Left hand proud, right hand affectionate

(Excerpt)

Author: Ye Liya

Read aloud: Zhong Yiping

When I was a child, he was a superhero in my eyes. He was all my pride, digging roads and building bridges when facing difficulties. My father was an ordinary railway soldier at first, and later became an engineer of China Railway Construction Corporation. It is fitting to describe him as a man who lived in all corners of the world.

My father participated in the construction of so many bridges and roads, as well as many high-rise buildings, weaving one link after another for the beautiful rivers and mountains of the motherland. When he grew up, he became a father, embarked on the journey of railway soldiers, became the glory in his father's mouth, pride in his heart, and also became his father's infinite concern. The biggest expectation in the festival is no longer that my father can go home to see us, but that our three siblings can go home to see their parents. My father is our bosom friend and comrade in arms. Every time I go home to work, my father never asks enough questions. He tells us again and again that we should be responsible, not forget our original intention, and love our job.

Time flies, and the iron blue has been worn for more than 20 years. There are few festivals that can reunite. Missing turns into a long bridge. I am here and my parents are there.

In 2020, I finally got my wish to be transferred to the Xiaoqing River navigation restoration project in Shandong, which is closer to my home. Although the distance is close, but the construction period is tight and the task is heavy, I seldom go home. My father was worried about the impact of things at home on my work. He always reported good news but not bad news.

"Work hard, rest assured, everything is fine at home!" This is what my father said most to me. My father likes to sing "The Railway Soldier Is Ambitious in All Sides", although he is not full of five tones. My father often tells us that since we have chosen an engineering unit, we have chosen this lifestyle of living in all corners of the world. We must inherit the spirit of the railway soldier, keep our original intention, and assume our mission.

What I want to say most is "Thank you for always cheering me on". In those countless difficult and fluctuating days, you gave me the courage and strength to start again.

Gorky once said, "Father's love is a great work that shocks the soul, and if you understand it, you will understand the whole life." Sometimes in the voice of flowers, I heard the whispers full of expectation. Walking on the road our father stepped out for us, every footprint is a shield, striding forward with his father's hope, his left hand is proud, and his right hand is affectionate.

(e employees of CRCC)