My name is Xiang Ju, and I live an ordinary and warm life with my husband Xu Liang. Although our income is not high, we can meet the basic needs of life. However, something happened recently that left me confused and uneasy.
My sister Xiang Mei and her brother-in-law have a pension of 14,000 yuan per month, so it stands to reason that they should be financially well-off. However, they always borrowed money from our small family with a monthly income of only 4,300 yuan. This begs me: is she really short of money?
01
My sister has always been a strong person, and she has to decide everything in the family. And the brother-in-law is an honest person who obeys his sister's words. Growing up, my sister was a role model for me, she was smart, capable, and always managed to keep things organized. However, as I grew older, my sister's strength made me a little unbearable.
Every time my sister comes to borrow money, she always takes it for granted. She would say, "Sister, your brother-in-law needs capital turnover in his business recently, do you think you can lend us some money?" I was embarrassed to refuse, after all, it was my sister, and she also promised to repay the money as soon as possible. However, the money lent was never returned.
Xu Liang and I also have our own life plans, we want to buy a house and provide better educational conditions for our children. However, my sister's frequent borrowing of money made our plans postponed again and again. I also tried to communicate with my sister and express our difficulties. But she said disapprovingly, "You are not in a hurry to use the money now, why don't you lend us it first?"
Once, I overheard a conversation between my sister and brother-in-law. The brother-in-law said, "You always borrow money from your sister, and her life with her brother-in-law is not easy." But my sister said nonchalantly: "Their income is so low, and their standard of living is low, there is no place to spend money." Now that we are retired, we don't have more money to work, and our standard of living has dropped a lot compared to before, so what's wrong with borrowing some money from my sister?"
Is that what does my sister think of me?
02
Holding back my sadness, I decided to have a good talk with my sister.
I said to my sister: "Sister, Xu Liang and I have been a little nervous recently, you see how you borrowed my money before......"
The sister who was originally smiling and groaning immediately turned cold: "Xiang Ju, what do you mean, are you afraid that I won't pay you back? You know that your brother-in-law and I are retired and have no financial resources, and you still come to ask for money, why are you so selfish? Isn't family affection more important than money?"
I was stunned, I just came to ask for the money I lent myself, how could I be selfish. And: "Sister, you and your brother-in-law are retired, but there is a pension of 14,000 per month, although Xu Liang and I are still working, but my total salary is only 4,300, and I can barely make a living, and I have lent you a little money that I have saved over the years, you are my own sister, if it weren't for the family's real need for money, I wouldn't ask you for it." ”
I was really hurt by my sister, and now I just want to get the money back that I lent.
But my sister didn't plan to pay back the money, she insisted that there was no money, and there was nothing I could do.
We broke up this conversation.
I'm panicking, isn't the money going to come back? Then how should I explain to Xu Liang!
03
After I searched for my sister three times in a row to no avail, I alarmed my brother-in-law.
The next day, the brother-in-law came to the door with the money. The brother-in-law not only repaid the borrowed money, but also gave interest, he thanked us for being willing to lend them money, while explaining that we were really tight on money before, knowing that we were short of money and immediately raised money, saying that my sister did not mean not to repay the money, but just said the wrong thing in a hurry and had no money, let's not mind.
To be honest, my brother-in-law's character is still good, I know that my brother-in-law is actually saying good things for my sister, but now that the money is in hand, I am at ease, and everyone has a smile on their faces, and they are peaceful.
I thought that was the end of the matter, but my sister came to my house that night and made a big noise. It turned out that my brother-in-law was going behind my sister's back to repay the money, and my sister was very angry when she found out, and she quarreled with her brother-in-law at home, and then ran to my house in anger.
After my sister made a big fuss at my house, she said that there would be no more of my sister in the future.
I'm sad, but I'm glad. After knowing my sister's true face, I was not worth it to my past self, but fortunately, the money came back.
Finally, I would like to ask you a question: How will you choose when faced with the entanglement of family affection and money? I hope that everyone can cherish the relatives around us and not let money blind us.