Chapter 172 Suffering is not worth singing about! Climb to the top of Mount Tai!
My favorite season is spring, when everything comes back to life and the mountains and fields are full of flowers, it is very beautiful.

The most difficult section of the trail is the Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai, which is a one-kilometer journey with a 400-meter drop and 1,600 steps, equivalent to a building with more than 100 floors.

Every time I go here, I am always nervous, afraid that something unexpected might happen.

Behind them are the sunrise and sunset, and the sea of ​​clouds on Mount Tai. The mountains are engulfed in thick fog, and the wind blows through the floating waves of the sea of ​​clouds, making it as beautiful as a fairyland.

But the porters had no time to appreciate it. They only cared about the cargo on their shoulders and the steps in front of them.

Even though he had worked as a porter for more than 20 years, making three or four trips back and forth every day, he had never climbed Mount Tai as a tourist, nor had he ever appreciated the beautiful scenery of Mount Tai with a relaxed attitude.

Chen Lu did not go forward to ask, because he knew that porters could not rest.

They were able to hold on only by a breath.

Once you stop, once you start speaking, the breath is lost and you can no longer carry this burden.

The moment they truly feel relaxed is when their burdens are put down.

The work of sanitation workers in Mount Tai is also very hard and dangerous.

There are trash cans every few dozen meters, but some people throw trash outside the railings, so they have to risk their lives to pick it up.

[Oh my god, three or four trips back and forth every day? It's really too much work! ]

[Not to mention carrying a load weighing hundreds of pounds, it's simply unimaginable! ]

[I think with their strength, they can definitely participate in a strongman competition! ]

[The Chinese are really able to endure hardships! We should learn from their spirit! ]

[If you include the labor remuneration, I don’t think this price is expensive! ]

Faced with the praise from foreigners, Chen Lu could only smile bitterly.

Suffering is not worth singing about.

Suffering is suffering. It does not bring success and is not worth pursuing.

We choose suffering because we cannot avoid it.

If they could choose an easy life, do you think these porters wouldn't want it?

It's just that they have no choice, that's all.

What is commendable is their attitude towards suffering.

Instead of being defeated, he chose to face it positively.

Anna wanted to give him some money, but was stopped by Chen Lu.

He shook his head: "Anna, he is not a beggar, he earns money with his own hands. If you give him money, you are not helping him, but humiliating him."

Anna was stunned for a moment.

Yes, he gets up early and goes to bed late, works diligently, and earns money through his own labor.

If I give him money, wouldn't that make him a beggar?
"I, I understand."

After the porters carried the goods to the designated location, they were finally able to sit down and rest.

He put down the burden on his shoulders, took a sip of the big bowl of tea handed to him by the boss, and smiled simply.

This must be a smile from the heart, right?

Even if life is hard, as a human being, you can never give up the desire for life!

"Look at that tree, honey!"

Following the direction of Anna's finger, Chen Lu saw a pine tree on the cliff.

It is tall and straight, with branches like an umbrella, and twisted roots that are deeply rooted in the cracks of the cliff.

One branch extends obliquely to the east, as if waving warmly to welcome tourists from afar.

"This is the Welcoming Pine, also known as the People-Watching Pine, a scenic spot on Mount Tai."

"Wang Ren Song? What a strange name."

"The name comes from a legend. It is said that in ancient times, a couple lived nearby. In order to make Mount Tai more beautiful, the husband went out to learn flower-growing skills and did not return for many years. The wife stood on the hillside, waiting for him to return. When her husband came back, she had turned into a pine tree."

The two came to a square and saw a huge ancient tree standing in the center of the square. It was so huge that it took at least dozens of people to hug it.

After hundreds of years of wind and rain, the tree is still lush and full of vitality. Its surface is covered with mottled traces left by the years, and its canopy is broad, like a huge green umbrella that covers the sky and the sun.

The sunlight shines through the dense leaves, casting spots of light like stars.

The branches are hung with bright red prayer sticks, with long ribbons hanging down, swaying gently in the breeze, colliding with each other to make pleasant sounds, telling of people's most sincere wishes and expectations.

[Ward hair! This tree is really big! ]

[I heard that in China, there are many huge trees like this, and they have a history of at least hundreds of years! ]

【What are those red signs hanging above? 】

[Those are fortune sticks! It is said that if you write your wish and hang it up, it will definitely come true! ]

[Watt? This is feudal superstition, how can it be true? ]

[Isn't it feudal superstition that you Westerners make birthday wishes? It's just a beautiful yearning for the future! ]

"This is a blessing tree. It is said to be very effective. Anna, do you want to write a blessing sign and hang it up?"

"of course yes!"

Anna found a prayer stick, thought about it, and wrote down her wish on it.

“Well, can I write one more?”

"of course."

The staff member smiled and handed her another one.

Anna tilted her head and thought about it, then wrote down another wish.

"Let me see what you wrote?"

Chen Lu leaned over and wanted to see what was written on the prayer sign.

It turned out that she was writing in the language of the Chinese bear, which I couldn’t understand at all!

"Anna, what is the wish you wrote?"

"can not tell you!"

"Oh, why can't you tell me?"

"Because it won't work if you say it out loud!" Anna said seriously.

"No, there is no such saying in China. Even if you say it, it will work!"

Everyone has a strong curiosity, and Chen Lu is no exception.

He just wanted to know what Anna wrote, but Anna refused to tell him.

Finally, after Chen Lu’s constant nagging, Anna couldn’t hold on any longer.

"Well, I can tell you, but you have to wait until the sunrise!"

Wait until the sunrise?
That’s fine. Anyway, if I just wait a few more hours, I’ll know what Anna wishes for!

After they had eaten and drunk their fill and finished their repairs, they climbed up to the Jade Emperor Peak in one breath.

There are still a few hours until sunrise, and all we have to do now is wait quietly.

However, due to the altitude, Mount Tai is relatively cold at night and the temperature difference between day and night is large, so Chen Lu rented a military coat and a tent.

There are many small shops on the top of the mountain where you can rent military coats.

The price is not very expensive, it is just for people who want to watch the sunrise.

"Come on, put on your army coat, so you won't be cold."

Chen Lu helped Anna put on her military coat and wrapped himself in it as well.

Anna couldn't help laughing: "Honey, you look so funny in this dress, like a bear!"

"You're still talking about me? You're not much better!"

[If you ask me, you two are the same, so don't criticize each other! ]

[What is the name of this dress? I think it looks great! ]

(End of this chapter)