It was a warm afternoon, and sunlight streamed through the glass roof above the station, casting a gentle glow on his shoulders. The air was thick with the bittersweet scent of impending farewell. He stood on the platform, his gaze fixed on the slowly approaching train, his heart a whirlpool of emotions. His ticket, slightly damp in his hand, seemed to reflect his nervousness, or perhaps the unspoken emotions deep within him—unease, excitement, and a hint of fear.
His father had asked one last time, tentatively:"You know, there are many well-paying jobs around here, and life would be stable and comfortable. Are you sure you want to go to the big city?"
"Dad, you've asked me so many times," he replied."When an eagle grows up, it's gotta spread its wings and fly into the big, open sky. It can't just stay sitting by the doorstep."
There was an uncontrollable urge in him to escape everything familiar, to go somewhere completely new, to chase dreams and a future that words couldn't capture. As the train doors opened, he took a deep breath and couldn't help but glance back at his father, standing behind him.
His father's face bore the weight of years, lines carved by time and experience, and his eyes, shadowed under the sunlight, seemed to hold unfathomable depth. His lips pressed into a thin line, he regarded him in silence, the faintest hint of a smile flickering at the corner of his mouth. A kaleidoscope of emotions played across his face—helplessness tinged with tenderness, a quiet understanding, and a pride so subtle it was almost hidden.
His father sighed, finally smiling, still treating him like a child. He reached out to help carry the heavy suitcase. At that moment, Mo Wen felt a pang in his heart. Quickly, he stepped forward to take the suitcase, afraid his father would see the tears in his eyes. He lowered his head, biting his lip, and silently carried the heavy bag onto the train.
The train began to pull away from the platform, and Mo Wen couldn't resist leaning out of the window to look. His father's figure gradually faded into the crowd at the station, like a distant dream. He knew, at that moment, he could never turn back.
With the belief that "struggle changes destiny," he flew into the big city of his dreams. His goal was simple: find a good job, buy a comfortable home, marry a beautiful girl, and live a happy life. It sounds like the start of an romance drama, doesn't it? But what was the reality?
Upon entering the workforce, Mo Wen discovered that his boss, surely took him as a young eagle, but a "god eagle"—a worker who needed to survive on nothing but work 24/7. As for his colleagues? They treated him like an unnecessary feather, except when they need someone to taking the fall. His wages couldn't even afford a nest, and even the price of "bones" was soaring.
Mo Wen's inner monologue:"In these times, to fly higher than the trees, you either need to be promoted by your boss or have some powerful'background.' Otherwise, you're just left searching for bugs under the tree. Worse yet, he can't even move as fast as the chickens; he's caught in the rat race!"
But he wasn't about to give up. He was determined to prove himself! So, he applied to a major company, thinking,"This is my chance to turn things around!" But the company required him to intern for free. After a month, only one intern would be hired full-time, and everyone else would be let go. Mo Wen thought,"Am I the kind of person who gives up easily?" Without hesitation, he asked to work for another turn for free! The manager patted his shoulder and sighed,"There aren't many young people like you, so determined. You can stay!"
Thus began Mo Wen's illustrious career as a free laborer—delivering packages, sweeping floors, working overtime, putting in 15-hour days with a constant smile. His "inspirational story" became a legend in the company, and the manager praised him to anyone who would listen:"This kid is the spirit of our company!"
Mo Wen, living up to the hype, eventually became a full-time employee. However, after three years, the pandemic hit, and the company laid him off without mercy. His friend, Lincoln, who had entered the city with him, was lucky enough to remain, as they worked in different departments.
When Mo Wen lost his job, he didn't sit around feeling sorry for himself. He heard delivery work could pay the bills, so he got an electric bike and started delivering nonstop, rain or shine. Who said delivering packages was a lowly job? To him, making an honest living was what mattered. Even when he delivered to his old company, he wasn't embarrassed.
When someone asked,"Aren't you ashamed to see your old colleagues?" he laughed and replied,"Ashamed? Can you eat shame?"
He always imagined himself as the protagonist in an American western, a lone cowboy facing challenges head-on. But even cowboys can falter.
On a hot afternoon, Mo Wen was riding his electric bike through a crowded alley when he suddenly caught the scent of fresh watermelon. He stopped at a small stall and swallowed. The stall had a few small watermelons, with a sign reading,"30 dollars." In the corner, a few slices of watermelon were laid out, just like those free samples in supermarkets.
Mo Wen, thirsty, picked up a slice and quickly devoured it. He was about to grab another but, remembering the vendor's small business, he didn't want to overstep, so he turned to leave.
The burly vendor, sitting back in a chair with a toothpick, glanced at him lazily and said,"Hey, you! Finished? Pay up, 30 dollars."
Mo Wen was stunned."What? Isn't it a free sample? No way it costs 30 dollars for just one slice."
The vendor clicked his tongue and pointed to the fine print on the sign beneath: for one slice.
"Maybe you need glasses."
Mo Wen eyed the street vendor carefully, thinking to himself,"So this is what the infamous underworld looks like, huh? Quite the sight!" But he had to play it cool.
"Hey buddy, your handwriting is so tiny. You'd be the legendary grandparent assassin!"
The vendor snickered,"You got it! But sometimes I target young folks with poor eyesight! Thirty bucks, what do you say? Wanna fight?" The vendor twirled a watermelon knife in his hand, and a few idle men surrounded Mo Wen.
Mo Wen sighed and pulled out his crumpled cash, still short of thirty bucks.
The vendor grabbed the largest bill, a ten, with a frustrated look."I'm only doing this because I'm broke. Wanna join me?"
Mo Wen was at a loss for words."I have a legit job. I pay taxes."
"Damn, they're robbing people harder than we do!" the vendor muttered.
Mo Wen continued his work on the electric bike. On the way down, he saw an elderly man struggling to carry a gas cylinder up the stairs. Mo Wen stopped and helped him carry the cylinder to his door. The old man didn't even offer him a glass of water, just shut the door with an awkward smile and a wave.
As he descended the stairs, he heard someone shout,"Who stole my gas cylinder?"
After working for an hour, drenched in sweat, Mo Wen had to park his bike under a tree to rest. He took a sip of water and quietly watched the elderly men playing chess under a gazebo. The pace of life in District 19 was fast; people rushed everywhere, even when walking. Car horns blared continuously on the streets.
"Big city people are so different," he muttered."Everyone's in such a hurry. They're in a rush to get to kindergarten, to school, to find a job, to get married, to have kids, to rush their kids to get married, to have grandchildren. You'd think after retirement, they'd be in a rush to get to the cemetery. But no, they turned doing nothing. What's all this for?"
He thought of the lush trees along the riverbanks back home, where he could sit lazily all day, waiting for a tug on his fishing line to remind him why he was there.
"Life has tormented me a thousand times, but I still treat it like my first love!" he thought, determined to carry on. But slowly, without realizing it, the thought of leaving the big city grew like wild grass in the fields, and he became unsure of his true feelings.