In October 2001, laid off by downsizing, I had to leave the original department work to do another work in four shifts. Because I was going to take the postgraduate pre-exam tutorial class, I had no choice but agreed to go to work shifts after I attended the tutorial class.
The first day of the tutorial was scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., but the tutor was coming from Zhengzhou, the train was delayed and it was already 9 p.m. after the tutorial ended.
The foreign language school was at the old campus of Shandong University, having an antique flavour and the architectural style which seemed to fit the foreign language school. Looking at the students quietly reading in such big study room, how envious I was!
There were several stone benches near the school gate. I sat there worrying. Going back to work in four shifts, my daughter was so young, who would take care of her? If I failed the graduate test, there really was no route of retreat…I found myself falling asleep, suddenly hearing my daughter shouting Daddy. I woke up with a start, finding that it was the little girl playing nearby shouting her father.
I walked aimlessly along the road near the school gate. I was afraid to go too far for safety reasons. Sitting on the side of the road, I spent the night with my head on the knees when feeling sleepy. There were patrolling police walking past, and after they read my ID card, and asked a few words, they walked away. Not just to save the dozens of dollars of accommodation fee, but I really didn’t even bother to find a place to pass the night.
When I came back, I learned that when my daughter couldn't find me at night, she cried for a long time, holding the English book. She said her father often read the book when he was at home. It seemed that her father was gone forever...
On October 30, 2001, I began to work in four shifts. By the time I got my grades, I had been in this work for half a year. Politics 65 points, Japanese 80 points, but my major courses were not good. After all, it was all by my self-study, and it was hard to make a big improvement in a short time.
Exactly a year later, on October 30, 2002, I resigned and was employed by an international trading company. At this time, my daughter attended primary school.
In 2003, I passed the examination and got into the government office.
To this day, I have not given up learning. I think, struggle is a lifelong thing.
