The first half of life is as prosperous as a dream, and the second half of life is an inkstone to sharpen one's heart.
Liu Bo'an was born in Liujiadu. Before the age of thirty, he was well-dressed and well-fed. He had many friends from all walks of life. He spent a lot of money in exchange for applause. He thought he had friends all over the world and a close friend by his side. A sudden cold wave hit, and three cargo ships sank in the river. The family business collapsed instantly. The former guests dispersed, creditors came to visit like tigers and wolves, and all close relatives and old friends became strangers.
In the down-and-out woodshed, only the old accountant Zhou Yannian gave him timely help and money, reminding him that all the glitz and glamor in the first half of his life was in vain. At the age of thirty, he gave up glitz and stayed poor, and took the iron inkstone as his ambition. He studied hard in a poor window, from not knowing a word to studying with concentration. After three years, he passed the provincial examination and became a Jinshi.
After becoming an official, he was surrounded by turmoil in the court. He did not cling to or flatter others, enforce the law impartially, and was demoted and demoted many times. After half a life of ups and downs, he has seen the warmth and warmth of human nature and the indifference of the world, and has transformed from a playboy to an upright official with a clear breeze.
When he retired and returned to his hometown at the age of seventy, he gave away the iron inkstone that had been with him for half his life to his descendants, leaving only one motto: grind. What is sharpened is the pen and ink, the character of mind, the years, and even more, the human heart. Half his life was prosperous, half his life was lonely, and he finally realized the truth of the world: gold is easy to get, but a confidant is hard to find. Only when you have a backbone in your heart can you always achieve success.
