Life on the construction site was filled with arduous labor. Although it was tough, I gritted my teeth and persevered so I could send more money home. However, the peaceful days didn't last long.
That day, the sun blazed down, baking the earth; the air felt like it was on fire. The work on the site was exceptionally heavy, and everyone was working frantically. I was struggling to carry a stack of bricks, my steps faltering. Just then, a fellow worker from Anhui came over, frowned at my pace, and said impatiently, "Can't you hurry up? You're dawdling like a woman!"
Already irritable from the heat and the fatigue of the work, his words ignited a fire within me. I retorted in broken Chinese, "I'm already trying my best, don't say that!" The worker's face darkened at my retort, and he shoved me. I was already off balance, and this push sent me sprawling to the ground, scraping my hand and scattering bricks everywhere.
I completely lost it. I got up and cursed back in Vietnamese. The other worker, though he didn't understand, saw my stance and knew I was insulting him. He was furious too, and charged at me, starting a fight. Other workers nearby gathered, some shouting, "Stop fighting!" but we were too engrossed in our brawl to listen.
Just as we were getting into a fight, the boss arrived. He yelled, "What are you doing? Don't you want to work here anymore?!" We finally stopped, panting heavily, glaring at each other. The boss, his face dark, looked at us and said, "Working here, you have to follow the rules! You two, 50 yuan each! If you cause any more trouble, you're both fired!"
Hearing about the fine, my heart sank. How many bricks would I have to carry to earn back that 50 yuan?! I didn't dare argue with the boss, so I could only lower my head, my heart filled with resentment and anger.
Back in the work shed that evening, I sat on my bed, munching on pickled vegetables, my spirits at rock bottom. Old Li came over, sat down beside me, patted my shoulder, and said earnestly, "Qiang, when we work here, we have to learn to endure. Here, we're outsiders, unlike back home. We have to be careful about everything. To earn some money, just bear with it. Don't be impulsive, or you'll only hurt yourself."
I nodded silently. The pickled vegetables in my mouth seemed even saltier, so salty that tears almost welled up in my eyes. I knew Old Li was right. In this unfamiliar place, I had no one to rely on. To continue earning money to send home, I had to endure it. But I still felt resentful. Why did I have to put up with this kind of treatment after working so hard?
Seeing that I didn't speak, Old Li continued, "Qiang, we come out to work for our families. What will they do if we lose our jobs because of this? Let's swallow our anger, work hard, and once we've earned enough money, we won't have to suffer like this when we go home."
Hearing Old Li's words, I felt a little better. I looked up at Old Li and said, "Brother Li, I understand. I'll be more careful in the future." Old Li smiled and said, "That's right. If anything happens, tell me, and we'll figure something out together."
That night, I lay in bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time. Thinking about what had happened that day, thinking about my mother and sister back home, I told myself that I had to endure it. For my family, I could suffer any hardship, endure any injustice. I secretly vowed in my heart that I would work hard to earn money, and one day return to my hometown to give my family a good life and never let them be bullied again.