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In May, a brand new year, ushered in the headwind journey of a family in Yanjiao. From the prosperous middle class to the long night of debt, in just two years, their lives have changed drastically.
Let me take you back to 2017, which was Zhou Ping's 28th birthday.
That day, they finally stepped out of the gate to Yanjiao and bought a home of their own. Yanjiao, located on the outskirts of Beijing, looks like a corner of Hebei, but is across the water from downtown Beijing. The 30-kilometer straight-line distance and half-hour drive make this place an ideal place for Beipiao to buy property.
Once upon a time, housing prices in Yanjiao were in full swing, and propaganda slogans were spread on the streets. "Half an hour directly to Guomao", "Beijing can't give you, Yanjiao has it" ... Wang Chao and Zhou Ping, two post-80s, were attracted by such a beautiful fantasy and decided to settle down here.
"Yanjiao, you are our destination." They share a two-bedroom apartment with excellent south-facing light and sunlight filling the house, warm and bright. They bought the home and paved the way for the future with their ideals and hopes.
In 2018, Wang Chao's work was affected, and the recession in the automotive industry gradually reduced his income. However, bigger changes came in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic broke out and the spread of the pandemic began to shake their lives.
In the Spring Festival of 2020, they gave up their plans to return to their hometown, and the lockdown left their lives in difficulty.
Wang Chao's work gradually decreased, and Zhou Ping became the pillar of the family. However, her online education industry was also hit hard by the "double reduction" policy, and she lost her job. The couple's life became difficult, and although they tried to save money, they could not cover the expenses of living.
They began to rely on credit cards to "borrow to support loans", and borrowing and overdrafts became their way of making ends meet.
The shame of not wanting to borrow money from relatives and friends forced them into a dilemma from which they could not extricate themselves. Mortgages began to overdue, and bank collectors came frequently, making them fearful.
Over time, their deposits ran out, and every time they received an alert that their balance was low, they felt a rush of panic. In the end, they decided to sell the house in Yanjiao, where the dream began, and became their last resort to save their lives.
However, reality did not leave them with a respite. The impact of housing market regulation and the epidemic has greatly reduced the value of houses. They had to be listed for sale for less than the purchase price, hoping for relief. But even so, the road to selling a house is not easy.
In this ordeal, they welcomed many people who had suffered the same as them. Banks suing mortgage defaults have surged and foreclosures are rising, with countless people's lives in trouble.
In adversity, they may persevere in difficult days and may find a new way out for life, but their stories connect the fate of countless people at this moment.
The experience of this family is a microcosm of countless families. In this world, life is always intertwined with its ups and downs, and in the face of adversity, people are constantly forging ahead, looking for hope and possibility. Perhaps, this is what we need to learn, no matter how difficult it is, to maintain courage, stick to our beliefs, and constantly find a way forward.