My mother would often disappear for periods of time, and during those times the landlord would come to me for rent, while her relatives still needed to be fed every day. One day, I had only two yuan left in my pocket. Looking at everything around me, I nearly cried because I had no idea how I would survive after spending that money.
When my mother was absent, I had to earn money on my own to support both the household and myself. Through a classmate’s connection, I managed to get a gift business deal. I still remember going to factories with my classmate to negotiate, but the other side quickly saw through our pricing bottom line, and the contract was not ideal. Still, earning some money at that time already felt satisfying.
On another occasion, my mother somehow transported one hundred boxes of beverages from Northeast China to Shenzhen, while she herself was nowhere to be found. I hurriedly found a warehouse to store them, but soon began worrying about the storage costs.
Facing this large pile of unfamiliar beverages, my classmate and I rode our bicycles from shop to shop trying to sell them.
Asking for help requires great courage, as one must constantly face rejection or indifference. Looking back now, I was fortunate to be young and newly out of school, which made it easier to endure such pressure. If it were now, I am not sure I could still do the same.
One day, during scorching heat followed by sudden rain, our bicycles fell over and boxes of drinks scattered onto the ground. In that moment, I felt complete despair, believing I could accomplish nothing. I knew my companion felt the same way.
Fortunately, that weakness lasted only briefly. We quickly picked up the bicycles and continued going from shop to shop. Eventually, a kind customer was moved by us and bought the drinks, allowing us to earn enough money to cover the living expenses of many people for a month.
