In the simple town of Langya, the first rays of sunlight in the morning can always penetrate the clouds and sprinkle on the ancient bluestone slabs. Li Yong, a skilled worker at a small local company, rides his battered bicycle to work early in the morning and doesn't return home until nightfall.
"Minmin, I transferred the money to you, you remember to check it. On this day every month, Li Yong always sends such a message to his wife Zhao Min on WeChat.
"Uh-huh, I received Lao Li, why is it only 9,000 this time? Didn't you say that the overtime pay was doubled last time?" Zhao Min's reply always had a hint of playfulness.
Li Yong smiled knowingly, took all the tiredness and replied: "That's next month, let's use it first." ”
Time is like weaving, in the tranquility of Langya Town, five years have passed in a blink of an eye. Today is the day of salary payment, after Li Yong transferred the money as usual, he suddenly had a trace of doubt, where did the family's savings go?
"Minmin, have we had any big expenses lately? I don't think we have increased a dime in our passbook. At the dinner table, Li Yong asked tentatively.
Zhao Min replied with a smile: "Where did you spend it, the daily expenses of the family, the children's cram school, and the fact that you don't like to eat the braised pork made by my mother, and it costs money to buy ingredients." ”
Li Yong is not a problem: "I know all this, but you think, I will give you 9,000 every month, and in five years, how can there be 180,000." ”
"Lao Li, don't be so careful, just live a comfortable life. Zhao Min snorted, looking a little flickering.
But Li Yong always felt that things were not so simple. He opened the bill, looked at it carefully, and found that in addition to the fixed expenses, there were always a few large expenditures every month, and he couldn't help but feel doubts and anxiety in his heart.
"Minmin, there are some expenses here that I don't understand, can you explain them?" Li Yong couldn't help but ask.
"That's... It's all the little things in life, so don't worry about it. Zhao Min looked a little cramped, but he didn't want to say more.
That night, the two of them had their own hearts, the husband and wife no longer talked and laughed as usual, and Li Yong's doubts sprouted in his heart like seeds... Li Yong's heart was like a big stone pressed, and he always felt that Zhao Min had something to hide on the issue of expenditure. He decided to find a chance to talk to Zhao Min.
One day after dinner, the child had been coaxed to sleep, and Li Yong plucked up the courage to sit opposite Zhao Min.
"Min'er, isn't it time for us to talk about the family's accounting?" Li Yong said in a low voice, trying to make his tone sound less stiff.
Zhao Min was stunned for a moment, and then smiled: "Lao Li, you see that you are starting to worry again, I said that the money is spent on the blade." ”
"I know, but I always feel that in five years, our savings have grown too little. Don't you want to accumulate some education funds for your children?" Li Yong's tone was full of worry and puzzlement.
Zhao Min avoided Li Yong's gaze and was silent for a while before he said, "Of course I will consider the education fund, but... There are some other places in the family that need money. ”
"Somewhere else?" Li Yong was puzzled, "Is there something big you didn't tell me?"
Zhao Min took a deep breath, as if he had made a big decision: "Actually... I've been helping my grandmother's house. You know that my grandmother is frail and sickly, and there is a brother-in-law who is in high school at home, and their family's life is not very good. ”
This sudden news made Li Yong a little stunned. After all, in Li Yong's mind, after getting married, the world of the two should only be each other and their children, and he didn't take into account Zhao Min's grandmother's family.
"This... Why do you keep hiding it from me?" Li Yong questioned.
"Because I know you're working so hard, I don't want to stress you more. My grandmother has raised me for so many years, and I can't ignore it. My brother-in-law is also very good at studying, so I can't just drop out of school, can I?" Zhao Min's eyes flashed with determination and helplessness.
Li Yong's heart was complicated. It's not that he doesn't have a sense of family responsibility, it's just that he has never considered Zhao Min's foreign family before. Maybe in his subconscious, he always felt that it was natural to support his parents, but he ignored Zhao Min's affection for her family.
"But why haven't you mentioned it to me for so long? We husband and wife should carry it together, shouldn't we?"
Zhao Min smiled bitterly: "I know that you will definitely be worried and feel pressured when you say it." I thought..."
"Why do you think so?" asked Li Yong.
"I thought I could handle it on my own. Zhao Min finally couldn't help it, and his eyes turned red.
Looking at Zhao Min's teary eyes, Li Yong's heart also softened, he knew that Zhao Min was not easy, and he also understood her good intentions.
Li Yong picked up Zhao Min's hand, "Min'er, no matter what we do in the future, we must discuss it together and face it together." We're family, aren't we?"
"Hmm..." Zhao Min nodded, tears finally coming out of his eyes.
This conversation gave Li Yong a deeper understanding of Zhao Min, and also made him realize that they need to face not only the numbers on the bill, but also the warm family and affection together. Even though he knew that Zhao Min had her troubles, the contradictions and dissatisfaction in Li Yong's heart did not completely dissipate. One day, Li Yong received the news that the company was about to lay off employees, which made him feel unprecedented pressure. That night, he came home with bitterness.
"This month may be a little tighter, the company..."Before Li Yong finished speaking, a bank transfer prompt sounded on his mobile phone.
"Another sum of money?" Li Yong's emotions were overflowing.
Zhao Min greeted him: "Yes, grandma's medicine has risen again." ”
"Didn't you say that you would discuss it? Why do you make your own decisions?"
Li Yong, who was emotionally out of control, said more and more intensely: "Is the money I worked so hard to earn worthless?"
Zhao Min tried to explain: "I didn't... Grandma's side really can't help it. ”
"No way, there must be a degree, look at what kind of life we are having here!" Li Yong became more and more angry, and the quarrel escalated.
Zhao Min had tears in her eyes: "You know how important my grandmother is to me! I can't just watch her..."
"What about me? What about your husband, your son's father? Is it in your heart that we are so unimportant?" Li Yong almost roared.
Finally, at the climax of the quarrel, Li Yong lost his mind with anger: "Go, go!
Faced with the sudden mental blow, Zhao Min took something in a panic and went out in tears.
Late at night after Zhao Min left home, Li Yong found an old envelope full of receipts and hospital bills, and he began to look through them one by one. Grandma's name is written on every receipt, and every expense on the hospital bill is recorded in detail.
Li Yong's heart began to tremble heavily. Later, he found a stack of tuition bills for his brother-in-law, and the amount involved was not small. Only then did he realize that Zhao Min was not only burdened with his grandmother's medical expenses, but also his brother-in-law's education expenses, all of which she silently bore the pressure.
Late at night, Li Yong sat in a deserted room, full of self-blame and helplessness. He knew that he was wrong, arguing would not solve the problem, and Zhao Min's departure suddenly made his world lose color.
Calming down, Lee Yong decides to go to Zhao Min, who must face all this and try to mend the broken relationship. In the early morning, the faint sunlight slowly dispelled the chill of the night. Li Yong stood in front of Zhao Min's grandmother's old house and knocked on the mottled wooden door.
The door opened, and Zhao Min's tired face was surprised: "How can you..."
"Minmin, I was wrong. Li Yong's voice trembled, "I saw those bills and receipts last night, and I realized how much you have endured." ”
Zhao Min was at a loss, his lips trembled slightly: "That... Do you still want me to go back?"
Li Yong took her hand, tears rolling in his eyes: "I not only want you to go back, I also want us to face everything together." I shouldn't be so impulsive and should share it with you. ”
Zhao Min's tears couldn't help but fall, and she nodded. The two of them hugged each other tightly, as if all the misunderstandings and pain were melted into the hug.
After returning home, Li Yong and Zhao Min sat down to discuss their future plans.
"We can set up a family ledger and keep a record of our expenses every month. Li Yong seriously proposed.
"Great idea, so we know exactly where we're spending our money. Zhao Min responded with a smile.
"By the way, how is your grandmother's condition? I think this month's salary will be lowered, and we will settle her medical expenses first. ”
Zhao Min looked at Li Yong movingly: "Thank you, Lao Li." I didn't expect you to care so much about your grandmother. ”
"She's also my family, Minmin. Li Yong said softly.
In the days that followed, the two regained their confidence and love as they did when they first fell in love. In the face of the difficulties of life, the two fought side by side, which not only improved the family's economic situation, but also deepened the relationship. In that town, their story was told.
In the evening, a family of three sat at the dinner table, Li Yong looked at Zhao Min and his son, and his heart was warm.
"We're all family, aren't we?" he asked rhetorically, smiling.