In an inconspicuous town, at dusk, in a corner of the old street, Li Ming and Li Hua sat on the slightly shabby but full of stories, their faces reflecting the afterglow of the sunset, which looked particularly deep.
"Do you know, Huazi, my salary this month has arrived, deducting miscellaneous things, and I feel like life is standing still." Li Ming sighed, his fingers unconsciously slid the text message from the bank on his phone, and a trace of helplessness flashed in his eyes.
Hearing this, Li Hua looked up at the gradually blurred skyline in the distance, and after a moment of silence, he slowly spoke: "Brother Ming, we grew up together and have seen a lot of ups and downs in this world. Salary, this thing, sometimes it's really like a scale of fate, light and can't hold down the burden of life, and heavy and breathless. ”
These words seemed to touch the softest part of the hearts of the two of them, and the surrounding noise seemed to have quieted down, leaving only the laughter of children playing in the distance and the occasional car horn.
Li Ming smiled bitterly: "Yes, I remember when we were children, we dreamed of making a lot of money when we grew up and let our family live a good life." Looking at it now, dreams always seem so far away. My salary is barely enough for a family of three, and it is a luxury to want some extra quality of life. ”
Li Hua patted Li Ming's shoulder, and a trace of firmness flashed in his eyes: "Don't say that, Brother Ming." Although salary determines our current state of life, it is by no means the only measure of happiness. Look at Lao Zhang, his salary is not high, but he has a wide range of hobbies, photography, painting, and living a good life. We also have to learn to create infinite possibilities under limited conditions. ”
Speaking of Lao Zhang, a trace of envy flashed in Li Ming's eyes. Lao Zhang is an old teacher in their town, the salary is not high, but he can always face life with an optimistic attitude, and his home is warm and artistic, and his works can often be seen in the town's art exhibitions.
"You're right, Hanako. We can't afford to be held back by the number of wages. But then again, the reality is in front of us, children go to school, the elderly see a doctor, which one doesn't need money? Li Ming's words revealed a hint of anxiety.
Li Hua smiled slightly, took out a booklet from his pocket, and handed it to Li Ming: "This is some of the side hustles and financial knowledge that I have been researching recently. You see, now that the Internet is so developed, many platforms offer part-time opportunities, such as writing, designing, translating, and even live streaming. Let's give it a try, maybe we can open up a new world. ”
Li Ming took the booklet, turned a few pages, and his eyes gradually lit up: "Hey, that's a good idea!" Although we have different majors, we have our own strengths, so why not try it together? ”
As night fell, the lights on the old street gradually turned on, and the figures of the two stretched out under the lights, as if to herald the new journey they were about to embark on. In the days that followed, Li Ming began to write technical articles on the Internet in his spare time, while Li Hua used his design expertise to design logos and promotional posters for some small companies. At first, the income was meager, but they did not give up, encouraged each other and kept improving.
A few months later, by chance, an article by Li Ming became popular on the Internet, which not only brought him a considerable manuscript fee, but also attracted the attention of many technology companies, and threw olive branches to him. And Li Hua's design works have gradually become famous, and orders continue to increase. The life status of the two has quietly changed, although they are still busy, but the sense of fulfillment and accomplishment from the inside out makes their smiles brighter.
"Look, Huazi, I'm right, right? While salary is important, it is by no means the whole of life. As long as we have dreams and actions, we can change the status quo. At a dinner, Li Ming raised his glass to greet Li Hua.
Li Hua responded with a smile: "Yes, Brother Ming." Looking back now, those days of running for life were hard, but they were also our most valuable wealth. It teaches us that no matter what difficulties we encounter, we should not easily give up our love and pursuit of life. ”
Their story has quietly spread in the town and has become an inspiring story. People are beginning to realize that salary may determine the starting point of a person's life, but what really determines the state of life is the heart that has the courage to explore and pursue unremittingly.