My name is Li Xiangyang, I am 35 years old this year, and I have been married to my wife Xiaoman for 7 years.
We were college classmates, fell in love and got married after graduation, and lived an ordinary but happy life. I work as a project manager for a technology company, and Xiao Man works for a publishing house.
None of us are rich children, we have worked hard in the city by our own efforts, bought a two-bedroom apartment of 90 square meters, and are still paying off the mortgage, but life has been enjoyable.
Until one day, a phone call disrupted our peaceful life.
"Oops, it's so miserable!" I received a call from Xiaoman, she cried profusely, it turned out that her father had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage and had been admitted to the ICU, and he had to undergo surgery immediately, and he needed to prepare 30,000 yuan for medical expenses.
My God, 30,000 yuan is an astronomical amount for a small family like us who have just gotten married! Our daily expenses have already stretched us to the stretch, where can we still have so much cash to come up with? I quickly thought about the situation of our family's income and expenditure -- the housing loan is 4,000 yuan a month, the car loan is 2,000 yuan, and the daily expenses for water, electricity, gas, and oil are added to 3,000 or 4,000 yuan, and the two of us get a total salary of 7,800 yuan, which is basically beyond our means.
What's worse is that Xiao Man also said aggrievedly on the phone that the total cost of treatment after the doctor's assessment is at least 100,000 yuan.
Then she cautiously asked me if I could consider sending a little "alimony" to her family every month, just 3,000 yuan, to help her mother share some of the pressure.
I almost fainted. I know that my mother-in-law's family is average, and Xiao Man's sister is still in college, so she really can't afford such a huge medical expense, but can we live a very comfortable life on our own? 3,000 yuan a month is tantamount to an astronomical amount to us! I really can't say yes
In desperation, I could only deal with it first, saying that I would see if I could advance my salary to the unit. Xiao Man cried and said a lot on the phone, and I could only keep comforting her, although my heart was in a mess. I sat in my office chair with question marks in my head.
When Xiao Man came home that night, the atmosphere was obviously stiff. She said that I was not filial and did not pay pension to her family, and I took great pains to explain our own financial situation, but she just didn't appreciate it.
"Why are you so unreasonable! My dad is dying, and you only think about yourself!"
"It's hard for me, my family's mortgage and car loan are still being paid, where will I get the money?"
"I know that you will never only talk empty words, what is for the family and wife, but it is just a fake big empty!"
We had a big fight over this matter, and Xiao Man told me decently, and ran back to his parents' house with red eyes. I sat in my empty home, looking at the cold food on the table, and my heart was bitter. How could we have become like this, when we used to be very affectionate?
The next day I went to work with a heavy heart on my back. Xiao Zhang looked at me with a wrong face these days, and asked me what was wrong with concern. I told him about the situation, and he was also embarrassed: "Brother, this matter is really not simple, and it is difficult for you yourself, but the family is counting on you!"
I sighed: "It's hard for me, Xiao Zhang, God wants my life!"
Zhang patted me on the shoulder to comfort me, and I knew that he expressed concern through words, but it didn't help my real predicament. In the past few days, I have been very depressed, feeling that I have been played by fate, lost in the predicament of Lin Hai, and I can't find the slightest way out.
originally thought that talking to an old friend would give me some clues, but who knew that my college roommate Xiao Zhao was also at a loss: "Brother, I understand your situation, you are too miserable!
Xiaoman and I had a stalemate for a few days, and the pressure on her side was also very high, and my side was also stretched. Just when we were having a headache, I suddenly got a notice from the company that I wanted to select a few employees to go to a foreign branch to do a project for half a year. This is undoubtedly a great opportunity for promotion and salary increase, and I don't want to recommend myself to the leader.
Who knew that Xiaoman heard that I was going abroad, and she cried and made trouble, and it took me a lot of effort to persuade her. She was afraid that if I went abroad, she would have the heart to abandon her, regardless of her family difficulties. I repeatedly assured her that I went abroad because of the needs of career development, and when I returned, I would do my best to help her through the difficulties, and I hoped to get her understanding.
Xiao Man barely stopped crying, but he still couldn't help but send me off with red eyes. I also feel very sorry for her, so I can only tell her again and again to take good care of herself, and she must tell me in time if there is anything important. Boarding the plane and looking back, Xiao Man's figure is so thin, my heart is tight, bless us to get through this difficult time safely!
In the past six months abroad, Xiaoman and I can only contact each other by phone and WeChat. Fortunately, I concentrated on my work during the business trip and performed well, and the boss hinted that I would be promoted to department head. I was so excited that I immediately informed Xiaoman of the good news.
Who knew that she also had a surprise here - she found a part-time job in an online education company, although the income is not much, but she can also help her family by living.
I was happy and blamed myself, I should have cared more about her situation during this time, but I didn't expect to focus on work, and almost forgot that there was a delicate little woman at home, and she was alone at home and bearing heavy pressure.
The two of us chatted, and she turned red again, and I felt very uncomfortable in my eyes.
Finally, after six long months, I returned with a full load. It's a pity that Xiao Man's side was sent to open a new company in other places, and we can only continue to live in different places. On my side, although I was promoted and raised, the department faced layoffs.
The days we had just spent together were about to be separated again, and I looked at the scattered room, and the years spent alone appeared in front of me, and I couldn't hold back tears.
In the days that followed, Xiaoman and I had a hard time. Fortunately, we encouraged and supported each other and never gave up. Xiaoman has done a good job in the branch and was rated as an excellent employee. My job has finally stabilized and I have regained my passion for work.
We've fantasized countless times about the beautiful scene when we both have a successful career. With a good income, buy a big house, and have a lovely child, fulfill our long-held dream. This has become the biggest motivation for us to spur ourselves forward.
Unfortunately, life always backfires. Just as we were preparing to have a child, my company was in danger of going out of business, and my department was facing immediate layoffs, and my own position was in jeopardy. This is undoubtedly the hardest blow to us.
At this moment, I am standing alone in my empty home. There is also a photo of us getting married on the wall, and my expression is so happy. I looked at myself and Xiaoman in the photo, and I couldn't control my tears anymore. What kind of dreams did we have to get married, and why did we drift apart? Those beautiful futures are simply out of reach.
I gave Xiao Man a long phone call, she was still working overtime for an important project tomorrow, and she hadn't closed her eyes for two days. Hearing me talk about the current situation, she also followed with red circles: "Xiangyang, hold on, we will definitely get through the difficulties, definitely!"
The road of life is still long, the road of choice is still far away, where should we go?
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