When I was younger, I always had brilliant dreams of becoming the kind of girl who was eye-catching, either talented or beautiful. But the gears of fate pushed me to an ordinary small town, allowing me to live a quiet life here.
I, Li Juan, a 27-year-old ordinary girl, have a mediocre family, but I have a heart that is unwilling to be ordinary. My parents, who are the most simple laborers in the city, have built a warm home for me with sweat and tenacity.
Once upon a time, I longed to change my destiny through knowledge, so I studied hard, hoping to one day be able to get out of this small city and see the bigger world. However, when I was in my second year of college, a sudden illness befell my mother, and I was forced to press the pause button on my studies and life.
In order to take care of my mother, I chose to drop out of school and shoulder the burden of the family. During that time, I felt the hardships and difficulties of life. As my mother's condition gradually improved, I began to live a 9-to-5 life, although it was boring, but every job carried my expectations and persistence in life.
On an ordinary weekend night, a KTV party became a turning point in my life. In the midst of the bright lights, I met him. His appearance, like a pebble cast on the surface of a calm lake, stirred up ripples deep in my heart.
We spun lightly on the dance floor, and at that moment, I felt joy and freedom that I had never felt before. However, as time went on, I discovered that his world didn't seem as simple as I thought it would. His eyes often showed uneasiness and confusion, but I was immersed in this sudden happiness and couldn't extricate myself.
Until one day, I stumbled upon an intimate scene of him with another woman. At that moment, I woke up from a dream and realized that I might just be a passerby in his life. Anger, disappointment, and sadness welled up in my heart, but life didn't stop because of my emotions.
When I was at my most vulnerable, the appearance of my aunt gave me the courage to stand up again. She healed the wounds in my heart with a warm embrace and simple words. With her encouragement, I learned to face reality and bravely step out of the haze.
Although this experience was painful, it made me cherish the people around me who really cared about me even more. I learned that the true meaning of life is not to pursue the glamorous on the surface, but to cherish every time with relatives and friends. Since then, I have started to face life with a more positive attitude and strive to pursue my dreams and happiness.