Uncle Zhang, who is 65 years old this year, has been living with his wife, Aunt Wang, in an old-fashioned apartment in the old city since he retired. They have a son, Zhang Xiaoming, who is in Chinese New Year's Eve and lives with his daughter-in-law Li Xiaofang in a new house in the new city.
"Uncle, Auntie, how are you doing lately?" Zhang Xiaoming called to greet his parents.
"The two of us are like that, although our bodies are slowly declining every year, we still keep exercising. Uncle Zhang smiled and said, "You guys have to exercise more, don't always stay at home." "
"Knowing Uncle, Xiaofang and I will go for a walk in the park when we have time. Zhang Xiaoming responded, and his tone was full of admiration.
On this day, Uncle Zhang's nephew Xiaogang came to visit them, and as soon as he entered the door, he said anxiously: "Uncle, I have been in a big trouble recently, and I really have no choice but to ask you for help." "
"What's the matter?" Uncle Zhang asked suspiciously.
"That's right, my daughter-in-law and I have taken a fancy to a house in the city center, the location is very good, the school district house, but it costs 200,000 yuan for a down payment, and the two of us have only saved 100,000 yuan together, which is still half of it. Xiao Gang looked anxious, "If you can lend me 100,000 yuan, we can pay the down payment on the house, and then pay you back slowly, please help me this time." "
Uncle Zhang pondered for a moment, although 100,000 yuan was also a lot of money for him, but looking at his nephew's eyes, he still nodded: "Okay, I'll go and discuss it with your uncle." "
In the afternoon of the same day, after Zhang Xiaoming got home from work, Uncle Zhang opened up the matter to him.
"Xiao Ming, your uncle came to ask me for help today, saying that their family wanted to buy a house in the city center, but the down payment was only half saved, and there was still a gap of 100,000 yuan. "
Zhang Xiaoming frowned: "That's really a lot of money, how can you have so many savings as a retired old man?"
"I'm going to lend them the money first and pay it back to me when they have it in the future. Uncle Zhang explained, "Do you think we can advance the 100,000 yuan to Xiaogang first?"
Zhang Xiaoming's face was embarrassed, and he pondered for a moment and said: "Then I can't tell when I can pay it back, in case something happens in the future, the money may not come back." However, since you have already promised others, I can't stop you. "
Uncle Zhang couldn't help but be a little shaken when he saw that his daughter-in-law was so resolute in opposition: "Then you can watch it, otherwise I will tell Xiao Gang the truth." "
Li Xiaofang said unceremoniously: "Uncle, you just make it clear to Xiaogang that our family is indeed poor, and there is really no way to lend them so much money." "
Seeing this, Zhang Xiaoming had no choice but to smile and say to his father: "Uncle, what Fangfang said is also reasonable, let's live our lives honestly, don't take out a loan." "
Uncle Zhang sighed and had no choice but to give up.
In the evening, Uncle Zhang couldn't hide his disappointment and told his wife, Aunt Wang, about the day's events.
"Auntie, Xiao Gang begged me to lend them 100,000 yuan for a down payment, I originally wanted to lend it to him, but I didn't expect Xiao Ming and Xiao Fang to agree. "
Aunt Wang shook her head: "That's not good, 100,000 yuan is not a small amount, if you lend it out, what if you don't come back in the future? "
But Xiao Gang is really anxious, their family has almost saved up all their savings, and they are short of 100,000 yuan. Uncle Zhang said embarrassedly, "I don't want to watch my nephew's family suffer this kind of disaster in vain." "
"You're just so kind!" Aunt Wang said a little angrily, "Xiaogang and their young people will have many opportunities to make money in the future, but we are different." You lend out all the money we've worked so hard to save, and what if we become homeless in the future?"
Uncle Zhang saw that his wife was emotional, and hurriedly reassured: "Auntie, don't be excited, I just want to help Xiaogang, and I don't mean anything else." "
"Then don't help!" Aunt Wang said categorically, "100,000 yuan is not a small amount, if you insist on lending it, we will really suffer!"
"Uncle, don't worry about Xiao Gang's affairs anymore. Zhang Xiaoming said, "Xiaofang said very reasonably, our current economic situation is not well-off, in case Xiaogang really can't pay back in the future, we will suffer." "
Uncle Zhang frowned and said, "But Xiaogang and they are really in a hurry, can't you lend them once?"
"It's too dangerous to lend money to relatives and friends. Zhang Xiaoming insisted, "Don't worry about this matter anymore, we just have to live our own lives." "
Uncle Zhang couldn't help but feel sad when he saw that his son had also made such a decision. He wanted to help his nephew, but he didn't expect it to cause such a big family conflict.
Seeing this, Aunt Wang hurriedly played a round: "Don't be angry about this little thing. Xiao Ming is right, it is indeed dangerous to lend money to relatives and friends, and if we don't come back in the future, we will suffer a loss. But Xiao Gang is also our relative after all, don't make up your mind, I'll think of another way. "
Uncle Zhang nodded, and his son Zhang Xiaoming didn't say anything more.
A few days later, Aunt Wang finally came up with a compromise plan: "Let's leave it like this, lend 50,000 yuan to Xiaogang first, and then pay us back when they have money in the future, how about it?"
When Uncle Zhang heard this, he nodded again and again: "Okay, okay, in this way, you can have the best of both worlds." "
Seeing this, Zhang Xiaoming had to reluctantly agree: "Then so be it, but we must let Xiaogang come up with a promise to repay the money, otherwise if we don't pay back the money in the future, we will lose a lot." "
Just when everyone thought that the problem was finally solved, daughter-in-law Li Xiaofang suddenly became difficult.
"50,000 yuan is also a lot of money, you are determined to lend it, I absolutely disagree!"
Uncle Zhang saw that his daughter was aggressive, and hurriedly explained: "Xiaofang, 50,000 yuan is not too much for us, and it was lent to Xiaogang, and they will definitely pay it back in the future." "
"Who knows if they will pay it back in the future? They have to borrow money for the down payment now, and if something happens in the future, the money will not be recovered!" Li Xiaofang said mercilessly, "You are too soft-hearted, you will suffer sooner or later if you lend money to relatives and friends like this!"
Zhang Xiaoming saw that his wife was so resolute, so he had to say in a low voice: "Uncle, aunt, Fangfang is also reasonable, let's not lend money to Xiaogang, so as not to cause any trouble in the future." "
Uncle Zhang was extremely discouraged, and his wife, Aunt Wang, was also helpless. They just wanted to help their relatives, but they didn't expect it to cause such a big family conflict, which was really unexpected.
Family conflicts have not been resolved, and Uncle Zhang and Aunt Wang are very painful. Just when everyone was at an impasse, daughter-in-law Li Xiaofang suddenly made a ruthless decision and made an astonishing request to Zhang Xiaoming.
"Xiao Ming, the concepts of the two of us are so incompatible, you always indulge your parents' confused thinking, but I hope we can live a more rational life. Li Xiaofang said, "Let's break up, you move back to live with your parents, and I live alone." "
Zhang Xiaoming was severely shocked by his wife's words, and cried and said, "Fangfang, how can you do this? We have been married for a few years, and you filed for divorce like this?"
"yes, I'm just going to get a divorce!" Li Xiaofang said mercilessly, "If you continue to indulge your parents' foolish behavior, we will have no common language to speak." "
Zhang Xiaoming cried and begged Li Xiaofang to change his mind, but Li Xiaofang did not waver. In the end, Zhang Xiaoming had no choice but to ask his parents to come forward to do the work.
Uncle Zhang and Aunt Wang were frightened when they heard the news. They never thought that their little kindness would cause such a big family tragedy.
"Xiaofang, don't be so ruthless, okay?" Aunt Wang cried and begged Li Xiaofang, "Xiao Ming has always been so good to you, why are you so ruthless to divorce him?"
"It's because he listens to you too much!" Li Xiaofang said mercilessly, "You think crankily all day long, do something contrary to common sense, and Xiao Ming always condones you, I can't accept it no matter what." "
Uncle Zhang also cried and begged Li Xiaofang to calm down: "Xiaofang, it's all our old man's fault, don't be embarrassed Xiao Ming, we will never lend money to relatives and friends in the future." "
"But I don't agree with your way of thinking. Li Xiaofang shook her head, "I have already made a decision, that is, I want to divorce Xiao Ming, you can't change my mind." "
Seeing that his wife was so resolute, Zhang Xiaoming finally gave up on retaining, and could only say bitterly: "Okay, since you have made up your mind, I have no choice." But after all, we are husband and wife, so don't be too cruel to me. "
And just like that, a family tragedy unfolds mercilessly, all stemming from a seemingly insignificant request to borrow money.
After the divorce, Uncle Zhang and Aunt Wang were depressed at home all day. Uncle Zhang often sat alone on the balcony in a daze, reflecting heartily on what he had done in the first place.
"I just wanted to help Xiaogang, but I didn't expect to make such a big mess. Uncle Zhang said to himself, "Xiaofang is right, we old people are indeed a little confused and not rational enough. "
"But blood is thicker than water, Xiao Gang is our relative after all. Aunt Wang also fell into deep thought, "We just wanted to give him a little help, but we didn't expect it to cause such a family tragedy." "
Uncle Zhang let out a long sigh and said, "It seems that money and family affection still need to be controlled rationally. We do things too emotionally, which leads to such consequences. "
A few days later, Zhang Xiaoming came to visit his parents with a feeling of guilt. He sat beside his father and said sadly: "Uncle and aunt, it's all my fault, I didn't maintain family harmony well, which caused such a big family conflict." "
Uncle Zhang shook his head and said, "I don't blame you, it's all our old man's fault." We are too emotional and irrational to do things, which annoys Xiaofang. "
"Actually, there is a generation gap between our young people and you old people in terms of the way of thinking. Zhang Xiaoming said, "You pay more attention to human feelings and sophistication, while we young people pay more attention to rationality." If this generation gap cannot be bridged, contradictions will inevitably arise. "
Uncle Zhang said thoughtfully: "It seems that when we do things, we should not only pay attention to family affection, but also be more rational, so as to avoid hurting the innocent." "
Zhang Xiaoming nodded and said, "Yes, we young people are often too rational, and you old people are often too emotional. We all need to learn from each other and tolerate each other. "
In this way, the family began to reflect on what they had done, hoping to find a balance between reason and emotion to avoid another family tragedy.