[Explanation] At the end of 2021, the ancient city of Xi'an suffered a sudden epidemic.
What happened to the people in the city after pressing the "pause button" in the city?
Before the New Year came, reporters from China News Service visited Xi'an community workers, material suppliers, volunteers, police on duty who were on the front line of epidemic prevention, and people who were still working hard in isolation at home.
Hear how they will spend the last day of 2021.
[Concurrent] Zhou Teng, a community worker in Xi'an
Today is the last day of our Gregorian calendar in 2021. Our community workers and our front-line epidemic prevention personnel are still at work, and we continue to work hard for our epidemic prevention work.
[Concurrent] Zhang Pei, an employee of RT-Mart Supermarket in Xi'an
After the epidemic came, I was mainly responsible for assisting our unit in distributing materials to various communities, working more than ten hours a day.
Today, I will first go to the Xiguan Sanitation Station with all my colleagues in our company, as well as the Xiguan Sub-district Office and the traffic police team to donate some supplies.
[The same period] Xi'an Traffic Police Lianhu Brigade Xishaomen Squadron Civil Police Zhang Jing
Since the outbreak of the epidemic, all of our policemen have taken to the streets.
The squadron has set up a number of rebate points, and we go to the rebate points every day for 8 to 12 hours.
[Explanation] Everyone has a different recipe for this special "New Year's Eve dinner" after a hard day.
[Concurrent] Zhou Teng, a community worker in Xi'an
We will arrange all the epidemic prevention staff to have working meals together.
Prepared instant noodles, prepared some small bread and milk, this is our last meal on the last day.
[Concurrent] Zhang Pei, an employee of RT-Mart Supermarket in Xi'an
Today is the last day of 2021. Spend it with colleagues.
At night, I will come home and have a hot pot meal with my family, homemade hot pot.
[The same period] Xi'an Traffic Police Lianhu Brigade Xishaomen Squadron Civil Police Zhang Jing
After get off work, we can't go home. We can only eat instant noodles, ham sausage, and drink boiled water with colleagues at the work unit.
Although it is more difficult, we are also very happy.
We make our due contribution to everyone in the post we hold.
[Explanation] The epidemic disrupted the rhythm of the city and changed the "inertia" of people's lives.
In the close fight against the epidemic, there will always be a new sense of life.
[Concurrent] Xi'an Community Epidemic Prevention Volunteer Wang Lizhu
As a volunteer, he is mainly responsible for the identity verification of nucleic acid testing.
Since becoming a volunteer, I can better understand the hardships of front-line staff, especially medical staff. They work hard and even have a home and cannot go back, which is very worthy of admiration.
[Concurrent] Ren Qing, a white-collar worker in Xi'an
After the epidemic started, our company organized home office.
Let me show you, this is my workstation.
The pandemic will actually make me reflect on some things. This pandemic made me feel that the usual ordinary life is very precious, but it is actually a very happy thing, and then I still hope that the pandemic will end sooner.
[Explanation] When the year is about to end, it is the habit of many people to look back at the past and look forward to the future.
Let us listen to their New Year's resolutions.
[Concurrent] Zhou Teng, a community worker in Xi'an
My greatest wish is to hope that the epidemic will end as soon as possible and that the people's living conditions can return to normal.
As myself, I think that after the epidemic is over, I can sleep well at home and wake up naturally.
Let's have a meal of our Xi'an specialty mutton steamed buns, we want high-quality ones.
[Concurrent] Zhang Pei, an employee of RT-Mart Supermarket in Xi'an
My New Year’s resolution is to wait for the epidemic to end, buy a cup of milk tea, then watch a good movie, and then make an appointment with my good friend to go shopping together to buy clothes.
[The same period] Xi'an Traffic Police Lianhu Brigade Xishaomen Squadron Civil Police Zhang Jing
I now hope that the epidemic will pass quickly. After it is over, I will spend more time with my family and take my child out to eat hot pot, because he used to pester me all day and wanted to eat hot pot. Recently, I have been back because of the epidemic. No home.
So after the end, I want to spend more time with my family.
[Concurrent] Ren Qing, a white-collar worker in Xi'an
If the (epidemic) is over, the first thing I do is, I want to run out and drink two glasses of coke and drink ice coke.
Then, I would also like to thank the front-line staff who are particularly hardworking, because they have to go down to test nucleic acid every day, and then find that the "big white" of nucleic acid testing, including community staff and volunteers, are very, very hard.
And then actually thank you all here.
[Explanation] The night is late, the city is still there, and people are still asleep.
When the reporter was writing the manuscript, the years had quietly opened a new chapter.
The lights in the distance seem to guard the city.
Time flows, and the first ray of sunlight in the morning will always pierce the night and illuminate the way of life.
Journalist Party Tianye reports from Xi'an
Editor in charge: [Liu Xian]