In His Prime

I thought that if I worked hard enough, I could live a good life.

But the truth is, hard work without the right direction is all for nothing.

In 1997, a severe drought struck my hometown, leaving the fields completely barren.

To put food on the table, I dropped out of school and gave my only chance to study to my younger sister.

That year, I followed a few fellow villagers hundreds of miles in search of work.

To survive, I polished shoes for people at the train station, worked as a bricklayer on construction sites, and served tables...

I worked myself to the bone, hoping to make big money, buy a large house, and bring my parents and sister to the city to enjoy a better life.

To make that dream come true, I took on several jobs at once.

But even after giving it everything I had, I could barely make ends meet.

With prices and rent rising at breakneck speed, my dream seemed further away than ever...

Until I met her.