Describe a friend from your childhood.

My childhood friend is Lin, and we lived in the same apartment building in Hangzhou. We were both quiet kids, but we liked spending time outside. I met her when I was about seven. One afternoon, I was playing with a ball near my building, and it rolled over to her. She picked it up and gave it back, and we started talking.

After that, we often walked to school together. We also rode our bikes in the small park near our homes and played badminton there. Sometimes we did our homework at each other's homes, although we usually spent more time chatting than studying. It was simple, but we had a lot of fun.

We are still in touch, but not every day. She moved to another part of the city after university, so we usually message each other and meet for dinner a few times a year. She was important to me because I felt comfortable telling her things. She was a good friend when I was growing up, and I still remember those days very fondly.

Honestly, the childhood friend I remember most is Lin, who lived in the same apartment building as me in Hangzhou. We were both fairly quiet, so we didn’t make friends with everyone, but we got comfortable with each other quickly. I met her when I was about seven. I was kicking a ball around near our building one afternoon, and it rolled over to her. She picked it up, handed it back, and asked if I wanted to play. That tiny moment turned into a long friendship.

We spent a lot of time together after that. We’d walk to school in the mornings, and after class we often rode our bikes around a little park close to home. We also played badminton there, usually with whatever old rackets we could find. On rainy days, we’d do homework at one of our homes. We weren’t especially hardworking together, though; we’d end up chatting about school and making each other laugh. Those ordinary routines made childhood feel less lonely and more fun.

We’re still in touch, even though she moved to another part of the city after university. We message every few weeks and try to meet for dinner a few times a year. If one of us has a difficult week, the other is still someone we can talk to honestly. Lin mattered to me because she was a steady, reassuring presence when I was growing up. I didn’t have to pretend to be more confident around her, and that kind of easy acceptance is something I still value.