On the vast land where urban and rural areas blend together, the roads are like winding silk ribbons. One end is tied to the peaceful and harmonious countryside, where chimney smoke curls up and gardens are full of fruits and vegetables. The other end is connected to the bustling and prosperous marketplaces, where people come and go and the sounds of hawking can be heard continuously. Old Zhao’s electric tricycle is just like a loyal old friend, accompanying him to shuttle between urban and rural areas for many years. The carriage of the tricycle has once held fresh vegetables just picked from the fields, exquisitely hand-woven bamboo baskets, and daily necessities brought for the neighbors, witnessing every ordinary moment of his struggle for life. And the 50 shock absorbers installed at the bottom of the vehicle body silently undertake the crucial task of shock absorption and buffering, just like a hero behind the scenes, making every effort to ensure the smoothness and safety of Old Zhao’s rides. The stories behind them are full of twists and turns as well as heartwarming moments.

Old Zhao is fifty-five years old. He is optimistic and open-minded by nature. Relying on this tricycle, he does some small businesses to support his family’s livelihood. He pays great attention to his beloved vehicle and is meticulous in daily maintenance. Especially for the 50 shock absorbers, he takes extra care of them. Before setting out each time, he will squat down to carefully check whether there are any signs of oil leakage or deformation on the appearance of the shock absorbers. He will press the body of the vehicle with both hands and feel the rebound strength of the shock absorbers based on his experience. Only when he confirms that everything is normal will he set off with peace of mind. In Old Zhao’s heart, these shock absorbers are the “magic needle that calms the sea” for the tricycle. On the bumpy country roads with complicated road conditions and the construction sections full of potholes, if there were no reliable shock absorbers, the vehicle would shake when riding, and not only would the goods be easily scattered and damaged, but he himself would also be jolted terribly.

It was a drizzly autumn day. The sky was gloomy, and the fine raindrops were falling like silver threads. The road surface was wet and puddles of different sizes had accumulated. Old Zhao received an urgent job to deliver several large baskets of fresh vegetables to a family in the neighboring village who was holding a wedding. He hummed a little tune, energetically loaded the heavy vegetable baskets onto the vehicle, put on his raincoat and bamboo hat, and then started the vehicle and set off.

At first, the tricycle was moving forward fairly smoothly on the hardened road in the village, and the 50 shock absorbers effectively buffered the vibrations of the vehicle body. However, as soon as he left the village and walked onto the dirt road that had been in disrepair for a long time, troubles came one after another. After being soaked by rainwater for a long time, the dirt road became soft and muddy, with ruts sinking deep one after another and also being full of potholes. Old Zhao held the handlebars tightly and carefully controlled the direction, trying to avoid the deepest water pits and mud pits.

Suddenly, the vehicle body sank sharply, and then there was a loud “clang” sound. The vehicle shook violently and almost lost control and overturned on its side. Old Zhao broke out in a cold sweat and quickly stopped the vehicle to check. He saw that the 50 shock absorber at the left rear of the vehicle couldn’t bear the heavy load and actually broke. The spring was exposed outside, and the hydraulic rod was also bent and deformed. Due to the violent shaking, one of the vegetable baskets in the carriage toppled over, and the tender green vegetable leaves were covered with mud and water.

Old Zhao’s heart tightened instantly. Looking at the scene in front of him, his face was full of anxiety and helplessness. There was still some distance from the neighboring village, neither a village ahead nor an inn behind. What should he do? If he left the vegetables here and ignored them, not only would his reputation be damaged, but he would also have to compensate for the losses of others. But if he continued on his way with this “lame” tricycle, aside from the bumps on the road, if something unexpected happened again, the consequences would be unimaginable. He was extremely anxious. Fine beads of sweat oozed out on his forehead, and the rain mixed with sweat slid down his cheeks.

Old Zhao decided to try to repair it by himself first. He took out a simple repair tool kit from under the seat, squatted down and got busy. However, the rain wet the tools. His hand slipped, and the screwdriver almost fell into the mud. The wrench didn’t work either. After working for a long time, he made little progress. The remaining vegetables in the carriage looked more and more wilted under the scouring of the rainwater. Old Zhao was so anxious that he stamped his feet, pacing around like an ant on a hot pan.

Just when he was almost desperate, an agricultural four-wheeled vehicle slowly drove over and stopped beside him. The window was rolled down, and a simple and honest face popped out. The driver asked with concern, “Brother, what’s the matter? You seem so anxious.” Old Zhao, as if grasping a life-saving straw, quickly pointed at the broken shock absorber and told him what had happened. Without saying a word, the driver jumped out of the vehicle, took out a jack, a spare 50 shock absorber, and professional repair tools from the vehicle.

It turned out that this driver was also often engaged in transportation and deeply understood the difficulties of vehicle breakdowns on the road. He always kept some commonly used spare parts in the vehicle for emergencies. He skillfully operated the jack to lift the vehicle body, removed the damaged shock absorber, cleaned up the residual mud and sand, quickly replaced it with a new one, tightened the screws, and didn’t forget to check and adjust it. In less than half an hour, the new shock absorber was firmly in place, and the tricycle regained its previous smoothness.

Old Zhao’s eyes were red, and his voice choked with emotion. He grasped the driver’s hand tightly and thanked him repeatedly, saying, “Brother, thank you so much! If it weren’t for you, I really wouldn’t know what to do. I’ll remember this kindness.” The driver smiled and waved his hand, saying, “Brother, don’t mention it. We’re all making a living away from home. Who doesn’t have difficulties? It’s just a little effort. You should pay more attention to the road conditions and check the vehicle regularly in the future.”

After the rain stopped and the sky cleared, the sunlight penetrated the clouds and shone on the ground. Old Zhao got on the tricycle again and drove steadily towards his destination. After this incident, Old Zhao took the utmost care of the 50 shock absorbers. He checked them more carefully before setting out each time, carried out regular cleaning and maintenance, and also prepared spare parts and put them in the vehicle. Since then, the shock absorbers have never had any problems again and have steadily accompanied Old Zhao through countless urban and rural roads, witnessing his years of hard work to strive for a living.