The Spring Festival of 2008 is approaching, just as the citizens of the south are immersed in the peaceful atmosphere of welcoming the New Year, a cold snap that has not been seen in a hundred years suddenly strikes like a beast.
Violent snowstorms, bitter cold and continuous freezing rain have relentlessly ravaged this otherwise warm place, breaking high-voltage power lines, paralyzing power supplies, and bringing the southern section of the Beijing-Guangzhou Line, a vital transportation artery in southern China, to a complete standstill.
The ominous cold snap seemed to herald a catastrophe that was unaware of the 400,000 migrant workers who were rushing to return home before the Chinese New Year.
Their only wish in their hearts is to be able to take the train and return to their hometown as soon as possible to spend the festival with their loved ones.
For these migrant workers who have worked hard for a year, sharing the moment of reunion with their families is their greatest expectation and motivation. 365 days a year, they are far away from their homeland and work hard outside, just to let their wives and children live a stable life.
Whenever they think of their loved ones waiting for them, their hearts are filled with endless warmth.
However, when the rail transport was suddenly interrupted, their dreams of returning home were shattered. Still, they have a deep expectation of boarding the train, as the expensive airfares are prohibitive for many during this special time.
Therefore, Guangzhou Railway Station has gradually become the focus of people's attention. Wanderers from all over the world gather here like a tidal wave, eager to buy a ticket home.
However, the Guangzhou railway station was originally designed to have a capacity of only 40,000 people, and the crowded environment was like an overloaded temporary fortress.
Soon after, the station was packed with nearly 400,000 people. People's heads collided with each other, their feet pressed against each other, and even breathing became extremely difficult.
Even the most basic needs of subsistence are not met – food and drinking water have long been sold out in this cramped space, prices are ridiculously high, and even toilets have become a formidable challenge that people have to settle for in place.
As time passed, the situation inside the Guangzhou railway station became more and more serious. The air was foul, and the sounds of crying, invective, the sour smell of food, and the stench of excrement were mixed together, and the scene was thrown into chaos.
Trapped within this improvised "besieged city", people's emotions fluctuate dramatically. It is full of migrant workers who have worked hard for many years, who once thought that parting was only a welcome to a new life, but the harsh reality caught them off guard.
The nostalgia and anticipation of his hometown swept over like a frenzy, but he could not find a moment of peace in his dreams.
Some impatient people began to lash out at the staff for their incompetence, accusing them of depriving themselves of the right to go home for the New Year. There were even activists who tried to break through the crowd and rush towards the station platform, as if to shorten the distance to their hometowns.
In the face of people's anger and loss of control, the staff could only try their best to persuade everyone to leave the station first and spend this special festival in Guangzhou as much as possible.
However, these well-intentioned suggestions have sunk into the sea and no one has heeded them.
Most of the trapped people have been wandering outside for a whole year, and at this moment, their only wish in their hearts is to return to their warm homes as soon as possible and spend the festive season with their loved ones.
In addition, the crowd in the station is so crowded that even if someone wants to leave, it will not be possible.
In such an environment, people's emotions became more and more excited, and many people could not help but burst into tears, hating the injustice of fate, and shouting "I want to go home!"
In an instant, the Guangzhou Railway Station fell into unprecedented chaos.
In the face of such a grave situation in the Guangzhou railway station, the central government is well aware that this has evolved into a serious humanitarian crisis and must take immediate and decisive measures!
Soon after, a decision was quickly put on the agenda - 40,000 military and police officers were mobilized to rush to the scene and go all out to evacuate people and maintain order.
Although as soldiers, they were supposed to have fun with their families during the festive season, but in the face of crisis, a sense of justice and responsibility drove them to stand up resolutely.
They had no choice but to stand up and use their bodies to forge an impregnable line of defense, guarding the 400,000 trapped people behind them.
They stick to their posts, are on duty around the clock, and always maintain a calm and resolute attitude.
However, Guangzhou was in the midst of a harsh winter and a rainy day. The icy rain quickly seeped through the thin clothing of the military and police officers, making them shiver in the wind and rain.
What is even more worrying is that some soldiers are unable to meet the crowd due to the barrier of the torrential rain, and in desperation, they can only pick up the scraps that have been trampled by others on the ground, and barely eat.
However, despite such a predicament, they always maintained an optimistic and upward attitude, without complaint, and in the face of the people's anger, abuse, and even beatings, the military and police always stuck to their posts, never fought back, explained with great patience, actively guided, tried their best to calm people's anger, and made every effort to maintain the basic order on the scene.
Every comrade in the military and police knows very well that if this chaotic situation continues to spread, the consequences will be unimaginable. Therefore, they resolutely took on the responsibility of maintaining stability, preventing more serious stampedes at any cost.
It is precisely because of these brave and fearless iron troops that the trapped people can temporarily obtain safety and security, although the living environment is still severe, but at least there is a force to maintain basic order and avoid a greater disaster.
With the concerted efforts of the military, police, workers, and enthusiastic citizens, the situation was gradually brought under control. The emergency repair work has finally achieved phased results, and the station has regained its vitality.
Just when people were in despair, 20 diesel locomotives slowly drove into the Guangzhou Railway Station, lighting the flame of hope for the trapped people to go home, and the six-day torment seemed to have finally found a way out.
The moment the ironclad locomotive drove into the platform, the trapped people instantly burst into enthusiastic cheers, as if they saw the dawn at the end of the darkness.
The crowd flocked to the platform like a surging wave, and everyone was eager to take this "life-saving" train, escape from this purgatory on earth, and return to a warm homeland For them, 365 days a year, ordinary people only hope to be by their loved ones every day and night However, for the livelihood of a family of three, they have to fight hard in a foreign land.
Therefore, when the train finally arrived, even if the number was limited and only some people could be evacuated first, the trapped people were still full of joy in their hearts. A year's hard work can be drawn to a perfect end in this Spring Festival, and their wish has finally come true.
However, it is inevitable that some people will be dissatisfied because they are too emotional, and when they see someone boarding the train first, they will throw bottles, garbage and other items in their hands at the military police, and curse loudly.
In the face of the indignant masses, the loyal guards always adhered to their rational and calm professional ethics, and patiently guided and persuaded them. Although that period of disastrous history is long gone, this course full of vicissitudes and twists and turns will certainly be engraved in the hearts of the people of the whole country for a long time and transformed into a powerful driving force for the sustained progress and development of mainland society! It always reminds us that we must be well versed in the way of unity and cooperation, respect for nature, and work together to build a stable and harmonious social environment.
This is undoubtedly a precious memory that our generation cherishes together. Looking back on the past, those soldiers and police who bravely stood up to defend the dignity of the country, as well as the general public who spontaneously participated in the rescue operation, showed the most dazzling light of humanity with their selfless dedication.
The endless suffering of those trapped in the ruins, as well as their deep attachment to their hometown, have given us a deeper understanding and appreciation of family affection.
While remembering this period of history, we should be extremely proud of the prosperity and stability of the present. However, we also need to remain vigilant, step up investment in infrastructure construction, enhance emergency response capabilities, and cherish the hard-won peace and tranquility of the Spring Festival.
Only in this way can we truly turn this tragic historical lesson into a warning bell for the future era and inspire us to keep moving forward!