Why don't people always keep the same friends as they get older?

Well, I think the main reason is that people's lives and priorities change as they grow older. When you're younger, you might bond over simple things like playing soccer together, like with my childhood friend Li Wei. But later, career paths, family responsibilities, or even moving to different cities can naturally create distance. For example, after I moved to Shanghai for work, I lost touch with several university friends simply because we were all busy building our careers. That said, some friendships do last - usually the ones where both people make an effort to stay connected despite the changes. It's not that people don't value old friendships, but life sometimes pulls them in different directions.