It was a warm and ordinary afternoon, I sat on the balcony, holding the photo album that had been read countless times, the memories of the past and the smiling faces in the photos intertwined, evoking infinite emotion in my heart. From the ignorance of first love to the joy of wedding, every moment of me and him is frozen in these pictures. The story of my husband and I is like the most ordinary but heartwarming scene in this lively street.
Behind these fond memories, however, there is a dusty past that I almost never mention to others. That's about Uncle Li Qiang, my husband's younger brother. Twelve years ago, because of a dispute over the distribution of the family estate, our relationship became strained, even severed. The sound of the quarrel is still fresh in my ears, and my heart becomes heavy when I think about it.
I tried to bridge the relationship, perhaps out of the new daughter-in-law's desire for a harmonious family, or because I didn't want to leave a negative impression in my husband's mind. I tried to call, text, and even pass on the word through other family members, but every time it was a stone, and I never heard from my uncle again. Over time, people gradually forget each other. In fact, this invisible obstacle did not cause too many waves in our daily life, and we are still a model couple in the eyes of our neighbors, but Li Qiang's place will always be missing in the seat of that family gathering.
Then I looked out the window as the children chased and played on the playground, and their innocent laughter made me smile. Suddenly, I felt a little lighter, and maybe I left some of the cracks to be mended.
Suddenly, the doorbell broke my musings. I put down the album in my hand, walked down the corridor, and opened the door. An early spring breeze blew with a slight coolness, and I was stunned. Outside the door, standing was my sister-in-law Li Hua, whom we hadn't seen for several years, and at the moment she had imperceptible tiredness on her face.
"Sister-in-law, long time no see." She smiled, as if trying to hide her uneasiness.
I was shocked, but I still responded with a smile, "Sister-in-law, yes, I haven't seen you for a long time, why are you free to come to see me today?" ”
She hesitated for a moment, as if looking for the right words, "Sister-in-law, I ......" before the words fell, she lowered her eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "Actually, I came to discuss something with you." ”
I bowed my head and invited her into the house.
On the coffee table, two cups of steaming tea are quietly placed, and the smell of the dreary space gives a touch of life. "Sister-in-law, just say anything straight, don't beat around the bush."
Li Hua looked at me with complex emotions in his eyes that I couldn't read. "It's about the uncle, sister-in-law......" Her tone became hesitant, like a disoriented child.
My heart moved, I blinked in bewilderment, but my thoughts didn't know where to go.
An indescribable sense of tension made the atmosphere in the room oppressive, Li Jing felt a little uneasy, and her sister-in-law's expression seemed to indicate something unusual. "What's going on? Sister-in-law, do you have anything to do with me? Li Jing tried to break the sudden silence in a calm tone.
Li Hua sighed, frowned and began to speak, "Sister-in-law, you know, the family has experienced a lot of changes over the years, and now Uncle He... He's not in great shape. Her words fell heavily on Li Jingxin, making her nervous.
"What's wrong? Uncle, did something happen to him? Li Jing's voice unconsciously raised a few points.
"Uncle has not been in good health, and recently he has encountered some financial difficulties, and his life is very difficult. He was alone in a small rented house outside, and his former friends were now alienated from him. I sometimes go to see him, and I really don't feel good. Li Hua said, tears couldn't help but appear in his eyes.
Li Jing listened to her sister-in-law's narration, her heart was mixed, she could not forget the conflicts many years ago, but at the same time she felt sympathy for the unfortunate experience of this former relative in front of her. Her hand unconsciously tightened the teacup, and the heat rose from the mouth of the cup, as if intertwined with the contradictory feelings in her heart.
After a period of silence, Li Hua looked up at Li Jing, his tone was full of pleading, "Sister-in-law, I know that there have been too many misunderstandings and estrangements between us over the years, and Uncle has never taken the initiative to contact you. But now, he really needs help, and I have limited power alone, I don't know if you can ......"
Li Jing interrupted her, "Do you want me to help Uncle?" She tried to suppress the mixed emotions in her heart.
"Yes, sister-in-law, if you can, even a little help is better than him continuing to be so alone." Li Hua said almost choked.
Li Jing stood up and walked to the window, looking at the street scene outside, as if seeking answers. She knows that her decision will affect the harmony of the family, and even more so her relationship with her husband. Can the damage of the past be erased by the difficulties in front of us? The scene of the quarrel with her uncle echoed in her mind, but she also saw Li Qiang's lonely back, and his figure became more and more blurred as time passed.
A slight sobbing sound pulled her thoughts back to reality, and Li Jing turned around to see Li Hua with her head down, tears running down her cheeks. At this moment, the ice in Li Jing's heart seemed to be touched.
She took a deep breath, faced Li Hua, and said slowly, "Sister-in-law, I need time to think about it." You know, so much has happened in those years, I ......" she didn't finish, but the hesitation in her eyes already showed her tangle.
The sunlight outside the window shone obliquely on their faces, and the air inside seemed to become more and more dull. Li Hua held Li Jing's hand with a trembling hand, and his voice was crying, "Sister-in-law, I beg you." "
At that moment, Li Jing saw the warm and harmonious family in a trance, and now, can she cross the hurdle in her heart?
Li Jing stood in front of the window, looking indifferently at the crowd coming and going on the street, the entanglement in her heart was like a dark cloudy sky, unable to find a trace of sunshine. Her demeanor attracted her husband's attention. He walked over to her and asked softly, "Jingjing, what are you thinking?" My sister-in-law came here just now, did she mention the matter of my uncle again? ”
Her husband's words were like a warm current, which loosened Li Jing's heart wall a little. She turned around, looked into his gentle eyes, and said in a slurred voice: "Yes, you also know, Uncle He is not living well now, sister-in-law... She wants us to help my uncle. ”
After hearing this, her husband's expression became solemn: "Yes, Xiaoqiang's child has not been easy, although we haven't had much contact over the years, but after all, it's a family." If we can help, I think ......."
"What do you think?" Li Jing couldn't help but interrupt him, with a hint of reproach in her voice.
"I think we should still lend a hand." The husband's tone was firm and forceful.
This answer made Li Jing's emotions a little excited, and her voice raised, "How can you decide so easily?" You know what Uncle has done to us in the past, what he hurts...... How is it possible to write it off? ”
The conversation between the two gradually evolved into a quarrel, the sound of which echoed in the house, and for a while, the once warm home turned into a battlefield of fierce confrontation. The husband tried to convince Li Jing, but Li Jing stuck to her position and was unwilling to change her opinion out of sympathy.
This controversy not only failed to alleviate Li Jing's entanglement, but only made her heart even more confused. Eventually, both fell silent, the "tick-tock" of the clock on the ceiling seemed to be counting, as if they were counting down the room for communication.
Just when the atmosphere at home became almost ossified, Li Jing suddenly realized that this matter was not only about the relationship between her and her uncle, but also about a deeper family meaning - home, what is it to her? Where is the value of tolerance in the collision of love and hate?
When night came, the starlight outside the window flickered, as if to give Li Jing guidance, and she was silent for a long time before she slowly spoke: "We need to talk about our home, about our past and future." I'm not saying I'm going to agree to my sister-in-law's request, but ...... Maybe we can find a compromise. ”
The husband looked at Li Jing in surprise, he didn't expect her to loosen up. He nodded gently, "Okay, dear, let's have a good talk together." Either way, we're all family. ”
Li Jing sighed softly, she knew that this controversy was just the beginning, and the real challenges and reflections had just arrived. And this night, for her, will be a long night of reflection.
As the days passed, the quarrel between Li Jing and her husband gradually subsided. During that time, they were almost in silence, each thinking about how to make a choice to deal with their uncle's predicament. As time passed, the insurmountable wall in Li Jing's heart seemed to be quietly loosening.
After one night's dinner, Li Jing finally said to her husband: "I have been thinking for a long time, we can't forget the past, but we can't ignore the life and death of my uncle because of past grievances." I agreed to help him temporarily and provide some financial assistance, but that doesn't mean I completely forgive him for what he did. ”
The husband breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed Li Jing's hands, his eyes full of gratitude: "I'm very happy that you are willing to do this." I know you've always had a thorn in your heart, and it's really not easy to put aside your personal emotions for the sake of your family. ”
In the days that followed, Li Jing was like playing a psychological game, she had to face her complex inner world, but also deal with situations that might be misunderstood by those around her. That day, she invited her sister-in-law to her house again, and the two sat in the living room in silence for a long time. The moonlight shone through the curtains, stretching their shadows for a long time.
"Sister-in-law, I have decided, I will contribute some money to help my uncle, but you have to ensure that this money is really used in places that will help him." Li Jing said categorically.
Li Hua was so excited that tears flickered, "Sister-in-law, really? Would you like to help him? Thank you so much, I promise to put the money to good use. ”
"It doesn't mean that I have forgotten the past, and I don't expect my uncle to reciprocate." Li Jing shook her head lightly, with resoluteness in her tone, but her eyes were much softer.
At that moment, Li Jing seemed to open the knot that had been sealed for many years, and although her decision was reluctant, she knew that it was the first step towards reconciliation and forgiveness. The sister-in-law's expression changed from shock to gratitude, and the two hugged each other and cried, as if in this embrace, the old grievances had disappeared.
Time flies, and everything around her seems to have not changed, but Li Jing has a new understanding and tolerance in her heart. Home is no longer a container of resentment and pain, but a place where people are allowed to make mistakes, reflect and grow. She experienced the power of family members to tolerate each other, even in the midst of quarrels and misunderstandings, and this power prompted her to choose to let go of the past and move towards a path to reconnect with her family.
At night, Li Jing stood in front of the window, looking at the starry sky, her heart was full of relief. The thorns of the past seem to have become less sharp in this moment, but have become a catalyst for her growth, making her understand more deeply what it means to be at home – even if it is not perfect sometimes, it is always worth cherishing and repairing.