I worked as a contract worker at Yibin Power Plant, and I quickly completed the job for one year. Due to the needs of the work, the factory renewed our contract for another year.
It was a Sunday in the spring of my second year as a contract worker. Two of my close colleagues and I went shopping in Yibin City . It's nothing more than walking around in the mall, buying some daily necessities, and then going into a restaurant together to improve our lives. Soon it was afternoon. The three of us saw that it was getting late, so we went to Hejiangmen to take the ferry to Baishawan. Baishawan is only a mile or two away from the power plant. We soon returned to the power plant's residence. As soon as I entered the dormitory, a coworker who hadn't gone out to play handed me a small note and said to me with deep meaning: "A beautiful woman came to see you. Didn't you notice that she left you this note?" Please give it to me. "Who will come to me?" I opened the note and looked at it, and there was only one sentence: "I am working with a friend in my hometown of Tianyuan Chemical Factory. Come find me when you come back!" The signature was Xiao Rong. I was so surprised. After we met and broke up at the political power station in our county, Xiaorong and I had no contact anymore. Xiaorong actually came to Yibin Power Plant to find me. It was inevitable that I was a little excited. I quickly put down the things in my hands and rushed to Tianyuan Chemical Factory from the path along the river below our residence.
Tianyuan Chemical Plant is about two miles away from the power plant. I walked to Tianyuan Chemical Plant in a while. I told the guard at the factory gate that I was looking for someone who works at Junlian . The guard pointed me in the direction, and I quickly found where the fellow villagers lived. Xiaorong was indeed here. It turns out that the chemical plant also hired a group of temporary workers in our county, and Xiaorong’s best friend was among them. Xiao Rong went to the chemical plant to visit her best friend, and she also came to see me.
Xiaorong told her close friend that she would come back to stay at ten o'clock in the evening, so she and I walked slowly along the path along the Yangtze River towards the power plant. Xiaorong and I had a good impression of each other when we were dating at the political power station in our county. We just didn't say that the man was married and the woman was married. Because my father stopped us, we didn't continue dating. (It is described in my other work "The "Love" of the Year Became a Beautiful Fairy Tale".) It seems that Xiaorong has not let go of the emotions of the year. I also met my parents in my hometown under the orders of the matchmaker. A girl got married and had a daughter. When I saw Xiao Rong again, I had mixed feelings. I didn't know how to tell Xiao Rong about the changes in the past two or three years.
Xiaorong and I walked slowly along the path along the Yangtze River and came to a huge riverside stone halfway between the chemical plant and the power plant. I suggested that we sit on the boulder. Xiaorong agreed, and we climbed up. The boulder found a flat place and sat down.
Since it was already evening, there were no ships passing by on the river. The lights of factories on both sides of the Yangtze River were reflected in the quietly flowing river, and the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful. I don't know what to say? It was Xiaorong who spoke first. She said that this time her best friend went to work as a temporary worker in a chemical factory. It was secondary to see her best friend. The main reason was to see me. After two or three years of separation, to see what I have become. I answered Xiao Rong: "When a person gets tanned, he also becomes ugly." Xiao Rong said: "My body has become stronger than before. Not only is I not ugly, but I have more temperament." I also looked at Xiao Rong carefully. Rong, she is no longer the young girl with yellow hair two or three years ago. She looks more mature and beautiful. Only two things have not changed. One is that the naturally curly bangs on her forehead are still the same as before. The second is a smile, the two small dimples on the face are still dancing mischievously. I told Xiaorong with guilt that after returning home from the political power station, I got married under the arrangement of my parents and gave birth to a daughter. Xiao Rong said that she has known this for a long time, but she has not let go of the love in her heart. This time she came to Yibin to see me to put an end to the longing in her heart. After listening to Xiao Rong's words, I felt very sad. In life, not only do you have your own wishes, but you also have to be subject to many restrictions from society and family. The biggest restriction back then was that Xiaorong’s family was from the city, while mine was from the countryside. My parents believed that it was unrealistic to fall in love with a girl from the city, so they firmly opposed my relationship with Xiaorong.It’s also my fault that I don’t have any opinions and follow my parents’ arrangements too much. It’s just fate but not fate!
The sky slowly became dark, and the river breeze blew slowly, feeling a little bit cool. Xiaorong leaned closer to me. I felt that Xiao Rong was a little cold, so I also squeezed towards Xiao Rong, using my body to block the wind from the river. I said to Xiao Rong: "You are already in your twenties, you should try to get a boyfriend as soon as possible!" Xiao Rong said: "I haven't met the right person, but if I meet someone similar to you, I will do it." "Hearing what Xiao Rong said, I was speechless. Looking at the river flowing quietly under my feet, I couldn't speak for a long time. I remember someone once said, if you can't give others a peaceful harbor, let the ship find another docking place! So I said to Xiao Rong: "There are many better men than me. You will definitely be able to find someone better than me." Xiao Rong answered me: "I understand all this, but I always think of you." I said : "People should look forward. Beyond this mountain, more beautiful scenery is ahead." Before I knew it, it was already past nine o'clock in the evening. For the sake of safety, I suggested sending Xiaorong back to her close friend's place. I held Xiaorong's hand and slowly walked down the riverside rocks to the path along the river. Xiaorong looked up at me and said, "Hug me!" I hugged Xiaorong tightly in my arms. I felt Xiaorong's body shaking slightly, and I also felt a little bit of pain in my heart. I saw sparkling tears in Xiao Rong's eyes. I really wanted to kiss her, but my reason made me hold back. I was worried that if I did so, I would sink. I let go of Xiao Rong and said to her: "Let me take you back. For safety's sake, let's go back on the highway." I am very familiar with the roads in this area. Xiao Rong and I soon came to the highway. I took out the only clothes I had on me. Some gave dozens of yuan to Xiaorong and said to her: "It's not much money, just use it for traveling home!" Xiaorong refused, but she accepted it at my insistence. Soon we arrived at the chemical plant. I watched Xiaorong go in. I didn't go back to my residence in the power plant until she was no longer visible.
Years have passed, and everything that happened back then is still vivid in my mind. I wanted to seal this experience in my memory, but it always lingers. Although I have regrets, I don’t regret what I did at that time, because I feel that I adhered to the bottom line of being a human being and just keep it as a good past event. In memory!
