1. Sticking to old habits like Li Qi, the poison of tobacco and alcohol is difficult to give up
It was a short old man, dressed in a long shirt full of northern Shaanxi flavor, sitting quietly in front of the table, the cigarette in his hand lit a raging fire, slowly inhaled, in the smoke, the traces of time loomed on the face of the old man.
On the coffee table next to the table, there are a pile of neatly arranged empty wine bottles, which is a portrayal of Li Qi's daily life, which has entered the age of sixtieth year, despite the painstaking persuasion of his relatives, he still goes his own way, immersed in swallowing clouds and spitting fog and getting drunk.
However, a turning point in fate has finally come. The doctor ruthlessly pronounced his health condition: high blood pressure, high blood lipids, high blood sugar, and his body was weak, and he must immediately stop smoking and drinking, and prohibit the consumption of greasy food.
Faced with such a diagnosis, Li Qi didn't care at all, ignoring the advice of his relatives, and looking at his father's increasingly thin figure, the family's mood was extremely heavy.
Second, the teenager who pursues his dreams has been tempered in the countryside
Back in the 60s of the last century, Li Qi was not born in this yellow earth. His hometown is thousands of miles away in Shanxi, and he spent his childhood in an ordinary village in Shaanxi.
Although the family conditions are acceptable, Li Qi has been a mischievous child since he was a child, and in the eyes of the villagers, this naughty child seems destined to achieve nothing.
However, fate favored the teenager in particular. During the turbulent Cultural Revolution, a sudden deportation gave Li Qi his first taste of the hardships and hardships of life.
In the scorching summer, he toiled hard in the fields, and his hands were thick calluses; In the cold winter, he was alone carrying a heavy dung basket on a rugged mountain road, and the cold wind was biting, as if it was about to freeze his body.
Despite the difficulties of life, Li Qi never gave up on his dreams. Once, on his way home, he happened to catch a glimpse of the recruitment advertisement of the Shaanxi Art Theater, and his heart suddenly boiled. So, he didn't hesitate to sign up for the exam.
Amazingly, he stood out with excellent grades and became the only lucky person to be admitted to the theater.
Although the drama industry was at a low point at that time, the young Li Qi did not care about it. In the theater, he started from the lowest level of work, relying on manual labor to make ends meet, and in his spare time, he humbly asked his teacher for acting skills.
The emperor lived up to his wishes, and finally in 1991, he won the "Plum Blossom Award" for his outstanding performance in the drama "Bai Juyi in Chang'an".
3. The past of Beijing, plunged into the rolling red dust
In 1990, Li Qi, who was burning with the flame of dreams in his heart, took his family to Beijing, a city full of vitality and vitality. As a persistent drama actor, he thought that this fertile soil could nurture his talent and give him a stage to show his glory.
However, the reality ruthlessly punctured his beautiful illusions, making him deeply feel the ruthlessness and cruelty of life.
The family lived in a dark, damp, rat-den-like bomb shelter, with almost nothing left in the house, barely able to meet even the most basic necessities of life. In order to support his family, Li Qi had to run around looking for job opportunities, even the lowest level of manual labor, which he accepted without complaint.
Whenever he was lucky enough to get a role, he would be overjoyed and smile from ear to ear, and when the wages arrived, his wife would always tear up and divide the money in half, one half for daily necessities and the other half for debts.
The hard years in the early days of the North Drift undoubtedly brought heavy pressure to Li Qi. He was unwilling to let his family see his pain, so he could only choose to look for comfort outside. A pot of two pots and a pack of Hongtashan became his only companion in the cold night.
"Uncle Li, come, have a drink!" The fellow next to him smiled and handed him a small pot of two pots, and the smoky aroma of wine mixed with the cold and biting winter breath instantly filled Li Qi's nasal cavity.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, showed a smile he hadn't seen in a long time, and drank the spicy wine all the way down his esophagus to his internal organs, finally making him feel a trace of warmth, resisting countless cold nights.
In this way, in the long journey of life, tobacco and alcohol have become Li Qi's best companion to relieve loneliness and relieve stress. With the passage of time, his footprints have been left in the streets and alleys of Beijing, construction sites, and taverns, and even his voice has gradually been soaked in alcohol, becoming hoarse and deep.
However, the god of fate has not forgotten this resilient man. Although his life in Beijing was monotonous and difficult, apart from working to earn a living, Li Qi's only pleasure was to get together with his fellow villagers, talk about life and taste fine wine.
What was once an artistic dream seems to have been overwhelmed by the burdens of life.
However, Li Qi never gave up his adherence to his ideals. He firmly believes that as long as he puts in enough effort, fate will one day extend an olive branch to him. Sure enough, in the cold winter of 1995, an unexpected turning point finally opened a new chapter in his life.
In the bitter cold of winter, Li Qi toiled silently at a small construction site as usual, tenaciously navigating the relentless storms and snowstorms of northern China, relying on burning firewood for meager warmth in a simple shed.
However, a familiar and long-lost figure suddenly came into view - it was Guo Da, his hometown from northern Shaanxi! They haven't seen each other for years since they separated in the '80s.
"Brother Li, it's really you! Luckily, I've finally found you, and there are fewer and fewer of our fellow villagers in northern Shaanxi now. Guo Da said excitedly, while hugging Li Qi tightly.
His tone was full of joy and emotion.
The two began to talk enthusiastically, sharing each other's recent situation and life experiences.
It turned out that Guo Da, who went to the countryside back then, was more fortunate than Li Qi, and later opened a small troupe in the capital Beijing. However, due to the fierce competition in the market recently, the business situation of the troupe is not ideal, and an experienced veteran actor is urgently needed to support the scene.
Therefore, Guo Da remembered Li Qi, who has a wide range of acting skills and superb acting skills, and hopes to invite him to join the troupe and perform several newly arranged sketch shows together.
"Although I don't have a regular job at the moment, I ......" Li Qi wrinkled his face that had been through vicissitudes and fell into deep thought. He has always been proud to be a veteran artist, and is not keen on the art form of "small pastime" such as sketches.
However, when he thought about it carefully, he found that he could not even solve the basic needs of survival now, so how could he dare to expect anything else? Coupled with the sincere invitation of Guo Da, a friend of many years, it is really difficult for him to refuse this kindness.
Fifth, health is worrisome, life and death are at stake
The great success of the sketch show enabled Li Qi to completely get rid of the impoverished life situation in the past. Guo Da's small troupe is thriving, and rehearsals for new shows are in full swing. Li Qi also became famous overnight and left a deep impression in the minds of the audience.
However, just as his career was booming, Li Qi's physical condition was deteriorating day by day. Long-term excessive drinking and excessive eating have left his body like a leaning tower that is about to collapse, and it is in danger.
High blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, high blood sugar and other diseases have come to the door, making Li Qi's family worried.
"Father, please follow the doctor's advice and quit smoking and drinking, otherwise you will face a serious threat to your life!" Li Qi's daughter pleaded with tears many times, but the stubborn old man always turned a deaf ear and turned a blind eye to his children's advice.
Whenever someone mentions health problems, Li Qi always waves his hand and says, "My old bones, the only pleasure is to enjoy food and wine." You don't need to say much, let me be alone for a moment of peace.
As soon as he finished speaking, he tasted the wine alone, not taking the doctor's instructions to heart. Once, during the crew's intense rehearsal, Li Qi suddenly fainted and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
During the rescue process, the doctors were surprised to find that his physiological indicators were seriously beyond the normal range, his life was in danger, and he urgently needed emergency surgery.
The sound of surgery sirens rang out outside the hospital's operating room, and everyone's mood was filled with endless worries. After a long wait, Li Qi was finally slowly pushed out of the operating room, and the ventilator tubing connected to his body made him look like an old man who was about to die.
The nurse told the family that Li Qi's physical condition was far worse than before, and if he could not completely change his bad habits, he might not be able to support him for too long.
Li Qi, who was lying on the hospital bed, slowly opened his eyes, and was greeted by the concerned faces of his wife and children. Tears rolled in his eyes and eventually slipped down his wrinkled cheeks.
He knew that the rest of his life after this catastrophe was a fluke, but if he didn't value his life again, he didn't know if he would be so lucky next time.
Sixth, regain a new life and start a new voyage in life
The life-and-death of the operation was like a hammer that woke up Li Qi's indifference to life. As he lay on the hospital bed, looking at the tearful faces of his loved ones, a deep sense of guilt surged in his heart for the first time.
After being discharged from the hospital, Li Qi began to reflect deeply on his lifestyle. Under the urging of his children, he resolutely quit alcohol and stopped using tobacco. In the past, he rejected all the wine parties, food and wine, and replaced them with a healthy life concept.
In the early days, due to his body's dependence on alcohol, Li Qi often felt mood swings, but whenever this happened, his wife would always be by his side and patiently enlighten him: drinking too much alcohol will only accelerate the consumption of the body; The dangers of smoking are self-evident.
Her earnest teachings finally made the man who was once addicted to tobacco and alcohol gradually calm down.
In order to distract himself, Li Qi began to try to develop some new hobbies, such as wielding a whip at home, copying calligraphy and painting, and so on. Although the action is rusty at first, as long as you persevere, you will definitely pay off.
It wasn't long before these new hobbies became the medicine that nourished his soul and helped him get rid of those vices once and for all.
In this way, this "madman" who was addicted to tobacco and alcohol and couldn't extricate himself finally rekindled his love and desire for life. Every morning, he always stands solemnly and happily on the spacious and bright balcony, deeply absorbing the fresh air and feeling the vigorous power of life in his body.
When the whole family was overjoyed to see my father's health gradually recover. Today's Li Qi is refreshed and radiant, and even the wrinkles on his face seem to be lighter than in the past.
Their hearts are full of gratitude, and they are glad that the pain has not pushed them to the end of their lives.