On the land full of the flavor of life at the junction of urban and rural areas, the roads were like winding lifelines, connecting the hustle and bustle of the markets, the tranquility of the countryside and the busyness of the factory areas. Old Li’s electric and fuel dual-purpose tricycle was just like his inseparable companion, carrying his livelihood and dreams every day as it shuttled through streets and alleys. Sometimes, the carriage was filled with fresh and juicy vegetables, such as green spinach, bright red tomatoes and round potatoes, full of the simplicity of the earth and the joy of harvest; sometimes, it was loaded with exquisitely hand-made bamboo handicrafts, each piece exuding the craftsmanship and artistic charm of the artisan. Every trip carried his eager anticipation for a better life. And the inconspicuous yet crucial 130 front brake drum with 20 holes was like a silent “safety guard”, turning the tide at critical moments to protect the safety of both people and the vehicle. The stories in between were full of twists and turns as well as warmth.

Old Li was over fifty years old. He was a down-to-earth, hardworking and meticulous person who took extremely good care of the tricycle that had accompanied him for many years. Before dawn, when the first rays of morning light just appeared, Old Li would take a specially made soft-bristled brush, a clean rag and carry a small bucket of lubricating oil, and then walked vigorously towards his beloved vehicle parked in the corner of the small courtyard, starting his daily unshakable “vehicle care action”. First, he bent down to check the fuel tank or the battery. For the fuel-powered model, he would carefully check whether there was any leakage in the oil pipe and whether the fuel in the tank was sufficient; for the electric model, he would carefully wipe off the dust on the surface of the battery and check whether the electrode connection was stable to ensure that there was no problem with the power source. Then he gently turned the wheels and listened attentively to the sound of the motor or the engine running to identify whether there were any abnormal noises, ensuring the smooth output of the driving power. When it came to checking the braking system and his eyes focused on the 130 front brake drum with 20 holes, Old Li was even more absorbed, with a look in his eyes that showed a seriousness not to be underestimated, as if he were examining the critical line of defense for protecting lives.

He crouched down, dipped the soft-bristled brush full of lubricating oil, and carefully cleaned the black powder and metal debris accumulated on the brake drum due to frequent friction. His movements were gentle and slow, for fear that any rashness would damage the brake drum in the slightest. His caution was just like that of a cultural relic restorer treating precious antiques. After cleaning, he wiped it dry with a rag, and then ran his fingers along the 20 holes one by one to feel whether there were blockages or deformations. At the same time, he gently stepped on the brake pedal. Relying on the sharp hearing he had accumulated over the years, he carefully distinguished the “creaking” sound when braking to judge whether the fit between the brake pads and the brake drum was good and whether the braking effect was reliable. In Old Li’s mind, although this brake drum was just one of the many parts of the tricycle, once it malfunctioned, the tricycle on the road would be like a runaway wild horse, and the risk of losing control would soar. Not only would the precious goods on the vehicle be scattered all over the place, but it might also endanger the lives of himself and passers-by. The consequences were unimaginable.

It was a freezing winter morning. The sky was gloomy, like a huge lead plate pressing down on the top. The cold wind howled like knives, cutting painfully on the face. As usual, Old Li filled a tricycle with fresh vegetables and was ready to rush to the market to sell them at a good price while there were many people in the morning market. He wrapped himself tightly in his cotton-padded clothes, put on thick gloves, rubbed his frozen hands, started the vehicle (it was a fuel-powered tricycle that day), and set off on the road against the cold wind.

At first, the tricycle was running steadily on the flat and solid concrete road in the urban area. Old Li listened to the regular “buzzing” sound of the engine and thought about the business of the day, feeling quite comfortable. However, fate always liked to play jokes. When he reached a section of the suburban path where the road surface was frozen, bumpy and muddy with broken ice pieces because the heavy snow had melted the night before and had been rolled over by heavy vehicles, the crisis came quietly.

Suddenly, a stray dog rushed out in front. Instinctively, Old Li slammed on the brakes. In an instant, a sharp “squeak” sound cut through the cold air. The body of the vehicle shook violently, but the vehicle didn’t stop steadily as expected. Instead, it slid forward for a certain distance. The vegetables in the carriage were knocked about in all directions. Several baskets of spinach toppled over, and the vegetable leaves were covered with mud, making a mess. Still in shock, Old Li quickly stopped the vehicle to check. At the sight of it, he felt as if his heart had been hit hard by a heavy hammer. It turned out that there was something wrong with the 130 front brake drum with 20 holes. The surface of the brake drum was covered with scratches of different depths. Some of the holes were blocked by ice chips and mud clumps, which made it difficult for the brake pads to fit closely, and the braking effect was greatly reduced. In this bitterly cold and bad road condition situation, the damaged brake drum was undoubtedly like a “time bomb” planted for the subsequent journey. If there was another emergency, the vehicle would not be able to stop at all and was very likely to slide into the deep ditch beside the road or hit obstacles. The consequences were simply unimaginable.

At that time, the sky was still gloomy. All around were empty fields covered with snow, dead silent. Only the cold wind was whistling in the ears. On the road, except for the occasional heavy trucks passing by and splashing large areas of muddy water and ice chips, there were hardly any pedestrians in sight. Old Li’s tricycle carrying the “injured” brake drum was like a lonely boat that had lost its course in the rough sea full of strong winds, huge waves and hidden reefs, in a very dangerous situation. He was extremely anxious. Fine beads of sweat immediately oozed out on his forehead, while cold sweat broke out on his back due to nervousness. He quickly moved the vehicle to the relatively stable mound beside the road and tried to remedy the situation in a flustered manner.

Old Li tremblingly took out a simple repair tool kit from under the seat of the vehicle, took out tools such as wrenches and screwdrivers, and tried to clean the blocked holes and repair the scratches on the surface of the brake drum. However, the cold air froze his fingers stiff and numb, and the tools didn’t work as he wished in his hands. When using the screwdriver to turn the screws, he couldn’t exert any strength at all, and the wrench could hardly hold the nuts tightly. After repeated attempts, the brake drum still didn’t improve at all. Helplessness and anxiety filled his heart. The feelings of coldness, frustration were churning and boiling in his heart, and he was almost desperate.

Just when he was full of sadness and felt that there was little hope, a passing agricultural four-wheeled vehicle slowly stopped. The window was rolled down, and a kind-faced uncle with a dark complexion and a simple and honest appearance stuck his head out and asked with concern, “Brother, what’s going on? It’s freezing cold. Is there something wrong with your vehicle?” Old Li hurriedly pointed at the brake drum and told him what had happened. Without saying a word, the uncle took a jack, a spare 130 front brake drum with 20 holes and professional repair tools from his vehicle. It turned out that the uncle ran a large vegetable field by himself. He often drove back and forth to transport agricultural materials and sell vegetables. Knowing that the road conditions were dangerous and changeable, he was used to keeping emergency items in the vehicle to prepare for unexpected needs.

The uncle jumped out of the vehicle and walked to Old Li’s vehicle. First, he handed Old Li a thick blanket to let him wrap himself up and warm up. Then he skillfully operated the jack to lift the vehicle body steadily, removed the damaged brake drum. He first carefully cleaned the ice chips, mud clumps and debris in the damaged parts and holes of the brake drum with a scraper, polished it flat, applied strong glue, installed the spare brake drum steadily, tightened the screws with a wrench, adjusted the gap between the brake pads and the brake drum, stepped on the brake pedal to test. With the clear and crisp “creaking” sounds, the brakes regained their previous sensitivity and steadily “returned to their positions and fulfilled their duties”, giving the tricycle reliable braking ability again, which finally put Old Li’s hanging heart at ease.

Old Li’s eyes were red, and his voice choked with emotion. He grasped the uncle’s hands tightly and thanked him repeatedly. He insisted on giving the uncle several baskets of fresh vegetables. The uncle couldn’t refuse and took them. Then he smiled and told Old Li, “Brother, you should be more careful when driving on these bad roads in the future. Brake drums are related to the safety of the whole vehicle. You can’t be careless at all!” Old Li nodded vigorously, keeping it firmly in mind.

After this incident, Old Li’s care for the 130 front brake drum with 20 holes reached an extreme level. Before setting out each time, he would conduct a meticulous and comprehensive inspection. He would not only examine the appearance and clean the holes, but also simulate bad road conditions and deliberately make the vehicle bump and vibrate to test the tolerance and stability of the brake drum. After returning the vehicle, he would wipe the brake drum with a dry cloth, regularly clean up the possible residual debris, check the tightness of the screws and reinforce the connection of the parts. Since then, the brake drum had never had any problems again and steadily accompanied Old Li as he continued to be busy shuttling between urban and rural areas, witnessing his every year of working hard for a living.