In the area where urban and rural areas connect, the passage of time has depicted the liveliness of the markets, the leisure of the countryside and the busyness of the factories. The roads are like intertwined veins, carrying countless hopes and the hustle and bustle of people’s lives. Old Zhang’s electric and fuel dual-purpose tricycle is just like a loyal old servant, accompanying him year after year, carrying his livelihood on its back and shuttling through streets and alleys. Sometimes, the carriage is filled with freshly picked corns from his own fields. The golden kernels are plump and firm, full of the sweet fragrance of the harvest. Sometimes, it is loaded with exquisitely carved wooden ornaments from the woodworking workshop, with unique craftsmanship flowing in the textures. Every trip is filled with his enthusiastic expectations for life. And the 130 aluminum 304 bearing with 20 holes, which is hidden in the key part of the vehicle body, is like a silent yet resolute “behind-the-scenes hero”. It steps forward at the moment of braking to protect the safety of both people and the vehicle. The stories in between are full of twists and turns as well as warmth.

Old Zhang is over fifty years old. He is steady in his actions and meticulous. He cherishes the tricycle that has accompanied him for many years. His daily maintenance procedures are orderly and rigorous. When the first rays of morning light appear and the sky begins to turn white in the east, Old Zhang will take a specially made soft-bristled brush, a clean rag and carry a small pot of anti-rust lubricating oil, and then walk vigorously towards his beloved vehicle parked at the entrance of the courtyard, starting his daily unshakable “vehicle maintenance record”. First, he bends down to carefully check whether there is any leakage in the fuel pipe and the fuel level in the fuel tank. If it is in the electric mode, he will carefully wipe off the dust on the surface of the battery and closely check the stability of the electrode interface to ensure a stable power supply. Then he gently turns the wheels and listens attentively to the sound of the motor or the engine running, just like an old musician distinguishing musical notes, checking for any abnormal “noises” to ensure a smooth output of driving power. When his eyes focus on the braking system and touch the 130 aluminum 304 bearing with 20 holes, Old Zhang is even more fixed his eyes on it, with a solemn look on his face, as if he is examining the “throat fortress” that guards lives.

He crouches down, dips the brush full of lubricating oil, and gently cleans the aluminum scraps and dirt accumulated on the component due to friction. His movements are slow and cautious, as if he is handling fragile antiques, for fear that any mistake will damage it. After cleaning, he wipes it carefully with the rag to make it as clean as new. Then he runs his fingers along the 20 holes one by one to feel whether there are blockages or deformations. At the same time, he gently steps on the brake pedal. Relying on the sharp hearing he has cultivated over the years, he carefully distinguishes the “creaking” sound when braking to accurately judge the degree of cooperation between the bearing and the brake and the quality of the braking effect. In Old Zhang’s heart, although this component is not eye-catching, it is the “lifeblood” of the vehicle’s safety. Once it fails, the tricycle will be like a runaway beast, running out of control. Not only will the precious goods on the vehicle be spilled all over the place, but it will also put himself and passers-by in danger. The consequences are unimaginable.

It was the dog days of summer. The scorching sun was like fire. The sky was like clear glass, and the sunlight shone down without any obstruction. The ground was boiling hot, and the air seemed to be distorted by the heat waves. Old Zhang filled a tricycle with newly made wooden ornaments and was ready to rush to the market to find a good market. He put on a straw hat, drank a big bowl of herbal tea to relieve the heat, hummed a little tune and started the vehicle (it was the fuel-powered model that day), and plunged into the road with rolling heat waves.

At first, the tricycle was running smoothly on the flat asphalt road in the urban area. Old Zhang felt the hot wind blowing on his face and imagined the prosperous scene of the market transactions. He was in a pleasant mood. However, when he reached a section of the suburban path where the road surface was pitted with holes and scattered with rubble due to the scouring of heavy rain and the frequent rolling of heavy trucks, the crisis was quietly lurking.

Suddenly, a cat rushed out in front. Instinctively, Old Zhang slammed on the brakes. In an instant, a sharp “squeak” sound cut through the hot and dry air. The body of the vehicle shook and trembled violently, but it didn’t stop steadily as expected. Instead, it slid forward for several feet. The ornaments in the carriage were knocked about in all directions. Several delicate wooden carvings rolled down, hitting the ground and causing the corners to be damaged and the paint to be scratched, making a mess. Still in shock, Old Zhang quickly stopped the vehicle to check. At the sight of it, his heart seemed to fall into an ice cellar. It turned out that the 130 aluminum 304 bearing with 20 holes was to blame. The surface of the component was covered with scratches of different depths caused by the friction with the gravel. Some of the holes were invaded and blocked by stone chips, which hindered the operation of the bearing and greatly reduced the braking efficiency. In this unbearably hot and bad road condition situation, the damaged component was like a “time bomb” buried. If it was necessary to brake urgently again, the vehicle might not be able to stop and was very likely to hit roadside buildings or trees. The terrible consequences were unimaginable.

At that time, the scorching sun was like fire. All around were barren and desolate fields. Only a few drought-tolerant grass were drooping but still standing upright. On the road, except for the occasional engineering vehicles that passed by kicking up dust all over the sky, there were hardly any people in sight. Old Zhang’s tricycle carrying the “injured” component was like a lonely boat that had lost its course in the rough sea full of strong winds, huge waves and hidden reefs. It was in a dangerous situation and was in a precarious state. He was extremely anxious. Fine beads of sweat immediately oozed out on his forehead. The back of his clothes was instantly soaked through by sweat and clung tightly to his back. He quickly moved the vehicle to a relatively cool and safe place by the roadside and tried to remedy the situation in a flustered manner.

Old Zhang 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. However, the high temperature and heat waves made him dizzy. His fingers were swollen and white from being soaked in sweat, and he couldn’t hold the tools steadily. When using the screwdriver to turn the screws, it slipped and lost its force, and the wrench could hardly tighten the nuts. After repeated attempts, the problem of the component remained stubborn. Helplessness and anxiety were intertwined in his heart. The feelings of heat, frustration were churning and boiling in his heart, and he was almost desperate.

Just when he was full of worry and felt helpless, a passing agricultural van 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 unbearably hot today. Is there something wrong with your vehicle?” Old Zhang hurriedly pointed at the component and told him in detail what had happened. Without saying a word, the uncle took professional repair tools and a spare 130 aluminum 304 bearing with 20 holes from his vehicle. It turned out that the uncle ran an orchard by himself. He often drove back and forth to transport agricultural materials and pick fruits. He knew very well that the road conditions were dangerous and unpredictable, so he was used to keeping emergency repair parts in the vehicle to prepare for unexpected needs.

The uncle jumped out of the vehicle and walked to Old Zhang’s vehicle. First, he handed Old Zhang a bottle of ice-cold mineral water to help him quench his thirst, cool down and calm his nervousness. Then he skillfully operated the tools to remove the damaged component. He cleverly used long-nosed pliers to remove the stone chips blocking the holes, and then carefully polished the scratches with sandpaper to make them smooth and regular. Then he took out the spare component, installed it steadily in place, calibrated the gaps between the components, tightened the screws, and gently 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 guarantee again, which finally put Old Zhang’s hanging heart at ease.

Old Zhang’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 exquisite wooden carvings. The uncle couldn’t refuse and took them. Then he smiled and told Old Zhang, “Brother, you should be more careful when driving on these bad roads in the future. This component is related to the safety of the whole vehicle. You can’t be careless at all!” Old Zhang nodded vigorously, keeping it firmly in mind.

After this incident, Old Zhang’s care for the 130 aluminum 304 bearing with 20 holes reached an extreme level. Before setting out each time, he would conduct a detailed and comprehensive inspection. He would not only examine the appearance and clean the holes, but also simulate emergency braking situations to check the braking effect. After returning the vehicle, he would wipe and maintain it with a dry cloth, regularly check the tightness of the screws and reinforce the connection of the components. Since then, the component has never had any problems again and has steadily accompanied Old Zhang as he continued to be busy shuttling between urban and rural areas, witnessing his every year of working hard for a living.