu: "Sister-in-law, let's get married!" So that I can take care of you properly."
Hu Tingxiu was so frightened that he waved his hand again and again: "Xiao Zhang, why are you doing this?" We've already bothered you too much, you're still young, and I can't ruin your future. "
Zhang Zhiyuan said: "Sister-in-law, I have long regarded you as family. I don't care what others think, I will definitely fulfill my promise to Brother She! "
Under Zhang Zhiyuan's persistence, the two officially registered their marriage in 1974.
A 20-year-old young man married a 31-year-old widow, which was unbelievable in the countryside at that time!
When the news spread, the whole village was in an uproar.
Everyone said that Zhang Zhiyuan must have been confused by Hu Tingxiu's beauty, otherwise how could he make such an unwise decision?
After marriage, Zhang Zhiyuan worked even harder, and Hu Tingxiu also gave birth to a pair of children for Zhang Zhiyuan.
On Zhang Zhiyuan's shoulders, the burden is heavier.
But Zhang Zhiyuan did not flinch, he knew that this was his responsibility and his choice.
Under Zhang Zhiyuan's careful care, the family is gradually on the right track.
But at this moment, a choice question of life was placed in front of him...
Life choices, decisions that you don't regret
In 1978, a news came that changed the fate of countless educated youths: they could go back to the city!
Zhang Zhiyuan is also facing a major life choice.
Returning to the city means escaping poverty and having the opportunity to pursue your dreams;
And to stay means to become a farmer and lose the opportunity to change your fate...
Zhang Zhiyuan fell into deep thought.
He remembered his promise to She Linhai and the smiling faces of his wife and children.
He understood that if he chose to return to the city, he would be leaving this home behind.
Hu Tingxiu saw Zhang Zhiyuan's hesitation.
She advised Zhang Zhiyuan to go back to the city and not let her and the children drag him down.
"You're still young and you should be pursuing your future. We can't delay you. Hu Tingxiu's eyes were full of determination.
After Zhang Zhiyuan heard this, he had mixed feelings in his heart.
Why didn't he want to go back to the city? But he knows better that his wife and children are the greatest comfort in his life.
After a fierce ideological struggle, Zhang Zhiyuan made a decision: give up the quota to return to the city and stay in Nanjiang County!
This decision was opposed by the family.
They don't understand why Zhang Zhiyuan gave up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
But Zhang Zhiyuan's mind has been decided, he wants to take root in this land, and he wants to fulfill his promise.
Since then, he has changed from a young man in Kochi to an ordinary farmer who is running around for survival and farming.
People in the village would always ask Zhang Zhiyuan: "Do you regret it?" Whenever this happens, Zhang Zhiyuan always shakes his head.
For him, if he left his wife and children behind and returned to the city, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life.
And now, he's content.
He learned to cherish everyone around him and cherish every warmth that life gave him!
epilogue
As the years passed, Zhang Zhiyuan never regretted his choice. He used his actions to explain what responsibility is and what is responsibility. In this land, he found the meaning of life and found his own value.
Bibliography:
Coconut City-2019 No.9-《Bashan's Love (continued)》