Qi Zhijun was consumed by resentment and anger throughout the journey, his eyes turning red. He felt that the whole world had betrayed him, and that he was the most pitiful person in the world.

Xiao Cui kicked him out and refused to cooperate with the divorce. Now even he doesn't know what this woman is thinking. After his family's troubles, she chose to leave without looking back, and a few months ago she even tacitly agreed to the divorce. Why did her attitude change so suddenly? She can't get a divorce and can't live a good life either, so why is she just dragging this out? Why is that?

She was furious the whole way home, trying her best to suppress her anger. When she got home, she found that her mother had already taken care of the house. Looking at the house where she had lived for most of her life, her mother sadly wiped away her tears while packing her things.

After receiving the message in the morning, Qi Zhifang went to work in silence. When Qi Zhijun returned, his mother was already packing her things, her eyes red, and she said, "Mom, this house is where you and Dad lived when you got married. How can you just move it like this?"

Wiping away her tears, Qi's mother smiled and said, "A house is inanimate, but people are alive. We can't let those debts drag my son down to his death! Zhijun, you don't know how scared I was when you fainted. I've already lost your father, I can't lose you too! It's just a house, isn't it?"

As she spoke, she stood up and touched Qi Zhijun's graying hair, suppressing her grief and indignation, and said, "Zhijun, Mom knows you've really done your best for this family, but you're not made of iron! How can you endure living like this for several years? I believe if your father were alive, he would understand what I'm doing. Once we've saved enough money, we can exchange it with the neighborhood committee."

Qi Zhijun's heart was breaking, and he couldn't say anything. He could only whisper with a sob in his voice, "Mom, your son is sorry. Your son is unfilial."

The matter was settled, so he went back to tidy up his house. The two houses were originally front and back yards, and he finished moving his things in half a day.

The Liu family's house consisted of a main house, a side room, and half a kitchen. It was only half the size of the Liu family's house because a partition had been built in the middle, and that half belonged to another family. Qi Zhifang and her mother lived in the master bedroom. Qi Zhijun went to the side room, tidying up his things. He had just laid out the red quilt he'd bought for his wedding when his mother came in, gesturing for him to sit down, and said, "Take this 1000 yuan and go to your workplace to pay off your debts. Save the rest as your own private savings! I've already discussed it with Fangzi; this house will ultimately be yours. Fangzi lost her half because of her own actions."

Qi Zhijun quickly pushed the money back, saying anxiously, "Mom, what are you saying! I don't want my secret stash of money, you keep it!"

Now, Qi's mother's aged face is like old tree bark, and her frizzy silver hair is mixed with a few strands of black hair. She no longer has the dignified appearance she once had, but you can see that she is trying her best to maintain what she considers a dignified appearance, only this dignified appearance has a strange sense of incongruity.

Patting Qi Zhijun's thin shoulder, she said earnestly, "Zhijun, take this money! It will make Mom feel better. Mom knows you've had a hard time. You've done so much for this family! You've compromised so much for your father and me. Your father has a bad temper; he lived his whole life for his reputation, and I never thought Fangzi would ruin it all for him when he passed away. It's also dragged down your once good job, and now you're worse off than strangers with Xiao Cui and his wife. Mom knows all your sacrifices and your difficulties!"

Qi Zhijun sat on the edge of the bed, sobbing softly. Her mother patted Qi Zhijun's back, just as she had when Qi Zhijun was a child, and gently rocked her head against her chest, saying softly, "Remember what I told you? Don't be afraid when you encounter difficulties, the sun will set. This matter! If you get through it, it's a blessing; if you can't get through it, it's a disaster!"

Qi Zhijun clutched his waist in anguish and said, "Mom, I really feel like I can't go on!"

Qi's mother smiled and comforted Qi Zhijun, "It will pass, my Zhijun. You will definitely have a good life. Your father is watching from heaven!"

Qi Zhijun swallowed his sobs, fiercely suppressing his cries, trying his best to calm himself down, and then nodded frantically.

On the last day, Qi Zhijun went to the finance office to clear the accounts. Then he went to collect his company benefits, which this year included two jin of wheat flour, five jin of cornmeal, and one jin of meat. As he carried these things out, he felt his back straighten and the air he breathed felt fresher.

It turns out that the days when I owned a house and had no debt were so blissful. It seems that many things can only be truly appreciated after they have been lost!

I rode my bicycle home at breakneck speed, and as soon as I entered, I shouted, "Mom, look! My company gave us some benefits. I'm going to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a cabbage so we can have dumplings for the New Year!"

When Qi's mother came out, she looked at the things and said with a smile, "Okay! Go buy a cabbage later!"

As the two were talking and putting the grain into the rice bin, they saw Xiao Cui, who had been away from home for a long time, come in, carrying some things in his hands. As soon as the mother and son saw her, they stopped talking and stared at her. Xiao Cui said shyly, "Mom, Zhijun, my company distributed some welfare benefits for the New Year, and I brought them back!"

Qi's mother smiled and stepped forward to take it, saying, "Good! You must be tired! Come in and sit down!" Then she pushed Qi Zhijun and Xiao Cui over.

Mother Qi took the things into the kitchen, while Qi Zhijun and Xiao Cui went to the side room. They looked at each other without saying a word. Qi Zhijun dusted himself off, glanced out the window, then looked down and said, "Why are you here?"

Xiao Cui seemed to be saying to an unreasonable child, "Zhijun, let's stop fighting, okay? I realize my mistake, let's stop arguing, okay? Let's live our lives peacefully!"

Qi Zhijun snorted lightly and said calmly, "A broken mirror can never be mended!" He then smiled and looked up at Xiao Cui, saying, "You've seen it too. To pay off that debt, the family sold the old house and moved to this small one. Our family was already struggling, and now this is adding insult to injury. You're young and have a bright future ahead of you, why waste it here with me?"

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