Li Hua sits in a messy living room, surrounded by scattered canvases and paints, and the afternoon sun shines dappled through the windows on his oil paintings, casting a shadow of loneliness and determination. He carefully put the finishing touches on the work he was about to finish, an oil painting depicting the alleys of the old town, full of nostalgia and warmth. Although Li Hua is a househusband, he has always hidden a dream of being an artist in his heart.
With a door click, Zhao Wei returned in high heels and a handbag. Her figure in the golden sunshine always seems to shine so brightly, and the financial advisor with a monthly income of tens of thousands is undoubtedly synonymous with success in the eyes of the outside world. However, when she returned home and looked at all this in front of her, her brows couldn't help frowning.
"What did you do at home today? It's such a mess. Zhao Wei took off her high heels and asked helplessly.
"I'm finishing my last work, and the gallery you're looking at this month has agreed to show my work." Li Hua looked at her hopefully, as if showing Zhao Wei his pride.
Zhao Wei just snorted coldly, "Can you sell it if you exhibit it?" It's still that money, you have 40,000 yuan a month, and you can't even afford your daughter's interest class. ”
"Wei, I know it's not much, but don't you always say you want me to do what I like? I..."
"I want you to be happy, but that's not how you live. You see, you can't even invite decent guests to the house. As she spoke, Zhao Wei's gaze swept over the canvases and paint bottles, "Moreover, who in my circle of friends is not a dual-income family?" Who doesn't get at least 180,000 a month? ”
Li Hua's heart sank, he knew that Zhao Wei was not easy, and he also knew the vanity and dissatisfaction in her heart. He tried to lighten the mood: "I'll try harder." ”
"Effort? I can see your efforts, but what I want is a change in reality. I'm tired, not just from work, but from this life. Zhao Wei's tone revealed tiredness, and she walked towards the bedroom with heavy steps.
Li Hua looked at his wife's back, and his heart was mixed. He knew that their marriage might be at a crossroads. He looked back at the paintings of the warm alleys in the afternoon, and smiled bitterly with a hint of stubbornness: "But I really can't give up the truest desire in my heart." ”
In the kitchen, Xiao Yue was doing her homework, her ears echoed with the conversation of her parents, and the expression on her little face was not very clear, as if she was thinking about the complexity of the adult world. Although she was still young, there were certain things that she seemed to have felt. As Zhao Wei's steps disappeared in the living room, Li Hua felt that he needed to make some changes. Although art was his dream, the harmony of marriage and family was clearly more important. So, he began to try to take on some commercial illustration work, trying to alleviate the conflict between the two with practical actions.
One evening a few weeks later, Zhao Wei seemed a little relieved when she learned of Li Hua's efforts: "I heard Xiaohui say, you have been working on an illustration project recently?" "
Li Hua raised his head, with a little excitement in his eyes: "Yes, although it is not a big project, I will accumulate it little by little." "
Zhao Wei hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke: "If you can really make money, then I don't support anything." "
But the good times didn't last long, and a month later, due to changes in market demand, those illustration projects suddenly came to a standstill. The dream of a steady stream of income was interrupted again, and Li Hua's heart was filled with a sense of powerlessness. Zhao Wei's disappointment and dissatisfaction gradually accumulated and turned into anger.
After dinner one day, Zhao Wei finally broke out: "Look at you, it's back to square one!" What do we do in the future? Have you thought about it? "
Li Hua sighed, his voice showing tiredness: "Wei, I really tried my best, maybe I'm not suitable for the market..."
"Not suitable? You don't care! Zhao Wei interrupted him, and her voice became higher and higher, "I heard you tell Xiaohui that day, you still said 'let it be' when the project is gone, what do you mean by saying 'let it be', is this your attitude towards the family?" "
The atmosphere in the air turned cold, and Li Hua fell silent, knowing that Zhao Wei did not understand the uncertainty of art and his helplessness. In the end, Li Hua reluctantly spoke: "Perhaps...... We need to calm down. Let's be apart for a while, and think about what this marriage really means. "
Zhao Wei sneered, "Calm down? Do you dare to divorce? "
Li Hua looked at Zhao Wei's face that was once full of love, but now it was full of alienation and challenges. Tears rolled in his eyes, but he did his best to keep his voice firm: "If this is the only way out, then I dare." "
What was left for Li Hua was Zhao Wei's back and the cold door. The vague emotions between them became clear and brutal at this moment.
Just when Li Hua thought that the situation would not be any worse, Zhao Wei came back, carrying a document in her hand. Zhao Wei said calmly: "Since you have agreed to the divorce, then this is a divorce agreement." I want a breakup fee of 250,000. "
Li Huaru was struck by lightning, he couldn't understand: "250,000? We don't have loans, we don't have big expenses, how did that come about? "
Zhao Wei smiled coldly: "The freedom you want, there must be a price." Otherwise, wouldn't all my years of work be in vain? "
Li Hua felt that he was in a dilemma. Whether or not to divorce is secondary, the important thing is how can he come up with the 250,000? Illustration projects have stalled, gallery sales are sluggish, and Li Hua knows it's going to be a long and difficult road. Li Hua looked at the divorce agreement in front of him, which required 250,000 yuan to be paid, and the shock in his heart gradually turned into a deep sense of powerlessness. He looked up at Zhao Wei, his eyes full of incomprehension and pleading: "Wei, we used to love each other so much, do you really want to be so ruthless?" ”
Zhao Wei's face did not have the tenderness of the past, but turned cold: "Feelings can't be eaten, I really hope that you can make a difference, but after so many years, in addition to painting, what else have you brought to this family?" ”
Li Hua wanted to argue, but the words came to his lips and swallowed back. He can't deny that in terms of material conditions, Zhao Wei has borne too much. At this moment, in the corner of the living room, Xiao Yue was holding her picture book tightly, her little face full of uneasiness and confusion. Her appearance seems to inject a touch of warmth and tenderness into this home.
Xiao Yue came to the side of the two who had an argument and said softly: "Dad, Mom, can't we be a happy family?" ”
This sudden child's voice brought the quarrel between the two to an abrupt end. Li Hua walked over and squatted down and gently stroked Xiao Yue's head: "Child, parents have some adult matters that need to be resolved, but we will always love you." ”
Zhao Wei was silent, she looked at the innocence in her daughter's eyes, and the anger in her heart unconsciously unloaded. She bit her lip: "Xiaoyue, it's not that mom doesn't love dad anymore, but there are some things that we need to face reality." ”
Xiaoyue had tears in her eyes, and she looked at Li Hua: "Dad, but, I heard from the book that when there is difficulty, the family should be united, can we try?" ”
Li Hua's heart was deeply touched, he looked at Zhao Wei, as if looking for the last ray of hope: "Wei, can't we really give each other a chance?" For Xiaoyue, but also for our love. ”
Zhao Wei faced Li Hua and her daughter, a trace of struggle and softening flashed in her eyes: "How do you give the opportunity you said?" ”
Li Hua took a deep breath and said seriously: "It's not that I don't have no income, although the gallery is not selling well, I can try to sell my works online, and I can also find more illustration projects." I beg you not to abandon our home like this. ”
Zhao Wei didn't respond immediately, but under Xiao Yue's expectant eyes, she slowly sat back on the sofa and said, "Okay, let's try again, but you have to have practical actions, I don't want to hear empty promises again." ”
Seeing that the husband and wife were finally willing to sit down and communicate, Xiao Yue smiled quietly on the side. When the story is about to reach its climax, she uses her innocent words to bring a turn for the family turmoil. The next morning, sunlight poured through the cracks in the curtains into the cozy little room. Li Hua and Zhao Wei sat at the table, and some preliminary plans for the distribution of property were drawn on the unrolled paper. Xiao Yue was painting on the side, looking up at her parents from time to time, with a reassuring light in her eyes. After a difficult conversation last night, the couple resolved to resolve the issue in a more rational and gentle way.
Li Hua picked up a piece of paper and said seriously: "Wei, I've been thinking about it for a long time. 250,000 is a lot of money for us, but I'm willing to put out my savings and some paintings and try to raise this money. ”
Zhao Wei's worried expression relaxed a little, and she replied softly: "Hua, I also thought a lot last night. I know it's not easy for you and have been trying to hold on to your dreams all the time. Maybe I'm being too harsh. ”
"So... Can we negotiate the numbers on the agreement? Li Hua asked tentatively.
Zhao Wei nodded and said softly, "Yes, I think we can find a lawyer and discuss it in detail." More importantly, though, I don't want money to be the price of our relationship. ”
Li Hua held his wife's hand: "Thank you for your understanding." My motivation to make art is to promote beauty, to have peace of mind, not to tear apart. ”
Zhao Wei looked at Li Hua with a smile: "I also have my fault, ignoring your feelings and dreams." We work together and work together for the family and Xiaoyue. ”
Xiaoyue felt the reconciliation and love between her parents, put down the colored pen in her hand, took her parents' hand, and said happily: "Then can we go to the park together to draw and play games together in the future?" ”
The couple looked at each other and smiled, and Li Hua stroked her daughter's head: "Yes, everything will be fine." ”
On that sunny morning, the little family felt reborn. They sat down side by side and began to plan in detail about their future lives and financial arrangements. It is no longer a one-sided dislike and dissatisfaction, but a mutual support, understanding and supporting each other's dreams and ambitions, and jointly creating a harmonious growth environment for Xiaoyue.
Xiao Yue looked at her parents, her eyes were full of happiness, she knew that her home was becoming more complete and beautiful. And Li Hua and Zhao Wei also understood the true meaning of family affection and love.
Isn't all this change a small but great ray of hope in every family?