Huang Xinsheng reads a book during a break from work as a sanitation worker in Changsha, Hunan province in 2023. (File Photo/China Daily)

Huang Xinsheng starts every day early. By the time the sun peaks over the horizon, she is already cleaning a 1-kilometer street in Changsha, Hunan province.

After finishing her shift, the 53-year-old goes home to read books and write poetry.

"Whenever I feel depressed or anguished from pressure at work and life and cannot find ways to alleviate the pain, I pick up a book, and my heart starts to calm down,"Huang said.

She has encountered great difficulties in life. "I can be humble during hard times, but I need to be able to find self-respect while doing so," she said.

As a creative outlet, she writes poetry. She has written hundreds of poems over the years.

In one of her poems, Huang wrote: "Why do you have a low voice, because you keep clean the city day after day; why do you have a calm smile, because you have seen the passage of time in falling leaves, blue skies and white clouds. You have seen so many faces and heard so many stories of happiness and sadness."

Huang reads a book next to her road sweeper in Changsha in 2023. (Photo/China Daily) 

Born in Hunan in a village in Lianyuan, Loudi city, Huang developed a love for literature during her primary school years. In high school, her teachers sometimes selected her essays to be read aloud as exemplary pieces.

Despite her writing successes, Huang did not do well enough in the national college entrance exam in 1990. Her mother borrowed money so that she could continue studying and retake the exam the following year. Instead, she started working so the family would have more money to support her two younger brothers.

She went from city to city, working odd jobs as a printer, construction worker and nanny to make a living.

Looking back, Huang said she regrets the decision as she could have contributed more to the family if she had obtained a college degree.

Tragedy struck in 2011 when her husband lost his life in a construction site accident in Zhejiang province. Devastated by the loss of her beloved partner, Huang returned to his hometown in Shaoyang, Hunan, to arrange his funeral.

Her in-laws urged her to remain and support her sons through farming, but she knew there wasn't enough land to support the family. Instead, she took a factory job in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, and brought her younger son with her.

Before long, she realized that life in a factory dormitory was unsuitable for a three-year-old, so she sent him to live with her parents.

After working in Guangzhou for three years, she reunited with her youngest in Changsha, where she got a small apartment and took on the role of a sanitation worker. To supplement her income, she cooked for a family and did tailoring work at night.

In her free time, she visited the Hunan Provincial Library with her son. He grew to enjoy being there so much that he would go on his own while she worked.

After a few years, her older son graduated from vocational school and found a job in Changsha. The family was reunited at last, and the income he brought in eased the strain.

Huang poses for a photo at an institute of literature named after the late Chairman Mao Zedong in Changsha in November. (Photo/China Daily) 

In 2019, Huang joined a group chat of sanitation workers from Hunan who shared a passion for literature and began sharing her poems. Editors in the group published Huang's works online, where they garnered praise and popularity.

Participating in numerous literary competitions, Huang clinched multiple awards and embarked on a self-study program for a vocational degree in literature at Hunan Normal University.

Despite understanding that a degree would not help her much at her age, Huang persevered and now stands on the brink of completing her degree. She emphasized that her pursuit of education was driven by her love for literature and the desire to enhance her proficiency in the field.

"I used to think that I was too old to pass the exams, but I have learned the tricks and become more patient in chasing the dream," she said.

Huang's reading preferences have evolved over time, shifting from romantic fiction to classic novels. Reflecting on her journey, she underscored the transformative power of adversity: "Hardships nurture personal growth. In my youth, I envisioned a rosy future, but reality proved otherwise."

For Huang, books are companions in a life filled with responsibilities toward her children and aging parents. Despite the challenges she faces, she remains resolute, embodying a spirit of tenacity and fortitude.

"Life is not easy, and you cannot show your sadness and weakness in front of family," she said. "You need to be tough."

责编：冯宇轩

一审：冯宇轩

二审：唐煜斯

三审：秦慧英

来源：中新网