During the Han Dynasty, there were two very close friends named Lei Yi and Chen Chong.
汉朝的时候，有一对很要好的朋友，一个叫雷义，另外一个叫陈重。
Their bond was even stronger than that of biological brothers.
雷义和陈重的感情比亲兄弟还要好。
One day, they both went to take an examination together.
有一次，他们两个人一起去参加考试，
Lei Yi passed the exam, but Chen Chong did not.
雷义考上了，陈重却没考上。
Lei Yi thought to himself, “Chen Chong’s knowledge is better than mine, it’s such a pity that he didn’t pass!”
雷义心想：“陈重的学问比我好，居然没有考上，真的是太可惜了！”
So, Lei Yi went to see the official in charge of the exam and said, “Sir, please transfer my title to Chen Chong; he is more deserving than I am!”
雷义就跑去找掌管考试的官员说：“大人，麻烦您将我的功名转给陈重，他比我优秀呀！”
The official, of course, ignored him and said, “Nonsense, titles cannot be transferred like that.”
官员当然不理他：“胡闹，功名怎么可以随便转给别人呢？”
Lei Yi was very disappointed and said, “In that case, I don’t want this title either!”
雷义心里好失望：“那我也不要这个功名了！”
Lei Yi pretended to go mad and refused to take up his official duties, eventually being relieved of his title.
雷义就假装发疯不去做官，终于被解除了功名。
Years later, Lei Yi and Chen Chong took the exam again and this time, both of them passed.
过了几年，雷义和陈重又一起去参加考试，这一次，他们两个都考上了，
They were also fortunate to be assigned to work in the same place.
还很幸运地被派在同一个地方做事。
Lei Yi happily said to Chen Chong, “Chen Brother, please take care of me from now on.”
雷义高兴的对陈重说：“陈兄，以后又要麻烦你多照顾了。”
Chen Chong replied, “Lei Brother, you’re joking. It’s you who have been taking care of me!”
陈重说：“雷兄，您说笑了，都是您在照顾我呀！”
Both of them were delighted to work together, and their friendship grew even stronger.
两个人很开心能在一起工作，感情变得更好呢！
Everyone who saw their friendship said, “Glue and lacquer bind strongly together, but it still can’t compare to the deep friendship between Lei Yi and Chen Chong!”
大家看到他们感情这么好，都说：“胶和漆凝聚在一起很坚固，不过还是比不上雷义和陈重的深厚友谊呀！”
Later, this story inspired the idiom “胶漆相投,” which describes the deep friendship between good friends, as solid as the bond between glue and lacquer.
后来，有人就把这件事变成“胶漆相投”这句成语，用来形容好朋友间的深厚友情，就像胶和漆聚合在一起那么坚固！
