In that photograph from 13 years ago, a father was shirtless, holding his young son's hand while carrying a heavy load on his shoulders. This image once attracted huge attention on the Internet, revealing the bitterness and helplessness of countless low-level workers like Ran Guanghui. Time flies, 13 years later, how has the worker and his family changed?
Ran Guanghui, an ordinary and extraordinary name, is one of the countless "Bangbang Army" in Chongqing, and the epitome of countless hard workers. 13 years ago, on Father's Day, a photographer inadvertently took that shocking photo, which made Ran Guanghui's life trajectory pay attention to many netizens. The father in the picture, who is carrying more than 100 catties of goods on his shoulders and holding his son at the same time, shows the majesty of father's love and the difficulty of life.
Chongqing, a mountain city known for its unique topography, is a patchwork of buildings perched on top of a rolling hill, and the "Bangbang Army" is the city's unique occupational group. With a stick and strong shoulders, they carried heavy loads from one end of the city to the other. Ran Guanghui is one of them, and his daily routine is to be in the company of weight and steps, going up and down thousands of steps every day, carrying goods far beyond his own weight.
Since 2009, Ran Guanghui has left the mountain village with his family and come to the bustling urban area of Chongqing. Faced with the high cost of living, he chose to become a "bangbang", not only to survive, but also to be able to give his family a stable life in this big city. He and his family are crammed into a rental house of only 20 square meters, and the rent of several hundred yuan a month is almost overwhelming. But no matter how difficult life is, Ran Guanghui's eyes always shine with an unyielding light.
Day after day, year after year, Ran Guanghui has always insisted on shuttling between the streets and alleys of Chongqing, whether it is the scorching sun or the wind and rain. His work is very hard and the goods to be transported every day are very heavy, but he never complains. Even during the Spring Festival, he could only rest for half a month, and the rest of the time was running for life. He said that as long as it can make life better for his family, it will be worth it.
After persisting for many years, in 2016, Ran Guanghui finally used his own hands and unremitting efforts to buy a 60-square-meter second-hand house in Chongqing for his family. Although his life has improved, his body has been severely overdrawn after years of labor. In a recent interview, we can see that the wrinkles on Ran Guanghui's forehead have been deeply engraved with the traces of time, and the deformation of his hands and feet also tells about the hardships of his past years. Whenever he mentioned his work and life, he always smiled and said: "It's nothing, as long as the family is happy, no matter how hard it is, it's worth it." ”
His son, from the child holding the hand in the photo, has grown into a tall teenager. Under the influence of his father, he learned to be resilient and hardworking, and is currently studying hard at a good university, hoping to change the fate of his family in the future. Ran Guanghui often said: "I may not have much success in this life, but I hope that my son can have more opportunities to choose, and not have to carry goods on his back every day like me." ”
Although Ran Guanghui's life is still full of hardships, he has never given up hope for life and a sense of responsibility for his family. His story is very similar to the city of Chongqing - it seems to be so prosperous and busy on the surface, but behind it is the sweat and tears of countless people. They are the promoters of the city, but they are rarely remembered.
Now, with the development of cities and the progress of society, the former "Bangbang Army" is gradually decreasing, and more young people are choosing other career paths. But the story of Ran Guanghui and his companions reminds us not to forget those who have worked hard behind the city's development. They use their sweat and hard work to contribute to the prosperity of the city, but they are often overshadowed by the city's glamour.
Looking back on Ran Guanghui's life over the years, it is not difficult for us to find that no matter how the times change, the sense of responsibility and indomitable spirit of carrying everything for the family have never changed. His story is a true portrayal of the lives of ordinary people in the context of rapid modern development, and it is also a profound reflection on the living conditions of the people at the bottom of society. In this seemingly cold society, Ran Guanghui warmed our hearts with his sweat and persistence. He is not only a hero in the eyes of his son, but also a hero in the hearts of each and every one of us. I hope that no matter how the world changes in the future, we will never forget our original intention and those who have silently contributed to us in life.