When I was a child, I always have the deepest memories, and the one I remember most clearly is the yard of my grandparents' house. It was a small world, and my cousins and I frolicked and played in the yard, and it was a happy and carefree day.
What a wonderful life was back then.
But as I grew older, I gradually understood the conflicts and disputes in the family. As the eldest son and eldest daughter, my father and mother always expected more from me, but they also gave me more responsibility and pressure.
There are more and more contradictions with them, and an insurmountable gap has gradually formed.
I remember one time, my parents and I had a heated argument over a trivial matter. They say that I am not angry, that I am not sensible, and that I even doubt my outlook on life and values.
When I was about to leave, my mom and dad saw my luggage and they were a little flustered. My mother cried and grabbed my hand, choked up, and said, "Son, my mother is not filial to three things, one is not to work hard, the second is not to marry a good wife, and the third is not to honor your parents, what you are doing now is the last one."
Dad also came over and grabbed my shoulder, his tone full of grievances: "At the age of 26, we also give you a bride price of 380,000 yuan, isn't this enough?
I looked at them and my heart was pounding. Do they think that money will make up for everything? Do they think that if they raise me, they will demand something from me in return?
In the end, I silently pushed the door open without opening my mouth. They stood in the doorway, their eyes full of helplessness and sadness.
In my new life, I began to work hard, trying not to think about the contradictions of the past. However, one day, I received a strange phone call.
I asked blankly, "Yes, you are ......?"
The woman introduced herself as my dad's ex-wife. I didn't expect my father to have an ex-wife, and I didn't expect to have a stepsister who had nothing to do with me.
I was surprised and delighted that this stepsister, whom I had never met before, lived so close to me.
I couldn't help but sigh at the mystery of fate. We met up very quickly, and since then, we've kept in touch frequently.
I can't deny that the family stories she tells do give me chills.
In the subsequent contact, my stepsister's dissatisfaction with my parents and family gradually intensified, and she frequently vented to me.
By chance, I heard her slander against my parents, and it made me feel a tingle in my heart.
I was in a dilemma, and I was becoming more and more hesitant about my emotional distress.
These conflicting emotions plunged me into deep distress. When I saw how my stepsister was entangled in conflicts with her parents because of various grievances, I also began to think about my own position and attitude towards the family.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I stumbled out of the house. At that moment, my heart ached so much that I could barely breathe.
I found a small hotel to stay in and stayed up all night. The morning sun shone in through the curtains and shone on my face.
I felt dazed, helpless, and even regretful. Did I leave too hastily, can I give them a chance to explain?
While I was struggling inside, my phone rang suddenly. I looked and it was my mother's phone. I hesitated, but picked it up.
On the other end of the phone, my mother's whimper, "Son, where are you? How are you? Can you do it alone outside?"
I didn't speak, and endless contradictions welled up in my heart. I don't know if I will have the courage to face them again, or if I will have the courage to face this home that has hurt me in the past.
For a long time, I lived a life of exile. Away from my parents' home, I got a job and rented a house in an unfamiliar city.
However, no matter how hard I tried to stay away from them, I didn't get rid of my family. In the dead of night, they always appear in my dreams.
It was at this time that I received a message, a message about home.
I learned a piece of news that shocked me. There was a fire at my grandparents' house, but fortunately there were no casualties, but the house was reduced to rubble.
The safety of my family has become my biggest concern.
As I hurried back to my hometown, I saw that the yard I once knew had been reduced to rubble.
When I got home, I fell into deep contemplation. I began to realize that no matter how deep the conflict, the care and love for my family is eternal.
After a long silence, I finally said, "Mom and Dad, I'm back."