Some people simply exhaust all their energy just by living

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Today I read an article titled “Selling Rice,” which moved me deeply: some people spend all their energy just on surviving. I’d like to share with my online friends that early one morning, my mother woke me up and said, “Qiongbao, it’s market day here today. Let’s take some rice to the market to sell it, so we can get some money to buy medicine for your father.” ”I opened my eyes groggily and looked out the window; the sun hadn’t risen yet. I was too tired, so I stayed in bed for a while longer. I heard my father coughing from next door; my mother was busy in the kitchen, and the aroma of food mixed with a slight smell of cooking oil drifted over, gradually dispelling my drowsiness. I sat up, got dressed, and started making the bed. “Sis, can I go with you guys to the market too? Buy me an ice pop to eat! ”My brother ran into my room with his hair in disarray from sleep. “Yibao, you can’t go; stay at home and water the plants. ”The sound of my father’s voice came from next door, accompanied by a few coughs. The younger brother reluctantly went over to his father and said, “Dad, it’s so hot. You yourself got heatstroke yesterday; now you’re asking me to go as well. Aren’t you worried that I might get heatstroke too?” ”“Humans fear heat, but don’t crops? If no water is released at all, the land will dry out, the seedlings will die – will the whole family have to suffer? ”When his father got angry, his coughing became even worse. My brother stuck out his tongue at me, made a face, and then went to my father’s room. All that could be heard was the father giving him instructions on how to release the water, which pond to use to draw water from, which fields to irrigate first, and which areas required special attention to prevent others from diverting the water, and so on. 2 After eating, my brother went outside with the hoe that our father usually used. My mother and I started filling the baskets with rice; after filling them, we weighed them first – each basket weighed over 80 jin, or around 60 jin. I said, “Mom, I’ll take the heavier load.” ”“Your student girl has soft shoulders; let me do it instead. ”Saying that, the mother bent down and picked up the heavy load. I picked up the lighter load and went out with my mother. “Be careful on the road! Our rice is of good quality; don’t sell it cheaply! ”The father stood at the door in his clothes, giving instructions. “Got it. Go back to bed and lie down quickly. ”The mother struggled to turn her head away from the pole and ordered, \"The food is in the pot; have Yi Bao heat it up for lunch!\\" ”The market is about four li away from my home. My mother and I carried the rice, walking back and forth on the narrow paths through the fields; it took us a full hour to get there. There were already quite a few people on the field, so we quickly found an open spot, laid down our loads, placed the poles on the ground, sat on those poles, and used straw hats to fan ourselves. It’s already this hot early in the morning; it must be even worse at noon. I can’t help but worry about my brother. He went to release water, intending to stay outside in the sun all day. I looked around and saw many people selling rice at the scene; could it be that they were all waiting to make money? Most of the people on the field were familiar faces; they were all locals from the surrounding areas. They too were farmers – so who would come to buy rice? 3 I asked my mother, and she said, “There are specialized rice sellers who come to buy the rice.” They drove to the countryside to attend the market, bought rice, and took it to the city to sell, which allowed them to earn more money. ”I said, “Why give them money for nothing?” Let’s take them to the city to sell them too! ”Actually, I know it’s just said in anger. Sure enough, my mother said, “We have so little rice, and no car either; if we try to take it to the city to sell it, the money we earn won’t even cover the cost of transportation!” When your father was in good health, he would carry about 100 pounds of rice by himself to the city to sell it; going there every few days was a more cost-effective approach. ”I felt a tightness in my heart and began to feel sorry for my father. It’s over thirty li of mountain road from home to the city; it must be extremely difficult for him to walk with such a heavy load! It’s not worth it to exhaust oneself like this just to earn a few extra dollars! But what else can be done? Besides farming, there’s no other source of income at home. If we don’t sell rice, how can we afford to send my brother and me to school? Thinking about these things, I felt sad over and over again. Look at the mother beside her: her hair has turned a bit gray, her dark face is covered with many wrinkles, her forehead is dotted with sweat drops, and her eyes are slightly swollen. “Mom, drink some water. ”I handed her the water pot and used my straw hat to fan her. The 4-meter sellers finally arrived in their cars. They looked around for the people selling rice, went over to examine the quality of the rice closely, and even put their hands into the rice to pick up a handful and take a closer look. “One dollar and five cents. ”The rice seller gave his price. The person selling rice seemed to think the price was too low and wanted to haggle. “No bargaining, fixed price – sell it if you want, or not! ”The rice sellers were very firm in their stance; after all, there were many people selling rice around, and they were the only buyers. If not now is when to take advantage of the situation to lower the price? The mother, watching what was happening over there, said, “One dollar and five cents?” It’s way too cheap. It was still selling for 1 yuan each when it was on the market. ”Just then, a rice seller came walking towards us. He put his hand into the rice, grabbed a handful, and examined it closely in the sunlight. “This rice is great! It’s white and pure, finely sifted – not a single grain of sand in it! ”The mother smiled, her tone carrying a hint of pride. Indeed, the rice at my home is better than that sold by anyone else in the market. 5 The man nodded and said, “The rice is good quality, but these days its price in the city has dropped; even the best-quality rice can’t be sold at a good price.” One dollar and five cents, will you sell it? ”The mother shook her head: “Is this really that cheap?” It’s still being sold for one yuan when it’s on the market. Besides, you know how to appreciate quality – you get what you pay for, and my rice is definitely better than that of other suppliers! ”The man took another look at the rice, hesitated for a moment, and said, “It’s supposed to be a fixed price with no refunds allowed. But since your rice looks good, I’ll increase the price slightly – one yuan and eight cents. How about that?” ”The mother still shook her head: “No, the rice in our family has to be sold at at least one yuan per kilogram.” Would you like some more? ”The man sneered and said, “You definitely won’t be able to sell it for one yuan today. If I offer you one yuan and 08 cents, you still refuse to sell it; by the time things close, you won’t be able to sell it even for one yuan and 05 cents!” ”“If we can’t sell it, we’ll take it home again! ”The man’s attitude annoyed the mother. “Then just wait to be taken home. ”The man sneered, said those words, and left. 6 I was listening nearby, calculating in my mind: from 1.08 to 1.1, the difference is only two cents per jin. There are 150 jin of rice here in total, which is only worth about three yuan. With such a long distance, why bother carrying it back? My shoulder still hurts. I gently said to my mother, “Mom, just let it be 1.08; it’s only a matter of three dollars anyway.” Besides, I’m still waiting for money to buy medicine for my dad. ”“Which one then? ”The mother seemed a bit angry. “Three yuan isn’t any money?” Besides, it’s not just a matter of a few dollars; doing business requires some conscience. The rice we grow with so much effort, and which is of good quality, how can it be sold at such a low price? ”I don’t dare to speak anymore. I know how exhausting farming is. Just talking about releasing water in the summer will surely tire Dad until he falls ill, won’t it? My younger brother is just a kid of eleven or twelve; he still has to find a hoe to drain the water! After all, it’s the family’s livelihood! 7 Then a few more rice sellers came, and they also offered only one dollar and 5 cents. There are one or two that reach 1.08, but they refuse to go any higher. The mother still refuses to sell. Seeing the number of people gradually decrease, I became a bit anxious. I think the mother must be very anxious too. “Mom, go cool off under that tree over there! ”I said. Wiping her sweat, the mother shook her head: “No.” I left. What will those who come to buy rice do? You can’t even haggle! ”I’m a bit ashamed. ““A scholar is of no use at all”; although they perform well in their studies at school, they are far inferior to their mother in these matters. More people came to buy rice, because the rice in my family is truly of high quality; everyone came to take a look, but no one was willing to pay more than one yuan per kilogram. Looking at the sun high in the sky, I felt hungry, so I took out the food I had brought and ate it with my mother. My mother took a couple of bites and then stopped eating; I knew she was worried that the rice wouldn’t sell and felt anxious. The mother sighed, “We don’t know yet if it will sell or not.” ”I took the opportunity to say, “Otherwise, just sell it at a lower price.” ”Mother said, “I know what I’m doing.” ”In the afternoon at 8 o’clock, there are even fewer people around, and the sun is scorching; who would want to stay outside in such heat? Look at the mother; her clothes are stuck to her back, and her dark face shows signs of sunburn. “Mom, I’ll keep an eye on it for you; go and soak in the stream. ”The mother still shook her head: “No, I have rheumatism; I can’t soak in cold water.” You’re sensitive to heat; go hide under that tree over there. ”“No, I’m not afraid of the sun. ”“Then go buy an ice pop and eat it. ”Saying that, the mother took out 20 cents from her pocket. I like ice pops the most, especially those called \"grape ice\" – they’re the best. They’re not expensive either; it costs just 20 cents per pop. But I suddenly didn’t feel like eating today: “Mom, I won’t eat; water is enough.” ”The hottest part has passed as well; it’s almost time to wrap things up. The grocers began to lower their prices in an attempt to sell their goods fast, and those selling vegetables and watermelons also shouted, “It’s time to close; selling at a low price!” ”I looked around; there were hardly any people selling rice left in the area, as most of them had already finished selling and gone back. 9 The mother also became anxious, and the more anxious she was, the more sweat she produced. Finally, a rice seller came over: “Is this rice for sale?” One dollar and five cents, no bargaining! ”The mother said, “Look at my rice, how good it is!” It was still sold for one yuan each when it was on the market…” Before his mother could finish speaking, the man said impatiently, “The market conditions have changed! If you want to sell it for one yuan, then just prepare to take a loss! ”Strangely, the mother wasn’t angry; instead, she smiled and said, “Well, it’s one yuan and eight cents. Do you want it?” ”The man snorted through his nose and said, “At that price of yours, it’s hard to sell it even at the beginning; now that the event is over, who would buy it?” Dream on! ”Mother’s face turned pale instantly; she moved her lips, but said nothing. I couldn’t help but interject: “If you don’t want to buy it, then don’t buy it. Who gives a damn?” If you’re not going to buy it, then don’t stand here blocking the way! ”“Hey, big sister, don’t get so angry. ”The man sneered and said, “Save some strength to carry the rice back later!” ”After that man left, I couldn’t help but complain to my mother: “At the beginning, they offered 1.08, and you wouldn’t sell it; now that things have improved, they still don’t want to buy it!” ”The mother seemed a bit ashamed, but refused to admit fault: \"After all, you get what you pay for. It’s good rice – how can it be sold cheaply?\" Didn’t your dad tell you to ask for a good price when you went out? ”“How dare you still talk about Dad! He is sick at home; he’s using this rice to exchange for money in order to buy medicine for treatment! Is it more important to have people or money? ”It seemed like the mother had nothing more to say. After waiting for a while, she said in a low voice, “In a bit, they’ll sell it for one dollar and 5 cents as well.” ”But no one came to buy rice anymore; the rice seller loaded the purchased rice onto the vehicle and drove away. At 10 o’clock, the market closed. My mother and I spent the whole day there, but we didn’t manage to sell a single grain of rice. “Mom, let’s go, back home. Stop standing there. ”I packed up the towel, water bottle, and lunchbox, urging them on. The mother hesitated, but eventually got up. “Mom, I’ll pick up the heavy ones. ”“Your student sister has soft shoulders…” Before my mother could finish speaking, I had already taken on that heavy load. The mother said nothing more either; she picked up the light load and followed behind me on the way home. The burden on my shoulders is so heavy; it feels like there’s a mountain pressing down on me. Suddenly my foot slipped and I almost fell. I quickly focused all my remaining strength on my legs to manage to stay standing, but the load on my shoulders still tilted a bit, causing a lot of rice to spill out. “Ah, what happened? ”The mother also put down her load and came over, saying, “I told you not to carry something so heavy, but you wouldn’t listen; now it’s spilled.” What a pity! What a spendthrift! ”“Wastrels” was my mother’s favorite phrase; she would always use it to rebuke me and my brother whenever we did something bad. But today I feel especially wronged, I don’t know why. “Wait here for a moment; I’ll go home to get a sieve to sweep the rice off the floor. What a shame to waste it! You can take it back to feed the chickens! ”My mother didn’t ask if I had sprained anything; she was only worried about the rice that had been spilled. 11 I know my mother’s temper; she always has a harsh way of speaking but a kind heart. Although she cares about me, she still insists on scolding me. Thinking of this, I’m no longer upset. “Mom, you still have to walk six or seven li back and forth after returning, and it’s getting late. ”I said. “What about the rice on the ground? ”I had an idea and took off the straw hat on my head: “Let’s put it in here.” ”The mother smiled: “You’re really clever, young student girl – smart.” ”With that, we crouched down, used our hands to gather the rice that was scattered on the ground, put it into the straw hat, then placed the hat with its opening facing down in a basket, and carried the rice back home. When I got home, my younger brother had already returned, and my mother started preparing dinner. I told my father about the experience of selling rice. When the father heard this, he didn’t complain about his mother either; he just said, “Those rice sellers are really unfair – in the city it’s sold for 1.5 yuan per kilo, and they drive the price down so low!” It’s utterly heartless to earn farmers’ hard-earned money in this way! ”I said, “Dad, I didn’t even buy any medicine for you. What should we do?” ”Father said, “I already said there’s no need to buy medicine; it will get better in a few days. Why waste that money?” ”At night, my father’s cough became worse. 12 My mother said to me, “Qiongbao, tomorrow is the day when the rice is taken to the market. Let’s work hard and carry the rice there to sell it, so that we can buy medicine for your father.” ”“Change direction? How far is that? About ten or so li! ”Thinking of that long mountain road, I feel a bit intimidated. “Bring less rice tomorrow. 50 jin per person is enough. ”The father said. “Don’t bring back unsold goods tomorrow! ”I said, “Travelling back and forth over ten miles of mountain roads, with a load on one’s back – it’s not something to take lightly!” ”“It won’t happen anymore. It’s done. ”The mother said, “It doesn’t matter if it’s 1.08 or 1.05 tomorrow; just sell it!” ”There was much bitterness and helplessness in my mother’s words; I could tell, but I didn’t know how to comfort her. I’m also very sad inside; I feel like crying. I think I shouldn’t let mom see; if I want to cry, I should hide under the covers and cry there. But I was really too tired; as soon as my head touched the pillow, I fell asleep, sleeping soundly and deeply. 13 Note: “Selling Rice” won the first prize in Peking University’s first campus original literature competition. However, at the award ceremony, the winner was not present; instead, it was her classmates who expressed their sorrow, and the atmosphere was no longer one of an award ceremony but rather a memorial service. For a moment, silence covered the entire Sunlight Hall at Peking University. Only then did I learn that the winner had passed away a year earlier due to leukemia. In conclusion: I believe that many children from farming families, or older readers, will feel a strong sense of empathy while reading this article, just like Teacher Big tree. We have all struggled with all our might for basic survival. In this materialistic era, we need so much to pause and experience the various aspects of life. After reflecting on the hardships and joys, you will be more grateful and appreciate your current life; Big Tree hopes that teachers and parents will read this to their children. Please tell the children that a happy life is never easy to come by; there is no other way but to strive! Author | Fei Hua, a talented woman from Peking University. Originally named Zhang Peixiang, he was born in 1979 into a rural family in the mountainous area of Liling, Hunan. He studied hard despite living in poverty from a young age, and in 1997 he was admitted to the Law School of Peking University. Obtained a Master’s degree in Law in 2001. He contracted leukemia during the SARS outbreak in 2003, and three months later, Zhang Peixiang passed away at the age of 24. During his lifetime, Zhang Peixiang published works as a translator and author, with novels and essays seeing print. The scenes described in the text are all the author’s own experiences.