FreeDn

 "Actually, I've always liked you." "Whether we're together or not..." There's a line in *5 Centimeters Per Second*: A person will meet approximately 29.2 million people in their lifetime, and the probability of two people falling in love is 0.000049. I looked up how 0.000049 was calculated: The world population is over 6 billion. A lifetime has: 80 * 365 = 29,200 days . On average, you can meet about 1,000 people per day. The total number of people you meet in your lifetime: 29,200 * 1,000 = 29,200,000. The probability of meeting each other is: 29,200,000 / 6,000,000,000 = 0.00487. If you live to 80, you'll probably know about 3,000 people. The probability of meeting them is: 3,000 / 6,000,000,000 = 0.0000005 (five in ten million). How many close friends does a person have in their lifetime? Probability of getting to know each other: 20/6000000000 = 0.000000003 (three in a billion) Probability of falling in love: First, to fall in love, you need to ...

 　　Yesterday, I overheard a conversation between a 10-year-old boy and his mother. 　　The mother, holding the child 　　, asked if he would support his parents when he grew up . 　　The boy broke free from his mother and faced her, saying, " 　　You are two people, and I am one. You two support me, but when I grow up, I will have to support both of you alone. It's not fair! My burden is too heavy!! You two should discuss it yourselves. When I grow up, I will only support one of you." 　　I could see the mother was stunned by her child's innocent words; her body trembled slightly. Is this what is called Chinese filial piety? Where has the traditional virtue of our ancestors gone? 　　I thought a lot on the way home, about the people and things around me. After returning home, I turned on my computer and searched for "Chinese-style education" on Baidu, only to find news everywhere. 　　In one place, a daughter demanded her mother sell her a phone in front of a mobile phone...

 　　It's 2:52 AM. I'm no longer sleepy; I'm awake. But I haven't gotten out of bed because of the cold, because yesterday we had the first snow of the winter. This year's snow seems to have come earlier than last year. Is it still snowing outside? I don't know; I just hope the roads won't be too slippery when I go out at dawn. 　　Lying in bed, it's still warm. I've turned on a dim light—not too bright, as a bright light makes me feel like I'm in daytime mode. It's only been ten minutes since 2:52 AM, and I want to stay in this warm, languid state, perhaps I can fall back asleep in a little while. In this languid state, my thoughts are surging, like a movie playing in my mind, showing the past thirty-two years… no, it should be the past ten years, my vibrant early twenties! Those distant years are already hazy; all I can recall are fragmented pieces. What am I thinking about?! What?! Hmm, I wonder if, during those moments when your brainwaves ar...

 　　I guess I've been keeping all my sadness, stress, and worries inside. Last night, the cold wind blew in through the tiny crack in the window, and I woke up in the middle of the night sniffling, only to find that most of the blanket had slipped off 　　 . So, today I've had a headache and dizziness all day, feeling like my body is filled with steaming heat, my breath is burning, and my snot is icy cold; I have to wipe it every three seconds. I guess it's a heat-related cold. Often, when I'm sick, I find inner peace and tranquility. Studying doesn't matter anymore, plans don't matter, discipline doesn't matter. I can frantically write in my favorite classes while pulling out tissues, answering with a voice altered by my sore throat. I don't need to force myself to listen to classes I don't like; I can tilt my head and read an extracurricular book, then pull my hat over my head and fall asleep. 　　 Because I'm sensitive to the wind, I became the fir...

 　　2016 brought everything I anticipated and didn't want to come. 　　January was the last winter break during my school years; 　　February was the Spring Festival; 　　March was the last semester of university; 　　April was the last TEM-4 exam; 　　May was graduation photos 　　; June was filled with course endings, forms filling out, final exams, and saying goodbye; 　　July was the last final exam of university, followed by a hurried packing and departure, then a flurry of resume submissions and interviews, before naturally entering the workforce; 　　August marked the start of my working life; 　　September saw me officially turn 22; 　　October brought fourteen consecutive half-day workdays, yet I still felt fulfilled, a client's trust making all my efforts worthwhile; 　　November began with confusion and exhaustion; 　　December brought continued feelings of being lost and fearful, but I will still choose to face 　　2016. Perhaps we have all lost ourselves, all been exhausted, but I hope what ...

 　　Walking through the streets and alleys, the evening breeze brushed against my cheeks like silk, cool and refreshing! Leaves, detached from their branches, drifted aimlessly in the dim light of the lamps, like homeless children. The doors of the houses on both sides of the street were closed, the rooms filled with a warm glow; perhaps the owners were lying in warm beds, dozing off. 　　Looking at my own shadow, I unconsciously pulled my hands tighter into my pockets, as if I were cold. Although it was a summer night, my fingers, chest, and shoulders felt a chill! Without realizing it, I looked up at the sky; it was pitch black, stretching to the horizon. Sometimes I really like nights like this, walking alone, reminiscing alone, shedding the pretense of the day, able to cry freely, without restraint. The night hides my vulnerability; it is the silence of language, telling no one! 　　In this mortal world, the most bustling, yet also the loneliest! The bright lights and revelry belong...

 　　Under the dim lamplight, I gazed at the cup of tea. The repeated impact of the boiling water brought out its delicate fragrance. A hint of sweetness amidst the bitterness was greedily devoured by my mouth. My blurry vision outlined hazy memories, yet the memories themselves were no longer hazy. The 　　abundance of homework made playtime scarce, the teachers' seriousness stifled laughter, and the heavy pressure shaped us—the troubles of growing up—in our dreamlike state. Opening the heavy book of memories, those scattered thoughts are perhaps recurring recollections of the past. 　　When I first arrived, a vulnerable me was targeted by the "enemy," who exploited my weaknesses and unleashed a devastating attack. That easily defeated me perished on the battlefield, but the me who "slept with the lamp burning, and dreamt of reciting poems when the bell rang" rose again. During those years, lost and confused in the darkness, I would sometimes find a patch of grass th...

 　　Since I was old enough to understand, I have always been well protected by my parents. 　　-- Prologue 　　For various reasons, I cannot be as carefree as my friends. Cooking, karaoke, drinking, barbecue, instant noodles, cycling, smoking, etc.—anything a little crazy or dangerous is taboo for me. Touching these things would have dire consequences. Moreover, among my friends, I'm the only one who can't play ping-pong. 　　Therefore, I am mostly quiet and gentle in front of them, and my limbs aren't as developed as theirs; they often teased me when I was little. 　　Year after year has passed, and I've grown older. I've experienced certain things and seen through certain people. Sometimes I hide my true self, and few people can see my cuteness. 　　In the whole family, the people who love me most are naturally my dear parents. I am deeply grateful and fortunate to have such loving parents. However, sometimes I really feel that my parents' overprotectiveness makes me fee...

     I came home from work and lay listlessly on the sofa, not wanting to move anymore. Another six months have passed, and things have become tense, busy, and noisy. Making a living in this monotonous work environment seems to be the only routine task of each day. Although it was already evening, the sun was still blazing down, showing no sign of setting. Even if you wanted to remind it that sunset was imminent, it would be pointless. Let it shine; sunshine is always good. Everyone longs to see the sunrise each day, but how many people are swept away by darkness while lingering in the bright sunlight? Compared to them, we are lucky. A few elderly women were gathered in the yard, discussing someone's misfortune, sometimes arguing heatedly. I see the same scene every day when I come home, and I genuinely think they are happy, innocent and adorable like children.     After lying on the sofa for a while, I felt thirsty, so I got up and poured myself a glass of cold...

     I once heard someone speaking in a foreign language say that Westerners drink tea by boiling tea leaves in water, filtering out the tea liquid, and eating only the tea leaves. They would smack their lips and say, "It's good, but unfortunately a bit bitter." I recently read a tea study written by an American, and it turns out this is true. When tea first arrived in England, the British didn't know how to consume it, so they did eat the tea leaves, sometimes mixed with butter and salt, and spread them on bread. The taste was so unpleasant, they dared not try it. Later, they used tea as medicine to treat colds and cleanse the stomach. Soon, tea drinking became very popular. A tea advertisement in 1660 stated: "This stimulant can dispel fatigue, eliminate nightmares, make the limbs light and the spirit full. It can especially suppress sleep, allowing scholars to study tirelessly through the night. It is especially suitable for those who are obese or eat too much...

     No one walks through life alone. No matter when or where, there will always be someone traveling with you. Like a long journey, you may change trains many times. On each train, you'll have companions, and perhaps beautiful encounters and heartwarming meetings. Some may accompany you for a long time, but eventually leave. Others, because of the fate of sharing a train, will accompany you to the end of your life, fulfilling a promise of eternal love.     Our parents are our first companions on this journey, accompanying us through the first half of our lives. They gave us life and life experience, and often leave us when we are fully capable of walking independently. But the eyes of heaven will always be watching over us, and we can only transform endless sorrow into motivation to continue our life's journey.     Perhaps on some train, the person destined to appear in our lives will appear. Calling it coincidence or fate isn't quite accurate, becaus...

     It's raining in the bustling street, just like when you suddenly appeared before me years ago. The rain came abruptly, without warning or foreshadowing, just like that, creating ripples on my skin, leaving me drenched and caught off guard.     Memories seem to reappear before my eyes, all flowing out with the drizzling rain, weaving an impenetrable wall, trapping me within. No matter how hard I try, I can't reach you on the other side. You've become an unattainable landscape before me, something I can only long for but never reach.     I wonder, what kind of rain could wash away the longing this memory has bestowed upon me? What kind of wind could blow away the yearning this memory has given me? Yet life is but a quiet retreat, a solitary journey. When the wind blows, it carries the fragrance of memories, a feast for the senses; when the rain falls, it carries the lingering reluctance of memories, leaving behind only boundless sorrow for me, an ou...

     Cleverness can be a double-edged sword; the wisest approach to life is to be foolish.     Cleverness is a double-edged sword     . Some people in the world seem very clever, but they cannot see or understand the relativity of "knowing" and "not knowing." With a little cleverness and a little achievement, they become arrogant, thinking themselves omniscient and omnipotent. In reality, the world is vast, and there are always things beyond our understanding; how can you possibly know them all? Excessive displays of cleverness and ostentatious displays of talent, believing oneself to be omniscient and omnipotent, will inevitably lead to setbacks.     Lord Xinling, the half-brother of King Wei, was one of the "Four Lords" of his time, extremely famous, with over 3,000 retainers who admired his reputation.     One day, Lord Xinling was playing chess with King Wei in the palace when they suddenly received a report that smoke signals h...

     Sun Tzu's Art of War states, "For those skilled in warfare, the first priority is to ensure they are not defeated by the enemy; only then can they seize the opportunity to defeat the enemy." I've discussed how to achieve this in previous articles, such as turning war into a career and skillfully utilizing the relationship between seeking help from others and relying on oneself. However, besides these factors, another crucial element is mindset.     In Mr. Shan Tianfang's storytelling of "The Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties," there's a classic scene where Qin Qiong fights Shi Danai in the arena of Beiping. Upon meeting, they immediately began fighting. Shi Danai, relying on his youthful vigor, frequently attacked Qin Qiong, while Qin Qiong adopted a defensive stance, fighting steadily and surely. After more than twenty rounds, Qin Qiong had seen through Shi Danai's moves, so he switched from defense to offense and subdued his opponent w...