Someone resigns from official duties to return to their hometown; others rush through exams day and night. The more experiences one has, the deeper their understanding of this saying.

Life's opportunities vary greatly. These days, I accompanied my wife to Shanghai to visit her university roommate. The other person has been diagnosed with a rare disease—ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), the same disease Hawking had.

This disease is, in some ways, more despairing than cancer because there is currently no cure.

Even in today’s highly advanced medical era, no matter how much wealth you have, it cannot turn back the clock. I heard from her support group that some people live in Beijing siheyuan courtyards, go to the Mayo Clinic in the US, but in the end, they can only face reality.

She inherited it genetically; her mother also passed away from this disease. In fact, the genetic predisposition was there long ago. In college, she often inexplicably fell while walking, but at that time, no one paid much attention.

The cruelest part is that this disease gradually paralyzes her, while her consciousness remains clear, locked inside her body. She now takes medication daily, insists on exercising, and fights against death, trying to buy more time.

Compared to her experience, I feel like I am living in heaven. Previously, worrying about account losses and missed opportunities seemed so insignificant in the face of life and death.

Health is 1 in life; all other fame, fortune, and wealth are just the zeros behind. If that 1 falls, even if you have assets like A8 or A9, in the end, it all turns to dust.